Category Archives: Side dishes

DOUBLE ASPARAGUS DELIGHT

Posted on March 22, 2011 | 3 Comments

Here’s a clever approach that Michel Richard published in his cookbook “Happy in the Kitchen” : asparagus spears paired with an asparagus “vinaigrette.” If you love green vegetables, as I do, you will delight in this recipe. It’s a model of simplicity because it involves so few ingredients, but you must pay attention to the details, and above all, avoid overcooking the spears. I can’t imagine a better way to welcome Spring!

ASPARAGUS ON ASPARAGUS
(from Happy in the Kitchen)

24 large asparagus
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons)
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt

Set aside 4 whole spears for the dressing. Cut off the tough bottom ends of all asparagus spears and set those aside for the as well. With a vegetable peeler, peel the remaining asparagus starting about one inch below the tip.

Have a bowl with ice cold water ready. Steam the asparagus spears for 5 to 6 minutes only, until they are just tender when gently pierced with the tip of a knife. knife. When the asparagus is cooked, lift the spears with a pair of tongs and plunge them in the ice bath to cool, then remove and dry on kitchen paper or a towel.

Make the asparagus sauce: cut the 4 reserved spears into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a small saucepan with the trimmed asparagus bottoms and add ¼ cup water and the olive oil. Bring it to a simmer, cover, and gently cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is completely softened. The water should have evaporated, leaving the asparagus stewing in only the oil.

Transfer the asparagus to a blender or food processor and puree it until completely smooth. Transfer the puree to a small bowl and whisk in the mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve the asparagus on a platter, with the vinaigrette in a small dish or ramekin on the side for dipping or dousing the spears.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Peeling the asparagus may seem like work, but don’t skip it. Use large asparagus for this dish, and the peeling will ensure a wonderful texture and even cooking. I enjoyed them as a light lunch with homemade bread and a sunny-side egg, but the dish is also a perfect option as an appetizer at a dinner party. The asparagus lovers among your guests will never forget it!

The sauce or dressing is an excellent adaptation for the tough ends of the spears, so consider making some whenever you cook asparagus. I imagine that it will also complement other dishes, like grilled salmon, with a sprinkle of fresh dill on top. Must try that soon.

The beginning of asparagus season always makes us happy!

ONE YEAR AGO: Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Torte

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies

Tagged asparagus, asparagus dressing, asparagus vinaigrette, double asparagus, Happy in the Kitchen, low carb, Michel Richard, vegetarian

CARROT AND SWEET POTATO PUREE

Posted on March 5, 2011 | 10 Comments

Potato puree is comfort food “par excellence”. One of my favorite menus on a chilly evening is braised short ribs served over mashed potatoes (I gained about 3 pounds just by typing that sentence! ) Sometimes I crave that type of side dish, but I’d be happier with a lighter caloric load.

Giada de Laurentiis devised a perfect alternative during her “Light and Fabulous” menu, that paired broiled tilapia filets with a creamy puree of carrots and yams. You can find the recipes for that episode here. The puree has a beautiful, bright orange color, and its taste complements many main dishes.

CARROT AND SWEET POTATO PUREE
(adapted from Giada de Laurentiis)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 cups water

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the veggies are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the veggies, saving the cooking liquid. Transfer them to a food processor, and puree until still slightly chunky, adding some of the cooking liquid, until you reach the consistency you like. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Our grocery had sweet potatoes, but not yams, so that’s what I used. Next time I’ll add a touch of ginger to the puree, because it goes so well with sweet potatoes. Maybe a little orange zest too? But even without these additional touches, this puree was an excellent side dish for our grilled, butterflied pork tenderloin. Something about eating bright colored food instantly makes me feel healthy. This puree tastes good, it’s not too heavy, and it gives that feeling of happy satisfaction at the end of the meal.

Want to make it even faster on a weeknight? Cut the veggies in the morning before work, and save them in the fridge. Small details make life a lot easier when you return home feeling a little spent.

ONE YEAR AGO: Impromptu Pasta Dinner

→ 10 Comments

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies

Tagged Carrot, carrot puree, comfort food, Giada de Laurentiis, Purée, quick and easy side dish, side dish, Sweet potato, sweet potato puree

SOPHIE GRIGSON’s PARMESAN CAKE

Posted on February 12, 2011 | 7 Comments

This year’s Super Bow was low-key for us. We’ve been hard at work, so what we wanted on that quiet Sunday was to recharge our batteries and reload for another busy week. Since it was just the two of us, we kept it simple: Phil made his killer guacamole, and I prepared a recipe from my newest acquisition, the mammoth “Essential New York Times Cookbook.“ The way it’s going, our pickup truck may not hold all our belongings (cookbooks!) on the trip home. I’ve bought more cooking literature than I can possibly use here, and this one will add considerable weight to our load!

This savory cake resembles corn bread in its looks and texture, smells terrific while baking, and does not disappoint in taste either warm or at room temperature. We had a couple of slices on Sunday, and enjoyed the rest for lunch in the Gonda-McDonald courtyard at UCLA, on the sunny patio outside our building. In the 75 degree sun it was hard to believe that the rest of the country was battling snowstorms…

Is it Summer yet?

SOPHIE GRIGSON’S PARMESAN CAKE
(from The Essential New York Times Cookbook)

1 cup flour
1+1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 oz parmiggiano cheese, finely grated
1/4 cup semolina flour
freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
3/4 cup whole milk

Heat the oven to 375 F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter and reserve. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, then add the grated cheese, semolina flour, and black pepper to your taste. Mix well to combine.

Make a well in the center, pour the butter, egg yolks, and milk, and mix until thoroughly combined. Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff, then fold delicately into the cheese mixture. Spoon everything in the prepared pan, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and the surface feels firm to the touch. Serve warm or cold, cut in wedges.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: One word about the New York Times book: awesome! I have no idea how anyone could gather the energy and commitment to create such a masterpiece, but I’m sure glad that Amanda Hesser did it. I haven’t yet finished browsing its 932 pages, but I already have a long list of things to make.

Hesser suggests serving this cake in small wedges for cocktail parties with a glass of red wine, or with soup or salad for a light meal. A hot bowl of tomato bisque (with a touch of basil, of course) is another great match. My only problem with the recipe was the name: ‘parmesan’ suggests the use of cheap versions of this excellent cheese, with which I strongly disagree. Instead, buy the best parmiggiano reggiano available, because that’s a taste that you’ll remember.

ONE YEAR AGO: Antibiotics and Food (something I’m very concerned about)

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly

Tagged brunch, elegant appetizer, parmesan cake, parmiggiano cake, side dish for soup

MOGO MOJO

Posted on January 30, 2011 | 6 Comments

A few weeks ago a reader left a comment on my post about “mandioca frita.” He told me about “mogo,” a common dish in Indian restaurants in the UK, that also starts from cooked manioc root, but instead of frying, the root is seasoned with a mixture of spices and roasted. I was intrigued, and put google to work, searching for an authentic recipe. Very quickly I realized there is no consensus about it. The only common denominator in mogo recipes is that you start with cooked roots, prepared as I described in this post. After that, some recipes call for roasting, some for frying then roasting, others for gently cooking on the stove. Some recipes use tomatoes, some only peppers, others add coconut milk. Spices also vary a lot. With all that complexity facing me, I shutdown my computer and improvised. So, here is my version of mogo, a delicious, hearty dish that will be showing up at our table on a regular basis. Well, as regularly as I can find manioc root at the store…

MOGO
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

10-12 pieces of cooked manioc root
1 Tbs olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or more)
1/2 tsp curry powder
salt and black pepper
1 can diced tomatoes with their juices (14.5 oz, about 1 + 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup coconut milk
chopped cilantro leaves

Cook the manioc root until tender. Cut in serving pieces and reserve (cooked manioc can sit in the fridge for a few days, or be frozen for months).

Heat the oil in a saute pan, add the shallots, cook until soft and starting to develop some color. Add the minced garlic and the red pepper flakes, cooking for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper, add the tomato with the juices, cook on gentle heat for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the coconut milk, curry powder, cook for a couple of minutes, add the cilantro leaves, taste the seasoning and adjust to your taste. You can add some hot pepper sauce if you like it really hot.

Spread the cooked manioc on a baking dish, pour the tomato-coconut sauce on top, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 F for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, and serve or, if you prefer less sauce and some browning on the cassava root, increase the heat to 400 F to finish roasting.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I will be forever in debt with Jack for the heads up about this recipe. We enjoyed it with roast chicken, but next day it was a meal in itself re-heated in the microwave and served over Israeli couscous. Wonderful! Change this basic recipe around by adding roasted bell peppers to the sauce, increasing the heat level with a hot sauce, maybe some smoked hot paprika.

I hope my Brazilian readers will give mogo a try, as they have access to excellent quality manioc root in farmers markets and grocery stores everywhere. Manioc root is not a very popular item in the US, but hopefully that will soon change!

ONE YEAR AGO: Slow-roasted chicken thighs

→ 6 Comments

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies

Tagged hearty vegetarian dish, manioc root, mogo, roasted manioc root, side dish, vegetarian

MUSHROOM SOUFFLE FOR TWO

Posted on January 10, 2011 | 3 Comments

One of the lessons we’ve learned in four months of cooking in the nano-kitchen is to keep our meals simple, even on special occasions. To bid 2010 goodbye we settled on grilled T-bone steaks and a Caesar salad. We also sought an additional side dish with a celebratory aura, but we struggled with various options until my beloved said “I’ve got an idea for you: mushroom souffle!”

Back home we have three different sizes of souffle dishes, but none here. And, to further complicate matters, our electric oven is not very tall, so anything rising to full deliciousness might burn on the upper heating element (don’t ask me how I became aware of this problem… ). Still, once the idea of a mushroom souffle got in our heads, it was impossible to resist.

Starting with Julia Child‘s basic master recipe, I down-sized it for a small baking dish, gathered the ingredients and went to work, with fingers crossed for a great New Year’s Eve meal!

MIXED MUSHROOMS SOUFFLE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

bread crumbs and butter to coat the dish

1 T olive oil
1 shallot, minced
10 ounces of a mixture of mushrooms, diced
(I used 3/4 of fresh shiitake, 1/4 of cremini)
salt and pepper

for the bechamel base
2 + 1/2 T butter
2 + 1/2 T flour
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed in the microwave
salt, pepper, dash of ground nutmeg
3 egg yolks
1/4 to 1/3 cup of grated gruyere cheese

4 egg whites + pinch of salt

Prepare your baking dish (8 inch diameter, 3 inches tall; about 6 cups volume) by coating it with butter and sprinkling bread crumbs inside, tapping out the excess.

Break the eggs and separate yolks and whites – allow the whites to sit at room temperature while you prepare the souffle base.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the shallots, cook until translucent and starting to get golden. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring a few times, until they release all their liquid and it completely evaporates. It is important to have the mushrooms without excessive moisture. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly, trying to spread them out as much as possible to release steam.

Prepare the bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, adding the flour and cooking for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add the warm milk all at once, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until it thickens (about 5 minutes on low heat). Remove from the heat, let it cool slightly, then add the egg yolks, one at a time. Reserve.

When it’s time to bake the souffle, add the sauteed mushrooms to the bechamel sauce, mix well. Add the grated cheese, a little at a time, mixing to incorporate (you may not need to use it all, don’t make the batter too heavy).

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a very clean bowl using an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Add 1/4 of the egg white mixture to the mushroom/cheese base, and mix well. Now, working gently, incorporate the rest of the beaten egg whites, carefully folding it, trying not to loose too much volume. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake in a heated 420 F oven for 30-35 minutes, reducing the temperature to 375 F as soon as the dish goes in.

Remove from the oven and serve right away – it will collapse quickly, but it won’t lose its “wow” factor…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My husband commented that “this souffle should be a regular side dish in every classic American steak house.” How’s that for endorsement? It was unexpectedly excellent, considering that I improvised every step of the way through it. Shiitake mushrooms have an assertive taste, and adding some cremini to the mix mellowed the flavor a bit.

If you have individual souffle molds, simply pour half the batter in each, and bake for slightly less time – say, 25 to 30 minutes. It’s a perfect amount for two (hungry) people; a perfect way to close a wonderful year!

ONE YEAR AGO: Stollen

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly

Tagged elegant side dish, Julia Child, mushroom souffle, romantic dinner, side dish, souffle, soufle de cogumelos

HOLIDAY DOUBLE-DECKER

Posted on December 11, 2010 | 13 Comments

One post, two recipes… It’s the holiday spirit!

A few years ago I began using the 7-6-5 method to cook pork tenderloin, with all varieties of rubs, glazes, and marinades. It’s a nice approach because once you memorize those numbers, you’ll have no need for the recipe, and you’ll always have perfectly cooked pork tenderloin.

Shortly thereafter it occurred to me that chicken breasts are so similar in fat content and overall texture, so why not “7-6-5 them?” Well, I’m happy to report that the idea was a success. Several times I’ve grilled chicken breasts with this technique, and it leaves meat tender, moist, and perfectly cooked.

7-6-5 GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
for the marinade (substitute any recipe you like):
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T fresh orange juice
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and orange juice vigorously together into an emulsion. Add the dried thyme and red pepper flakes and whisk again. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl and pour the marinade over them, coating well. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.

Remove the meat from the marinade, season with salt and pepper and place on a very hot grill, covered, for 7 minutes. Turn the meat over and continue grilling for 6 minutes. Without opening the grill, turn it off and let the meat stay inside for 5 minutes. Place the meat on a serving plate, tented with aluminum foil, let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice at an angle and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is a basic method, with which you can use any marinade or rub you ‘re fond of. I like to start marinating the chicken early in the morning before leaving for work, so that dinner is a no-brainer: all it takes is 7-6-5 minutes, and a side dish or two. Like Brussels sprouts and roasted butternut squash!

Which brings me to the double-decker, Shredded Brussels sprouts. My husband insisted that a post solely devoted to Brussels sprouts would scare away most, if not all my readers! I am sure my readers are very loyal (fingers carefully crossed), but in fact this poor veggie ranks way low in any popularity contest. So, allow me to share with you a GREAT way to prepare Brussels sprouts, and I ‘ll bet that even the sprout haters in the audience will enjoy it…

LEMONY SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
(adapted from Martha Stewart.com)

1-2 pounds of Brussels sprouts
2 T olive oil
2 T water
zest of 1 lemon
good squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts with a knife or the slicing disk of your food processor. Heat the olive oil in a skillet until very hot, almost smoking. Add the sliced veggies, the water, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring every once in a while until the sprouts become tender and develop a few brown spots. Add lemon zest, mix, and squeeze a little lemon juice all over and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Sometimes a different way of processing a vegetable will substantially improve its taste. Prepared this way, Brussels sprouts have a pleasant texture ( don’t overcook them!), and a bright, fresh flavor from the lemon juice. It’s perfect alongside roast chicken, pork, or a thick piece of grilled salmon.

Brussels sprouts are low in carbs, and loaded with vitamins A, C, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, and fiber. They are good for you, so, give this recipe a try!

ONE YEAR AGO: Baked Shrimp and Feta Pasta