vegetables

November – Roast Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese
by

November – Roast Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Roasted Vegetable Salad

This is another recipe from salad freak.

salad freak

Salad Freak by Jess Damuck

I have found this book very inspiring, especially useful because I am not feeling very inspired in the kitchen these days. I seem to be there way too often since Covid hit. I served the salad as a side with a juicy steak off the grill, the horseradish goat cheese was a perfect match. This was also useful as a ‘clean out the fridge’ salad, you can use whatever is hanging out and needs to be roasted before the new week’s shopping. I found a small head of Romanesco cauliflower (or is it broccoli Romanesco?), some Brussels sprouts and carrots. With shallots and garlic cloves from the pantry it was a go. The original recipe adds fingerling potatoes. If you have some in your pantry or fridge, by all means add them. Just wash and cut them in half, no need to peel.

The important thing is to check the timing on the vegetables as some items may need longer or shorter times in the oven.

Broccoli Romanesco

Broccoli Romanesco

If you want some extra crunch, add toasted torn croutons. I find torn ones are much more interesting than ones cut into little squares. The craggy bits become that much more toasty.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches of small carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half (quartered if very large)
  • 1 small head of Romanesco cauliflower or regular, separated into florets
  • 4 shallots, peeled and cut in half
  • 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
  • 1 tablespoon of jarred horseradish
  • 2 lemons
  • 5 ounces of fresh goat cheese at room temperature
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups of fresh chopped parsley or arugula

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
  2. On a rimmed parchment lined baking sheet, toss the carrots with 2 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Separate them so they are not touching.
  3. On a second parchment lined baking sheet, toss the Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, shallots, garlic and potatoes (if using) with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. They will roast to a toastier brown if cut side down.
  4. Roast the vegetables for about 25 minutes, then give them a toss. Roast for another 10 minutes until they are brown and crispy.
  5. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool a bit.
  6. Make the horseradish goat cheese. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the horseradish with the goat cheese, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper. Blend until whipped and smooth.
  7. Spread the roasted vegetables on a platter, squeeze the other lemon over and taste. Add more olive oil, salt and pepper as needed. Scatter the parsley or arugula on top and dollop with the horseradish goat cheese. Alternately you can first spread the horseradish goat cheese on the platter and arrange the salad on top.
Roast Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese

Roast Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese

Roast Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese

Roast Vegetable Salad with Horseradish Goat Cheese

October – Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce
by

October – Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

This small plate elevates roasted vegetables to a new high. It could serve as a vegan main course if you tossed it with some brown rice or put it on top of a crisp pizza crust.

It’s also perfect as part of a tapas spread with flat bread, some dolmas, feta and olives.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

End-of-season tomatoes or even out-of-season ones would be fine as they are roasted to concentrate their flavors. The miso-tahini sauce further enlivens the dish and would also be delicious on a baked sweet potato or butternut squash, or as a dressing for green or grain salads.

Serve this just out of the oven or at room temperature.

The recipe comes from the cookbook the Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosenstrach. It’s a cookbook I recieved for Christmas this past year and have just started using more frequently.

the Weekday Vegetarians

the Weekday Vegetarians

Their premise is that, as a family, they agreed to be vegetarians during the week and only eat meat on the weekends. There are lots of interesting recipes most of which are very vegetable forward.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of small eggplants (if you can get Fairy Tale ones, those would be perfect…I couldn’t)
  • 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 8 Italian plum tomates or 10-12 smaller ones
  • freshly chopped flat leaf parsley for garnishing

Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons of tahini
  • 2 teaspoons of white miso
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, or squeezed juice of 1/2 small one
  • 2 teaspoons of maple syrup
  • 3-6 tablespoons of water

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  2. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch-thick slices and toss them with the olive oil in a large bowl, add salt and pepper. If you manage to get smaller eggplants, cut them in half. Place them in a single layer on the parchment lined sheet pan.
  3. Cut the tomatoes in half (or quarters if large) and add them to the same bowl, coating them with the remaining oil. Nestle them between the eggplant slices.
  4. Bake on the lowest shelf of your oven for 20 minutes, then turn the eggplant slices and return the sheet pan to the center of the oven. Bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes until the eggplant is browned and crispy and the tomatoes are shriveled. I removed the eggplant slices and returned the tomatoes to the oven for another 10 minutes as they needed more time.
  5. Meanwhile prepare the sauce. In a small bowl or jar combine the tahini, miso, lemon juice, maple syrup and 4 tablespoons of water. Whisk or shake the jar vigorously to combine, adding the additional 2 tablespoons of water to thin it if needed.
  6. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter, drizzle with the tahini-miso sauce, top with choped parsley.

You can serve this warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Note: My tahini sauce was so thick it was impossible to measure. I processed it in a small food processor until it was smooth and pourable. That made it much easier to manage.

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

Roasted Eggplant & Tomatoes with Miso-Tahini Sauce

May in the Kitchen – Green Beans with Spinach and Seedy Mix
by

May in the Kitchen – Green Beans with Spinach and Seedy Mix

Green beans with spinach and seedy mix

Green beans with spinach and seedy mix

The seedy mix will add a crunch to many vegetable dishes. The green colors in this dish are very peaceful and the seedy mix adds flavor and crunch. The inspiration for this recipe came for the cookbook “Seven Spoons“. It is based on an Indian green bean subzi or vegetable dish. Feel free to use the black mustard seeds called for in the original recipe, or add some black mustard seeds to the seedy mix. I think that would be rather nice and I might do that next batch.

Green Beans with Spinach and Seedy Mix

  • 1 lb of green beans, trimmed and cut into 4 inch pieces if large
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1/2 package of baby spinach or a large handful, washed and dried
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons of seedy mix
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When boiling, add the green beans and blanch until bright green but still very crisp. For my beans that was 4 minutes.

    Green beans

    Green Beans – blanched

  2. Drain the beans in a collander and run cold water over to cool. Spread out on a fresh tea towel.
  3. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute gently for about 5 minutes until softened.
  4. Add the garlic and continue to saute, stirring, for another minute.
  5. Add the drained green beans to the pan and cook until tender, perhaps another 2 to 5 minutes.
  6. Turn off the heat in the pan and add the spinach. Stir until wilted.
  7. Add the seedy mix plus salt and pepper to taste.

    Seedy Mix

    Seedy Mix

Transfer to a warm serving dish prior to serving, this is also good at room temperature.

Green beans with Spinach and Seedy Mix

Green beans with Spinach and Seedy Mix

Just in case anyone needs another suggestion for the seedy mix, I’m taking this to Fiesta Friday #67 to share with Angie and the other guests.

 

March in the Kitchen – Swiss Chard with Pickled Stems
by

March in the Kitchen – Swiss Chard with Pickled Stems

Not wasting any part of a vegetable would not have been a new idea for many of our parents or grandparents. It was simply considered good household management. My mother kept an empty milk carton in the freezer, in would go all the vegetable trimmings and any leftover bones. When it was full, she made stock or soup. She even used leftover salad, the next day it was popped into the blender with a can of cream-of-something soup, pureed, heated with a can of milk, and served to my dad for lunch. He thought it was delicious.

Today the hottest current trend in restaurant circles is using all parts of a vegetable (or animal). Sound familiar? Everything comes around again if you wait long enough. I am in full agreement with this new idea. Especially when it’s been grown in my garden from a seed. I’ve nurtured it from babyhood and I want to savor every part.

At the moment my garden is gifting me with armfulls of chard in many colors.

Rainbow Chard

Rainbow Chard

Can’t you just see the vitamins?

One of the most creative books on preserving in my cookbook library is “THE PRESERVATION KITCHEN The Craft of Making and Cooking with Pickles, Preserves, and Aigre-doux” by Paul Virant. On the fly-leaf of the book Alice Waters writes “In order to cook economically and deliciously all year round, it is essential to learn the art of preservation. This beautiful book inspires us to take the time to capture the flavors and textures of each harvest.” Amen.

Chard stems

Chard stems

Chard stems are rather forgettable when raw but are dynamic when pickled. They provide a sharp contrast to the chard leaves. This is a quick pickle, you can use it almost immediately after it is made although I find it lasts for at least a week in the fridge and you can certainly make it ahead.

Swiss Chard with Pickled Stems

  • 1/2 cup champagne vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1-1/2 pounds of Swiss chard
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  1. In a saucepan large enough to hold the stems and pickling liquid, bring the vinegar, water, shallot, honey and salt to a simmer until the honey and salt have dissolved.
  2. Strip the leaves from the chard stems and cut off any tough ends. Dice the stems into 1/4 inch pieces.
  3. Add the stems to the pot. (If the brine doesn’t cover the stems it’s ok, they will soften in the brine.)
  4. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the stems cool in the liquid. If not using immediately, transfer to a bowl or jar and chill.
Pickled chard stems

Chard Stems in Pickling Liquid

When you are ready to cook the chard

  1. Roughly chop the chard leaves
  2. In a large pot over high heat, warm the olive oil. Stir in the leaves and a pinch of salt and saute until they begin to wilt.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, add the pickled stems to the pot, then spoon in half the pickling liquid. Cook until the chard leaves are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated.
  4. Taste, add more pickling liquid if you like a sharper taste. Salt if needed.
    chard leaves

    Chopped chard leaves

    pickled chard stems

    Pickled chard stems

    I don’t have a picture of the finished dish because it was eaten too quickly. Gone, inhaled. Try this one, I think you will like it. Any leftover pickled stems can be used as a garnish for scrambled eggs or added to a salad.

 

February in the Kitchen – Broccoli Raab a la Jane Grigson
by

February in the Kitchen – Broccoli Raab a la Jane Grigson

Like my recent posting of grilled asparagus, this post is the basic method for cooking broccoli raab, also sometimes called broccoletti di rape, or rapini. It has multiple names, including rapine, rappi, rappje, turnip broccoli, tailcat, Italian or chicness broccoli, broccoli de rabe, Italtiona turnip, and turnip broccoli. Whew!

Broccoli raab is allotted only one recipe in “Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book” published in the 1970’s. Until recently it was fairly uncommon in both the UK and the US. I found her recipe under the section on turnips (and swedes?) with whom they are closely related. She recommended serving them cool with a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette, or hot in a similar way as the recipe below. I’m currently exploring the cookbook as part of an on-line cookbook book club (say that 10 times quickly!). You can read more posts inspired by the book on the website The Cookbook Guru.

Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book

Jane Grigson’s Vegetable Book

This vegetable originates in the Mediterranean and China. It is a descendant from a wild herb and is found growing wild (as well as cultivated) in California, Arizona, New Jersey, Quebec and Ontario. Among the Chinese it is one of their most popular vegetables. Broccoli raab is grown as much for its long-standing, tasty, mustard like tops as for its multiple small florets.

Broccoli raab

Broccoli raab

Broccoli raab is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium. It tastes a bit like broccoli but is more pungent with a nutty flavor and a slightly bitter taste.

When buying it at the grocers look for bright green leaves that are crisp and upright, not yellowed or wilted. Unlike broccoli you do not need to peel the stems. If the stems are large, start by sautéing them for a few minutes before adding the leaves to the pan. That will allow them to soften a bit.

Broccoli raab

Broccoli raab

How to Cook Broccoli Raab or Rapini

You can cook the leaves, stems and flower heads like broccoli (broil, stir-fry, braise, sauté, or steam). My preference is to blanch them briefly in boiling water (1-2 minutes) and then sauté with thinly sliced garlic and a chopped shallot, finishing with a couple of finely chopped anchovies or a teaspoon of anchovy paste seems to really fill out the umami flavor (a few dried red pepper flakes can also give a punch).

  1. Rinse and trim 1/4-inch from bottom of stems.
  2. Cut stalks crosswise into 2-inch pieces and drop them into salted (optional), boiling water.
  3. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and remove with slotted spoon. Drain.
  4. Heat 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.
  5. Add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a finely chopped shallot; turn the heat down to medium and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until softened. Be careful not to burn the garlic or it will turn bitter.
  6. Add the blanched broccoli raab/rapini to the skillet and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes until cooked. If the stalks were large, add and cook for a few minutes before adding the leaves.
  7. Optional – Add 2-3 finely chopped anchovies and a few dried red pepper flakes.
Broccoli Raab

Sauteed Broccoli Raab

You could also toss the finished broccoli raab with some pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan. It’s delicious that way.