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by Amy Topel June 5, 2007 National Geographic Green Guide http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/120/agkveg Summer has arrived and it's time to head outside with family and friends to celebrate the season. I love backyard cookouts, picnics in the park and beach parties; they have an entirely different feeling than parties at other times of the year. They're inherently less formal and give us the opportunity to get together to have fun and relax. The only serious downside to casual summer gatherings are the side dishes. Picture a typical cookout: The smell of barbeque chicken, steaks, shrimp and sausage wafts over tables laden with potato salad, coleslaw and macaroni salad all drenched in mayonnaise. There is a bowl of potato chips next to a mound of sugary baked beans. If you're lucky, out of all the beautiful fresh fruit and vegetables available from the farmer's market, there just might be a single tray of corn on the cob.Ê This summer, drop the gloppy white food and serve up platters of fresh marinated vegetables instead. Marinated vegetables are simple to make (think green salad without the lettuce), have vibrant colors, can sit at room temperature for a long time without fear of spoilage and highlight the summer's freshest produce. They run the gamut from simple and elegant (asparagus spears tossed with basil vinaigrette) to family friendly (corn and tomato salad tossed with cumin vinaigrette). Prep Tips The recipes are generally very quick and simple to put together. The key to success is preparing the vegetables to highlight their beauty. Make sure to cut the vegetables into attractive shapes and sizes. Remember that picnic food should not require someone to use a fork and knife at the table (since they may be sitting on a stump on the beach). Think of how the shapes of different vegetables will look next to one another. Think about texture - marinated vegetables shouldn't be too crunchy or mushy. Certain vegetables, such as asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, green beans and turnips are better when they are lightly blanched before being marinated. To blanch vegetables, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the vegetables and cook until they are just tender. Promptly remove them from the boiling water and immerse in a bath of lightly salted ice water to stop the cooking. But as soon as the vegetables have cooled down, remove them from the ice bath to avoid their becoming waterlogged. Remember that green vegetable pigments turn a drab olive color when they come in contact with acidic ingredients such as vinegar or citrus juice so green vegetables should be dressed just before being served. If your recipe calls for tomatoes, you may want to add them in just before serving as well. Tomatoes can turn a lighter color when marinated for a few hours and can break apart if tossed and stirred too often before serving. Dressing Use your own judgment when making the vinaigrette, and keep in mind what kinds of vegetables you will be dressing. Generally, vinaigrettes consist of one part vinegar to three parts oil, but the proportions change based on what you are dressing. For example, an avocado salad requires an acidic vinaigrette, while a tomato salad works better with a higher proportion of oil. Once you've prepped the vegetables and made the vinaigrette, place the vegetables in a deep bowl and coat with the dressing. Toss to combine and then allow at least an hour before serving so that the vegetables have time to absorb the flavor. Periodically stir the mixture while it is marinating to make sure that it is evenly dressed. Taste the mixture before serving and adjust the seasonings if necessary. The flavor really changes as the vegetables soften and lose some of their liquid. Just prior to serving, garnish with chopped fresh herbs. This summer, offer your guests something spectacular from your local market - platters upon platters of delicious marinated vegetables. This month's recipes are reprinted with permission from Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook (Workman Publishing, 2006, $21.95) by Myra Goodman, co-founder (with her husband) of Earthbound Farm. She's been creating her own recipes and cooking with their organic food ever since their first raspberry crop. For more information, check out www.ebfarm.com. Marinated Zucchini Salad Serves 4 1 pound (about 4) small zucchini, ends trimmed 1/3 cup high-quality extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, preferably from Meyer lemons 3 tablespoons finely sliced fresh basil, plus 1 sprig of basil (optional), for garnish Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground black pepper Wedge of Parmesan cheese, for garnish Using a mandolin or vegetable slicer, cut the zucchini into paper-thin rounds. Pour the olive oil and lemon juice into a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine. Add the zucchini and toss until it is thoroughly coated. Add the sliced basil and toss to mix evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the bowl and let the zucchini marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but no more than 6 hours. Just before serving, stir the zucchini salad to redistribute any liquids that may have accumulated on the bottom. Using a vegetable peeler, shave very thin slices of cheese on the top of the salad, 1/2 to 3/4 cup, or to taste. Garnish with a basil sprig, if desired. Fusion Coleslaw Serves 6 2 cups shredded red cabbage (1/4-inch shreds) 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage (1/4-inch shreds) 2 large carrots, coarsely grated 1/3 cup thin strips of scallion greens (from about 6 scallions) 1 jalapeno pepper, cut into slivers 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon Asian chile garlic sauce, or more to taste 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger Salt (optional) 1/2 cup honey-roasted peanuts 1/2 cup raisins 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted Place the red cabbage, Napa cabbage, carrots, scallion greens and jalapeno in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Place the sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, chile sauce and ginger in a glass jar and seal the lid tightly. Shake the jar vigorously to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and/or more chile garlic sauce as needed. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Add the peanuts and raisins and toss again. Refrigerate the coleslaw, covered, to allow the flavors to develop, 2 to 4 hours. Serve the coleslaw chilled, garnished with the sesame seeds. Corn and Black Bean Salad Serves 4 to 6 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup uncooked fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels 1 large ripe tomato, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup) 1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/2 cup) 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Place the black beans, corn, tomato, onion and parsley in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Place the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss to coat. The salad can be kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours. RELATED Spring for Spinach by Amy Topel Satisfying Your Ancestral Appetite by Catherine Zandonella, M.P.H Spotlight on the Farm: Golden Earthworm Organic Farm in Jamesport, New York by Amy Topel |
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