You can't beat the classics
The Age
Tuesday March 29, 2011
The legacy of vibrant and tasty heirloom vegetables will remain long after your plate is clean. HEIRLOOM vegetables are like a window to the past. From a time before the large-scale commercial production of fruits and vegetables began, their seeds were prized and kept, passed down from family to family, hence the name heirloom.Open pollination means the vegetables keep their natural traits, unlike the more homogenous commercial crops bred for consistency.The seeds of thousands of different heirloom varieties are available for home gardeners and, as the popularity of these delicious vegetables grows, more and more are sold by greengrocers. People grow heirloom vegetables for historical interest, to maintain different plant varieties for future generations and ‚€ť most of all ‚€ť to taste the difference.Carrots, beetroot and rainbow chard star in the following recipes but there are heirloom varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, beans, cucumbers, garlic, eggplant, lettuce and capsicum, to name a few.The different colours, shapes and sizes of these vegetables make them particularly interesting to cook. The golden, deep-purple and target beetroots are a great example, and the rainbow chard is also called five-colour silverbeet.JANE STRODECaroline Velik's recipes using herbs.Carrot and curry leaf bhajis with pickled carrotsBHAJIS that look as if there is not quite enough batter to hold the vegetables together give the best results and hold their shape surprisingly well. Other vegetables, such as cauliflower, can be used, seasoned with your favourite spices.INGREDIENTS400ml water150ml white-wine vinegar5 tbsp castor sugar€š tsp cumin€š tsp black mustard seeds8 yellow baby carrots, peeled100g chickpea flour€š tsp bicarbonate of soda€š tsp turmeric1 tsp saltVegetable oil for shallow frying1 medium brown onion, peeled and finelysliced6 baby purple carrots, scrubbed andcoarsely grated1 small handful curry leavesMETHOD€“Bring 300 millilitres of water, vinegar, sugar, cumin and mustard seeds to the boil in a saucepan.€“Place yellow carrots in a clean container and pour over the hot liquid. Leave in the fridge overnight to pickle.€“Place chickpea flour, bicarbonate of soda, turmeric and salt in a bowl. Add remaining water and stir to make a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan.€“Add remaining ingredients to paste and combine. Add heaped tablespoons of bhaji mix to hot oil and fry until puffed and golden, turning once.€“Drain on a paper towel and serve with pickled carrots.Serves 4 as an entreeRainbow chard, kipfler potato and yabby bubble-and-squeakPEEL yabbies as soon as they're cooked and eat as soon as possible, as they can start to discolour. Prawns, bugs and other shellfish would make fine substitutes, or serve a piece of fish on top of the bubble-and-squeak.INGREDIENTS3 litres of water2 tbsp white-wine vinegarSalt1kg yabbies100g butter1 leek, washed and finely slicedPepper6 rainbow chard leaves andstalks, washed and chopped6 large kipfler potatoes, boiledand peeledMETHOD€“Bring water, vinegar and salt to the boil. Add yabbies and boil for three minutes. Drain and chill. Peel yabbies and set aside.€“Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add leek, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft. Add chard and cook until leaves have wilted.€“Add kipflers and crush with a fork. When potatoes are warmed through, add the yabbies, stir and serve.Serves 4Mixed beetroot saladTHE beetroot relish in this recipe goes well with warm ham and complements any antipasto plate. The granita can be served on its own as a middle course to refresh the palate during a dinner party.INGREDIENTS250ml water100g castor sugar€š tsp sea salt1 bay leaf150ml juice of a purple beetroot150ml olive oil2 medium Spanish onions, finelychopped4 garlic cloves, slicedSalt and pepper1kg purple beetroots, peeled andgrated150ml red-wine vinegar15g mustard seeds3 small target beetroots, peeled andthinly sliced12 small golden beetroots, roastedand peeled5 heaped tbsp fresh goat's curdPicked tarragon and chervil leaves, forgarnishSourdough bread, to serveMETHOD€“To make the granita, bring water, sugar, salt and bay leaf to the boil in a saucepan. Leave to cool, then add beetroot juice. Pour in the a tray and freeze.€“To make the relish, heat olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add onion and garlic and season. Gently fry until soft, about 15 minutes. Add grated purple beetroot, red-wine vinegar and mustard seeds. Cook on a medium heat until the liquid has evaporated.€“Blanch target beetroot slices in boiling salted water. Refresh in iced water. Have golden beetroots. Divide target beetroot slices between four plates. Spoon goat's curd onto each plate and top with six golden beetroots halves. Put a few spoonfuls of relish on each plate and sprinkle with a few tarragon and chervil leaves.€“Scrape granita with a fork and spoon on to target beetroot. Serve immediately with grilled sourdough.Serves 4
© 2011 The Age
