Back to your Roots

We are going underground to talk about what we pull up to eat. Some are very familiar and others need more explanation.

     Potatoes come to mind first, technically it is a tuber, but we will consider it part of the root vegetable family. Our grocers offer us many varieties of potatoes. Choose wisely, no hack marks or bad spots. Store in a cool, dark place (use a brown paper bag and leave on counter).  Do not store potatoes in the refrigerator. This will cause the starches to turn to sugar.

If the potato starts to turn green in spots trim this away before using it. Potatoes are part of the nightshade family and could be poisonous if allowed to develop too much of the green skin. The sweet potato is also a tuberous root and should be stored the same as regular potatoes.

      Rutabagas, (also known as swedes or Swedish turnips, are a cross between a turnip and cabbage) are high in vitamin C and low in sodium like carrots. They should be stored like potatoes in a cool, dark place.

     I like to call turnips and beets my two-fers. These plants give us both a root vegetable and a green to eat. You get two for the price of one, and sometimes you eat the turnips and greens all together.

     Carrots, beets and sweet potatoes are the big winners for health.  They are dark colored vegetables that bring us many nutriments that are valuable to our overall well-being. Take time to explore these vegetables and put them on your table more often. The fall season is when most of them are at their best.

     The vegetables I have discussed are the most commonly found in our local grocery stores, but there are many others worldwide. Numerous cultures have found ways to utilize native plants for centuries, supplementing their food supply when moving into new lands with the plants they encounterd. With modern transportation and refrigeration, things grown around the world are now found much closer to home. The next time you are in a large grocery store and find something new that you are not familiar with ask the produce manager. Sometimes there are recipes attached. Who would know better that the company growing it?

     Here is a simple way to roast various root vegetables: Start with 2 lbs. of assorted root vegetables, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets or rutabagas. Peel vegetables, if desired, and cut into one inch pieces. Peel and cut a medium onion and cut into 1/3-inch wedges. Take one whole pod of garlic, peel and separate into cloves. Prepare a baking sheet pan with a foil liner (for easy clean-up). Toss the cut up vegetables in a bowl with olive oil and lift by hand into the prepared pan. This allows any extra oil to drain through your fingers. Now put the onion and garlic in the remaining oil, and hold for later.

Spread the vegetables on the baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. This allows for more even browning. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Stir vegetables and add the onion and garlic. (I like to add the onion at this point because they tend to burn if cooked the whole time.) Toss again and bake 15 minutes longer. Test vegetables and continue to toss and bake till tender and brown. Remove from the oven and immediately re-season with salt and some fresh chopped herbs, such as rosemary. For extra flavor, sprinkle with a little balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

     If you would like to share a food or household tip I can be reached at PatsChat @livingston.net.