Root to Stem

Reducing our water footprint

By Stephanie Cameron

More and more chefs and home cooks have embraced snout-to-tail and root-to-stem cooking. Although the concept of using every part of an animal or plant is not new, a movement to better utilize what has been food waste is gaining traction. Tossed food not only squanders money but wastes the energy and water used to grow and transport it. Further, when food waste breaks down in landfills it creates methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO 2. (See page 80, which illustrates our water footprint when it comes to food waste.) With the farmers markets coming into full swing this spring, you have the perfect opportunity to use the entire plant and do your part to reduce food waste.

BROCCOLI FRITTERS ANDFENNEL YOGURT

Makes 8 fritters

Fennel Yogurt

1 bulb of fennel, with stalks and fronds

6 ounces full-fat Greek yogurt

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Broccoli Fritters

2 medium heads of broccoli (3 cups chopped florets and stems)

1 large egg

1 tablespoon water

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese

1 small clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Avocado oil or vegetable oil for frying

Fennel Yogurt (make ahead)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Chop off the stalks of the fennel and separate from the fronds, keeping them for later. Slice off the bottom of the bulb where the layers connect. Keeping the layers together, slice across the bulb, width-wise, to create thin strips, and slice the stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Put on a sheet pan, sprinkle it with salt, and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Roast until golden-brown, about 10–15 minutes, then flip the fennel and roast for another 10 minutes. Cool and chop fennel into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine yogurt, chopped roasted fennel, half the fennel fronds (save the other half for finishing), lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix and refrigerate until ready to serve with fritters.

Broccoli Fritters

Preheat oven to 200°F. Separate broccoli florets from the biggest stem(s), cutting into 1-inch chunks. Slice stems into 1/4-inch lengths; this should equal about 3 cups of chopped broccoli. To steam broccoli until tender but not mushy, bring 1/2 inch of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add broccoli, cover, and simmer for 5–6 minutes. Drain broccoli, then set aside to cool slightly in a bowl.

In bottom of a large bowl, lightly beat 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water. Add flour, cheese, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper flakes. Use a potato masher or large fork to mash the broccoli just a bit. Keep the bits recognizable, but small enough (1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks) that you can press a mound of the batter into a fritter in the pan. Once mashed, fold the ingredients together with a spoon.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, drop a 2-tablespoon mound of the batter into the pan and flatten it slightly with a spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each fritter. Once brown underneath, about 2–3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1–2 minutes.

Transfer briefly to paper towels to drain, then to a baking sheet, and place in oven to keep warm while cooking remaining fritters. Serve with fennel yogurt.

PUREÉD FAVA BEANS WITH CARAMELIZED LEEKS

Serves 4

2 cups fresh fava beans (about 2 pounds of pods)*

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 leek sliced in 1/4-inch rounds, both white and green parts

Zest of 1/2 of a medium lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon red chile

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Pita chips or bread

Shell and peel fava beans before cooking. To open the pod, snap off the tip and pull down. Remove the beans from the pod and collect them in a bowl. Fill a mixing bowl with ice water (enough to cover the beans) and set aside. Fill a pot with water (enough to cover the beans) and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, blanch the fresh fava beans for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the blanched fava beans to the bowl of ice water. This will stop them from cooking any longer. Beans are now ready to peel; the skins should slip off fairly easily by pinching between your thumb and forefinger.

Purée the fava beans in a food processor with salt and pepper. Sauté the leeks in 2 teaspoons of olive oil with a pinch of salt over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Spread the puréed fava beans in a shallow bowl. Top evenly with the caramelized leeks and sprinkle with lemon zest. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, red chile, and sea salt. Drizzle oil over the top of the fava beans and leeks. Serve warm with pita chips or bread.

*Note: Canned or dried fava beans, or lima beans, can be used as an alternative.

CAULIFLOWER STEAK AND MASH WITH SALSA VERDE

Serves 2

Salsa Verde

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 cups beet greens, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into very thin ribbons

1/2 cup beet green stems, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon capers, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cauliflower and Mash

1 small head of cauliflower

1 garlic clove, finely grated

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 sprigs thyme

2 3-inch strips lemon peel

Salsa Verde (make ahead)

In a medium bowl, whisk oil with vinegar. Add beet greens and stems, garlic and capers; mix well. Season the salsa verde with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve with cauliflower.

Cauliflower and Mash

Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove only the toughest outer leaves from cauliflower, leaving tender inner leaves. Trim stem to create a flat base. Resting cauliflower on stem, cut in half from top to bottom, creating two lobes with stem attached. Trim largest edge of each lobe to create two 1 1/2-inch thick steaks; set aside. Chop remaining florets and stems very coarsely.

Cook florets in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, 6–8 minutes. Drain and combine in a food processor with garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and 1 tablespoon water until smooth; season with salt. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt, then add cauliflower steaks, thyme sprigs, and lemon peel. Cook, gently lifting cauliflower occasionally to let hot fat run underneath, until steaks are deep golden brown. (If thyme or lemon start to burn, place on top of steaks.) Turn steaks and season with salt. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until cauliflower stems are fork-tender, 10–15 minutes.

To serve, spoon about 1/3 cup cauliflower purée onto plates and place steaks on top. Spoon salsa over the top. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

GREEN GRAVY DISCO FRIES

Serves 4

Fries

5 sweet potatoes, julienned or spiralized with skins on

3 golden beets (save tops for Salsa Verde; see previous recipe)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt to taste

Gravy

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

6 large chard leaves and stems, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup vegetable stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pepper Salt to taste

Garnish

1/4 cup goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss sweet potatoes in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread in a single layer onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Peel and cut beets in half; cut into 1/2-inch strips. Transfer to the same bowl; add the remaining oil and toss to coat. Spread onto another parchment paper lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake both sweet potatoes and beets for 20–25 minutes, to desired crispness.

Meanwhile, make the green gravy. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter, then whisk in flour until there are no lumps. Add chard and toss lightly to coat leaves. Add vinegar and toss again. Remove from heat and cover to allow chard to steam. Set the skillet aside; the butter and flour on the bottom of the pan will help the gravy thicken. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine stock and cream; heat until just hot. Using a blender, purée the chard mixture and about 1/3 of the liquid until very smooth. Over medium-high heat, return the chard mixture to the same skillet. Slowly whisk in the remaining liquid and allow to cook until thickened to a good gravy consistency.

Serve fries “disco-style,” topped with green gravy and sprinkled with goat cheese and chopped parsley.