Author: Cyndie Story
Last saved by: michelle.armstrong
Company: Culinary Solution Centers, LLC

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Vegetable Preparation Methods and Tips

Segment 40: Uncommon Vegetables
Chef Cyndie: There are some vegetables that you may be unfamiliar with, but want to use in your fresh fruit and vegetable program or school meals program to introduce students to new types of produce.  Let’s start with the jicama.  First, it is pronounced jicama; spelled j-i-c-a-m-a, the j is pronounced like an H.  Jicama is delicious eaten raw, it reminds me of a spicy water chestnut.  
This vegetable is very hard and will be even more difficult to peel if your knife is dull.  Remove the top and the bottom of the root and place the cut side down on the cutting board.  Using your knife, make cuts down the side and rotate 20 degrees after each cut.  You may need to flip the root over and remove any peel you could not see or get to.  Next, cut it in half, then into planks.  You decide how wide you would like your sticks to be, then cut the planks into sticks.  Serve this with a low fat or fat free dip or salsa, and wow your taste buds will explode with flavor.
Kohlrabi is a turnip that is sweet and crisp, and delicious eaten raw.  Simply rinse and peel using a vegetable peeler or chef’s knife.  Be sure to remove the fibrous layer just below the skin.  From here, kohlrabi can be sliced, diced, or made into vegetable sticks.  Turnips are handled just like the kohlrabi turnip, rinse, peel, and you are ready to use.
Do you like the smell of licorice? That is what fennel smells like when it is cut. To prepare, rinse and remove the base from the pale green stalks.  These stalks can be used as an herb to add flavor to fish and fish soups.  The bulb or base can be eaten raw.  Rinse and remove the bottom of the bulb if necessary.  Cut the bulb in half and cut it into half moon slices about 1/8 to ¼ inch thick.  These slices can be added to salads.
The parsnip is a root vegetable, similar to a turnip.  If they are purchased waxed, you will need to peel them.  If not, rinse and scrub just like carrots.  Parsnips will turn brown when cut, so be sure to add an acid such as lemon juice immediately.  You can make parsnip sticks, cut into full moon pieces, but depending on the amount of product you need, this task may be difficult and time consuming.  In some instances processing parsnips may require a food processor to complete these tasks easily and quickly.
The daikon radish is another root vegetable that is very good eaten raw.  Simply rinse and scrub like parsnips or carrots.  From here you can make radish sticks, cut into full moon pieces, but again, depending on the amount of product you need, this task may be difficult and time consuming and require a food processor to complete these tasks easily and quickly.
Radicchio looks like a head of cabbage, but it is in the chicory family of greens.  When eaten, you will notice it is extremely bitter.  But that bitter taste is good for you; it means it is high in antioxidants.  To prepare, rinse and cut the head into quarters.  You may decide to remove the core at this point.  Each quarter may be cut into julienne strips to add a wonderful color to salads.
Swiss chard or rainbow Swiss chard is similar to spinach except a lot more colorful when added to salad mixtures.  To prepare, rinse and chiffonade.  Roll up the leaves and make ¼ inch cuts. If your leaves are large you may want to consider making some lengthwise cuts before cutting on the diagonal.
Variety of fruits and vegetables really is the spice of eating.  Introduce your students to uncommon or unusual produce and watch the excitement.