Category: Side Dishes

Main Course, Side Dishes

Butternut Squash Risotto

by Wendi22 Comments on Butternut Squash Risotto

I swear that the laws and properties of physics must be suspended in test kitchens.  Because recently, I’ve been encountering recipes in magazines and cookbooks that defy these laws.  That’s really the only explanation I can come up with to explain why the Squash Risotto recipe I tore out of Bon Appetit said it would only take 8 minutes for 6 cups of cubed squash to soften on top of the stove or that I would only need 3 1/2 cups of broth to my 1 1/2 cups of arborio rice.

This recipe, my friends, was a lesson in trusting my instincts.  It was also a lesson in patience.  I’m usually pretty bad about both these things so I think maybe the Universe was trying to get my attention under the guise of creamy, tender rice and subtly sweet butternut squash.  I should have also paid better attention to how much time this recipe took me from start to finish.  While I can’t predict whether the laws of physics will be broken in your kitchen, I can say that this recipe is not what I would call a quick weeknight go to. But if you see it through to the end, you will have a fantastic main course or side dish to bring to the table.

I wish all of the Universe’s lessons tasted this good.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Adapted from Bon Appetit

BAH Note: One super easy change to BA’s recipe would be to roast the squash in the oven instead of cooking it on top of the stove.  If you do decide to roast it, go easy on the olive oil.  You’ll want the squash to incorporate into the risotto and I have no first hand experience with how a bunch of oil on your veg will impact that process.  I didn’t know what to expect from the Sherry Vinegar in the dish but it brought a subtle sweetness to the squash that was quite enjoyable.

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 1/2 – 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
  • 2 medium onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
  • 3 cans vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Heat half the olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat.  Add the squash and a pinch of kosher salt and cook until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to medium,  add the sage, cover, and cook until the squash is tender, adding water or vegetable broth a 1/4 cup at a time if the pot begins to dry out.  Once the squash is tender, stir in the sherry wine vinegar and transfer the squash to a bowl.  Wipe the inside of your pot.

Heat the remaining oil in the dutch oven and cook the onion over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20 minutes or until the onions are tender and well browned.

While the onions cook, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large saucepan.  Cover and keep warm over a low flame.

Once the onion are soft and brown, add the rice to the pot, and stir the rice so that it is coated with the oil in the pot.  Once the rice starts to become slightly translucent, ladle in 1 cup of the warm vegetable broth and stir until almost all of the liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding broth, a cup at a time, and stirring until the rice is tender and creamy.

Add the squash to the pot and stir to combine before stirring in the softened butter and parmesan cheese (if using).  Enjoy immediately.

{prntable recipe}

Side Dishes, Vegetables

Garlicky Green Beans

by Wendi16 Comments on Garlicky Green Beans

I may have mentioned before that we’ve gotten kind of bad about making sure our meals include some kind of vegetable.  Occasionally, I manage to include a veg on the plate.  More often than not, I don’t.  Here’s one of the ones that actually made it into a meal.

Garlicky Green Beans

Adapted from Kim O’Donnel

BAH Note:  KO’D recommends testing your oil by dipping the end of a green bean in it.  When the oil is ready it will sizzle.

  • 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed, snapped in half
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white wine
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil, optional

Combine soy sauce, sugar, chili-garlic sauce, and wine in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan set over high heat until hot but not smoking.  Add green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.  Add the water, stir, and cover the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, approximately 5 minutes.  Transfer the beans to a plate and drain off any remaining water.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the pan and place over medium high heat.  Add the ginger and scallion and cook approximately 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Return the green beans to the pan, give the soy sauce mixture a stir and add it to the pan.  Cook, stirring constantly until the liquid is almost evaporated, approximately 1 minute.  Drizzle with sesame oil, if using, and serve immediately.

{printable recipe}

Side Dishes, South Beach Diet, Vegetables

Flashback Friday – Oven Hot

by Wendi10 Comments on Flashback Friday – Oven Hot

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 9/24/08 at Exit 51.

Oven Hot

This recipe is coming to you courtesy of last week’s Food Chat over at the Washington Post. The timing was perfect since I’m trying to find new and interesting ways to work those SB Friendly veggies into our meals. SFC has already established that he’s a fan of the sweet potato. But I didn’t know how he’d feel about squash.

Hitting the Oven

He came in the kitchen as I was cutting and chopping and asked, “Is that squash?”  The tone of his question didn’t tell me whether he was excited or not.  He went off to the basement, to do whatever it is he does down there, and I went back to getting the squash, shallots, and rosemary ready for their coating of salt, sugar, and olive oil.

About thirty minutes later, after the vegetables had come out of the oven and the pork chops went in for a quick roast, he came upstairs.  Making his way over to the cooling veg, he said, “Something smells good.”  Before I could say a word, he started stealing bites off the sheet pan.  Guess that means that he won’t mind if I make this again.  I hope not, because I picked up another squash at the store this weekend.

My only gripe with this is that there’s no reference to oven temperature.  I started out with my oven around 400 degrees.  After the first 20 minutes of roasting, I cranked it up to around 450.  I think the squash was a little too crowded on the sheet pan.  I had more of a steamed veg than a roasted one.  No matter though.  We ate it all.

Butternut Squash Roasted with Rosemary and Shallot

From The Washington Post, who credits it as being adapted from Fine Cooking magazine.

This side dish achieves long-roasted flavor and caramelization in a half-hour’s time. To double the recipe, use 2 baking sheets; if roasting both sheets simultaneously, increase the final roasting time to 20 to 25 minutes.  This can be made several hours ahead and reheated just before serving.

4 servings

  • 3 cups 3/4-inch diced butternut squash (from a 2-pound squash)
  • 4 medium shallots, cut into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Distribute the diced squash and quartered shallots in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over them and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the rosemary, salt, sugar and pepper over the vegetables and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, stir the vegetables and continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve hot.

Main Course, Pasta, Side Dishes

Lemony Seafood Pasta Salad

by Wendi29 Comments on Lemony Seafood Pasta Salad

This winter has been especially frightful.  I can’t even begin to image what it has been like for people living in the midwest or northeast who have been utterly beaten down with snow.  I survived Snomageddon 2010 and know the misery that comes when the forecast calls for accumulations measured in feet instead of inches.  Y’all have my sympathies.

While I can’t personally help you dig out from Snowpocalypse 2011, I can offer you a recipe that will have you imagining a land of picnics and potlucks, warm breezes and sunny skies, and flip flops and halter tops.

Don’t forget to take along some imaginary sunscreen.

Lemony Seafood Pasta Salad

Adapted from Pam Anderson’s Perfect One Dish Dinners

BAH Note:  If you showed up to a potluck at my house with this dish, you would earn a special place in my heart.  I kept tweaking the dressing because the lemons I used were extremely sour.  I had to add agave nectar to balance the extreme puckering produced by my produce.  Feel free to add a minced clove of garlic to the dressing to turn up the flavor. And if you like your dressing with more olive oil, add it.  I purposely scaled the olive oil down to suit my tastes (Pam’s recipes calls for 1/2 cup).

BAT Tip: When you cut up the raw shrimp, you want the pieces to be approximately the same size as the scallops so they cook in the same amount of time. And yes, as unconventional as it may seem to cook your seafood with your pasta, it works beautifully.

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound small pasta
  • 1/2 pound bay scallops
  • 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, and cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut into halves
  • 7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • dried oregano

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, and garlic (if using).  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.  Set the dressing aside.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions until it is just al dente, approximately 10 to 12 minutes depending on your pasta.  Add the seafood to the pasta pot and cook for one to two minutes until the shrimp and scallops are just cooked and opaque.  Drain the pasta and seafood without rinsing and transfer them to a large bowl to cool slightly.

Just before serving, mix the tomatoes, feta, and oregano into the bowl with the pasta.  Add the dressing and stir to combine.

{printable recipe}

Side Dishes, South Beach Diet

Flashback Friday – Alt Risotto

by Wendi7 Comments on Flashback Friday – Alt Risotto

Flashback Friday

The following originally appeared on 9/4/08 at Exit 51.

Alt Risotto

One thing I really miss cooking is creamy, tender risotto.  It’s one of my favorite comfort foods.  But the arborrio rice presents a problem.  We’re just not far enough along on our SB journey to have even a little bit of it.  And really, can you honestly just have a little risotto?  No, it calls to you from the pot until you find yourself licking the last bit off the serving spoon.  It’s dangerous business. Continue reading “Flashback Friday – Alt Risotto” →

Side Dishes, South Beach Diet, Vegetables

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

by Wendi20 Comments on Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

 

image from http://www.istockphoto.com

I’m going to tell you a secret.  I have gotten very lax when it come to vegetables.  I know I should “Strive For Five” and all that but it is not happening.  It’s not that I don’t like vegetables.  Why just recently, I discovered that leeks are perfectly lovely and I’ve learned to love beets.  I think I just get tired of having the same vegetables the same way all the time.  And I can’t very well pretend that french fries represent the kind of vegetables that I should be consuming on a regular basis.

I want to be better.  But I think I need some help.  So tell me, how do you keep from getting stuck in the same old, same old vegetable rut?

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

Adapted from South Beach Quick and Easy

BAH Note: When I eat roasted cauliflower, I could almost swear I was actually snacking on fries.  I think it has to do with the oil and salt and the texture once the cauliflower is roasted.  It will never be as good as fries but it’s a compromise I can live with.

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat your oven to 400 degrees and line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil.  Combine the cauliflower, oil, ancho chili powder, and salt in a medium bowl or directly on the prepared sheet pan.  Arrange into a single layer on the pan and roast for 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and well browned.

{printable recipe}

Side Dishes, South Beach Diet, Vegetables

Eat Fresh

by WendiLeave a Comment on Eat Fresh

Fresh Picked

The following originally appeared on 5/13/09 at Exit 51.

Eat Fresh

Advertising executives may want you to believe that eating fresh means patronizing a certain fast food chain.  To me, it’s something entirely different.  My definition of eating fresh is cutting down, as much as possible, the  journey fruits and vegetables take from the grower to my plate.  Since I’ve come to peace with the fact that I will never be the house in the neighborhood that has a killer vegetable garden, I am eager to find an alternative.  See those beautiful spears of asparagus?  That was my first attempt.

I should preface all this by saying that there was a distinct lack of fresh vegetables in my house as a child.  We ate vegetables, but they came out of either a can or a bag and were destined to be boiled down into unappetizing mush on the stove.  Tomatoes were the exception.  There was always a  plate of  fresh (from the grocery store) tomatoes in the house.  My grandmother would work wonders with even the toughest, driest  tomatoes turning them into blt’s or frying them up in her cast iron skillet until the crust was perfectly browned and crisp.  Those were some of the best summer breakfasts.

So I grew up thinking that asparagus was mushy and tinny and came with an overabundance of sodium.  It has only been as an adult that I’ve discovered the true nature of the spears.  And thanks to the folks at the farm stand, I now know what asparagus aspires to be.  Having just been picked the day before I bought them, these spears still had life.  They were firm and strong, breaking with a clear snap.  The tips, usually the first place to show signs of  having been sitting around for a while, were tight and unbruised.  And the color?  It just screamed fresh.

Best of all was the taste.  The folks at the farm stand, who did the growing, assured me that I would taste a difference.  The only word I can come up with to describe what they tasted like is ‘green’.  It was like I was tasting Spring.  Bright and clean.

Now that’s eating fresh.

Pan Roasted Asparagus

This is our favorite way to fix asparagus (and string beans).  If you don’t have an indoor grill pan, use a large nonstick skillet.  This would also work well on a grill.  Just be sure to lay the spears perpendicular to the grill grates, skewer them together to make an asparagus raft, or use a grill basket.

  • Fresh asparagus, rinsed and stems trimmed
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Lemon zest

Lightly oil a nonstick grill pan, using either a silicon basting brush or paper towel to get a thin coat of oil.  Preheat pan over medium high flame.  Add asparagus and a big pinch of kosher salt.  Turn asparagus with tongs as they cook.  The color will turn bright green and the spears will begin to soften.  Dress with freshly grated lemon zest.

Side Dishes

Boathouse Carrot Puree

by Wendi14 Comments on Boathouse Carrot Puree
image from the graphics fairy

I tend to be a wee bit unconventional about things.  Does that really surprise you?  I’m sorry if it does.  I like things the way I like them even if that goes against the norm.  Always have.  Always will.

In my younger days, this tendency may have resulted in me being thought of as difficult, rebellious, hard headed, or strong willed.  All of which are just really nice ways of saying huge pain in the behind.  As an adult, the unconventional label means the exact same thing.  But as an adult, I get to have a pretty big say about what is considered acceptable in my world.  This substantially cuts down on the number of “my house, my rules” arguments since it is, in fact, my house.

So what’s the point of fessing up that my head is harder than a cement block? Because that’s the context in which to understand holiday dinners at my house.  Once I got to play the “my house, my rules” card, holiday dinners became much more enjoyable.  See, I’ve got a secret.  I don’t like some holiday staples.  Like roast turkey.  The best things about the turkey are the crispy skin and the stuffing.  But there’s not enough skin to make a meal of and I’ve never mastered the art of stuffing (or dressing, since putting it inside the bird and making it actual stuffing is frowned upon).

Yes, my house is a Turkey Free Zone on Thanksgiving.  While others are stressed out over trussing and basting and dressing but not stuffing, I’m relaxed because all my ham has to do is reheat, or not, and it’s ready to serve.  What’s another benefit of being a TFZ? I don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn to prep a bird for the oven so I get to enjoy a few extra hours of sleep on a day off. And maybe my favorite perk of being TFZ is that my lack of allegiance to the main dish spills over to the side dishes.  One year I may serve chipotle mashed sweet potatoes and green bean casserole.  The next year, they might be nowhere to be seen.  It’s not that we don’t like them it’s just that there are too many good dishes to lock myself into any.  I don’t like a set menu anymore than I like roasting up a Butter Ball.

So while there’s always a chair at the table for guests, and if you’re in the neighborhood I do hope you’ll stop by, please check your expectations at the door.  Or at least satisfy the turkey and cranberry sauce cravings before you come over.

And if it’s possible, can you sneak me in some dressing?  Nobody besides us has to know and that’s the one traditional Thanksgiving dish that I really miss.

Carrot Puree

Adapted from The Boathouse

BAH Note:  I pulled this off my UnTurkey Day menu at the last minute.  My cooking collaborator requested the chipolte mashed sweet potatoes.  Since she was bringing the good stuff (pie, deviled eggs, and green bean casserole) I did not want to jeopardize their presence at the table.   This recipe appeared in the Summer chapter of The Boathouse cookbook.  Don’t let that keep you from making this anytime the mood strikes you.  It’s slightly sweet and very buttery, which knows no season.  The book said this serves 6 to 8 people.  I can not confirm that detail since The Mistah and I gobbled all of this down by ourselves.

  • 9 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • kosher salt

Cover the carrots and onion with water in a medium sauce pan.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the carrots are very tender.  Drain and transfer the carrots and onion to a food processor.  Add the butter and puree until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.

{printable recipe}

Main Course, Pasta, Side Dishes

Michael Symon’s Mac & Cheese

by Wendi43 Comments on Michael Symon’s Mac & Cheese

Macaroni and cheese and I have a long history together. I grew up with the blue boxed variety and then moved into the realm of frozen cheesy pasta goodness.  Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but in a pinch both Stouffer’s and Trader Joe’s have a mighty fine frozen mac and cheese product.  And I suspect that someone, somewhere, has passed one of these off as homemade.  I’m not saying I’ve ever done that.  I’m just speculating that it has happened.  The thing about that is as easy as frozen mac and cheese is, homemade is not much more work.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Can I boil water?
  • Can I carefully measure out hot cooking water?
  • Can I pour cream into a saucepan cook it down?
  • Can I shred cheese?
  • Can I mix together pasta, cream, cheese, and cooking water?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, you can make macaroni and cheese.  And not just any mac and cheese.  This is Michael Symon’s mac and cheese (MSmac).  With no disrespect to the recipes I’ve tried from Martha, Ina, and Deb, this might just be the best mac and cheese I’ve ever made.  Why is that?

First: I prefer stovetop mac and cheese over one that is oven baked. MSmac goes directly from stovetop to plate so my mac and cheese needs can be met in no more time than it takes to make the sauce and cook the pasta.

Second: I don’t want to spend $$$$ on three, four, or five different cheeses.  MSmac calls for one cheese and while it’s fancier than American or Cheddar, it won’t break the week’s food budget.

Third: MSmac has a rich, silky cheese sauce.  There are no lumps, clumps, or globs to dampen my mac and cheese enjoyment.

Fourth: MSmac has bacon.  Does that really require an explanation?

Fifth: There really isn’t a fifth reason since bacon trumps anything else I could say.

I first discovered MSmac thanks to Alice at Savory Sweet Life.  She wrote about it and I knew that it would not be long before MSmac and I found ourselves alone together.  It was our destiny to find one another across the Intewebs.  And let me tell you, destiny does not like to wait.  Now that destiny has brought me together with MSmac, I don’t know what could ever tear us apart.  This is what I want when all the little things in my day go wrong.  This is how I want to console myself when the Universe is conspiring against me.  This is my definition of comfort food.

Perhaps MSmac is right for you?

Disclaimer:  Side effects of MSmac are mild to moderate and include eating it straight from the pot and licking cheese sauce off of serving utensils.  Consult professional help for sauces requiring 30 minutes or more to reduce.

Mac & Cheese

Adapted from Chef Michael Symon

BAH Note: I’ve scaled this down because having the full recipe’s worth of this in my house is dangerous.  In my opinion, this is best served as a side so you can enjoy a smaller serving and not feel completely wicked.  But it can just as easily be your main course.  You’ll want to be sure to use a nonstick saucepan and watch your heat so that the cream doesn’t scorch or boil over.

BAH Tip:  I’m bad at guestimating when liquids have reduced, so to check I carefully poured the hot cream into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup to gauge my progress.  It’s really about the volume of the cream more than it is about how long it takes.  Just be patient and don’t rush the process.

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/4 pound bacon, fried, drained, and crumbled
  • 1/2 pound short pasta
  • 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Bring cream and rosemary to a low boil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Keep at a low boil, stirring frequently, until reduced by half and thickened, approximately 25 minutes.

While the cream is reducing, cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.

When the cream has reduced, add the pasta and grated Gruyere and stir to combine.  Add pasta water until the sauce is as loose as you like.  Stir in the crumbled bacon, taste for seasoning, and add salt to taste.

{printable recipe}

Side Dishes, South Beach Diet, Vegetables

Flashback Friday – I Can’t Believe It’s Not Mashed Potatoes

by Wendi20 Comments on Flashback Friday – I Can’t Believe It’s Not Mashed Potatoes

Flashback Friday

 

The following originally appeared on 8/11/08 at Exit 51.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Mashed Potatoes

Some thoughts on our South Beach journey, now into its 10th day.

My desire to bring the camera into the kitchen is not so strong these days.  I’m not yet on friendly terms with these recipes.  I don’t know what to expect from them – will they misbehave?  So I’m more focused on trying to figure them out.  Hopefully as we stumble across ones that become favorites, I’ll be more gung-ho to capture the moments.

Also, all the prep that goes into getting ahead of the curve absolutely wrecks my kitchen.  I prefer a somewhat orderly approach to cooking.  Instead, my weekend cooking days have seen stacks and stacks of dishes on every available horizontal surface.  By the time I get all the week’s “snacks” prepped, it’s time to start fixing an actual meal.  And then all those dishes have to get cleaned up, and oh look, time to start pulling things out for dinner.  It’s a weary cycle right now.  My little dishwasher has gotten more use in the last ten days than ever before, sometimes running twice a day (but it is a really teeny tiny dishwasher). Continue reading “Flashback Friday – I Can’t Believe It’s Not Mashed Potatoes” →