Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [35]
3 Transfer the kale mixture and cooking liquid to a serving bowl and let cool. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve.
Kitchen Note: To toast sesame seeds, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring, until the seeds are fragrant and lightly colored, 3 to 5 minutes.
Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.
— Hippocrates (460–377 B.C.)
Dilled Potato and Egg Salad
Serves 6–8
Potato salad needs little bits of crunchy vegetables to play against the soft potato-egg-mayonnaise mixture. Instead of out-of-season celery and red bell peppers, how about shredded carrots and crunchy bits of dill pickle? Delicious!
2½ pounds waxy potatoes
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
½ small onion, finely chopped or shredded
1 cup diced dill pickles
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow ballpark mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Paprika or dried dill, for garnish
1 Cover the potatoes by 1 inch with cold salted water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain well and let cool.
2 When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and slice them into ½-inch cubes.
3 Combine the potatoes, eggs, carrot, onion, and pickles in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Chill for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours. (The flavor of the salad improves after several hours.)
4 Just before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with paprika to garnish.
Kitchen Note: We often say “hard-boiled” egg, but the reality is that eggs shouldn’t boil unless you want an egg with a rubbery texture. Put the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. When the water boils, cover the pot and remove it from the heat. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain off the hot water and replace it with cold water, letting the water run from the tap until the water in the pan is truly cold. The faster you chill the egg, the less likely the shell will stick to it.
Roasted Sweet-Potato Salad with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette
Serves 6
Healthful, colorful, delicious — you couldn’t ask for a better salad.
3 sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and diced
2 shallots, diced
3 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup flaked or sliced almonds
Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette (page 88)
1 Preheat the oven to 500°F, with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Lightly oil a half sheet pan (preferred) or large shallow roasting pan.
2 Mound the sweet potatoes and shallots on the prepared pan. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the pan. Do not crowd the potatoes or the final texture will be soft and mushy.
3 Roast in the lower third of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan once for even cooking, until the potatoes are tender.
4 Combine the roasted vegetables, cranberries, and almonds in a large salad bowl. Toss to mix. Pour in the dressing and toss until fully coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kitchen Note: Some varieties of sweet potato are better for roasting, others for mashing. Garnets are a good choice for roasting because they hold their shape well.
North African Turnip Salad
Serves 4–6
Freshly dug turnips are delightfully crisp and sweet. This salad combines turnips and carrots with some unusual flavors, including harissa, an aromatic North African chili paste.
6 turnips, peeled and shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
¼ cup minced red onion
2 clementines