First blog post from the road! If my calculations are correct it’s… 2am in Vancouver? Hm, well that’s a little early to be posting, but I have a big day ahead of me so better too early than too late, right? Riiiight.
Hey, at least I’m posting.
It’s fitting that I’m posting a recipe for roasted potatoes since I’m actually in Dublin, Ireland at the moment. Is that a terrible stereotype? To be fair, there are a lot of potatoes here. Potatoes and bacon and cheddar, and any combination of all three baked into pies. Black pudding, white pudding, sausages, corned beef, roasts. It must be kind of tough being a vegetarian in Ireland sometimes, only because so much of the traditional fare revolves around delicious meats. So, of course I’m posting something vegetarian.
Yesterday, we hit the ground running. I’m always impressed with how much one can do in that first day- and that includes a 2 hour cat-nap mid-afternoon (with the requisite alarm set), to kick the jet lag to the curb once and for all.
Our AirBnB is well located a block or two away from Dublin’s historic pub centre, the Temple Bar. It’s just far enough to be extra quiet at night (always a plus), but not so far that we threatened getting lost on our way back from the pub after a pint or two.
Today, we’re doing the good tourist thing and hitting the Guinness Storehouse in St. James Gate. Typical tourist spot? Definitely. Worthwhile? 100%. Last time I was in Dublin, the Storehouse was a highlight of my visit. 8 floors of sensory verve, all topped with a 360 degree view of Dublin in the glass bar at the top, where you drink Guinness (cold or extra cold), straight from the source. I’m interesting in seeing how much things have changed there in the last… 10 years or so. Yikes. I’m old.
The lower 7 floors focus on the history of Guinness and the brand’s prolific ad campaigns throughout the years. As a self-professed advertising junkie, this kind of museum makes me very, very happy.
It’s not all pints and potatoes, though. Colin’s excited to get in a round of golf when we head inland to Athlone for the wedding, I’m personally particularly stoked on getting to see my favourite Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest, live at one of the local theatres.
Add in a smattering of pubs and pies… extended walking routes and lost meanderings… street fights and fisticuffs that end in loving pats on the back (3 so far- neither, thankfully, involving me or Colin)… warm welcomes (between the odd fisticuff, the Irish are the warmest, most delightfully welcoming and amazing people I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. If Canadians are stereotypically “nice,” the Irish are “inviting.” Frankly, I think inviting is better.)… and a curious number of leprechaun-themed knick knacks (including a Leprechaun museum apparently, who knew?).
It’s a good time.
Now, on with the recipe. This recipe is inspired by the simpler Whole Roasted Carrots I posted last year only… well, with a whole tray of veg. I amped up the vinegar so that the veggies get extra infused and flavourful. You might think that much acid would make them too tart or acrid but I assure you, the vinegar steams in with the garlic and herbs and lends a rather delicated flavour then caramelized up at the end when the foil is removed. Pure happiness.
It’s not traditional by any means, but I reckon any good Irish mama would taste these and say they’re not half bad.
| Vinegar-Roasted Vegetables | Print |
- ½ head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
- ½ zucchini, cut into large chunks*
- 2 carrots, cut into thirds
- 4-5 small summer Patty Pan squashes*
- 1.5 lbs small new potatoes
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar or fruit/herb infused vinegar**
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves left on the branch
- Salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse all your veggies well and cut, if needed, so that most of the veggies in the tray are of a roughly uniform size. Bash garlic cloves up a little, keeping them unpeeled and place in a large roasting pan along with the vegetables.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil over the roasting tray and toss lightly to coat. Salt and pepper generously and then splash vinegar over top. Place whole sprigs of thyme over the vegetables and cover the roasting tray with a layer of aluminium foil.
- Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil from the roasting tray. Bake for an additional 15 minutes until vegetables have browned slightly.
** Really, just about any light (not balsamic) vinegar will work amazingly with this. Tarragon vinegar, raspberry vinegar, classic apple cider vinegar- try it all!
I tried this given the abundance of fresh veg right now including baby potatoes. Outstanding! A whole new dimension to the flavours of roasted veg. And the aroma while they were baking !!!! I couldn’t wait until they were ready.
So glad you enjoyed it! It’s amazing to think something as simple as vinegar can add so much depth of flavour and complexity to a dish!
me = vinegar addict, vegetable addict, great photo addict = this post is rockstar.
Thanks, FoodGeekGraze!! The vinegar and garlic and herbs get all steamy and cozy in the oven together and make the house smell AMAZING.