Root crops are the enduring rock anthems of the vegetable world. They’re a salty-haired Mick Jagger crooning about satisfaction and caloric density. Cucumbers are a side dish – potatoes are what’s for dinner. Tomatoes and basil are the one-hit wonders that you fawn over before they vanish under the hammer’s first tap of October, while the beets, carrots and turnips meditate peacefully underground, wondering what’s all this hoopla over frost.
It is this very vegetal nonchalance toward frosts that makes the root vegetable the perfect candidate for long-term storage. These roots are literally and botanically “storage organs,” specifically evolved to store energy in the form of carbohydrates. During adverse periods (excessive cold, lack of light, drought – effectively, winter), the above-ground parts of the plant die, while the root goes dormant waiting for the high sign from spring. When conditions become favorable again, regrowth occurs from buds in the storage organs. (This is why potatoes begin to sprout in warm weather.)
According to a study from the National Resources Defense Council, 40 percent of food in America is wasted, presumably because of our busyness, forgetfulness and desire for novelty. The root crops will allow for all of our transgressions. A delicate head of lettuce has a short and urgent shelf life; however, a crisper drawer of roots will wait for you to take countless, breathtaking fall hikes, for your passion for beets to wane and reignite. Fresh, whole carrots, parsnips, and turnips will remain flavorful for more than two months in your fridge, if properly stored. Potatoes can emerge after six months in a root cellar, insulated garage or basement as well-preserved as some Hollywood stars.
And then there’s taste. After eating the last of our local, root-cellar stored carrots in February, we were relegated to California-shipped orange roots, containing the crunch of waterlogged popcorn and tasting mildly of soapy cardboard. It’s a notable bonus that beets, carrots and onions are all starred foods in Dr. Jonny Bowden’s book, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth.
Many local farmers are happy to unload large quantities of root crops at excellent prices. Fields to Plate Farm in Durango grows 50,000 pounds of root vegetables each season. One pound of carrots costs $4, which translates into carrot sticks for approximately one week of school lunches. But when you buy 25 pounds of carrots, the price drops to $2 per pound. At 50 pounds, it gets better: $1.50 per pound. Tom Markle of 550 Farms in Hermosa offers 25 pounds of any of his roots – carrots, beets, potatoes, onions – at $2 per pound. These deals are available all winter. If these amounts sound intimidating, split a sack with a friend. These farmers can be found Saturdays at the Durango Farmers Market, or Google them for contact info.
There was a time when any self-respecting homeowner had a place to store roots. According to Elizabeth Cromley, a professor of architectural history at Northeastern University, and author of The Food Axis: Cooking, Eating, and the Architecture of American Houses, more than 400 books instructed 19th-century Americans on how to plan a functional house with outbuildings, larder and basement root cellar. “You’re not going to die if you don’t get a new dress,” Cromley says, “but if you don’t know this, it will kill you.”
If you are deprived of a basement or root cellar, there are nooks and crannies where a 5-gallon bucket of potatoes, or a cooler full of crisp carrots can be stashed. The key here is to arrest growth – of the roots themselves, and any microorganisms hitching a ride. For most “storage organs,” the closer the temperature is to 35 F, the longer your food lasts.
If you can keep a room in your house unheated (mudroom, guest room, man-cave), onions and garlic (and winter squash – not a root, but abundant right now), all of which like drier and warmer conditions, can last for many months. These crops can be hung in breathable fabric (mesh or loose-weave hemp) to increase circulation.
If you have an unheated basement or an insulated garage or shed, you are golden. Go to the farmers market and get the best price on 50 pounds of potatoes and carrots, then laugh all the way to the bank of your basement. But do regularly check both the temperature of your basement and the condition of your food. Rotting potatoes smell like punishment and spread like a virus.
If you stock up on storable roots at your local farmers market and give them a proper home, you can shop all winter on your own property, bypassing the fossil fuel economy for one blessed moment.
Rachel Turiel is a Durango Herald columnist, managing editor of Edible Southwest Colorado Magazine and mother to two children who tolerate her zealous and ongoing culinary experiments. She blogs about growing food and a family at 6512 feet at http://6512andgrowing.com.
Notes: Is there a root vegetable you can’t roast? Unlikely. Everything tastes better dredged in fat and caramelized through high heat.
Great candidates are onions, garlic, carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, and parsnips.Beets will bleed their redness onto innocent white potatoes, so consider roasting beets in separate vessel, then mixing once cooked.These non-roots are also wonderful roasted: winter squash, brussels sprouts, celery.Ingredients:
Your favorite root vegetable(s), chopped into uniform piecesMelted fat, such as coconut oil, butter or olive oilSalt, to taste Optional:Peeled garlic cloves, minced or wholeHerbs and spices, such as rosemary, paprika, fennel or cayenneoptional garnishes:Lime juiceSalsa or adobo sauceBalsamic vinegarMethod:Preheat oven to 350 F.
Coat chopped vegetables and garlic (if using) lightly with melted fat, salt and desired herbs and spices.
Place on cookie sheet or in roasting pan and roast for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.
For extra outside crispiness, broil for 5 minutes (set timer to avoid burning), stir, then broil another 5 minutes, until desired crispness is achieved.
If desired, garnish with one of the following: lime juice; salsa or adobo sauce; or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Active time: 10 minutes; 45 minutes total
Notes: This delicious, bright pink dip is sweet and nutty with a subtle tang. It can be a friendly way to introduce the glory of beets to a skeptic.
Ingredients:1 pound beets (about 2 medium beets), chopped1 cup walnuts1 clove garlic, minced3 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice½-1 teaspoon salt1/3 cup olive oil1/3 cup yogurt or sour creamMethod:In a steamer or a pot with a tight-fitting lid, steam beets in water until soft and tender, approximately 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 300 F (or use a toaster oven) to roast walnuts for approximately 10 minutes or until they smell fragrant and toasty.
In a food processor, combine and process steamed beets and all remaining ingredients except yogurt or sour cream.
After processing, stir in yogurt or sour cream by hand, until smooth and uniformly pink.
Taste for salt and tanginess and add more salt or vinegar as needed.
Serve with veggies, crackers or chips.
