Category Archives: VEGETABLE SIDE DISH RECIPES

REFRIED BEANS

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OK, so you know the old doggerel – beans, beans the musical fruit, the more you eat the more you, etc. etc. – well for all the bad press associated with eating dried beans, they are none-the-less extremely good for us. According to the WebMD site, and I paraphrase, “Dried beans or legumes are an inexpensive and healthy addition to your diet. A serving (1/3 cup of cooked beans) contains around 80 calories, no cholesterol, lots of complex carbohydrates, and little fat. In addition, beans are a good source of B vitamins, potassium, and fiber, which help promote digestive health and relieve constipation. Eating beans may help prevent colon cancer, and reduce blood cholesterol (a leading cause of heart disease). Beans, often thought of as a side dish, make excellent meat free entrees.”

Add to this the fact that when properly prepared they are just darn right tasty. (My words, not WebMD’s.) And this recipe is just about as simple and pure as any bean recipe could be. No added fat, no meat, just a really nice combination of subtle flavors. It is actually the culmination of years of trying to make tasty, low fat, and meatless refried beans. I mean really, there is enough fat in the form of cheese in the other dishes I usually serve with refried beans to make up for any necessity to include it in the refried beans themselves. And then if truth be told, I usually serve grated cheese on the beans, so fat in the recipe is totally unnecessary. Whew – that was probably more information than you ever wanted to know about a simple dish featuring a dried bean.

So do yourself a favor, give these beans a try. They are really tasty and terribly good for you. And vegetarian and I think vegan, although I am not an expert on veganism. (A lack of knowledge I pride myself on, by-the-way. And yes, I know for some of you that firmly categorizes me as “slightly depraved”. I’m actually OK with that, if we only extend the definition of depraved as far as it applies to veganism!)

  • 2 c. dried pinto beans
  • 2 garlic cloves, rough chopped
  • ½ jalapeno, rough chopped (no seeds or veins)
  • 1 tsp. chili powder, divided
  • 11 c. water (yes, eleven!) – will probably need even more
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the beans thoroughly; place in a large pan with the garlic cloves, jalapeno, and ½ teaspoon of the chili powder. Add water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Stir the beans often as they cook and add water as needed. After the first hour, add the remaining ½ teaspoon chili powder, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer for another 1½ hours or until the beans are very tender and the water has reduced to the consistency of thin gravy.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhen the beans are finished cooking either whirl until smooth in a food processor and return to the pan to keep warm, or use a hand blender to break down the beans to the desired consistency. (Some people like some lumps in their refries, some want their beans as smooth and lump free as possible, other want the beans left whole; merely a personal preference.)  Use as a bean dip with tortilla chips or as a side dish. Great served with freshly baked flour tortillas (you can get them unbaked at Costco) and as a side with Carne Adovada (Mexican Red Chili and Pork Stew)

 

 

POTATO, GRUYÈRE CHEESE, AND CARAMELIZED ONION GRATIN

There just doesn’t seem to be any food more comforting than some kind of starch lovingly paired with cheese. And potatoes and cheese are no exception. Then when you throw in some caramelized onions and heavy cream infused with garlic and fresh thyme, you have a combination only an uncivilized barbarian wouldn’t appreciate.

And since I don’t happen to associate with any of the aforementioned, my friends tend to be as crazy about comfort food as I am. And this recipe is as perfect an example of comfort food as I can imagine. (I served it at our New Year’s Eve party this year to rave reviews. So of course I had to share it with all of you!)

Speaking of parties, I also served up what I now call the “career game” at our News Year’s Eve. Everyone seemed to enjoy the new “game” very much. Since no one else at the party (except for Mr. C. of course) knew everyone else who was invited, I threw out the professions of a few of the people in the room. It was then everyone’s mission to figure out who did what for a living or passion. I had intended it to kind of get people talking to each other. As it turned out, my group of friends needed no prompting in that regard, but never-the-less, it was fun to witness them further getting to know each other by ferreting out each others chosen profession or passion. And when the group is as eclectic, intelligent and amazing as our guests were that evening, it was really fun to watch the discovery process enfold. For example, and this is just a sample of the professions or passions of the people at the party: there were among our guests someone who worked for FEMA, a retired art teacher, 2 senior managers at Boeing, the head of marketing for BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union for those of you who aren’t locals), a ferry boat captain, a retired editor of the U of W Daily paper, 2 outstanding artists who happen to live in our vicinity, a person who was once a vaudevillian, and the person who edits the user manuals for Microsoft (think Excel, for example).

And of course, during the various interchanges, we learned about other fascinating aspects of each others’ lives, or like in my case, accomplishments over which I had no previous knowledge. (I learned that my friend Laurie had danced in the Nutcracker as a child! How cool is that?)

When I started this blog, I promised that I would share the secret to throwing a successful holiday party. And since I attended a fabulous party before Christmas that our friends John and Deanne hosted and then gave a New Years Eve party that seems to have been a success, I thought now was the time to honor my promise. So, here goes! (For those of you who already have the “throw a great party” down pat, disregard the following paragraph.) For those who want to know more, please read on.

Patti’s recipe for throwing a good party:

1 – Invite an interesting and eclectic group of people (the most important ingredient)

2 – Feed them well and often (exciting and interesting people love to eat)

3 – Provide alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic beverages (most people these days are responsible drinkers and interesting non-alcoholic beverages help them stay on track)

4 – Throw in a white elephant or bottle exchange or an ice-breaker diversion like the one I described above (breaks the monotony of eating wonderful food, drinking, and talking to friends, old or new)

5 – Relax and have fun yourself (the second most important ingredient)

That’s it!  And of course, if you are as lucky as I am, invite your musical guests to come and make music together. There is just nothing more fun than a room full of live music.

So dear readers, next time you plan a soiree think about following my recipe for making the event memorable. Just don’t forget to invite me. (Maybe I should have made that rule number 6!)

  • 2 lbs. russet potatoes
  • kosher salt
  • 5 sweet onions
  • 3 T. butter
  • olive oil
  • 2 c. heavy cream
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8-10 oz. grated Gruyère cheese
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • milk

Scrub the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Then slice each section into 1/8-inch thick half moons. Place in a pan with just enough cold water to cover the top layer of potatoes. Add about 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring to just under a boil, reduce heat and simmer potatoes until almost tender. Do not overcook. Strain in a colander and cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, thinly slice onions. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 45–60 minutes or until they turn a lovely shade of brown and are almost mushy. (That’s a technical cooking term, by the way!) You will want to stir the onions frequently during the caramelization process. If the onions start to burn or get too dry, add a little olive oil and reduce the heat. This process takes time, but is well worth the effort.

While your potatoes are cooking and your onions are slowly taking on the color of brown sugar, pour the heavy cream into a small pan along with the peeled garlic cloves and thyme sprigs. Bring to a light simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

When ready to assemble gratin, lightly butter a shallow casserole dish. Place a single layer of potato slices in the bottom of dish, slightly overlapping. Top with 1/3rd of the Gruyère, 1/3rd of the onions, 1/3rd of the herb and garlic infused cream and a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Repeat with 2 more layers. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan. Now comes the hard part. Gently tip the pan. If you don’t see the heavy cream along the sides of the pan almost up to the level of the last layer of potatoes, add enough milk so that it is just visible around the edges. The last thing you want are dry potatoes.  And I would strongly advise against adding additional cream instead of milk. This dish is already crazy rich. The milk just ensures that the potatoes will be creamy, not dry.

Cover with aluminum foil or the casserole lid and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake another 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are super tender and the top is a lovely light brow. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. If you want to make the dish ahead of time, cover and place in the refrigerator until about an hour before you want the dish to go in the oven.

SPINACH CASSEROLE

This is just a wonderful recipe from Ina Garten. The mixture of flavorful white sauce, spinach, and cheeses is just amazingly rich and delicious. This lovely side dish is just perfect for a holiday meal or whenever you need a little richness to offset other menu items that have been very simply prepared. Regardless of how or when you serve this delicious veggie casserole, you and yours are going to be glad you did. Try it this Christmas for a lovely change of pace from green bean casserole.

And I suppose, if you simply can’t imagine life without those canned crunchy fried onions that are such a part of the green bean casserole tradition, by all means sprinkle some on top along with the Parmesan and Gruyere. I don’t think it will matter much to the overall taste of the casserole. And if it makes you and yours happy, I say go for it! In fact, I may try adding them this year myself. After all, what’s a few hundred more calories among friends?

  • 4 T. butter
  • 4 c. chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 (10-oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
  • 1/2 c. grated Gruyère cheese

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Whisk in the cream and milk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well; add salt and pepper. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce. Adjust seasoning. Transfer the mixture to a lightly buttered baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyère. Bake for about 20-30 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven or until hot and bubbly. Serve hot out of the oven.

 

 

 

CREAMY CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS AND PETITE PEAS

This is another perfect veggie dish to serve during the holidays. The peas and creamy rich onions combined are not only beautiful to behold but taste absolutely delicious together.

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 c. frozen pearl onions
  • ¾-1 c. heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1-2 c. frozen petite peas

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over fairly high heat. And the onions and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Reduce heat; pour in cream and slowly simmer until cream is thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Just before serving, place frozen peas in a small colander and rinse under cold water to remove any ice crystals. Drain and gently stir in with the onions. Heat the mixture only until the peas are hot*. Add additional cream if necessary. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

*You don’t really want or need to cook the peas. They are much tastier when served just heated through. In fact, when I make Pea Salad (another wonderful Thanksgiving side dish by-the-way) I don’t heat the peas at all. They are basically right out of the freezer when I add them to the other ingredients.

 

CREAMY CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS

This is a perfect holiday veggie. Our good friend Jim first made this amazing and simple dish for one of our holiday meals, and it was the first food to disappear. Something you should know about Jim before I go any further is that he never makes a small amount of anything he prepares. (God love him.) So even my gravy (and I make fairly decent gravy if I say so myself) didn’t disappear as fast as these onions.

So if you want to serve a veggie that is so delicious that your family and friends will be declaring you the queen or king of the kitchen, add this recipe to your menu. But be advised, it is very rich. You might want to serve it along with another vegetable dish that is fairly simple, like my easy and make ahead recipe for Green Beans.

Any way you serve these onions, you are going to be very happy that you did. Thanks again Jim for the recipe. See you and Margo on turkey day. Don’t forget to add this dish to the menu. Hint hint!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 c. frozen pearl onions
  • ¾-1 c. heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • freshly ground nutmeg

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over fairly high heat. And the onions and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Reduce heat; pour in cream and slowly simmer until cream is thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve hot.

 

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

I found this recipe a couple years back on the Southern Living site. It looked so beautiful I just had to give it a try. Turns out it is not only beautiful to behold, it is absolutely divine to eat. So if you want to please all your sweet potato lovers this Thanksgiving, the ones in the marshmallow camp and the ones who believe marshmallows are only for children, give them all what they want. You will earn big points, I promise!

  • 4 ½ lbs. ruby or garnet sweet potatoes (sometimes labeled incorrectly as yams)
  • ¾ c. sugar (or part brown sugar)
  • ¼ c. whole milk
  • ½ c. (1 cube) butter, softened
  • 2 lg. eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 c. cornflakes cereal, crushed
  • ½ c. chopped pecans
  • 1 T. brown sugar
  • 1 T. butter, melted
  • 1 ½ c. miniature marshmallows

Bake sweet potatoes in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash with an electric mixer. Add the sugar(s), milk, butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into a buttered 9×13-inch baking dish. *Combine cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*If preparing casserole ahead of time, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate before adding any topping. About 90 minutes before serving, pull the casserole out of the refrigerator, leave the foil on the casserole, and bake for 30 minutes. Then follow the above instructions beginning with “Combine cornflakes….”

 

EASY FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FRY!

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To me, there is just nothing better for dinner on a fall or winter Friday night than fish and chips. But I don’t always want to go out for fish, and really, I would prefer not to be tempted by the “chips” that are always a part of the package. So that leaves me with making my own “fish and chips”.

We also love to have dinner companions on Friday nights, so this is my win/win way to entertain and have my favorite Friday night meal. The amounts shown are perfect for 4 normal people.

Even though I am retired, I still like to do a lot of the prep work ahead of time. So the following recipes are designed to take Friday night time constraints and exhaustion levels into consideration.

Although the fish preparation steps need to be done Friday night, the tartar sauce can and actually should be prepared the night before. Also, the dressing for the coleslaw is better if it has time to let its ingredients mingle for awhile. And the cabbage and other veggies can be cut or grated the night before and refrigerated until needed.

So that just leaves the potatoes to get in the oven before you start working on the coleslaw and fish.  And both the coleslaw (mix the dressing into the veggies) and the fish preparation could not be easier.

A little hint: A nice before dinner drink helps a great deal towards making this process run smoother. Even if you don’t drink adult beverages, a simple tonic with a slice of lime makes you feel like the party has already begun.

And because it’s Friday night, and both you and your guests are probably one step from zombie level, forget making any fancy appetizers. Put out a small bowl of olives or nuts, and a couple kinds of raw veggies, and call it good. It’s Friday night people. Time to relax so that you have the strength for all those weekend chores!!

CRISPY FRIED FISH

  • 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. seasoned salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 c. dark beer or water
  • 1 c. panko or more as needed
  • oil for frying
  • 1 1/2 – 2 lb. fish fillets (we love cod, halibut, and tilapia)
  •  lemon wedges, opt.

In a shallow dish, combine the flour and seasoned salt. In medium bowl, whisk
together the egg and beer. Place panko in a large re-sealable food-storage
plastic bag. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat about an inch of oil to 350 degrees. Coat both sides of the fish with flour mixture. Then dip in beer mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl. Place 1 or 2 pieces of fish at a time in the plastic bag with panko; seal bag and shake to coat completely. Fry fish in batches in hot oil for about 4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

IVAR’S FAMOUS TARTAR SAUCE

  • 2 T. chopped yellow onion
  • 1 T. chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp. plain old fashioned white vinegar
  •  ¾ tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 T. dill pickle relish
  • 1 c. mayonnaise

Combine the onions, bell pepper, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a food processor; process for 10 seconds. Add the relish and mayonnaise and process for an additional 10 seconds. Serve chilled. Best made at least a day ahead.

CLASSIC COLESLAW

  • 2/3 c. mayonnaise
  • 1/4 c. minced onion
  • 3 T. minced dill pickle
  • 2 T. pickle brine
  • 2 T. old fashioned white vinegar
  • 2 tsp. prepared creamy horseradish
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 c. shredded green cabbage
  • 2 c. shredded red cabbage
  • 1 large grated carrot
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced lengthwise, then cut into very thin slices on the bias

Whirl the mayonnaise through black pepper in a food processor. Prepare at least 1 day ahead, if possible. Combine with veggies about an hour before serving.

ACCORDIAN BAKED POTATOES (HASSELBACK) – from the Relish Section of The Seattle Times

  • 2 T. butter, melted
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 medium sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

Combine butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slice potatoes crosswise, leaving about ½-inch at bottom still attached. (Place pencils on each side of the potatoes when cutting to ensure you don’t slice all the way through.) Using a pastry brush, coat the potatoes with butter mixture, carefully working it between the slices and coating all sides. Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 60 minutes or until golden brown, crispy, and soft when pierced with a fork. Serve immediately.

ITALIAN GRILLED VEGETABLES

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When we were in Italy recently, grilled vegetables were on just about every menu. Sometimes it was just grilled zucchini, sometimes a mixture. But always the preparation was very simple; grilled with just a little olive oil slathered on before being placed on the grill. Off the grill the cooked veggies were then lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. I personally like a little more oomph to my grilled veggies so this recipe (my take on a Giada De Laurentiis recipe) is perfect for me. (It’s still an Italian recipe since Giada was born in Rome!)

Grilled veggies are usually served with the secondi course, but since I don’t usually prepare what I consider two main courses, they are simply my veggie for that meal. (Or they make a wonderful additional to an antipasto platter.) But amazingly, one of the best dishes we tasted in Italy was prepared with just olive oil and salt.

We had made reservations at a small hotel in the mountain town of Santa Maria (about half way between the east coast and Rome on the west coast). But when we arrived we were greeted by the owner and loud, booming music. Roberto tried to explain what was going on, but finally resorted to going inside and eliciting the help of a young woman on the staff who spoke very good English. She explained that the hotel was hosting a large birthday party that evening and what we were hearing was just a taste of what was to come. Mr. C. and I looked at each other in horror, but the owner soon relieved us of our worry by calling a local B&B and booking us there for the night. (In his defense, he had called Expedia and explained the situation and Expedia had both emailed us explaining why we might want to change hotels and had also left messages on my cell phone. (I had taken neither my lap top or my cell phone along on the trip.)

So after learning that we really didn’t have to listen to crazy loud music all night, we were very relieved. The hotel owner offered to show us the way to the B&B that was just about a km away from the hotel. So we followed him and were absolutely delighted with our new accommodations. The hosts were friendly and the room was beautiful. We asked the staff for a dinner recommendation and they directed us to the nearby town of Tagliacozzo and the Osteria del Borgonovo. After driving around the little town of Tagliacozzo and not locating our restaurant, we parked along the central piazza and asked directions from three local boys. They pondered our question for a moment or two and finally came up with the general direction to take. They were charming young men and seemed thrilled to be able to help a couple of poor hapless Americans. Although we had driven by the osteria twice by this time, we almost walked by it too. Only Mr. Cs eagle eyes spotted a small and poorly illuminated sign that led down a long passageway and into the entrance of the restaurant.

The osteria looked like it had been built in a cave. No windows and only about 12 tables. Had either of us been claustrophobic, we might not even have stayed. But since we aren’t and the smells and general ambience of the room were lovely, we sat down complete with menus in hand.

That evening we both had good appetites so we each ordered a primi. Mr. C. had Tagliatelle al Ragù di Cinghiale (wild boar) and I had Ravioli al Funghi e Tartufo (thick large discs of ravioli in a creamy mushroom and truffle sauce). Absolutely divine. Since we still had a bit of room left for a little “something”, we decided to share a secondi. But before I tell you about our fabulous second course, I need to describe the restaurant in a little more detail.

grill

Every grilled dish is prepared by the chef/owner right in the dining room. The cooking surface (grate) is the entire width of the wood fireplace. As you dine you watch the grill chef prepare everything from bread for bruschetta to rabbit, sausages or thick fork tender steaks dressed only with extra virgin olive oil and salt. Well steak was the item that caught our eyes. We had not had beef since we left home, so a hunk of beast seemed just the right thing to order and share. Our only problem was in telling our nice waitress how we wanted it cooked. Finally we resorted to looking in our “Eating in Italy for Dummies” book and came up with “al sangue” rare, for which we received a hearty thumbs-up from the middle-age couple at the next table. (If we hadn’t realized we were the only non-locals in the restaurant by then, it sure would have become evident at this point!)

So we ordered and sat sipping local wine in happy anticipation of the arrival of our steak. When it was delivered I was amazed at not only the size but the quality of the beef. Then I sliced off a bite and went straight to heaven. As described, the steak was simply grilled and then lightly coated with olive oil and coarse salt. Magnificent!

So next time you grill a steak, try this simple preparation. Grill the steak to desired doneness. Let rest for a couple of minutes and finish with a small splash of good olive oil and coarse salt. And for a side dish, why not serve a lovely plate of grilled veggies?

One final note: as we were leaving I worked up the courage to go up to the chef and not only thank him for an excellent meal, but to ask him about the grill. The first thing I noticed was how much heat was generated from the fairly small fire that was burning at the back of the grill. I mentioned this to the chef and in excellent English he told me it was easier to work in front of the grill in the winter! Then he laughed and thanked us for coming to his restaurant. I assured him it was our pleasure. We walked out of that restaurant not only full and contented from yet another wonderful meal in Italy, but with a new and wonderful memory to share with our family and friends at home.

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
  • 1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut in strips
  • 1 yellow squash, sliced into 1/3-inch thick slices on the bias
  • 1 zucchini, sliced into 1/3-inch thick slices on the bias
  • 1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, then cut in 3rds
  • 3 portabella mushrooms, stems and gills removed then cut into ¾-inch strips
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in two
  • 1/4 c. plus 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or bring your barbecue to medium-high heat. Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus. Take the veggies off the grill and arrange on a platter.  Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herbed olive oil mixture over the grilled vegetables. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH CUMIN AND CURRY

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I happen to love cauliflower. But until I discovered this way of roasting cauliflower, I could only serve it to Mr. C. either drizzled with a lovely rich cheese sauce or with “secret sauce” (mayonnaise flavored with soy sauce). So when I prepared cauliflower this way for the first time I was a little reluctant. I shouldn’t have worried in the least. Mr. C. loves roasted vegetables and both cumin and curry are two of his favorite flavors.

Besides the wonderful flavor of this dish, it is fabulous in that it can be served either hot or at room temperature. So preparing it ahead of time is no problem. Well it’s no problem if you have a safe place to keep it until you are ready to serve! Just don’t make the same mistake I’ve made in the past. Removing the cauliflower from the oven and setting it on a counter believing that there will be any left by dinner or party time is taking a very daring risk. Somehow, a goodly portion of the cauliflower always seems to mysteriously disappear. So if you make it ahead for a party, make plenty! And yes, roasted cauliflower (or any roasted vegetable for that matter) is perfect to serve as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvre. Many people are health conscience and truly appreciate when something delicious and nutritious is served along with the other offerings. (And truth be known, roasted veggies are reasonably inexpensive to serve as appetizers. I’m always trying to look out for your pocketbook.)

So next time you want to serve an old favorite in a new way, think about this cauliflower dish. I think even the discerning palate of a 6 year old could be swayed from the dark side into liking cauliflower when it is prepared this way. If not, there’s always “secret sauce”.

  • 4 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp. curry powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lg. cauliflower, cut into small flowerets and dried thoroughly
  • finishing salt*

Combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, curry, salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Gently stir in cauliflower making sure flowerets are completely coated with oil. (It will seem like they are very lightly coated, but that is exactly what you want!) Spread out on a roasting pan and bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven until cauliflower is starting to get tender and browned, 15-20 minutes. Pour cauliflower out onto a platter, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and lightly sprinkle with a finishing salt or kosher salt and pepper.

*Finishing salt – my name for the fancy salts that can be added at the last minute to brighten the flavor of everything from veggie dishes to caramel sauce. i.e. fleur de sel (flower of salt in French) or sale di Sicilia con limone (Sicilian salt with lemon), etc.

 

 

 

CREAMY GREEN BEANS WITH MUSHROOMS

For holiday dinners a plain veggie is almost always ignored especially if the meat and other side dishes are also fairly simple. After all, it’s a holiday meal. And inherent with holiday dinners is the absolute need for something rich on your plate that you might not otherwise eat. And if that lovely mouth feel that comes from a dish containing butter and half and half happens to also include a vegetable, it’s a win-win situation! For example, this recipe would be perfect if you were planning to serve Maple Syrup Glazed Spiral Ham and Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes. Neither recipe has so high a fat content that creamy green beans would be too rich served as an accompaniment. However, if you were planning to serve Stuffed Leg of Lamb (recipe to be posted in a day or two) and Baked Red Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Sauce, a simple dish of steamed green beans would be a much better choice. Taste buds are picky and they are easily overwhelmed. They seem to be particularly happy when they have a variety of plain and rich flavors to visit and revisit at leisure. So when planning a dinner party, think about variety in both taste and texture, plain preparations versus rich, and color presentation. Color is all too often neglected when choosing what dishes to serve together. And I’m not saying that you have to obey the rules of the color wheel. But who doesn’t prefer to see a pop of bright green, red, or yellow on their otherwise mono-chromatic plate of food? Remember, parsley wasn’t invented to provide a last minute burst of fresh flavor to almost any savory dish, or because of its high vitamin content. It was invented for the sole purpose of bringing a splash of color to an otherwise dreary plate! A little story:  I will never forget one of the dinners we were served when my former husband and I took our 3 youngest children to Europe for 5 weeks in 1978. One of the places we stayed in England actually served us poached white fish, boiled peeled potatoes and way over cooked plain cauliflower. And on a white plate, of course! Now, in the world of home decoration white on white is terribly sophisticated. On a plate placed before three children ages 10, 11, and 12, who were used to a very eclectic assortment of food at home, this all white presentation was not well received. In retrospect it was really quite funny to watch all three little faces turn to me at the same time with expressions that clearly read “mom, do I have to eat this”? And truly, who could expect them, or anyone for that matter to eat something so unappealing. If I remember correctly, none of us ate that dinner. Instead I think we found the nearest Indian restaurant. (We ate quite a bit of Indian food for the two weeks we travelled around England, Scotland, and Wales and were never disappointed!) So, moral of the story; have fun planning your Easter dinner. Just remember – too much of a good thing is not appealing, crunch is your friend, and white on white is stunning in the home of a “dazzling urbanite” (to quote Jim (Gene Wilder) in Blazing Saddles), but on a plate, not so much!

  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 8-oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 c. half and half
  • ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 lb. fresh green beans, cut in bite size pieces and steamed until crisp tender

Melt butter in a medium sized fry pan over medium low heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about a minute or until garlic releases its aroma. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to turn a light golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. (This dish can be prepared up to this point ahead of time and set aside. Just before ready to serve, place back over heat and follow instruction as written.) Add the half and half and Parmesan cheese. Simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Adjust seasoning. Gently stir in the green beans and parsley. Serve immediately. This green bean dish is based on a recipe from the blog entitled Closet Cooking; a great source of fun recipes, by the way.