Radish Pods, What?

Do not fear! Just crunch! Pods may be eaten raw or cooked. They are excellent as a snack or added to salads. They may be pickled in vinegar, or lightly stir-fried. In India they are cooked in ghee and used in curries. Pods lose pungency with cooking. They are best when freshly picked, but may be kept chilled for a month or more.

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Nopales and Scrambled Eggs

Serves 6-8

8 nopales (cactus leaves)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 eggs, lightly beaten

Use a sharp knife to cut off the spikes from the cactus leaves, if necessary (be very careful as you do this). Cut the trimmed nopales into 1/4-inch strips. In a large frying pan over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and nopales and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the nopales are tender and most of their liquid had evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the eggs and cook, stirring, until the eggs and nopales are combined and the eggs are set, about 3 minutes.

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Sauteed Dandelion Greens

Serves 8

3 pound dandelion greens, tough lower stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Cook greens in a 10-to 12-quart pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 8 quarts water), uncovered, until ribs are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking and drain well, gently pressing out excess water.
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring, until pale golden, about 45 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high, then add greens and sea salt and sauté until coated with oil and heated through, about 4 minutes.

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Fennel and Potato Hash

Serves 2-4

2 small fennel bulbs with fronds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes, patted dry
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

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Cut fennel into 1/2-inch cubes (there should be about 4 scant cups). Finely chop enough fennel fronds to measure 1/4 cup. Cook fennel in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 minutes. Drain; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes. Cook until golden and crisp, turning often, 20 to 25 minutes. Using potato masher, crush potatoes in skillet. Add fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook until fennel is golden, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve hot.

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Tricolor Salad of Endive, Beet, and Arugula

Serves 4

2 beets (can substitute golden or chioga)1/2 cup roughly chopped pistachios (can substitute almonds or hazelnuts)

2 yellow endive
4 cups arugula
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (can substitute white balsamic or champagne)
1 1/4 cups light pure olive oil
1 minced, medium shallot
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch white sugar
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Place washed, but not trimmed or peeled beets on top of 1 cup salt on a baking sheet, and roast in a 350 degrees F oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until fork-tender. Let cool. Wearing gloves or holding with a piece of plastic wrap, cut off stems, and peel. Cut each beet in half, cut in 1/2 inch slices, then medium dice by cutting in the opposite direction. Toast nuts in a 400 degrees F oven for 15 minutes, tossing once. Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients, mixing well, adding nuts when cool. Trim the end of the endive, cut in half, separating the leaves for each half, but reforming each as 1/2 a head of endive. For each salad, place 1/2 cup beets, 1 cup arugula, an 1/2 endive on a plate. For each salad begin with 1/3 cup vinaigrette, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Toss each of the three components, separately in the vinaigrette, making sure to toss the beets last. Top with 1/8 cup of shaved parmesan. Repeat for remaining three salads. Serve immediately. Reserve left-over dressing.

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Roasted Parsnips with Parsley

Serves 4

2 pounds medium parsnips, peeled, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss first 3 ingredients in bowl. Spread parsnips in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Dot with butter.
Roast parsnips 20 minutes. Using tongs, turn parsnips; roast until browned and soft, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer parsnips to plate and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley.

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Honey-Glazed Carrots with Green Onions

Serves 2-4

1 lb baby carrots (think 1-2 bites, leave the skinny parts whole, halve or quarter fat ones) or 1 lb carrot, peeled, washed, and sliced into sticks about the size of baby carrots 
2 tablespoons butter
1 large garlic clove, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons honey 
salt and pepper
1/4 cup green onion tops, cut small (about 3-4 green onions once you discard the very tops and the white parts) or 1 tablespoon dried chives
Salt a large saucepan full of water and bring to a rapid boil. Add carrots and boil 5-7 minutes, until tender. Drain. In a large skillet or saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove garlic and discard. Add the honey, stirring to blend. Add carrots and salt and pepper to taste (it doesn't need much, a few shakes should do it). Stir around until carrots are coated. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, until carrots begin to brown. (You may need to increase heat to medium-high on some stoves.) Pour carrots and all the "juices" into a serving bowl. Add green onions and toss.
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