Braised Winter Veggies

Our friends M and S recently gave us this recipe to try - they are big fans of the blog and have made several of my recipes, so I was excited that they gave me one in return. We haven't made it yet, but it sounds delicious (and came highly recommended!)...

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 medium parsnip, peeled
- 2 small turnips, peeled (about 8 oz.)
- 2 small onions
- 1 medium bulb fennel, trimmed
- 1 tbs. olive oil
- 1 bouquet garni (1 sprig fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 4 parsley stems tied with twine)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup water (or 1/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth and 1/4 cup water)
- 2 tbs unsalted butter
- 2 tbs chopped fresh herbs (ex. a mix of parsley, thyme, and chives)

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut carrots and parsnip on diagonal into 1 inch chunks.

2. Cut turnips and onions into wedges about 1 inch thick at their widest point. Split the fennel bulb length-wise, notch out the core and then cut the fennel crosswise into 1 inch slices.

3. Heat oil in a medium (9-inch) Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and lightly browned (about 5 minutes).

4. Add the other veggies, the bouquet garni, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Raise heat to medium-high and cook until veggies are lightly browned (about 5-7 minutes).

5. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover pot, put in the oven and bake until veggies are fully cooked but still hold their shape (about 20-25 minutes). With a slotted spoon, transfer veggies to a serving bowl.

6. Bring pan juices to a boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, discard the bouquet garni and whisk in butter and herbs.

7. Spoon the sauce over the veggies and serve!

I'm definitely going to try this once it gets a bit cooler outside...