PopSugar

How Well Do You Know Spring's Vegetables?

partysugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:43:31 -0700

Happy first day of Spring! I am so excited for Spring's bounty of fresh vegetables that I have put together a quiz about them. To test your knowledge of these delicious veggies, take the quiz now.

Source

Take the quiz

What Spring Vegetable Are You Looking Forward to Most?

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:00:39 -0700

Source

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spring Lamb and Vegetable Stew

partysugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:50:34 -0700

According to the food dictionary on Epicurious, stew is a "method of cooking by which food is barely covered with liquid and simmered slowly for a long period of time." However, this recipe proves that a rich flavorful stew can come together in under 30 minutes.

The key is to use a tender cut of meat like perfectly in-season Spring lamb. White wine, canned tomatoes, and store-bought chicken broth combine to make the simple sauce. To experiment with this quick-cooking stew, read more.

Spring Lamb and Vegetable Stew
From Real Simple

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lamb steaks (top round or shoulder), bones removed and meat cut into 2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
4 carrots, cut into 3-inch sticks
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
4 ounces green beans, cut into small pieces (about 1 cup)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until medium-rare, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add the carrots, onion, and the remaining oil to the pot. Cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits.
Add the broth, tomatoes, and beans. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lamb, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

What Vegetables Are You Most Looking Forward To Eating This Spring?

partysugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:57:32 -0700

In Season: Spring Onions

YumSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:30:48 -0700

It's hard to appreciate the onset of Spring without considering the glorious bounty of new produce options at the farmers market. This week, I was enraptured by the spring onions.

Don't confuse a spring onion with its close counterpart, the long, thin scallion (or green onion). Spring onions are more petite than leeks, and look different from scallions because they will bulge near the root: they are simply young onions that have been pulled before they develop into conventional onions. These seasonal vegetables are milder than regular onions yet zippier and sweeter than green onions. Learn how to pick and enjoy them when you read more.

Select bunches of spring onions that have perky leaves, a vivid green color, and a firm bulb that may be either white or purple (there is little difference in flavor between the two). They will store in a perforated bag in the refrigerator for several days. They don't last as long as regular onions and, like scallions, will turn slimy. To prepare, soak and wash thoroughly of all dirt and sand, and trim off the roots; cut off the top of the greens, and slice the bulb into rounds.

Because of their mild flavor, spring onions taste great in raw salads; they can also be grilled, roasted, or stir-fried. Use them in place of onions or scallions in a dish, or consider one of these ideas:

Glaze onions in a sauté pan and serve as an agro-dolce appetizer.
Reserve the tougher green tops for use in vegetable or chicken stock.
Stir into mashed potatoes to make the classic Irish dish, champ.
Caramelize and purée them in a creamy bisque.

What do you think of spring onions, and what are your favorite ways to enjoy them?

Veggies With Green Goddess Dip Two Ways - Beginner & Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:30:52 -0700

With so many Spring vegetables in abundance right now, there's no better way to celebrate Earth Day than to create a spread that highlights the natural sweetness of farm-fresh vegetables.

Serve the vegetables alongside green goddess dressing, a mild yet complex blend of lemon, anchovies, garlic, and sour cream that dates back to the 1920s.

For a basic appetizer, arrange fresh crudités on a tray, or to take it to the next level, throw your seasonal vegetables on the grill. To see two enticing renditions of this verdant starter, read more.

Beginner Vegetables With Green Goddess Dip
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 anchovy fillets
1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, quartered
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
Heads of green and red Belgian endive, trimmed, leaves separated
Easter Egg radishes, trimmed, with some tops still attached
Heirloom baby carrots, peeled, trimmed, with some tops still attached
Persian or Japanese cucumbers, cut into 3x1/2-inch spears
Sugar snap peas, trimmed
Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, cut into 3x1/2-inch strips

Directions

Combine lemon juice, anchovies, shallot, vinegar, and garlic in processor. Blend until shallot and garlic are finely chopped. Add avocado, sour cream, parsley, tarragon, and basil; blend until almost smooth.
With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube in thin stream. Transfer dip to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place bowl of dip on large platter. Surround with vegetables.

Serves 10.

Print recipe with images | without images

Expert Vegetables With Green Goddess Dip
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 Asian eggplants (about 2 pounds), sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
6 portobello mushrooms, stemmed
2 fennel bulbs, stalks and feathery fronds discarded, bulbs sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick through the core
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
2 medium yellow squash, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick# 1 medium cauliflower, core trimmed, head sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
2 large red bell peppers, cored and quartered

Green Goddess Dressing:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced tarragon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Make the dressing: In a mini food processor, combine the parsley, anchovies, garlic and tarragon and process to a fine paste. Blend in the sour cream, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Scrape the dressing into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving time.
Light a grill. In a medium bowl, mix the olive oil with the basil and season generously with salt and pepper. Brush the basil oil on the vegetables. When the fire is medium-hot, arrange the eggplant slices on the hottest area of the grill and surround with the portobellos and sliced fennel. Grill, basting often with the oil and turning once, until the vegetables are nicely charred and almost tender, about 6 minutes for the eggplant and 10 minutes for the portobellos and fennel. Transfer the vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil.
Put the zucchini and yellow squash on the hottest part of the grill and surround them with the cauliflower and red bell peppers. Grill, basting often with the basil oil and turning once, until the vegetables are nicely charred and almost tender, 1 to 2 minutes for the zucchini, 6 minutes for the bell peppers and 10 minutes for the cauliflower. Add the vegetables to the platter and serve with the Green Goddess Dressing.

Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Healthy Eating Tip: Try a New Type of Vegetable Each Week

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Spending more time in your kitchen is good for your waistline and your wallet, and the abundance of delicious Spring vegetables gives us another reason to choose eating at home. Challenge your inner chef and get excited about eating healthy by experimenting with something new from the produce aisle each week.

Take advantage of in-season bounty by creating a watercress salad, steaming artichokes for snacking, roasting asparagus for a side dish, adding fennel to pasta, or swapping your romaine for mustard greens. Don't be intimidated by any unfamiliar offerings you may come across; there are plenty of resources online for learning how to cook every vegetable under the sun. Following through with this little challenge will help you eat more vegetables, and you may find yourself wanting to continue the weekly routine when next season rolls around.

Source

In Season: English Peas

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:00:38 -0700

Although balmier weather and longer days clue me in to Spring, the season doesn't officially begun until the day I spot fresh garden peas at the farmers market. Although I take advantage of frozen peas to enjoy the legumes year-round, there's simply nothing that can replace the toothsome snap of a freshly-shelled English pea.

English peas - also known as shell peas and garden peas - enjoy a short-lived season during late Spring and early Summer, and are at their best in May. For peas that are sweet and crisp, start by looking for shiny, firm, brightly-colored pods that feel swollen and heavy. When cooking with English peas, buy much more than you think you will need, as one pound of peas will only equate to roughly one cup of shelled peas. While it's ideal to eat garden peas as soon as they're picked, they can keep for up to three days when wrapped tightly and placedin the coolest part of the refrigerator. For more pointers on preparing them, read more.

Unlike sugar snap peas or snow peas, the fibrous pods of English peas cannot be eaten (although they can be used to enhance the flavor of vegetable stock). Shell English peas immediately before they're to be cooked: Break off the stem and pull the fibrous string down the length of the pod. Press each pod between your thumbs and forefingers to open, pushing out the individual peas. Rinse and drain the peas, discarding pods, stems, and strings. Prepare them in a multitude of ways:

Boil peas in 1/4 inch of simmering water for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp and tender, then toss into your favorite warm pasta or pasta salad.
Add variety to a Springtime salad by tossing in just-boiled peas.
Simmer peas in boiling water alongside prosciutto and fresh herbs.
For a flavorful, light side dish, sauté shelled peas in olive oil with torn mint leaves.
Treat your family to spiced pea fritters.

Have you cooked with English peas before? What are your favorite ways to use them?

6 Unusual Spring Vegetables

YumSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 05:50:49 -0700

It's impossible not to be excited by asparagus, artichokes, peas, and other vegetables that traditionally herald the arrival of Spring. But don't stop there - Spring means plenty of other exciting veggies, some of which you may be less familiar with. Keep reading to get acquainted with them. Source

View Slideshow ›

In Season: Rhubarb

partysugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:15:59 -0700

Asparagus isn't the only stalk in season: rhubarb is also having a moment. Rhubarb resembles celery but has a vibrant pink color. Although many people mistake it for being a fruit, rhubarb is actually a vegetable. It's a member of the buckwheat family, can grow to be two feet long, and is at its peak from April to June. While rhubarb's leaves are poisonous, the stalks are highly edible. To learn more about rhubarb and check out some serving suggestions, read more.

When shopping for rhubarb at the farmers market, look for crisp stalks that are brightly hued. The leaves should be free of blemishes. Rhubarb is incredibly perishable; tightly wrap in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Remove the leaves and wash just before using. Since the flavor of rhubarb is very tart, it's often combined with sugar. Classic pairings for rhubarb are strawberries and ginger, but it goes with a number of other ingredients including apples, pears, fresh cheeses, vanilla, almonds, ham, duck, and salmon.

One can prepare rhubarb in both sweet and savory applications:

For a more sophisticated take on classic strawberry shortcake, layer sautéed rhubarb with crumbly cake and whipped cream.
Stir into a delicious streusel cake.
Simmer until the vegetable breaks down into a chutney and serve with ham.
Puree and mix into custard to make ice cream.
Bake in a pie or tart.
For a scrumptious salad, toss with greens and goat cheese.

Do you enjoy the flavor of rhubarb? What's your favorite way to serve it?

Source