Vegetable Tempura

Bunch carrots, bagged carrots, green onions, red onions, gold beets, red beets at farmer's market

Raw veggies are absolutely lovely, but sometimes it’s fun to mix it up with tempura for a special occasion.

Serves four to six as an appetizer.

Dipping Sauce
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup dark sesame oil

Veggies
5 cups seasonal fresh veggies, such as broccoli, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, etc.

For the dipping sauce, combine the scallions, soy sauce, water, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors blend.

For the batter, mix together the flour and baking powder. Add the cold water and sesame oil all at once and whisk until the consistency of pancake batter and very smooth. Refrigerate until ready to prepare the tempura.

Blot the vegetables dry, season with salt and pepper and dip into the batter. Coat them evenly.

Pour the oil into a tall pot to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until around 350 degrees F. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Slip the batter-coated vegetables into the hot oil, deep-frying until the batter is a golden brown and puffy, 3-4 minutes. Turn the veggies so they cook evenly. Remove from the pot with tongs. Drain on an absorbent towel. Serve with dipping sauce.

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Sauteed Runner Beans with Heirloom Tomato Marinara Sauce

Scarlet runner beans flowers

Scarlet runner beans bloom in vibrant red blossoms that are as beautiful in the field as the beans are tasty in your kitchen.

Serves 2-4
4 cups halved heirloom cherry tomatoes (or other thin-skinned tomatoes)
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1/2 cup filtered water
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 giant handful fresh basil leaves, ripped
Sea salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
2 cups scarlet runner beans

In a large sauté skillet heat the olive oil, garlic and shallots over a low flame. Cook through for about 3-5 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you are using this marinara recipe for pasta or another dish, throw in the basil, stir and it is ready to be served.)

Once the tomatoes have simmered for a bit, add in the water, fresh basil and runner beans. Turn the heat up to medium and sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the beans are cooked through (cover with a lid if necessary). Serve immediately.

We thank WithFoodAndLove.com for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!