Slow-Roasted Root Vegetable Tian Recipe for Fall Sides

Back in 1984, when Whitesnake released “Slow An’ Easy,” big permed hair and cheeky double entendres were everywhere. Everything seemed to be about love, or, ahem, loving. I’m nudging that questionable soundtrack forward because as I listen to “Slow N Easy,” it perfectly describes this recipe: slow, relaxed cooking that rewards patience.

A few summers ago I holidayed in Provence and was struck by the brightness and quality of the local produce. Everything tasted fresher and more intense. I took a copy of Cooking in Provence by Alex Mackay and Peter Knab with me and it remains one of my favourite cookbooks — full of sun-soaked recipes. One dish that stuck with me was the vegetable tian. A tian is the name of an earthenware dish in southern France, and by extension it refers to the layered vegetable bake cooked in it. I tried several times to get it right, and when I finally did, it was worth the effort.

The classic Provençal tian uses onions, tomatoes, aubergines and courgettes with thyme. The key is long, slow cooking: it draws out a concentrated, almost sun-dried sweetness that won’t develop with a quick oven blast. The lesson is simple — you cannot rush a tian. Slow and easy is the way, even if Whitesnake probably had something else in mind.

For me the caramelised onion base is crucial. The onions need time to break down into a dark, soft, sticky layer without burning, because charred onions bring bitterness. Once the onions are ready, the assembled vegetables go into the oven for a long slow roast. I love dishes with extended cook times — you can prepare, leave, and then return to a bubbling, fragrant oven dish that needs little attention at mealtime.

In this version I’ve swapped the summery veg for a wintery selection: red onions, sweet potato, parsnip and beetroot, with chunky sprigs of rosemary and thyme. The result cooks down to a rich, deeply flavoured vegetable tian that actually improves the next day, so it’s worth making a generous portion.

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Slow roasted root vegetable tian

By Gavin Wren

Serves 4
Takes 3 hours
Uses a ceramic roasting dish

Ingredients

1kg red onions, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

500g peeled sweet potato, sliced 5mm thick
500g peeled parsnips, sliced 5mm thick
500g peeled raw beetroot, sliced 5mm thick
2 large sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
10 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened into a dark, sweet, sticky mass. If they begin to brown too quickly, lower the heat — this must be a long, gentle process.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (around 177°C; fan 157°C). Place the sliced sweet potato, parsnip and beetroot in a large bowl with the rosemary leaves, thyme leaves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and seasoning. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

Spread the caramelised onions evenly across the base of a ceramic roasting dish. Arrange the root vegetable slices upright in rows — a row of sweet potato, a row of parsnip, a row of beetroot — repeating until the dish is filled. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour. Remove the foil, increase the oven to gas mark 5 (around 191°C; fan 171°C) and roast for another hour, until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelised on top.