Archive for Vegetables
Bacon and Gruyere Brussels Spouts
Posted by: · Mar 14 2012 · Comments
I was on my way to the store the other day and I asked Justin what he wanted for dinner. As if he were reading straight from a menu, he laid out the exact components of this Brussels sprout dish. I guess he has a talent, because this turned out really, really well.
Ingredients:
- 1 LB Brussels sprouts, cut in halves
- 4 pieces thick cut bacon, diced
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- ½ cup grated gruyere cheese
- ¾ cup store bought bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 425°.
Place the Brussels sprouts in a baking dish.
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Add the shallots and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Drain the fat from the pan and spoon the bacon and shallots into the baking dish with the Brussels sprouts. Add the cheese to the baking pan and toss together with the sprouts, bacon and shallots. Pat down the ingredients in one even layer and top with the bread crumbs. Dice the butter and evenly distribute on top of the bread crumbs. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a nice brown crust has formed. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Fried Cauliflower Salad
Posted by: · Mar 13 2012 · Comments
I have to give credit to our dear friend and chef extraordinaire, Andrew Gruel, for this meal. Andrew is my husband’s best friend from high school and recently visited us in Chicago with his amazing lady friend, Kim. Andrew mentioned having fried cauliflower at a restaurant in Los Angeles and I had to give it a try. This simple salad is just delicious. I will never look at cauliflower the same way.
Outside of this meal, today we are celebrating the 12th birthday of our dear golden retriever, Madison. You have brought us endless joy and companionship, Maddie. We love you!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 heads of cauliflower
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup store bought bread crumbs
- 3 cups arugula
- Kosher salt for seasoning
Instructions:
Cut the cauliflower into 3/4” slices along the horizontal grain. You will have a nice cross section of the cauliflower. With a paring knife, carefully cut the cross sections into florets.
Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large frying pan.
Whisk 2 eggs in a shallow dish. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish as well. Dip the cauliflower florets in the egg, being certain to thoroughly coat each side. Then transfer the florets to the bread crumbs and coat thoroughly on both sides.
Place the coated florets on the frying pan and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and place on top of a heap of arugula on individual plates.
Fry the remaining eggs and place on top of the fried cauliflower and arugula. Season with the salt and serve.
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Posted by: · Feb 21 2012 · Comments
I made the mistake of touching my eyes and mouth after cutting the red chili for this dish. Don’t feel bad for me. Ellie the dog got it much worse. She is literally a living vacuum cleaner and ate the remaining half of the chili I accidently dropped on the floor. After a coughing fit and frantic pawing at her mouth, she resumed her begging.
Ingredients:
- 1 LB ground turkey
- 4 Anaheim peppers, slit down the middle and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ finely diced red onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ red chili, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 4 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 375.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and red chili and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes softened and open up- about 5 minutes. Fold in the ground turkey and use a wooden spoon to break up the chunks. Continue to cook until the turkey is cooked through. Stir in the salt, cilantro, paprika and cumin and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon the turkey mixture into the peppers. Top the stuffing with a handful of the cheese. Place the peppers on a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Crab Stuffed Sole with Goat Cheese Creamed Corn
Posted by: · Nov 22 2011 · Comments
When I came up with this dish at the grocery store I forecasted a long night in the kitchen and almost talked myself out of cooking it all together. I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and short cooking time required of this very elegant meal. I opted to use snow crab for this recipe which I found to be sweet enough to offset the heat from the peppers.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Fish
- 1 LB crab legs, snow or king crab
- 1 LB sole, preferably 4 thinly sliced fillets
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small chili pepper, seeded and finely diced
- Salt for seasoning
Corn
- 4 cups corn, either cut off the cob or frozen
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1 cup cream
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400°.
Fill a large stockpot fit with a steaming rack with enough water to just brush the bottom of the rack. Bring to a boil and add the crab. Cover and steam for 12 minutes.
Remove the crab from the pot with tongs and use a shell fish cracker to remove the meat from the shells. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of butter followed by the pepper and the crab meat. Sauté for 4 minutes and remove from heat. Place a few spoonfuls of the crab mixture in the middle of each fillet and fold over the edges to encase the crab. Place the fish on a baking dish seam side facing down and season with salt. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the fish is cooking start on the corn. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the cream, salt, sugar and goat cheese. Bring to a slight boil then reduce to medium-low heat. Cook until the cream thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve the fish atop a generous serving of the corn.
Cranberry and Brown Rice Stuffed Squash
Posted by: · Oct 13 2011 · Comments
This stuffing compliments squash wonderfully, but can also serve as a delightful poultry stuffer.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 small gold nugget squash
- 1 cup diced thick cut bacon
- 1.5 cups cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup shredded fontenella cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Pierce the skin of each squash numerous times with a fork or knife. Place on a cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until the exterior of the squash has softened and is easily pierced with a knife.
While the squash is baking heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the bacon and stir frequently until nicely browned. Drain the fat from the pan and return to the stove. Fold in the cranberries, reduce the heat to medium and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The cranberries should be softened at this point. Fold in the rice, walnuts, sugar, salt and cheese and remove from the heat.
Remove the squash from the oven and cut off the top exposing the interior of the squash. Scoop out the seeds, but leave the meat of the squash intact. Stuff the squash with the rice mixture and serve.
Grilled Portobello’s Topped with Creme Fraiche-Olive Spread and Watercress
Posted by: · Aug 12 2011 · Comments
I usually lean towards meats and fishes for dinner, but this meal was just wonderfully flavorful, filling and delicious. Maybe vegetarians have caught on to something.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 large Portobello mushrooms
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- ¼ cup plus extra for topping of shredded Romano cheese
- ½ cup crème fraiche
- 2 cups watercress
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Pre-heat grill on medium-high heat.
In a food processor combine the olives, cheese and crème fraiche. Pulse until smooth and set aside.
In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the watercress and balsamic, stir and sauté for 5 minutes or until the watercress is slightly wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Pre-heat oven broiler.
Grill the portobello’s for 5-6 minutes per side or until the mushrooms are easily pierced with a fork. Remove the mushrooms from the grill and spread 2-3 tablespoons of the olive mixture on the open side (gill side) of the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Broil for 3 minutes or until the olive spread begins to brown. Remove from the oven and top each mushroom with a generous handful of the watercress and a touch of shredded Romano cheese.
Baked Stuffed Eggplant
Posted by: · Jul 27 2011 · Comments
Cheese and fresh colorful vegetables are at the top of my pregnancy craving list. This dish was the perfect combination of these two hormonal favorites and just gorgeous on a plate.
Serves 4
Instructions:
- 2 large eggplants cut in half lengthwise
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 LB hot Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 2 cups shitake mushrooms, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded Asiago cheese
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 2 cloves minced garlic
Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400°.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up the chunks with a wooden spoon. Season the sausage with the salt and continue to cook until the sausage is slightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in another large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and cook for 6 minutes stirring frequently.
In a large bowl combine the cheeses and garlic. Mix in the sausage and mushrooms.
Next step is to scoop out a section of the interior (seed side) of each eggplant half. To do so, use a paring knife to cut a ½”deep groove along the perimeter of the interior of each eggplant half keeping a distance of 1/2“ from the edge of the eggplant. Use a spoon to scoop out the eggplant that is enclosed in the knife cutout.
Spoon the cheese/sausage mixture into scooped out section of eggplant halves and close the halves back together. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Cook for 35 minutes. Let the eggplant cool for 10 minutes before cutting in half across the width and serving.
Grilled Swordfish with Carrot-Coconut Puree
Posted by: · Jul 19 2011 · Comments
This meal was a welcome treat in the extreme heat of Chicago. Simple, light, seasonal and beautiful on a plate.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Fish
- 4 swordfish steaks
- Juice from 2 lemons
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
Puree
- 4 cups chopped carrots
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 Serrano peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups fresh full dill sprigs
Instructions:
Start with the fish. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt and dill in a small bowl. Place the fish on a large plate. Pour the lemon juice mixture over the fish, cover and refrigerate for up to one hour before grilling.
While the fish is marinating, bring a large stockpot filled half way with water to a boil. Add the carrots and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the carrots are tender when poked with a fork. Remove the carrots from the water and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until the carrots are nicely shredded. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add the chopped peppers and sauté for 4 minutes. Stir in the shredded carrots, coconut milk, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the contents back to the food processor and mix until smooth. Spoon the puree back into the saucepan, cover and let sit until ready to re-heat.
For the topping, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. The oil will be ready to fry after 5 minutes at which point carefully lower the dill into the oil and fry for 30-45 seconds before removing with tongs and draining on paper towel.
Pre-heat the grill over medium-high heat. Cook the fish for 3-4 minutes per side, occasionally brushing with the remaining marinade. Serve the fish on top of a large spoonful of the puree (re-heat if necessary) and top with the fried dill.
Grilled Swiss Chard and Cherry Salad
Posted by: · Jul 10 2011 · Comments
Northern Montana produces amazing cherries and we are lucky enough to have a small local stand right near our house. As a result, I have been adding cherries to just about every dish I can and this is one of the standouts. Simple, quick and fantastic!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 bushels Swiss chard
- 2 cups pitted cherries and sliced in half
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup ranch dressing, homemade or store bought
Instructions:
Pre-heat grill over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Rinse and dry the Swiss chard. Place the Swiss chard on the grill so that each leave is lying flat against the grill. Flip after 2 minutes and continue to cook for another two minutes on the other side. Remove from the grill and roughly chop. In a large bowl combine the greens, cherries, sunflower seeds and dressing. Toss until the greens are fully coated with the dressing and serve.
Grilled Corn with Spinach-Pine Nut Butter
Posted by: · May 18 2011 · Comments
Compound butters are so easy to make and spice up just about any meat or vegetable. I used this compound butter on fish the other night and failed to memorialize it on my blog. Here I used the leftover butter on grilled corn and it was simply wonderful.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 6 ears fresh corn, husks on
- 1/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons crème fraiche
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Combine the butter, spinach, garlic, pine nuts, crème fraiche and salt in a food processor. Pulse until fully incorporated. Transfer the butter to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 5 minutes.
Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat.
Fold the husks back from the corn but do not remove all together. Do, however, remove the silk strands. Generously rub the corn with the butter. Fold the husk back over the corn. Grill for 8-10 minutes, flipping occasionally. Serve immediately with the remaining butter.
