recipes: root vegetable, pear and ginger bake

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This weekend, I finally got around to cooking with some of the root vegetables that came with our January CSA share from Still Life Farm. The little newsletter that comes with every share included a recipe for smashed rutabagas with ginger-roasted pears (yum!). Taking that recipe as a starting point, I created the following vegetable and fruit roast, which has been lovely hot (topped with a little grated toscano cheese) and cold as well. The measurements are approximate, so this is definitely one of those recipes where you start with what you have and go from there. I used:

2 medium turnips, peeled and chopped
1 large rutabaga, peeled and chopped
3 medium onions, chopped
1 package extra firm tofu, chopped
4 firm pears, chopped
1/2 cup crystallized, sweetened ginger, chopped as desired
2 Tbl olive oil
1-2 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
1-2 tsp coarsely ground salt (we used Trader Joe's lemon, thyme & bay sea salt)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit 

2. Oil a 9 x 12 glass or ceramic baking dish with the 2 Tbl olive oil.

3. Chop turnips, rutabaga, onions, and tofu directly into the baking pan and toss lightly with a wooden spoon to coat with oil. Add thyme and salt to taste and put in oven to bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, chop pears and ginger and set aside.

5. When the turnips and rutabaga have started to soften, add pears and ginger to the bake. Stir until well-mixed and return to oven. Bake another 20-35 minutes until pears are heated through and as soft as you desire.

6. Serve hot with toscano or gruyere cheese grated over the top.