Late Breaking Vegetable News ...

Hello again!

This is a Friday teaser to make sure you come out tomorrow! Bill has AMAZING vegetables for tomorrow. The cool, wet weather means awesome greens for you along with some new and returning items …

1. Daikon Radishes – Some call the daikon an “oriental radish”. Daikons are long and white and very versatile on the menu. Eaten raw, they are crisp with a mild radish flavor. Cooked, daikons become mild and sweet. You can also slice the roots into soups and stews. Try this from Terra Brockman:

Daikon Remoulade

1 pound daikon, peeled
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp wine vinegar
¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Cut the daikon into 2-inch-long julienne strips OR grate it coarsely. Rinse a large bowl with hot water, dry it, and in it whisk the mustard with 3 Tbsp hot water. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking until the dressing is emulsified, and whisk in the vinegar with salt and pepper to taste. Add the daikon strips and parsley and toss well.

2. Bok Choi – like a faintly mustardy Swiss chard, bok choi is excellent raw in a salad, lightly sautéed, or tossed into a soup at the last minute.

3. Fennel –It’s great featured in a salad (finely sliced) with a simple dressing. I also love adding it to potato salad. Fennel is very aromatic with anise overtones. Terra Brockman recommends raw fennel wedges served with crumbles of fresh Parmesan and chilled dry Marsala.

Sauteed Fennel with Lemon

2 medium fennel bulbs
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
pepper to taste

Trim and reserve the fennel leaves. Quarter each bulb lengthwise and then cut each quarter crosswise in very thin slivers. Mince 1 Tbsp of the fine leaves.

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet. Toss fennel slices to coat. Add salt. Continue tossing frequently over moderate heat until tender – about 10 minutes. Toss with lemon zest and pepper. Sprinkle with minced fennel tops and serve.

4. Japanese Turnips – You know ‘em and you love ‘em. Best eaten raw in slices, you can also cook them like a conventional turnips. But why go to all that trouble?

5. Arugula – We had a few bunches last week and will have more tomorrow. We have perfect arugula growing conditions right now, and it’s amazingly delicious.

6. LOADS of head lettuce – doesn’t this gray, crisp weather make you want to move into the fresh, crisp fall greens? You can never eat too much salad. Ever.

Add that the list from the previous blog, and you have yourself a great market experience. We hope to see you there!!

Mercy