Midwinter Exotica

Who says winter produce is boring?  Last week I got this:

It’s a real live yam.  I’ll probably use it in a dinner similar to this one, where I roasted it to a fluffy mash, but instead of duck, I’ll serve it with fish, because I have given up cooking meat at home for Lent.  (In true Catholic tradition, fish is still ok.)  This is an odd vegetable to work with though – the long shape and hairy exterior invite all kinds of dirty jokes, which aren’t helped by the fact that when you cut or peel the thing, it starts oozing slime everywhere.  Hilarity in the kitchen.  Still, it’s a good starchy vegetable, a nice change from potatoes, if anyone ever gets tired of potatoes, that is.

I also got this:

Purple broccoli!  There were two small heads of it, with lots of deep green leaves that looked too fresh and healthy to throw away.  So I chopped them up and all of it went into a tasty green curry along with some carrots.

I was a little disappointed that the broccoli was white on the inside, but I was not disappointed in the way it held onto its vibrant color during cooking.  The meal was fantastically easy, one I highly recommend for any hodgepodge of vegetables, and it goes like this: chop up your vegetables.  Get a pan hot and add a little oil.  Throw in the vegetables and season with salt.  Scoop in some green curry paste (note: this also works with red and yellow curry pastes) and stir fry a few minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Pour in some coconut milk, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables reach desired doneness.  Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve over rice or noodles (which you’ve obviously been cooking alongside).  It is fast and healthy, and a great way to use up those lurkers in the vegetable drawer.

Originally published on Seasonal Market Menus.