Cauliflower Gratin

There aren't many vegetables that I don't like, but there are those I tend not to choose (to put it nicely).  Cauliflower is one of those vegetables.  Still, I belong to a CSA, and the dutiful thing is to use all the produce I can, even the items I'm not so crazy about.  When I saw a recipe for Cauliflower Gratin, I thought perhaps I'd found that dish that would win me over.  (I've tried before, but it didn't quite do the job).  After all, it's cheesy and crunchy and creamy - what's not to love?

Well, it is really tasty, I have to say....for cauliflower.  If you like cauliflower already, you are going to *love* this.  If you don't, well, it will make cauliflower a bit more tolerable.  (I'm really selling this, aren't I?)

The crunchy bread crumbs, the melted cheese, and the creamy finish serve as a tasty backdrop to the still-slightly-crunchy cauliflower, the way the major cast members of a gratin are prone to do.  Serve it along with some of your favorite things, and it becomes a nice well-rounded dish.  We had ours with grilled chicken and roasted brussels sprouts.  Yum.

Cauliflower Gratin

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

1/2 cup half & half

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

pinch of salt

1/2 cup shredded cheese (gruyere or mozzarella works)

1/3 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Place the cauliflower florets in a shallow baking dish or casserole.  

2.  Whisk together the half & half, mustard, and salt in a small bowl.  Pour over the cauliflower.  Top with shredded cheese and bread crumbs.

3.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork but still has a bit of crunch, and the topping is brown and crunchy.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Shaved Asparagus with Parmigiano-Reggiano

Did you know you can eat asparagus raw?  I don't know if that necessarily means you'll want to grab a stalk and start gnawing on it, but when you shave it thinly with a vegetable peeler and toss it with a simple lemon vinaigrette, it's pretty divine.  Add parmigiano to the mix, and a bit of sea salt, and you're in business.

This recipe comes from Mario Batali's latest book, and it is a great example of the beauty of simplicity.  When you have excellent produce, you shouldn't mess with it too much.  If you can find a way to eat it raw, all the better. 

Mario includes this in the antipasti section of Molto Gusto, but I think it works great as a salad or a side dish, too.  Try it out and see what you think.  I'll bet you've never had anything quite like it.

Shaved Asparagus with Parmigiano-Reggiano

adapted from Mario Batali's Multo Gusto

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch medium asparagus, tough ends snapped off

1/4 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon warm water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

coarse sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into long diagonal shavings.  It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be thin.

2.  Put the cheese in a large bowl and whisk in the lemon juice and warm water.  Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil slowly to create a loose emulsion.  Add the asparagus and toss everything together.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Lemon Tarragon Pasta

Sometimes you need something genuinely quick and easy to pull together for dinner.  For instance, when you've just returned from a way-too-long business trip to Dallas, Texas, and you are starving, but have next to nothing left in the fridge because your husband lived off cereal and take-out during your absence. 

Yes, the reason I haven't posted all week is for the above-stated reasons.  And I got home ready to eat just about anything, but not just anything.  I still wanted something wholesome and tasty, something that would say, "Yes, you are home, and you get to eat home-cooked meals again."  So I whipped together the perpetual comfort food: pasta. 

This is based on a pasta dish my mother used to make a lot when I was in high school.  It's simple, flavorful, and definitely hits the spot when you need something quick and filling.  You can make it a side dish alongside chicken and/or veggies, or fish, or you can just make a salad to go with it.  I sauteed some chicken sausage and mushrooms to have with it, and my belly is very happy now.  No more Tex-Mex for me.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that).

You probably already have all the ingredients for this - if you don't have tarragon, you can easily substitute basil (even dried basil if you're really desperate). 

Lemon Tarragon Pasta

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

salt

4 ounces whole grain spaghetti or angel hair

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

juice of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, probably about 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of your pasta.

2.  At the same time that you add the pasta to the water, heat one tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat.  As soon as it's hot, reduce heat to low and add the garlic.  Cook, stirring, for less than one minute, until fragrant.  Be careful not to burn it.  Add the tarragon and lemon zest, and season lightly with salt.  Cook, stirring, for another minute.  Add lemon juice and stir.

3.  Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.  Drain pasta and return to the pot.  Add the lemon and tarragon mixture and the reserved cooking liquid, and stir well.  Stir in remaining oil and salt to taste.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Steamed Baby Artichokes

I love artichokes.  They have such an indescribably magical flavor - a combination of earthiness, sweetness, and springiness.  The big globe artichokes can sometimes seem like an awful lot of effort for not a lot of food, and that is when it's a great idea to pick up a bunch of baby artichokes.

The baby artichoke is almost entirely edible.  There are a few tough outer leaves that need to be stripped away, but otherwise they are ready to get in your belly.  There is no choke to avoid, so you can treat it basically as one big artichoke heart.  And the heart is what it's all about, after all.

This dish would be great as an appetizer, or as part of a tapas ensemble.  It also works as a side dish.  You could cut up the artichokes smaller and put them in a pasta dish, if you like.  But I think they are best alone, drizzled with the simple chive vinaigrette, and savored.

For prep purposes, just trim the stem and pull off the toughest outer leaves.  Then your baby artichokes are ready for their steam bath.

Steamed Baby Artichokes

serves 2-3 as a side dish or small plate

INGREDIENTS:

8 or 9 baby artichokes, trimmed

kosher salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 small lemon

1 teaspoon finely chopped chives

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a couple of inches of water to a boil in a pot.  Place a steamer insert into the pot (the bottom of the insert should not be touching water) and place the artichokes in the insert.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.  Cover and steam for 15-20 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender.  You should easily be able to insert a fork into the artichokes and pull it out again.  Remove from heat.

2.  Cut the baby artichokes in half and lay them on a platter, cut side up.  In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon, chives, and a pinch of salt.  Drizzle the vinaigrette over the baby artichokes.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Buttered Fresh Peas & Green Beans

Can we just take a moment to step back and appreciate the fact that spring is well underway?  When you go to the farmers market (at least on this side of the country), you see a whole lot of green.  It is a beautiful thing.

Last weekend I picked up a magnificent batch of skinny green beans and fresh English peas.  I was super excited about the peas.  You see, I grew up hating peas.  I mean really, really hating them.  And I still don't really like frozen peas unless they are tucked into a paella or pureed to some unrecognizable form.  But fresh English peas are a whole other ball game - crisp and plump and wonderful.

When you have produce this good, it's a shame to mess with it too much.  So I simply blanched the veggies just enough to take the raw edge off them, then immediately drained them and tossed them with butter, parsley, and salt.  The end.  Fin.  Let's eat.

The result is this magnificent side dish that would be superb alongside some fresh fish, or even just tossed with some butter lettuce and served as a salad.  I ate a plate of it all by itself, and it was a beautiful thing.

Buttered Fresh Peas & Green Beans

serves 3 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

salt

1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and then cut into 2 inch lengths

1/2 lb. fresh English peas (shells removed)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or mint

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Add the green beans and blanch for about one minute.  Add the peas and blanch for an additional 30 seconds.  Drain immediately.

2.  Return the blanched veggies to the pot and toss with the butter, parsley or mint, and a healthy pinch of salt.  Serve.

Easy peasy! Enjoy.

Braised Collard Greens

Collard greens are traditionally made with some kind of pork product, but they really don't need bacon to be tasty.  I know, it's shocking.  But this is a completely vegetarian collard green dish that could be served as a side, or as a main course over a bed of grains.  It's spicy and incredibly flavorful, with a great balance of textures. 

I haven't eaten a lot of collard greens in my life, and this is the first time I've cooked them.  I have to say I'm pretty impressed with them.  When they are raw, they are huge, robust leaves that truly overshadow their more delicate counterparts, kale and chard.  When cooked, they shrink down but don't really wilt - they get tender but still hold their shape.   They have a spice all their own that is emphasized here by a tangy and spicy combination of ingredients. 

This is a great way to get collard greens on your plate.  They're in season now, so make this and serve it to your vegetarian or kosher-keeping friends!

Braised Collard Greens

adapted from Mad Hungry

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch collard greens, trimmed and washed (and still wet)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Remove the tough stems from the greens and chop them into relatively uniform pieces, roughly bite-sized.  

2.  Heat a large saute pan over medium-high.  Swirl in the oil and add onion, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Saute, stirring constantly, until the veggies are softened, about 5 minutes.

3.  Add the greens a handful or two at a time, stirring into the onion mixture as you add.  They will collapse and shrink in the heat.

4.  When all the greens are in the pan and the heat is sizzling, pour in the vinegar.  Stir to evaporate.  Cover and let the greens cook over low heat until just tender, adding a little water if necessary to keep them from burning, about 8 minutes.  Season with salt and serve.

Enjoy!

Mango Dal

Lentils don't appear to be a particularly interesting food group, but India has given them a whole new life in the form of dal.  Dal takes something ordinary and makes it virtually unrecognizable.  There is a huge variety of types of dal, and I don't pretend to know even a fraction of them.  But I will say that today I tried a type I'd never had before, and I made it in my own kitchen. 

Dal, meet mango.  I understand from some rudimentary internet research that it is actually a very traditional dish, but my passion for Indian food had yet to take me here.  Put my favorite fruit into a lentil dish?  I'm there. 

This is a spicy, warm dish that you simply have to try.  Every bite is packed with unexpected flavor.  Ginger and mango naturally go together - they are soul mates.  Add in traditional Indian spices like cumin and coriander, and you're well on your way.  The fresh bite of cilantro finishes the whole thing off.  Lentils are ordinary no longer!

Note:  Don't wait for all the liquid to be absorbed - this is meant to be a slightly soupy dal.

Mango Dal

adapted from Eating Well magazine

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup yellow or green lentils (I used green)

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

pinch cayenne pepper

1 mango, peeled and diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Rinse lentils in a colander and drain.  Combine with 2 cups of water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and turmeric in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, coriander, and cayenne, and cook for an additional minute.

3.  Add the onion mixture and the diced mango to the pot of lentils and stir to combine.  Bring back to a simmer and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until lentils are very tender and starting to fall apart.  Stir in cilantro and serve.

Enjoy!

Roasted Beets and Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic

This dish is an homage to two items in the produce aisle that are severely underrated.  There was a time when I didn't like them either, but now I could happily eat a bowl of this for my dinner.  It also works great as a side dish or a salad.  You can serve it hot, cold, or anywhere in between.

Roasted beets and Brussels sprouts go together naturally.  They just work.  Add to that a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with a sprinkle of parsley, and you have yourself a gourmet dish.  It's that easy.

I roasted my beets so they were still slightly crunchy, but if you want them really tender to contrast with the crunch of the Brussels, roast them a bit longer.  Either way, the combination of sweet and savory in this dish is a beautiful thing.

Roasted Beets and Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic

adapted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook

serves 2-3 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 large beet (greens removed), scrubbed

12 (more or less) medium-sized Brussels sprouts, halved

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar

handful chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Trim any long dangling roots from the beet.  Wrap the beet in foil  and place on a baking sheet in the oven.  Roast for an hour to an hour and a half, depending on desired tenderness.  

2.  While the beet is roasting, toss the halved Brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon of oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.   When the beet has about 30 minutes left to go, add the Brussels sprouts to the baking sheet and place in the oven.  Roast for the duration of the beet's roasting time, tossing them about halfway through.

3.  Let the beet cool, unwrapped, for a few minutes before removing the peel.  (It should be really easy to remove, just don't burn yourself!).  Slice the beet into 1/4 inch slices.  Place in a bowl or on a serving platter and scatter the Brussels sprouts over the slices.  Drizzle with remaining oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt, and sprinkle with parsley.  Toss everything to combine.  Serve hot, cold, or room temperature.

Enjoy!

Cacio e Pepe with Spinach and White Beans

Cacio e pepe is a very simple, traditional Italian pasta dish.  The main ingredients (apart from the pasta) are cheese and black pepper.  But it's not completely smothered in those key ingredients - there is a delicate balance involved.   The traditional cheese of choice is pecorino romano, but I used parmesan and it came out pretty amazing. 

We all know you shouldn't make an entire meal out of pasta, butter, and cheese, though, right?  So along comes a simple and delicious side dish of wilted spinach and white beans.  This is simple home cooking at its best.  It's so easy and only takes about 15 minutes to make, but you feel remarkably satisfied afterward.  The definitive weeknight recipe.

Cacio e Pepe with Spinach and White Beans

adapted from Rachael Ray's Book of 10

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 pound whole wheat linguine

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper, plus more to taste

salt to taste

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

3 cups tightly packed fresh baby spinach

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 cups cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

pinch freshly grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente.  Save about 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking liquid before draining the pasta.  Drain.

2.  While pasta is cooking, heat the butter, one teaspoon of oil, and black pepper in a large skillet over low heat.  Let it hang out while the pasta is cooking.  When pasta is done, add the starchy cooking liquid to the butter mixture, followed by the cooked pasta.  Toss it all together with tongs.  Stir in the cheese until melted, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3.  While steps one and two are underway, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add beans and spinach, and stir gently until the spinach wilts and beans are cooked through.  Season with nutmeg and salt. 

4.  Serve the pasta with the spinach and white beans on the side. 

Enjoy!

Green Beans Marinara

 

Green bean season has begun early in this part of the world apparently, because I found beautiful green beans at the farmers market this morning.  I made this different sort of side dish with them, as we had an Italian themed potluck this afternoon.  A simple marinara sauce combined with fresh green beans - it's pretty hard to mess up, folks.  And it's yummy.

This would go well with a simple Italian chicken or pasta dish, or even just some crusty bread. 

Green Beans Marinara

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat side of a knife

one 28 ounce can no salt added diced tomatoes

salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil.  Cook green beans until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain.

2.  Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a large skillet with a thin film of olive oil.  Add red pepper flakes and garlic cloves and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.  Drain some of the juices off the canned tomatoes, but not all, and add the tomatoes to the skillet.  Simmer for about 10 minutes.

3.  Add the drained green beans to the tomato sauce and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.  Salt to taste. Remove the garlic cloves before serving.

Enjoy!

Almond-Turmeric Potatoes

I will never look at a potato the same way again.  This is hands down the most delicious potato side-dish I've ever had, and it's really quite easy.  If you own a mandoline slicer, break it out for this dish, otherwise you'll really be testing your knife skills.  Otherwise, though, it pretty much brings itself together.

The potatoes are super-thin and melt in your mouth, the onions are sweet and caramelized to a blissful point, and the almonds provide a nice texture contrast.  The turmeric tints everything a beautiful golden hue.  The flavors are subtle and exotic at the same time.  It's magnificent.

These potatoes go well with anything from steak to seafood, so remember to try this one out the next time you need a supporting cast on your plate.  I, for one, am planning on eating turmeric potatoes for lunch tomorrow.

Almond-Turmeric Potatoes

adapted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

serves 3 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

good quality extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced as thin as possible

a splash of low sodium chicken or veggie broth (about a tablespoon or so)

handful of sliced almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Generously film olive oil over the bottom of a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Set the pan over medium-high heat.  Layer in the onion, turmeric, and some salt and pepper.  Top with the potatoes, and season with more salt and pepper.  Cook, without stirring, for about 6 minutes or so, until onion starts to soften and brown.  Don't stir, but peek under the potatoes to look for color.

2.  Add the broth and cover the pot.  Reduce heat to low.  Don't stir, but shake the pan occasionally.  Check to make sure there is still some liquid on the bottom of the pan periodically.   If needed, add some more broth.

3.  Cook for 15 minutes, or until there is a syrupy brown glaze on the bottom of the pan, the onion is coloring, and the potatoes are tender.  Remove the pan off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

4.  Taste for seasoning - add more salt if needed.  Just before serving, sprinkle with the toasted nuts.  Scoop down from the bottom to get all the glaze and onion when serving up the potatoes.

Enjoy!

Roasted Kale

I've said it before and I'll say it again - almost any vegetable is made tastier by roasting.  I could get all Alton Brown on you and explain caramelization, if I really understood the science of it myself.  But what I do know is that veggies get browned and yummy in the oven, and therefore I want to try roasting as many of them as I can get my hands on.

Today I tried it with kale.  (And radicchio, as you can see above, but the radicchio did not fare so well, so please disregard it - consider it a mere addition for Christmas colors.)  The kale was crunchy and yet chewy - sweet and yet savory - delicious and yet...just delicious. 

This is a side dish that will go with just about any main course.  Try it out and see for yourself.

Roasted Kale

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 375. 

2.  Spread out kale on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss everything together.

3.  Bake for about 10 minutes, tossing everything around about halfway through, until kale is starting to brown at the edges and get crispy.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives (CEIMB)

 

This week for Craving Ellie in my Belly, we each were to make an Ellie dish for our Thanksgiving spread.  I chose something simple - I had offered to be in charge of potatoes, and no Thanksgiving is complete without some kind of mash.  If you like your mashed potatoes smooth and creamy, you might prefer something like this.  These, however, are a lovely rustic smash with the peels still on, the occasional chunk, and yet they still have a lovely smoothness to them.

I think we all know that the traditional topping for a baked potato is sour cream and chives.  I have never been a huge sour cream fan, but somehow when you mix it all together with the fluffy potato innards instead of letting it rest on top, I like it.  And that's exactly what this mashed potato recipe is.  You'd never even guess that there isn't a drop of butter in the recipe.   Also, it's one of the easiest side dishes ever, apart from the exercise of mashing the potatoes, but that's a great way to let out aggression!

I doubled the recipe for our group of eleven, and there was still way more than enough.  If this is your only side dish at a non-thanksgiving meal (such as bangers and mash, perhaps?) then believe the serving count as it is.

Smashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes, large ones halved

salt

1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth, warmed

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream (NOT nonfat)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water to about 1 inch above the tops of the potatoes.  Salt it, cover it, and bring to a boil over high heat.  When the water comes to a boil, uncover and reduce heat slightly to medium-high.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are knife tender.  Drain.

2.  Return potatoes to the pot and add the warm broth.  Mash with a potato masher to the desired consistency - I'd recommend getting rid of any serious chunks of potato, but leaving a somewhat rustic texture.

3.  Stir in sour cream, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Maple and Sage Roasted Butternut Squash

Happy Thanksgiving!  As we all know, thanksgiving is a day that is all about appreciating things.  Especially side dishes that showcase fantastic fall flavors.

One of my contributions to today's feast is this fantastic and simple maple roasted butternut squash side dish.  It features my favorite herb, sage, and my favorite sweetener, maple syrup.  It comes together quickly, it makes your house smell like donuts, and it's delicious.  Nuff said.

Maple and Sage Roasted Butternut Squash

makes about 4 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 3-lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

handful fresh sage leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.

2.  Lay out the squash on a ridged baking sheet and toss with the maple and oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes, taking it out once about halfway through to turn the squash. 

3.  Add the sage and toss everything together, then bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown and sizzling.  Discard any burned chunks of maple syrup - they won't taste too good.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Smoky Autumn Greens

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and some things are automatically on the menu - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pie, etc.   For me, thanksgiving is all about the side dishes, and it seems like a great opportunity to showcase earthy fall flavors and add some color to your plate.

This side dish is, in a word, awesome.  I have to admit, I wasn't expecting magic on a plate, but it's what I got.  The smoky bacon, tangy pomegranate, and tender greens are a completely dynamite combination.  Try it out and see.  I think there will be a new source of green on your buffet table this year.

Note that this quantity is only good for 2 or 3 people, so if you're serving a crowd, make sure you multiply accordingly!

Smoky Autumn Greens

adapted from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 slices of smoked bacon, chopped

1 bunch Swiss chard, washed and dried, stems and ribs removed

salt and pepper

pinch of nutmeg

handful of pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil and bacon, and cook until the bacon is browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.

2.  Roughly chop the chard and add it to the pan.  (If you're doubling or tripling the recipe, make sure you add the chard in batches,  adding more as it wilts down).   Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Stir.

3.  Scatter in the pomegranate seeds and pour in the broth.  Simmer until greens are very tender and most of the broth is evaporated.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Fries

Ever since sweet potato fries started popping up on menus everywhere as an alternative to french fries, I've had a hard time resisting them.  It was only a matter of time before I had to try my hand at making a healthier version at home.  Here they are.

There's no fooling anyone - these don't taste "fried" - but they do taste fantastic.  Starchy and sweet and tangy and spicy, these fries will definitely satisfy your sweet potato fry itch.  Serve them with sandwiches, burgers, or just eat them on their own.  You can avoid the guilt of the deep fried sweet potato and get all the same rewards.

Sweet potatoes are in abundance right now, so stock up and give these a try.   If you want to be fancy, you can make some kind of herb aioli to go with them, or just have them with ketchup, or even straight up.

Sweet Potato Fries

adapted from Food Network Magazine

serves 2+

INGREDIENTS:

3 medium-small garnet sweet potatoes, peeled

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 425.  Cut sweet potatoes in half length-wise, then into wedges (about 6 to 8 wedges per sweet potato).

2.  Toss the wedges with remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Lay out on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping them all once about halfway through, until browned and crisp on the outside.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

French Potato Salad with Green Beans

It's rather ironic when you think about it. People associate creamy, rich foods with the French, and yet French potato salad is a much lighter version, with a vinaigrette rather than gobs of mayonnaise. It's the American potato salad that mustn't sit out in the sun too long for fear of food poisoning. So let's go with the French one, shall we?

Today we're going to a labor day bbq, and I knew before our hostess even asked us to bring something that I wanted to make a French potato salad. I decided to amp up the color factor (not to mention the nutrition) by adding in green beans, continuing with my I'm-in-love-with-green-beans-in-salads trend of this summer.

I love this particular combination of ingredients, because none of the flavors are too intense, yet no one can say this recipe lacks for flavor. The dressing is perfectly balanced, with not too much acid and not too much oil. Everything melds together to form a lovely picnic side dish.

French Potato Salad with Green Beans
adapted from Everyday Food
serves 4-6 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds baby white or red potatoes, halved or quartered
salt
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 red onion, finely minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place potatoes in a medium-large pot and cover by one inch with cold water. Salt generously and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and rinse briefly with cool water.

2. Meanwhile, bring another, small pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add green beans and blanch for about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

3. While both pots are boiling away, make the dressing: in a large bowl, whisk the oil, mustard, vinegar, onion, parsley, and thyme. Taste it, and season with salt if desired. (I didn't find that it needed it). Add potatoes and green beans and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Southern Kale

Last night I made a hearty, well-balanced meal that made everyone (well, all two of us) very happy. The "test" recipe was one of the side dishes - southern kale. I have been getting a lot of kale from my CSA, and while I love that hardy, leafy green, I've had a harder time selling it on my husband. When I found this recipe, I thought it might be the ticket - after all, add bacon (or pancetta) to something, and it suddenly gets a bit more palatable.

Well the side dish was nice, but I'm afraid it was overshadowed by the grilled chicken and leftover corn pudding. Still, this is a way of cooking kale that might be a bit more pleasing to the masses. You cook the kale to the point where it is so tender and moist, it is almost the texture of spinach rather than its own more robust texture. And the flavor of the garlic and pancetta permeates throughout and makes for a rather bold leafy green side dish.

Don't be tempted to substitute bacon - it will make the dish far too smoky. If you don't want to do pancetta, prosciutto or country ham would work well too.

Southern Kale
adapted from Eating Well in Season
serves 2-3 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 oz. diced pancetta
1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn
1 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and stir. Immediately add the pancetta and stir. After about 30 seconds, begin adding the kale in handfuls, stirring to make room for all of it. Add the water and cover the skillet.

2. Cook with the cover on (lifting it to stir occasionally) for 10 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all the visible liquid has evaporated, about 10 additional minutes. Serve.

Enjoy!

Corn Pudding

I don't know if this has just been a particularly good summer for corn, or if I've just been missing out on the good stuff available directly from the farmers all these years. Since I've been getting corn from a CSA, it's like a whole new awakening. I've always loved corn, but usually couldn't be bothered with coming up with things to do with it. Now that I have this seemingly endless supply, I'm actually having fun coming up with ideas.

Today I made corn pudding, which is a lovely corn casserole filled with gorgeous flavors. Simple seasonings, a bit of milk, some sharp cheese, corn and onion join together with some assistance from an egg and form a beautiful side or main dish. We had ours for dinner along with a side salad, but of course this dish is traditionally seen as a side dish backing up some kind of protein. Really, though, this deserves to be the main attraction.

Make sure you have some really good, sweet corn (preferably white, but let's not be corn-racist) and you can whip this up for a pot luck, for a holiday spread, or simply for dinner.

Corn Pudding
adapted from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors
serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
3 large ears sweet corn, shucked
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar (or cheese of your choice)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
paprika

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a shallow 3-cup baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, just until it's soft and lightly colored, about 10 minutes. (If you want a deeper onion flavor, go ahead and let it get a bit browned. I think it would be yummy.)

3. While onion is cooking, cut the kernels from the corn into a large bowl. Scrape the cob with the flat side of your knife to get out the corn "milk" as well.

4. Stir the egg, milk, cheese, parsley, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste into the same bowl as the corn. Stir in the cooked onion. Make sure everything is relatively evenly distributed. Pour into the baking dish, and sprinkle with a few dashes of paprika on top. Bake in center of oven until puffed and golden, about 45-50 minutes. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Israeli Couscous with Pistachios and Apricots

I don't even know what to say. The mere name of this recipe makes me salivate. I had to try it. And it was delicious.

Israeli couscous, that fun-sized pasta/grain that is oh so versatile, strikes again. Today it is commingling with fresh apricots and crunchy pistachios, along with fresh mint, lime, and fragrant spices. It's like a Middle Eastern festival in your kitchen. The original recipe called for dried apricots, but I figured while fresh ones are still in season, we ought to take advantage. You can certainly substitute dried if you make this at a time of year when fresh is not available.

This dish works well as a main course, side dish, or salad. Serve at any temperature you like. I can promise you, it will be good, it will be different, and it will be gone before you know it.

Israeli Couscous with Pistachios and Apricots
adapted from Veganomicon
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 small (or 1 large) cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 1/4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch ground cardamom
salt and pepper to taste
zest from 1 small lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 small apricots, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
juice from 1/2 small lime

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low. Add oil and garlic, and saute for one minute. Add couscous, raise heat to medium, and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until couscous starts to get golden brown and toasty. (This seriously amps up the flavor. Don't skip this step!)

2. Add water, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom, pepper, salt, and lime zest. Raise heat and bring to a boil. When it's boiling, lower heat to low and cover with a lid. Let cook for about 8 minutes, or until most (but not all) of the water is absorbed. Stir in the mint, apricots, pistachios, and lime juice, and cover again. Cook for about 4 more minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

3. Remove cinnamon stick, fluff couscous with a fork, and serve.

Enjoy!