For the love of Produce...

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  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    So while we are still very early in the season at the Farmer's Market, I am already loving what I can find. Spinach and Arugula. Sprouts and Shoots. Mushrooms. Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes. Beets. And so much more. It just makes me want to eat better!
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,450 Member
    Morning produce friends! 🌞

    Behold, my first chayote. ☺️ Saw these at the grocery store and I’m about to attempt to cook it.

    On Google - there is debate re ~~ to peel or not to peel.

    What say you?

    🌿

    y3ss7uuv8j2t.jpeg
  • iradi8
    iradi8 Posts: 759 Member
    @SafariGalNYC Here in Louisiana, we call those mirlitons. I don't peel them. We use them a lot with seafood like shrimp and oysters.
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,450 Member
    iradi8 wrote: »
    @SafariGalNYC Here in Louisiana, we call those mirlitons. I don't peel them. We use them a lot with seafood like shrimp and oysters.

    @iradi8 - I made it with the skin and it was great!! Thanks! 😊

    (Prefer the name Mirliton too!) ☺️
  • ChristieLynn777
    ChristieLynn777 Posts: 4 Member
    Wow!! Yeah now I’m hungry!! lol…those pictures look so good!!!
  • iradi8
    iradi8 Posts: 759 Member
    @SafariGalNYC Glad you enjoyed!
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,450 Member
    edited May 5
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Why wouldn't it count as produce?

    If I make carrot ginger cashew soup (and I'm going to do that today), it's made from produce. If you crush grapes and let 'em sit around in a vat for a while... Same deal.

    Good point 💡 👍🏻 I was being a little tongue 😜 in check since they are wine grapes.

    These guys need to ripen a bit before we can make vino.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,228 Member
    They need to ripen A LOT.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,948 Member
    I have a new easy method for Szechuan aubergine salad. Remove stem. Cut into logs about one third in length and soak in acidulated water for a minute or two, turning to coat. This step preserves the purple colour of the skin. Cook two minutes on high in the microwave. Cut into thin batons, drizzle with vinegar, soy and a pinch of sugar. Heat up two tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil with chopped green onion and a clove of minced garlic. Pour hot oil over the salad. Garnish with coriander.
    99jefcqmzko8.jpeg
  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,450 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    I have a new easy method for Szechuan aubergine salad. Remove stem. Cut into logs about one third in length and soak in acidulated water for a minute or two, turning to coat. This step preserves the purple colour of the skin. Cook two minutes on high in the microwave. Cut into thin batons, drizzle with vinegar, soy and a pinch of sugar. Heat up two tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil with chopped green onion and a clove of minced garlic. Pour hot oil over the salad. Garnish with coriander.
    99jefcqmzko8.jpeg

    Those aubergines look wonderful!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,168 Member
    I can't take credit for this very nice salad, because I had it at a recently-opened local restaurant . . . but I definitely enjoyed it. They called it a farro salad, so I expected it to have a lot of the grain. It had a pleasant amount, but it was veggie-heavy. Described on the menu as shredded broccoli, cabbage, roasted corn, pepitas, red onions, dried cranberries, baby arugula, marinated tomatoes, and feta cheese, with champagne vinaigrette. And farro, of course. I took a chance and ordered the dressing tossed in vs. on the side: Good call. I forgot to put something in there for scale, but you can see the base of a standard wine glass (pinot grigio ;) ) near the top left and the tines of my fork top right, to give you an idea. It was a big platter of salad, pretty heaped. Not cheap, but yum, yum, yum. I'll have this again for sure, when feeling flush. :D
    68mvqae3xhze.jpg


  • SafariGalNYC
    SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,450 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    I can't take credit for this very nice salad, because I had it at a recently-opened local restaurant . . . but I definitely enjoyed it. They called it a farro salad, so I expected it to have a lot of the grain. It had a pleasant amount, but it was veggie-heavy. Described on the menu as shredded broccoli, cabbage, roasted corn, pepitas, red onions, dried cranberries, baby arugula, marinated tomatoes, and feta cheese, with champagne vinaigrette. And farro, of course. I took a chance and ordered the dressing tossed in vs. on the side: Good call. I forgot to put something in there for scale, but you can see the base of a standard wine glass (pinot grigio ;) ) near the top left and the tines of my fork top right, to give you an idea. It was a big platter of salad, pretty heaped. Not cheap, but yum, yum, yum. I'll have this again for sure, when feeling flush. :D
    68mvqae3xhze.jpg


    😋 yum!

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,948 Member
    Another aubergine salad. This one is has a more charcoal depth of flavour but is not as pretty. It is a Vietnamese version and has a similar scallion oil dressing as the Szechuan aubergine salad I made a couple of days ago.

    Prick an aubergine with a fork in several places and air fry 20 minutes until soft. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into chunks. Sprinkle some nuoc cham on top. Have a handful of diced green onion, a minced clove of garlic and a pinch of dried chillis on hand. Heat up a tablespoon of neutral vegetable oil until very hot, remove from heat and stir in the green onion mixture. Pour hot oil over the eggplant.
    3472zi3eo0fg.jpeg

  • spinnerdell
    spinnerdell Posts: 233 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    Some namul I shared with a girlfriend as a starter at our Korean lunch. I sometimes do somethiing similar at home with small quantities of different veggies lingering at the bottom of the fridge. Grate or spiralize larger root vegetables. Blanch by soaking a minute or two in boiling water from the kettle, then squeeze out excess water. Dress each vegetable with vinegar, salt, sugar, soy, hot sauce, sesame oil, or some combination.
    kl57yk6f4d1h.jpeg

    I've been slowed down by a knee injury, but your gorgeous picture has inspired me to get back in the kitchen for some slicing and dicing!
  • kaferine69
    kaferine69 Posts: 199 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    Some namul I shared with a girlfriend as a starter at our Korean lunch. I sometimes do somethiing similar at home with small quantities of different veggies lingering at the bottom of the fridge. Grate or spiralize larger root vegetables. Blanch by soaking a minute or two in boiling water from the kettle, then squeeze out excess water. Dress each vegetable with vinegar, salt, sugar, soy, hot sauce, sesame oil, or some combination.
    kl57yk6f4d1h.jpeg

    We took my husband's mother out to a Korean BBQ lunch on Sunday. She had never done it before. We had a lot of fun introducing her to all of the amazing banchan included with the meal!
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Went to the Farmers Market this morning and Strawberries were out! So were a ton of tomatoes. I grabbed some berries and cherry tomatoes along with some bok choy. Yum!
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,948 Member
    I couldn't resist buying a pack of frozen cherries when I saw them at the green grocer. Besides clafoutis or English summer pudding any other ideas on what to do with them?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,168 Member
    edited May 28
    acpgee wrote: »
    I couldn't resist buying a pack of frozen cherries when I saw them at the green grocer. Besides clafoutis or English summer pudding any other ideas on what to do with them?

    Tart cherries, or dark sweet cherries, or non-dark sweet cherries?

    I'm not as sophisticated a cook as you are by far, but I do like cherries.

    I've made (delicious) liqueur with fresh tart cherries, simple syrup and vodka (needs to age). That probably would work with frozen ones. Both the soaked cherries and the liqueur proper are good in various dessert uses, even if not one who drinks alcohol. Bonus: Keeps forever (AFAIK) on a cupboard shelf.

    Lots of things can happen with either type of cherries as a sauce, i.e. thicken the juice with something like cornstarch, of course - whole or pureed. Cherry pie/tart, ice cream topping, cheesecake topping, etc.

    It's simplistic, but I like frozen cherries (thawed/warm) in my oatmeal, or (still frozen or thawed) mixed with plain Greek yogurt and chocolate peanut butter powder.

    Home made cherry ice cream, or chocolate cherry ice cream. Or sorbet. Cherry bars (like date bars). Cherry cobbler is classic.

    There are cherry soup recipes. (Usually that's tart cherries, probably could use sweet ones similarly.) I made some a zillion years back, not sure where I got a recipe but no longer have it. There's a Hungarian type, IMU. Or fruit soup with other fruits.

    Cherry vinaigrette salad dressing (pureed cherries).

    Now I want cherries. :yum:
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 14,228 Member
    Cherry soup?

    I'm intrigued.

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