Introducing Weird Vegetables
 |
| photo credit |
Since my girls are still with grandma in Chicago and my primary purpose in life is to sit still and try not to feel stressed out (because stress equals contractions), I am devoting an unreasonable amount of time this summer to the Food Network. And the one thing that keeps coming back to me is that there are SO many fresh vegetables that never make it into my grocery cart. Those culinary wizards on television can take okra or a few rutabagas and twenty minutes later shazam! Something magical happens. And I find myself saying to my television, I can't believe it, but I might actually want to eat that.
My weird vegetable obsession began right before my kids left town, and I mentioned to my oldest daughter, I'm thinking of writing about vegetables. There are so many that we overlook because they're unfamiliar and appear scary in their raw form. But honestly, I think more people should make the conscious effort to buy one weird vegetable every time they go to the store, and then figure out how to make it taste delicious. Don't you think I should write about that?
Madeleine didn't hesitate. No one wants to read about weird vegetables. And I promise you, no one wants to eat them. Don't write about that. People are going to stop reading your blog if you do.
Well, fine Little Miss Sassy Pants. Maybe this is the last time some of you will visit my blog. But I happen to believe there exists a universe beyond carrots, potatoes, celery, cucumber and plain old lettuce that is waiting to be charted. And so I extend the challenge: Try it. Buy a weird vegetable and spend a few minutes googling a recipe that will make it taste delicious. Let's just see if we can't revolutionize dinner time.
Challenge accepted Lauren! It's not in the completely weird category, but I did purchase tomatillos yesterday, which look like a tomato but are actually part of the goose berry family. Anyway, I am going to char up those bad boys on the grill and with a few extra ingredients, bam! you have a fresh tomatillo salsa. Hope it turns out.
ReplyDeleteI agree, but somehow never to act on it :) I had Kale planted in our garden but it got killed by the hail storm.
ReplyDeleteI'm obsessed with roasted beets with goat cheese (chèvre) and balsamic vinegar on a bed of baby greens. My family thinks I'm insane.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love roasted beets with goat cheese!
DeleteAnise/fennel surely counts as a weird vegetable--which I once got in my bountiful basket. I you-tubed a recipe for it, and made a little salad with lemon and avocado. Who knew that anise tastes just like black licorice??? I ended up feeling like I wasted my avocado and lemon. But I'm sure I'll get brave again someday.
ReplyDeleteI should sign up for Bountiful Baskets again and see what fun comes of it. I think the topic of veggies is a great one for a post :)
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun to read about what other people are experimenting with in the veggie world. Lately I've been using lots of sweet potatoes, which I normally only buy at Thanksgiving. It's amazing the many ways you can transform a sweet potato!
ReplyDeleteI quite love watercress, but beets - the only thing I love about them is their color. That's it. Blah to the flavor. Blah to the smell. Strange how we can all tolerate them in a glass of V8.
ReplyDeleteI always feel adventurous when I use cilantro. :)