Vegetables Baked In Parchment

Happy New Year!

I got one more package to open, and it’s a tasty one – vegetables baked with herbs in a parchment packet.

The fancy culinary term for cooking in parchment is en papillote in French or al cartoccio in Italian. It’s a cooking technique where food is sealed in a packet (foil can be also used instead of parchment) and baked.

It’s a nice, healthy, flavorful way to cook. It’s also my feeble attempt to eat a little healthier in the new year. Plus it’s super easy to clean-up, a bonus for those who are lazy inclined, like me.

Vegetables Baked In Parchment
Serves 2 as part of a meal

2 large shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 baby sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 medium red potato, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
1 small leek, white part only, cut into quarters, lengthwise
4 whole garlic cloves, skins left on
2 fresh rosemary branches
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 fresh thyme sprig
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sheets of about 12″ x 15″ parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. Evenly divide the vegetables between the pieces of parchment paper, placing onto one side of the parchment. Fold the other side over and then roll the edges tightly together to seal the packet.

Bake on a baking sheet for about 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately, opening the packets at the table.