warming up

​Last winter The New York Times Cooking published a “Sheet-Pan Everything,” supplement. I found these recipes exceptional and have prepared at least a half dozen of them. Last night, I made Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables. Gochujang (available at Wegmans) is a spicy paste made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, glutinous rice and salt. This traditional Korean sauce is both sweet and spicy while also adding a layer of umami. 

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​For the recipe you’ll also need soy sauce, fresh ginger, neutral oil, squash (butternut, acorn or delicata), turnips, scallions, bone-in skin-on chicken (thighs, drumstick or breasts), radishes, rice vinegar and sesame oil. The most time-consuming portion of this recipe was peeling and cutting the squash and turnips; make sure to allot approximately one-half hour before starting to make this recipe. Also, there is a marinade that the vegetables are mixed with prior to cooking. I suggest using the bowl method, not a bag as (a) my bag had a pin-hole and some of the liquid leaked out and (b) I should have mixed the marinade ingredients together in a bowl before placing in the resealable bag. My husband and prefer bone-in chicken breasts over thighs and drumsticks. That said, my preparation needed an extra 10-15 minutes of cooking to thoroughly cook both the chicken and get the vegetables tender (despite making them a bit smaller than the recipe called for).
 
While this is something I wouldn’t normally make, I found the recipe intriguing and was quite pleased with the results. The gochujang sauce gave the dish a bit of kick and did offer an unusual, but pleasantly surprising flavor to the dish. The chicken was moist and juicy and the blend of squash and turnips was very nice. The radishes and green portion of the scallions were used to make a pickled salad that was dressed with rice vinegar, sesame oil and salt and pepper; quite tasty!  Overall, a winner. 

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Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables
By Yewande Komolafe
From The New York Times Cooking, “Sheet-Pan Everything,”  February 28, 2021
 
Serves: 4 to 6
Time: 45 minutes
 
“Gochujang, a Korean fermented chile paste, enlivens a straightforward dinner of roast chicken and vegetables with a salty, spicy and umami-rich layer of flavor. Freshly grated ginger, sliced scallions and quick-pickled radishes elevate the flavor even further. This recipe calls for a wintry mix of squash and turnips, but equal amounts of root vegetables like carrots, potatoes and beets, or lighter vegetables like cauliflower, brussels sprouts or broccoli will work well too.”[1]
 
INGREDIENTS
 
3 tablespoons gochujang
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola, plus more for drizzling
2 pounds squash, such as butternut, acorn or delicata, unpeeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 5 loose cups)
​1-pound turnips, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 loose cups)
10 scallions, ends trimmed, green and white parts separated, but not chopped
 Kosher salt
2 ½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks or breasts, patted dry
1 bunch radishes (about 10 ounces), trimmed
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
 Steamed rice (optional)
 
PREPARATION
 

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the gochujang, soy sauce, ginger and 3 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl or resealable bag. Add the squash, turnips and scallion whites, toss to coat with glaze, or seal bag and shake to coat. Lightly season with salt and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Season the chicken with salt and toss to coat in whatever is left of the glaze in the bowl or bag. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up between the vegetables on the sheet.
2. Roast until vegetables are tender, chicken is cooked through and the skin crispy and browned in spots, about 40 minutes.
3. While the chicken cooks, thinly slice the scallion greens. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, cut the radishes into thin rounds. In a small bowl, toss the sliced scallion greens and radishes with the rice vinegar and sesame oil, if using. Season to taste with salt and set aside to lightly pickle.
4. Top the roast chicken and vegetables with the quick-pickled scallion-radish mix and transfer to serving plates. Serve with steamed rice, if desired.

[1] The New York Times Cooking, “Sheet-Pan Everything,” February 28, 2021​

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