Vegetables Category

Vegetables

Vegetables is a catch-all category that includes many of the edible parts of a plant, like stems, roots, flowers, tubers, and leaves. Some biological fruits that aren't very sweet, like tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplants, and beans, are considered by cooks to be vegetables.

cayenne pepper dried, Ginnie pepper
cayenne pepper dried
These are very hot, bright red chilies. Recipes that call for cayenne pepper are likely referring to a ground powder that goes by the same name, or possibly to the fresh version of the pepper.
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celeriac, céleri-rave, celery knob, celery root, Germany celery, knob celery
celeriac
This underrated vegetable is a relative of celery that's been developed for its root, which has a pleasant celery flavor. It's popular in France and Northern Europe, where it's usually peeled and cooked in stews or grated and served raw. Many large supermarkets carry celeriac; select smallish roots that are heavy for their size.
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celery, céleri, seleri
celery
Raw celery is flavorful and wonderfully crunchy, and it's a great vehicle for dips or fillings like peanut butter or cream cheese. Celery can also be sautéed and used to flavor soups, stews, and sauces. A bunch or stalk of celery consists of a dozen or so individual ribs, with the tender innermost ribs called the celery heart.
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celtuce, asparagus lettuce, celery lettuce, Chinese lettuce, stem lettuce, wosun
celtuce
This is a kind of lettuce that's grown for its stalk, which can be peeled, sliced, and stir-fried. Look for it in Asian markets.
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Cerignola olive, Bella di Cerignola
Cerignola olives
These sweet Italian olives are large enough to stuff. Black Cerignolas are softer than green Cerignolas.
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chanar
The fruit and seeds of the chanar tree are edible. In Chile, it is ground up to make a sauce (arrope). It is similar to honey or molasses.
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chanterelle, egg mushroom, girole, golden chanterelle, pfifferling
chanterelle
Chanterelles are a whole family of mushrooms, most of which are quite choice, but the name is most often applied to the golden chanterelle = yellow chanterelle. These yellow mushrooms are highly prized for their exquisite flavor, color, and texture. Other tasty chanterelle varieties include the yellow foot chanterelle, which is less meaty and less flavorful than other varieties, the black trumpet mushroom, and the white chanterelle, which is similar to the golden chanterelle, but lighter in color. Fresh chanterelles are best; dried or canned chanterelles are less flavorful and tend to have a rubbery texture
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chayote, chocho, cho-cho, choko, christophene, christophine, chuchu
chayote
This mild-flavored squash looks like a wrinkled, pale green pear. It needs to be cooked before serving, and for a longer time than other summer squash. You should peel a chayote before cooking it, but don't take the seed out--it's edible and tasty. Cooked chayotes make good low-fat substitutes for avocados.
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chepil, chepilin, longbeak rattlebox
chepil
Look for this in the produce section of Hispanic markets.
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cherry pepper, cherry bell pepper, bird cherry pepper, Creole cherry pepper
cherry pepper
Along with pepperoncini, this is a good pickling pepper. They are moderately hot, and range in color from orange to bright red.
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cherry tomato
cherry tomato
These are less than an inch in diameter, perfect for adding to salads or crudité platters, or grilling on skewers. There are both red and yellow varieties.
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chia sprouts
chia sprouts
These resemble alfalfa sprouts, and can be harvested right off that ceramic chia pet you got as a gift.
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chicken-of-the-woods mushroom, sulfur mushroom
chicken-of-the-woods mushroom
This got its name because it has the texture of cooked chicken. You can sauté it or, if you want to make mock chicken, simmer it in chicken stock.
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chilaca pepper, chile chilaca
chilaca pepper
When dried, a chilaca pepper is called a pasilla chile. They are mild.
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Chilcostle chili, chile chilcosle
Chilcostle chili
This hard-to-find and moderately hot Mexican chili is used in soups, stews, tamales, and mole sauces. It imparts a yellowish color to dishes.
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chile de árbol dried, arbol chile, red chile, rat's tail chili
chile de árbol dried
Unlike many chilies, these remain bright red even after drying, so they're a favorite for making chili wreaths. They're very hot and somewhat acidic. Don't confuse the dried version with the fresh or powdered versions, which go by the same name.
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Chilhuacle negro chile
Chilhuacle negro chile
This excellent Mexican chili is loaded with flavor but hard to find. It's used to make mole negro and bean dishes. It is moderately hot.
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Chinese artichoke, artichoke betony, chorogi, crosne, Japanese artichoke
Chinese artichoke
These look a bit like caterpillars, and they taste like Jerusalem artichokes. They're popular in France but hard to find in the U.S. Your best bet would be an Asian market.
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Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale, gai lan, gai lum, kai lan
Chinese broccoli
Like rapini, Chinese broccoli has small stems and green heads (which actually are flowers) and lots of leaves. But Chinese broccoli is leafier and less bitter than rapini. It's a great vegetable to stir-fry, but you can also steam or boil it, as you would broccoli.
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Chinese celery, khuen chai, kinchay
Chinese celery
This has a stronger flavor than ordinary celery, and it's often used in stir-fries and soups. Look for it in Asian markets.
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Chinese eggplant, qiézi
Chinese eggplant
Compared to the familiar American eggplant, Chinese eggplants have thinner skins, a more delicate flavor, and not as many of the seeds that tend to make eggplants bitter.
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Chinese spinach, amaranth, een choy, hiyu, hon-toi-moi, hsien tsai
Chinese spinach
This is similar to spinach, only it's prettier, tastier, and more nutritious. Look for it in Asian markets.
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chipotle negro chile, red-black chipotle, mora, chipotle mora, black chipotle
chipotle negro chile
These are darker, milder versions of the chipotle chile.
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chipotle pepper , chile seco, jalapeno pepper dried, smoked jalapeno pepper
chipotle pepper
These dried and smoked jalapeño peppers lend a wonderful, complex flavor to sauces. They're usually rehydrated and canned in adobo sauce, but you can also buy them dried in cellophane bags. They are medium hot.
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choy sum, cai xin, Chinese flowering cabbage, choi sum
choy sum
This is a general term in Chinese for the tender inner stalks and flowers of green vegetables. White choy sum usually refers to bok choy, while green choy sum refers to yau choy.
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chrysanthemum leaves, chop suey greens, garland chrysanthemum, shungiku
chrysanthemum leaves
This Asian potherb is used to flavor salads, soups, sukiyaki and other dishes. The leaves are usually blanched briefly to soften them and deepen their color, but young leaves can be served raw. Add them to cooked dishes at the last minute, as they become bitter if overcooked. Some people may have an alergic reaction to chrysanthemum leaves.
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cinnamon cap mushroom, cinnamon webcap
cinnamon cap mushroom
Cinnamon cap mushrooms have a firm texture and an earthy flavor.
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cipollini onion, Borettana onion, cippolini onion
cipollini onion
These round, flat Italian onions are about one to two inches in diameter. They're available in the fall.
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clamshell mushroom, Beech Mushroom, Brown Beech Mushroom
clamshell mushroom
Varieties include the brown clamshell mushroom (left). This mushroom goes well with seafood or meats. Cook them before eating.
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cloud ear mushroom, black fungus, black Treasure, bok née, cloud ear fungus
cloud ear mushroom
It's hard to find these fresh, but dried cloud ears are an excellent substitute. Reconstitute them by soaking or simmering them in lots of water for a few hours.
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collard greens, collards, couve, dark cabbage, raštika
collard greens
This is a favorite of Southern cooks, who often cook them with salt pork or smoked ham hocks. Frozen collards are an acceptable substitute for fresh.
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coriander root, Chinese parsley root, cilantro root
coriander root
Thai recipes sometimes call for these roots, but they're hard to find in markets. The best source is to pull out a cilantro plant in your garden, or you can use cilantro stems instead.
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corn salad, doucette, fetticus, field salad, lamb's lettuce, mache
corn salad
Corn salad has tender leaves and a very mild flavor.
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Costeño Amarillo, bandeño, chile costeño, Costeno amarillo
Costeño Amarillo
This yellow Mexican chili is used to make soups, stews, and mole sauces. It's fruity and moderately hot and somewhat hard to find.
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cousa squash
cousa squash
This Middle-Eastern summer squash looks a lot like spaghetti squash, only it has a thin, edible skin. It's similar to zucchini, but its larger size makes it a natural for stuffing.
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