Budget Garden Dinner: I was determined to use what we had in the fridge and in the garden tonight

joe

Well-known member
I had harvested beets, turnips and herbs. Joel Robichon's caramelized turnips are already a favorite. Meanwhile a gardener mentioned that she made her beets with balsamic vinegar and mustard, so I googled and found a recipe. I googled recipes for beet greens and found a really good one, by luck. Then I opened a couple cans of cannellini beans and sautéed them with olive oil, garlic, herbs de Provence and parsley.

I have to say by sheer luck it was a delicious dinner!

 
Caramelized Turnips

CARAMELIZED TURNIPS
Based on a recipe from Simply French by Patricia Wells and Joel Robuchon, which gives lowly turnips the royal treatment.

1-1/2 lb. turnips, white purple top, about 2" in diameter
3 Tbs. butter
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs. sugar
1 cup chicken stock or water

Peel turnips and cut into rounds 1" thick. (If you have older winter turnips, blanch them in boiling salted water to soften the flavor. If you have young spring turnips, no blanching is necessary.)

Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet with a cover. Add the turnips, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with sugar. Cook slowly, turning from time to time, until browned, about 10 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup of the stock, cover and continue to cook over moderate heat until most of the liquid has been reduced, about 5 minutes. Continue adding stock and reducing it, until all the stock has been used and the turnips are evenly golden brown and meltingly tender. Can be set aside in the skillet and gently reheated before serving.

 
Balsamic Marinated Beets. Wierd. I got it from epi on my phone, but can't find it on the website.

Anyway, it's a dab of mustard, balsamic vinegar, chopped shallot, thyme, olive oil, S& P, tossed with cooked, sliced beets. Delicious. It suggests serving it cold with goat cheese, which may be tomorrow.

 
Meanwile, I did buy a pack of smoked turkey necks and I have the turnip greens simmering for another

day.

 
well, luck AND time spent weeding and hoeing and fertilizing and watering and picking off bugs and

fending off goats.

Goats? Where did I get goats?

 
Here is another recipe for beets + greens, this one is excellent! REC: Balsamic Beets & Beet Greens

Rec. Balsamic Beets and Beet Greens
from Greens Glorious Greens!

Serves 4

1/4 c toasted walnuts
2 bunches beets with greens (about 6 med beets)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste
1 red onion, sliced into thin half moons

Preheat oven to 375. Spread the walnuts into a baking dish and toast in the oven 5-7 minutes. Coarsely chop and set aside.

Cut off the beets, then separate the leaves from the stems at the base of the leaf. Discard the stems. Wash greens and cut into strips about 1/2" wide. Set aside.

Scrub beets and place unpeeled in a steamer and cook until tender, aprox. 30 mins. for small to medium beets and 40 for large beets. (Alternatively, pressure-cook the beets). Peel beets by running them under cold water while slipping off the skins.

Cut beets into quarters and cut each quarter into 1/4" thick slices. Place in a medium size bowl and toss with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp. of olive oil and salt, set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over med heat. Add onions and saute for 3 mins. Add sliced greens and cook covered, for 5-7 minutes, until wilted.

Just before serving, add beets to the beet greens and heat through (1-2 mins.). Place greens and beets on a platter and garnish with toasted walnuts.

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=12031

 
Oh, I miss a garden! We are under 33 inches of snow. I literally went to Home Depot

before the storm to purchase a small tropical plant that has put a smile on my face and in a happy place.

While I love the change of seasons, I don't enjoy the ice; shoveling, etc.... I knew we had a lot, when NYC channel 7 was visiting our "sleigh riding area" to tape a segment.

 
Both of my boys are in New Jersey. They sought shelter at the home of some Christian brothers...

...near Trenton.

They gathered a bunch of food, snacks and video games and prayed the electricity would stay on. Luckily, they had no problems.

They are both talking excitedly about the new experiences they are having in the snow, ice and mud puddles. They've never done the snow gig before, so it is all new to them.

Michael

 
If they are un familiar with snow then they should put food coloring in

a spray bottle with water and spray snow and ice cicles ! So much fun, seeing all different colors.

 
I know, especially with baby beets, which is what I prefer. I have to buy two bunches

and that barely gives the two of us enough beet greens. If I get the larger beets (always from Farmer;s Market) the greens are usually eaten part way by some bug who got there before me!

 
Michael, the boys might enjoy Mercer County Park (nice walking/running trails) and

"Grounds for Sculpture" in Trenton.

 
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