Veggie Tales (or Adventures in New Veg) (healthy, tuna, bread)

[Debsi]

I think most of us have our old standard vegetable side dishes that we cook again and again, whether it be simple steamed broccoli or the favorite green salad. I have been this way also, but since I made the acquaintance of a neighbor of mine who I call the urban farmer, I've had the opportunity to try some new veggies at the peak of freshness. I'll be honest, I don't always like the new veg.

One vegetable that I've really been enjoying buying so fresh is daikon root. It looks somewhat like a large white carrot, but smoother. I've always liked the little red and white radishes they sell in the grocery store, but a fresh daikon has a much nicer flavor and texture. I like to grate it or slice it in paper thin slices or make little match sticks.

The adventurous part comes with the greens and stems that she sells with the radish. They have the peppery taste you'd expect from a radish green, and the whole plant is a nutritional powerhouse. https://www.livestrong.com/article/5...radish-greens/

My neighbor chops up the whole thing and uses them as a stir-fry vegetable, but I have to get more creative to get my meat-loving husband to eat something that looks unfamiliar and also like chopped stems (he's fine with broccoli florets).

So far I've made a very healthy, very green pureed soup that he would not try (I liked it but didn't LOVE it), and today I'm going to try adding them to a recipe I've been making for years, Moo-Shu meatballs (Asian meatballs wrapped in flour tortillas with sauce and toppings). I think it will be more successful with the hubs.

The meatballs call for minced onion and celery or water chestnut, so I will be replacing the celery with the finely chopped stems and some of the greens. I will save some of the raw green to be minced into ribbons and offered as a topping with the cooked meatballs. Who knows -- maybe this will become my new way of making them?

I'm interested to hear about other "off the beaten path" veggies people are eating, and how you like to prepare them -- especially if you're cooking for a picky veggie eater too!

[Debsi]

Here is a picture of the daikon greens and stems.

[Gorges]

I first discovered daikon from Jane Brody's '80's cookbook Good Food. She had a recipe for Intercontinental Ravioli that had ricotta-filled won ton wrappers that were steamed and served over shredded daikon topped with a rice vinegar & garlic dressing. I couldn't believe how good it was. I have tried it in other things that turned out ok, but it never tasted as good as it did in that dish.

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by Gorges

I first discovered daikon from Jane Brody's '80's cookbook Good Food. She had a recipe for Intercontinental Ravioli that had ricotta-filled won ton wrappers that were steamed and served over shredded daikon topped with a rice vinegar & garlic dressing. I couldn't believe how good it was. I have tried it in other things that turned out ok, but it never tasted as good as it did in that dish.

That sounds interesting! Daikon root doesn't need much help to taste good, it has that natural sweetness.
Those paper-thin slices I like to make taste great with good bread and butter + coarse or pink salt as a tea sandwich.

Do you ever make the ravioli anymore?

[Gorges]

Originally Posted by Debsi

That sounds interesting! Daikon root doesn't need much help to taste good, it has that natural sweetness.
Those paper-thin slices I like to make taste great with good bread and butter + coarse or pink salt as a tea sandwich.

Do you ever make the ravioli anymore?

I made it a year or so ago. All I remember is that the dumplings stuck to the steamer and it was a mess.

Thanks for the reminder about daikon. I never seem to think about it when I'm at the market. I should get some and experiment with it.

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by Gorges

I made it a year or so ago. All I remember is that the dumplings stuck to the steamer and it was a mess.

Thanks for the reminder about daikon. I never seem to think about it when I'm at the market. I should get some and experiment with it.

I found the Jane Brody recipe online, and it sounds absolutely delicious and right up my alley. Unfortunately, I don't think I have anything that can serve as a steamer rack.

My "hidden treasure" meatballs were a success!

I used the food chopper to chop the daikon greens, stems, and the onion and added to my meat mixture. I even told DH what was in there, and he still thought them delicious.