In the United States we have gotten privileged to be able to have most fruits and vegetables year round. When eating raw it is good to know the best times to eat certain fruits and vegetables because you can really take advantage of getting them fresh from the land.
The fall has some fabulous fruits and vegetables that are in season that are great for making raw salads and dishes. Most of the fruits and veggies are hearty so they can be used as a main dish or a side. Here are some things that are fresh and harvested in the fall that you should keep in mind.
~Onions- Onions is one of the oldest vegetables around and is used in a variety of recipes and various cultures. The onion is good fresh, frozen, canned, and pickled. You can chop or slice for your fresh salads, and as a spicy garnish; they are rarely eaten on their own but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy and pungent or mild and sweet.
~Cucumbers ~ There are many varieties of cucumber which are grown either to be eaten fresh or to be pickled. Those that are to be eaten fresh are commonly called slicing cucumbers. Cucumbers such as gherkins (small cucumbers) that are specially cultivated to make pickles.
~Okra~ Okra is an unusual, yet fun veggie. Okra is usually available
fresh year-round in the South, and from May to October in many other areas. You can serve Okra raw, marinated in salads or cooked on its own. Whole, fresh okra pods also make excellent pickles. Its mild flavor has been compared to eggplant.
~Bell Peppers ~The color of a bell pepper can be green, red, yellow, orange and, more rarely, white, purple, blue, and brown, depending on when they are harvested. The taste of ripe peppers can also vary with growing conditions and post-harvest storage treatment.
Some kosher soul raw recipes that are easy as 1, 2, 3..Nosh on!
Marinaded Okra and Onions
5-6 thumb-size raw okra,
Yellow or red/purple onion Thinly sliced on diagonal
2 tb Rice vinegar
1/2 Onion, thinly sliced
Place okra and onions in a container. Mix rice vinegar well with okra and onions. Chill Should be ready to serve in 1 hour.
Cucumber and Onion Salad
1 large cucumber
1 medium onion
1 large tomato
Dressing ( of your choice)
wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Cut up cucumbers, onion, and tomato in small cubes. Salt and pepper as desired. Add 1 tbsp wine vinegar. Add enough dressing to cover (more or less to desired taste).
