It’s rare that I eat beets without the fresh and bright contrast of citrus. They complement each other so well! For this salad, the magical duo is joined by crisp fennel with its cool anise flavor. To add even more brightness, the dish is finished with fresh lemon and mint. It’s the perfect uplifting cure for those winter doldrums! This salad was truly a local affair as the beets and fennel came from my CSA, the orange from a neighbor’s tree, and the mint from my backyard. You can find this recent collaboration with Loam Agronomics over on their blog.
farm to table
Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Date Caramel
The creative process is an interesting one. Sometimes I have so many recipe ideas in my head I can barely write them down fast enough. Other times it’s a struggle that involves me staring at a blank sheet of paper for an hour with nothing to show for it but a silly doodle. This is the reason I’ve NEVER made myself keep to a strict blogging schedule. If it seems forced or inauthentic, I won’t do it. It’s impossible for me to know whether or not I will be inspired by something on a specific day at a specific time. The process is organic and fluid, and that is just how I like it.
I actually had the idea for this dish quite a while ago. I even wrote it down a few times. But then I got involved with other things until it persisted one last time. It’s an interesting one, blurring the lines of sweet and savory. Is it a dessert? Is it a veggie side dish? Well my friends, I’m not a fan of labels, so it is what it bloody is. If the combination doesn’t quite sit well with your palate, I urge you to at least make the date caramel, then serve it atop these cocoa cardamom cakes because DUH. Or maybe you make the caramel and just eat it with a spoon? Either way, it’s magic.
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