The Most Underrated Vegetables You Should Be Eating, According to Chef Sophia Roe

In our interview, Sophia Roe shared her opinion on the two most underrated veggies you're probably not eating. Plus, we discussed her holiday whisky pairings and the recipe to her signature cocktail.

In her sunlit culinary studio Apartment Miso, James Beard Award-winning chef Sophia Roe can probably make any set of ingredients become a stylish and tasty dish you want to eat. You’ll often see the Brooklyn-based professional sharing said dishes on social media, promoting food equality in our communities or exploring cultural food trends in her TV series Counter Space. And right now, Roe is gearing up for the holidays and inspiring us in the cocktail space.

While many turn to eggnog and wine, Sophia Roe has partnered with Johnnie Walker this holiday season: "This particular Blue Label whiskey is absolutely delicious, whether you're drinking it neat or you're cooking with it," says Roe. Roe took some time to sit down with EatingWell and dish on this season’s best pairings like her Perfect Pear Cocktail (get the recipe below!).

Plus, Roe also talked with us about her favorite underrated vegetables, holiday food hot takes and the ingredients to her favorite salad dressing all in this interview.

EatingWell: With the content and media you put forth, it’s clear that you care about sustainability and food diversity. What’s one underrated food you wish people would eat more often?

Roe: Oh my gosh, turnips and rutabagas. I think people are neglecting them. I would even say, if you cook turnip in heavy cream, add a little thyme, white pepper and a touch of honey … that is a perfect replacement for the ricotta on toast. It's all about how you treat an ingredient, and a rutabaga is the same. Those are two things that are very easy to grow, are native to North America and could be really interesting to have on a plate.

EatingWell: What’s your favorite whisky cocktail?

Roe: When it comes to whiskies in general, I think people maybe don't know they can actually be part of an elegant cocktail experience. As delicious as they might be neat, this Perfect Pear Cocktail is something that is absolutely delicious. It's got this great, lemony citric acid. It's not overly syrupy. The pear juice really comes through.

EatingWell: What advice do you have for people wanting to make a showstopper dessert this holiday season?

Roe: A great way to go about this is to send out an email and send out texts. “Guys, I'm making a dessert. What are we thinking?” The two answers that aren't allowed are, “Make whatever you want,” or, “I don't care.” That's how you get really cool memories. Getting people involved is the number one way to make things show-stopping. People are going to be thrilled and excited to eat it.

Recipe to try: Creamy Turnip Soup

EatingWell: Do you have any holiday food hot-takes?

Roe: I have a few hot takes. I think we should be grating our pears and apples into things using a microplane. One of my favorite salad dressings in the entire universe is just champagne vinegar, grated pear, ginger, olive oil, a little shallot [and] a little garlic. It's just insane with winter leaves. Also, a little bit of grated pear or grated apple on top of ice cream in your caramel: I wish more people did that. (Here's Roe's recipe for Honey Thyme Ice Cream with Coconut Caramel.)

Another thing is all that bread that's happening during Christmas holiday, Thanksgiving, etc. That to me is the most delicious bread crumb situation. Bread is actually one of the top five things that goes to waste, so I would love to see more people repurposing their bread, thinking of bread puddings, French toast, etc. Use that bread up!

Related: The Top 10 Grocery Items That Go to Waste, According to a New Survey

EatingWell: What does eating well mean to you?

Roe: It means eating exactly what you want with exactly the people that you want at exactly the time that you want. It is high-access, high-family, high-love or maybe no-family. Maybe you just really want to eat alone. But I think eating well just means having access to all the things that you want and that you need.

Sophia Roe’s Perfect Pear Cocktail

This recipe is Sophia Roe’s signature cocktail creation, best paired with her Brûléed Figs with Pickled Pear and Whipped Miso Maple Ricotta.

Active: 5 minutes

Total: 5 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky

• ½ ounce Jinro 24 (Shochu)

• ½ ounce at St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur

• ¾ ounce lemon juice

• 3 ounces Martinelli's Sparkling Cider

• 1 twig thyme or rosemary for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Add ingredients into an ice filled cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with sparkling cider and garnish with a sprig of thyme or rosemary.

Read the original article on Eating Well.