Carrot and Turnip Slaw with Dill

So as I've probably shared, I've recently set up shop in a home office here in Lexington, KY. While I love the flexibility and the fact that I can get up, put my hair in a pony tail and head into my office in jeans and a tshirt, it also presents a few challenges.

One big one is my kitchen. You underestimate the frequency at which you would visit your fridge/pantry if it was only a few feet away. Not only do I religiously eat a full breakfast and lunch now, I've also gotten into snacking which is dangerous. I definitely didn't have such compulsions when I was in the office every day (though I was subject to the temptation of donuts birthday cakes, and candy jars that generous colleagues brought in to share.)

Recently I determined the upside is that I can have healthy and inexpensive meals and snacks more readily available at home. (no vending machine, no expensive lunches out with friends -though I do miss those dearly- no potato chips/french fries teasing me in the cafeteria each day...)

I recently made this delicious carrot and turnip slaw from a new cookbook that a friend gave me called Simple, Fresh, Southern by Matt and Ted Lee of South Carolina. (The encore to James Beard Award Winning 'The Lee Brothers Southern Cookbook'.) It it F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C. I tell you. The recipes are unique and original spins on classic Southern flavors, ingredients and preparations. Some examples include Pimento-Cheese Potato Gratin, Devilled Egg Shrimp Salad Sandwiches, Collard Greens with Poblano Chiles and Chorizo, Mint Julep Panna Cotta, etc. I want to try everything so you'll surely see lots of posts coming soon.

My mom brought me some fresh turnips from the farmer's market (they've been a favorite snack since I was in elementary school believe it or not) so when I found this recipe, it sounded like a perfect, light and fresh summer snack. (The goal was to distract me from the Oreo's in the freezer and it worked! kinda...)

If you're not familiar with turnips, you probably think you're not a fan- but I urge you to give them a fair shake. They have a texture similar to a carrot or radish and a sweet yet spicy flavor much like a cabbage. They are delicious roasted in the oven alongside carrots, parsnips and potatoes and I've also had them mashed- similar to rutabaga. (They will look much cleaner, almost entirely white with some purple at the ends in the grocery store.)

I scrubbed two medium and three small turnips and then peeled them with a pairing knife. (I'll admit that I ate one of the small ones at this point- delicious with some kosher salt sprinkled on top- so using three medium turnips would work just fine.) I also peeled five small/medium fresh organic carrots. NOTE: the recipe calls for 1 lb medium carrots and 8 oz white turnips. You could also use all carrots if you insist. I then used my food processor (the grater blade specifically) to grate them all together into a slaw.

I made a simple dressing for the slaw that was shockingly loud in flavor. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough of it. For this volume of veg, I'd recommend 1.5 times the following recipe:

2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (I'd go a tad heavier next time)

2 small cloves garlic, finely grated (I recommend using a rasp and using 1 sm/med clove)

1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chile flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (more to taste)

Now that I re-read the recipe, the Lee Bros suggest you toss the dill in with the grated veggies first versus adding it directly to the dressing. This is a great idea - I actually had a hard time getting the dill evenly distributed in the slaw after dressing it. I think it would toss it better before any liquid is added.

You gently fold it all together and voila! The zest of the garlic, warmth of the cumin and kick from the chile flakes really makes this more exciting than your average coleslaw. I would eat a bowl of it for lunch with some cheese and crackers on the side. It would also be great for any summer bbq or picnic.

Side Note: Another one of the great yet also challenging apsects of working from home is my new little desk buddy, aka Cleo. I'm either ducking from side to side to see the computer monitor around her fuzzy white head (she likes to chase the mouse around the screen) or I'm forced to type everything one-handed as she has one of my arms pinned to the desk as her pillow. Exhibit A: