After a taste of warmer weather, you may feel somewhat discouraged about the chillier temperatures coming up this week. Embrace the end of the season by using some farm-fresh winter produce this week like radicchio, carrots, ginger, kohlrabi, and more!
This carrot ginger soup is an easy, vegan recipe that will help you use that big bunch of carrots from farmers tailgate markets this weekend! Prep your soup ingredients by dicing one yellow onion, peeling and chopping about 12 carrots, and peeling and mincing once inch of fresh ginger roots. In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for about five minutes. Add the ginger and carrots to the pot, along with four cups of vegetable broth, a quarter teaspoon of garlic powder, a pinch of cinnamon, and a half teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Either using an immersion blender, or by ladling the hot soup into a stationary blender, slowly incorporate half a cup of full fat coconut milk, and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk and some freshly chopped cilantro, and enjoy! You can find carrots for this recipe from Ivy Creek Family Farm at the Weaverville Tailgate Market, and fresh ginger from Mystic Roots Farm at the River Arts District Farmers Market.
Unsure about kohlrabi? No worries! These delicious lemon-dill kohlrabi fritters are a wonderful way to start using the vegetable! Remove the skin from your kohlrabi with a paring knife, and grate it until you have two heaping cups. Transfer the grated kohlrabi to a clean dish towel and squeeze out as much water as possible over the sink. Add drained, grated kohlrabi to a mixing bowl with one cup of diced yellow onion, a third cup of whole wheat flour, two tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill, two cloves of minced garlic, a teaspoon of lemon zest, and three-fourths teaspoons of salt. Pour two lightly beaten eggs into the bowl, and mix until a batter comes together. Take a scoop of batter from the bowl and form a small, half inch thick fritter, and place on a plate. Heat a tablespoon of oil on a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the fritters in batches for two to three minutes on each side until golden brown. Enjoy by itself or with a dollop of sour cream! You can find kohlrabi from Highgate Farm at the River Arts District Farmers Market, and dill from Lee’s One Fortune Farm at Asheville City and River Art District markets.
Often mistaken for red cabbage or lettuce, radicchio is actually a variety of the wild chicory plant. Its distinct bitter taste makes for a perfect slaw! Start making your slaw by removing the large outer leaves of the head of radicchio, set the leaves aside, then cutting the remaining radicchio into small ribbons. Using a peeler, slice one large carrot into ribbons. Mix the radicchio and carrot ribbons together in a bowl, adding half a cup of rinsed, canned chickpeas. In a small bowl, combine a fourth cup of rice wine vinegar, two tablespoons of whole grain mustard, and two tablespoons of honey. Drizzle dressing over the slaw and toss to coat ingredients. Place the large radicchio leaves face up on a serving platter and fill each lettuce cup with your radicchio slaw, then sprinkle with a teaspoon of hemp seeds, and serve! You can find radicchio for this recipe from Gaining Ground Farm at North Asheville Tailgate Market.
At winter markets now you’ll also find beets, radishes, turnips, cabbage, kale, spinach, salad greens, winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes and more! Markets are also stocked with a variety of meats, cheese, rice, pasta, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including winter hours, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.
Written by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.