So it’s my first full winter here in Toronto, a winter I’m told has been a little sporadic and unpredictable. Probably the only thing usual about this time of year is the miniscule selection of produce for the local eater. Adhering to a local diet means I’m (re)discovering my root vegetables.
Bringing up root veggies—beets, tubers, onions, parsnips and the like—generally also brings up the nose. When I think about why we have such aversions to the roots, I realize it’s because when we were children roots equaled overboiled, flavourless mush. Of course, if I delve further, it’s probably my own fault vegetables turned out that way, what with mom running after me instead of keeping an eye on the stove. As such, probably the only popular root is the potato, a long standing staple around the world. But even potatoes in their infinite preparations can get old, fast.
Eating locally is both fun and challenging. When I get my OAS food box every other week, I first enjoy the surprise of seeing what exists in nature around this time of year. As you may have guessed, it’s a lot of roots: radish, celeriac, turnips, rutabaga, and squash (okay, not a root, but root-like in its applications) have been making the rounds. The challenge: how to prepare these rejects of the palate? What I like to do here is figure out what common veggie these strange roots relate to most, and then cook them in a similar way.
LEARN ABOUT ONTARIO ARTISAN SHARE HERE >>>>>
Everyone loves roasted carrots, all caramelized in the pan. So along with your carrots, roast your parsnips, your celeriac, and your rutabaga for a sweet and savoury medley. If soup is your winter staple, roots add a lot of flavour and body to whatever your cauldron holds; and they keep their shape and texture under the duress of heat! Or why not try something unusual: julienne beets and turnips and make them into a hearty stirfry. If you don’t want your whole meal to turn purple, golden beets work here too!
And now for my favourite root this season: the sweet potato. Before this year, my sweet potato intake was exactly two spoonfuls annually: one at Thanksgiving, and one at Christmas, and only to appease mom. Mashed sweet potatoes were the bane of my childhood. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that something that was sweet like candy was actually a vegetable, and therefor I could not stomach the taste.
This season I’ve been doing everything with sweet potatoes, except mashing them. Everything I’d do with a potato I’ve done with the sweeter version: I’ve diced them up and made home fries (this works with squash too); I’ve sliced them thin and made a wonderful gratin; I’ve even made sweet potato gnocchi that was absolutely stellar!
With the hearty vegetables of winter the possibilities can be endless, if we give roots a chance. Some future experiments of mine include making homemade sauerkraut and trying my hand at quick pickles. Anything in my power to avoid the masher!