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Like most people, in winter I crave slow-cooked, intensely flavored foods. And, like everyone, I don't always have time to make them. So high-heat roasting has become my favorite cold-weather way to cook. It's a quick technique that Barbara Kafka features in her popular book, Roasting: A Simple Art. It's also easy: just turn the oven to its highest setting and slide in the pan of ingredients. They will emerge caramelized outside and moist inside. Since heat deepens flavor, the four dishes here--from seared veal chops with tender grapes to lemon-roasted chicken thighs--don't need to be doctored up with lots of herbs or spices. As a bonus, most of the elements can be tossed together in the roasting pan before cooking (no mixing bowl required), which cuts down on cleanup time.
Roasting Tips
High-heat roasting works best on thick ingredients such as:
* Any kind of chop (pork, veal, lamb) cut thick (1 1/2 inches is best)
* Small poultry (chicken, duck, small turkeys), cut into pieces with skin on
* Any type of fish steak or thick fish fillet (at least 1 inch thick)
* Small game birds left whole (quail, Cornish game hens, squab)
* Most vegetables, with small ones left whole and large ones sliced 1 inch thick (except greens and beans)
Roasted Halibut with Fennel and Croutons
Serves 4
2 large fennel bulbs--halved, cored and thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons chopped feathery green tops
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 anchovy fillets, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup cubed (1/2 inch) crustless Italian bread
Four 1/2-pound skinless halibut or cod fillets, about 1 inch thick
1. Preheat the oven to 500�1?2. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the sliced fennel with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the anchovies and fennel seeds. Season with salt and pepper and spread the fennel in an even layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10, or until the fennel is tender and just beginning to brown.
2. In a small bowl, toss the bread cubes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the halibut on the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bread cubes over the fish and roast for about 8 minutes longer, or until the fish is cooked through and the croutons are golden and crisp. Sprinkle with the chopped fennel tops and serve.
Pasta with Roasted Cremini and Gorgonzola
Serves 4
3/4 pound gemelli or fusilli pasta
1 1/4 pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed, quartered if large
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1. Preheat the oven to 500�. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, cover with foil and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the mushrooms with 1/4 cup of the oil. Season with salt and pepper and spread the mushrooms in a single layer.
3. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss the onions with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; season with salt and pepper and spread in a single layer. Roast the mushrooms on the top rack and the onions in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring after 10, or until the mushrooms are just tender.
4. Sprinkle the cheese over the mushrooms and the pine nuts over the onions and roast for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pine nuts are toasted. Add the mushrooms and onions to the pasta along with the chives and toss well. If the pasta is dry, add a little of the reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Roasted Veal Chops with Grapes
Serves 4
Roasting intensifies the sweet juiciness of the grapes; as they cook, they break down to make a fruity sauce for the veal.
1 pound seedless red grapes
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Four 1-inch-thick veal rib chops (about 1/2 pound each)
1. Preheat the oven to 500�. On a sturdy rimmed baking sheet, toss the grapes with the vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter and the sugar; season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 10 minutes, shaking the baking sheet halfway through, until the grapes are hot and the pan is sizzling.�
2. Rub the veal chops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper. Push the grapes to one side of the baking sheet. Add the veal chops and roast for about 5 minutes, or until sizzling underneath. Turn the chops and roast for 5 minutes longer for medium-rare meat. Transfer the veal chops to a platter, scrape the grapes and juices on top and serve.
Moroccan-Style Lemon Chicken with Spiced Carrots
Serves 4
Slice half of the lemon as thinly as possible so that it's ultra tender after cooking and can be eaten with the roasted chicken and carrot ribbons.
1 lemon, halved
6 large carrots, cut lengthwise into ribbons with a sturdy vegetable peeler
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1. Preheat the oven to 500�. Slice half of the lemon crosswise as thinly as possible; discard any seeds. Squeeze 1 1/2 teaspoons of juice from the remaining lemon half.
2. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss the carrots with 3 tablespoons of the oil, the coriander and cumin seeds, the cayenne and lemon juice. Season with salt. Spread the carrots in an even layer and roast for about 7 minutes, stirring after 4, or until just tender.
3. Brush the chicken thighs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and set them on the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and top with the lemon slices. Roast the chicken for about 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
4. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Toss the carrots with the cilantro, transfer to the platter and serve.