vegetables if you can even believe it

I can't even believe it

Another newsletter so soon?? No one saw it coming! Certainly not me! But so much has happened in such a short period of time.

Eater let me write about the best (my favorite) dive bars in San Fransico. We have another virgo supperclub this weekend. And, most importantly, I went away to the desert last weekend and made ribs (again) but also vegetables with the rib seasoning and glaze, and they, for lack of a better term, absolutely fucked.

Which brings me here!

Listen, I am not about to enter the melee that is chefs online clamoring for space on your Thanksgiving table. This is not me throwing my hat in the ring! I don’t want to be anywhere near the ring. I’m a lover, not a fighter, no matter what anyone has told you.

However!

If you happen to be looking for a vegetable to cook for ANY OCCASION AT ALL with NO SPECIFIC REASON IN MIND, these are some pretty good options! I say these and options because there are multiple vegetable suggestions down below.

Step one:

The first step for all of these recipes is to make the seasoning and the glaze, which you can find here. You can also find it right below because I’m so good and nice and sweet.

for the seasoning

• 2 teaspoons ground clove

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (you can use not-smoked, but, yeah)

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 

• 2 teaspoons cayenne 

• 2 teaspoons fresh ground white pepper (once again, black pepper is fine!)

• 2 teaspoons nutmeg 

• 2 teaspoons cardamon 

• 2 teaspoons chipotle chili flakes (you can also use crushed red pepper flakes) 

for the sauce 

• 1 cup hoisin sauce 

• 1.5 tablespoons above spice mixture

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (you can use white vinegar or red wine too)

making the seasoning and the glaze

1. Make your spice mixture. Combine all dry ingredients. I can only ever find whole cardamom pods and whole white pepper, so if you’re like me, you might have to grind some of your spices. If you don’t have a spice grinder, use a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have that, put them in a plastic bag and beat the hell out of them with a pan. Measurements are after they are ground, not before. 

2. To make the glaze, combine hoisin sauce, 1.5 tablespoons spice mixture, and vinegar in a small pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Once it starts simmering, turn it off and set it aside. You just want to heat the spices in the sauce so all the flavors have a chance to bloom. 

Corn ribs

In full transparency, I also made this for virgo supperclub, but then I made them again in the desert, and I was like, holy shit, these are so good.

Ingredients:

• Glaze and spice mixture

• 4 ears of corn (scale as you see necessary)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 450°. While your oven heats, husk your corn and trim off the top and bottom so you have a flat surface on both ends. Stand your corn up and carefully cut in half crosswise, top to bottom, and then in half again. You should have four wedges per ear of corn. If your corn is particularly large, you can cut it into eights. Place corn on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus a tablespoon of the seasoning and the salt. Spread out wedges evenly, with one cut side touching the pan.

Step 2

Roast the corn for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn so the other cut side is flat to the pan, and return to the oven for 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and brush the kernels with the rib glaze. Return to the oven for ~5 minutes, just to give the glaze time to heat and melt into the crevices.

Step 3

Remove from the oven, let cool, and serve with more of the glaze alongside.

Carrots

Ingredients:

• Glaze and spice mixture

• 2 lbs carrots (scale as you see necessary)

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 425°. While your oven heats, peel your carrots. Place carrots on a baking sheet and drizzle with ¼ cup vegetable oil plus a tablespoon of the seasoning and the salt. Spread out in one even layer on the pan.

Step 2

Roast the carrots for 20 minutes, shaking them halfway through to get more browning on other sides. Remove from the oven and glaze with ~1/4 cup of the glaze, making sure all the carrots are coated. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Remove from the oven, let cool, and serve. Garnish with whatever green stuff you’ve got if you’ve got it!

Other vegetables!

There is not one single doubt in my mind that you could also do essentially this same recipe with butternut or honeynut squash. Delicata. Kabocha! Sweet potatoes. Most things that are orange, probably.

The sky’s the limit, and this glaze is literally so good, so go absolutely all the way off. Just follow these steps (for the most part):

1. Preheat your oven (probably in the 425 range)

2. Prep your veg

3. Oil, season, roast

4. Glaze, toss, roast for like five more minutes

5. Garnish, serve

I’M NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD MAKE THESE FOR THANKSGIVING I’M JUST SAYING YOU SHOULD MAKE THEM SOMETIME!!

xoxo,

Garrett