5 Recipes Using Winter Root Vegetables

1. Peel the daikon and slice into 1-inch-thick rounds. Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about a minute. Add the tamari, mirin, miso, 2 cups water, and broth, and bring to a simmer.
2. Add the daikon pieces to the simmering broth, then turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Braise the daikon until tender, about 40 minutes.
3. Divide the soup among bowls and keep the pot over low heat. Add the remaining ­water and greens to the pot, and stir until the greens are wilted. Use a slotted spoon to add some greens to each bowl, and top the soup with scallions and sriracha to taste.

1. In a blender, purée 2 cups of the carrots and the celery ribs with the water until smooth. Scoop the mixture into a mesh sieve, pressing the solids to encourage the liquid to drain out.
2. Reserve the liquid for another purpose (or drink it — it’s delicious!). Add the pulp to a medium bowl with the remaining carrot shreds. Add the seasonings and olive oil, and mix well to combine. Cover and marinate overnight or for at least four hours.
3. Cook the carrot mixture in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, frequently scraping the bottom of the pan, until edges begin to brown and crisp, about seven to 10 minutes.
4. Toss the cucumber and habanero with the salt and juice from half of the lime. Lightly toast the tortillas on the stovetop until they’re warm and soft. Assemble the tacos by spreading about a teaspoon of the sour cream on each tortilla; add a scoop of the carrot chorizo, and top with the cucumber slaw and queso fresco. Serve with additional lime wedges, if desired.

1. In a medium pot, bring the water and 1 teaspoon olive oil to a boil, then add the couscous. Cover and lower the heat to simmer. Cook until the couscous is tender and the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and let cool or pour into a colander and rinse with cool water.
3. While the couscous is cooking, use a mandoline or sharp knife to thinly slice the sunchokes and Brussels sprouts.
4. In a blender or food processor, combine the mint, remaining olive oil, garlic, mustard, honey, and juice of the lemon. Pulse until emulsified and smooth.
5. In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts, sunchokes, couscous, and dressing. Top with the feta. Salt to taste and serve.

To Begin: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roasted Garlic:

1. Cut the top off each head of garlic to expose the cloves.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each head and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Place in a baking dish and roast until cloves are soft and golden, about 35 minutes.
3. Once cooled, squeeze softened cloves into a bowl.

Gnocchi:

1. while garlic is roasting, place unpeeled potatoes in a pot with enough cool water to cover them by a few inches. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft and easy to pierce with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle, but still warm. Use a paring knife to remove the skins. Mash potatoes with a ricer or food processor, being careful not to over-process, which will turn the potatoes gummy. Let cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine flours and salt. Add cooled potatoes and lightly beaten egg. Knead with your hands until a sticky dough forms.
4. Put a large pot of water on to boil and divide dough into fist-sized pieces. On a well-floured surface, roll each piece into a long tube, then cut into inch-long pieces and place on a parchment-lined tray. Using a floured fork, press down gently on each piece of gnocchi to create ridges.
5. Add gnocchi to boiling water and allow to cook for two to three minutes. As the gnocchi float to the surface, skim them off and place in a colander to drain while you make the sauce. Reserve 2 cups of the water.

Garlic Sauce:

1. in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté shallot and sage until fragrant, about one minute. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, three to five minutes.
2. Add ½ cup chicken broth and Parmesan cheese. Turn heat to low and stir until cheese melts.
3. Add heavy cream and remaining broth. Stir in salt, pepper, and roasted garlic. If sauce is too thick, add reserved gnocchi water a few tablespoons at a time until it reaches a creamy consistency.

To Serve: Toss gnocchi in sauce, then top with minced parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice to serve.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Prick the sweet potato’s skin all over with a fork. Place sweet potato on a sheet pan and roast until tender, approximately 35 minutes. Let cool, then peel and pulse in a food processor until smooth.
3. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip egg yolks, egg, and ½ tablespoon sugar until pale and the mixture drips in ribbons from the beaters, about five minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, beat together sweet potato purée, cream, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add the sweet potato mixture to the egg mixture and beat until just combined.
5. Adjust oven temp to 300 degrees F.
6. Distribute the custard evenly between four shallow ramekins. Place ramekins inside a deep casserole dish and carefully pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
7. Transfer to oven and bake for 40 minutes or until custard barely jiggles when moved. Allow to cool in the water bath for 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool overnight or for at least six hours.
8. Just before serving, cover the surface of the custard with a thin, even layer of cane sugar. Use a brûlée torch to melt it, or place on a baking sheet on top rack of oven and broil on high, turning roughly every 30 seconds for five to seven minutes, until dark golden brown and bubbling.