FOOD FUN: Carrots & Peas

Here’s some food fun that was created at the 2014 Roots Conference held by the Culinary Vegetable Institute. In Project Carrot, gifted chefs took a look at the under-utilized yet extremely versatile carrot, creating everything from cocktails to Carrot Rigatoni with Carrot Bolognese. While this photo looks like pasta, it is trompe l’oeil: What looks…
Continue reading “FOOD FUN: Carrots & Peas”

TIP OF THE DAY: Mushroom Salad

You may be chomping at the bit for the first spring vegetables to arrive in the market (we’re waiting for asparagus and ramps). But until then, there is veggie excitement to be had; and we’ll be talking about them for the next two days. Mushrooms offer flavorful excitement, and are a cook’s delight: They absorb…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Mushroom Salad”

TIP OF THE DAY: Vegetable “Raft”

Build a vegetable “raft” to make a serving of plain grilled or sautéed protein look like fancy restaurant fare. This chef’s trick makes it easy to add glamor to a piece of cooked protein—beef, fish, lamb, pork, poultry, tofu. Not to mention, it gets people to eat more veggies! Here, branzino in padella (branzino cooked…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Vegetable “Raft””

TIP OF THE DAY: Watermelon Radish

Roasted mahi-mahi with baby squash, roasted eggplant puree, pistachios and watermelon radish. Photo courtesy Due Forni.   Some vegetables light up any dish; watermelon radishes are one. Thanks to farmers markets, we’re seeing a lot more of them. Watermelon radishes are available year-round, with peak seasons in spring and late fall (meaning they’re more bountiful…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Watermelon Radish”

TIP OF THE DAY: Beets For Valentine’s Day

Beets are an unsung Valentine’s Day food. Not only are they deep red but they’re punny, as in “My heart beets for you.” Our tip today includes three beet recipes: a hot side dish, a first-course salad and a beet-and-quinoa side. The first recipes is from Williams-Sonoma. It’s adapted from the cookbook Williams-Sonoma New Flavors…
Continue reading “TIP OF THE DAY: Beets For Valentine’s Day”