The Whole Truth About Cooking with Whole Vegetables

Lisa Messinger
Fri, 14 Nov 2014 17:56:51 -0800
Lifestyle

"Root-to-Stalk Cooking: The Art of Using the Whole Vegetable" by Tara Duggan (Ten Speed, $22).

If you are used to throwing scraps of vegetables into the garbage disposal, trashcan or onto the compost heap, cookbook author Tara Duggan has a suggestion for you: Eat them instead.

Duggan, a food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle who lives with her family on an "off the grid" farm where every speck of food is used, wants to teach you the "art" of cooking with the whole vegetable.
Updated: Fri Nov 14, 2014

"Root-to-Stalk Cooking: The Art of Using the Whole Vegetable" by Tara Duggan (Ten Speed, $22).

If you are used to throwing scraps of vegetables into the garbage disposal, trashcan or onto the compost heap, cookbook author Tara Duggan has a suggestion for you: Eat them instead.

Duggan, a food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle who lives with her family on an "off the grid" farm where every speck of food is used, wants to teach you the "art" of cooking with the whole vegetable.

It is just that — art — in Duggan's capable hands. This means no carrot top, celery leaf or chard stalk will be left behind. Carrot top salsa, squash blossom fritters and chard stalk relish with pine nuts are standouts.

Duggan argues that we are in "an era of vegetable obsessiveness," and that you, like her, will appreciate that these usual rejects add "more flavor, more color, more nutrition, more life" to dishes.

She even gives you a chart so that you can create your own masterpieces and will know that sweet scraps include carrot peels, pea pods and tomato seeds; bitter flavors might be carrot tops, cucumber peels and green been ends; and earthy-flavored fare features mushroom stems and fresh herb trimmings, like Italian parsley. Mixing and matching from each of Duggan's extensive columns is the way to go, especially for an exceptional scrap stock.

Fortunately, using "extra" parts of the vegetables —- and hearty dishes like these are perfect for autumn —- is just as simple as cooking with the usual sections of vegetables. Give these Duggan soon-to-be-classics a try:

CILANTRO STEM SALSA

1 whole clove garlic, peeled

1 jalapeno or serrano chili, quartered

12 ounces fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 cup coarsely chopped white onion

1 / 2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 / 2 ripe avocado (optional)

1 / 2 cup water (optional)

Yields about 2 cups.

Place the garlic and chili in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the tomatillos, cilantro, onion, salt and avocado. Pulse until evenly chopped but still chunky, stirring a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

To use in chilaquiles or ceviche, leave as is. To serve as a dip with chips, stir in 1 / 2 cup water. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop.

The sauce will hold for 5 days, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

CHARD STALK HUMMUS

Chard stalks from 1 pound whole chard, trimmed and chopped

1 whole clove garlic, peeled

1 / 4 cup tahini

1 / 4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 / 2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Yields about 1 cup.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the stalks until very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain.

Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add the chard stalks and puree, then add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth.

Transfer to a shallow bowl, drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature. The hummus also can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to three days. Return to room temperature before serving.