Seasonal Eating | Winter Root Vegetables
Published January 13, 2022
Published January 13, 2022
In the winter, when the days are short and cold, we turn to comfort food. We crave thick, hearty soups and slow-cooked stews that often include root vegetables.
Recipe - Smashed Root Vegetables History
The modern refrigerator was invented and improved over about a 30-year period in the early 1900s, but didn’t become an affordable, commonplace home appliance until well into mid-century. In the early 1940s, only 45% of American households had one. Ice boxes – cooled by large blocks of actual ice – were available beginning in the mid-1800s, but they were very small. Before that people used ancient methods to preserve food from when it was abundant during the growing season to last through long cold winters. Salting, drying, pickling, and fermenting were, and still are, excellent ways to preserve food, along with canning, which came later. But root vegetables don’t need any processing to stay fresh. Some can be pulled as needed; so long as the ground isn’t frozen, they can remain snugly underground well into cold weather. Some even benefit from the cold, growing sweeter the longer they remain unpicked. But fall-harvested roots were kept in Root Cellars, which obviously take their name from their main purpose. Most homes, even urban buildings, had them. Basements dug into the ground stay cold and damp, conditions we eliminate in modern homes, but which are perfect for keeping these vegetables fresh. The walls of root cellars were lined with shelves to hold other products and homemade wine or beer. Root vegetables were packed into wooden boxes filled with dirt, sand, or hay, where they stayed firm and rot-free. Today, with the resurgence of interest in sustainability and self-sufficiency, there is renewed interest in root cellars. In an ironic twist of modern and old-fashioned, you can find YouTube videos about how to build one. |
Types of Root Vegetables
There are several types of root vegetables – bulbs, corms, stem tubers, root tubers, and rhizomes – but it’s enough to say that in the kitchen, we’re talking about eating the part of the plant that grows underground. Here is a list of some common root vegetables in alphabetical order. Beets • Carrot • Cassava (Yuca) • Celeriac • Daikon • Fennel • Garlic • Ginger • Horseradish • Jicama • Kohlrabi • Onion & Shallot • Parsnip • Potatoes • Radish • Rutabaga • Sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke) • Sweet Potatoes • Taro • Turmeric • Turnip • Water chestnuts • Yams Nutrition Like all vegetables, roots are packed with nutritional benefits. They contain tons of vitamins and minerals, each vegetable with its own particular combination. But remember that the root of any plant stores the energy the plant needs to grow – in particular, roots hold a lot of carbohydrates. In their natural, unprocessed form roots are complex carbohydrates, which means they are slower to metabolize than simple carbs such as processed white flour. Nevertheless, if you are diabetic or concerned about your carb intake, limit carb heavy items to one serving per meal – so, potatoes OR bread, not both – and always eat them with protein and/or healthy fat. Buying and Storing At the store, select firm vegetables with unbroken skin and no soft or moldy spots. They are often sold with their leaves attached, especially at Farmers Markets. Some of the leaves are not only edible, either raw or cooked, but also quite delicious and particularly nutritious also. Potatoes of all kinds should NEVER be refrigerated. Keep them in a basket, in a cool dark place. I store mine in a cloth basket covered with a tea towel. Add an apple to the basket to keep them fresh longer. Some people refrigerate onions, claiming that it reduces tears when you start cutting, but I store them also in a cloth basket – uncovered and away from the potatoes. For this article I bought a variety of vegetables. I left them unrefrigerated overnight; in the morning I moved the radishes and parsnips to the fridge because they started getting soft, but three days later the others are still out on the table looking and feeling just fine. In the fridge, store vegetables in loose plastic bags – untied. |
To Peel or Not To Peel
Some root vegetables can be eaten with their peel on. Just make sure you scrub them lightly to remove any loose dirt. Many root vegetables, though, really must be peeled. Rutabaga often comes coated with a layer of wax that can’t be removed without removing the peel too. Celeriac is a knobby root that’s hard to clean and hard to peel with a traditional peeler. Cut off the top and bottom. Stand it on one of the flat ends. Use a sharp knife. Start at the top, then run your knife from top to bottom while curving your knife in as you go. This is an excellent technique for any large hard to peel vegetable or fruit – it also works for melons. Always peel beets, cassava, horseradish, taro, and yams too. To Cook or Not To Cook Cassava, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, taro, and water chestnuts should NEVER be eaten raw. NEVER. Some contain compounds that can be toxic; compounds that don’t survive thorough cooking. Some aren’t toxic, but can cause serious tummy upset, like potatoes. The rest can be eaten raw or cooked; but several fall into repetitive roles that limit how we enjoy them. For example, consider the red radish, sadly limited by its common name – the Salad Radish. A mildly sharp, often overlooked addition to many a tossed salad, this inexpensive ubiquitous little root develops a totally new richness when roasted. Or consider horseradish, which we tend to think of as a spicy condiment for gefilte fish. But as an ingredient in a paste or with breadcrumbs, it loses some of its unpleasant bite and makes an amazing coating for fish or meat. Raw carrot sticks are great with dip or grated into a sweet salad with pineapple and raisins. Roasted or grilled carrots retain some snap while gaining a rich sweetness. You get the idea. Look for new ways to enjoy your old favorites and please try some new roots too. Don’t Forget the Greens As I mentioned, the above-ground greens of many root vegetables can be eaten, even those you might not typically think about. The skinny celery-like stalks and greens of celeriac have a powerful celery flavor that adds a punch to soups and stews. Scallions are the green that grows from a tiny root, but the green tops of all onions are edible, although larger ones can be tough, They are best used to flavor soups or stocks. The greens from beets, fennel, kohlrabi, radishes, and rutabaga are good either raw or cooked. Either way, the tougher the leaf, the smaller you want to cut it. And if all else fails, save the greens along with your other vegetable odds and ends for vegetable stock. NEVER eat the greens from taro or cassava. |
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Preparation Methods
Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare all kinds of vegetables. Roots really benefit from the caramelization of high heat roasting after being tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper. And they’re so easy. They can be cut and tossed early in the day; the oil will keep them from turning brown. Roast them at 450 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the cut. They’re great right out of the oven, but the leftovers are equally tasty tossed with dressing on a green salad or grain bowl. Root vegetables can also be grilled, sautéed, stir fried, pan fried, deep fried, pickled, and boiled. Garlic can be roasted as a whole head. Cut off the top; drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the cloves are super soft. Squeeze the garlic out to schmear on bread. Or roast several handfuls of peeled cloves in a small baking dish with a cup or so of olive oil, again until the cloves are soft. Store in the refrigerator, making sure the cloves remain covered with oil. The best way to cook beets: wrap in foil; bake at 350 degrees until soft. Let cool; the skin will slip right off. Cooking time depends on the size of the beet. For eating raw, some root vegetables lend themselves to slicing or chopping, such as carrot, celeriac, daikon, fennel, jicama, kohlrabi, parsnip, radish, or baby turnip. Others, such as beets, rutabaga, sunchoke, and larger turnips do better when they’re grated. Garlic, ginger, and turmeric are typically used as flavoring agents, as opposed to being the star of any dish. They can both be steeped into a tea, which you can drink or use as a cooking liquid. Ginger settles an upset stomach and is good for nausea. Turmeric is so good for you, I can’t list all the benefits here, except for its most important one – anti-inflammatory. |
Variations
Some of the root vegetables I’ve mentioned may be new to you, but even common favorites come in more varieties than you might think. Carrots come in a rainbow of colors including yellow, white and purple. Potatoes do too. Watermelon Radish is bright pink inside. Of course, you’re probably familiar with varieties of onion – sweet, yellow, white and red, plus the variations of green – scallion, chive and leek. But don’t overlook tiny Pearl or donut-shaped Cipollinis. Smaller roots often are more tender and sweeter than their grown-up cousins, such as baby turnips. |