Winter Recipes: Massaged Kale Salad + Sunchoke Chips + Garlic-Cider Vinaigrette

Despite the cold and rainy weather, Diana and I had a blast serving up winter appetizers at our cooking demo at the Greenmarket in Carroll Gardens. We kept warm in front of the grill while making Crostini with Baguette from Bread Alone, which we topped with Beet-Walnut spread from Rogowski Farm, Roasted Delicata Squash from Fishkill Farms and beautiful Romanesco from Jersey Farm. 

We also made a Massaged Kale Salad with Shaved Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes) and Danby cheese from Consider Bardwell Farm. We dressed it with a Garlic-Cider Vinaigrette and topped it with crispy Sunchoke chips. The result was so tasty that market goers were scooping it out of the dixie cups with their hands. 

Baked Sunchoke chips

½  lb sunchokes

1 tbsp olive oil

parchment paper

Preheat oven to 400 F.

1. Wash and scrub the sunchokes, making sure to remove all dirt. Dry with a kitchen towel.
2. Shave the sunchokes using a mandolin or slice very thinly with a sharp knife.
3. Toss with a little olive oil and salt. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes. Watch them carefully after the 15-minute mark to make sure they don’t burn.
4. Allow the chips to cool for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy chips on their own, with a favorite dip or as a soup or salad garnish!

Garlic-Cider Vinaigrette

½ tsp garlic

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

1. Mince the garlic. Add vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and whisk until incorporated. 

Massaged Kale Salad

1. Destem the kale and cut into 3/4” ribbons.
2. Transfer the kale to a mixing bowl and season with a sprinkle of salt. Start working the kale with your hands for 2-3 minutes, squeezing it in between your fingers until it wilts and becomes softer.
3. Shave the sunchokes using a mandolin or slice very thinly with a sharp knife.
4. Toss the kale and sunchokes with the dressing. Top with shaved cheese and sunchoke chips. Enjoy! 

Sweet Roots NYC is Seeking Kitchen Prep and Management Intern

Kitchen Prep and Management Internship

This position is for a stickler – someone who wouldn’t dream of sneaking 12 items into the store’s 11 or under line. You’ll work closely with our Operations Manager to help bring order to a frequently chaotic kitchen environment. You’ll be part of our effort to document kitchen procedures and systemize our employee training process. One day a week will be spent working in the office and the other in the kitchen, participating in kitchen activities with an eye towards improving efficiencies and inventory management processes. 

The right candidate for this position:

• Loves figuring out how things work
• Works well in a fast paced environment
• Craves routines and structure
• Has strong written and oral communication skills
• Picks up new things quickly
• Aspires to work in and/or run their own kitchen

 In particular, we’re looking for:

• Team players
• Basic excel skills
• Attention to detail
• Strong organization skills
• Passion for good food

To apply for this position, please send us a cover letter describing how you organize things in your daily life. Tell us what about this particular internship makes you excited. Highlight any relevant past experience. We’d also like to know about your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit.

This internship is UNPAID. We’re looking for students who can commit to 6 hours during the week and one day from 10 – 4pm during the weekend. 

Sweet Roots NYC is Seeking a Food Buyer/Procurement Intern

Food Buyer and Procurement Internship

This position is for a food nerd. Each week we craft new, seasonally inspired menus for our clients. You’ll work under the supervision of Marisa (our CEO) to identify the best produce that’s coming in that week and place orders with our vendors after the menus have been created. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, you’ll go with our CEO to meet our farmers and pick-up the produce that we’ll use that day. Returning to the kitchen, you’ll help us unpack and store everything so that our kitchen team can jump right in and begin the prep work that is the core of our business. You’ll learn about how we make decisions about which vendors to use, what to buy and how we manage kitchen inputs.

The right candidate for this position:

• Functions well at 7:15 am (even if it takes a little caffeine to get going)
• Makes friends out of strangers (building rapport with our farmers and vendors is key to getting the information and products we need, when we need them)
• Knows the difference between endive and radicchio (and probably thinks you’d have to be dense not to)
• Follows instructions and protocols consistently and without error (essential for making sure everything stays fresh, complies with health code, and makes everyone else’s life easier in the kitchen)  

We are specifically looking for:

• Team players
• The ability to lift 15 – 20 lbs.
• Attention to detail
• Passion for the local food movement

To apply for this position, please send us a cover letter (info@sweetrootsnyc.com) describing how you shop for food. Tell us what about this particular internship makes you excited. Highlight any relevant past experience. We’d also like to know about your availability (start date, class schedule, etc.) and if you’d like to do this internship for credit. 

This internship is UNPAID. We’re looking for students who can commit to Saturday and Sunday morning from 7:15 to noon. 

Elevated Leftovers: Vegetarian Fall Salad with Farro, Mizuna and Butternut Squash

Every Tuesday we make our version of "everything but the kitchen sink." This week, Diana tossed the mizuna from an orange and mint salad with the fennel that was used in a basque-inspired mussels dish. Mustard greens from a haute potato salad turned out to be a good foil for sweet roasted butternut squash. We roasted imperfect, abandonned Brussels sprout leaves until they were brown and crispy. Everything was folded into a bowl of warm farro and dressed with the juice of a tangerine, olive oil and drop of mustard. 

Kristin Esposito dishes on Fall, Detox and End of Summer Love

I’m in love. I have a flutter in my tummy, a constant glow and a never-ending smile – all for fall. Yes, autumn I love but what I truly adore is our Indian summer. With nature providing us a union between summer and fall, our Indian summer makes it easier to embrace the change and welcome the new autumnal equinox.  And being that our Indian summer will only stick around for a few weeks this love affair will be filled with adventures in apple picking, outdoor dining, the fall harvest, and of course cooking with summer and fall favorites.

With the warmth of summer sticking around and October never fearful to deliver cooler grayish days – we’re provided with an array of summer and fall colors, produce and flavors, making cooking and eating glorious activities this time of year. With that, I propose a celebration. Let’s toast to change and all the goodness autumn brings and take the time to honor earthly change while remembering summer flings, for me that means heading to the kitchen.

I’ve been patiently awaiting the cooler temperatures as I’ve been dying to make soup. And here it is - my first butternut squash soup of the season. This meal will leave you feeling warm, refreshed and nourished. I’ve paired the soup with a summer corn and radish salad making the combination healthy and healing. The cleansing and detoxifying power of this soup and salad will have you wanting seconds, and maybe thirds.

The change in season is a great time to detox, cleanse and clear up unwanted gunk. By detoxing we can purify our body and remove unwanted internal toxins, environmental toxins, negative emotions, and stress that naturally builds over time, thus making room to welcome new energy, spiritual awakening, or tackle new goals. And it can all begin with a bowl of butternut squash soup.


Butternut Squash Soup 

1 butternut squash, remove seeds and skin, cut and cube
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ tablespoon corriander
a pinch of ground nutmeg
3 cups veggie broth
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:
Over a medium flame heat warm the extra virgin olive oil. Cook the onions and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, cumin, and coriander; stirring occasionally allow for the squash to cook down, about 8 -10 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Simmer on low flame until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.

I usually puree ½ or ¾ of the soup as I enjoy having different textures. When pureeing the soup be careful as warm/hot liquids have a tendency to splatter. Once blended pour the blended portion back into your pot. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup topped with a spoonful of the accompanying radish corn relish recipe.   

End of Summer Corn and Radish Salad

1 bundle Radish
1 ear of corn
juice of 1 small lime
a small handful of cilantro
salt to taste

Slice the radish in half or full moon shape. Cut corn kernels from the cob. In a bowl, add radish slices, corn kernels, cilantro, limejuice and salt. Mix well until evenly coated with limejuice and serve.   

Butternut Squash:
Beta-caratone, an antioxidant found in butternut squash convert into vitamin A which help ward off a slew of external toxins, such as pollution, cleaning products, skincare products and carcinogens, which can be found in BBQed/grilled meats and produce. Funny how nature is always looking out for us and supplying foods to help detoxify our bodies after all those summer BBQs! Also an anti-inflammatory this can aid in digestion and clearing of internal mucus build-up.

Cumin:
Boosts immune function, which is needed this time of year as fall allergies are at their peak and flu season around the corner. Also aids digestion and is anti-carcinogenic as well.

Cilantro:
Helps relieve symptoms of allergies, such as hay fever. Aids digestive problems and reduces flatulence. Most importantly, cilantro promotes heavy metal detoxification from our bodies.


I’m just so excited to be partnered with Sweet Roots NYC for food delivery as part of Retreat to Treat, my 10-day Staycation Detox taking place in NYC Oct. 25 – Nov 2, 2012. How can you resist such a beautiful union; fresh greenmarket ingredients and well-crafted detox smoothie and meal recipes?

Kristin Esposito, yoga instructor, nutrition educator and writer living in NYC, inspires health and happiness one yoga pose and healthy meal at a time. Check out Kristin’s 10-day Staycation Detox to learn more about the detoxifying powers of food, yoga, smoothies, and self-care. Visit www.kristinesposito.com for details.