Storing Veggies and Herbs
In my perfect world, I’d live within walking distance from a farmers’ market that’s open every day. Actually, in Vietnam, very few families have a refrigerator, so people go to the market every day to get whatever they need to prepare the daily meals. I’m sure this is true with many other parts of the world. I loved Pike Place Market in Seattle where I would get three pounds of clams and ate them until I passed out.
Our local one in Ojai is open on Sundays. It’s relatively small compared to others, but there are enough stalls selling veggies and herbs that I need. (Some people go to the market to buy soaps and essential oils and I’m like why?-you-can’t-eat-that-stuff.) I’m still waiting for the price of a dozen fresh eggs to drop from $8 to something lower. The lady selling duck eggs keeps reminding everyone how much healthier they are than chicken eggs. She yells, “They are rich in B12 and antioxidants!” I yell back, “Okay! But I like blueberries better!”
The problem that I have - and there’s really just one - is buying more than we can eat. I got these greens for the week, pretending to forget that I still have too many mushrooms and carrots and asparagus in the fridge from the week before.
I tell my students that a puppy dies each time they make an egregious algebra mistake. I feel the same guilt when tossing out food. So, to make the veggies and herbs last [a lot] longer, I store them unwashed in these plastic containers.
Another good habit that I’m picking up is to cook as much of last week’s vegetables the same day that I bring new greens home. You can do this with pretty much any vegetable.
asparagus (from last week)
kale (from last week)
beet greens and tender stems (from the bundles of beets I just got)
Because these veggies are hardier, I cook them quickly in salted boiling water for no more than 2 minutes. After draining, I immediately dunk them in ice water to stop the cooking and keep them green. Then, I sauté them in olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Plastic containers:
vertical (2 sizes)
