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Vegetables
Jan. 19th, 2012 09:33 amThis was a comment that got out of control, so might as well recycle it here:
Potentially, any non-toxic raw vegetable can be used in a salad, it's only a matter of how thinly you slice it. For example, Cafe Zuni makes a salad out of raw artichokes that have been shaved very fine on a meat slicer, and its delicious. Some veggies, like potatoes, cannot be eaten raw; others, like eggplant, are too bitter. But for the most part, the whole produce aisle is fair game.
The easiest way to eat cooked veggies is to put them in a soup and not overcook them. Add hard vegetables like carrots about 15 min before serving, softer ones like peppers 5 min. before, and leafy greens like spinach just 1 min. before, bringing the soup back to a steady simmer before starting the timer.
Vegetables are living things and should look bright and perky. Don't eat ones that are limp or have soft spots you can't remove. (Easier said than done in some parts of the country.) Being wrapped in plastic causes them to suffocate and die, so make sure they can breathe and that there isn't water trapped on their surface. A wilted vegetable will often come back to life if washed in cool water and drained on a towel; this also lets you more easily differentiate between parts of the veggie that are alive and parts that are dead. Vegetables take work - you can't get away from washing, sorting, and trimming. I teach my assistants to treat them "like they were the Baby Jesus".
Also, don't forget the salt; salad means, literally, "salted", and that's for good reason. It cranks up the natural flavor and cancels out bitterness. Salt is often the only dressing I use. For most people, eating vegetables is more important than cutting down on salt. Consider getting a grinder, table salt is too harsh. After salt, some excellent veggie dressings are lemon juice, cider vinegar, plain yoghurt, nut oils (walnut is my favorite), and of course olive oil, not necessarily extra-virgin. Avoid generic "salad oil" as it's usually canola or soybean oil and IMHO it's nasty. If you must use bottled dressing I suggest Anne's Naturals.
Guess I'm lucky, to me veggies are like little jewels, and I like them more than chocolate.
Potentially, any non-toxic raw vegetable can be used in a salad, it's only a matter of how thinly you slice it. For example, Cafe Zuni makes a salad out of raw artichokes that have been shaved very fine on a meat slicer, and its delicious. Some veggies, like potatoes, cannot be eaten raw; others, like eggplant, are too bitter. But for the most part, the whole produce aisle is fair game.
The easiest way to eat cooked veggies is to put them in a soup and not overcook them. Add hard vegetables like carrots about 15 min before serving, softer ones like peppers 5 min. before, and leafy greens like spinach just 1 min. before, bringing the soup back to a steady simmer before starting the timer.
Vegetables are living things and should look bright and perky. Don't eat ones that are limp or have soft spots you can't remove. (Easier said than done in some parts of the country.) Being wrapped in plastic causes them to suffocate and die, so make sure they can breathe and that there isn't water trapped on their surface. A wilted vegetable will often come back to life if washed in cool water and drained on a towel; this also lets you more easily differentiate between parts of the veggie that are alive and parts that are dead. Vegetables take work - you can't get away from washing, sorting, and trimming. I teach my assistants to treat them "like they were the Baby Jesus".
Also, don't forget the salt; salad means, literally, "salted", and that's for good reason. It cranks up the natural flavor and cancels out bitterness. Salt is often the only dressing I use. For most people, eating vegetables is more important than cutting down on salt. Consider getting a grinder, table salt is too harsh. After salt, some excellent veggie dressings are lemon juice, cider vinegar, plain yoghurt, nut oils (walnut is my favorite), and of course olive oil, not necessarily extra-virgin. Avoid generic "salad oil" as it's usually canola or soybean oil and IMHO it's nasty. If you must use bottled dressing I suggest Anne's Naturals.
Guess I'm lucky, to me veggies are like little jewels, and I like them more than chocolate.
