Jamie Oliver's secret to irresistible roasted vegetables
Baking enhances the full flavours and aromas of vegetables while preserving their valuable nutrients. Onions, peppers, or zucchini prepared this way can be a delicious addition to other dishes or a standalone meal. Jamie Oliver has an interesting idea to make them even more delicious.
Jamie Oliver likely needs no introduction. The Brit has been one of the most popular chefs for years, proving that cooking can be an exciting adventure. Millions of television viewers and internet users benefit from his uncomplicated recipes, using easily accessible ingredients and products from local suppliers.
Roasted vegetables are one of Jamie Oliver's favourite specialties. According to him, almost everything can be prepared this way, gaining even more flavours and aromas.
It's worth taking his example, as vegetables form the basis of the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Pyramid recommended by the Food and Nutrition Institute. These products should dominate our daily diet because they provide many valuable and essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body and help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure), diabetes, and many cancers.
The World Health Organization recommends consuming at least five servings of vegetables daily. At least some of these should be consumed in roasted form. Using Jamie Oliver's trick, carrots, peppers, or squash can gain a unique taste and aroma.
How to enrich the flavour of roasted vegetables
An addition that enhances the flavour of roasted vegetables is coriander seeds. They are a treasure trove of essential oils, especially linalool, which has anti-inflammatory, calming, anti-anxiety, and relaxing properties. It acts as a relaxant on the smooth muscles of the digestive tract, improving intestinal peristalsis, helping to cope with abdominal pain, bloating, or diarrhea. It also stimulates appetite.
Coriander seeds are a treasure trove of vitamin C and other antioxidants, which not only strengthen immunity but also neutralize the harmful activity of free radicals that accelerate the aging process of the body and the development of many serious diseases, including cancer.
The compounds in the seeds can help reduce levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which helps control the digestion of lipids and protects against cardiovascular diseases. The ingredients in coriander seeds also aid insulin secretion, helping to maintain blood sugar levels at the right level.
The essential oil obtained from the seeds is eagerly used in cosmetics. It has, among other things, a positive impact on hair health, preventing hair loss and stimulating the follicles to grow new hair.
Recipe for success
Jamie Oliver suggests a set consisting of onions, red peppers, butternut squash, leeks, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. Cut all the vegetables into fairly large pieces and spread them on a baking sheet. Add a few cloves of garlic, a sprig of fresh thyme and rosemary, and ground coriander seeds (2-3 teaspoons). It's best to grind them yourself.
Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper, mix, and place in an oven preheated to 205°C. Bake for about 50 minutes. After this time, the vegetables should be perfectly tender and slightly charred, which—according to Jamie Oliver—will only add character to them.
Of course, you can prepare almost any vegetable this way; potatoes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, or cabbage will work perfectly. It’s also worth throwing a few mushrooms on the baking sheet.
