All about
Veggies
- Spring is the best time of year to find the tenderest stalks.
- The smaller the stalk, the more tender it will be.
- Store upright in 1 inch of water for only a few days.
- Great steamed
- Trim the ends that are tough - bend one stalk and where it snaps
is where the tough end begins. Lay it down beside the other
stalks and cut the ends off.
Broccoli
- Great steamed and served with a cheese sauce
Broccolini
- A cross between broccoli and Chinese kale.
- Steam or sauté.
- Buy bright green stalks and closed buds.
Cauliflower
Eggplant
- Select a small-medium sized eggplant to avoid bitterness
- Choose one that is shiny and firm
- Use within 2-3 days of purchase
- Store at room temperature or cool place, do not refrigerate
Fennel
- Celery-like stalks with feathery leaves and a white bulb.
- Sweet tasting, used in stews, soups and salads.
- Select one that is firm, fragrant and rounded bulbs.
Garlic
- Always buy fresh garlic that is firm and not "sprouting" .
Sprouting will make your garlic bitter. - The smaller you chop the garlic, the more essential oils are
released and the stronger the flavor. - Store garlic in a dry, cool place.
Green Beans
- Choose ones that snap
- Refrigerate tightly wrapped for 1-5 days
Lettuce and Greens
- Bok Choy - Crisp, can be stir-fried, steamed or braised. Look for
crisp stalks and bright green leaves. - Head lettuce will last longer, but have less taste
- Romaine and Leaf lettuce should be washed and dried
in a salad spinner, and will last 5 days - Swiss Chard - Leafy, ruby-stalked has a spinach flavor.
Wilt leaf and stalk before serving.
Mushrooms
- Cremini - Deep earthy flavor, firm and robust. Roast, sauté or
broil. Great with beef. - Enoki- Sweet, light, crunchy. Use raw on salads or soups.
- King Oyster - flavor is mild, flesh firm
- Oyster - Delicate, mild and oyster like flavor. Meaty texture. Saute.
- Maitake - Rich, woody taste with firm texture. Use in rice dishes.
- Portobello - Meat like flavor and texture. Great grilled, roasted or
substituted for meat. - Shitake - Rich, earthy flavor with meaty texture. Add to soups,
pastas or stir-frys. - White Button - Light, earthy taste. Firm. Can be used raw, stuffed,
grilled or sauted.
- Red – use in salads
- Vidalia – grill or sauté, they are sweet and caramelize
when cooked - Yellow – all purpose
- Spanish or White – use in Mexican dishes or pasta
salads
Potatoes
- Russet potatoes are for baked potatoes, French Fries,
mashed potatoes - Red potatoes are for roasting, potato salad, boiled or
buttered potatoes - Yukon yellow potatoes are for potato salad, hash
browns, boiled or buttered potatoes, grilled or roasted - Yams and Sweet potatoes are good baked, boiled and
fried
Squash
- To half a squash, cut the ends off first, then once one a flat
surface cut in half.
- Beef Steak - Mild and juicy. Slice and use on sandwiches.
- Cherry - Sweet. Use in salads or on kabobs.
- Heirloom - Very flavorful. Slice for sandwiches or salads.
- Hot House - Firm flesh with spicy aroma. Use for salads and
salsa. - Grape - Small and sweet. Use in salads or roasted.
- Green - Firm and tart. Used for Fried Green Tomatoes.
- Plum - Use in salads or to make sauce. High in pulp, not juice.
- Vine Ripened -Firm flesh with spicy aroma. Use for salads and
salsa. - Yellow Teardrop - Sweet. Add to salads or sauces.
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