CAULIFLOWER WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND OLIVES

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

This is cauliflower that deserves a spot at your table when you have special guests for dinner. Amazing that we can now write such a phrase after a couple of years of social isolation. I go as far as saying that even cauliflower haters will be pleasantly surprised. The sun-dried tomatoes add richness and the olives and balsamic vinegar that acidity that lightens things up. Absolutely delicious. And, by the way, it is vegan-friendly.

CAULIFLOWER WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND OLIVES
(inspired by Crossroads)

1 head cauliflower, florets only, chopped in pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil (for oven roasting) or olive oil spray for air-frying
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
8 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
slivered almonds, slightly toasted, to taste

If roasting the cauliflower in an oven, drizzle the florets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in 425F oven for about 30 minutes. If using the air-fryer, spray the florets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and air-fry for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Reserve. The cauliflower can be roasted hours in advance or even the day before.

Put a large saute pan over medium-heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the celery and shallots, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, add the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and capers and cook for a few minutes longer, stirring often. Add the reserved cauliflower, the balsamic vinegar, adjust seasoning. Right before serving, add lemon zest and juice, and top with the toasted slivered almonds.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I don’t know which ingredient elevates this recipe, it is a tight match between the sun-dried tomatoes and the green olives. At any rate, it was an outstanding side dish. I highly recommend it. We enjoyed it with grilled chicken breasts, super simple. Just a marinade with olive oil, Garam masala and salt.

ONE YEAR AGO: Curry Sourdough with Sesame Seeds

TWO YEARS AGO: Chocolate-Crusted Passion Fruit Tart

THREE YEARS AGO: Lemony Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Almonds

FOUR YEAR AGO: Savory Oatmeal with Bacon and Cheddar

FIVE YEARS AGO: Air-Fried Carrots, Two Ways (most popular post on my blog!)

SIX YEARS AGO: Five Minutes in L.I.T (a tour of our laboratory!)

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Thighs with Artichokes and Capers

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Pea Pancakes with Herbed Yogurt

NINE YEARS AGO: Mushroom Stroganoff

TEN YEARS AGO: Tomato Sourdough

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Gamberetti con rucola e pomodori

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Flirting with Orzo

6May2022

A TRIO OF COOKIES

Posted in Cookies by sallybr

As you may remember, I have a blog dedicated exclusively for cookies (click here), but it does not include recipes. It is a venue to document my path through cookie decorating. Come to think of it, check out my 3D macs that were published yesterday...) When I try a new, blog-worthy recipe, it will be shared right here. Today I offer you three recipes, all from bloggers I follow and love. They are listed in chronological order, the last one I made last weekend.

SPRITZ BARS
(from Helen Fletcher)

I made these cookies in October last year, and they were a huge hit. The instructions in Helen’s site are super detailed, and you’ll end up with little cookies that look very professional, uniform in size, the type of bake that makes me think of a certain tent of my past. For the full recipe, visit this post. I just love the use of Swedish pearl sugar.

CREAM CHEESE SUGAR COOKIES
(by Tanya Ott)

When Tanya raves about a sugar cookie, I listen. She knows her cookies well… The addition of cream cheese tames the sweetness and gives it a wonderful texture. She mentioned they hold the shape well – notice the recipe does not call for leavening agents – so I put it to a harsh test, using a patterned rolling pin. As you can see, the recipe passed the test with no issues! This batch was made in November last year, right after Tanya blogged about it (for the full recipe, click here)

The cookies would be perfect without any adornment, but I could not resist brushing a little pink luster dust and then some pearl. Just because…

TOFFEE SANDWICH COOKIES WITH BROWN BUTTER BUTTERCREAM FILLING
(from Josette, TheBrookCook)

If you read Josette’s post about it, you’ll understand why I jumped on making them right away. I was intrigued by the use of Toffee bits in the dough. Works like a charm. And the combination of cookie plus brown butter buttercream is outstanding. Make them, you won’t be disappointed. I changed the decoration to a drizzle of chocolate, but check her version for the authentic recipe (click here).

These three blogs are a constant source of inspiration for me,
and I am sure they will be for you also!

ONE YEAR AGO: The Many Faces of Brownie Cupcakes

TWO YEARS AGO: Olive Oil Brioche

THREE YEARS AGO: Coconut and Lime Macarons

FOUR YEAR AGO: Flank Steak Carnitas

FIVE YEARS AGO: Sesame and Poppy Seed Sourdough

SIX YEARS AGO: Pecan-Crusted Chicken from Southern at Heart

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Lamb Shanks en Papillote with Cauliflower-Celeriac Purée

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Chestnut Brownies and a Blog Award!

NINE YEARS AGO: Quinoa with Cider-Glazed Carrots

TEN YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday: Heirloom Tomatoes Steal the Show

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Pain de Provence

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Golspie Loaf, from the Scottish Highlands

3May2022

THAI-MEATBALLS OVER WILTED BOK-CHOY

Posted in Poultry, Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

These turkey meatballs lean towards Thai cuisine, but I took a few departures and incorporated a Brazilian moqueca touch. If you want to make the meal heartier, serve some rice or noodles as side dishes. Soba would work great.

THAI-MEATBALLS WITH WILTED BOK-CHOY
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the meatballs (makes about 16)
2 pounds ground turkey (I use 85% fat)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1 egg

for the sauce:
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 cup pureed tomatoes (canned is fine)
1 cup coconut milk (low-fat is ok)
2 tsp fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste
juice of one lime

for the bok-choy:
6 to 8 baby bok-choy, sliced in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
drizzle of soy sauce
drizzle of lime juice

Heat oven to 420F.
Make the meatballs combining all ingredients in a large bowl. Form 16 meatballs and place them on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Spray the foil lightly with olive oil, then spray lightly the surface of the meatballs also. Roast for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through baking time. Remove from the oven and reserve. This can be made hours or a day in advance.

Make the sauce. Heat the oil and sautéed the shallot for a few minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the red curry paste and cook for a minute or two, stirring. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, fish sauce, season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, add the reserved meatballs and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the lime juice right before serving.

Make the bok-choy. Heat the oil on a large skillet. Add the bok-choy, cut side down, cook for a couple of minutes without moving them, to get a nice browning on the surface. Flip the pieces over, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle soy sauce, lime juice, cover the pan and simmer for a few minutes until tender. Serve right away, with the meatballs and sauce.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Traditionally, this type of recipe calls for coconut milk as the main component of the sauce. I find that a bit too heavy, also very high on the saturated fat content. So I tone it down with pureed tomatoes. You can just use a full can of coconut milk, if you prefer.

The meatballs have a nice texture, and incorporate the flavor of the sauce well. As to the red curry paste, I have a favorite brand now, after seeing it recommended by cookbook authors and food bloggers: Mae Ploy. It is much better than any brand I’ve used in the past. You can find it online if not available in stores where you live (click here). Leftovers (meatballs only, bok-choy was gone) were delicious on day #2 and day #3. And yes, they were mine, all mine…

ONE YEAR AGO: Asparagus with Gunpowder Masala

TWO YEARS AGO: The Home Bakers Collective, April Project

THREE YEARS AGO: Asian-Style Eggplant Meatballs

FOUR YEAR AGO: Uzbek Flatbread

FIVE YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite – Black Sesame FOUR

SIX YEARS AGO: Chocolate Orange Mini-Cakes

SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, May 2015

EIGHT YEARS AGO: P90X3, a Review of Tony Horton’s Latest Fitness Program

NINE YEARS AGO: Pasta and Mussels in Saffron Broth

TEN YEARS AGO: Triple Chocolate Brownies

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Shanghai Soup Dumplings

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Bite-sized Chocolate Pleasure

29Apr2022

MASALA SHRIMP

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

Quick to prepare, super flavorful, leftovers would be great next day but you won’t have any. Sorry about that.

MASALA SHRIMP
(inspired by many sources)

1 pound shrimp, large or jumbo, peeled and deveined
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/3 cup water
juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp chaat masala mix (optional, but nice)
fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Heat the oil over a large sauté over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, and cook them for at least 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while, until they turn into a paste. Add the ginger and cook for a couple of minutes longer. Add all the seasonings up to garam masala. Stir well, add water and let it reduce gently for 5 minutes or so.

Add the shrimp, season with salt and chaat masala (if using). Cook until the shrimp is opaque, moving them often. Turn the heat off, drizzle the lemon juice and serve sprinkled with cilantro leaves.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Traditionally, the masala shrimp would be less saucy, the tomato mixture is reduced longer. I took a slightly different route, so decide which way pleases you. If you want a shrimp more intensely flavored and almost dry, start with 3 tomatoes instead of 4, and reduce the masala further. Chaat masala is a nice spice mix to have in your pantry if you are fond of Indian cuisine.

You can use this masala sauce to serve with chicken, pork, I bet even scallops could be pretty nice too. And it is ready so quickly, perfect for a busy weeknight.

ONE YEAR AGO: Victoria Sponge Mini-Cakes

TWO YEARS AGO: Red Beet Sourdough

THREE YEARS AGO: A Modern Take on Tarte Tatin

FOUR YEARS AGO: Minnie-Macarons, a Fun Project with a Happy Ending

FIVE YEARS AGO: Nigella Lawson in the Bewitching Kitchen

SIX YEARS AGO: Walnut-Raisin Bran Muffins

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Gingersnaps with White Chocolate Chips

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Turkey Chili with Almond Butter

NINE YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Leek and Cheese Tart

TEN YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club; Triple Chocolate Brownies

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Shaved Asparagus Salad

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Indonesian Ginger Chicken