Category: Grub Garage
Alien Vegetables?
IMAGE by Mark R. Vogel
Epicure1@optonline.net
How often has this happened to you. You go food shopping. You're planning
out the week's meals in your head. You enter the produce aisle and feel
overwhelmed
by the bewildering array of vegetables. You want to try something
different. Something other than the usual potatoes, carrots, broccoli,
green beans, etc.
You peruse the selections, pick up something strange looking and say to
yourself, "what the heck do I do with this?" You put it back in
exasperation and
stick with one of the old stand bys. You are not alone.
There are a dazzling number of vegetables accessible to today's consumer.
Vegetables are not only one of the healthiest foods on the planet, but because
of the great multitude available, they are one of the best ways to add
variety to your hackneyed dishes. But of course you need to know what those odd
looking creatures are and "what the heck to do with it."
I've listed a number of vegetables, (and ideas for using them), that are
fairly common in most supermarkets, but still somewhat foreign to the
average home
cook.
SWISS CHARD
Swiss chard is a large leafy green vegetable with pronounced white or red
stalks, (depending on the variety), that is available year round. It is a
member
of the beet family. If you're tired of sautéed spinach or escarole, give
Swiss chard a try. Rinse it very well and cut the leaves off the stems. The
stem
narrows as it reaches the top of the leaves. You can leave a few inches of
the narrow end of the stem. Sauté it in oil until the leaves start to wilt.
Then add chopped garlic and sauté one more minute. Then add some brandy,
cognac, and/or a little chicken stock. About four ounces or so. Then cover it
and allow the liquid to steam to facilitate the rest of the cooking. Some
people use the leaves raw in salads and cook the stems much like you would
asparagus.
WHITE ASPARAGUS
Speaking of asparagus, have you ever had "white" asparagus? It's the same
vegetable as green asparagus only grown underground to restrict it's exposure
to sunlight and thus, prevent the development of chlorophyll. It is
available late winter through late spring. The stems of white asparagus are
tougher
than the green variety and must always be peeled. Cut off about a half inch
of the bottom end of the stem as well. Simmer it in water seasoned with salt,
lemon and butter until it is fork tender. I use two tablespoons salt, the
juice of one to two lemons, and three tablespoons butter. Simmering time can
range from five minutes to a half hour depending on the thickness of the
asparagus.
KOHLRABI
A member of the turnip family, (and hence it's sweet turnip like taste),
kohlrabi has pale green bulbs attached to long leafy greens, both of which are
edible. Make sure the bulbs are firm and the greens have no yellow spots.
It is available spring through fall. Kohlrabi has a number of uses including
soups and stews but I like it best in salads, particularly the bulbs. Cut
off the bulbs and peel them just as you would a turnip. Slice them thin and
toss
them in with your salad. They add a crunchy and tasty dimension to the
tried and true salad mixes. You can also sauté either slices of the bulb in
butter
or the leaves in garlic and oil like Swiss chard.
PARSNIPS
Parsnips are not that exotic of a vegetable and most people have heard of
them. But I don't think they are used as often as they should be. They're
definitely
more popular in Europe. Parsnips, available year round, are a yellowish
white root vegetable that taste similar to carrots. Choose ones that are
firm with
minimal spotting. Parsnips are amenable to most cooking methods. Peel them
and then cut them into chunks and roast them just as you would potatoes or
carrots.
Use them in making stock, (particularly vegetable stock), in place of, or
in addition to carrots. You can slice and boil them, also like carrots. Or, one
of my favorites, make mashed parsnips. Peel and thinly slice a pound of
parsnips. Boil them for about an hour. Drain, and then mash them in a food
processor
until very smooth. Return them to the pot and add butter, cream, and salt.
(Sugar is an optional ingredient). Stir and heat them until all the ingredients
are incorporated. I'll leave the amount of butter and cream up to your
dietary parameters but I use at least three tablespoons of butter and four
ounces
of cream.
About the Author:
Mark R. Vogel
received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University and
his culinary arts degree from the Institute of Culinary Education, both in New
York City. Although he still practices psychology, his deepest passion
remains cooking at an Italian/Mediterranean restaurant in NJ and writing
about food
and wine. His column "Food For Thought" is published in a number of NY, NJ
and PA newspapers and food related websites.
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