Chef's Ingredients - More Vegetables Quiz

Although its ancestors were first cultivated in the Americas, zucchini became firmly established in European cuisine, especially in Italy. Botanically, it is a fruit, part of the squash family, with a smooth green skin and a cylindrical shape, sometimes striped depending on the variety.

Its flavor stays mild and slightly sweet, which makes it easy to work into different dishes. Sliced or chopped, it is sauteed, grilled, or roasted, and it often appears in pasta and casseroles. Grated zucchini is also mixed into breads and muffins. Some cooks cut it into thin ribbons to use as a pasta substitute.

Pulled from underwater stems, lotus root is actually the rhizome of the lotus plant, widely used in China and India. When sliced, it reveals a pattern of round holes that run through the length of the vegetable. Raw slices are crisp with a mild sweetness, while cooking softens them but leaves a slight crunch. It is often added to soups and stews, or is fried into chips.

Celeriac, also called celery root, grows as a large, knobby bulb rather than a stalk. Originating in the Mediterranean and northern Europe, it has a rough exterior that hides a pale interior.

The flavor combines mild earthiness with hints of celery and parsley. Raw, it is grated into slaws or salads. It is also common in soups and as a puree, where it becomes smooth and slightly creamy.

These small, tightly packed buds grow along a thick stalk and belong to the same family as cabbage. Although linked to ancient Rome, they were later cultivated in Belgium, which gave them their name.

Their taste leans nutty with a noticeable bitterness, especially when overcooked. Roasting with oil helps bring out sweetness, while sauteing, often with ingredients like bacon, balances the flavor. They also can be found in salads and casseroles.

Originating in Italy, radicchio forms a compact head of deep red or purple leaves marked by white veins. It belongs to the chicory family and has been cultivated since at least the 15th century.

Its bitterness stands out immediately when eaten raw, which is why it is often paired with sweeter elements like fruit or balsamic vinegar in salads. In risotto, the flavor mellows due it to being cooked.

Maize, better known as corn, was first domesticated in Mesoamerica around 9,000 years ago. Indigenous farmers in what is now Mexico selectively bred it into the form widely used today. The kernels come in multiple colors, including yellow, white, blue, and red.

Fresh corn is sweet and slightly crunchy, while processed forms include cornmeal, corn syrup, and popcorn. It is central to foods like tortillas, tamales, and cornbread.

With its bright green color and repeating spiral patterns, romanesco looks almost geometric. It developed in Italy, particularly around Rome, and belongs to the same family as broccoli and cauliflower. The taste is mild and slightly nutty, closer to cauliflower but with a firmer texture.

It is often steamed or roasted, and its unusual shape leads to chefs sometimes choosing it simply for reasons of presentation.

Kale has been grown since ancient Greek and Roman times. Its leaves range from tightly curled to flat and ridged, depending on the variety. The flavor is earthy with a slight bitterness, especially when raw. It is used in salads, smoothies, soups, and stir-fries. Kale chips are a recent invention that have become popular in certain diet regimens.

Closely related to carrots and parsley, parsnips originated in Eurasia and have been part of European diets for centuries. They resemble pale carrots but develop a different flavor. Cooking brings out their sweetness, as their starches convert into sugars. Roasted or mashed, they take on a soft texture, and they are often added to soups and stews.

They are also a popular choice for gratins or vegetable medleys.

Asparagus, cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean by ancient Greeks and Romans, grows as slender green spears that emerge from the ground in early spring. Its flavor blends earthiness with a mild sweetness. It is typically steamed, grilled, or roasted, and is sometimes wrapped in bacon. Beyond side dishes, asparagus is added to pasta, salads, and egg-based dishes like quiches and omelets.

Developed in Scandinavia as a cross between a turnip and cabbage, rutabaga (called "swede" in British English) has a round shape and a thick outer skin that can be yellow or purple. The flavor combines mild sweetness with a peppery note. It is commonly roasted or mashed, and it holds up well in soups and stews.

Chard, part of the beet family, has been cultivated in the Mediterranean since ancient times. It has broad leaves and colorful stalks, which can be red, yellow, or white. The leaves are mild and slightly earthy, while the stalks stay crisp. They are sauteed or wilted before added to various dishes. The stalks can also be pickled.