STORE: Store cauliflower for up to one week in your crisper covered by a plastic or paper bag.
PREP: Keep whole and chop off ¼ inch off the stem or cut the head into bite-sized florets.
USE: Steam, roast, bake or stir fry cauliflower. Be careful not to overcook!
MURCOTT TANGERINES
STORE: Quite perishable, Murcotts keep only a day or two at room temperature and up to one week refrigerated.
USE: Use Murcott tangerines as you would other varieties. Their sweetness pairs well with butter-based sauces and may be added to vinaigrette. Mix tangerine juice with grapefruit juice, sugar and water, then freeze into sorbet. Add tangerine sections to green salads with toasted pecans and goat cheese.
SUGAR SNAP PEAS
STORE: Refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. They’ll last four or five days.
PREP: Many sugar snap varieties have a tough fibrous string that runs the length of the pea and should be removed before cooking. Fold back the stem and pull — the string will unzip quite easily. Check carefully; some varieties have strings on both sides (just repeat the stem operation from the opposite end). Cook sugar snaps very briefly to preserve their flavor and crunch.
USE:
Raw
• The pod can be left whole and served with your favorite dip.
• The peas can be removed from the pod. Puree the raw peas in a food processor or blender and fold the puree into your favorite dip.
• Snap the whole pea pod into 1-inch pieces and add to salads—vegetable, macaroni, chicken, etc.
Cooked
• Use instead of snow peas in oriental dishes.
• In stews or soups, add whole or in pieces, 2 minutes before serving—just long enough to heat thoroughly.
• Stir-fry as you would any vegetable.