Tags
carrot, do chua (turnip/radish carrot pickles), nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce), pickles, recipes, Swiss Chard, swiss chard Bright Lights, swiss chard rolls, turnip, turnips
Last week we had a couple of days of a warm spell, so I went out to check on the garden. Yesterday, it was freezing and snowing like nobody’s business (9 inches of snow forced the township to close schools today, yay!), so I went out to check on the garden.
Have I become a true gardener? Isn’t that the mark of a true gardener when you can’t stand just looking at your plants from the window, but must get up close and personal with them and feel their frozen butts? Sorry, I mean leaves, plants have no butts. It was mine that was freezing. Anyway, I thought I heard somewhere that when you start feeling sorry for your plants, that’s when you ARE a gardener.
So, I’d like to show you some of the gems I found from my excursions to the garden, and the dinner that they inspired. Remember it’s December. What little nature has to offer truly is amazing and generous.
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Turnip and Carrot Quick Pickles
If you’ve had bahn mi sandwiches (Vietnamese hoagies) before, you know that their tantalizing taste comes not only from the meat and the herbs in them, but from the daikon and carrot pickles (do chua) as well. This is my take on the pickles. Using turnips instead of radish. I’m forever doing things Angie’s way. Really, recipes are guidelines I feel. You do what you want, based on your preference or what you have.
I prefer my pickles to be on the sweet side, but you can adjust the amount of sugar to your liking. I also added shallots, green onions, and black peppercorns in my pickles. I hate to repeat myself, but…Angie’s way.
2 turnips, julienned (about 2 cups), or use daikon radishes
2 carrots, julienned (about 2 cups)
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
A few whole peppercorns
1. Mix water, vinegar, salt, peppercorns, and sugar in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil, just until sugar dissolves. Let it cool before adding vegetables. You don’t want to cook them. If you’re using shallots, you can add them sooner, when the liquid is still hot, but not boiling. Shallots don’t mind the heat as much as turnips and carrots.
2. Add turnips (or daikons), carrots, and green onions (if using) when liquid is warm or cool.
3. Store pickles in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before using.
The pickles are good in sandwiches or salads, and especially perfect to top Vietnamese Noodle Salad, which I always crave, summer or winter. But the salad must be tossed in nuoc cham, or I would not crave it.
Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)
Probably the most important dipping sauce for a Vietnamese meal, absolutely indispensable. I find that I’m unable to stop myself from dipping anything into it whenever I have it. Meat, vegetables, spring rolls, noodles, rice, anything! Well, except desserts, of course.
1/4 cup fish sauce
3/4 cup warm water
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
1 small hot chili pepper, sliced thin (optional)
Shredded carrot and/or chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
In a small bowl, mix all ingredients and stir to dissolve sugar. Garnish with shredded carrots or chopped cilantro.
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I was talking to Robbie about Swiss Chard and then I saw Laura’s fusion banh mi tacos. It was destiny. I had to make Swiss Chard rolls. You know, like summer rolls, except with blanched chard leaves as the wrapping. I already had nuoc cham for dipping them in, anyway, but you can also dip them in peanut hoisin sauce, if you prefer.
Don’t be silly, I didn’t use the carrots found from my foraging in any of the recipes. They did make for cute garnish, though.
You can use other leaves in place of the chards. Kale or collard greens are both perfect substitutes. And Robbie, since we’re talking about Swiss Chard, I have other suggestions for them. Swiss Chard pakoras or thoran sounds pretty good to me. Maybe next time. There really wasn’t a lot to harvest. Maybe if I build a cold frame around them, I could extend my harvest? Oh, hubby! Calling hubby! Can you make me a cold frame?
Your photographs really stand out as do your recipes. Lovely flavours – the pickle is something I would love to try.
Maria, that was so nice of you say. The pickles were so easy to make, give it a try, Maria, and let me know what you think. You can reduce the sugar if you prefer it to be more on the sour/salty side. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Maria! XOXO, Angie.
(lol) Not what I would call foraging, but it’s a start. Lovely photos as usual!
Haha…that’s how I forage, which is how I garden. I scatter seeds willy-nilly, then forget about it, and then when everything goes wild, I’ll go out and gather. I wanted to say I garden, but was afraid real gardeners take offense. Maybe I should coin a new phrase, foragardening. That’s it! Lol…Angie.
This is gorgeous my dear.. I remember eating daikon, carrots, beets and radishes in winter time. My dad would cut them thin and would add drip lemon juice, salt and sometimes tangy “chaat” masala and we would just eat them like that.
South East Asian julienned pickles have always fascinated with their tastes. Love the ginger pickle and others.
Yours look beautiful. I loved the A in the dipping sauce. Will make the pickle and the Swiss chard rolls are super cute and bet tasty too..
Can I skip the fish sauce in the dip?
Sonal
Mmm…lemon juice and salt on veggies sound so refreshing, my kind of food! Not sure what you can substitute for fish sauce. Maybe soy sauce, but the flavor wouldn’t be the same. I think just adding salt would be alright. I heard some people use vegemite as a vegan option. I haven’t tried it, and faintly remember the taste of vegemite, having had it only a couple of times a long time ago. But give it a try, Sonal. Maybe you’ll discover a new taste! 🙂 Thanks, dear, always a pleasure to discuss new possibilities with you. XOXO.
:). I always look forward to your posts Angie !
Have I ever asked you, which part of the world is your home?
I am in Cincinnati Ohio USA
I’m near Philadelphia, Sonal. Not too far from Ohio, eh? XOXO.
What are the chances. I lived in chads ford PA and Avondale PA and Wilmington DE for a long time..on and off 🙂
those vegetables look lovely, and the banh mi too! your cold weather photos and pickled carrots make me crave that hot fresh-off-the-street grilled meatball banh mi I had in saigon!
Now, I’m craving grilled meatballs and want to go to Saigon! So, we’re even-steven! Thanks for stopping, Sonya. XOXO, Angie.
Nice harvest, you are a true gardener for sure. Love your quick pickle and Swiss chard leaves wrap idea.
Hi, Angie. Yay for school being closed… but nine inches of snow? Oh me, oh my. Extra knickers and long johns needed! I am, too, sorry to hear your garden is in distress (tear!) but elated at your finds. Looks at what it inspired… an amazing relish for a bahn mi and flavorful broth. I adore Vietnamese foods, but would have probably simply roasted the gorgeous turnip and light carrots in olive oil. You are a culinary explorer. I hope hubby builds you the frame you need to up your winter crop. Have a great night… and stay *warm*. Best regards, Shanna
Schools are closed again today, Shanna, and tomorrow!
Hubby usually always comes through. He brought in a supply of firewood for the next few days so we can stay warm and cozy. I love it when the family is together with nowhere to go! I’m sure you understand the feeling, having Abba working so hard and time with family is so precious. Thank you, dear friend, for your visit, always a pleasure. XOXO, Angie.
Hi, Angie,
I am warmed at thought of your beautiful family, all close, snuggling together by a warm fire. Wonderful mum, dad – and sweet kids. Nothing better. Enjoy it. And thank you for your sympathetic comment about “Abba.” You are always so thoughtful – always. Take good care! Best, Shanna xx P.S. If you go out on the roads, be very safe!
Wow, you’ve grown so much! Very impressive. I am a veryyy novice gardener as I just started a veggie patch. I laughed at your line about becoming a gardener when you feel sorry for your plants – I think my boyfriend thinks I’m crazy! I do feel sorry for plants a lot though/ sad when they die. My tomatoes all just got wilt virus from the rain ( who knew, you’d think they’d evolve away from dying in the rain), so I still have a lot to learn.
Genevieve
www.
Genevieve, I’m still learning as well, but I’ve been following several great garden blogs and starting to see and feel my thumb getting greener…lol…can that happen from just reading blogs? Thanks for laughing along with me. So glad to find someone who understands why I go out and put blankets on my plants! Nice meeting you, btw. XOXO, Angie.
Nice meeting you too Angie – which blogs do you recommend? Haha I hope you can get a greener thumb just from reading blogs! Xx
I have several favorite gardeners. One of them is http://annieskitchengarden.blogspot.com/
She has an amazing garden and grows tons of veggies for her family in her typical suburban lot. http://gardentowok.wordpress.com/ is another favorite. She does experiments that I find very useful. Oh, there are more, of course. One of these days, I’ll make a list. 🙂
Excellent, thanks – I’ll take a look 🙂
I love the idea of pickling turnip and carrots! I normally do radish and carrot but never thought to use my turnip the same way. And it’s just the right timing that you wrote about this and I stumbled upon it as I’ve just harvested our last turnip a few days ago…a little old but should do. Thanks for sharing!
P.S. I love Bahn Mi too 🙂
Oh, great! So glad I was able to give you an idea to turn your turnip into pickles. Every bit as good as radish, if not better. Less sharp, and sweeter, actually. I’m completely addicted to banh mi myself, can never get enough! 🙂
What great photographs! 😀 I love reading about your garden exploits across the seasons, it’s really interesting. :3
I am just one crazy forager/gardener, foragardener! I think my curiosity just got the better of me most of the time. What’s going on out there, what are those plants doing now? What if I scatter seeds down here or over there, etc. Lol! So glad you like the photography and all my garden exploits, Nell! XOXO, Angie.
I love this! Definitely have to try that dipping sauce. We’ve been trying to find something light and tasty to go with our spring rolls, egg rolls, and such. Oh and I love gardening… this is such an awesome article. I second the cold frame too!
Thank you, Stephanie. The dipping sauce is definitely light, and the lime juice makes it refreshing.You gotta try it!
That does it, the decision is made. Stephanie agrees with the cold frame, so I have to have it! 🙂 Just have to find an easy model to make or put together. Hubby doesn’t exactly have a lot of time for this kind of stuff. If only I knew how to use a saw and a hammer! lol…XOXO, Angie.