vegetable literacy by deborah madison

7/29/2019 Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison

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v egetabl e l i t e r acy

Photography by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton

TEN SPEED PRESS

Be rk e l e y

D E B O R A H M A D I S O N

Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the

Edible Plant Kingdom, with over 300 Deliciously Simple Recipes


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Introduction~ 1 A Few Notes about Ingredients~ 5

chapter one~The Carrot Family: Some Basic Kitchen Vegetables and a Passel of Herbs

(Umbelliferae orApiaceae)~9

chapter two~The Mint Family: Square Stems and Fragrant Leaves (Labiatae orLamiaceae) ~45

chapter three~The Sunflower Family: Some Rough Stuff from Out of Doors(Compositae orAsteraceae) ~59

chapter four~The Knotweed Family: Three Strong Personalities (Polygonaceae) ~103

chapter five~The Cabbage Family: The Sometimes Difficult Crucifers (Brassicaceaeor Cruciferae)~117

chapter six~The Nightshade Family: The Sun Lovers (Solanaceae)~173

chapter seven~The Goosefoot and Amaranth Families: Edible Weeds, Leaves, and Seeds

(Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae)~215

chapter eight~The (Former) Lily Family: Onions and Asparagus (Liliaceae)~243

chapter nine~The Cucurbit Family: The Sensual Squashes, Melons, and Gourds (Cucurbitaceae)~277

chapter ten~The Grass Family: Grains and Cereals (Poaceae , formerly Gramineae)~299

chapter eleven~The Legume Family: Peas and Beans (LeguminosaeorFabaceae)~333

chapter twelve~The Morning Glory Family: The Sweet Potato (Convolvulaceae) ~385

Acknowledgments ~ 391 Sources~ 393 Bibliography~ 395 Index~ 396

c o n t e n t s


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the cabbage family

With Gorgonzola Butter:Toss the cabbage with

Gorgonzola Butter (page 155) or crumbled blue cheese.

With Dill: Season the cabbage with plenty of chopped

dill and dill seeds and slivered green onions.

With Mustard Butter:Finish the cabbage with Mustard

Butter with Lemon Zest and Shallot (page 132) or any

of the other mustard-based sauces.

With Toasted Bread Crumbs and Rosemary:Sprinkle the

cabbage with toasted bread crumbs mixed with rose-

mary or another favored herb to give it crunch and

another layer of flavor.

Wilted Red Cabbage withMint and Goat Feta

For 2 to 4

I prefer a lightly wilted, warm red cabbage salad to thesame vegetable uncooked for its lush color and more

tender texture. The thinner you slice the cabbage, the

more tender it will be. A mandoline is a good tool to use

here, or a very sharp knife.

I dont think Ive made this the same way ever.

Cabbage is so compatible with herbs and seeds of all

kinds, from fennel greens, to fragrant dill to caraway

seeds, lovage to marjoram, olive to sesame. Heres one

version to start with, and another to follow. { Pictured

opposite }

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, quartered through the stem end andthinly sliced crosswise

1 garlic clove, finely minced

4 cups packed very finely sliced red cabbage (a scant pound)

Sea salt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped dill

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Crumbled goat feta plus whole mint leaves, to finish

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. When hot, add the

onion, turn to coat it with the oil, and cook for a min-

ute to sear and soften. Add the garlic, then the cabbage,

and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Immediately begin

turning it in the pan to wilt it evenly. You dont want to

fully cook it, just wilt it; two minutes should be enough

time. Remove the pan from the heat, toss the cabbage

with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, then taste andadd more if sharpness is desired. Toss with the herbs.

Season with more salt, if needed, and plenty of pepper.

Transfer the cabbage to a platter, mounding it in a heap,

then shower with the crumbled goat feta. Finish with

the extra mint leaves and serve.

Wilted Red Cabbage with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce:Make the

salad as above, minus the goat feta, but use plenty of

dill. Make the Tahini-Yogurt Sauce below and spoon it

over the cabbage, or serve it on the side. Optional, but

good if you wish to emphasize the sesame element, fin-

ish with toasted sesame seeds and a few drops roastedsesame oil. Dukkah is another crunchy, compatible

option.

tahini-yogurt sauce

Makes a scant 3/4cup

1 clove garlic

Sea salt1/2cup yogurt

3 tablespoons tahini

Pound the garlic in a mortar with1

/4teaspoon salt untilsmooth. Stir the garlic mixture into the yogurt, then stir

in the tahini, mixing well. Taste for salt.


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the cucurbit family

Griddled Scallop SquashFor 1

Oil, salt, and pepper are all I put on this squash because

it has such a good flavor of its own. Of course, there are

a hundred and one seasonings that you could use with

the squash and theyd all be good. But for starters, try itlike this. Scallop squash are delicious grilled over char-

coal as well.

Olive oil

1 scallop squash, 3 to 4 inches across at the widest part

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lemon wedge

Brush a ridged cast-iron pan with olive oil, going over

and between the ridges, and place over medium heat.

While the pan is heating, which takes several minutes,

cut the squash crosswise into slices a scant 1/2inch thick:1

/4inch will be too thin and1

/2inch will be a little toothick, so between the two is just right.

When the pan is hot, add the squash slices and cook

without moving them for about 5 minutes. Rotate each

piece 45 degrees and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn

the slices over and cook on the second side the same

way. The second side may take less time because the pan

will have amassed more heat. When the squash is ready,

it will look slightly translucent. Remove the slices to a

plate and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon

wedge to the plate if you like a little acid, then sit down

and enjoy some true squash flavor.

With Sauces: Serve with any number of sauces, such as

Romesco Sauce (page 186), salsas verdes of all kinds,

Sorrel Sauce with Yogurt (page 105), and Tahini-Yogurt

Sauce (page 122).

In a Tortilla:Tuck the griddled squash into a soft, warm

corn or wheat tortilla, add crumbled goat cheese,

and drizzle with Cilantro Salsa with Basil and Mint

(page 41).

With Other Varieties:Try Ronde de Nice zucchini, even

Delicata. Layer them on a platter interspersed with sliv-

ered basil leaves or chopped marjoram and dribble over

a few drops of your favorite vinegar.

Summer Squash Tartines withRosemary and Lemon

For 4

Its amazing what you can do with just one squash and

less than five minutes. Choose the best, creamiest ricotta

for these bites. Marjoram, dill, and basil are other goodherb choices. { Pictured opposite }

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 or 2 summer squash (about 8 ounces in all), very thinlysliced

Scant 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 long pieces of baguette, sliced diagonally

Olive oil and garlic for the bread1/2cup ricotta cheese

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.Add the squash, saut for 1 minute or so to warm, then

add a splash of water and cover. Cook over medium-high

heat until the squash is soft, about 3 minutes. Remove

the lid, add the rosemary and lemon zest, toss it with the

squash, and then season with salt and pepper.

Lightly brush the cut surface of the baguette pieces with

olive oil, then toast until golden and crisp. While the

bread is hot, rub the cut surfaces with the garlic. Spread

the baguette pieces with the ricotta, then overlap the

squash on top. Season with a bit more pepper and serve.


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the legume family

Peanut Sauce Made with

Whole Peanuts

Makes about 1 cup

Although we have good peanut butter nowfreshly

made, organic, unadulterated with sugar and additional

oilI prefer making a peanut sauce from roasted pea-nuts. Somehow, its just better. Many interesting ingre-

dients can go into peanut sauce (see variations). In the

end, its very much about your own tastewhether

you lean toward the sweet, hot, or salty. Many peanut

sauces include fish sauce and some cooks prefer to add

granulated sugar rather than brown. Taste as you go to

get your sauce the way you like it. Where to use it? With

pan-seared tofu, noodles of all kinds, over rice, or with

grilled eggplant and sweet potatos.

1 cup roasted peanuts, preferably unsalted

1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil or toasted sesame oil

Grated zest and juice of 1 or 2 limes2 plump cloves garlic, chopped

4 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce1/2teaspoon prepared Thai roasted chile paste (nahm

prik pao)

1 tablespoon brown sugar1/2cup coconut milk or water

Sea salt

Combine the peanuts, oil, lime zest and juice, garlic,

tamari, chile paste, brown sugar, and about two-thirds

of the coconut milk in a food processor and pulse until

smooth. The sauce should be thick but somewhat fluid.

If it seems too thick, add in the remaining coconut milkor water. Taste for heat, salt, and sugar and adjust accord-

ingly. Store any unused sauce in the refrigerator. It will

keep for a week.

With Tamarind: To sharpen the flavor of the sauce, add1/2to 1 teaspoon tamarind paste.

With Cilantro: Include 1 cup chopped cilantro and 2 table-

spoons chopped mint leaves for a greener, fresher sauce.

With Different Heat:Add 1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper or

chipotle chile powder in place of the Thai chile paste.

Peanut Butter Cookies Studded

with Salted Roasted Peanuts

Makes about 30 two-inch cookies

These cookies, which are pretty addictive if youre a pea-

nut butter fan, have the texture of pecan sandies, short

and crumbly and not too sweet. Because theyre chunkywith the additon of peanuts, they dont carry the classic

imprint of fork tines. { Pictured opposite }

2 cups flour such as all-purpose, spelt, or white whole wheat

1 teaspoon baking powder1/2teaspoon baking soda

A scant 1/2teaspoon sea salt1/2cup butter, at room temperature2/3cup smooth or chunky organic peanut butter1/4cup roasted peanut oil or light peanut oil

1 cup light brown sugar

1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract1/2cup or more salted roasted peanuts

Heat the oven to 350F. Line two sheet pans with parch-

ment paper.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda,

and salt to blend them. In a stand mixer fitted with the

paddle attachment, beat the butter, peanut butter, and

oil on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Blend

in the brown sugar. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, and

vanilla and beat until smoothly blended. Turn the speed

to low, add the flour mixture and mix just until its well

incorporated, then stir in the peanuts.

Scoop up heaping tablespoons of the dough and drop

them onto the pans, spacing them about 11/2inches

apart.

Bake the cookies, switching the pans between the racks

midway through baking, until lightly browned around

the edges, about 10 minutes. Let them cool completely

on the pans before removing.

With Chocolate: If youre a fan of peanut butter and

chocolate, youve probably already thought of adding

chunks of chocolate to the dough. A cup will be plenty.


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