Tamari is a kind of dark, rich soy sauce produced mainly in the Chūbu region of Japan. Tamari is considered the closest thing to the original soy sauce, which was a watered-down extension of fermented miso paste. Tamari is generally thicker than soy sauce and has a slightly richer, more balanced flavor.
Generally wheat-free, tamari is a favorite of people on a gluten-free diet.
Recipe: Crispy Sweet And Sour Tofu (VeganYumYum)
Recipe: Vegan Sausage Chili With Apples And Black Beans (VeganYumYum)
Together, celery, carrots and onions make up mirepoix, the classic French trio that's a base for sauces, soups, and stews. Celery itself is underrated -- it can be the star of any dish. It's especially delicious alone, in stir-frys and matched with other vegetables in salads.To dice it, first rinse the stalks well, especially between the bottoms. Cut off and discard the flared out white bottom end, since it tends to be tough.Next, cut the stalk into even sections. This will make it easier to make lengthwise strips.Cut the sections into lengthwise strips. Make the strips narrow for a small dice, and wide for a large dice.Then just slice across the strips crosswise to make the dice.
what you should know
The carrot is the Emmylou Harris of vegetables, best known for backing harmonies but really deserving of more attention for the solo work.
To wit, look up carrot in the index of most cookbooks and you'll find plenty of dishes that have carrot in them. What you won't find a lot of are carrot recipes -- recipes with "carrot" in the title.
Which is a shame: this orange root's sweet, earthy flavor and year-round availability should elevate it well beyond its role as a staple base vegetable. (For what it's worth, the carrot is Britain's third favorite vegetable.)
stick with sticks Unless you're into watery, processed nubs, avoid so-called baby carrots. Get fresh and slender carrots when you can, as they tend to be the tastiest. If you buy larger, older carrots, peel them and cut out their musty, woody core. Got a bunch of carrots that have gone soft? Revive them in an ice bath before using them.
what's up, doc? Carrots are rich in beta carotene, an orange pigment that gives the carrot its color. The body converts carotene to Vitamin A, a nutrient important for vision and bone growth. On the advice of the family doctor, Chip's father-in-law used to eat one carrot a day. After work. Reading the paper. With a martini.
roots Seventy years ago, Dorothea Lange spent time in and around Holtville, California, the "Carrot Capital of the World". Her photos from the area are worth looking at every now and then when you're feeling insufficiently thankful.
what you need
Do you Y peel or swivel?
Do you dump chopped vegetables right from the cutting board into the pan (and, like Chip, end up spilling them all over the stove)? Why not use a pastry scraper to transport them? Or you could use these cool melamine bowls to store the prepped veggies in until you're ready use them.
We're in prime carrot-planting season. If you've got a small patch of earth somewhere -- even a bare spot of the flower garden will do -- pick out some seeds and grow your own. If you're new to gardening, consult either Louise Rotte's Carrots Love Tomatoes or Sally Jean Cunningham's Great Gardening Companions.
Greatest carrot moment in the history of movies? In Gone with the Wind, when Scarlett rips a carrot from the earth and says, "...As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!"
what you do
Glazed carrots shine in contrast alongside a good steak. They shine as bright on their own. Even as dessert.
Let's say you've got only 20 minutes to prepare something filling for a vegetarian dropping by for an impromptu dinner: consider this citrus-thyme couscous with peas and carrots.
Same situation but it's a carnivore? Try this linguine with andouille, carrot and tarragon.
Carrots add sweetness and texture to black bean burritos with cilantro.
With so many variations, carrot salad never gets old: a basic carrot-mint salad, a grated carrot and celeriac salad, a Thai carrot-cucumber salad.
Could you use a muffin?
The basis for most soups, many sauces and gravies is a good quality stock or broth. Vegetable broth is one of the most versatile components in a cook's repetoire and it's so easy to make at home!
Starting with the best ingredients will always make the best product. The freshest celery, carrots and onions will make the best mirepoix, which is the de rigeur starting point for a quality vegetable broth.
Sweating the vegetables in a little oil or butter will start the cooking process and allow them to release all of their flavor into the water. Roasting the vegetables in a hot oven is another good way to develop the rich, caramelized notes that are so appealing in soups. You can add in leeks, parsnips or tomato paste to alter the flavor to your taste. Classic additions like whole black peppercorns and bay leaves introduce aromatic layers of flavor.
The best advice for making a good vegetable broth is to take your time. Many recipes for stocks and broths claim that 45 minutes to 1 hour is adequate time to cook all the flavor out of the vegetables, but you may want to keep simmering your stock for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Start tasting it about 45 minutes in and continue every 20 minutes until it tastes full-bodied.
Here's a basic method:
Take equal parts of chopped carrots and celery and sauté them in the stockpot with a double portion of onions. Cut all the vegetables the same size so that the vegetables cook evenly. This is your mirepoix.
Sauté the mirepoix in a little butter or vegetable oil until soft. Use medium heat to just sweat the vegetables, not color them. If using tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, add them to the soft vegetables and cook for 5 minutes to eliminate the raw tomato taste.
Cover your sweated vegetables with enough cold water to cover the vegetables by a few inches.
Add in a bouquet garní made from bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley stems or other herbs.
Bring to a slow boil on medium-high heat; this may take 10-15 minutes. Lower the heat so that the broth is simmering and cover it to slow evaporation.
Start tasting the broth about 45 minutes in, keeping in mind that it will taste raw and watery until about 15 minutes before it's finished. Cool, strain and use in soups, stews or to poach meat, poultry or fish.
