By Sarah Fertsch
In 1893, the U.S. government decided to tax vegetables higher than fruits. Law students now humor themselves by reading Nix v. Hedden, a case in which the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a tomato would legally be considered a fruit or vegetable. The landmark case would establish the rule that a vegetable would be eaten as a part of a savory dinner, whereas a fruit would be eaten with sweet foods for dessert.
This legal precedent would make itself known at family tables, meaning that fruits would rarely be eaten as a part of savory dishes. Not anymore! While it’s true that fruit is sweet and sugary, applying their essence to umami flavors makes dinner (or lunches) feel more balanced. They also bring an extra ounce of life and uniqueness to whatever you incorporate them with. Shock your family and friends by incorporating fruit into salty meals, and here is some inspiration on how to do it:
Blueberry-Glazed Ribs
Ingredients:
- 2 racks of ribs
- ⅓ cup of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups of honey barbeque sauce
- 2 cups of fresh blueberries
- 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
Pour garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar into a bowl and mix together. Dry the ribs with a paper towel and thoroughly rub the ribs with the spices. Place on a large rack and refrigerate overnight, covered.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Take the ribs out of the fridge and bake for 2 hours, covered with foil.
While the ribs are cooking, pour barbeque sauce, blueberries and liquid smoke in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer and slowly crush your blueberries into the sauce. Cook for 8 minutes, then let cool.
Take the ribs out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush the sauce onto the ribs generously and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Serve with leftover blueberry sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Chilled Avocado Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 large avocados, peeled and cut into slices.
- 1 cup of sour cream
- 1 teaspoon of hot sauce
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a blender, puree avocados, hot sauce, sour cream, lime juice and zest, garlic, green onion, and veggie broth. Blend on high until smooth.
Chill soup in the fridge for at least two hours. Serve cold with salt and pepper on top.
Nectarine Pizza
Ingredients:
- Store-bought Pizza Dough
- ⅓ cup of balsamic glaze
- 2 cups of ricotta
- 1 nectarine, sliced thinly
- 10 leaves of fresh basil
- 1 burrata, pulled into bite-sized pieces
- Flaky salt
- Olive Oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pull the pizza dough and use your hands to shape the dough into a 12-inch diameter circle. Place the dough onto an oiled pizza pan.
Spoon ricotta onto the dough, then add nectarine slices, burrata, and balsamic glaze. Top with salt, basil, and a couple of drops of olive oil.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then broil the top of the pizza for 4-5 minutes until the burrata is completely melted.
Remove pizza from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Cut and enjoy!
Fried Plantains
Ingredients:
- 3 large, very ripe black plantains
- 4 cups of canola oil, for frying
- Sea salt
Cut the plantains lengthwise after trimming the ends of each plantain. Gently peel away the skins and cut each plantain on a diagonal into equal threes.
Pour oil into a large soup pot and turn on medium heat on your stove for at least five minutes.
Drop each plantain carefully into the hot oil. Flip after two minutes, ensuring that each side of the plantain is brown and crispy. Once each side is fully cooked, remove each plantain from the oil and place on a drying rack or paper towel. Salt generously.
Once the plantains are cooled, serve warm.
