Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

Every once in a while a recipe will be posted on another blog and I know it is only a mere matter of days before I try it out...usually because I have been seeking inspiration for a particular ingredient.  In this case, the ingredients are the root veggies from the CSA.  Yes, I am still trying to work my way through the parsnips, potatoes, carrots, beets and turnips.  Wouldn't you know, this recipe uses all of them.  Jenny tosses the entire batch of roasted veggies with a wonderful balsamic dressing, topped with feta and pine nuts.  I know I should have tried with the feta...they need the extra burst of creamy saltiness.  The recipe also calls to toss the veggies in a balsamic dressing.  The dressing is amazing, and a welcome addition to many other salads, leafy or otherwise, but I found even half of a recipe to be a bit too much for the amount of roasted veggies.  The roasted veggies are just as wonderful with a little squeeze of lemon and a dash of salt.

Adapted from Jenny's recipe at Spoon Fork Bacon

serves 4

The Ingredients:
for the veggies
3-4 beets, peeled and cut into quarters
4-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces on the diagonal
2 shallots, peeled and halved
2-4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces on the diagonal
2 turnips, trimmed and cut into eighths
6-8 small purple potatoes, halved (or quartered if larger)
3 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

for the dressing:
1/2 shallot, minced
1 garlic of clove, minced
2 Tbsp  brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

The Process:
for the veggies:

 Preheat the oven to 375.

Toss the veggies in oil, salt and pepper and divide evenly among two rimmed baking sheets.  Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the veggies are tender and beginning to caramelize. 

Remove for oven and allow to cool slightly.

for the dressing:
Combine all of the ingredients 1-pint mason jar.  Using an immersion blender, mix until thick and well combined.  Or, seal tightly and shake.

to finish:
Toss the veggies with half of the dressing.  Sprinkle with feta, if desired.  Serve warm or cold.

Harvest Root Vegetable Stew

Root vegetables are filler.  Peasant food.  Cheap.  Heavy.  Starchy. Sustaining.  Absolutely delicious.  And oh so plentiful this time of year.  We sadly received the last of our boxes from our CSA farm last week.  But boy, howdy was it heavy.  Three or four types of potatoes, parsnip, carrots, rutabaga, turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes,leeks, squash...

All that I love best about fall.

This recipe is sort of a garbage casserole.  Really.  Anything goes.  Particularly if it is starchy.  Throw it in.  The end result will probably be tastier than you expected.

the recipe is my own

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, whites sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup apple cider (NOT hard cider)
1 1/2 cups beer
3-4 small russet potatoes,cubed or quartered
2-3 red potatoes, cubed or quartered
1 small sweet potato, cubed
2-3 small turnips, cubed or qaurter4ed 
2-3 carrots, cut into 1 inch coins
2-3 parsnips, cut into 1 inch coins
1-2 radishes, quartered
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

The Process:
In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and leeks until the garlic is fragrant  the leeks are tender, 5-7 minutes.  Pour in the  cider and beer, deglazing the bottom of the pan.

Add the vegetables and seasonings.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the liquid reduced by about  one third.

Serve hot with cheddar and ale biscuits.

Punjabi Greens

The last few CSA boxes we've received have been blessed with gorgeous root vegetables, even in the midst of the drought the farm has been facing.  A few of the season's plants are beyond reviving...lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower....  The peas have given up.  The fennel has bolted.  It is a rough year for them.  Yet still they have managed to provided an astounding and tasty array of vegetables every week.  Never have I felt to connected to th4e food I prepare, nor so grateful for all of the hard work that goes into preparing it!

But the root veggies...beets, turnips, radishes!  They are small, sweet and such an amazing treat.  When we opened our box we were treated to an added bonus.   We were given the plant root and all  So many tasty greens!  These would not go to waste.

Rather than sauteeing them up with garlic as I am usually wont to do, I turned to an Indian cookbook to see what other recipes may avail themselves to these dark leafy greens.  I'd had wonderful luck with Paleek paneer and hoped for similar inspiration.

The recipe I fell upon was Sarson Da Saag...Punjabi Mustard Greens.  No mustard greens were to be had, but the jist of the recipe is the same.

adapted from the Everything Indian Cookbook by Monica Bhide

serves 4

The Ingredients:
1 lb assorted greens (mustard, collard, turnip, beet)
1/4 lb fresh spinach
1 small turnip, diced
3 cups water or vegetable stock
2 Tbsp ghee or oil
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste *
2 Tbsp cornmeal
salt to taste
butter for serving

*if you cannot find ginger-garlic paste, mince together equal parts fresh ginger and fresh garlic

The Process:
Combine the greens, spinach and turnip in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.  Add about 2 cups of water or stock and bring to a boil.  Cook until the turnips are tender, about 12 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain any liquid.  Allow the vegetables to cool slightly.

Using a food processor or bleder, puree the vegetables into a thick paste.  Set aside.

Heat the ghee or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the ginger-garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the pureed vegetables and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Sprinkle in the cornmeal and stir well to combine.  Add salt to taste.

Add the remaining water or stock to the skillet and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 25-30 minutes, adding more water or stock as needed to prevent the dish from dryin gout.

Serve hot, garnished with butter.

The Review:
The dish is traditional served up alongside a large plate of makki di roti.  I can certainly see why!  The creamy greens just scream to be scooped up by an accompanying  flatbread.

This is comfort food at its best.  The preparation brings out all of the best of these leafy greens, without weighing down with too much cream or butter.  I adore creamed spinach and other hearty Southern dishes, but on some sweltering days the extra dairy is just too much.  This dish was so incredibly filling, but light at the same time.

The original recipe called for frozen greens...thawed and drained.  I only had fresh on hand.  Either way this dish is a treat.

I do believe I have found my new favorite go-to recipe when I have extra greens on hand.

Minnesotan Midsummer Minestrone

Right around 2 or 3pm everyday my mind begins to wander.  My eyes drift out over the beautiful vista of the Stone arch bridge and the Mississippi River.  The occasional eagle soars overhead.  Segway tours, joggers and bikers meander on the paths below.  And I day dream...

About what to make for dinner.

It never fails really.  Shortly after lunch, my stomach begins to gurgle again as my mind turns to food.  Recently the thoughts circle around how to use up the last bit of vegetables before our next CSA box arrives (time to start blanching, bagging and freezing some of those veggies).  Stir frys and salads are quick, easy and reliable.

But this evening I had soup on the brain...

the recipe is my own

serves 8-10


The Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 medium carrots, diced
4-5 garlic scapes, cut in to 1 inch lengths
1 bunch salad turnips and greens, turnips diced, greens chopped
2 Tbsp fresh sage, cut chiffonade
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 - 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable, chicken or beef stock
2 cups water
1 - 14 oz can black or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

The Process:
In a large soup kettle, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the celery, onions and carrots.  Saute until the onion and celery are tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the garlic scapes, herbs, and turnips (reserve the greens for later) and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, broth and water.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the turnips and carrots are tender.   Add the beans, simmering for 10 minutes until  the beans are heated through.  Add the reserved turnip greens.  Stir until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The Review:
What a wonderful, deep flavor.  The onion, celery and stewed tomatoes provided a base that was refreshingly familiar.  The sage was nearly indiscernible among the other veggie flavors.  The turnips added a wonderful oomph and were cooked to near perfection...tender with just a touch of bite left.  The garlic scapes cooked down and little more than I would have liked during a 20 minutes simmer, but lent an amazing hint of garlic.  I adore minestrone.  Mostly because any veggie combination would work.  Want pasta? okay.  Don't like beans? Leave them out.  Well this may not be the best soup for a sweltering summer day (but really what soup is when the heat index break 100), but it really does hit the spot.

Corned Beef from Scratch Part 2: Cooking

The time has come!  The beef brisket has been taking up an awful amount of real estate in our fridge for the last ten days.  Every time we opened the refrigerator door we were struck with the reminder of how incredibly amazing our St Patrick's Day dinner was going to be...or filled with the foreboding of a possible failure.  

 

Because we were expecting a slightly larger turn out of guests, and because our own curiosity nudged us to compare, we did purchase a small 3lb pre-brined brisket from the store...

just in case...

Adapted from Bon Apetite March 2008

Serves 8 to 10

 

The Ingredients:

6-8 lbs brined corned beef brisket

1 12-ounce bottle Guinness or other stout or porter
4-8 cups water

4 bay leaves
1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns 
2-3 whole allspice
1 dried chile de árbol, broken in half

3 medium turnips or rutabagas, peeled
8 unpeeled medium red-skinned potatoes
6 medium carrots, peeled
4 medium onions, peeled
2 medium parsnips, peeled
1 2-pound head of cabbage

The Process: 

Remove the corned beef from the brine.  Rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry.  Place corned beef in very large wide pot. I had to use Ross' 5 gallon stainless-steel brewing pot to accommodate our cut of meat.  Add the stout and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bundle the bay leaves, coriander, peppercorns, mustard seeds, allspice, and chile in a 6" x 6" square of cheesecloth, enclosing completely.  Tie the spice bundle with kitchen string to secure and toss it in the pot with the beef.   Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 2 1/4 hours. 

While the brisket simmers prepare the vegetables: Quarter the turnips and cabbage.  Half the potatoes and onions.  Cut the carrots and parsnips into 2 to 3 inch lengths.

After the 2 1/4 hours, transfer beef to large baking sheet or roasting pan.  Cover a keep warm in oven, preheated to 200.

Add the vegetables to the liquid in the pot and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, longer if mushy vegetables are desired. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a serving dish. Return beef to pot and rewarm and re-hydrate, about 5 minutes. Discard spice bag.

Remove the beef to a butcher block or cutting board and slice against grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange beef with the vegetables on the serving platter.

The Review:

The decision was unanimous...the store bought brisket didn't stand a chance against the one we brined ourselves.  

 

As I rinsed our attentively cared for cut of meat, I was treated to the wonderful aroma of pickling spices.  The smell of corned beef permeated our kitchen (quite the feat considering how the stale gym sock stench of cabbage...no matter how tasty...can quickly overpower any other smells).  The meat was a beautiful pink going into the pot.  And when sliced, that traditional glorious red color greeted us.

The meat was so much more flavorful than any other corned beef brisket I'd every tried...though very, very salty.  Even compared to the store bought brisket.  I would be hesitant to reduce the amount of salt or curing powder to the brining process though...at least until I poked around a little more into sausage maker, curing, brining and other meat preservation techniques.  No additional salt had been added beyond what originally went into the brine 10 days ago.

Our brisket was also a slightly less fatty cut than you typically find at the grocery store.  While it was incredibly moist when first cut, the slices that were not devoured immediately dried out pretty quickly.  Unless you know your brisket is a particularly fatty cut, I would highly recommend slicing of portions only as needed to retain as much moisture in the meat as possible.

 

The veggies were a supporting role in this endeavor.  Tasty and greatly enhanced by the amazing cooking liquid the brisket created...but by themselves they weren't much to write home about.  The parsnips and turnips did add a nice bit of variety to the standard carrots and cabbage.  That being said...there wasn't much left of this batch of food...

I will never go back to store bought briskets again.  This dinner was more than worth the ten day wait.

Turnip Puff

The entree for Chirstmas dinner was decided months in advance.   The sides needed a bit more time to percolate.  I love the classic spreads of stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserol and rolls.  However even the traditions get a little to familiar.  A little stale and uninspiring. 

Turnips have many fans in this household, so we turned to this often over looked root as one of our featured side dishes.  The Better Homes and Gardens cookbook provided us with the puff recipe.  We had found a creamy root vegetable dish to replace the tried and true mashed potatoes.  Don't be fooled by the "puff" moniker, though.  It's less of a puff and more of a baked puree with a slight custard like consistency,

adapted from the BHG Cookbook

serves 4-6

The Ingredients:
1 lb trunips, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large carrot, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten


The Process
Preheat the oven to 375

Lightly grease a 1 qt casserole dish and set aside.  Layer the turnips, carrots and onions in a large saucepan and add water until just covered.  Cover the saucepanand boil the vegetable over medium high heat until very tender, about 12-15 minutes.  Drain. 

Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.  Add the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Mash witha potato masher or beat with an electric mixer on low speed.  Add bread crumbs and eggs and mash or beat until smooth.

Pour the mashed vegetables into the prepared casserole.  Bake the preheated oven, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

The Review:
As I mentioned before, this household is a huge fan of this under utilized root.  While the flavors are incredibly mild, those who do not like turnips will probably not be won over by this preparation.  The puff itself has a mild cruciferous-like flavor, similar to boiled cabbage or steamed cauliflower; and is slightly sweetened and enhanced by the carrots.  The nutmeg and pepper nose through to lend a nice depth.  The texture is creamy and almost custard like.  One of our friends compared it in color and flavor to scrambled eggs, but smoother.  Alongside richer meats and sides, this puff compliments with its lighter body and mellower flavor.



In baking, because I needed to make this while the roast was still in the oven, I left the oven temperature at 325 for the roast.  The puff can cook at the lower temperature, but may need an additional 10 minutes or so.