The farmers market doesn't disappoint. Guess what showed up last week, BEETS! I am not a fan of the gross canned beets found on the everyday salad bar, but a good roasted fresh beet is enough to make me cry. A few weeks back nearly licked my plate in public after eating a serving of beet salad at a baby shower. It was all I could do to refrain from taking my fork, making a run for the bowl, and beating off all other guests as I devoured every last bite. I am not even over reacting, it was really that good! After begging the hostess for the recipe she finally emailed it to me today. It is so getting put on the meal plan for this week. If you have tried beets before and not liked them, I encourage you to brave up and give this dish a try, particularly following the substitution of using fresh roasted beets instead of canned beats. It made all the difference, just beet it.
Beets and Caramelized Onions with Feta
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (preferably whole-grain or coarse-grain)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb onions (2 medium), quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 (15-oz) cans small whole beets, drained and quartered (or halved if very small) I used fresh beets that I roasted in the oven instead.
3 oz crumbled feta (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup pine nuts (1 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then add 3 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined well.
Cook onions with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Add onions to dressing, then add beets and cheese, stirring gently to combine. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.
Gourmet
September 2003
Showing posts with label Fruits/Veggies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fruits/Veggies. Show all posts
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Roast Asparagus with Lemon and Parmigiano-Reggiano Furls
Serves 4 generously
- 1-1/2 pounds pencil-slim asparagus, trimmed of tough stems
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- About 3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in a chunk (if not to be had, use Asiago, a sharp cheddar, or any other nutty tasting cheese)
1. Preheat oven 450 degrees F. Soak asparagus in a sink full of cold water for 5 minutes. Drain and gently roll in paper towels to dry.
2. In a large shallow baking pan, roll asparagus with oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer. Roast 3 minutes, or until tender crisp. Test by tasting or piercing with a knife to see there is still some firmness. Remove with tongs to a platter.
3. Just before serving, taste for salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon juice. With a vegetable peeler, shave furls of the cheese over the asparagus. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Spring has sprung, now what?
Like my pals Katie and Patti (maybe for the sake of this blog I should change my name is Danie, I feel so left out) I have been loving the fruits of springs labor. Anyone thinking of joining in the fun of The Produce Box, I highly recommend it. Haven't been disappointed a single week. However, I still hit up the farmers market to get additional favorite and items not included in the box, but I digress.
I would like to add one word to Pattie's declaration of "ASPARAGUS" and that is "ROASTED!" I love that stalky, green, skinny, goodness as much as I love my own mother, which either speaks volumes of my inappropriate relationship with food or not so great things about my mother. Have you seen my hips people? Asparagus, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. My favorite and go-to recipe for Asapargus, a vegetable so delicious it deserves the respect of capitalization, is a lovely roast. A light drizzle of olivie oil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper, and you are good to go, that is until you pull it from the oven. After a quick roast and immediately after pulled from the oven I give it a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It brightens up the flavor and brings an extra zaa zaa zoom to the dish.
Despite the infatuation with roasted asapargus I did decide to branch out and try some new recipes with last weeks delivery. I am here by recommending this 4 Fork recipe for Aspargus Pesto with Pasta. People, this dish will not diappoint. If it does disappoint your taste buds are broken and you should seek immediate medical attention. Aspargus, pesto, pine nuts, add a heaping helping of a hot dinner date and you are GOOD. TO. GO.
For additional information about my friend, Asparagus, go here. Don't even pretend you weren't curious.
I would like to add one word to Pattie's declaration of "ASPARAGUS" and that is "ROASTED!" I love that stalky, green, skinny, goodness as much as I love my own mother, which either speaks volumes of my inappropriate relationship with food or not so great things about my mother. Have you seen my hips people? Asparagus, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. My favorite and go-to recipe for Asapargus, a vegetable so delicious it deserves the respect of capitalization, is a lovely roast. A light drizzle of olivie oil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked pepper, and you are good to go, that is until you pull it from the oven. After a quick roast and immediately after pulled from the oven I give it a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It brightens up the flavor and brings an extra zaa zaa zoom to the dish.
Despite the infatuation with roasted asapargus I did decide to branch out and try some new recipes with last weeks delivery. I am here by recommending this 4 Fork recipe for Aspargus Pesto with Pasta. People, this dish will not diappoint. If it does disappoint your taste buds are broken and you should seek immediate medical attention. Aspargus, pesto, pine nuts, add a heaping helping of a hot dinner date and you are GOOD. TO. GO.
For additional information about my friend, Asparagus, go here. Don't even pretend you weren't curious.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Good, Better, Best
I don’t set goals. I don’t set goals because I hate to lose, be wrong, or fail at anything. Pride much? So when I get those nudges from inside telling me to make some changes, I do it by lists. I make lists out of everything. In fact sitting next to me right now is a post it note that reads like this
1. Pick a topic.
2. Think it through.
3. Don’t be mean.
4. Post it!
So here I go with my first post giving some of my thoughts on our idea of having a virtual “enrichment”. I do not write because I am an expert or because I live some higher law of health and wellness, but because my inner nudger wanted me to make some life changes. I made a list. A list that is slowly making a difference in my lifestyle, helping to take me from good to better and best.
I thought I would review some of the items that have made my list in the hopes they will help you too.
Better: When deciding what changes I needed and wanted to make I had to do my research. Rather then just trusting advice from the cool people or whatever is currently being preached at the church of Oprah, I did my own research. Thankfully the Internet makes this process much easier and if you cannot commit to hours of reading, a few quick google searches and you can be on your way. Books that worked for me are listed below.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A year of Food Life Barbra Kingsolver
I most appreciated this first hand account of how it actually worked for her family to eat local and seasonally. Now this family lived a higher level of commitment that I have given to this point, but it got me motivated and inspired about my first level of changes.
Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients by Jesse Cool
My favorite tip I gained from this book was to organize my recipes by seasons. It is so fun to flip through a few weeks and see what yummy things I will be eating once those darn strawberries down the street are ready.
How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table by Russ Parsons
If you are a nerd a heart, this book is for you. Full of facts to realistically understand how to eat fresh from what is growing locally. It’s an encyclopedia of information and a gleeful read.
Best: NC is full of sensational farmers markets that make the purchasing of local foods so much easier. If you have not taken the 20 minutes to drive into Raleigh for the market you are missing out. Not only does it provide the opportunity to support our local farmers, but it’s a wonderland of flavors, colors, smells, and experiences. The outside portion of the market offers every manner of fruit, vegetable, and nut you can imagine. If you are confident in what you want, go any time. If you are unsure about how to cook some of the local favorites, go during a week day morning. The vendors have more time, it's less hectic, and they love to talk you through their crops. They have gems of wisdom, often generations old to share with you about picking good items and how to cook them!
The upper level or indoor portion of the market, does have vegetables, fruits, and nuts but also includes a wide variety of locally made cakes, pies, jams, spreads, and pickled everything. You can also purchase locally raised and slaughtered meats, eggs, and cheese. The prices of the fruits and vegetables are unbeatable and while the meat/cheese products might be pricier, I find it’s worth the cost knowing the animals are hormone free and free range.
Having problems getting your kids to eat fruits and vegetables? Take them along with you, let them pick things out, taste them fresh there. I promise there is a world of difference in eating a brussel sprout from a frozen bag, and eating one that was grown down the road and picked fresh this morning. Seriously, good times.
In the next few months, North Carolina’s Pick Your Own Farms will be opening. I will give my personal reviews of my favorite, and trust me, if nothing I am opinionated. I have been to a variety of farms in the area and will gladly share my experiences. We are so fortunate to have these great farms close by, take advantage and turn your favorite good recipes into BEST recipes by filling them with flavors of locally grown veggies and fruits.
1. Pick a topic.
2. Think it through.
3. Don’t be mean.
4. Post it!
So here I go with my first post giving some of my thoughts on our idea of having a virtual “enrichment”. I do not write because I am an expert or because I live some higher law of health and wellness, but because my inner nudger wanted me to make some life changes. I made a list. A list that is slowly making a difference in my lifestyle, helping to take me from good to better and best.
I thought I would review some of the items that have made my list in the hopes they will help you too.
Better: When deciding what changes I needed and wanted to make I had to do my research. Rather then just trusting advice from the cool people or whatever is currently being preached at the church of Oprah, I did my own research. Thankfully the Internet makes this process much easier and if you cannot commit to hours of reading, a few quick google searches and you can be on your way. Books that worked for me are listed below.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A year of Food Life Barbra Kingsolver
I most appreciated this first hand account of how it actually worked for her family to eat local and seasonally. Now this family lived a higher level of commitment that I have given to this point, but it got me motivated and inspired about my first level of changes.
Simply Organic: A Cookbook for Sustainable, Seasonal, and Local Ingredients by Jesse Cool
My favorite tip I gained from this book was to organize my recipes by seasons. It is so fun to flip through a few weeks and see what yummy things I will be eating once those darn strawberries down the street are ready.
How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table by Russ Parsons
If you are a nerd a heart, this book is for you. Full of facts to realistically understand how to eat fresh from what is growing locally. It’s an encyclopedia of information and a gleeful read.
Best: NC is full of sensational farmers markets that make the purchasing of local foods so much easier. If you have not taken the 20 minutes to drive into Raleigh for the market you are missing out. Not only does it provide the opportunity to support our local farmers, but it’s a wonderland of flavors, colors, smells, and experiences. The outside portion of the market offers every manner of fruit, vegetable, and nut you can imagine. If you are confident in what you want, go any time. If you are unsure about how to cook some of the local favorites, go during a week day morning. The vendors have more time, it's less hectic, and they love to talk you through their crops. They have gems of wisdom, often generations old to share with you about picking good items and how to cook them!
The upper level or indoor portion of the market, does have vegetables, fruits, and nuts but also includes a wide variety of locally made cakes, pies, jams, spreads, and pickled everything. You can also purchase locally raised and slaughtered meats, eggs, and cheese. The prices of the fruits and vegetables are unbeatable and while the meat/cheese products might be pricier, I find it’s worth the cost knowing the animals are hormone free and free range.
Having problems getting your kids to eat fruits and vegetables? Take them along with you, let them pick things out, taste them fresh there. I promise there is a world of difference in eating a brussel sprout from a frozen bag, and eating one that was grown down the road and picked fresh this morning. Seriously, good times.
In the next few months, North Carolina’s Pick Your Own Farms will be opening. I will give my personal reviews of my favorite, and trust me, if nothing I am opinionated. I have been to a variety of farms in the area and will gladly share my experiences. We are so fortunate to have these great farms close by, take advantage and turn your favorite good recipes into BEST recipes by filling them with flavors of locally grown veggies and fruits.
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