stir crazy

Deborah
We are in the home stretch here for Winter. That's what I'm trying to tell myself at any rate. In fact it will still be weeks before the Green Markets in NYC are showing any new produce. Hang in there! It will be worth the wait when the first lettuces and chives and radishes hit the market.

Until then...
Looking at the same old stuff and in an effort to generate some excitement I try to shake things up with a little knife action. I want to make a very simple vegetable dish that is pretty and flavorful enough to combat the end of winter blues.

The idea is to chop the vegetables small, into what I call a rough julienne cut, then quickly blanch them. For the next step you toss everything together in a pan with seasoned oil and thats it!

Cut everything relatively the same size, narrow strips on an angle. Blanch each vegetable in salted boiling water for one or two minutes until tender but still crunchy. I like to blanch each type of vegetable separately because a carrot will be done in 30 seconds while a green bean can take two minutes. This way all the vegetables are cooked to their perfect doneness. I use one large pot of boiling water and fish out each batch of the cooked vegetables with a spider before dropping the next batch in.

My beloved spider, purchased in Chinatown years ago.

To make the seasoned oil: Finely mince as much garlic as you like and saute briefly in olive oil and/or butter. Add chopped fresh herbs and any other seasoning you are in the mood for. I had some fresh thyme on hand. Then add all the vegetables into the pan and toss to coat with the seasonings. Serve right away. The vegetables will have some crunch and a savory goodness. 

This technique accomplishes a few things: you can combine odds and ends of vegetables and season them any way you like AND it makes everything seem new again (well a little anyway.)

Amanda what are we going to sip with this spirit-lifting solution to a cold drab day?

Amanda
Sauvignon Blanc is the way to go. To be more specific, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. When grown in NZ, the grape exhibits a grassy, herbaceous, vegetal character. It's also been known to display aromas of asparagus. Because of its herb-nuanced flavor, it is a perfect match for vegetables in general (especially green vegetables). Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand are extremely crisp and lively, which will help "lift the spirit" on a cold, dreary day! 

Kono Sauvignon Blanc is a good choice at $9.99 per bottle. The wine comes from the cooler region of Marlborough, which results in a wine full of citrus, gooseberry and stonefruit flavors. (Sauvignon Blancs from warmer climates have more richness of fruit). 

Also look to the Loire Valley in France for some wonderful Sauvignon Blanc options. A favorite producer is Pascal Jolivet. Also, be sure to pick out a recent vintage. Jolivet's Sancerres are typically youthful and racy with great balance and elegance.


I agree with Deb - I am so ready for Spring! This recipe and wine pairing is ideal to "set the mood" for the impending warmer weather! I am in a Springtime State of Mind!

Thanks Mate!

Deborah

A change in weather brings a change in ingredients. Summer vegetables may be disappearing from the farmer's markets but it is still possible to make a delicious salad from what is available. My trip to Union Square Green Market this weekend became a hunt for salad ingredients. I wanted something that would really express the season. Leafy greens love cool weather and my search was rewarded by a selection of gorgeous arugula varieties. The oak shaped leaves of a particular bunch won my heart and got dumped into my shopping bag. They were followed quickly by a really picturesque bundle of red and white radishes the size of my pinkie.

To round out the FALLness of this salad I decided to add some roasted sweet potatoes. Not long ago I cooked a buffet lunch for a wedding shower. The bride-to-be was marrying her Australian sweetheart and she wanted the menu to reflect his heritage. She asked me if I could prepare a spinach salad with roasted pumpkin, a recipe that for her typified Australian cooking. It sounded delicious to me and in fact the finished dish was very popular with the party guests. More recently, my friend Ruth who grew up in Australia, brought a big green salad studded with sweet potato cubes to a pot luck book group meeting we were attending. So there seems to be something to this Australian inclination.

Lemon vinaigrette with lots of garlic and ground black pepper seemed like a good way to dress this robust salad. I loved the contrast of textures and colors to the final dish. I added some peppitas (pumpkin seeds) as a crunchy garnish. The inclusion of the sweet potatoes turned this simple salad into a filling and satisfying meal. Any Australian wines come to mind Amanda?

Arugula Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes 

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1 bunch arugula, washed (you could substitute spinach leaves)
1/2 cup sliced radishes
1/4 cup toasted peppitas

Lemon Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic finely minced
1/2 teas. dry mustard
1  1/2 teas. salt
1 Tbs. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup good quality extra- virgin olive oil


Preheat oven to 425 F
Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and soy sauce and lay on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Set potatoes aside to cool to room temperature. Assemble the rest of the salad ingredients in a large bowl and add the cooled sweet potatoes.

Vinaigrette-
Combine the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, s & p and whisk together to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking constantly to emulsify.

Pour vinaigrette over salad and toss well to coat all the arugula leaves.

Serves 2

Amanda
Wow - this salad looks beautiful! I would definitely look to drink something with citrus notes and good acidity. These characteristics will work wonderfully with the lemon vinaigrette. A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc would do the trick. But, in keeping with the Australian theme, I might look to a Verdelho to complement this gorgeous salad. The earliest plantings of Verdelho can be traced back to Portugal in the 15th century. The varietal then first appears in Australia around 1820.


The grapes were typically used to make medium-sweet wines. However, modern winemaking techniques eventually helped unleash some other surprising characteristics of Verdelho. This varietal can also produce crisp, aromatic, fresh wines with  herbaceous, citrus notes.


Mollydooker is a terrific producer in Australia. Their wines are always highly rated by the most influential wine critics. (The price tags of these wines typically reflect this point, as they are not cheap). Their wines are given quirky names, like The Boxer Shiraz, Two Left Feet, The Maitre d Cabernet, The Scooter Merlot, Blue-Eyed Boy Shiraz...you get the picture. The Verdelho is called "The Violinist". It retails for about $25. This white has rich, round fruit with mouth-watering citrus and pineapple flavors. It's creamy and ripe, with floral aromas too.


Deb - I think this salad will pair perfectly with this wine. Again, if you can't find Mollydooker's Verdelho, ask your local wine retailer to recommend one from a different producer!