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Alien Vegetables?
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?” 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. 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. Slice and boil them, also like carrots. Or,
one of my favorites, make mashed parsnips. Peel and thinly slice a pound of
parsnips. Boil 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.
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