FOOD RoFLASH IN THE PAotN s rock

Alas, my farmer friend Mixing and broke the sad news: Early that morning, as he was matching transferring the pebbles from their burlap sack winter tubers into their quart cartons, a gentleman made an offer By Ari LeVaux on the entire sack. The More Content Now offer was accepted, and the pebbles were gone. was on the hunt for “Oh well, next week I the winter pebbles, an guess,” I said. “Unfor- assortment of turnips, tunately, that’s it for the I potatoes, carrots, season,” he replied. They Visit your market and keep beets, parsnips and winter were now out of turnips your eyes peeled for your radishes that some enter- and storage radishes for local “winter pebbles” mix, or prising farmers at my local the year, which means the create your own. [ARI LEVAUX] market sell as a mix. They winter pebbles mix could look like a basket of gleam- no longer be complete. ing jewels. They remind So there I was, forced by Winter Pebble Tart • 10-ounce piece of goat colored, about 8 minutes. me of Fruity Pebbles, the fate to do what I could have cheese Turn off the heat, add the breakfast of Flintstones. done all along: buy a bunch Serves 4 • 1 rolled piece of pie dough vinegar and a pinch of salt, Storage crops are typi- of different roots, and mix • 1 large potato, sliced into or pizza dough (or you can and stir it in. cally harvested in the fall them together myself. ½-inch rounds skip this part and proceed and kept cool and fresh But I kept wondering: • 1 large carrot, sliced into with the roots) Pour the vinegar mixture all winter. Homesteaders What was the gentleman ½-inch rounds into a 9-inch pie pan. Scatter would store these tubers in going to do with that huge • 1 medium parsnip, peeled Preheat oven to 400. Toss the sage and rosemary over aptly named root cellars, sack of winter pebbles? It’s and sliced into ½-inch rounds the sliced roots in oil and the caramel. Arrange the along with squash, sides of one thing to buy a small • 5 Brussels sprouts, sliced season with salt and pepper. sliced roots artfully atop the bacon, apples and what- amount of vegetables and in half Arrange them in a single layer herbs, using pieces to stuff ever else they could squir- cook them right away, but • 1 small red onion, sliced into on a baking pan. Roast until the holes. Sprinkle with the rel away. The pandemic storing a diverse assort- ½-inch rounds golden and tender, about 40 onion slices and crumbled has made us contemplate ment of root crops in the • ¼ cup olive oil minutes. Remove from the goat cheese. Cover the whole various end-of-the-world same bag like that can be • Salt and pepper oven and allow to cool. thing with the rolled dough, 1 scenarios, and brought risky. Each type of tuber • ⁄3 cup sugar if using, and bake it at 400 for out the inner “prepper” in will have different storage • 1 tablespoon white wine Cook the sugar in 2 table- another 20 minutes, or until many people. It sounds fun needs. Radishes, for exam- vinegar spoons of water in a thick the dough is nicely crusted. and romantic, but the diet ple, do better in plastic • 1 tablespoon fresh rose- bottomed saucepan on could get old, and any via- bags, while potatoes, garlic mary, chopped medium heat, stirring as Remove from the oven to ble attempt to live off the and many others prefer • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, necessary to prevent burning, cool, and invert the pan over land would mean coming mesh. If you’re buying a chopped until the mixture is amber a plate to serve. to terms with turnips, and large volume of roots and some of the other harder- planning on storing them, to-appreciate roots, it’s actually wiser to buy of the land. Visit your until soft, those combined add some of the honor- including celeriac, rutabaga and store them separately. market and keep your roots create an array of ary root crops like squash and Jerusalem artichoke. Winter pebbles is more eyes peeled for your local delicious flavors. The bit- or Brussels sprouts. I had been thinking about of a way of cooking than a “winter pebbles” mix, or ter flames of turnips and If that is not enough winter pebbles a lot after specific mix of roots. It’s create your own by choos- radish create a sharp con- micromanagement for you, they first caught my eye, a way of getting to know ing from different stands. trast to the sweet, mellow here is a recipe for a root and had decided to buy what’s local in winter, Tossed in olive oil, salt carrots. Maybe next time tart from Kate, the co- some at the next market. and of tasting the flavors and pepper, and roasted you’ll skip the turnips. Or inventor of winter pebbles.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FLEUR DE LOLLY

TIP OF THE WEEK degrees Fahrenheit for Smoking meats correctly the best results. These Italian casserole starts with baked rigatoni lower temperatures Smoking food does generally won’t cause take awhile, but you the meat’s cell walls don’t have to be a pit- to burst, which helps master to enjoy the make the meat more deliciousness of your succulent and allows favorite meats. Here’s it to retain nutrients. how you can get started on smoking, according DRINK LauraTolbert to TheManual.com: Probiotic coffee and tea • Pick meats that will benefit from the slow- Food scientists at the ne of my daugh- cooking process. Don’t National University ter’s favorite dishes shy away from cuts with of Singapore recently Ofrom Tellini’s Pasta lots of connective tis- announced they have Market is their Italian cas- sue and fat known as created new probiotic serole. Begin with a cheesy “marbling.” A generous coffee and tea drinks baked rigatoni, which is marble will make the that contain more than heaven on a plate as is, but finished product more 1 billion units of gut- top it with a zesty marinara Baked Rigatoni Italian Casserole Topped with Marinara Sauce. succulent. Some meats friendly live probiot- sauce. It’s the best of both [LAURA TOLBERT] to use include beef bris- ics. While traditional worlds when you can’t ket, pork shoulder, thick probiotic carriers like decide whether you’re softened. Add garlic and let non-stick spray. steaks, tri-tip, chuck- yogurts and cultured craving an Alfredo or mari- cook for a minute longer. eye or chicken breast. milk are dairy-based nara sauce-based dish. Add tomatoes, Italian season- In a large saucepan (at least 2 • Brining your meat products, researchers As a surprise for her, ing and sugar, and bring to a quarts), heat butter and olive keeps it from drying said their coffee and tea I attempted to recre- simmer. Cover and let cook oil over medium heat. Add out during the smoking drinks are non-dairy and ate the recipe. I believe for 30 to 45 minutes. During flour and, stirring constantly, process. Brine is salty plant-based beverages I came really close! the last few minutes of cook- let it cook until it is a light water, but adding herbs can be stored chilled or ing, add the red wine vinegar brown color. Slowly add in and spices can enhance at room temperature for Baked Rigatoni Italian and black pepper. Taste and milk, stirring constantly, and the flavor. For optimal more than 14 weeks. Casserole Topped with add a little salt if needed. allow the mixture to thicken moisture retention, soak Marinara Sauce slightly. your meat in a brine FUN FACT Now for the casserole: for 10-12 hours before Cheese Make the marinara sauce • 16-ounce box rigatoni, Add the cheeses a little at a smoking. To make a topping first: cooked according to package time until blended and evenly good base, add 3 table- Cheese is the most • 2 tablespoons olive oil directions and drained melted. Stir in pepper, salt spoons of salt to 1 quart stolen food in the world. • 1 medium yellow onion, • 2 tablespoons butter and dried parsley flakes. of water, then throw in About 4% of all cheese finely chopped • 2 tablespoons olive oil Remove from heat and stir whatever else you prefer. made around the globe • 1 teaspoon minced garlic • 2 tablespoons flour into drained rigatoni noodles. • Keep your tempera- ends up being stolen. • 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed • 3 cups milk ture between 212 degrees tomatoes • 3/4 cup finely shredded Par- Pour casserole mixture into Fahrenheit and 230 More Content Now • 2 tablespoons dried Italian mesan, plus extra for topping a prepared baking dish and seasoning • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cover with foil. Cook for 25 • 1 teaspoon sugar • 24 ounces ricotta cheese minutes and remove foil. • 1 tablespoon red wine • 1 teaspoon white pepper Sprinkle more Parmesan vinegar • 1 teaspoon salt cheese on top and return to • A few grinds of black pepper • 1 teaspoon dried parsley oven for 10 more minutes. flakes Allow to rest for about 5 min- In a medium saucepan, heat utes. Top each serving with olive oil over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 350 marinara sauce. Add a fresh Add onions and let them degrees and spray a 9-by- green salad and breadsticks, BIGSTOCK cook for 4 to 5 minutes until 13-ince casserole dish with and you have a delicious meal.