Roasted Root Vegetables & Wild Rice with Spiced Coconut Broth

This warming bowl was a perfect comfort food for a week that was busy at work and more stressful than usual in the news. The recipe is adapted from Alice Hart’s wonderful cookbook Good Veg, which I very much recommend for its beautiful collection of vegetarian recipes, featuring lots and lots of fresh produce in innovative recipes. I’m so happy to be able to use my oven again after a long, hot summer. In addition to roasting the veggies for this recipe, I’ve been doing a lot of baking as well. Stay tuned for recipes!

Today, though, is a day for eating a cake I did not bake—it’s our first wedding anniversary, so Andrew and I are having a slice of cake from the top layer of our wedding cake! Yes, we saved it. I used instructions from Martha Stewart, so we’ll see how it goes later tonight. The cake, an orange blossom cake with white chocolate and cream cheese frosting from Nine Cakes, was certainly delicious the first time around!

I can’t believe it’s already been a year since the wedding, the time has gone by so quickly. I think that means it’s going well. 🙂 Since the first wedding anniversary gift is supposed to be paper, last night we opened a special bottle of wine and started putting together a wedding album using Artifact Uprising. We have so many wonderful photos from our league of family and friend photographers, but this one by my aunt Maura might be my favorite:

I love that she’s somehow made us look like Italian cinema stars of the 1960s!

You know I embrace any excuse to celebrate, and this one is a pretty big deal, so tonight we’re going to Sushi Ishikawa for a 15-course omakase (chef’s tasting menu). Andrew wants to photograph everything (usually I would be the one suggesting this, but he brought it up first!) so I may share some highlights of the meal next week. I’m really looking forward to tonight’s fancy meal and to whatever other adventures this next year may bring. Most of all I’m looking forward to embarking on these adventures with my very favorite person.

Have a wonderful week, everyone, and I hope you enjoy this week’s recipe!

Roasted Root Vegetables & Wild Rice with Spiced Coconut Broth

serves 4

• 2 large carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 parsnips, thickly sliced
• 1 small celery root, peeled and roughly chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1-inch piece fresh turmeric root, peeled and minced, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
• small handful cilantro, leaves picked, stems finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 sprig fresh curry leaves (optional)
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 or 2 dried red chiles
• 3/4 cup coconut cream
• juice of 1/2 lime
• cooked wild rice, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Arrange the carrots, parsnips, and celery root on a baking sheet, toss with 2 tablespoons coconut oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake 15 minutes. Stir, then bake 15 minutes more, or until browned and tender.
2. Meanwhile, make the broth. In a saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, cilantro stems, garlic, curry leaves, cardamom pods, and chiles, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut cream and 3/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and the lime juice.
3. Divide wild rice and roasted vegetables among 4 bowls, top with coconut broth and cilantro leaves.