WHEN A PUBLICIST LOVES AN AUTHOR, AND HIS FOOD

Chef Bradley Ogden's Winter Vegetable Salad (recipe below).

WHEN A PUBLICIST LOVES AN AUTHOR, AND HIS FOOD

Being a book publicist can be a tough gig, but what makes my job rewarding is when I’m paired up with a delightful, motivated author whose book is timely and appealing to TV producers and editors at magazines, newspapers, and websites. Chef Bradley Ogden is one such author. Gracious and unpretentious, he has been a joy to work with. And he has a sense of humor.

Here’s a recent phone conversation:

Me: “This is Caroline.” (This is how I always answer the phone. I rarely say “hello.”)

Bradley: “Hi, it’s Bradley.”

Me: “Oh, hi. Umm, Bradley who?”

Bradley: “You have another boyfriend named Bradley?”

Me: (embarrassed) “Oh, sorry, no…I didn’t realize it was you!”

Incase you’re wondering, my boyfriend’s name is Kenny.

Anyhow, his book, Holiday Dinners with Bradley Ogden, is, as you can imagine, perfectly seasonal and the media just can’t get enough of it. They all want a piece of Bradley: a vast improvement over the working hours spent chasing down and digging up leads and spinning, spinning, spinning…

So with this in mind, I’d like to share one of my favorite recipes from his book. While the book isn’t vegan, this recipe is, and just reading over the ingredients makes my mouth water. Try it out. You’ll thank me.

-Caroline
@carolinebrown

WINTER VEGETABLE SALAD

Colorful and sweet root vegetables, earthy mushrooms, and fragrant herbs will make everyone want to eat their vegetables.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

8 pearl onions, peeled

1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

8 baby carrots

4 baby parsnips, peeled

12 baby asparagus spears

4 baby red beets

8 baby golden beets

10 ounces shiitake, chanterelle, morel, or cremini mushrooms, stems discarded, wiped clean, and sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)

1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 1⁄2 cup)

2 cups vegetable stock (page 193)

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1⁄4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

1⁄2 cup baby arugala, for garnish

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400°F. Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small roasting pan or baking dish, toss the onions with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add 4 tablespoons of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 10minutes; set aside.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the carrots, return to a boil, and cook until the carrots are bright orange and crisp-tender, 1 to 2minutes. Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer them to the ice bath. When the carrots have cooled to room temperature, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined plate.

Repeat with this process with the parsnips, asparagus, and beets. Use a paper towel to rub off the skin from the beets; then cut into quarters and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet until thin wisps of smoke appear; add the mushrooms, cook for 1 minute; add the garlic and onion; cook for 1 minute longer. Add the stock and sherry vinegar; simmer until the mixture has thickened and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the pearl onions, cooked vegetables, parsley, tarragon, and arugala; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Recipe courtesy of Holiday Dinners with Bradley Ogden © 2011 by Bradley Ogden, Running Press, a member of the Perseus Book Group.

Photo © 2011 by Jeremy Ball