With Rosh Hashanah just around the corner I was thinking it might be interesting for me to tie a traditional dish to my post this week. Let me first say that I am not Jewish, but have attended a fair amount of seders in my lifetime thanks in part to some wonderful friends and family members. After a quick call to my friend Peter Green I almost immediately settled on the idea of re-imagining the dish Tzimmes. The main ingredient of this dish is carrot, and right now the Farmers Markets are teeming with them. Bright big and beautiful white, red and orange taproots.

Carrots have made an appearances in a few of my previous posts: as part of my CSA box and also a supporting character for my Fabulous Fava recipe.

As I noodled around the internet  this week reading about carrots I found a few interesting tidbits I thought would be fun to pass along. I was fascinated to read that unlike most vegetables carrots are so much better for you if you cook them. Eating them raw is still nutritous, but cooking added more nutrients nearly 10 fold!

Carrots were first cultivated for medicinal purposes and then for eating. It seems from some accounts this glorious food originated in the Middle East and traveled off to the Mediterranean. Carrots are high in Beta-Carotene and Vitamins A (for vision), C & K. They are low in sodium and carbohydrates, high in fiber and have zero fat or cholesterol.

One trivia website I read said that eating 3 carrots can give you enough energy to walk 3 miles. (Really? Perhaps I need to try that!) Another bit of information I found said that the high level of Potassium found in carrots can help keep muscle cramps to a minimum while working out. Definitely something I need to keep in mind when doing Pilates!

Let's get back to the topic at hand: cooking up this magnificent SUPER food! Boiling is definitely an option. These little "Thumbalina's" above took no time at all. After a quick peel I blanched them for about 4-5 minutes in boiling salted water. These little gems are so delicious and sweet. Perfect on their own, or tossed with a little olive oil and white wine vinegar.

A quick pan roast is always an easy way to cook them too. Simply peel and toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, depending on the size. Just before serving sprinkle with a little more olive oil and lemon to brighten them up, plus a pinch or two of salt and pepper.

The tops are completely edible as well. You want to look for healthy bright leaves. Remove them from the taproot and give them a really good wash in cool running water and then place the ends in a glass of water to perk up the stems and leaves. I made a quick pesto out of these leaves and mixed  it to pasta with some cooked carrots. (Recipe is below.) A really nice alternative to the typical basil pesto.

This week my creativity was out of control, thanks in part to a trip to the Chappaqua Farmers Market. I knew that I needed honey and carrots for my dish, so maybe I would find a few other things. I picked up my carrots at the Madura Farm table and right next to them I got my jar of honey from Honey Locust Farm House. I love the Chappaqua market, it sits on an open lawn in front of St. Mary's Church, on South Greeley Street. You can basically stand anywhere in that space and survey the vendors. Directly across from from Honey Locust I saw my favorite nut vendor Tierra Farm and zipped over to that table. They have the most delicious nuts and nut butters. As soon as I saw the Agave Ginger Cashews it started to come together in my mind: I would do a glaze of honey and ginger on the carrots and then top them with the crushed nuts. As I started to walk back to the car I passed the Newgate Farm table and spotted some early parsnips. I could not resist!

While I was driving home I remembered that Tzimmes is traditionally made with carrots and dried fruit, so I needed to figure out the fruit part. hmm ... what could I do instead? As luck would have it the Rye Brook Farmers Market was in full swing, so I made a quick stop before getting home. Madura Farm also has a table there and they had some early apples. Specifically Asian pear-apples. Perfect!

Basically my creative cooking ritual is this: after a good wash I lay all my ingredients on the cutting board, step back and think. Next I open my crazy spice cabinet and start pulling things out. Initially I went for the star anise, an idea from Peter, but the coriander seeds were in front of them. Hmm ... maybe even better? Last, I needed an acid and lemon it was.

My recipe is below, but basically I made a marinade of fresh ginger, lemon zest and juice, honey and oil. After a good toss I topped the carrots and parsnips with the crushed coriander seeds and roasted them for 15 minutes in the oven.

For the last 5 minutes I added the sliced pear-apples.

After letting them cool a little I gave them a gentle toss to make sure everything was mixed and topped with the crushed nuts. Bellissimo!

I was riding the wave of creativity and thought "why not try this as a soup?" I'm crazy for soups, as you probably have already figured out. How could I go wrong with all these great ingredients? My recipe is below, but basically all I added to what I was using was an onion and vegetable stock. Once everything was soft I simply pureed it with my immersion (stick) blender and added a little fat free half and half to give it a little more body. (That of course is completely optional!)

I hope you enjoy this new take on a traditional dish and to all my friends and family who celebrate the holiday L'shanah tovah!

Just a quick reminder before heading down to the recipes .... stop by the Chappaqua Farmers Market on Saturday September 15 for a taste of my take on Tzimmes. I will be there from 10:00 until Noon. I also have some new classes coming up at Tarry Market. Check this link for September cooking classes.

Buon Appetitio!

Carrot Pesto Pasta
Serves 6-8

1 lb bag of baby carrots, quartered length-wise
1 lb box of your favorite pasta
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
4 cups of carrot tops, cleaned and roughly chopped
2 scallions, about 1/4 cup, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the carrots for 2 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon to an ice bath.

Add the pasta to the pot and cook following the package instructions to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking place the carrot tops, scallion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to a food processor and puree for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and add the cheese. With the processor running slowly drizzle in the oil until the pesto comes together and is creamy. Taste for seasoning.

Drain the carrots and set aside. Once the pasta is done drain that, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. In a large bowl mix the pasta, pesto and carrots. Use the pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen up the pesto. Serve with additional cheese.

Chef Maria's version of Tzimmes
Serves 6-8

1 lb of carrots
10 oz of parsnip, about 2 medium
Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, grated on a micr0plane
1 heaping tablespoon of honey
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 lb Asian pear-apples, sliced 1/4"
Tierra Nuts Agave Ginger Cashews

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Peel and slice the carrots and parsnips. the shape is entirely up to you, but I did mine about 1/2" thick and 3" long. The goal is to have them the same size so they cook at the same rate. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet.

In a small bowl mix the lemon, ginger, honey, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Toss the carrots and parsnips with the marinade. Place the coriander seeds in a small plastic bag and roughly crush them with the back of a skillet. Take car to not pulverize them, you want them to be a little chunky.

Sprinkle the crushed seeds over the veggies and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile cut the apple in slices 
slightly thinner than the veggies. After 15 minutes add the apples to the pan and toss with the back of a spatula. 
Roast another 5 minutes to soften the apples.

Remove from oven an allow to cool slightly on  the pan. Place the carrot, parsnip and  apples in a serving bowl and top with 1/4-1/2 cup of roughly chopped cashews and serve.

Gingered Carrot-Parnsip Soup
Makes 1 1/2 quarts

1 small onion, about 1 cup, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
6 oz parsnip, 1 medium, peeled and cut into 2" pieces
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed, crushed
1 heaping tablespoon honey
32 oz carton vegetable stock
1 medium Asian pear-apple peeled and cut into 1/4 " cubes
1 cup fat free Half and Half, optional
Tierra Nuts Agave Ginger Cashews

In a small stock pot, over medium heat, saute the onion with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger, lemon, coriander, honey and stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and falling apart.

Remove from the heat and uncover, allowing it to cool for about 15 minutes. Puree with with a blender until smooth. Add the Half and Half if desired and blend well. Add the apples.

To serve place the warmed soup in a bowl and top with roughly chopped ginger cashews.

Heart Healthy Beets

Growing up in Pittsburgh in the early 70’s I remember my mother always having canned goods in the house. The Green Giant variety seems to be my main recollection; corn, peas, green beans and beets.  It’s funny to think about that now, because in our house the only two canned vegetables I keep in my pantry are tomatoes for sauce and beans for salads. I will say that I generally enjoy making beans from scratch, as they are really not hard to make - only requiring a little planning on my part to soak over night; but in a pinch, for a quick dish, you can’t go wrong with having ceci, cannellini or even black beans handy.

I remember my mother always saying my Dad liked beets (and still does) and she would make them, using the canned variety of course, with sliced onions and olive oil. I honestly have no real food memory of eating them as a little kid, strange to say, but I’m sure I did. I think the first time I had a fresh beets was many years later, buying them at Fairway in New York City, near my first apartment building on the Upper West Side. After a quick perusal of my Better Homes and Garden cookbook (the only one I had back then) I boiled, peeled and sliced them. I remember I loved the fresh earthy flavor. Not being completely set up in my kitchen or even having a clear cooking thought-process in those days, I decided that even though I did like them, they seemed too messy and complicated to deal with. (Shame on me!) It would not be until years later when I really started to expand my culinary repertoire that I rediscovered them, and have been making them pretty regularly ever since.

Beets are generally known to be red. It’s only been in the past few years the beautiful golden variety have made an appearance in grocery stores and given mainstream shoppers some variety. Farmers markets on the other hand have not only red and gold, but also white – which are quite pretty.

I like to think of beets as a real “super food.” They are very low in calories and contain only small amount of fat. Their nutritional benefits come particularly from fiber, vitamins, minerals, and unique plant derived anti-oxidants. Red beets are a rich source of a compound called Betaine. Betaine is important as it helps lower the amino acid homocysteine, which is linked to heart disease. Raw beets are an excellent source of Folate  and Vitamin C. Beet greens (the tops) are an excellent source of Vitamin A.

So with all that great goodness, what should we do? After a little pondering, I decided it would be fun to show you two different ways to use beets in recipes this week: one is a simple salad and one a cold soup.

Your initial prep for both recipes will be the same: trim the stalk about 2 inches from the beet, and set the greens/stalks aside. With a small brush clean the beet under warm water to remove any dirt that might be lurking about, then give the stems and leaves a good rinse and set on some paper towels. You start the beets in cold water, as you would potatoes, adding equal amounts of salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and then simmer until cooked through. You want them to be tender in the middle, not mushy. So keep checking after about 10-15 minutes. Cook time all depends on their size. (I should note that since I was making the gold and red I cooked them in separate pots, wanting to keep the gold color.)

After they are done simply pull out of the water and let them cool a bit. If you are cooking the red variety I would suggest wearing disposable gloves at this point. Your hands will be stained for a few hours if not. Use a paper towel to rub off the skins while they are warm. If they end up getting cold you can use a vegetable peeler to get the job done.

For the beet salad I simple chopped up the greens and tossed them with equal parts of extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar with a pinch of salt, pepper and honey to taste. For this salad I kept the greens raw - but you can wilt them slightly in a sauté pan with olive oil. It's totally up to you - both ways they taste delicious.

I used the same dressing for the beets plus added a little mustard seed for flavor and texture. I also want to note that the best time to add your dressing is when they are still warm. Once the beets get cold, very much like potatoes, the dressing doesn't get a chance to soak in. They will still taste fine - but so much better if they can really take on the flavor! All together I had about a 1/2 cup of the dressing. So 1/4 cup each of vinegar and olive oil and then a dash of honey, salt and pepper. Use a couple of tablespoons on the greens and the rest for your beets. 

Starting with the same process for the soup I just added a few other things to my beets and came up with a pretty simple dish for you to try. My onion ratio ended up being 1 cup. Use what you have in your kitchen. Although I did not try it, I'm sure a sweet Vidalia would work just as well. So while the beets were cooking I sautéed my leek and scallion. The key is to just sweat the onions to soften them and bring out their natural sugars and flavor. I wasn't going for the caramelized flavor here. 

Everything goes straight to the blender to be pureed. I used the water that the beets were cooking in as my "stock" for the soup. You can see my ratio below, but do this to your preferred texture. Just keep in mind that the soup will thicken slightly as it cools. Recheck the seasoning at this point and add salt and pepper to taste. Then get it into a container and into the 'fridge. You want this soup to be nice and cold when you serve it.

For an added zip I topped it with a little chèvre, which I had handy and some of my beet greens - just because they are so darn pretty - and good for you too! You can also use a little plain Greek yogurt or even sour cream if you like ... I think a little tang set this soup right over the top.


I hope you enjoy these two ways to eat beets. I'll be at the Rye Brook Farmers Market this coming Saturday, so please stop by for a taste.

Buon Appetito!


Maria’s Cold Beet Soup
Serves 4-6

1 bunch of beets, about 1½ lb.
Sugar
Kosher Salt
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small leek, white part only, chopped
1 medium shallot, chopped
Chevre (goat) cheese
Beet green, garnish

Trim the greens from the beet leaving about 2” from the base of the beet. Wash the beets and greens thoroughly. Set the greens and stalks aside for another use, wrapping loosely in a paper towel and place in a plastic bag.

In a small sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil gently and add the equivalent of 1 cup of onion to the pan. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and gently sweat the onions until they are soft and translucent. Scoop out ½ cup of beet water and add to the pan mixing into the sautéed onions. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. 

Once the beets are cooked remove them from the pot, but save the liquid. Allow them to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and then remove the skins using a paper towel. (You might also want to use latex gloves as well – the beets will definitely stain your hands!) Chop in to quarters and place in your blender. Add the onion mixture along with all of the liquid from that pan to beets in the blender. Then add 2 cups of beet water. Cover the lid of the blender with a kitchen towel if the liquid is still hot, and hold down firmly. Blend on the low speed and slowly increase. (This is very important, you don’t want the lid shooting off and making a huge mess in your kitchen.)

Place the beets in a small 4-quart pot and add cold water to cover by 3 inches. Add 1 tablespoon each of kosher salt and sugar. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer until the beets are tender on the inside, testing with a small paring knife. Depending on the size of the beets this step will take 10-20 minutes.

Once your mix is blended add another cup of the beet liquid pureeing very well and then check the consistency. Depending on your taste you can add a little more beet water, but I found this to be the best ratio with 1½ pounds of beets, which ended up being 9 in total, from my bunch.

Check for seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper to taste. Place the soup in a container and when completely cool cover and put in the ‘fridge for at least 3 hours.  To serve top with a tablespoon of chevre or plain Greek yogurt and garnish with some thinly sliced ribbons of a beet green.