WATERCRESS SALAD WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

Watercress, preferably young leaves
Orange segments
1 avocado, sliced
cherry tomatoes, cut in half, lightly salted
squeeze of lemon juice

for ginger vinaigrette
1/8 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp grated ginger (or use 1 Dorot cube)
salt and black pepper to taste
1/8 cup grapeseed oil

Start by making the vinaigrette.  Dissolve the sugar in the rice vinegar, add the ginger, salt, and pepper, and whisk.  Leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the salad.    Right before dressing the salad, you will add the oil, form an emulsion by vigorously mixing it.

Cut the avocado and sprinkle the slices with lemon juice to prevent oxidation. On a serving plate,  distribute the watercress leaves, the avocado slices, tomatoes, and orange segments.

Add the dressing (you may not need it all, save leftovers for later), adjust seasoning, and….

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

If you don’t like ginger, this vinaigrette is definitely not for you… Both rice vinegar and grapeseed oil are very mild in taste, so you need something to perk this dressing up.  If ginger is a no-no, add some lime zest and a little squeeze of lime juice.  That should do it.

Blood oranges are perfect if you find them in your markets.  In that case, I’d probably  use yellow grape tomatoes, just to mix the colors.   Chow-mein noodles  are another great addition to this salad.  I avoid bringing them home, though, because they usually win the battle against my will power.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Carrot and Sweet Potato Puree

TWO YEARS AGO: Chocolate Bread

A post dedicated to “The Big Bang Theory” fans…

Wheat berries are an amazing ingredient. You can use them for breakfast, desserts, salads, risotto-type dishes, you can add them to soups and stews.  Since I am always searching for side dishes to incorporate in our menu, wheat berries are a great alternative to give some rest to the usual suspects: rice, pasta, and couscous.  The other day I was feeling adventurous, and decided to create my own recipe for them.  Problems started right away.  A search on my cookbooks and online sources left me surprised (and quite puzzled) at the many different methods used to cook the grain.  Some people swear you must soak them overnight. Some insist you need a pressure cooker. I threw caution to the wind, didn’t soak them, didn’t invite the pressure cooker to play, but simply cooked them in salted water as if preparing pasta.  It took a little over 1 hour to get them the way I wanted: tender but not mushy.  After that, I incorporated them with two veggies I adore, and… side dish mission accomplished!

WHEAT BERRIES WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CELERY
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 cup wheat berries
1 medium butternut squash, cut in medium dice
olive oil
salt and pepper
smoked paprika
1 large celery stalk, cut in slices

Heat the oven to 420F.

Cook the wheat berries in plenty of salted water until al dente (depending on the brand, it might take from 1 to 2 hours).  When cooked to your taste, drain, and reserve.  If not using immediately, add just a little drizzle of olive oil to prevent the grains from sticking too much. Can be prepared a couple of days ahead.

While the wheat berries are cooking, place the diced butternut squash in a bowl, and drizzle olive oil just enough to lightly coat the pieces. Season the squash with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.  Add them in a single layer over a rimmed baking dish.  Roast in the hot oven until cooked, and the edges start to brown (25 to 35 minutes).

Mix the cooked wheat berries with the roasted squash, add the raw celery, incorporate everything together gently.   Adjust seasoning, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

We both loved this recipe!  Roasted butternut squash has a special place in my heart, and now stores in our neck of the woods carry those cute little bags with the cut veggie, so I often cave and bring those home to make my life easier.

We are also quite fond of raw celery. In this recipe, it gave the needed “crunch factor” to oppose the chewiness and softness of the wheat and squash.  The squash, when roasted, tastes a little sweet, so the smoked paprika and the celery help cut through that.

We enjoyed this dish with grilled pork tenderloin, but of course it goes well with all sorts of main dishes, standing also on its own if you add a hearty salad.

Hope you try it!

ONE YEAR AGO: Curried Zucchini Soup

TWO YEARS AGO: Roasted Onion and Asiago Cheese Miche (an outstanding bread!)

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS
(adapted from Allison Fishman)

1 head of cauliflower
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
smoked paprika

Heat the oven to 425 F.

Remove the tough outer leaves of the cauliflower.  Cut the base so that it can stand up without moving around.  With a sharp knife, carefully cut slices to have ‘steaks’ that are about 1/2  inch thick.    Lay them without touching on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice.  Brush each side of the cauliflower slices with a very thin coating of the mixture.  Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika (or use other spices you like).

Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes.  Turn the slices around, and roast for 10 more minutes, or until the edges start to brown.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

(click to enlarge)

Comments:  One head of cauliflower will be enough for two.  If I am not sitting at your dinner table, you might even have a couple of slices leftover. But, if I happen to be your guest, forget it!  I love the stuff… 

You can vary the dry spices sprinkled on top, cauliflower goes well with many flavors: curry, cumin, chili pepper, coriander…  just use whatever matches the rest of your meal, and appeals to your taste buds.

ONE YEAR AGO:  Stir-Fried Chicken with Creamed Corn

TWO YEARS AGO:  Puff Pastry for the Party

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SOY, GINGER, AND LIME
(adapted from Everyday Food)

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used grapeseed)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), trimmed of excess fat and silver skin

In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, oil, and ginger. Add pork to the marinade, turning to coat well on all sides. Marinate in the fridge for several hours to overnight.

Remove meat from marinade, and pat it dry.  Season it very lightly with salt, and grill for 7 minutes on a hot grill.  Turn the meat to grill the opposite side, and grill for 6 minutes more.  Without opening the grill, turn the heat off and let the meat stay inside for 5 minutes.   Remove the meat from the grill, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

to print the recipe, click here

TOASTED ORZO WITH OLIVES AND LEMON
(adapted from Everyday Food)

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound orzo (1 + 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt and ground pepper
1/4  cup slivered black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add 2 cups of water and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover, and simmer until orzo is al dente and liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in olives, parsley, lemon juice, and remaining tablespoons of olive oil, if desired (I omitted this step).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments:  What a great dinner this was! Ready in less than 30 minutes, all I had to do was make the marinade at lunch time (but you can do it in the morning, if you don’t go home for lunch), and by the time we came home from work, dinner was a cinch to make.

I used the 7-6-5 grilling method for the pork tenderloin, because it works well with pretty much any type of marinade or dry rub.  It is easy to take care of the rest of the meal when all you have to do is set a timer and move the meat around when it goes off.

Toasting the orzo is what makes this side dish so special.  I’ve used a similar method before in one of the simplest and greatest recipes I’ve made last year, the “Carrot Nib Orzo”.  If until now you’ve only treated orzo as a normal pasta, boiling in salted water, please try either of these recipes, you will be more than pleasantly surprised by the improvement in taste and texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Weekend Pita Project

TWO YEARS AGO:  Mandioca Frita 101 – Fried Yucca Root (Brazilian Food at its best!)