We're recently started subscribing to produce boxes from Årstiderna, which is a Danish-based company that's really big on organic fruit and vegetables. We get a box every other week, filled with a mix of fruit and veggies - delivered to the door. I've gotten three boxes so far (sorry, just photos of the first two) and the quality is certainly very good. The price - well, it's high, there's no getting around that. You pay more than at the store. But, it's good stuff, and it's fun to get a box of stuff you might not have bought otherwise. It forces you to think creatively - like two weeks ago, when I received a HUGE knob of celeriac. (aka celery root)
First week, I got endives. I *hate* endives. Really, really hate them. Bitter, evil little things. I only hate one other vegetable as much, and that's celery. I shudder just thinking about it. But I was determined to cook with the endives, and I did. I cooked them in olive oil, and made little endive tarts with puff pastry, red onions, balsamic vinegar, bacon and feta cheese. Was it good? Yes. Better without the endives? For sure. But at least I used them.
This week, I got celery. Readers, I'm ashamed to admit it, but I just tossed it out.
So. I figure with two of my most hated veggies out of the way, it's bound to get better as we approach spring. I look forward to seeing what's in my next box!
10 comments:
During winter you get kale, cabbage, kale, cabbage, cabbage and oh, did I mention cabbage?
Anne, I LOVE nibbling on raw celeriac slices :) Try it in Janssons frestelse (perhaps half potatoes, half celeriac) next time :)
Pille, that's a nice idea! I'll try to remember it for my next Jansson's - maybe at Easter!
I love my box from Årstiderne too! I usually get just the one, with only Danish veggies and fruit, but I caved a few weeks ago and got the one with foreign stuff too. Getting celeriac three weeks in a row will do wonders for the imagination for sure!
I live in Denmark, and have been buing boxes from Aarstiderne on-off for some years now. And for me it is a love/loathe affair.
The charm is that they use vegetables that are in season (more or less, anyway) - but eating broccoli, cabbage, celeriac etc. each week for six months gets on my taste buds. So I ususally buy boxes for a couple of months, then return to buying veges in the stores.
And that is when frustration hits me: the quality is so much worse, and the prices normally higher here - at least if you opt for eco and quality wares. But then, Denmark is increadibly expensive compared to Sweeden.
But I can recommend their potatoes, when the new potato-season begins. It is a little piece of food-heaven. Cooked, sprinkled with sea salt and a slice of cold butter. Uhm!
And regarding the celery: I hate it with a passion as well, coming second only to endives, but find it gives good taste as a basis for italian cooking. Tomato sauce, risotto etc. It gives a slightly bitter edge to the base, but doesn't dominate the taste.
Try to fry celery (like potatoes), or simply bake with some oildrops and pepper - it tastes very different!
I don’t like the bitterness of witlof so if endives is chicory (or in dutch witlof) there is a real simple way of preparing them that takes the bitterness away. Best served with meat like steaks or a roast.
Cut the heads of chicory(use 8 heads for 4 people) into halves lengthwise, remove the core and pull the leaves apart.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in the wok, stir fry it with 2 tsp sugar until soft and slightly brown, add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and serve.
So simple and still really nice :-)
I love celeriac raw, grated and tossed with lemon juice, salt, some sugar and horseradish. Or skip the horseradish and add some raisins.
In Poland it's also normal to add celeriac, along with carrots, parsley root and leek, when cooking soups/broths.
Anyway, wish we had a service like this in PL: love stuff that arrives on my doorstep (well, is brought by the courier/postman).
Oh, damn, forgot that of course you ought to also add some mayo/cream/youghurt to the raw celeriac ;)
substitute 1/4 of the potatoes with celeriac when making mashed potatoes.
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