August 10, 2010
· Filed under Autumn, Dish Type, Side/Salad, Spring, Summer, Winter · Tagged turnips
Posted by Lisa
Pan-Fried Turnips
Turnips are another under-appreciated vegetable, I think. They really aren’t all that common in American kitchens. I’ve made turnips in quite a few different dishes, from stews and sautées to sliced onto lettuce-based salads and starring in a turnip slaw. Out of all the preparations I’ve tried, the one we love most and, incidentally, the one I prepare most frequently is pan-fried turnips. The simplicity of this dish makes it perfect for a busy evening, but the taste is outstanding. Almost browning the butter in the sauté pan before adding the turnip wedges imparts a slightly nutty and smooth flavor, while the caramelized edges of the turnips are sweet and tender and some of the centers are just faintly bitter, but not unpleasantly so. The whole pan of turnips is always eaten up when I prepare this side dish and it’s enjoyed by even our pickiest eater.
Pan-Fried Turnips
printable recipe
- two bunches of turnips (or about 1 1/2 pounds loose turnips)
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- sea salt
Wash and trim the ends from the turnips. Cut into wedges. I cut smaller turnips into quarters and larger into 1/8′s or 1/12th’s. Heat a heavy bottomed sauté pan (I always use my enameled cast iron pan) over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add enough butter to coat the bottom of the pan when it is melted. Right before butter starts to brown, add turnip wedges. Continue to cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. You want the cut edges to brown nicely, but they can also start to burn pretty quickly. When the turnips are nicely browned, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until they are tender all the way through. When the turnips are tender, remove from heat and season to taste with sea salt.
July 12, 2010
· Filed under Side/Salad, Spring, Summer · Tagged mint, onions, peas, radishes
Posted by Lisa
Pea and Radish Salad
When I first saw this recipe, I didn’t really appeal to me, but when I got a nice bunch of French breakfast radishes at the market and I wanted to do something different with them, I decided to try it. I started out with this recipe, by Cathy at Wives with Knives and altered it for what I had on hand. I wish I had fresh peas on hand because that would have made it spectacular, but even with using frozen peas, it was a cool and tasty salad. The mint really tastes fantastic with the sweetness of the peas and the little bite of the radishes.
One note, I always make my own mayonnaise with with a combination of coconut oil and olive oil, so if you use a store bought mayonnaise or even a homemade mayonnaise without coconut oil, yours will likely have a creamier texture than mine. The coconut oil in the mayonnaise sets up a little more firmly when it’s cold. Though it’s not as beautiful as a creamier mayonnaise, the flavor was still excellent.
Pea and Radish Salad
printable recipe
- 3 cups frozen peas, thawed (If you have fresh peas, blanch them and use them, the flavor will be even better than frozen peas, of course!)
- 1 bunch of radishes, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 – 2 teaspoons freshly chopped mint leaves
- 1 – 2 teaspoons freshly chopped chives
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.
July 8, 2010
· Filed under Main Dish, Summer · Tagged broccoli, chives, feta, oregano, quinoa
Posted by Lisa
Roasted Broccoli, Quinoa and Feta Salad
I love roasted broccoli. It’s especially good cold, though I usually serve it warm. When we got several heads in our CSA share, I decided that I needed to make some sort of grain and roasted broccoli salad. I settled on quinoa for the grain and since I almost always have a large tub of feta in the fridge, it and feta is just plain delicious, I decided that it would be the third major player in this salad. These ingredients are tossed with chives and oregano from the garden, fresh garlic, olive oil, and a little lemon juice to offset the olive oil and the saltiness of the feta. The broccoli can be roasted and the quinoa cooked ahead of time, if necessary, and the salad assembles in a snap. We’ve had a hot spell around here, so a room temperature salad that can be pulled together in a few minutes if you have all the ingredients pre-cooked, is a wonderful thing.
Roasted Broccoli, Quinoa and Feta Salad
printable recipe
- 2 heads broccoli, roasted with salt, pepper and olive oil and cooled to room temperature
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Place roasted broccoli, quinoa and feta in a large bowl. Mix chives, oregano, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, sea salt and pepper in a small jar and shake to combine. Pour over salad and gently toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.
