In the Farm Kitchen

Every year, when it comes time to write something about Daikon Radish, I go looking for information about the Radish Spirit that appears in the Miyazake anime, Spirited Away. And, I never find anything useful. In fact, this time around, I stumbled on a web page that claimed that the term “Radish Spirit” was an invention in the dubbed version of Spirited Away. I am crushed. I think the world would be a better place with the radish spirit in it.

Daikon radish are tremendously popular in Japan, where they account for an astounding fifteen percent of the country’s vegetable production. Radishes are often eaten raw as a digestive aid at the start of a meal. We enjoy them as a foil to salty and rich meats like beef, or just for snacking; the following recipe is a perennial favorite of our family and guests.

Beet and Daikon Salad

Daikon radish are popular in Japan, where they account for 15% of that country’s vegetable production. We frequently enjoy them sliced, raw, as a foil to salty meats or just for snacking. We also enjoy the following recipe:

1 medium beet
6-inch piece of daikon
1 medium carrot
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp canola oil

Grate all of the roots together, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add rice vinegar, sesame oil, and canola. Makes 4 small servings.

Also in the storage radish category this week are the Beauty Heart Winter Radishes. Our friends Ryan and Kristine at Grass Run Farm shared these with a conventional-farming neighbor who really enjoyed them, and now regularly asks Kristine to pick up some of those Bleeding Heart Radishes. The bright red color makes for a great presentation; just last night, eating alone, I shredded half a large radish on a coarse grater, and sprinkled it with umeboshi plum vinegar for a salad that took less than thirty seconds to prepare. For a more substantial side dish, this cooked cabbage and winter radish combination not only looks cool, but tastes great, as well.

Spicy Cabbage with Winter Radish

1/3 cup winter radish, chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup onion, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
dash or two of ginger juice or some thinly slice ginger

Cook the onions lightly in the olive oil, add the radish, cabbage, sesame seeds, and hot pepper. Cook until the cabbage is tender about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the ginger, toss and serve.

Because this is the last box of the winter season, we have tried to bulk up on some of the staples that everyone enjoys, like Carrots and Red and Yellow Onions. Stored in a plastic bag in your refrigerator, the root crops will store for months if necessary. Onions will keep well if you store them dry and cool – a cupboard on an outside wall can work well.

Carrot Soup

2 lbs carrots, chopped
1 medium potato, chopped
4 cups stock or water
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp fresh herbs (dill, or a mixture of parsley, thyme, and basil)
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Bring stock or water to boil in a medium saucepan, add the carrots and potato, and boil until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet. Add onions and salt and sauté until they just soften. Add the herbs and garlic and cook for about five minutes more, until the onions are translucent. Stir in the lemon juice. Puree everything together in a blender, transfer to a soup pot, and simmer gently for about ten minutes. Serve hot, topped with sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh herbs.

These caramelized onions make a great side dish on their own, or use it as a topping for pasta or pizza.

Caramelized Onions

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds onions, peeled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons stock
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large, ovenproof saucepan over a medium flame. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the onions to the butter and cook for about 20 minutes, until they are nicely browned. Add the sugar, wine, vinegars, bay leaf, and stock, and bring to a simmer.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the onions are soft. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon. Reduce the sauce over low heat until it achieves a slightly viscous consistency, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper, and reheat the onions in the sauce.

Last week, I got a little over-enthusiastic and baked up way too many Beets (using a covered baking dish, a half-inch of water, in a 400-degree oven for about an hour; run the beets under cold water when they’re cooked and the skins will slip right off). I stored the leftovers, peeled and whole, in the refrigerator, and Mom and I sliced them up as needed and used them all week as a little extra side dish with every meal. It made a surprisingly elegant addition to the plate.

The Acorn Squash have turned largely orange as they’ve been stored without bright light. The chlorophyll that’s responsible for the green color degrades without sunlight (which is why acorn squash start off with a bright orange “ground spot”) and leaves the orange background color. They are still delicious.