Vegetable Tasting Extravaganza
Sometimes kids think they don’t like a particular vegetable when in fact what they don’t like is the way it’s been cooked. Think of overcooked boiled broccoli: what could be more disgusting? And yet when roasted, broccoli is sublime.
Select one vegetable and prepare it several ways at once. Ask your kids to compare and contrast. Which version do they like the most? Is one sweeter? Richer? Prettier? What’s different about the texture? Did anything surprise you? Do you like the vegetable cooked one way and hate it another way?
Lets say you choose carrots. Prepare them by cutting off the ends and either scrubbing or washing them.
- Halve them lengthwise and then cut them into spears.
- Using the largest holes on a grater, shred them and serve with a very light dressing.
- Cut into coins and steam: cover the bottom of a pan with water and add the carrots. Bring to a boil, cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes, depending upon the size of the carrots.
- Use the spears or cut them into chunks. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the carrots on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer the sheet to the oven and roast until deeply browned, about 30 minutes.
- Use the boiled coins, add a teeny bit of butter and salt and mash them.