Vegetables

June – Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentils and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts
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June – Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentils and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

I made this salad for my Oakland book club. It was my turn to host dinner. They are a wonderful group of women, and cooking for them is a challenge I look forward to each year. My turn only comes around once a year and I spend quite a bit of time doing research. The food has to be, first, delicious. And also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian. Over the past few years, this has gotten easier. Cookbooks and online recipe forums have proliferated. It’s just a matter of finding the right one. This salad hit it out of the park. It was even yummy the next day for lunch with a scoop of cottage cheese. Leftovers would also make a wonderful base for a soup.

The recipe came from the book Community by Hetty McKinnon.

Buffet line

Buffet Line

 

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

For the sweet potatoes and salad

  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup of dried brown lentils or 2-1/2 cups of cooked
  • 1 cup of soft herbs, chopped (use whatever you have such as parsley, mint, tarragon, chives, dill, and/or cilantro). I used a mix of chopped parsley, mint, chives, and cilantro.
  • 2 cups of baby arugula
  • 1/2 cup of shaved parmesan

For the sweet vinaigrette

  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the honey-roasted walnuts

  • 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 cups of walnuts

Method:

  1. Roast the sweet potatoes.
    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C) and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and ground spices. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the potatoes with the spices.
    3. Spread the potatoes on one sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes until they are tender and starting to brown.
  2. Prepare the walnuts.
    1. Combine the honey with the chili flakes, turmeric, salt, and enough water to make a thick paste. (I did this in the same bowl I used for the sweet potatoes.)
    2. Coat the walnuts with the paste and spread on the second baking sheet.
    3. Roast for 10-12 minutes until the walnuts are crunchy and almost dry. They will crisp as they cool. Watch them carefully as they will burn quickly. They may still be a bit sticky which is fine.
  3. Make the sweet vinaigrette.
    1. Whisk together all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Prepare the lentils.
    1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the lentils, and simmer over medium heat until they are tender but not falling apart. Use the directions on your package for timing. Drain.
    2. While the lentils are still warm, stir through the vinaigrette.
  5. Assemble the salad in a large bowl or on a platter. Combine half the herbs with the arugula, sweet potato, and lentils. Season well.
  6. To serve, scatter over the remaining herbs, the walnuts, and shaved parmesan.

Serve the salad at room temperature. It can be made ahead up to step 5. Bring it to room temperature before serving and add the herbs, walnuts, and parmesan.

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Quinn thought she should have a taste.

Quinn - Can I have a bite?

Quinn – Can I have a bite?

View from the Oakland condo of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County at sunset.

Mt. Tamalpais

Mt. Tamalpais

May – Stir Fry with Forbidden Rice
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May – Stir Fry with Forbidden Rice

Are you familiar with black rice, also sometimes called forbidden rice? I have had a package in my pantry for some time. When perusing the cookbook Vegan, Vegetarian, Omnivore (Dinner for everyone at the table) by Anna Thomas I came upon a stir fry using it and was inspired. It’s a vegan recipe called Fried Black Rice with Peanuts.

Forbidden rice is also known as imperial rice, heaven rice and king’s rice. In ancient China, this exquisite ingredient was exclusive to the emperors, who ate it for longevity and good health. It was forbidden to all but the most wealthy and powerful people, thus its name

According to the registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD at the Cleveland Clinic

“We know forbidden rice is high in nutrients and antioxidants, which help protect our bodies against disease,” she continues. “It’s also low in sugar, fat and salt, which is important when we’re looking to improve our diets and maintain health.”

 It has more protein, fiber and iron than other types of rice and contains high levels of:

  • Amino acids.
  • Antioxidants.
  • Fatty acids.

For example, a one-cup serving (100 grams) of prepared black rice contains 2.4 milligrams of iron — more than 10 times the amount in unenriched white rice. It also contains 8.89 grams of protein vs. 6.94 grams in white rice.

What does it taste like? Nutty and it retains a bit more bite and is chewy.

We uncovered our grill for the first time this season and served the rice with grilled asparagus and salmon. It was a perfect Sunday supper.

Stir Fry with Forbidden Rice

Stir Fry with Forbidden Rice

Fried Black Rice with Peanuts

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon dark roasted sesame oil
  • 1 3/4 cup sliced green onions, both white and green parts
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste, or 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
  • 4 1/2 cups of cooked black rice (I used the brown rice setting on my electric rice cooker)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon of agave nectar
  • 1 teaspoon of grated orange zest
  • 1 cup of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
  • 2/3 cup of roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped (I used Trader Joe’s chili onion peanuts)

Method:

  1. Heat the two oils in a large nonstick pan, add the green onions and salt. Stir over medium high heat for about 4 minutes until they are softened and beginning to turn golden.
  2. Add the cooked rice and stir-fry for about another 3 to 4 minutes until the rice is heated through.
  3. Stir in the lemon juice, agave, orange zest and turn off the heat.
  4. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and peanuts.
  5. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Stir Fry with Forbidden Rice

Stir Fry with Forbidden Rice

May – Artichokes
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May – Artichokes

It’s artichoke season, and asparagus season…joy! And although I love artichokes, I don’t love how long it takes to cook them. That is until I discovered a recipe on the blog Smitten Kitchen which shortened the time dramatically. And, why didn’t I think of this???

This is going to be a ‘no-recipe recipe’.

The trick is to cut them in half and steam them. This shortens the cooking time to about 25 minutes.

Artichokes in the steamer basket

Artichokes in the steamer basket

I usually trim them by removing any discolored or small outside leaves, cutting off the tops, and using kitchen scissors to trim any sharp tops of the remaining outside leaves. You can rub the cut edges with lemon to prevent browning but I don’t think it makes much of a difference unless you plan on storing them after the preparation step.

These 4 halves took about 25 minutes to soften. I used a small knife to check if they were done.

Once they are cool enough to handle you can use a small spoon or knife to remove the center choke.

At that point you can put them aside for later or immediately finish them. Heat a skillet large enough to hold a couple of halves over medium high heat, add avocado oil or another neutral oil to coat the bottom. Cook them, cut side down until warm and browned.

Or, I have also cooked them on the BBQ. You can read about them in this post from 2015. Those artichokes came from my Oakland garden before we moved up to Fort Bragg.

Artichoke plants (Oakland)

 

Serve with your favorite sauce. Our choice is mayonnaise thinned with a little soy sauce and a squeeze of lemon. In the 2015 post I used a sauce made with preserved lemon.

Artichoke

Artichoke

Going forward I think steaming them when they are halved will be my go to preparation method.

May – A New Way with Sweet Potatoes
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May – A New Way with Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables. I usually prepare them very simply, roasting them at 400 degrees for an hour or so. The timing will depend on their size. I like them best when the skin is charred and the inside meltingly soft.

Sweet potato fries or chunks are also delicious. Add a bit of cornstarch to the batch along with some seasonings and oil, you don’t need much. Pop them in a convection oven or air fryer at 400 degrees until they are done to your liking with a crispy exterior. Chunks of about 1/2 inch in size will take about 30 minutes, shake the basket every 10 minutes or so. Sticks will be a little faster, about 20 minutes. The timing depends on your brand of air fryer, they are all slightly different so you need to keep checking.

I often cook chunked butternut squash in the same way. The cornstarch (you only need a little) ensures the outside gets extra crispy.

Air fryer butternut squash

Air fryer butternut squash

But the title of this post is “a new way”, a way I hadn’t encountered before for preparing sweet potatoes.

Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes

I know they look like hockey pucks, don’t let that put you off. I encountered this recipe in the book Always Add Lemon by Danielle Alvarez, she is the chef at the Sydney restaurant, Fred’s. It’s a cookbook I received as a present a year or so ago and hadn’t had a chance to examine carefully. I recently dusted and reorganized our bookcase and discovered several cookbooks that had been forgotten since they were gifted or purchased.

These take some time but most all of it is hands off. Start them the day before you want to serve them so they have time to dry out a little in the fridge.

Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes (serves 2-4)

  • 2-4 sweet potatoes
  • Olive oil for rubbing and drizzling
  • Sea or kosher salt
  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Pierce the unpeeled sweet potatoes with a fork or sharp knife and rub with olive oil to coast lightly. Sprinkle with sea or kosher salt and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Bake until they are completely soft. The timing will depend on their size, usually 1-2 hours.
  3. When done, unwrap the foil and cut them crosswise into several pieces, about 1 inch thick.
  4. Allow them to cool, then crush each piece to flatten it. Try to push the ‘meat’ back under the skin.
  5. Leave the potatoes, uncovered, to dry out in the fridge overnight.
  6. When ready to cook, reheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  7. Place the potatoes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Coat each piece with a generous drizzle of olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt.
  8. Roast for another hour, flipping them every 15 minutes or so. After that time they should be crispy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. Cook a little longer if they don’t feel super crispy.
  9. Drain on a paper towel and serve. Or cool and reheat when ready to eat them.
Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes

Slow-roasted, crispy sweet potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.