Vegetables Recipe

Preheat and prep

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it. Trim and cut seasonal vegetables into uniform bite-sized pieces so they roast evenly; gently separate oyster mushroom clusters into pieces about 2–3 cm wide.

Season

Place the cut vegetables and oyster mushrooms in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then toss gently to coat. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space so pieces roast instead of steam.

Roast

Roast in the preheated oven for 18–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until vegetables are tender and caramelized and oyster mushrooms are golden on the edges. If any items are small and risk overcooking, add them to the sheet for the final 8–10 minutes instead.

Finish

Remove from oven. Toss warm vegetables and mushrooms with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil (or 1 tsp neutral oil for mushrooms), zest half the lemon over top and squeeze 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice to brighten. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Blend beet tahini

Combine the cooked chopped beets, 4 tbs tahini, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, 3 tbs warm water, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. If too thick, add water 1 teaspoon at a time to reach a thick but spreadable consistency. Taste and adjust lemon or salt.

Reserve

Transfer beet tahini to a small bowl and keep at room temperature until ready to plate. The bright color and creamy texture will be used as a base or dollops for plating.

Prepare zhoug

In a mini food processor or blender, combine 1 cup cilantro, 1/2 cup parsley, 2 seeded green chilies (adjust to heat preference), 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3/4 tsp salt. Pulse until a coarse, spoonable sauce forms. Scrape down and pulse once more so sauce holds together but remains bright and herbaceous.

Adjust

Taste and adjust salt, lemon or chile heat. If too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons water or additional olive oil. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Plate

Spoon a generous smear of beet tahini onto each serving plate or family platter (about 2–3 tablespoons per serving). Arrange a portion of the roasted seasonal vegetables and oyster mushrooms on top or beside the smear.

Finish with zhoug and garnishes

Dot or drizzle zhoug over the vegetables (about 1 tablespoon per serving), then scatter toasted sesame seeds or chopped pistachios and microgreens or chopped chives on top. Add a final squeeze of lemon over everything if desired.

Serve

Serve warm as a main vegetable-forward dinner or as part of a larger spread. Leftover beet tahini and zhoug will keep refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 3–4 days.