SPAETZLE, A CLASSIC MADE LIGHTER

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Side dishes by sallybr

I am a bit shocked that in 16 years of blogging life, this recipe has not been featured yet. I used to make it often in the early years of our marriage, but truth is, that marriage is now over 25 years young. So there you go. Better late than never, here I am to share my favorite method to make spaetzle. With a very light hand on saturated fat, but still super tasty.

SPAETZLE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for the water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons low-fat milk
olive oil and olive spray
Panko bread crumbs to taste

Place the flour, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center. Mix the eggs with the milk in a small bowl and whisk well until fully blended. Pour into the flour well and stir until no bits of dry flour are present. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Reserve.

When the batter is ready, place a spaetzle maker over the boiling water. Pour the batter into the metal basket, over the holes. Run the plastic component back and forth over the holes. I cooked mine in three batches.

Once the all spaetzle floats to the top, simmer for 1 minute more. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the oiled baking sheet. You can enjoy them now with butter if desired, or pan-fry it like I did, with olive oil.
To fry, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and the spaetzle. Add some bread crumbs as you sautee the spaetzle, season with more salt if needed. Serve while still warm.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: It was so nice to make this recipe again, after such a long hiatus. Not even sure why it took me so long to re-visit it. It is a wonderful side dish that goes well with meat, poultry, seafood. We enjoyed it with roasted chicken thighs and some green beans. If you don’t have a spaetzle-maker, you can use a colander. Works perfectly well, just rub the batter into the holes with a rubber spatula over the boiling water.

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16Dec2024

ROOT VEGETABLE CLAFOUTIS

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

One of the tastiest and most unusual recipes I’ve made in the recent past, we loved it so much! This would be perfect as a side dish for the holidays, or as a hearty main dish for vegetarians. The idea came from Geoffrey Zakarian in FoodTv’s The Kitchen, and I just knew I had to make it. I modified it to lower the amount of fat but will give you the original version and you can do as you please. My modifications are listed in the comments.

ROOT VEGETABLE CLAFOUTIS
(from Geoffrey Zakarian )

2 carrots, diced small
2 parsnips, peeled and diced small
2 small turnips, peeled and diced small
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced small
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 cups diced Honeycrisp apple
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Add the carrots, parsnips and turnips to one baking sheet. Add the sweet potatoes to a separate baking sheet. Drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Add 2 sprigs of rosemary and 5 sprigs of thyme to each baking sheet. Roast about 30 minutes, rotating the sheets and tossing the vegetables about halfway through.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or other oven-safe sauté pan. Add the shallots, sage and some salt, and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the apples and a pinch of salt and cook until the apples are softened but still have some bite, an additional 4 minutes.

Once the vegetables are done roasting, combine them in the sauté pan with the shallot-apple mixture. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Remove the leaves of the remaining sprig rosemary and 2 sprigs thyme and chop. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs, half-and-half, rosemary and thyme, 1/4 cup Parmesan and some salt. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top. Bake until golden and set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then serve immediately or at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My modifications were quite a few. I could not find turnips at the store, so I used double amount of parsnips and one extra sweet potato. I omitted the shallots and used diced celery instead (food sensitivities at play). Veggies were sautéed in olive oil instead of butter. I did not bother removing all the leaves from the stalks of rosemary and thyme, added some Herbes de Provence instead. And, finally I used half the amount of half-and-half and completed the volume with cashew milk. Next time I might try to go for cashew milk only and see what happens, but overall I think the amount of fat is not excessive. Do not omit the apples, they really make the dish shine. This savory clafoutis is absolutely delicious, and it will become part of our rotation for special meals. Leftovers kept super well, with a brief encounter with the microwave. But it is even nice at room temperature.

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21Nov2024

A DUET OF VEGGIES

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I love Delicata squash, but it is not easy to find at the grocery stores in our town. My first recipe incorporates the squash as a salad ingredient, still warm from the oven, although it will be equally tasty served cold. The second calls for Brussels sprouts, much more widely available. A super simple way to cook it, I hope you’ll give it a try.

ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH SALAD
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the salad:
2 small Delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded, cut into ½-inch pieces
olive oil, for drizzling
a handful of pepitas
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored and diced
a handful of dried cranberries
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Toast the pepitas on a small pan with a smidgen of olive oil and a touch of salt. When fragrant, remove to a bowl and let them cool.

Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and roast until the squash is golden brown on all sides, about 25 minutes.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Assemble the salad: Combine the spinach, toasted pepitas, cranberries and apples. Add half the dressing, toss to coat well. Add the warm roasted squash, drizzle the leftover dressing, gently toss everything together, so that the spinach gets slightly wilted by the warm squash. Adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: You can definitely roast the squash and just serve as a side dish for a nice dinner. I do not peel Delicate, the skin is tender enough that I don’t mind eating it. This was a hearty salad, that we enjoyed with roast chicken thighs.

And now, for a real super simple recipe that will go into our regular rotation.

CHEESY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

CHEESY ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Cook whole sprouts in gently boiling salted water for 8 minutes.

Drain and place on paper towels to dry.

Cut each sprout in half.

Transfer to a bowl and coat them with olive oil, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the sprouts as a single layer, cut side down.

Roast at 425F for 15 minutes.

Add grated Parmigiano cheese all over and roast for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.

Keep an eye on it, you don’t want the cheese to burn.

to print, click here

Comments: This was a real nice way to get tender sprouts with no bitterness and the right amount of char. It may seem a bit fussy to cut them in half after cooking, but I think it was worth the small effort. If they are cut in half before simmering they do not retain the shape well and get a bit too mushy in the end. Of course, this is a matter of personal preference. See what works best for you…

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28Nov2023

FARRO WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH

Posted in Rice and Grains by sallybr

Lovers of farro, rejoice! This is a hearty side dish that might even be enough for a fully vegetarian meal and also perfect for entertaining. We enjoyed it with grilled pork tenderloin and it was a great midweek dinner.

FARRO WITH CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

1.5 cups farro
2 celery sticks, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 shallot, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon table salt
2 tsp za’atar
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
4 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
lemon juice to taste

Cook the farro in a large volume of salted water until it starts to get soft, about 20 minutes. Drain, and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add celery and shallots, cook until fragrant. Add a little salt, za’atar, sauté everything together for a couple of minutes, stirring often. Add the reserved cooked farro, chickpeas, vegetable broth and water, season with salt, bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and cook until farro is tender, about 15 minutes. If there is too much liquid left, allow it to simmer for a few more minutes. Add the spinach, adjust seasoning with more salt if needed, and right before serving, add the lemon juice. Fluff with a fork and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Farro takes a bit of time to cook and also I find that each new bag might behave differently. Also make sure that for this preparation you don’t buy a quick cooking version, although if might work if you simply skip the pre-cooking step. Keep in mind I have not tried it with the quick cooking kind. I normally cook farro as I cook pasta, plenty of water, then test a few grains and stop cooking when ready. In this case, I make sure it is still al dente as it will cook with everything else for 15 more minutes. If you are interested in the pork tenderloin, it is almost a non-recipe. I eye-ball a marinade whisking olive oil, soy sauce (I actually used tamari in this one), lemon juice, honey, a touch of mustard. Cut the pieces, marinade whole day in the fridge. Grill the pieces about 12 minutes total, seasoning with a little salt right before grilling. I do it all the time, sometimes with butterflied tenderloin.

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30May2023

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS

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

No need to run away, I promise you this is a very flavorful way to cook butternut squash. Simple, fast, and perfect to go with roast chicken or grilled salmon. The black beans provide a salty, sharp flavor that complements well the squash. I have made it with the beans as they come from the package, and a second time I minced them. I prefer them minced, the flavor will be more pronounced in the final dish, but if it is your first time trying this ingredient, use them whole and see how you like it.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS
(adapted from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen)

1 pound butternut squash, cut in big chunks
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon Rose Harissa (or any pepper mix you like)
1 tablespoon fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water
drizzle of sesame seed oil
cilantro leaves

Heat a wok over high heat and add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the harissa, the fermented beans, and leet them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the butternut squash pieces, stir them well to coat with the oil, sprinkle the sugar on top. Pour the water and season with a little salt. Cover, reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes until tender.

If there is still water, you can drain it a bit or reduce by boiling, as long as the squash is not too tender. Add the cilantro and sesame oil right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I normally roast or air-fry butternut squash, but it was really easy and fast to braise it. Leftovers were even better, the flavor intensified a bit, and it never got mushy, even after a brief encounter with microwaves. This will go into our rotation for sure. If you don’t have and won’t be getting fermented black beans to play with, maybe a drizzle with sweet soy sauce and a tiny bit of fish sauce will be a nice move.

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