From the humblest pea to the immensest squash.
4
votes
6answers
2k views
Uses for Radish and Turnip greens?
I just got a lovely bunch of radishes and turnips from the Farmer's market. Giant mass of greens included. Can I use the greens for anything aside from compost? Are they edible? Worthy of salads? ...
3
votes
3answers
971 views
Counter to bitterness in soup
My minestrone turned out too bitter. How can I counter it? The soup contains tomatoes, pasta, Savoy cabbage, celery, carrots, burnt sautéed garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
Sugar seems to be ...
0
votes
1answer
883 views
help identify a strange root vegetable
The other day i ventured into a grocery store that sold a lot of root vegetables that i have never seen before.
one of the vegetables was a large round thing, and when i poked it, grey 'smoke' came ...
1
vote
4answers
1k views
What can I use instead of swede (rutabaga) when making pickle relish
I want to make a British-style pickle relish at home. I think the best recipes involve swede (rutabaga in the US), because it gives texture and flavour, but isn't overpowering.
Unforunately, I can't ...
7
votes
4answers
6k views
Why do cauliflower or brussels sprouts sometimes taste bitter, and (how) can I avoid it?
Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts sometimes taste slightly bitter after cooking. Is this some mistake in the way they are cooked or is that just the vegetables themselves?
9
votes
3answers
882 views
Can you start a small mushroom farm at home without using commercial start-up kits? [closed]
Does anyone have any info on starting a small household mushroom farm in a little converted tool shed to grow a variety of mushrooms without using the commercial box start-up kits?
5
votes
7answers
463 views
Nutritional information on fruits and veggies
I've been looking online for an extensive database of nutritional information on various fruits and vegetables. I've been advised by my doctor to start eating healthier and I'd just like to know the ...
9
votes
4answers
4k views
Seasoning steamed vegetables (in particular potatoes): advisable?
We're going through a healthy-eating phase at the moment, and this includes eating a fair few steamed vegetables. Unfortunately I find steamed vegetables (especially potatoes) can be painfully dull ...
2
votes
1answer
598 views
How can I reduce nitrate concentration in vegetables before or during cooking?
Can someone tell me how to minimize nitrate concentration in raw vegetables before cooking them? I need this advice very much because I'm cooking vegetables for my infant son, and I've heard that high ...
5
votes
2answers
286 views
Automatic dicer
I love cooking, but I hate dicing! I have a food processor that can slice really well, but it doesn't have any ability to do dicing.
Does a device that can automatically dice various produce ...
4
votes
2answers
9k views
How can I tell whether beetroot is still edible?
I have some raw beetroot I bought about a week ago, having stored them at room temperature since. It's the first time I bought it raw, and I'm unsure whether it's still edible.
It is already soft, ...
13
votes
3answers
2k views
Ham and Pea Soup with whole dried peas instead of split peas?
I am making Ham and Split Pea Soup, however I only have whole dried peas. Will the shell on the whole pea make the soup more difficult to digest? Will the shell spoil the flavor? Or is it just adding ...
4
votes
6answers
6k views
Are frozen onions any good? (And general advice with frozen veg)
Whilst I am not that good, I love to cook and I absolutely love onions!
When I cook, the longest part always seems to be peeling and cutting onions.. and hate the crying! (mainly because I buy the ...
9
votes
2answers
901 views
Why sweat but not brown?
Many recipes require that you sweat vegetables (celery, onions, etc). Why not saute them and brown them a little instead? Would not that develop the flavors even more? Why would you not want that?
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Recovering from Over Salted Sauerkraut
I recently finished my first batch of sauerkraut and tasted it only to find that it's way too salty. In referencing the original recipe, I realized that I used the amount of salt recommended for 5lbs ...
8
votes
3answers
1k views
How good a substitute is callaloo for spinach?
I have seen some good recipes using spinach and have heard over and over that callaloo (amaranth) can be used in place of it.
There is confusion about callaloo the plant and callaloo the dish I am ...
3
votes
7answers
8k views
How to prevent cucumbers from tasting bitter?
I am a cooking dummy and I hate bitter cucumbers. :) Help!
3
votes
9answers
789 views
Breakfast vegetable
Culture exchange Dinner party tomorrow night with Japanese exchange students. I have been asked to bring a vegetable dish to this "Breakfast For Dinner" theme. Outside of potatoes, I cannot think of a ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
What can I do with under-ripe eggplant?
The eggplant in my garden was doing very well up until a hard frost a couple of days ago (it's late December, and this was inevitable). Some of the plants died and I picked the eggplant.
I have ...
4
votes
2answers
364 views
How to prepare salsify (schwarzwurzeln) to minimise sap?
This morning I tried cooking salsify (aka Schwarzwurzeln) for the first time.
It needs to be peeled before cooking, which I did rapidly and with a bowl of water nearby, as per advice on various ...
7
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it really necessary to properly heat oil in a pan before frying veggies?
As an example, we often lightly fry onions in (preferably) Olive Oil before adding them to any number of dishes, such as scrambled eggs for breakfast.
My talented cooking friends frequently remind ...
2
votes
4answers
619 views
Fruit salad with tomatoes
In a recent trip to my local supermarket with the intention of purchasing items for a fruit salad, I picked up some oranges, bananas, lemons, grapefruit, and a few other select fruits. This got me ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
What juicer is best for leafy greens and vegetables (like carrots)?
There are many juicers out there and not any one juicer is best at juicing everything. I am specifically interested in juicing leafy greens and vegetables like carrots.
8
votes
3answers
757 views
Will vegetables and fresh herbs last longer in the refrigerator in a plastic bag?
Is there a difference between how long fresh herbs and vegetables last if they are in a plastic bag or in the open? If it does, is there a break-down of which ones it does make a difference for - ...
16
votes
8answers
1k views
What to do with broccoli stalk?
It is kind of annoying to buy broccoli and pay per weight when there's this huge and heavy stem, so I was wondering what I could do with it?
I know that it can be cut and steamed/cooked like the rest ...
2
votes
6answers
490 views
how to use CSA vegetables most efficiently
I belong to a CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) and get a basket of assorted vegetables every week. I have very little cooking experience, and if I search the ingredients online I get a ton of ...
11
votes
1answer
708 views
Why does roasting vegetables before pureeing into soup affect the flavour?
Last night I made a butternut squash soup. The recipe said to roast some squash and onion for 45 mins before boiling with stock for 15 and then pureeing. Is anyone able to explain (in moderate depth) ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
How can you prepare turnips to make them less bitter?
I peeled and quarted turnips, then roasted with carrots and onions in olive oil and maple syrup, but the turnips were really bitter. Is there a way to roast them (or even another cooking method) to ...
7
votes
3answers
8k views
Why would cooked spinach contain more iron than raw?
I've been researching the nutrient content of various foods and I've found that cooked spinach appears to have more iron than raw spinach (3.57 mg / 100g vs 2.71 mg /100g). Intuitively, I would have ...
3
votes
3answers
8k views
Are vegetables poisonous if they have roots, are sprouting or are many weeks old?
Can I use sprouting vegetables? Are they poisonous?
When cooked, does the sprouting have an effect to foods taste?
Can I use my potatoes or carrots if they already has some roots...?
How about when ...
5
votes
4answers
510 views
Uses of leftover vegetables from slow cooker
After slow cooking my pork over a bed of carrots, celery and onions. The pork gets eaten, the juice gets reduced to an amazing sauce base.
What can I do with the vegetables? They are tasty to eat ...
7
votes
1answer
756 views
What variety of green beans make the best pickled green beans?
I grow bush and pole bean of various varieties, mostly to make pickled green beans. I want to find a variety to grow that is string - free, long and straight, bright green, with good flavor. I like my ...
4
votes
1answer
853 views
Vegetable internal temperature (oven)
This question is inspired by this week's cooking of a 3kg (estimate - it was plenty huge and took 6 people to eat) courgette / zucchini. The 'quote' is a digression about what happened - skip it if ...
8
votes
1answer
5k views
How should I prepare Bok Choy before I cook it?
I just bought a pack of bok choy that I want to steam inside a bag along with some halibut. How should I cut it up before putting it in the bag? Would the preparation be different if I was cooking ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
Can you freeze chopped zucchini?
I know that I can easily freeze shredded zucchini for long-term storage if I stored it in a vacuum sealed freezer bag. However there is a recipe that I really want to make over the winter that ...
5
votes
2answers
471 views
Storage of Sweet Potato Pie
I want to make Sweet Potato Pie for the first time for Monday yet I'm going to be busy on the weekend. This got me wondering what are proper storage ideas for Sweet Potato Pie. For instance if I make ...
2
votes
1answer
271 views
Peeling a Drumstick
What is the best way to peel a drumstick? How do I know when to stop? I find that a drumstick that's completely peeled disintegrates when cooked.
4
votes
4answers
645 views
Why roast beets in vinegar?
I have always roasted my beets in a bit of vinegar in the bottom of the pan like 1/4" or so. It is how I was taught. But why do it? What does the vinegar do for the beets?
8
votes
3answers
642 views
Is there an easy way to trim the ends off green beans quickly?
A staple in our house is green beans. It's not uncommon that I'll buy 5-10 lbs and blanch or cook them all in one session, to reheat or eat cold in lunches all week. I also buy fresh beans in bulk ...
6
votes
2answers
871 views
Blanching time for different vegetables
Well my rule of thumb is to boil the following vegetables for that time before putting them in the ice bath:
1 minute for broccoli
3 minutes for carrots
2 minutes for beans
1 minute for flat beans
4 ...
8
votes
6answers
2k views
Should asparagus be peeled before cooking?
I have it from two sources that asparagus should be peeled before being cooked in simmering water (Julia Child) or fried in butter (Heston Blumenthal). I tried Julia's method once and I've been ...
10
votes
2answers
796 views
Why blanche vegetables before freezing?
I have a bumper crop of french beans, runners, and (earlier in the summer) peas. I know that we're supposed to blanche vegetables prior to freezing and my general purpose cookbooks tell me how long to ...
22
votes
2answers
504 views
Which vegetables to use for stock?
Which vegetables and/or fresh herbs should be used when making vegetable stock?
Are there any vegetables/herbs that should be avoided?
Can parts of vegetables that would otherwise be discarded be ...
6
votes
2answers
356 views
What are the major differences between yams and sweet potatoes?
I was just wondering what the major difference between yams and sweet potatotes. I know yams are more orange and I love yams!
10
votes
4answers
3k views
Why would you Parboil Some Vegetables Before Stir-Frying them?
An example would be green beans - some recipes call for parboiling green beans before stir-frying while others do not? Is there a reason behind this?
7
votes
2answers
480 views
How do I glaze vegetables?
I'm looking to glaze some carrots, maybe some beets, and a decent chunk of the rest of the season's worth of farmshare. I'm sure there's plenty of recipes on the internet, but I'm looking for some ...
10
votes
5answers
1k views
Are there culinary applications for carrot tops/greens?
The family members who taught me to cook have always tossed carrot tops/greens into the compost pile or the trash (and my regular grocery store carries carrots without tops), so I've never really ...
5
votes
5answers
5k views
How to freeze cabbage?
I have a glut of home-grown cabbage at the moment, more than I can eat before it goes bad! Is there any way to freeze cabbage (raw, cooked, whole, shredded...) or would I have to make gallons of ...
4
votes
3answers
619 views
How to tell the proper amount of oil to use when sautéing vegetables and meat?
A common meal That I make in a pinch is Italian sausage with peppers and onions. I'll cut up a few red and yellow peppers, a whole onion, and throw it in a pan with some olive oil. Once the vegetables ...
17
votes
3answers
2k views
What are the differences between different types of onions, and when do you use them?
I used a recipe for a mean black-eyed-pea salad this past weekend which called for a red onion. Since I wanted extra onion flavor in the salad anyway, I decided to pick up a Vidalia onion to throw in ...
