Main courses

March – Cauliflower Milanese with Romesco Sauce
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March – Cauliflower Milanese with Romesco Sauce

This vegetarian entree uses thick slices of cauliflower as a stand in for the usual chicken. You can use the same technique for some thinly sliced boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Trust me though, your family might not miss the meat.

Romesco is a spanish sauce that contains roasted sweet peppers, almonds, garlic, vinegar and olive oil. You will have leftover sauce from the recipe, smear it on toasted bread or serve it with raw vegetables. It’s easy to make in a small food processor or blender and wonderful to have on hand.

Cauliflower Milanese with Romesco Sauce

Cauliflower Milanese with Romesco Sauce

I am a big fan of cauliflower especially if it has crispy edges. You can find lots of recipes for it in many forms on my blog. Did you know you can search by category or major ingredient? Unfortunately it doesn’t show unless you are on your computer. But, you will find it on the rights side of the post. Cauliflower has its own category.

This recipe came from the cookbook The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach. She says that the recipe serves 4, only 2 in our house with leftover sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1 cup of panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
  • 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, outer leaves removed, sliced from top to bottom through the core into 6 or 8 (3/4 inch) slices or “steaks”. Keep any florets that break off to cook separately.
  • Fresh chopped chives or parsley for serving

Romesco Sauce:

  • 1 (12-ounce) jar of roasted sweet red peppers, drained
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup of blanched almonds
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

Make the Romesco Sauce:

  1. In a blender or small food processor combine the roasted peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, almonds and olive oil. Blend until emulsified. The sauce should be spreadable but on the thicker side. You can make the sauce ahead, it will keep in the fridge for about a week.

Cauliflower:

  1. Set up three dredging stations in wide bowls or rimmed plates: one for the flour, one for the eggs, and one for the panko. Season the panko with salt, pepper and the nutritional yeast.
  2. Prepare a large sheet pan or baking sheet by lining it with paper towels.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  4. Using your fingers, dredge the cauliflower steaks first in the flour, then the egg, then finally in the panko. Place the steak in the hot skillet, repeat with as many steaks that will fit in the pan without crowding or overlapping. You will probably need to do this in batches. Fry each steak until golden brown and crispy on one side, then carefully turn to brown the second. I used two wide metal spatulas to do this without breaking the steaks.
  5. Transfer the steaks onto the paper towel lined baking sheet to drain.
  6. Repeat until all the cauliflower has been breaded and fried. I dredges the leftover florets the same way and fried them as well. You may need to use additional olive oil. They never made it to the dinner table.
  7. To serve, spread 1/2 cup of the Romesco sauce on each warmed plate. Place one or two cauliflower steaks on top and garnish with the chives or parsley.
Cauliflower Milanese with Romesco Sauce

Cauliflower Milanese with Romesco Sauce

You can easily use the same recipe for thin chicken cutlets. Instead of the Romesco sauce, Chicken Milanese is often served with an arugula salad, cherry tomatoes and a lemon wedge. To make this gluten free, use gluten free flour and panko.

Or try this one for cauliflower cutlets with arugula salad.

Cauliflower Cutlets with Arugula Salad

Cauliflower Cutlets with Arugula Salad

Cauliflower is an extremely versatile vegetable.

 

March – Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta salad
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March – Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta salad

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

This recipe came from the cookbook vegetarian salad for dinner by Jeanne Kelley. In her recipe she uses whole wheat pasta, which would be a good alternative. I wanted to make the salad gluten free and had brown rice penne in the pantry. Serve this salad at room temperature, it’s vegan, gluten and dairy free as written. For extra protein a bit of crumbled feta ups the flavor but is not necessary.

I often roast cauliflower but forget that broccoli is also delicious roasted, especially when there are some crispy bits. Roasting sweetens the broccoli, combining it with preserved lemons and Calabrian chiles ups the the salty and tangy notes.

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Ingredients: (serves 4)

  • 2 to 2-1/2 pounds of broccoli (about 2 bunches)
  • 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 8 ounces of dried penne or small macaroni, any kind (about 2 cups)
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane or crushed through a garlic press
  • 3 tablespoons of chopped preserved lemon (rind only)
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of minced Calabrian chiles
  • Optional: 6 ounces of crumbled fresh feta cheese

Method:

  1. Position your oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
  2. Cover 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
  3. Cut the broccoli into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces. Place the cut broccoli in a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Toss with your hands to mix well and coat with oil. Divide the broccoli between the pans. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
  4. Roast until tender browned with some crisp edges. This took about 20 minutes, I switched the locations of the pans after 10. Cool.
  5. Boil the pasta in rapidly boiling salted water until tender but firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl (I used the same one that contained the broccoli in step 3).
  6. Immediately add the garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to coat the pasta. Add the broccoli, preserved lemon and lemon juice.
  7. Add the Calabrian chiles gradually until you have the desired heat.
  8. Add the optional feta if using.
Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Roasted broccoli, preserved lemon, Calabrian chile, and brown rice pasta

Serve at room temperature.

August – Marinated and Grilled Tri-Tip
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August – Marinated and Grilled Tri-Tip

Korean recipes are all the rage right now. I have been curious about their use of fruit in marinades as a tenderizer. I have used pineapple in the past, it almost works too well. But I wasn’t familiar with using pears and wanted to try it. It was delicious in this recipe for marinated tri-tip.

Marinated Tri-Tip

Marinated Tri-Tip

Marinade ingredients:

  • 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 bosc pears, cored and chunked
  • 1/2 cup of soy sauce or tamari
  • 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons of mirin or sherry
  • 1 tablespoon of gochujang, Korean red pepper paste or other hot sauce

Method:

  • Combine the marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth
  • Place the tri-tip in a large bowl or zip lock bag and cover with the marinade.
  • Marinate for 12 to 24 hours.
  • Before grilling brush off any excess marinade and lightly oil the tri-tip.
  • Heat your grill to high heat and sear the meat on each side for a few minutes. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the meat. The internal heat should be 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for medium-rare.
  • Let stand, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 5 minutes before slicing.
Grilled Tri-Tip

Grilled Tri-Tip

January – Brown Rice Risotto with Edamame Beans and Spinach
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January – Brown Rice Risotto with Edamame Beans and Spinach

Can you make a risotto with brown rice? It was a challenge I set out to investigate. There are several recipes for baked rice out there, even baked brown rice. Ina Garten has an easy baked Parmesan “risotto” method which only requires a few minutes of stirring at the end. Her recipe is similar to America’s Test Kitchen’s baked brown rice. The blog Cookie + Kate combined the two in her recipe for baked brown rice risotto with mushrooms. That sounded delicious and I wanted to go one step further (faster?) and cook it in the electric pressure cooker. Over Christmas, a friend’s daughter made a more traditional risotto with arborio rice in the Instant Pot, it was creamy and everything you want a risotto to be. So here goes…

My inspiration came from a recipe in Suzanne Goin’s book Sunday Suppers at Lucques for shell bean risotto. Fresh shell beans weren’t available but frozen edamame beans are in most grocery stores. Her recipe also has a healthy dose of greens with the addition of chopped spinach.

Because you don’t get any evaporation in a pressure cooker, the quantity of stock has to be reduced. For each 1/2 cup of brown rice, 1 cup of stock should be used. And the quality of the stock is crucial since it gets concentrated in the rice, unsalted homemade is best. When added, the wine should be cooked until it mostly evaporates, otherwise the flavor will be too strong. Trust your nose on this one.

It would be easy to convert this to vegan by using only olive oil and a good quality or homemade vegetable stock.

Ingredients:

6 small side dishes, 2-3 main

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (divided)
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons of thyme leaves, fresh (if using dried 1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 chile de Arbol, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup of dry white wine
  • 1- 1/2 cups of short-grain brown rice
  • 3 cups of broth – I used chicken stock but vegetable would make it vegetarian
  • 1 cup of cooked edamame beans
  • 2 ounces of baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

Method:

  1. Using the saute setting, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.
  2. Add the onion, thyme, and chile de Arbol. Saute for 5-10 minutes until the onions are turning golden brown.
  3. Add the rice and stir to combine, toasting the rice for about 1 minute.
  4. Add the wine and stir constantly until is mostly evaporated.
  5. Hit cancel or stop to end the saute setting.
  6. Add the stock and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure there are no bits stuck to the bottom.
  7. Put on the lid and lock it in place, make sure the vent is set to sealing. Set it to high pressure for 24 minutes.
  8. When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 min, then quickly release.
  9. Remove the lid, add the second tablespoon of butter and stir for 1 – 2 minutes to create a creamy texture.
  10. Stir in the beans, spinach, and parsley.

I served this with an oven-roasted boneless chicken thigh, a recipe to be posted. The risotto was supposed to serve 6 as a side dish. Don’t believe it, there were no seconds to be had. I would say 4 as a generous side dish, maybe 2 for a main dish with some leftovers. It all depends on the appetite and enthusiasm of your eaters.

Unfortunately, it was gobbled up before I had an opportunity to take any photos of the risotto itself.

It turned out creamy and delicious. Who could have guessed? The brown rice added a nutty fullness to the flavor. I think it would be even more delicious with mushrooms. A combination of dried (use the soaking liquid as part of the broth) and fresh (saute them and add them at the end) would be memorable. Stay tuned for next time.

October – Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts
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October – Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

This is the first of several recipes I intend to post inspired by the cookbook salad freak by jess damuck.

Salad Freak by Jess Damuck

It’s based on a recipe in the book, but I didn’t have all their listed ingredients on hand and had to do some adapting. I replaced the crunch of pomegranate seeds with some toasted walnuts, the delicata squash with cubed butternut. They served it with sheep’s milk yogurt (or coconut milk yogurt), I substituted freshly grated parmesan. Because I wanted a little more of the toasted flavor, I roasted the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts till they were brown and crunchy…the oven was off anyway for the butternut squash so why not? They were delicious scattered on top.

I used my food processor the shred the Brussels sprouts and kale but a sharp knife will do just fine.

Here’s the best thing about this recipe, it was just as delicious three days later for lunch with a little added cold chicken.

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Ingredients:

  • 1 large delicata squash (sliced into 1/4 inch rings, seeds scooped out) or 4 cups of cubed butternut squash
  • 6 unpeeled cloves of garlic
  • 1 bunch of Tuscan kale, washed and shredded about 1/4 inch
  • 1/2 lb. of Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and shredded about 1/4 inch
  • 1 cup of pomegranate seeds or crushed toasted walnuts
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons for roasting the vegetables and 3 tablespoons for the dressing
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F
  2. Spread the squash, garlic cloves and outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, making sure everything is coated. Roast until the squash in golden brown and the outer leaves look charred, about 25 minutes. You can turn the squash over halfway but I didn’t.
  3. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and allow them to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad.
  4. Add the shredded vegetables to a large salad bowl.
  5. If you used a food processor to shred the greens you can rinse it out to make the dressing. Squeeze the garlic from their skins into the food processor, add the honey, mustard, cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons of olive oil plus salt and pepper. Process until smooth. If you don’t use the processor you can simply mash the garlic in a mortar and pestle, or with the side of your knife, or in a blender, then add the other ingredients and whisk or blend smooth.
  6. Pour the dressing over the shredded kale and Brussels sprouts. Toss well to combine and taste for seasoning. Let it sit for a few minutes to tenderize the kale or massage the dressing into the greens. Add the toasted walnuts and toss again.
  7. Arrange the squash on the side of a shallow bowl or platter, top with the kale mixture, garnish with the roasted leaves of the Brussels sprouts and the parmesan cheese.
Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

This is vegetarian, skip the cheese and spread a thin layer of coconut yogurt on your platter before adding the salad for a vegan option. I think this would make a great holiday side since it can be made ahead. It’s substantial enough to eat as a main course. Add some rotisserie chicken or roasted tofu for extra protein.