Saturday, February 12, 2011

Ideas for Winter Veggies & Greens

During a North Carolina winter, it can be challening for even the most committed locavores to eat local produce. The carrots are frozen in the ground and everything else is growing very slowly. We're seeing lettuces, leafy greens and some root vegetables at the market these days. Does a green leaf salad feel like winter food?

Winter Market Salad

I returned from the market last Saturday with eggs, bacon, spinach, arugula, cilantro and Hillsborough Cheese's new meunster. Perfect ingredients for a hearty, wintry salad. Rinse the greens and herbs and toss together. Add some sliced hard boiled eggs, crumbled bacon and cheese. Make a quick vinaigrette dressing (I used balsalmic vinegar, olive oil and salt) and drizzle over your salad. Want to make your salad even heartier and meatier? Just cook up your favorite meat - anything - braised beef, roast pork, grilled steak. Add a little sliced or shredded meat to your salad for a wonderfully hearty - and local - dinner!

Fresh Market Rolls

I was addicted to salad rolls last summer. I think I was calling them "Summer Rolls" at the time. Fresh basil, mint, summer lettuces and sliced pepper were on the main stage. This time of year, fresh rolls are wonderful with salad mix, cilantro, shredded radish and carrot. Shrimp or sliced pork are also nice additions to the roll. Pick up some rice paper and a bag of vermicelli noodles at your local asian market or grocery and start rolling your own "market rolls".

Here's a quick video I found on preparing the rice paper and rolling spring rolls:

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