Bacon Roasted Roots with Rosemary Honey

For the Rosemary Honey:

½ cup honey
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 sprigs rosemary
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS

 In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey, vinegar, soy sauce, rosemary and red pepper flakes to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has slightly thickened and reduced to about ½ cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and let cool before discarding the rosemary.


For the Roasted Root Vegetables:


5 cups root vegetables (such as turnips, beets, rutabagas, carrots and celery root. Whatever combination you like), diced into ½-inch cubes
1 cups slab bacon, diced into ½-inch cubes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste




DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400°.  In a medium bowl, toss together the root vegetables, bacon, sugar and oil, then season with salt and pepper. Spread the seasoned roots and bacon out onto a sheet tray in one layer.  Don't crowd the pan or they will steam instead of roast.  Use two tays if necessary.

Roast, turning the vegetables and bacon halfway through cooking, until the vegetables are caramelized and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Spoon the bacon and roasted roots onto a platter and drizzle them with the some of the rosemary honey. Reserve the leftover honey for another use.
Top the vegetables over arugula and goat cheese to make a killer salad.  Use some of the glaze to coat the salad.
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