Beets
Look for: Dark green beets with fresh-looking leaves still attached and a thin, whole root.
Avoid: Shriveled, loose skin. Very large beets can have woody centers.
Store: Cut off greens (they draw moisture from the root), leaving 1 inch of stem. Baby beets can keep their tops. Leaves keep 2 days refrigerated in perforated plastic bag. Beet roots last 2-3 weeks in plastic bags in fridge.
Prepare: Chop leaves and stems within 2 days and simmer in olive oil with garlic, anchovies, currants and a little red wine vinegar. Beet chips: Preheat oven to 250. Peel and cut 3 pounds beets into paper-thin slices and fry in batches in hot oil until crisp and brown. Place on paper towels and keep warm in oven until all slices are done. Season with salt and peppers. Serve with aioli or your choice of dipping sauce. From “The Produce Bible”
Serranos
And other chiles
Look for: Peppers that feel heavy for their size. Smooth, glossy skin. Freshly cut stem ends. Ask about heat level, as peppers vary widely. Serranos are about twice as hot as jalapenos.
Avoid: Wrinkly, pitted chiles. Mushy stem ends.
Store: In plastic bags in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
Prepare: Wear latex or thin plastic gloves (or coat hands with oil) to protect skin from capsaicin. Do not touch eyes or nose after handling. Wash and dry chiles. Slice vertically down middle and remove seeds and membranes. To blister skin: Wash and dry chile. Cut a small slit in side of pepper to allow steam to escape. Place chiles under a 400-degree broiler or on a hot grill for 6-8 minutes until skin blisters. Turn and roast until the other side blisters. Remove chile from heat and spread in a single layer to cool before peeling. Or, place in a paper bag to steam. Peel when cool.
Potatoes
Look for: Smooth, firm potatoes. New potatoes have parchment-like skin that you can rub off with your fingers.
Avoid: Spongy, sprouted potatoes
Store: In a cool, dry place, they should keep up to 10 weeks. Not in plastic, in refrigerator or exposed to light. Use new potatoes within several days of purchase.
Prepare: Potatoes’ skin has most of the nutrients, so do not peel. Cut away green areas, caused by sun exposure. If you prefer potato salad sans peel, cook them skin-on, then peel. New potatoes are best steamed whole.
Morels
And other mushrooms
Look for: Spongy but firm tops without bruising. Fresh, moist stem ends. Open gills and darker color signal deeper flavor.
Avoid: Wet, slippery or sticky surfaces indicate spoilage.
Store: Do not wash. Keep in a paper bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Prepare: Trim stem ends. Clean off dirt with a pastry brush or damp paper towel. Cut morels in half lengthwise (chop other mushrooms) and mince 1 clove garlic. Sauté in olive oil over medium heat 5-7 minutes with herbs of your choice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on thin-sliced toasted French bread or over steak.
Carrots
Look for: Bright green leafy tops with smooth bright orange roots. Bright color indicates sweetness.
Avoid: Bendy carrots with limp foliage or moldy tops. Hairy rootlets mean carrots are old.
Store: Remove green tops, as they draw moisture from roots. Store in plastic bags in fridge up to 10 days. Keep away from apples and pears, which emit ethylene gas that causes carrots to become bitter.
Prepare: No need to peel fresh carrots – just scrub well and keep the vitamin-laden skin on. Salad: Shred carrots and mix with olive oil, lemon juice and rosemary or oregano. Cooked: Slice and simmer in olive oil, orange juice, cumin, lemon juice and garlic. From “Field Guide to Produce”
Onions
Look for: Firm, shiny outsides with tightly closed necks.
Avoid: Green sprouts signal bitterness.
Store: Away from moisture and light. Not in plastic or near potatoes.
Prepare: Peel 8 onions and trim thin slice from root ends, leaving enough so that onion still holds together. Make 3 or 4 cuts across top of each, cutting 2/3 way into onion. Preheat grill to medium-high (or oven to 375). Cut 16 12-inch squares aluminum foil. Set each onion on 2 layers of foil. Sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary and thyme, salt and pepper. Pull aluminum up to make a pouch, leaving open at top. Pour 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar into each onion. On a gas grill, place on top shelf over medium-high heat. On charcoal, place on farthest side from direct heat. (For oven, place in a shallow dish and bake 40 minutes.) Turn onions occasionally, cook 1 hour, until very tender. Remove foil and serve drizzled with juices. From “The Culinary Institute of America: Vegetables”
Rhubarb
Look for: Bright-colored stalks. Hothouse rhubarb is pink to pale red. Field-grown rhubarb is cherry-red, juicier and more acidic.
Avoid: Eating the leaves, which are high in oxalic acid.
Store: Tightly wrapped in plastic in fridge up to 2 weeks.
Prepare: Pull strings off field-grown stalks. Cut off leaves. Cut into diagonal slices. Do not cook in aluminum pans. Baked rhubarb: Place 2 pounds rhubarb chunks in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 teaspoon each ground ginger and nutmeg. Drizzle with 1/2 cup orange juice. Cover with foil (don’t let it touch rhubarb) and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Stir, bake uncovered 10 minutes more. Serve with ham, pork roast or salmon. From “The New Food Lover’s Tiptionary”
Spinach
Look for: Broad, deep green leaves.
Avoid: “Off” smells, yellowed leaves.
Store: Wrapped loosely in paper towels, in plastic bags, refrigerated, for 2-3 days. Do not rinse until ready to use. To keep a few more days, rinse, steam, chill and store in a plastic bag.
Prepare: Rinse curly spinach 2-3 times in a bowl of cold water. Add raw to salads and sandwiches. Spinach leaves lose about 90 percent of their volume when cooked – 1 pound = 10 cups torn leaves = 1 1/2 cups cooked. Steamed: Place washed still-wet leaves in a hot, dry non-aluminum pan. Cover and steam 2-3 minutes. Serve with lemon juice and salt; or minced garlic, lemon zest and chopped parsley; or drain, return to pan, add cream or butter, freshly grated nutmeg and pepper. Cook until butter melts or cream thickens and coats leaves.
Tomatoes
Look for: Firm fruits heavy for their size. Sniff them – they should smell like summer. Yellow tomatoes are less acidic than red ones and easier on sensitive stomachs.
Avoid: Mushy, pale tomatoes.
Store: Never in the refrigerator! Place under-ripe tomatoes stem-side down at room temperature, in sunlight, to ripen. You can freeze tomatoes whole for later use.
Prepare: At their peak, tomatoes are best with a little salt and not much else. Maybe basil and fresh mozzarella. Roasted tomatoes: Preheat oven to 275. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters and place on sheets. Mix crushed garlic, sugar, torn basil leaves, chopped oregano and a few drops balsamic vinegar. Top tomato wedges with sugar mixture, salt and pepper. Bake 2 1/2 hours until they are slightly shriveled but soft in the middle. From “The Produce Bible”
