Winter salad! How lucky are we, to enjoy local greens and roots in the winter. This is a nice, refreshing salad. Something I have learned! If you like mega lemon flavor, anytime you juice a lemon fresh, zest it! It is worth the tiny bit of extra work. So zesty and besty!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch of kale, pulled from stems and ripped into smaller pieces
• 1 box of head lettuce- chopped
• thinly slice carrots and watermelon radishes (mandolin or grated)
• Lemon (juice it and zest it!), oil, and salt for dressing (my go to!)
• Sunflower seeds (optional) You could also include any other seed, nut or dried fruit that you like

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine everything in a bowl and toss together! 
   
2. ENJOY!
   

Kohlrabi and Cabbage Salad with Maple Lemon Dressing- I got this recipe a friend but it orginally came from Kitchn who got it from 'The Modern Menu' by Kim Kushner.  

SERVES 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium bulbs kohlrabi (for us this could be one of our giant ones or 3-4 small ones)
• 3 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using a sharp knife, remove the long stems and greens from the kohlrabi. Using a peeler, trim away the thick green skin until you reach the light green to white part that is free of tough fibers. Shred on the medium holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredder disk.
2. Combine the kohlrabi, cabbage, cherries, sunflower seeds, and dill in a large serving bowl. In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Shake to thoroughly combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well. Let sit for about 20 minutes before serving.

​Pickles are fantastic. I love an eclectic meal with some dipping sauces and a side of anything pickled. As I get ready for a summer of pickling the season's picks, I am going to start with some casual quick pickled root vegetables and ramp up with the season!

Quick Pickled Root Vegetables- I got this adaptable quick-pickling guide fomr the Kitchn.  

Quick pickles are also known as refrigerator pickles. They are simply vegetables that are pickled in a vinegar, water, and salt (sometimes sugar, too) solution and stored in the refrigerator. Quick pickles don’t develop the deep flavor that fermented pickles do, but they also only require a few days in the brine before they can be enjoyed. Quick pickles also do not require canning when refrigerated.Pickling is best done with super-fresh vegetables. Save the slightly bruised specimens for soups or other forms of preservation. Almost any vegetable can be pickled, and the shape you choose to pickle in is entirely up to you. For example, carrots can be peeled and sliced into matchsticks or coins. Cherry tomatoes are best preserved whole. Green vegetables, such as green beans or asparagus, can be blanched in boiling water for two to three minutes and then shocked in an ice bath to preserve their color, but this step is purely optional.

Preparing Vegetables for Pickling

• Thinly slice: cucumbers, summer squash, ginger, red onion
• Cut into spears: carrots, cucumbers
• Peel: carrots
• Blanch: green beans (optional, but helps preserve their color)

Brine BasicsFor quick pickles, a basic brine is equal parts vinegar and water, but you can adjust the ratio to your preference. Any basic vinegar is game — white vinegar, apple cider, white wine, and rice vinegar all work well. You can use these vinegars alone or in combination. Steer clear of aged or concentrated vinegars like balsamic or malt vinegar for pickling.
Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers, carrots, green beans, summer squash, or cherry tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill, or rosemary (optional)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons whole spices, such as black peppercorns, coriander, or mustard seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs or ground spices (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed or sliced (optional)
• 1 cup vinegar, such as white, apple cider, or rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons pickling salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

EQUIPMENT

• Chefs knife ofrmandolin!
• Cutting board
• 2 wide-mouth pint jars with lids
• Canning funnel (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the jars. Wash 2 wide-mouth pint jars, lids, and rings in warm, soapy water and rinse well. Set aside to dry, or dry completely by hand.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Wash and dry the vegetables. Peel the carrots. Trim the end of beans. Cut vegetables into desired shapes and sizes.
3. Add the flavorings. Divide the herbs, spices, or garlic you are using between the jars.
4. Add the vegetables. Pack the vegetables into the jars, making sure there is a 1/2 inch of space from the rim of the jar to the tops of the vegetables. Pack them in as tightly as you can without smashing.
5. Make the brine. Place the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar (if using) in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine over the vegetables, filling each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. You might not use all the brine.
6. Remove air bubbles. Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off with more brine if necessary.
7. Seal the jars. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings until tight.
8. Cool and refrigerate. Let the jars cool to room temperature. Store the pickles in the refrigerator. The pickles will improve with flavor as they age — try to wait at least 48 hours before cracking them open.

RECIPE NOTES
Storage: These pickles are not canned. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. If you process and can the jars, they can be stored at room temperature unopened.

RUTABAGA! Butter yellow on the inside and full of flavor, these brassica roots pack a nutritional punch. They are high in vitamin C, vitamin E, as well as potassium! And they don't lack in the flavor department. I think they are climbing up the ladder onto the platform with cabbage as my favorite vegetable. 

Rutabaga Hasselback (you can also mash them, roast them, and put them in soups.)
​
Ingredients:

• Rutabaga washed with root ends sliced so they sit flat- you can select as many as you want for this recipe. One or two rutabagas per person is a good idea.
• Oil or butter
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Slice rutabaga 3/4 of the way through, being careful not to go all the way through. 
3. Mince garlic and sprinkle into the slices of the rutabaga
4. Drizzle the rutabagas with olive oil, being sure to coat the outside as well, and season with salt and pepper
5. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes until the rutabagas are tender and the the edges crispy. 

Yum. 

​Just one more cabbage recipe. It is so my favorite right now. Roasted Cabbage. Sounds simple. Is simple.
Roasted Cabbage
Ingredients:

• Cabbage: 1-2 small heads
• Oil or butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees
2. Slice one or two of our dense, sweet, nutritious cabbages into discs (or however you prefer, this is just my current favorite)
3. Oil/fat/butter and seasoning.
4. Roast for about an hour! I like to roast it until it caramelizes, flipping it once during cooking. If you spread it thin on the pan, the leaves become fabulously crunchy. If you pack the cabbage densely, the turn a golden brown and remain soft. 

A meal that warms your soul!

Cabbage can store for a long time under the right conditions, because of it's incredible storage capability it is one of the few green things that we can guarantee to have on on our market table during the "off" season. As such, I'm always on the look out for new ways to enjoy winter's most dependable green. My uncle Joe taught me this recipe years back and it has become a regular in our winter dinner rotation. I hope you enjoy this warming comfort food as much as we do!
Uncle Joe's Cabbage and Noodles
Ingredients:

• Cabbage: 1-2 small heads
• Oil or butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Large shell noodles or egg noodles

Optional:

• soy sauce
• chopped bacon
• crumbled sausage

Directions:

1. Cook 1 package of your favorite noodles 
2. finely shred your cabbage, drop it into a pan with hot oil, stir frequently
3. add a dangerous amount of salt and an equally dangerous amount of fresh pepper
4. The cabbage is done when it starts to brown, take it out and mix with your noodles
5. drizzle oil over the cabbage and noodles to your tastes/financial restrictions

• This recipe is frequently done with some form of pork mixed in, but I think the fried cabbage and oil really do a more than adequate job scratching this guy's savory itch, to each their own though.

A quick noodle bowl. This is my haphazard emergency noodles. Cook the noodles and vegetables and flavors and devour them. There is often peanut butter involved, but it doesn't have to be. You can have a decadent meal in under ten minutes. Last night I made a bowl with some marinated tofu- ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and garlic. It was very good and made me very happy. Somehow a steaming bowl of noodles and vegetables warms my heart in a way that no other food can.

Noodle Bowl- If you need a more concrete recipe Here is one from Killing Thyme
Ingredients:

• Quick cookin' noodle like Ramen. There are lots of types that have corn in them. I like Ka-Me chinese noodles because the have less packaging, no flavor packet to deal with and the only ingredients are wheat flour, water, salt and calcium carbonate. I am not a commercial, just letting you know. 
• Quartered and thinly sliced watermelon radish
• Small red cabbage: Halved, halves quartered and then thinly sliced- you can use green too but the red ones make the water BLUE! Depending on the size, you may only use part of a cabbage. (Lookin for about 2 cups)
• Some roughly chopped greens- tatsoi is great in there. Really great. Kale, chard, and tokyo bekana are also solid choices. I also LOVE fresh cilantro in there. 
• Diced garlic
• Optional- additional protein- soft boiled egg, a meat, a nut, tofu- what you like.
• Flavors:
• Rice wine vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Honey
• Garlic
• Ginger (fresh or powdered)
• Miso
• Sesame oil
• Sriracha or something spicy

Directions:

1. Boil 3-4 cups of water or broth and add the radish and cabbage. If you are using a tougher green, you can add it now. 
2. Add some flavors- vinegar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, miso, hot pepper, salt
3. Add the noodles- they only need to cook for 3 minutes.
4. If you want an egg in there, you can cook it directly in the soup- put it in close to the beginning- or cook it separately. When you cook it right in there, it usually gets a bit integrated but is still fantastic.
5. Eat it! YES, it is that easy. 

Cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables. I also love fritters. What is a fritter? Battered and fried food! Yessss. You can also bake it, just so you know. And all frying doesn't have to be bad. So here is a combination of two of my favorite foods. Keep in mind, anytime I make fritters I like to get some cornmeal involved for the carnival effect. Also keep in mind, there are many recipes for these delicious morsels from all over the world. Just give 'em a google. Also keep in mind that if you can shred it, you can fritter it...

Cabbage Fritters! From Foraged Dish
Ingredients:

• 6 cups shredded cabbage
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup cassava flour (Here is one brand) COULD ALSO USE REGULAR FLOUR OR CORNMEAL!
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 bunch green onions, roots removed and remaining parts roughly chopped
• Dash salt
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• Coconut oil for cooking


• For the dipping sauce:
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha

 
Directions:

1. Place shredded cabbage in bowl and toss with chopped green onions, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, dash of salt, and cassava flour. Once cabbage is coated, crack eggs into bowl and add sesame oil and soy sauce. Mix until everything is combined.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it sizzles, scoop the cabbage mixture into the skillet 1/4 cup at a time. Use a spatula to press the 1/4 cup pile down into a pancake shape and allow to cook for 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage begins to brown. Using the spatula, flip the fritter and cook on the second side for 5-10 more minutes, until browned. (I find I can do 3 fritters at once in my skillet to quicken the cooking process). Place cooked fritters on a plate and repeat until all of the cabbage mixture is used.
3. Make the sauce: combine ingredients for sauce in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Stir. After 5 minutes, remove from heat. Pour into small bowl.
4. Serve fritters warm with sauce for dipping. Garnish with extra sesame seeds or Sriracha.

Roasted Daikon radish french fries. I haven't tried this yet, but in my heart, I know it will delicious. I got the recipe from here. Two tips straight from the source, don't expect to need a dipping sauce, don't expect the same texture as a tater.  Use any of our daikon- green and white, purple, or classic. I'll try it too and lets compare notes. Some of my thoughts are in bold in the recipe.Spicy Roasted Daikon Radish French Fries
​
Ingredients

• 5 cups (about 1 3/4-pounds or two of our bunches) Daikon radish, peeled & sliced - see instruction no. 2. for instructions- I wouldn't bother peeling it.
• 3 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil - you can substitute any oil if you don't have grapeseed on hand. My subs would be seasame, olive, or coconut.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chile paste (I like Sambal Oelek)- If you don't have any chile paste try subbing any of the following
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes. Aram David/Demand Media. Crushed red pepper flakes are dried cayenne peppers that have been crushed. ...
  • Hot Sauce. A bottle of your favorite hot sauce is a simple substitution for chili paste. ...
  • Ketchup With Ground Cayenne Pepper. Ketchup has a very similar texture to chili paste.
• 1 teaspoon low sodium Tamari or soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger pulp, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 475°F, and adjust a rack to the center.
   
2. Cut the Daikon into sections approximately 3-inches long, then cut about 1/4-inch slices off the side of each one, to make a base. Stand the sections on their bases, and cut them, vertically into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Stand these slices on top of each other, and then cut them into sticks about 1/4-inch thick. Add all of the Daikon slices to a baking sheet and set aside.
   
3. In a small bowl, combine the oil, chile paste, Tamari or soy sauce, ginger, sugar and salt.
4. Drizzle this over the Daikon slices and then use your hands to toss them until they're all evenly coated and in a single layer.
5. Place the baking sheet in the preheated 475°F oven and roast until they are golden brown on all sides, about 30 minutes. (You should gently toss/filp them about halfway through the cooking time.)
   
6. Add a double layer of paper towels to another baking sheet, and when the fries are done, add them on top of the towels to drain and cool.- Skip the paper towels and try a cookie rack with a baking sheet under it. 
7. Serve!

Soup season is upon us and I want to kick it off with this simple concoction. All the flavors of fall blended into an energizing joy of a meal. If I was going to balk it up, I may cube and add a few potatoes... 

Carrot and Fennel Soup with Ginger from Food 52

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 bulb fennel, chopped (fronds reserved)
• 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup half & half
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• Pinch crushed red pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot.
• Add garlic, onion, celery, fennel, carrots and ginger. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes, until all vegetables are soft and tender.
• Remove from the heat. Add coriander, ginger, crushed red pepper and honey. Let cool slightly.
• Puree soup in batches in a regular blender until very smooth. Return to pot.
• Add half & half, and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt.
• Serve in bowls or mugs with a garnish of chopped fennel frond. (You can also make a fabulous fennel frond pesto- link)