TARO (aka TARO ROOT)

Flavor: earthy notes of nuts, potatoes, water chestnuts, and/or yeast, and a soft, flaky, starchy (and sometimes slippery) texture

Volume: quiet

What it is: starchy vegetable (tuber)

Nutritional profile: 98% carbs / 1% fat / 1% protein

Calories: 190 per 1-cup serving (cooked)

Protein: 1 gram

Techniques: bake, boil, braise, fry, grate, grind, mash, puree, sauté, simmer, steam, stew (Note: never raw!)

Possible substitute: potatoes

(West) African cuisines

Asian cuisines

Caribbean cuisines

Chinese cuisine

chips

coconut milk

curries

garlic

Hawaiian cuisine

honey

Japanese cuisine

“mashed potatoes”

milk, coconut

mushrooms, e.g., Asian, dried

“nests”

onions

pancakes, savory

POI

scallions

sesame, e.g., seeds

SOUPS

soy sauce

squash, e.g., kabocha

STEWS

sweet potatoes

taro leaves

Flavor Affinities

taro + chiles + coconut milk

taro + honey + sesame

 

  TARRAGON

[TEHR-ah-gon]

Season: summer

Flavor: bitter/sour/sweet; aromatic, with pungent notes of anise, basil, fennel, herbs, lemon, licorice, mint, and/or pine

Volume: loud

Tips: Add at the end of the cooking process. Unlike other herbs, fresh tarragon is louder than dried.

Botanical relatives: artichokes, chamomile, chicory, dandelion greens, endive, lettuces (e.g., Bibb, iceberg, romaine), radicchio, salsify

anise

apples

apricots

artichokes

ASPARAGUS

beans, e.g., dried, fresh, green, lima, white

beets

bouquets garnis

broccoli

butter, e.g., flavored

capers

carrots

cauliflower

celery seeds

celery root

cheese, e.g., goat, ricotta

chervil

chives

citrus, e.g., grapefruit, lemon, lime

corn

cream

dairy products, e.g., butter, cream

dill

dips

EGGS, e.g., hard-boiled, omelets, quiches

fennel and fennel seeds

FINES HERBES (i.e., tarragon + chervil + chives + parsley)

French cuisine

frisée

garlic

GRAINS, WHOLE, e.g., barley, brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries

grapefruit

greens, bitter

herbes de Provence

leeks

LEMON, e.g., juice, zest

lemony herbs, e.g., balm, thyme, verbena

lentils

lime

lovage

marinades

marjoram

MAYONNAISE

melon

mint

mushrooms

mustard, e.g., Dijon

oil, e.g., canola, hazelnut, olive, walnut

onions

orange, e.g., juice, zest

paprika

PARSLEY and parsley root

pasta

peaches

peas, e.g., English

pepper, e.g., black, green, pink

potatoes

radishes

rice

SALAD DRESSINGS, e.g., vinaigrettes

SALADS, e.g., egg, fruit, grain, green, pasta, potato

salsify

SAUCES, esp. classic French, e.g., béarnaise, hollandaise; creamy, tartar

shallots

sorrel

SOUPS, e.g., cream-based, mushroom, white bean

spinach

stock, vegetable

stuffings

sugar snap peas

tofu

TOMATOES

vegetables

VINEGAR, e.g., champagne, red wine, sherry, white wine

walnuts

zucchini

Flavor Affinities

tarragon + anise + celery seeds

tarragon + bulgur + lentils + walnuts

tarragon + Dijon mustard + lemon juice

tarragon + Dijon mustard + red wine vinegar

tarragon + green beans + tomatoes

tarragon + green vegetables (asparagus, green peas) + lemon + olive oil

tarragon + sesame + soy sauce

tarragon + shallots + wine

“Tarragon instantly transports me to the French countryside with its herby, licorice-y flavor. I love it in spring with light dishes like green vegetables such as asparagus or English peas, with a little olive oil and lemon.”

—RICH LANDAU, VEDGE (PHILADELPHIA)

 

  TATSOI (aka TAT SOI)

[taht-SOY]

Flavor: bitter/sour/sweet, with notes of bok choy, cabbage, minerals, mustard, nuts, and/or spinach, and a thick, crunchy/chewy texture

Volume: quiet–moderate

What it is: Asian green leafy vegetable

Calories: 35 calories per 1-cup serving (raw)

Protein: 3 grams

Techniques: braise, raw (esp. young), sauté, steam (about 10 minutes)

Tips: Rinse thoroughly. Serve raw or lightly cooked.

Botanical relatives: broccoli, mustard

Possible substitute: spinach

chives

cucumbers

edamame

garlic

ginger

greens, other, e.g., bok choy, mizuna

mangoes

mushrooms, e.g., shiitake

noodles, Asian, e.g., soba

oil, e.g., grapeseed, olive

onions, green

peanuts and peanut sauce

SALADS

scallions

sea vegetables, e.g., kombu, wakame

SESAME, e.g., oil, seeds

shallots

soups

soy sauce and tamari

stews

stir-fries

tahini

tofu, e.g., baked

vinegar, e.g., rice wine

Flavor Affinities

tatsoi + garlic + ginger + shallots

tatsoi + garlic + ginger + soy sauce

tatsoi + garlic + olive oil

tatsoi + ginger + sesame oil + soy sauce

tatsoi + rice wine vinegar + sesame oil/seeds

tatsoi + sesame oil + soy sauce + tahini + vinegar