Dutch oven roasted vegetables

I played a supporting role at the family Thanksgiving feast this year. My brother-in-law Jim roasted the turkey on dad's 22-inch Weber BBQ kettle. The rest of the family -- self included -- supplied the side dishes.

The menu consisted of roasted turkey, great-grandma's German red cabbage, mashed potatoes with turkey gravy, roasted vegetables and cranberry sauce. Three homemade pies (pumpkin, pumpkim with crumb topping and apple) topped the menu.

My contribution was the roasted vegetables and a foccacia round, all cooked in two 14-inch Dutch ovens next to Jim's turkey.

The vegetables caramelize as they cook under the intense in the Dutch oven. They take on a slight sweetness from natural sugars.

You'll enjoy pure comfort food in this dish, especially when it's prepared with a sharp coarse-grain mustard and plenty of roasted garlic.

Use any combination of vegetables will do. You can tailor the recipe to your own tastes. A nice combination of root vegetables (russet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes and carrots) makes a nice fall and winter accompaniment to an outdoor meal.

DUTCH OVEN ROASTED VEGETABLES

To roast in a home oven: Pre-heat oven to 400-degrees F. Place vegetables in a 13- x 18-inch sheet pan following recipe directions. Cover pan with foil and roast for 35 minutes. Uncover, stir gently and roast for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until vegetables are tender.

2 large stalks broccoli, cut into small florets
1-1/4 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 pound carrots, Juliane
2 bell peppers, diced large
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
12 large cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 head cabbage, cut into chunks

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, garlic and parsley.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of mixture into a 14-inch Dutch oven. Place cabbage on top of the oil.

Add the remaining oil mixture to vegetables in bowl and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to Dutch oven and place on top of cabbage.

Roast vegetables in a 400-degree oven until vegetables are tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2-teaspoon salt and transfer to a serving bowl.