After finally getting around to watching the documentary Food, Inc., we made a totally earnest resolution to eat and buy more local, organic and ethically raised food, despite this type of declaration having been made in the house the last time some movie or book made us upset about the food industry. Still, we convinced ourselves that being more thoughtful about our food purchases couldn’t hurt, even if we’re still eating bananas like they’re going out of style (and in fact, they may be).
After a second viewing of the film and the onset of winter, my resident eater somehow forgot how to shop for groceries. Recently he has been returning home from the store with a random assortment of canned beans and frozen organic vegetables and perhaps a few expensive, artisanal sausages. “I couldn’t find anything local!” was the response. He delivered it with a shrug, but I could hear the panic lurking beneath as he surveyed the grim scene on our kitchen counter. The bounty of summer and fall produce had clearly given way to the sadness of Ontario winter seasonality — which, let’s admit it, mostly amounts to a whole lot of not-so-glamourous root vegetables.
That said, there are many things to celebrate about winter produce beyond the humble potato; not only is most of it budget-friendly, but many are highly nutritious “super foods”. Beets, for example, are among the most nutritious of the root vegetables, packing tons of vitamins and minerals in a low-calorie, naturally sweet package. I’ve already extolled the virtues of kale, and squash and yams both provide excellent sources of Vitamins A and C. And don’t forget about cabbage, pomegranates, parsnips, celeriac, Jerusalem Artichokes, leeks and mushrooms — all good things, particularly if you know how to cook them properly (a good resource for what’s in season, with recipes, is Edible Toronto magazine, available free at many grocery outlets). To celebrate the less-loved seasonal produce, I’m providing a few tips on how to make the most of what Ontario has to offer this winter.
Root vegetables
The greatest thing about root vegetables is how easy it is to make them taste delicious. Though some peeling and chopping may be required, very little prep aside from this is necessary.
- Best: chop up your favourites (carrots, parsnips, sweet or regular potatoes, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, rutabaga — whatever!) into 1-inch pieces and toss together with chopped garlic, a healthy drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and whatever herbs you have lying around, then pop them in a 400F oven (turning once) until browned and tender, about 45 minutes. Roasted vegetables can be great leftover with salad the next day too.
Winter greens
Though I’m partial to savoy cabbage and particularly to Brussels sprouts (come on, they’re adorable tiny cabbages!), my favourite of the winter greens is kale. In particular, black kale (also known as Lacinato or Dinosaur kale); it’s got darker green leaves that are flatter than regular kale and holds up great in soups and stews.
- Best: toss some chopped bacon in a large saucepan and let it get crispy, remove it and drain most of fat (leave a tbsp or so), add some olive oil and garlic and cook a few minutes, then toss in chopped kale and sauté until wilted, adding water and covering for the last 5 minutes or so. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and top with bacon. (This preparation will work for most leafy winter greens: cabbage, swiss chard, collard greens, etc.)
Beets
These root vegetables deserve their own paragraph. They can take a long time to cook, but you can pre-roast a bunch and keep them in the fridge all week for salads — a salad of roasted beets, braised lentils and goat cheese with some crostini makes for a great weeknight dinner. You can also grate raw beets along with apples and carrots to make a delicious and healthy slaw, or use it to flavour risottos or soups. Added bonus: beet greens are also packed with nutrients and can be prepared like most winter greens, above.
- To roast beets, trim the greens and give them a good scrub, then drizzle with olive oil and package them in foil. Toss them in a 375F oven until you can stick a fork through easily — smaller beets will take about 25-30 minutes; larger ones can take up to an hour. Once cooled, peel off the skins and use as desired.
Sara Chan is a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer, food enthusiast, unprofessional home chef and even less professional food photographer. Her favourite food group is pork. Sara’s column appears every other Tuesday here on lawandstyle.ca.
Photo by Skånska Matupplevelser