A Carrot For Estragon (Is That All There Is?)

A Short Excerpt from Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett  

Estragon: (violently). I'm hungry.
Vladimir: Do you want a carrot?
Estragon: Is that all there is?
Vladimir: I might have some turnips.
Estragon: Give me a carrot. (Vladimir rummages in his pockets, takes out a turnip and gives it to Estragon who takes a bite out of it. Angrily.) It's a turnip!
Vladimir: Oh pardon! I could have sworn it was a carrot. (He rummages again in his pockets, finds nothing but turnips.) All that's turnip. (He rummages.)  You must have eaten the last. (He rummages.) Wait, I have it. (He brings out a carrot and gives it to Estragon.) There, dear fellow.
(Estragon wipes the carrot on his sleeve and begins to eat it.) Make it last, that's the end of them.
Estragon: (chewing.) I asked you a question.
Vladimir: Ah.
Estragon: Did you reply?
Vladimir: How's the carrot?
Estragon: It's a carrot.


 A close reading of these lines from Beckett's iconic play reveals that Estragon is hungry enough to eat a carrot (though not a turnip) but he does so without enthusiasm. "Is that all there is?" he asks.  It seems that Estragon would prefer something more exciting to quiet his hunger while waiting for Godot.

Arriving home after a recent cross country flight I found that my vegetable drawer had little more to offer than a handful of carrots. Is that all there is? I thought.  Perhaps as hungry as Estragon,  I scrubbed,  trimmed, sliced and sauteed the carrots in olive oil. Sprinkled with a bit of sea salt, they were so sweetly satisfying to my traveler's hunger that I've repeated the exercise several times since, even when more exotic fare was available.

Here is my offering, a carrot recipe inspired by Estragon, who may still be hungry, and who is certainly still waiting for Godot.


Carrots Sauteed in Olive Oil

4 or 5 medium carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
1- 2  tablespoons olive oil
sea salt to taste

Slice the carrots into diagonal pieces as seen in the photo above. Heat a heavy skillet, add olive oil and saute the carrots on medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more olive oil if needed to keep carrots from sticking. The carrots will begin to soften and turn golden brown around the edges.  After about five minutes, taste one of the carrot slices. It should be almost tender but not crunchy. When done, remove carrots from heat, sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve immediately.

Samuel Beckett (1906- 1989) was born in Ireland and lived most of his life in France. He originally wrote Waiting For Godot in French (En Attendant Godot) and later translated the play into English. It is considered one of the most significant English language plays of the 20th century. Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.

Dino Kale with Lemon Zest & Toasted Walnuts

If you think you don't like kale, chances are you've never tasted dino, an heirloom variety which dates from 18th century Italy. Also known as cavolo nero, lacinato kale, Tuscan kale or Italian kale, dino (short for dinosaur) has sweet, delicate tender leaves and is delicious eaten raw in salads as well as cooked. An honored staple of Italian cuisine, its most beloved incarnation is as an ingredient in ribollito, the hearty Tuscan peasant soup.

This simple recipe for braised dino kale yields a savory, intensely flavorful dish using just a handful of quality ingredients. Start by toasting the walnuts until they are fragrant and golden, being careful not to burn them. I like to do this in a heavy cast iron pan on the stove top so that I can watch the walnuts closely as they brown. (See photo above).

Prepare the lemon zest by removing the thin yellow layer of peel from a lemon with a small sharp knife. Slice zest into very slender strips about 1/4 inch long. Grated zest may be used instead but the strips contribute a pleasing texture and pungent citrusy dimension to the recipe.

Next chiffonade the kale by stacking the leaves on a cutting board and rolling them into a cylinder. Slice crosswise into ribbons as in photo above. The finer the chiffonade the more quickly the kale will cook.

After the ingredients are prepared, which can be done several hours ahead of time, the dish requires less than ten minutes to complete. It is excellent eaten warm or at room temperature. One bunch of kale yields roughly four modest servings.


Dino Kale with Lemon Zest and Toasted Walnuts:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup sliced leek
1 clove garlic, diced
1 bunch dino kale, chiffonaded
1/4 cup fresh water
2/3 cup shelled walnuts, toasted until golden brown
zest of 1/2 organic lemon, thinly sliced into small strips
juice of one organic lemon
sea salt to taste
1 small fresh hot red pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Saute the leek and garlic in olive oil in a heavy skillet until fragrant. Add kale and saute until wilted, about five minutes, adding a sprinkling of fresh water to moisten the leaves and complete the cooking with a little steam. Kale should be tender but not mushy, and should retain its green color.

Place kale mixture in a warm ceramic bowl. Break toasted walnuts into pieces and add to kale along with lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt and red pepper. Toss lightly, correct seasoning and serve immediately. Excellent with small steamed Yukon Gold or purple Peruvian potatoes.

Note: All of the ingredients in this dish are in keeping with the dietary laws of Pesach.

Turnip + Watercress + Purple Cabbage = Spring Salad

This spicy, crunchy and refreshing spring salad will leave you wishing you'd made twice as much. Proportions below are flexible; improvise as you wish. Keep in mind that the turnips and watercress can be quite pungent; balance their bite with the cooling purple cabbage. Grating the turnips and cabbage rather than slicing will alter the texture of the salad in a delightful way; either method creates a vibrantly colorful and healthy dish.

Salad:
2 cups turnips, thinly sliced or grated
2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced or grated
2 tablespoons leek, thinly sliced (use the green part too)
2 handfuls watercress

Dressing:
fresh squeezed juice of 2 or 3 lemons
olive oil to taste
sea salt to taste

Arrange vegetables on a platter; sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt to taste and serve. Or toss salad in a bowl with dressing just before serving.

Butternut & Beet Saute

What to do with a steamed butternut squash and some freshly cooked beets? Saute a little leek, garlic and ginger root, add cubed squash and beets, toss with fresh herbs and lemon juice and eat!

This sweet, spicy, tangy and colorful combo is simple to prepare in two steps; cook the squash and beets ahead of time, set aside and do the sauteing just before serving. The proportions are flexible; you may use equal amounts of butternut and beets or alter the ratio as you desire.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup leek or onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced
3 cups steamed butternut squash, cubed
2 medium beets, steamed and cubed
1 handful Italian parsley or cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano or marjoram
1/2 cup water
juice of 2 lemons
sea salt to taste

Saute leek, garlic and ginger in olive oil until fragrant. Add squash and toss gently on medium heat for a few minutes, adding a little more olive oil if needed, until squash is heated through. Add beets, parsley and oregano and continue to heat for another 2 or 3 minutes. If mixture is too dry, sprinkle with some water, which will allow vegetables to steam. Lower heat, add lemon juice and sea salt. Correct seasoning and serve immediately in warm bowls with a few lemon slices as garnish.

Note: See post titled "Kabocha, Japanese Winter Squash" for easy instructions on how to steam a whole squash.

Golden Cauliflower & Spicy Sabzi

Golden cauliflower is as delicious as it is beautiful; when steamed and tossed with a bit of lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt there seems no reason to opt for a more complicated cooking method. But if you do wish to devote some additional time to preparation, this recipe for a Persian inspired dish will not disappoint.

Sabzi is the Farsi word which refers to greens or herbs which are eaten raw at the table or cooked in rice dishes and stews. Depending on regional and family tradition, sabzi may include any of the following fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, scallions, dill, fenugreek and spinach. Before cooking the leaves are washed well and very finely chopped. Use a sharp vegetable knife and enjoy the fragrance as you work!

In this recipe the mild flavor of the cauliflower combines perfectly with the fresh brightness of the aromatic herbs which are sauteed in olive oil until just tender and still a vibrant green; chile peppers and garlic add depth and heat. The choice of which herbs to use and in what proportion is up to you, as is the quantity of hot chile and garlic you prefer. Dried red chile pepper flakes may be used instead of fresh.

1 medium head golden cauliflower, separated into flowerets
2 tablespoons olive oil (more as needed)
1 large bunch scallions, thinly sliced
3- 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 or more fresh hot chile peppers, minced
1 medium bunch cilantro, finely chopped (thick stems removed)
1 medium bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped (thick stems removed)
sea salt to taste
juice of 2 fresh lemons or limes

Steam cauliflower on medium heat until tender but not mushy (about 6 minutes).
While cauliflower is cooking, heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet; saute scallions, garlic and chile on a low flame for 2 or 3 minutes, adding more olive oil if needed.
Stir in cilantro and parsley; continue cooking gently until tender but still bright green.
Lower heat, add cauliflower, sea salt and lemon juice. Toss well, correct seasoning and serve in warm bowls. More lemon juice, chiles and olive oil may be added at the table.

California Caldo Verde

Caldo Verde is a much loved traditional Portuguese peasant soup which can be made with any dark leafy green such as kale, collards or cabbage. This vegan interpretation requires only a few basic ingredients and can be assembled in minutes. California Caldo Verde is built on a simple leek and potato soup base to which finely sliced greens are added for the last few minutes of cooking. The result is a delightfully warming, satisfying and nutritious meal in a bowl. Even those who think they don't like kale cannot resist a bright green steaming hot bowl of Caldo Verde!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup leek (or onion) thinly sliced
2- 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
5 cups fresh water (plus extra as needed)
1 whole bay leaf
1 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
about 6 kale or collard leaves, very thinly sliced into ribbons

In a heavy soup pot, heat olive oil and gently saute leek, garlic and celery until fragrant but not brown. Add potatoes, water, bay leaf and sea salt. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook on low heat about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, adding a little water if soup seems too thick.

While soup is cooking, stack kale or collard leaves on a clean cutting board. Roll leaves up into a tight cylinder and chiffonade by slicing very thinly crosswise into ribbons. Stir kale into soup and continue to cook briefly just until tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the type of greens and how thinly sliced they are; the beauty in Caldo Verde is its fresh green color, so be careful not to overcook. Taste and correct seasoning.

Serve immediately in warm soup bowls, garnished with a few lemon slices.

Wild Watercress & Potato Salad

On a recent unseasonably warm spring morning in the City by the Bay, I made a quick stop at the neighborhood ATM, then headed to my local watercress patch to gather greens for dinner. The fact that the ATM and the watercress exist only minutes from each other gives me particular pleasure, as does the act of foraging for wild food in a hidden green oasis in the middle of this high-tech city.

Watercress (nasturtium officinale) is a highly nutritious semi- aquatic plant which was one of the earliest leafy greens eaten by humans. It grows prolifically in the wild in fresh water streams and is now cultivated for commercial use. Watercress has recently gained a reputation as a "super food" high in anti- oxidants and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. If you gather your own watercress, make sure to wash it very thoroughly before eating.

In hot weather, this salad makes a healthy light meal which can be prepared ahead of time in the cool hours of the day. If there's no watercress available, arugula will work just as well. Steam a pot of small Yukon Gold or other thin skinned potatoes and set aside to cool until you're ready to assemble the salad, which takes only a few minutes. This recipe makes about 2 servings, depending on the size of the potatoes.


5 or 6 small Yukon Gold potatoes, steamed, peeled, & quartered
1 medium bunch fresh watercress or arugula, roughly chopped
1 0r 2 tablespoons leek or green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 2 or more lemons or limes
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss lightly. Taste and correct seasoning, adding more lemon/ lime juice or sea salt if needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Winter Super Citrus Juice

Home made citrus juice is a delicious and healthy winter treat which takes only moments to make and tastes nothing like store bought juice. Use any combination of good quality citrus which you have on hand. During the winter citrus season, look in the market for Minneola tangelos, blood oranges, navel oranges, and ruby red grapefruit. You don't need a fancy expensive machine to make this juice; I use a little $8.00 stainless steel hand juicer imported from Brazil. It requires a bit of muscle to squeeze juice by hand but by the end of citrus season your biceps will be stronger and your body healthier. This recipe for Minneola/blood orange juice is my seasonal favorite.

Minneola / Blood Orange Juice

2 Minneola tangelos
2 blood oranges

Wash fruit, slice into halves, and juice. Serve immediately in a glass. Drink slowly and enjoy the beautiful ruby red color and vibrant flavor of this juice.

Steamed Yukon Gold Potatoes

Steaming is a simple, quick method for preparing Yukon Gold potatoes which preserves their excellent flavor and nutrients. Place one layer of potatoes ( Yellow Finn, Purple Peruvian, or Bintje are also great varieties for steaming) in a wide pot with a lid. Add just enough fresh water to cover.

Bring to a simmer, lower heat, and continue to steam gently for about twenty minutes; then test a potato with a chopstick or fork. It should be tender but not mushy. (Length of cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes, which is why I prefer to buy smaller ones).

When potatoes are done, remove from pan. It's easy to peel the potatoes when cool enough to handle; those which are not for immediate use may be left unpeeled and stored in the fridge to be added to salads, soups, or as instant snacks.

One of my favorite ways to serve steamed potatoes is to cut them into halves or quarters and serve with a mound of freshly cooked leafy greens such as spinach or arugula. Arrange steamed greens in a pre-heated shallow ceramic bowl, surround with potato pieces, sprinkle with a little olive oil , sea salt and if available, some fresh or dried herbs like marjoram, oregano, or basil. Serve immediately.

One Avocado, One Leafy Green, One Bowl

Eating a plant centered diet does not have to be a complicated affair involving hours of shopping, chopping, and cooking. The challenge may simply be in re-framing one's idea of what constitutes a satisfying meal. I like to make this minimalist salad when my local sidewalk produce market has lots of small Haas avocados on sale. Since I usually have a bag of baby spinach or baby arugula leaves in the fridge, they are the leafy green mentioned in this recipe but shredded cabbage (purple or green) works wonderfully too.

Mash a ripe avocado in a medium sized salad bowl with the juice of one lime or lemon. Add a large handful or two of baby spinach or arugula leaves, depending on how hungry you are. Drizzle a little olive oil and a bit more lemon or lime juice over the leaves, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, toss, adjust seasoning and eat!