TIME FOR ROOTS

Time for roots

            Without fail the wildlife in Maine ensures that you do not forget the arrival of fall. It does not matter that the weather still does not reflect the seasons of the calendar, the wildlife knows! 

 Our house and garden sit in a sizable clearing of woods, but in and out of season we get a number of wild visitors.  In order to harvest the things I plant in the spring, it takes a variety of measures to keep ‘the critters’ out!  By end of summer these methods seem to have become old hat to them and temptation overcomes the natural wariness of deterrents.

The first sign that the arrival of fall was here was a raccoon, the size of a small bear, braking branches in one of our pear trees and gorging himself on still unripe pears. Then just this week some deer must have needed a breath freshener, since all my flat leaf and curly parsley was munched to the ground.

 The signs were clear, if there was to be any harvest of beets and carrots, it had to happen now.

So, when the kitchen counters are covered with root vegetables, it is time to think of favorite recipes for them. Although root vegetables will be with us for months to come, the first harvest has the freshest taste. Root vegetables provide a change in menus from summery greens, and some of the recipes can be served either warm or cold, thus yielding a substantial salad dish.

                        Roast beets with carmelized onions and feta

Roast red or yellow beets wrapped in aluminum foil for 40 minutes at 400 degrees, or longer if beets are large. Peel when beets are slightly cooled. If beets come with greens attached: remove the greens before roasting, wash and set aside. OR – drain a can of whole beets and pat dry. Cut beets in half and in wedges to make 2-3 cups.

Vinaigrette: mix together 1 tsp. chopped capers, 2 Tblsp. cider vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard,  ¾ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 3 Tblsp. olive oil

To carmelize onions:  cut 2 large quartered onions in thick slices and sauté on medium heat in 2 Tblsp. light olive oil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. If  beet greens are also to be used in the dish, heat 1Tblsp. olive oil in a medium pan and stir fry the cut greens with 1 clove of minced garlic for a couple of minutes, add ¼ cup broth, cook only until all liquid is evaporated and set aside.

To assemble the dish:  Toss carmelized onions with the vinaigrette, then the beets, add the cooked beet greens (if used) and finally ½ cup crumbled feta cheese.  Spread all in a shallow bowl and garnish with 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts. This dish can be eaten hot or at room temperature. If made ahead and reheated, garnish with pine nuts just before serving.

            Carrots are one of the most versatile vegetables in the kitchen to be eaten raw with dips or a snack, basis for soups alone or in combination with other vegetables, they are great as part of a mixture of roasted vegetables,  in salads in combination with cabbage or coarsely shredded with a slightly tart dressing combined with raisins. However, when you dig up a whole row of carrots from the garden, there is always the question what to do with some of the tiny carrots that did not grow too well because of dry conditions or the gardner’s lack of diligence in thinning the row during the growing season.

 My solution has been to make curried carrots as a slightly tangy side dish to accompany chicken or pork. This can be made equally well with peeled normal size carrots cut in two inch pieces and then each piece cut in half or quartered depending on the size of the carrot.  With any tiny carrots 2 -2 ½ inches in length, it is only necessary to cut both ends and do a quick hand scrub in cold water. No peeling is required, since the carrots are quite tender.

                        Curried baby carrots

Scrub, trim and blot dry 2-3 cups of baby carrots. In a medium pan melt 3 Tblsp. butter, stir in the carrots, ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth, 1 tsp. or more curry to taste,  ¼ tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. sugar (optional). Cover tightly and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove cover, stir in 2 tsp. rice vinegar and continue to cook until all the liquid is evaporated. Serve sprinkled with minced parsley.

These colorful roots will grace our table for months to come.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)