Convection for Easy Meal Preparation featuring Thermador
By Larissa Taboryski on Feb 01th,2017Warming vegetable soups and casseroles are the ideal foods for the cool winter months and we find one way to make the preparation of these meals especially easy is to use our Convection ovens. Foods cooked in Convection have great moisture retention so vegetables caramelize nicely while retaining lots of flavor. These dishes are very delicious and easy to cook and remember, you can roast the vegetables for the soup and the casserole in the oven at the same time to ease the preparation of two great meals.
Roasted Cauliflower Soup
2 – heads cauliflower, stalks removed, florets cut into 1” thick slices
Olive Oil
3 – tablespoons unsalted butter
1 – large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
4 – cloves garlic peeled & smashed
2 – medium carrots (orange or heirloom pale yellow) peeled and cut into 1” dice
2 – stalks celery, cut into 1” dice
8 – cups chicken broth or stock
Preheat the oven – Convection Roast 375 degrees
Toss the cauliflower florets with a little olive oil to coat and a pinch of mixed Italian seasoning and if you like a little heat a pinch of chili flakes.
Spread the florets onto a large rimmed baking sheet and roast on rack position 1 for 12 minutes, stir the vegetables and roast for another 10-12 minutes just until the edges begin to caramelize.
Meanwhile heat a large saucepan over moderate heat, when hot add the butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, stir in the onions and cook over moderate heat until softened. Stir in the garlic, carrots and celery and continue cooking until the vegetables begin to soften and caramelize.
Add the cooked cauliflower to the pan add the stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. Allow the soup to cool down for at least 20 minutes, then puree, add salt & freshly ground pepper and chopped parsley. We find the soup doesn’t require any milk or cream but if you desire that texture, add a little in and re-heat before serving.
Roasted Butternut Squash & Black Bean Tamale Pie
1 – medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and flesh cut into 1” cubes
1 – medium yellow onion, cut into 1” dice
1 – pasilla chili, seeds removed cut into small dice
3 – cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 – white-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes
1 – 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 – tablespoon chilis in adobo, chopped
Preheat the oven – Convection Roast 375 degrees
Toss the butternut squash in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes, toss with some olive oil, spread onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelize on the edges.
Meanwhile, heat a 2” deep skillet over moderate heat, add a little vegetable oil and butter and sauté the onion until softened. Stir in the garlic and pasilla chilis and cook for a few minutes, stir in the chopped tomatoes and the chilis in adobo and leave to simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
Combine the roasted vegetables with the tomato sauce and black beans and spread into a large ovenproof casserole
Polenta Topping
2 – cups whole milk
2 – cups water
1 – teaspoon salt
1 – cup polenta
4 – tablespoons butter
½ – cup grated Mexican blend cheese
Bring the milk, water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan, add the polenta in slowly whisking all the time, continue cooking over moderate heat for 3 – 4 minutes whisking frequently to prevent lumping. Cook over moderate heat for 35 – 40 minutes until smooth and creamy. Stir in the butter and cheese then spread over the prepared vegetables. If the polenta sits for too long it will become very firm so make sure you have the vegetable mix ready. To serve, preheat the oven to Convection Bake or Bake 350 and reheat uncovered on the 2nd rack position up from the bottom.