Roasted Roots

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










I've been playing with variations on this Wolfgang Puck recipe for years. It's a terrific destination root vegetables, and a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table.

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS
2-3 large beets
4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
3 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
2 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
6 to 8 potatoes, scrubbed and and cut into 1” chunks
1 or 2 large parsnips, peeled, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
1 or 2 medium onions, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
1 celery root, trimmed and cut into 1” chunks
1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan over medium heat. When the water reaches boiling, boil the beets for 15 minutes.

While the beets are cooking, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the beets in ice water for a minute, and slip off their skins. Slice beets into 1/5 inch slices. Put the beets and the rest of the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly. Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Red, White & Greens (AKA Beets and Spring Turnips)

This springtime dish is perfect for tender spring beets and turnips that don't need peeling.  Cook the bulbs first, then the greens.

Prep time:  10 Minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch young small beets, with greens
1 bunch young small spring turnips, with greens
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Separate the beets and turnips from their greens.  Scrub the bulbs, remove the tap root, and cut into 1/8 inch slices.  Coarsely chop and rinse the greens.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the beet slices in a single layer for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.  Add the sliced turnips and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the beets are tender when speared with a fork.  Remove to a side plate.

Add the remaining olive oil, the onion, and the garlic to the saute pan.  Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then add the greens and cover.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until greens are wilted.

Arrange greens on a serving platter, and top with cooked beets and turnips.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Beet and Arugula Salad

The sweet richness of the beets pairs beautifully with the sharp bite of arugula in this fast, simple salad.

Prep time (Not including cooking the beets!)  10 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
3 cups cooked beets cut into 1/2" chunks (about 2 large beets)
1 cup chopped fresh arugula
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, toss the beets, arugula, almonds, and Parmesan with the lemon juice and olive oil.  Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Beet Salad with Fried Capers & Sage

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick









Cooked beets are a terrific foundation for many dishes.  This quick salad brings a melange of flavors, and could serve as either a side dish or a light entree.

Prep time:  10 minutes (not including time required to cook beets!)
Cook time:  10 minutes
Serves:  4-6

INGREDIENTS
4-5 TB olive oil3 TB chopped fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup capers, drained
3 cups cooked beets, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 large or 4 medium-size beets)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat and cook the sage for 1-2 minutes, or until sage leaves are crisp.  Add the capers and beets and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until beets are heated through.  Add the walnuts, salt, and pepper, and stir to mix (this can be done in a serving bowl.)

Serve, sprinkling with Parmesan cheese. 

Beet Salad with Sweet Corn & Parsley

Colorful, flavorful, and delicious.

Prep time:  5 minutes (not including beet cooking time!)
Serves:  6-8

INGREDIENTS
4 cups cooked beets, 1/2 inch chunks
1 bunch parsley, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (2 ears)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup walnut pieces
salt to tastepepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Mix beets, parsley, corn with the lemon juice and olive oil.  Distribute to serving plates, then sprinkle with Parmesan, nuts, salt & pepper.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Roast & Saute Platter

Photo:
Tod Dimmick











This dish turns the waste-nothing approach into a somewhat dramatic vegetable dish, roasted vegetables on a bed of greens. This version uses radishes, beets, fennel, & spring onions, but substitute at will.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time:45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1 bunch beets, cleaned, appetizing leaves and stems reserved
1 bunch radishes, cleaned, appetizing leaves and stems reserved
1 bunch kohlrabi, peeled if necessary, cut into 1/2" chunks, appetizing leaves and stems reserved
1 fennel bulb with a good amount of stem, cleaned and cut into 1/2" chunks
Spring onions or scallions in the amount you like, cut into 1/4 inch dice.
salt and pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400. Mix the olive oil, garlic, and vinegar in a small bowl.

Chop the beets into 1/2 inch chunks, toss in a large bowl with the olive oil mixture, scoop with a slotted spoon into a large baking dish, and roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the radishes, kohlrabi, Fennel, and scallions, and toss in the bowl with the remaining olive oil mixture. At the beets' 20-minute mark, scoop in the rest of the vegetables and roast for another 20 minutes, stirring a few times, or until all vegetables are tender.

While chopped vegetables are roasting, heat any remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat (add a little more oil if necessary) and saute the greens until tender. Arrange greens on a platter, top with roasted roots, season to taste with salt, pepper & parmesan, and serve.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Balsamic Beets

Photo:
Tod Dimmick











Like with Swiss chard (the same family), the sweet, earthy flavor of beets pairs perfectly with balsamic vinegar.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40-50 minutes
Serves: 4

1 large bunch beets, leaves and stems removed for another use.
1 TB butter
1-2 TB balsamic vinegar
Caramelized onions (optional)

Bring water in a large saucepan to a simmer and cook the beets for 40 minutes, or until tender. Place beets in a large bowl of cold or ice water for a minute, then remove the skins. Slice the warm beets into pieces about 1/4 inch thick.

Distribute to serving plates with a dab of butter, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Top with caramelized onions (optional).

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Salad of Beets, Cucumbers and Greens

Beets are nutritious and versatile. Keep a container of cooked beets in the fridge, and you're a few chops away from a colorful salad like this.

Sliceapalooza Salad

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










"Salad" is a matter of interpretation. Its most common form includes leaves and the color green, but this salad has neither. This does, however, offer great flavor and texture, and makes good crunchy use of fresh vegetables.

Prep time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 4

1 fennel bulb, cut into chunks small enough for a food processor feed tube.
1 small sweet onion (about the size of a pool ball)
A handful of fresh carrots, scrubbed, or scraped if necessary
1 apple, cored and cut into slices
1-2 cooked beets, cut into chunks as above.
2 TB shredded Parmesan cheese
Your favorite vinaigrette

Run the fennel,onion, carrots, apple, and beets through a food processor equipped with a slicing disk. Scrape into a serving bowl, toss with the parmesan and dressing, and serve.

Crunch, crunch, yum, yum.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Warm & Cool Salad with Beets, Caramelized onions, & Mozzarella

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










There's a lot going on in this salad, with its balance of warm & cool, crunchy & tender, tart & sweet.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4 as a light entree, 8 as a side dish

1 head lettuce, rinsed and prepared as you like for salad
2 cups mixed salad greens for spice and bitterness
1 cup cooked beets, 1/2 to 1/4" dice, warm
1 cup caramelized onions, warm
3TB Toasted walnut pieces (optional)
Balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or your favorite vinaigrette
freshly-ground black pepper

Toss solid ingredients and dress to taste.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Green and Red Macaroni

The bright bright green of fresh shell peas, and the glowing crimson of beets, make this dish stand out from across the room. Then the fresh flavors, framed by a touch of rich egg-and-cheese, make this a light but satisfying vegetarian entree.

Of course, you could also simply serve beets and peas all by themselves...



Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes (not including beet cooking)
Serves: 4, plus leftovers

1/2 lb whole wheat macaroni
2 TB butter
1 egg, whisked
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup cooked beets, chopped into cubes approximately pea-sized
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 TB minced fresh dill
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Cook the macaroni per package directions.

While the macaroni is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and cook the peas, stirring, for 2 minutes or until they begin to become tender. Then, add the chopped beets and heat for another minute. Turn the heat off under the peas.

When macaroni is done, drain and quickly return the pasta to its cooking pot. Pour in the egg and stir for a minute (the egg will cook). Stir in the parmesan, the peas, the beets, the dill, and the black pepper.

Distribute to serving plates, seasoning with salt to taste.

Serve a light dish like this on a warm summer evening with a glass of dry rosé. Uh oh, here it comes again... life is good.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Winter Storage

Storing your bounty of winter vegetables is easy! Remember to check them frequently, pulling out anything with the start of sprouts or rot. Of course, you can still use these, just cut out those bad parts and use the rest. As a general rule, most winter veggies store ideally at 50 F, so if your fridge is full, try an unheated basement, garage or unused bedroom. Just make sure temperatures will not be at freezing at your storage site.

Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Keep unwashed in a cool, dry, DARK place, such as a loosely closed paper bag in a cupboard (never in plastic bags). Ideal temperature is 40-50 F. You can still use sprouted potatoes, just cut out the eyes. Sweet potatoes might not last quite as long as potatoes, check them often.

Root Crops (Celeriac, Rutabaga, Turnip, Beets, Parsnips, Carrots)
The ideal place is near freezing with high humidity. You can store these unwashed in a refrigerator in a plastic bag where they should save several weeks. To save fridge space, you can keep them in boxes filled with soil or sand or moist wood shavings in an unheated (but never freezing) part of your house such as a garage or basement.

Onions and Shallots
Keep them in a cool, dark, dry place with good air circulation (not in plastic) where they won’t freeze. Shallots will last longer. Sprouted parts are fine to use.

Daikon Radishes and Leeks
Wrap the unwashed roots in a plastic bag in the fridge. It will keep for a couple of weeks.

Winter Squash
Keep between 50 F and room temperature, in a cool, dry place without direct sunlight. Do not store in the refrigerator.

Beets and Beet Greens

Beets (Beta vulgaris) are a widely cultivated plant related to amaranth, chard and commercially grown sugar beet. You will find these sweet and tasty roots and greens in your share throughout the growing season. At the farm, we grow red beets, yellow beets, and pink-white ringed Chioggia beets. Beetroots are high in vitamins A and C, carotenes, folate, manganese and potassium. Beet greens also provide extra vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Beetroots will store for a very long time, for 3 months or more in optimal conditions! Cut off the greens and keep roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To store beet greens, cut away from roots, rinse and keep in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Roots: Peeling is a myth! No need to do so, just scrub them clean under running water. Try them raw, grated into salads or as a dipping veggie. Cook beets by boiling whole (until a fork pierces through easily, 40 minutes or so) or steaming, slip off skins, slice them and toss at room temperature with a simple vinaigrette. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1-2 hours until fork can pierce easily. On an outdoor grill, place beets on heavy foil, drizzled with oilve oil, salt and pepper, wrap tightly and cook about 30 minutes.

Greens: Wash well. Substitute them in any dish calling for spinach or a cooked green. Try steaming or sauteeing greens with garlic and olive oil. Squeeze a little lemon juice on top.


Beet and Fennel Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette
Serves 4

Salad:
4 large or 6 small beets
1 bulb fennel
Black pepper to taste

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
Grated zest of 1 clementine
Juice of 3 clementine
4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Scrub beets and boil covered in a pot until they can be stabbed easily with a fork. Drain and cool under cold running water. You can rub off the peels and stems easily now. Slice beets thin and refrigerate.
2. Trim outer parts and base of fennel. Slice fennel as thin as possible. Soak in ice water while you prepare dressing.
3. Whisk all dressing ingredients together.
4. Arrange 4 plates by covering bottom of plate with beet slices, put 1/4 the fennel on top, sprinkle with rosemary, pour dressing and sprinkle pepper on top.
Recipe based on: The Cafe Pongo Cookbook by Valerie Nehez


Beet Chocolate Cake
Serves 10:
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
1/4 oil
3 cups shredded raw beets

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9" cake pans. Whisk dry ingredients together. Melt chocolate very slowly over low heat or in double boiler. Cool chocolate; blend thoroughly with eggs and oil. Combine flour mixture with chocolate mixture, alternating with the beets. Pour into pans. Bake until a fork is clean when removed from the center, 40-50 minutes.
Recipe from: From Asparagus to Zucchini.


Warm Beet Salad: Balsamic Beets and Beet Greens
from "greens glorious greens" by johnna albi and catherine walthers.

ingredients:
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 bunches beets with beet greens (about 6 medium beets)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
sea salt to taste
1 vidalia or red onion, sliced into thin half-moons

Toast the walnuts in an iron skillet on the stove or a baking dish in a 375˚F oven.
Cut the beets from the greens. Chop the stems at the base of the leaves and discard stems. Wash the greens and cut into 1/2 inch strips.
Scrub beets and place unpeeled in a steamer and cook until tender (about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the beets). Slip off the skins of the cooked beets under cold water.
Cut beets into quarters and cut each quater into 1/4 inch slices.
Place in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, balsamic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt.
Set asideIn a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.
Add onions and saute for 3-5 minutes.
Add the greens cook, covered, for 5-6 minutes until wilted.
Add the beets to heat through (1-2 minutes).
Move to a bowl, garnish with toasted walnuts and serve.

Serves 4

Arugula

Arugula (Eruca sativa) is a leafy green from the Meditteranean region. It's part of the Brassica, or Cabbage, plant family and prefers cool temperatures. Visually, the leaves are bright green and deeply pinnated. It has a peppery taste and is often used raw in salads. Store arugula in a plastic bag in the fridge. Soak it in cold water to remove soil, rinse and spin or pat dry before using.

Try a simple arugula salad with lemon juice, olive oil and salt, or mix it with lettuces for a milder taste. Use on sandwiches and in omelets. If it's too spicy when raw for you, try baking it on pizza or sauteing lightly and tossing it with pasta.


Easy Fancy Beet, Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or red onion
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3-4 medium roasted or boiled beets, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
  
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
• 6 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature
• 8 ounces arugula
• 2 ounces other salad greens
  

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together shallot or onion, vinegar, orange juice, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Place beets in a small bowl. Pour 1/3 of the dressing over beets; toss to coat.
2. Place walnuts in a shallow dish. With your hands, form goat cheese into 12 equal balls. Roll balls in walnuts, turning to coat completely, then flatten into discs.
3. Place arugula and salad greens in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining dressing, and toss to combine. Divide among plates, and top each serving with some of the sliced beets and 3 goat-cheese discs.

Recipe based on: http://www.marthastewart.com


Garlicky Lemon Pasta with Arugula
Serves 4 as main dish

Ingredients
1 lb. spaghetti or pasta, dry
1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 teaspoon dried basil or 4 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup chopped arugula
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Accompaniments: freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, squeeze of lemon

Directions:

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, broth, basil, salt and pepper and raise heat to medium-high. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Drain pasta, return it to its cooking pot and immediately pour the heated sauce over it, along with the arugula and parsley. Use tongs to gently toss the pasta and sauce together. Transfer pasta to heated serving bowl. Top with grated Parmigiano-reggiano, a light sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Recipe from: http://www.epicurious.com