A while ago, we established that I was not a fan of our Haitian soup joumou. It was right around the time I published my made-from-scratch savory pumpkin pie recipe. If you recall, back then, I told you that pie had helped me make peace with our giraumon. I learned to embrace that vegetable as one worthy of not only my taste buds, but my kitchen as well. I went on countless culinary pumpkin adventures ever since.
A failed giraumon fries attempt, a pitimi risotto, and a giraumon Tête de Maure cheese spread are among a few of my concoctions with this squash. Earlier this week, I even shared my favorite giraumon-based recipes to date with you in my Six Giraumon Pumpkin Recipes for your Fall Cookbook article. What I did not mention in that publication is that one dish in particular stood out for me from that list. It even now ranks second best to my cheesy savory pumpkin pie. As I am sure you’ve figured out by now, I am referring to the Fall vegetable roast below.
That roasted fall vegetables dish caught me by surprise. Bright both in color and in flavors, it was sublime.
Sweet yet pungent, it had just the right balance of textures. Each bite was soft with a bit of crunch, and pleasantly infused with the aromas of roasted garlic, shallots and fresh thyme. Served atop a couscous the next day, it made for a hearty work lunch. I bet it would also complement a juicy sheet pan meat dish to perfection. I actually added that idea to my list of recipes to try in the near future. I promise to tell you all about it when I do. In the meantime, let’s get back to these meatless roasted vegetables. You’re probably asking yourself what else went in that dish besides the very obvious pumpkin.
Simply put, this Fall vegetable roast is a soup joumou…minus the soup part.
Hopefully I didn’t just lose you with that last line. But I don’t think I could find a better description for this dish. After all, that veggie pan combines most of the vegetables that are at the base of our famous soup joumou. Yes, the very soup I have yet to acquire a taste for. This roast is a mix of giraumon, potatoes and turnips. Speaking of turnips. I discovered that without them, that soup wouldn’t be. Flavor wise, my vegetable roast was interestingly kindred to our soup. I now know turnips are what truly gives it its burst of flavors; flavors I have now learned to embrace.
Perhaps these garlic roasted fall vegetables with thyme are the first step towards my finally acquiring a taste for our soup joumou? Who knows? Anything is possible. One roasted Fall vegetable at a time.
Garlic Roasted Fall Vegetables
Ingredients
For the roasted veggies
- ½ giraumon pumpkin kabosha squash
- 1 turnip
- 2 potatoes
- ¼ tsp pepper or to taste
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
- 4-5 Garlic cloves
- 4-5 Shallots
- Fresh thyme
- Olive oil
For the dressing
- 2 Lime juice
- Shallots
- Roasted garlic from the roasted veggie tray
- 3-4 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Parsley
Instructions
For the roasted veggies
- - Wash, peel and dice the pumpkin, turnip and potatoes
- - Peel and cut the shallots in half
- - Combine with the vegetables
- - Lay the mixed vegetables on a parchment lined tray
- - Season with salt and pepper
- - Add the whole garlic cloves and thyme springs
- - Drizzle generously with olive oil
- - Roast in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked
For the dressing
- - Squeeze the lime juice into a ramequin
- - Chop the shallots and add them to the lime juice
- - Place the ramequin next to a source of heat until the shallots turn a bright purple at which point you will remove them from the lime juice
- - Remove the roasted garlic from the vegetable pan and mash them with some salt in another ramequin
- - Add the lime juice to the pasty mixture and season with pepper to taste
- - Slowly whisk in the olive oil
- - Finish with some freshly chopped parsley and brightened shallots
- - Drizzle that dressing over the warm roasted veggies before serving
