Help identifying vegetables and how to cook

[Panina]

These came in my farmers basket today. Never used them before. What are they, how do I cook and what do they taste like?

 

[geekette]

Big green dude seems to be a squash of some kind. There are so many varieties... I'd cut it in half and see what's happening with seeds in there. Some squash makes for great soup, can even cook it in its shell. If you aren't up for that, slice and grill. I've found that most any vegetable becomes extra yummy over fire. Not sure if this works for "any" squash, but with zucchini, I like to cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the centers to mix with meat and tomato, and stuff it back in, bake. Like a stuffed pepper.

I'm not sure what the others are. I would say parsnips just to hazard a guess.

 

[sue1947]

Acorn squash: cut in half or slice and bake.
Rutabaga: these are an old fashioned root vegetable. They are related to turnips but I like them a lot better. Use them anyway you would use potatoes, but especially in a stew. Actually, cut up the acorn squash and throw that in a stew/soup as well.
Sue

 

[Passepartout]

The big green one looks like an acorn squash. I pop off the stem then cut in half -pole to pole. Then use a spoon to scrape out the seeds in the inside. I bake 'em in a baking pan with about an inch or so of water in it. Cut side up with butter and some maple syrup in the cavity. About 350 degrees until fork tender- about an hour.

I'll go along with the brown ones being parsnips or rutabagas. Peel 'em, cut into 1/2-1" cubes and put them into soups

 

[wackymother]

That is definitely an acorn squash. They are very hard to cut. To make it easier, stab into the squash at one of the cracks and create a deep slit into the middle. Bake in oven at 400 for twenty minutes. Remove squash (careful, it's hot!) and put your knife into the slit and cut around to make two halves. The squash will be much softer and easier to cut after a bit of baking.

You can then remove the seeds if you like, or just put a little butter and salt in each cavity. Then bake at 400 until very soft, maybe 45 minutes?

 

[wackymother]

The other two are beets, not rutabagas or turnips or parsnips. To be sure, slice the tops off (but on a plate or something that won't stain). If it's red inside, it's a beet.

The easiest way to cook beets is in the pressure cooker. Do you have a pressure cooker?

 

[rhonda]

I like to juice my beets! Juice them along with other veggies that aren't too green: beets + carrots + ginger + turmeric + celery? Of course, you could also roast them or air fry to create beet-home-fries.

I love acorn squash baked in a low pan of water, halved, seeds removed, with shell side up. Serve with butter and cinnamon.

Edited to add recipes, as I've found them:
Acorn Squash

• Blue Apron, roasted as thin slices: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/ras-el-hanout-spiced-cod-couscous-with-acorn-squash-rainbow-chard.
  FWIW, I didn't care for the outcome. As deeply as I love ras el hanout (spice blend), preparing the squash in thin slices wasn't my favorite. It came out dry and rubbery rather than the sweet and creamy texture I favor when baked in a pan of shallow water.

 

[Passepartout]

Those beets are well camouflaged. I just boil them for however long it takes to make them tender. Cut up or sliced with butter- maybe sprinkled with malt vinegar. kind of an 'earthy' flavor. This if you don't have a pressure cooker. After boiling for 5 minutes or so, they'll peel very easily- just run cold water over them until they're cool enough to handle. Once peeled, return to the boiling water. Then scrub your hands and anything else the beets have stained!

 

[clifffaith]

That is definitely an acorn squash. They are very hard to cut. To make it easier, stab into the squash at one of the cracks and create a deep slit into the middle. Bake in oven at 400 for twenty minutes. Remove squash (careful, it's hot!) and put your knife into the slit and cut around to make two halves. The squash will be much softer and easier to cut after a bit of baking.

You can then remove the seeds if you like, or just put a little butter and salt in each cavity. Then bake at 400 until very soft, maybe 45 minutes?

That's a good trick! I won't buy the things whole because I can't cut them open. Love them baked with butter and salt & pepper.

 

[queenofthehive]

For the beets, I like to leave my whole with skins on and cook in slow cooker all day. After they are cooked, the skins are easy to peel. Since you only have 2, I would go with passepartout’s method above. I like to pickle them and store in a mason jar in the fridge. They are great to have at summer cook outs. To pickle them, I heat 1 cup apple cider vinegar with half a cup sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add a 1/2 tsp ( a couple shakes) of all spice. Have cooked and peeled beets sliced in mason jar and pour the cooled pickling juice over them. Store in fridge for few days before serving. Enjoy!

 

[queenofthehive]

Acorn squash - poke the skins like a baked potato so steam can be released while cooking. Put it in whole in the slow cooker with a cup or so water at the bottom. Cook until your can poke it easily with a knife. Remove, cut in half and then scoop out seeds and serve with butter or salt. Sometimes I fill them with a rice, ground beef (browned with onion and garlic), mushroom soup mixture and serve them that way.

 

[Firepath]

The other two are beets, not rutabagas or turnips or parsnips. To be sure, slice the tops off (but on a plate or something that won't stain). If it's red inside, it's a beet.

The easiest way to cook beets is in the pressure cooker. Do you have a pressure cooker?

I thought they were beets as well. We get them in our basket around Easter, for coloring eggs, which I've never done. I think you boil the eggs with the beets, then eat both.

 

[Passepartout]

These came in my farmers basket today. Never used them before. What are they, how do I cook and what do they taste like?

Panina, For recipes and cooking directions for unfamiliar dishes. Google (or Bing) is your friend. There are probably too many recipes for darn near anything than too few. You'll fairly quickly find sources you will come to trust. I understand in this case, the initial question was one of identity, but once that became clear, the cooling method followed quickly. Having a nice basket of fresh produce is a nice problem to have.

I think I posted last weekend that my DW joined a food co-op locally and we got our first goodie box Friday evening. There was so much stuff that I shared it around the neighborhood. I mean, what to do with 2 giant heads of cauliflower?!?! Now OTOH, the double hands full of asparagus was NO PROBLEM for the two of us.

JIm

 

[nerodog]

With beets you can make a yummy borscht soup. Check out recipes online.

 

[Bailey#1]

I like to juice my beets! Juice them along with other veggies that aren't too green: beets + carrots + ginger + turmeric + celery? Of course, you could also roast them or air fry to create beet-home-fries.

I love acorn squash baked in a low pan of water, halved, seeds removed, with shell side up. Serve with butter and cinnamon.

Edited to add recipes, as I've found them:
Acorn Squash

• Blue Apron, roasted as thin slices: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/ras-el-hanout-spiced-cod-couscous-with-acorn-squash-rainbow-chard.
  FWIW, I didn't care for the outcome. As deeply as I love ras el hanout (spice blend), preparing the squash in thin slices wasn't my favorite. It came out dry and rubbery rather than the sweet and creamy texture I favor when baked in a pan of shallow water.

We usually Juice them as well. We add a little apple juice as well as carrots, a little ginger(very little), and whatever else we have around.

With a acorn squash we usually bake and scoop out mix with maple syrup and cinnamon (or brown sugar instead of maple syrup).

 

[MULTIZ321]

With beets you can make a yummy borscht soup. Check out recipes online.

AND A DOLLOP OF SOUR CREAM

 

[wackymother]

I thought they were beets as well. We get them in our basket around Easter, for coloring eggs, which I've never done. I think you boil the eggs with the beets, then eat both.

You can cook the beets and then use the red water to boil the eggs. You can also dye eggs with onion skins--they come out a nice yellow!

 

[GetawaysRus]

Acorn squash (and butternut squash) can also be microwaved. Halve it, scoop out seeds, place it in a covered microwave safe dish with some water in the bottom of the dish. Microwave until soft. It takes a while... I'd probably check it after 10-12 minutes, but expect it might take longer. I like it simple, with some margarine mashed in, but you can add other ingredients if desired (such as brown sugar if you want it sweet).

 

[Monykalyn]

Acorn squash - poke the skins like a baked potato so steam can be released while cooking. Put it in whole in the slow cooker with a cup or so water at the bottom. Cook until your can poke it easily with a knife. Remove, cut in half and then scoop out seeds and serve with butter or salt. Sometimes I fill them with a rice, ground beef (browned with onion and garlic), mushroom soup mixture and serve them that way.

my mouth just watered at the stuffed squash!

 

[Monykalyn]

Panina-you picked a couple high antioxidant veggies! enjoy!

 

[Quilter]

I’m so glad Panina brought this up. While I have many cookbooks and google recipes all the time I was just thinking last night about asking what Tuggers do with their beets.

We have been eating lots of them for the past 4 months. It’s been a staple in the grocery shop to keep on hand. Here’s what I’ve been doing for 4 months....

I like to get them with the tops on. Fresher the better. When unpacking groceries I cut tops off with kitchen scissors, leaving a “crew cut“ of leaf stubble. I want to keep the “root” of the beet fresh so I don’t whack off the top like the ones in the picture. Discard any really tired outer leaves.

I use Debbie Meyer Green Bags to store produce. It keeps nicely. Put roots in one bag and greens in another. Greens can be sautéed, salad, in soup, chopped into rice, smoothies.

The root bulb can be peeled or simply scrubbed. Yesterday I just scrubbed, cut off the top and leaf stubble, quartered, rubbed with olive oil, sprinkled with mineral salt. Roast 350 for 1/2 hr. We had them for lunch with roasted sweet potato “fries” and roasted mushrooms. I put tamari sauce on my plate for added depth. Goat cheese would have been good too.

Sometimes I peel and quarter and they get thrown in with everything else in the roasted chicken dinner.

Debbie Meyer Green Bags- 20 (8M, 8L, 4XL) – Keeps Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers, Fresh Longer, Reusable, BPA Free, Made in USA - Walmart.com

Buy Debbie Meyer Green Bags- 20 (8M, 8L, 4XL) – Keeps Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers, Fresh Longer, Reusable, BPA Free, Made in USA at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

 

[Quilter]

I mean, what to do with 2 giant heads of cauliflower?!?! Now OTOH, the double hands full of asparagus was NO PROBLEM for the two of us.

JIm

We are going through lots of cauliflower too. DD didn’t have food processor for me to “rice” it so we bought frozen riced cauliflower. We simply sautéed in a good fat and season to taste. I like chopping parsley to add to the pot. Extra nutrition and makes it pretty. Can add whatever you want like onion or garlic.

Now that I’m home I can rice a whole head in my cuisinart.

I have a recipe for a flat bread made with riced cauliflower. It’s easy and delish! Will add recipe to the thread later as I just sat down with cup of coffee and the cat is sleeping on my lap. Her whiskers and ear are twitching and I don’t have the heart to disturb her.

Edited to add recipe. Man came home and fetched cookbook for me.

Cheesy Breadsticks or Pizza Crust

1 head cauliflower or 1-1/2 bag frozen
3 c mozzarella
1 c egg white
1/2 c Parmesan
1/2 tsp mineral salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2-3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley
Toppings: salt, red pepper, minced garlic, Italian seasoning

1. Preheat oven 425
2. Process cauliflower past rice size to snow size
3. Put snow in large bowl. Add 1 cup mozzarella, egg whites, Parmesan, salt, oregano, garlic powder, parsley.
4. Using spatula or hands spread out in large rectangle taking up most space on baking sheet ( I use parchment paper on baking sheet). Don’t let sides get wispy as they will burn.
5. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with mozzarella. Add other toppings to your liking. Bake another 5. Cut into desired size.

 

[geist1223]

We like to quarter or cut into eights and roast beets like potatoes.

 

[AnnieBets]

Acorn squash tastes similar to butternut squash.

 

[nerodog]