Obviously, we love cooking. At the CIA, it’s in our shared DNA to boil, braise, baste, and bake. But when it comes to realizing the full potential of our ingredients, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, raw is sometimes the answer.
If you’ve been to a grocery store or farmers’ market in the last year, you can’t miss packaging plastered with the phrases, “minimally processed,” “unfiltered,” or “unrefined.” We are in an age of awakening, where consumers want to know the what, when, where, and why of their food. Every step in processing foods brings us farther from the origins of our raw ingredients.
More than that, though, are the health benefits that come along with unprocessed and uncooked ingredients. Put simply, cooking fruits and vegetables can change the way our bodies process them—not necessarily for better or for worse, but simply different. Some enzymes in broccoli, for example, are broken down by cooking; conversely, cooked carrots supply more antioxidants, such as carotenoids and ferulic acid, when cooked.
All that to say, eating vegetables in a variety of ways is the best way to ensure you’re receiving all of the benefits of fresh produce in all its forms. And considering how we serve and eat raw vegetables can help us introduce some more exciting veggie snacks to our routine.
Our Vegetable Carpaccio recipe is a huge upgrade from baby carrots and cucumber slices, fit for a dinner party (tips for making it extra cool a little later) or casual night at home. Don’t be intimidated by the name, because this is really just a nice composed salad, perfect as a first course or alongside roast chicken or broiled fish.
Though the presentation is simple (don't let the photo fool you, we were having fun!), this dish is full of flavor thanks to garlic and spiced infused drizzles. In the interest of minimal processing, we’re going to give you the steps to make both from scratch, plus an aromatic spice blend. Of course, you find ingredients like the berbere spice blend or flavorful garlic-infused oils at the grocery store to save a little bit of time.
Berbere is an Ethiopian spice blend made from chiles and other spices. Though you can find it online or at most grocery stores, there is nothing like homemade, and you’ll especially love it come grilling season (only 5 months away!). Berbere is a delicious and aromatic warming, all-purpose seasoning. Use it for grilled vegetables, chicken, fish and meats, rice dishes, or soups.
If you decide to serve this as a first course at a sit-down dinner party, you have a real show-stopping opportunity. Use a mandoline to get super thin slices from your kohlrabi, radishes, and beets, then get those creative juices flowing to plate the carpaccio like your favorite Top Chef. For a little extra protein and some pizzazz, heat a small amount of safflower oil in a pan and fry cooked quinoa until it’s lightly browned and crispy. Sprinkle that superfood over your other superfoods and pat yourself on the back.
