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Asparagus
Asparagus stems should be firm and thin, with deep green or purple closed tips.
Wash under cold water and Wash under cold water towel, and be sure to place the asparagus in the back of the refrigerator away from any light. cut off the base before cooking.
IDEA - sauté asparagus with garlic, shiitake mushrooms and chicken.
IDEA - Toss freshly cooked pasta with asparagus, olive oil and thyme, tarragon and rosemary.
IDEA - Steam asparagus and serve with a light lemon vinaigrette.
TIP - If your recipe calls for cold asparagus, plunge the stalks into cold water immediately after cooking, then remove them quickly: letting them soak too long can cause them to become soggy.
Beets
They should have firm and round with a slender tap root (the main root).
Broccoli
They should be uniformly colored, either dark green, sage or purple-green, depending upon variety, and with no yellowing. In addition, they should not have any yellow flowers blossoming. stalk and stems should be firm. Broccoli is very perishable and should be stored in open plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep for a week.
IDEA - Sprinkle lemon juice and sesame seeds over lightly steamed broccoli.
IDEA - Toss pasta with olive oil, pine nuts and broccoli florets. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Brussels Sprouts
They look like little bright green cabbages. Keep unwashed and untrimmed Brussels sprouts in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Stored in a plastic bag, they can be kept for 10 days.
IDEA - Combine quartered cooked Brussels sprouts with sliced red onions, walnuts and your favorite mild tasting cheese such as a goat cheese or feta; toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Cabbage
There are 3 main groups of cage: green smooth-leaved cage, crinkly-leaved green Savoy cage and red cabbage. The red cabin looks really nice in coleslaw. The heads should be firm and heavy without too many loose outer leaves. Keeping cagebage cold Red and green cage will keep this way for about 2 weeks while Savoy cabin will keep for about 1 week.
IDEA - Combine shredded red and white cage with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings such as turmeric, cumin, coriander and black pepper to make coleslaw with an Indian twist.
Carrots
They should be well formed, smooth, well colored and firm. If they have tops, they should not look wilted.
To do this, make sure to store them in the coolest part of the refrigerator in a plastic bag or wrapped in a paper towel, which will reduce the Carrots should also be stored to the outside of apples, pears, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas since it will cause them to become bitter .
Cauliflower
The outer green leaves are called the "curd". Sometimes the white section has a speckled look, this is not good.
IDEA - sauté cauliflower with garlic, minced ginger and tamari.
Celery
Look for crisp stalks. You can try it put it in the celery when you feel it was was fresh and somehow it got lost in the refrigerator; To store celery, place it in a sealed container or wrap it in a plastic bag or damp cloth and store it in the refrigerator.
IDEA - Add chopped celery to your favorite tuna fish or chicken salad recipe.
IDEA - Fill celery stalks with peanut butter or cream cheese.
Corn
Sweet corn is most plentiful from early May until mid - September. Yellow - kernel corn is the most popular, but some have white kernels.
Therefore, it should be refrigerated as soon as possible and kept moist until used. Look for fresh green husks. The silk-ends should not be discharged out.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers should have a good green color and be firm over over whole whole length. Avoid cucumbers that have a dull color with shriveled ends.
Thinner cucumbers will generally have less seeds than those that are thicker.
Cucumbers should be stored in the refrigerator where they will keep stored in the refrigerator where they are kept in the meal, wrap the reminder closely in plastic or place it in a sealed container so that it does not become discharged out. Cucumbers should not be left out at room temperature for too long as this will cause them to wilt and become limp.
IDEA - Mix diced cucumbers with sugar snap peas and mint leaves and toss with rice wine vinaigrette.
Eggplants
Place uncut and unwashed eggplant in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep for a few days.
IDEA - When cutting an eggplant, use a stainless steel knife as carbon steel will react with its phytonutrients and cause it to turn black. Wash the eggplant first and then cut off the ends.
IDEA - Mix cubed baked eggplant with grilled peppers, lentils, onions and garlic and top with balsamic vinaigrette.
Garlic
Gently squeeze the garlic bulb between your fingers to check that it feels firm and is not damp.
TIP - Store fresh garlic in either an uncoovered or a loosely covered container from a cool, away from exposure to heat and sunlight. It will help maintain maximum freshness and help prevent sprouting, which reduces its flavor and causes excess waste. is not necessary to refrigerate garlic.
Once you break the head of garlic, it greatly reduces its shelf life to just a few days.
TIP - Tips for Preparing Garlic:
The easy step to using garlic. Easy way to do this bulb on a cutting board or hard surface and gently, but firmly, apply pressure with the This will cause the layers of skin that hold the bulb together to separate.
You can then remove the skin either with your fingers or with a small knife. If there is a green sprout in the clove & # 39; s center, gently remove it since it is difficult to digest.
IDEA - Marinate press garlic in olive oil and use this flavored oil in dressings and marinades.
IDEA - Purée fresh garlic, canned garbanzo beans, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice to make quick and easy hummus dip.
IDEA - Sauté steamed spinach, garlic, and fresh lemon juice.
IDEA - Add garlic to sauces and soups.
IDEA - Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and olive oil together to make delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.
Green Beans
They should have a firm texture and "snap" when broken.
Store unwashed fresh bean pods in a plastic bag kept in the refrigerator crisper. Whole beans stored this way should keep for about seven days.
IDEA - roast green beans, red peppers and garlic and combine with olive oil and seasonings to make a delicious salad.
Lettuce
The most common is iceberg lettuce. The heads are large, round and solid with medium green leaves and lighter green inner leaves. The leaves should look fresh and crisp. Avoid heads with irregular shapes.
Butter-head lettuce (Big Boston and Bibb varieties) have a smaller head than iceberg lettuce. The leaves are softer and light green in color.
Romaine lettuce has crisp, dark-green leaves in a loosely folded head.
Leaves lettuce do not come in the form of a compact head. Leaves are broad, tender, smooth, and they vary in color according to variety.
A salad spinner can be very helpful in the drying of lettuce (and other salad ingredients as well) Romaine and leaf lettuce should be excessively moisture, while Boston lettuce need not be washed before storage. These lettuces should either be stored in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator crisper.
To store arugula, watercress and other types of salad greens that are sold with their roots attached, wrap the roots in a damp paper towel and place the entire greens in a plastic bag.
Romaine lettuce will keep for five to seven days, while fragile greens such as arugula and watercress ideally should be prepared the day of purchase. All types of lettuce should be stored stored from from ethylene-producing fruits , such as apples, bananas and pears, since they will cause the lettuce leaves to brown.
Mushrooms
We usually describe mushrooms as having a cap (the wide portion of top), gills (the rows of paper-thin tissue seen underneath the cap when it opens), and a stem.
Look for young mushrooms that are small to medium in size. The surface of the cap should be white or creamy, or uniform light brown if of a brown type. Avoid mushrooms with wide open caps and dark gills underneath.
The best way to store loose button is to keep them in the refrigerator either in a loosely closed paper bag, wrapped in a damp cloth or laid out in a glass dish that is covered with a moist cloth. preserve their moisture without becoming them fresh for several days. Mushrooms that are purchased prepackaged can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week in their original container.
Therefore, the best way to clean mushrooms without sacrificing their texture and taste is to clean them using minimal, if any, water To do this, simply wipe them with a slightly damp paper towel or kitchen cloth.
IDEA - Sautéed mushrooms and onions make a great side dish to meat dishes.
Onions
They come in yellow, white and red.
When they are cooking mostly. When they are cooked they turn a rich dark brown color. If you make making French Onion soup, this is the occasion to use. Choose comments that are clean, well shaped , have no opening at the neck and feature crisp, dry outer skins. Avoid those that are sprouting or have signs of mold.
To on this light, and in place how they are well ventilated. To do this, either place them in a wire hanging basket or a perforated bowl with a raised base so that air can circulate underneath. Those that are more than pungent in flavor, such as yellow onions, can stay longer than those with a sweeter taste, such as white onions, since the compounds that confer their sharp taste help to preserve The rest of the cut parts should be wrapped tightly in plastic or in sealed container and should be used within a day or two.
When you sauff white onions they turn golden and have a sweet flavor. Avoid buying onions which have sprouted.
They are regular affairs that are harvested very young.
The base should be whitish in color for two or three inches. Avoid those that have wilted or yellowed tops. Scallions should be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator where they will keep for about one week.
IDEA - Combine chopped onions, tomatoes, avocado and jalapeno for an all - in - one guacamole salsa dip.
IDEA - To perk up plain rice, sprinkle some green onions, also known as scallions, and sesame seeds on top.
IDEA - Enjoy a classic Italian salad - sliced onions, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil.
Parsley
Look for fresh and crisp bright green leaves. If your parsley wilts, trim off the ends of the stems and place them in cold water. Avoid any bunches that are discolored or yellowing.
Fresh parsley should be kept in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.
TIP - Fresh parsley should be washed right before using it is highly fragile. Place it in a bowl of cold water and swish it around with your hands.
TIP - If you have excess flat leaf parsley, you can easily dry it by laying it out in a single layer on a clean kitchen cloth. Once dried, it should be kept in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dark and dry place.
But it will not retain most of its flavor, it has a tendency to lose its crispness, so it is best used in recipes without first thawing.
It should be added a stronger flavor than the curly variety., It should be added to the curly variety. the end of the cooking process so that it can best retain its taste, color and nutritional value.
IDEA - Add parsley to pesto sauce to add more texture to its green color.
IDEA - Combine chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, and use it as a rub for chicken, lamb and beef.
Peas
When purchasing garden peas, look for ones which pods are firm, velvety and smooth. Their color should be a medium green. Those who green color is especially light or dark, or those that are yellow, whitish or are speckled with gray, should be avoided.
You should be able to see the shape of the peas through the pod. Choose smaller ones as they tend to be sweeter.
Before you remove the peas from the pod, rinse them briefly under running water. To easily shell them, snap off the top and bottom of the pod and then gently pull off the "thread" that lines the seam of most peapods.
IDEA - Mix green peas with chicken, diced events and almonds to make a chicken salad.
Peppers
Before coring Before coring Before coring Before coring Before coring If the pepper has been waxed, you should also scrub it well.
IDEA - Add finely chopped bell peppers to tuna or chicken salad.
IDEA - Bell peppers are one of the best vegetables to serve in a crudités platter (vegetables and dip) since not only do they have add a brilliant splash of color, but their texture is also the perfect crunchy complement for dips.
To easily chop, dice or cut the peppers into strips, first cut the pepper in half lengthwise, clean out the core and sepps, and then, after placing the skin side down on the cutting surface, cut into the desired size and shape. Peppers can also be cut horizontally into rings.
Potatoes
"New potatoes" are not fully mature. They are best used for boiling or creaming. "General potatoes can be used in a variety of recipes. There potatoes "are best for boiling and frying. There are also special potatoes grown for baking., For example, Russet Burbank.
TIP - Potatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator, as their starch content will turn on sugar giving them an undesirable taste. In addition, do not store potatoes nearions, as the gases happiness the other of them. You store them, they should be kept in a burlap or paper bag. Mature potatoes stored properly can keep up to two months.
TIP - Potatoes should be cleaned and cut right before cooking in order to avoid the discouragement the place after the cutting, place them in a bowl of cold water to which you have added a little bit of lemon juice.
IDEA - Purée roasted garlic, cooked potatoes and olive oil together to make delicious garlic mashed potatoes. Season to taste.
IDEA - Salad Nicoise - cooked new potatoes with chunks of tuna fish and steamed green beans dressed lightly with oil and vinegar.
IDEA - Toss steamed, diced potato with olive oil and fresh herbs of your choice.
Radishes
Avoid large rumors: they usually have a pithy center.
Rhubarb
Look for fresh, firm rhubarb stems with a bright, glossy appearance. Stems should have a large amount of pink or red color, but many good-quality stems will be predominately light green. Be sure that the stem is tender and not fibrous.
Spinach
Store fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it keeps keeping fresh and about tender and stems with has deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. five days. Do not wash it before storage as the moisture will cause it to spoil.
IDEA - Add layers of steamed spinach to your next lasagna recipe.
IDEA - Toss steamed spinach with pressed garlic, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.
IDEA - Pine nuts are a great addition to cooked spinach.
IDEA - Spinach makes great salads.
Squash
Summer - when purchasing summer squash, look for ones that are heavy for their size and have shiny, unblemished rinds. Summer squash is very fragile and should be handled with care as small punctures will lead to deceay. It should be stored stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about seven days.
Decrease the amount of liquid in the recipe by about one - third to compensate for the moisture present in the squash. IDEA - Add zucchini or other summer squash to your favorite muffin or bread recipe;
Winter squash is easily sooner to deceay, so it is important to carefully inspect it before purchase. Heavy for their size and have dull, not glossy, rinds. Winter squash has a much longer storage life than summer squash. Depending upon the variety, it can be kept for between one week and six months.
Sweet Potatoes and Yam
Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are dry and have pale-colored flesh. Sweet potatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them away from exposure to a cool, dark and well - stored place, where they will keep kept in ten days. They should be stored loose and not kept in a plastic bag. Keep them away from exposure to sunlight.
Tomatoes
If tomatoes with the best taste come from locally grown farms. Most tomatoes that you find in the grocery are picked when they start to turn pink. If your tomatoes need to ripen more, place them in a warn place out of direct sunlight. Do not put your tomatoes in the refrigerator unless they are fully ripe.
