Since my forum post "Sustainable Fairtrade vegetables?!"(http://www.migipedia.ch/de/forum/nachhaltiges-fairtrade-gemuese#comment-43568), I have been following the plan to avoid imported and greenhouse vegetables and instead enjoy seasonal vegetables from the region. I discovered a few "forgotten" winter vegetables in Migros:
Pfälzer Rüebli (yellow carrots):
The original form of our orange carrot. You can find them in every Migros supermarket for around 1.50/kg. Recipe idea: Cut carrots into sticks and serve raw or baked with various dips as "fake chips"; process carrots with a peeler to make "carrot noodles" and serve with various sauces. I find these yellow carrots very decorative and tasty; it's a shame that Migros doesn't also offer other colorful carrots on sale (e.g. the old "Purple Haze" variety).
Kale (green cabbage, brown cabbage, palm cabbage, English kale):
In the past, it was supposedly the only green vegetable in winter. It is rich in minerals and vitamins - especially vitamin C! Unfortunately, this winter power vegetable has its price in Migros: almost 10.-/kg. But you only need a little, as kale hardly collapses when cooked, tastes hearty and is very filling. Recipe idea: as an alternative to spinach; in lasagna; green smoothies... I like kale briefly steamed as a vegetable side dish and as "kale chips" (google: crunchy effect guaranteed)! By the way: this cabbage tastes even better and sweeter after the first frost.
Jerusalem artichoke (Jerusalem artichoke):
Jerusalem artichoke used to be a staple food. It is said to be a miracle tuber for diabetes and obesity due to its high inulin content and low calorie content. Migros sells the small tubers, which are available in red or white, in cardboard baskets. Considering that Jerusalem artichokes are completely undemanding to grow and harvest and are even deplored by some as a rampant weed, the price is exorbitant. Recipe ideas: Ideal potato substitute, e.g. as "roast Jerusalem artichokes", I also find it delicious to simply nibble one or two tubers raw with the skin on.
Parsnips:
Probably one of the oldest plants that humans have eaten. The taste is reminiscent of a mixture between carrots, celery and parsley. I find parsnips quite tasty, but I like the very similar parsley root even better - which Migros unfortunately does not yet offer...
Yellow turnip (kohlrabi, rutabaga):
Supposedly, these turnips were used in Germany during the First World War as an emergency substitute for everything... Migros sells them in cardboard trays, approx. 5.-/kg. Recipe ideas: "Kohlrabi substitute" in winter (kohlrabi season is unfortunately coming to an end soon). They are said to be good in vegetable stews, mixed with potatoes as a puree/stock, grated raw and mixed with apple... These turnips were a little too cabbagey-sweet for me, but as they say "you either love them or hate them".
Beetroot:
Many people know the pre-packaged, pre-cooked ones. I had to look really hard for fresh raw beetroot - which tastes worlds better - in Migros and found it in the organic vegetables from the region, price approx. 4.-/kg. Recipe idea: I cut the tubers in half and cooked them for 10 to 15 minutes in the Topline microwave steamer and ate them lukewarm with dressing. They are also said to be delicious baked in the oven, as "breaded beetroot schnitzel" and grated raw as a salad. I think it's cool that one slice of beetroot is enough to color dishes yourself...
I would be delighted if you could introduce other "forgotten" winter vegetables that you buy at Migros or that you miss in the Migros range. I myself would like Migros to expand its range of seasonal, regional "old", "special", "Pro Specie Rara" vegetables!
Kind regards, "Twilight"
All replies (6)
Guest
@ Twilight as a supplement
White turnips or autumn turnips (white at the bottom - red at the top - pictured in Wikipedia)
Migros sells these - at least in eastern Switzerland - at a unit price of less than 2 Fr - but they are quite productive. They are therefore only sold open, and are only available until the Christmas period at the most, as they have a higher water content than yellow turnips.
While I cut the yellow turnips into slices (like kohlrabi) - I cut the white turnips into sticks (like very finely sliced chips - 5mm)
They are milder in taste than the yellow turnips - but if you are unlucky - you can get one with a slightly bitter aftertaste. I therefore always take the larger ones (20cm ø) that are hard to the touch and use them straight away
Rice from the Maggia Valley (unfortunately only seen at Migros Ticino so far) - but it can of course be kept for risotto....
@Wef17: Thank you very much for your addition! I tried the white turnips once, but unfortunately they weren't my cup of tea, maybe I got a bad one. I will now try them again ;-). LG, "Twilight"
Another addition on my part:
Pumpkins:
Another type of vegetable whose diversity has probably been somewhat "forgotten". A distinction is made between summer pumpkins (zucchinis, patissons, rondini) and winter pumpkins. Migros (Lucerne region) has a great range of winter pumpkins, including butternut, spaghetti squash, nutmeg (in slices in the refrigerated section), Hokkaido/small squash etc., price approx. 4.-/kg. Recipe ideas: Cut butternut or Hokkaido pumpkin into sticks and prepare like chips, mix pumpkin flesh with potatoes to make puree (freezes well). My favorite: spaghetti squash, which disintegrates into spaghetti strands when cooked and can be served in the same way, wonderful chestnut aroma! Instructions for different preparation methods: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/cooking/a/spagsquash.htm. I do it like this: cut the spaghetti squash in half, place on a plate with the cut side facing down, put a few drops of water on the plate, microwave on the highest setting for 5-8 minutes, leave to cool slightly, cut into strands from the stem with a fork. Mhh...
Looking forward to more delicious vegetable ideas from you! "Twilight"
Guest
Hello Twilight and wef17
Wow, I'm really impressed by the collection and the knowledge that has come together here about different types of vegetables. It's really "fun" to try out various recipes and to venture into lesser-known vegetables.
Thanks for the contributions!
Best regards
Tanja, Migipedia team
@Tanja: Thank you for your kind feedback. I think it would be great if you would also list these vegetables on Migipedia under "Discover" - "Products"!
@alle: Discovered today: Migros now also sells organic black salsify, which used to supposedly be the "poor man's asparagus". Black salsify really does taste similar to white asparagus and can be prepared in the same way. For the "poor", however, they will unfortunately remain a rare luxury as long as Migros does not reduce the price of almost 10.-/kg. Tip: remove the black skin under water with gloves and an asparagus peeler.
Kind regards, "Twilight"
@Twilight,
you write that salsify can be prepared like asparagus. I don't see it that way, because they are a pain to prepare.
It's the only vegetable where I wear gloves when preparing, not because of getting my hands dirty, but because of the sticky milky sap of the root, which also stains clothes, so I work with an apron. After washing the stalks with a brush, they are peeled with a peeler and immediately plunged into cold water with a splash of vinegar and a spoonful of salt to prevent oxidation.
I loved black salsify even as a child, unfortunately this vegetable was never available at home, but it was usually available as a vegetable side dish in restaurants. Then I was given an extra spoonful of the white vegetable by the waitress, who was still called "Fräulein" at the time, but fewer carrots, which my older brother got instead. As the maid or nanny who looked after my younger siblings had Sunday off, we ate out almost every Sunday, so there was plenty of black salsify to eat in the winter season!
Best wishes and have a nice Sunday from sunny and still snow-free "Les Moulins".
Istanbul