Market offers opportunities to try new vegetables
The Farmer’s Market opened last week and I used the first day of
the season to check out the vendors this year. There were some
familiar ones in the mix
– Phil Foster’s Organics with a variety of vegetables, Hamada
Farms with fresh fruit, B
&
amp;R Farms with dried apricots
– as well as a few new booths this year.
Last year, I made an effort to shop the market for vegetables
that I could use in new recipes for the food column. My favorites
last year included fennel, leeks and shallots, all of which I’ve
used before. This year, going along with one of my New Year’s
resolutions to cook with new ingredients, I browsed the booth with
that in mind.
Market offers opportunities to try new vegetables
The Farmer’s Market opened last week and I used the first day of the season to check out the vendors this year. There were some familiar ones in the mix – Phil Foster’s Organics with a variety of vegetables, Hamada Farms with fresh fruit, B&R Farms with dried apricots – as well as a few new booths this year.
Last year, I made an effort to shop the market for vegetables that I could use in new recipes for the food column. My favorites last year included fennel, leeks and shallots, all of which I’ve used before. This year, going along with one of my New Year’s resolutions to cook with new ingredients, I browsed the booth with that in mind.
This week’s picks included golden cauliflower and a spiny, green vegetable called broccoli romanesco. When I brought it home, I realized I really had no idea how to cook it. A search of Food Network’s website returned few answers. But a Google search revealed a few food bloggers who all seemed to agree that romaneso is a little bit like cauliflower in how it cooks up. In fact, several of the recipes were just adapted to replace cauliflower with the romanesco.
Here are a few recipes that can use either cauliflower – or for the more adventurous types – swap it out for romanesco.
Paccheri Pasta with Cauliflower and Spinach
Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri
1 tablespoon salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into flowerets
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons olive oil (best quality), for drizzling
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 bunch fresh spinach (about 3 cups)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (best quality)
3 tablespoons capers, with 1 tablespoon juice
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 pound paccheri pasta (large tube) approximately 2.5-inches long by 2-inches wide
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil over medium heat, then add in the salt and the cauliflower. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan, and saute the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute. Remove the cauliflower from water with a large strainer or spider and add it to the pan with the garlic-red pepper mixture. Saute briefly until starting to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock, add in the spinach, cover and let wilt for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and capers with juice and reduce the heat. Remove the cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Return the cauliflower water to boil, adding more water, if necessary, to cook the pasta. Add the pasta add cook to al dente. Remove the pasta from the water and add it to the pan with the sauce, adding a little pasta water, if needed. Stir gently to combine, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Garnish with the parsley and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve immediately with remaining cheese on the side.
Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
2 1/2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 to 1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves
1/2 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with the beaten eggs to coat evenly. Place the Parmesan in a large tray or baking dish and dredge the vegetables in the cheese, pressing to coat evenly.
Pour olive oil in a large heavy skillet until the olive oil is 1/4-inch deep, about 1/2 cup depending on the size of your skillet. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the Parmesan-coated vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, if necessary. Let the vegetables cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. Turn the vegetables only when they easily release from the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Place the spinach in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the spinach with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan coated vegetables. Toss and serve.
