Golden beets and blood oranges with citrus vinaigrette (Photo by Gemma and Andrew Ingalls)
California cook and gardener Valerie Rice releases a cookbook to bring seasonal dishes and drinks to your kitchen with “Lush Life: Food and Drinks from the Garden.”
Whether you grow something in your own garden or visit a local farmer’s market, each season, laid out in the book with gorgeous full-color photos, brings something delicious, simple and eye catching. Recipes are divided into sections by season, and in each season, by Drinks, Appetizers and Snacks, Soup and Salads, Main Dishes, Sides and Sweets. Since we are in the thick of spring, readers can peruse the chapter and find dishes like Marinated Baby Artichokes with White Wine, Creamy Risotto with Peas or Red Rhubarb Amaretto Torte to name a few. And there’s cocktails to be had as well for each season, using fruits and flavors from the garden like Three-Ingredient Mai Tais for spring.
Each chapter also has gardening tips, like what to plant during the spring so that you can have it in the summer, etc., so you can plan your food adventures all year long. And yes, there are even some things to be planting in winter.
For those interested in tending their own backyard gardens or who just want to find recipes to use with seasonal produce, this is the cookbook for them.
“Lush Life” is published by Prospect Park Books. It is $35.
You can try a recipe from the book below, with some Golden Beets & Blood Oranges with Citrus Vinaigrette.
Contact Amy Phelps at aphelps@newsandsentinel.com.
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From Lush Life: Food & Drinks from the Garden by Valerie Rice, Prospect Park Books 2021.
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GOLDEN BEETS AND BLOOD ORANGES WITH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE
6 to 8 Servings
Golden beets are typically a little sweeter and milder in flavor than their red counterpart, and they marry beautifully with tart, robust-tasting blood oranges. The citrus vinaigrette here complements the earthy beets without overpowering their amazing flavor. When selecting beets at the store, look for bunches with the leaves still attached. Here are a few reasons why:
1: If the leaves look fresh, chances are the beets are newer to the shelf.
2: Beet greens are super nutritious and can be made into Minty Ginger Green Juice, or Swiss Chard Chips.
3: The greens are versatile and can be used in lieu of chard in most recipes. Basically, you’re getting two veggies for the price of one, allowing more in your budget for, say, buying wine!
CITRUS VINAIGRETTE
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice (from 1 small orange)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from 1/2 small lemon)
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
SALAD
6 to 8 medium golden beets, tops removed, beets scrubbed clean
6 blood oranges
2 cups lightly packed watercress or mache
(about 2 ounces)
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Torn fresh mint leaves
FOR VINAIGRETTE: Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake to blend. (Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
FOR SALAD: Boil beets in boiling water until the tip of a small sharp knife easily pierces the center, about 30 minutes. Cool the beets slightly, then peel by rubbing with a paper towel and cut each into 6 wedges. Transfer beets to a bowl.
On a cutting board with a juice groove, use a sharp paring knife to cut off the top and bottom of each orange. Starting at the top, cut off the peel and the pith (the spongy white stuff lining the inside of the rind) by slicing it away from the fruit in a downward motion. Cut the peeled oranges into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place in a bowl with any reserved juices from the cutting board. The juice will help keep the slices from drying out, and any extra can be used to make the dressing. (Beets and oranges can be made 6 hours ahead; cover separately and refrigerate.)
Toss the beets and greens with a little vinaigrette. Arrange the beets and greens in a shallow bowl or platter (this helps keep the colors distinct) and tuck in the orange slices. If you toss the beets with the oranges, your salad will be all red and you won’t be able to decipher the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add more dressing, if needed. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with mint.
Kitchen note: Blood oranges can stain clothing and cutting boards. Make sure to fasten up your apron strings before tackling this salad and have plenty of clean dish towels on hand. It’s a messy job, but pays in delightful dividends!
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