Winter WHITES

By ALLISON ASKINS

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

Red, yellow, purple, green and blue foods — we salute them all.

Now we focus on winter’s quieter color: white.

We can add it to our plate as well, and when we do, we gain phytochemicals such as the allicin found in garlic and onions as well as the selenium found in mushrooms.

A warm dip with caramelized onions starts things off right, though it includes cream cheese and sour cream — not the most fat-free options around.

Just remember that a splurge is fine in moderation. This dip is a perfect accompaniment to the potato chip’s healthier alternative, bagel chips or pita crisps. It would work with a platter of brightly colored carrots, celery and sliced bell peppers, too.

A special dinner also would be grand with white asparagus, a more tender, subtler-tasting variety of this elegant vegetable.

Or what about roasting cauliflower? Too often we overlook this cruciferous veggie, but it truly is delicious roasted. The technique allows a nutty flavor to emerge from the crunchy white bulbs. Simply break a head of cauliflower into florets, toss with salt and olive oil as well as an herb of your choosing and roast until the white florets begin to brown. Serve immediately. This dish is best straight from the oven.

Your potatoes can go Mediterranean with the recipe for lemon potatoes.

And sweets, try an oatmeal banana treat, filled with fiber and potassium.

Winter’s whites — a lovely way to wrap up the year’s feast of colors.

Other white foods:

UEndive

UGarlic

UGinger

UJerusalem artichokes

UJicama

UKohlrabi

UMushrooms

UWhite nectarines

UOnions

UParsnips

UWhite peaches

UPears

UPotatoes

UShallots

UTurnips

UWhite corn

FLEURIE’S CARAMELIZED ONION SPREAD

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

4 cups sliced yellow onions (3 medium-size)

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature

1⁄2 cup mayonnaise

1⁄2 cup sour cream

1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1⁄4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Bagel chips or pita crisps, for serving

Place butter or olive oil in large frying pan over low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon from time to time, until they caramelize and turn a golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let onions cool for about 10 minutes.

Place cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, cayenne pepper and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse until smooth, 5 to 7 times. Scrape onions into processor, and using short pulses, combine with cream cheese mixture until onions are evenly distributed but still in small bits, 5 to 10 seconds.

Taste for seasoning, adding more if needed.

Spoon spread into serving bowl and serve with bagel chips or pita crisps.

You can refrigerate if not using right away, but allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Makes 10-12 servings.

From “What Can I Bring? Cookbook” by Anne Byrn (Workman Publishing, 2007)

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

1 medium head cauliflower, cut into 11⁄2-inch florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In jelly-roll pan (large cookie sheet-type pan with a lipped edge), toss cauliflower, oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated.

Roast until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting.

In small cup, combine parsley and garlic. Sprinkle over cauliflower and stir to mix evenly. Roast three minutes longer.

Spoon into serving dish.

Note: For a curry-roasted version, substitute 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro for parsley and add 1 teaspoon curry powder with garlic.

Makes 6 servings

From “The Good Housekeeping Cookbook” (Hearst Books, 2007)

BANANA OATMEAL COOKIES

3 bananas

1⁄3 cup salad oil

2 cups oatmeal (quick cook)

11⁄2 cups chopped dates

1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla

3⁄4 teaspoon salt

Mash bananas. In large bowl, combine all ingredients.

Drop by rounded tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Makes 10 servings or 30 cookies

From pastrywhiz.com

PATATAS ME LIMONO (LEMON POTATOES)

2 to 21⁄2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into thick fingers or wedges

1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

3 lemons

Sea salt

1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon Greek oregano, crumbled between your hands

Black pepper

5 to 8 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In large baking pan, arrange potato pieces and cover with about a half-inch water. Drizzle with half the olive oil and the juice of one lemon, tossing the lemon rinds into the pan alongside the potatoes. Sprinkle to taste with sea salt, oregano and pepper, and place in oven for about 20 minutes.

Squeeze the second lemon over the potatoes, adding the rind, toss potatoes using a spatula, taking care not to break them up too much, and scatter pieces of garlic around pan. Add more olive oil if needed. Return to oven.

Bake for another 15 minutes or so, remove from oven, toss around a bit, then return for another five minutes.

Remove from oven, squeeze the last lemon over the top, and scrape all yummy pan juices up along with the potatoes. Serve right away.

Makes 4 servings

—From “Yummy Potatoes” by Marlena Spieler (Chronicle Books, 2007)