45 / 56
ROUSES.COM
43
SOUTHERN ROOTS
Our roots are planted firmly in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
LeeKs
Leeks look like huge green onions, with large white bulbs, long, thick white stalks, and fan-
shaped green leaves. They’re a member of the onion family, which includes onions, shallots,
garlic, chives and, of course, green onions, but are sweeter and have a milder flavor. Leeks
take to bacon like red beans to rice, and they’re especially good roasted with root vegetables
or Brussels sprouts.
HOW TO STORE:
You can keep fresh, unwashed, untrimmed leeks
in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator for one week.
ROUSES CHEF SAYS:
Leeks need to be thoroughly cleaned before cooking. Remove the
root fringes on the bulb and the leaves and dark green part of the stem (keep the light green
part). Split in half length wise and soak in cold water for a few minutes before cooking.
turnips
If you’re only eating turnip leaves, or greens, you’re missing out. Turnip roots, especially
smaller, sweeter ones, more tender ones, are excellent roasted, mashed and sautéed. Turnips
tend to have white-flesh and white or white and purple skin. Their lager cousins, rutabagas,
are more likely to have yellow flesh and a purple-tinged yellow skin.
HOWTO STORE:
Cut
the greens off turnips and store in a Ziploc bag in the vegetable drawer for up to 5 days.
Turnip roots and rutabagas can be stored unwashed, tightly wrapped in a plastic bag in the
vegetable drawer for up to 2 weeks.
ROUSES CHEFS SAYS:
The trick to peeling a round
vegetable like a turnip or rutabaga is to cut off the top and bottom so it lies flat.
JerusaLem artichoKes
Despite the name, Jerusalem artichokes are in no way related to globe artichokes. Knobby
with a thin brown skin, and an appearance that closely resembles fresh ginger root, Jerusalem
artichokes are actually members of the sunflower family, which explains their nutty, rich,
slightly sweet flavor. They are good raw, roasted, boiled, steamed or even fried.
HOW TO
STORE:
You can keep these tubers loose in a cool, dark place such as your pantry for up to
1 week.
ROUSES CHEF SAYS:
Like an apple, a Jerusalem artichoke will turn brown once
it is cut, so drop slices into a bowl of water and lemon juice as you go.
parsnips
Parsnips may pale in color
compared to carrots, but not
in flavor. And while they look
like carrots, the two are not
actually related. Parsnips have
a creamy-yellow skin and flesh,
and a nutty, spicy flavor. They’re
less sugary than carrots, but
still slightly sweet. Parsnips are
great roasted, added to soups,
or mashed like potatoes.
HOW
TO STORE:
Store parsnips in
a plastic bag in the vegetable
drawer of your refrigerator for
up to 1 week. (Carrots should be
stored the same way.)
ROUSES
CHEF SAYS:
Parsnips are
another vegetable that will
discolor when exposed to air.
Use a mixture of lemon juice
and cold water to keep them
from turning brown.
roasted root Vegetables
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
1
small turnip,
peeled and cut lengthwise into quarters
2
medium carrots,
peeled and cut lengthwise in half
2
medium parsnips,
peeled and cut lengthwise in half
1
small red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
⅓
cup Rouses Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6
cloves garlic, mashed
1
1-inch piece of fresh ginger,
peeled and minced
1
tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2
sprigs fresh thyme
2
sprigs fresh rosemary
Kosher salt, to taste
Rouses black pepper, to taste
HOW TO PREP
Heat oven to 425°.
Place turnips, carrots, parsnips and onions in a large
bowl. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive
oil, garlic, ginger and lemon juice, and season with
thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper. Pour mixture
over vegetables and toss until evenly coated.
Transfer vegetables to a rimmed baking sheet
and cook for 45 minutes on the bottom rack of
the oven. Remove from oven, stir vegetables, and
return to top rack of oven. Continue cooking for
an additional 45 minutes or until vegetables are
golden brown and tender.
at season’s peaK