Sides – Page 7 – First Look, Then Cook

Asparagus Risotto with Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Published on June 18, 2010 by Dawn1 Comment

Even since I made this almost hands-free version of risotto, I have been wondering how it compares to the workout version – where you stir for at least 20 minutes. Of course I have made risotto before, but I felt like I needed to make it again, just to be absolutely sure. Plus, I felt like my arm needed a little exercise – typing on the computer all day does nothing for me. I was ready.

I took this recipe out of the pantry that I found in Cooking Light, adapted it slightly to my taste, and to what I had in the refrigerator – and off I went. I couldn’t believe it – but it tasted exactly the same. This batch of risotto was really no better (except for the fact that it had some delicious fresh asparagus and beautifully roasted cherry tomatoes) than the hands-free version. I guess there is really no need to ever stir risotto by hand again, unless your arm really needs to get some energy out (like we say to our kids – go run around outside, get that energy out).

This technique for roasting cherry tomatoes is also excellent over pasta with some bread crumbs and mozzarella cheese – my neighbor has an awesome recipe that I will make soon and get it on the blog. Perfect for those vine ripened cherry tomatoes that you will start seeing in the next couple of months – or if you live in Seattle, maybe next summer.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 pint cherry tomatoes
5 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Toss 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and tomatoes on a parchment-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until tomatoes burst.

Heat 5 1/2 cups broth in a saucepan over medium heat (do not boil).

Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rice; cook 1 minute. Stir in white wine; cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Add asparagus to pan with last 1/2 cup of broth. Remove from heat; grate 1 ounce cheese. Stir in grated cheese, remaining 3/8 teaspoon salt, and juice. Spoon about 1 3/4 cups risotto into each of 4 bowls; top evenly with tomatoes. Shave remaining cheese evenly over each serving; sprinkle with pepper.

Serves 4

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Frittata Bites with Spinach, Sausage, and Feta

Published on June 8, 2010 by Dawn3 Comments

Frittata is one of those dishes that I struggle with. There are just so many combinations that work well, it is very hard to decide what to put in the mixture. I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and I loved the idea that this was considered an appetizer by cutting up the frittata in small squares. Normally when I make a frittata, it is the main course – and I cut it into large wedges – but as I have mentioned before – there is something about small bites that everyone (especially kids) love just a little bit more.

When it came down to actually making the frittata, I was torn. I knew I was going to use spinach (instead of the chard that the recipe called for) – and I liked the idea of spinach and sausage – but then came the hard part – the cheese. I was very tempted to use parmesan, since I love the combination of spinach, sausage and parmesan – but I just couldn’t get that feta out of my head. I knew I had to go for it. The result was extremely delicious – the combination worked perfectly. It made a wonderful side dish at dinner, and then a great breakfast the next morning. What a bonus!

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
12-ounces baby spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
8 ounces mild Italian sausages, casings removed, sausage broken into 1-inch pieces
8 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 41/2 ounces)
Fresh Italian parsley leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add Swiss chard and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain. Finely chop chard, then place in kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Set chard aside.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet and sauté until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until brown and cooked through, breaking up with fork, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add chard and cooled sausage mixture, then feta; stir to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.

Bake frittata until set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer baking dish to rack and cool frittata 15 to 20 minutes. Place platter atop dish with frittata. Using oven mitts, hold baking dish and platter firmly together and invert frittata onto platter; place another platter atop frittata and invert again so that frittata is right side up. Cut frittata into 20 pieces. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Place frittata pieces on rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill. Rewarm in 325°F oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer frittata pieces to platter. Garnish each piece with parsley; serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 16 small squares.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Frittata Bites with Spinach

Sisi’s Corn Pudding

Published on June 4, 2010 by Dawn5 Comments

Corn pudding – one of the most perfect sides dishes you can make. I have a lot of recipes for corn pudding, and each one is just a little different. Sometimes it comes out more like corn bread, sometimes more like an egg custard. To me, it doesn’t really matter how it turns out, I always seem to enjoy that corn flavor.

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit, and I really liked the simplicity of it and how few ingredients there were. I had some friends visiting for the weekend, and one of them asked me if I was making my own creamed corn – in a way, that’s exactly what this recipe was trying to accomplish. Since fresh corn is not in season, I used canned – although I almost never do that. I always try to use fresh corn whenever possible – and if I can’t – I use frozen. Next time I made this I will try using frozen – I think it will taste even better. This is the perfect side with BBQ – pork loin, steak, chicken, pretty much anything you put on your grill. Hopefully as the summer progresses, I will get to some of my favorite corn side dishes – and you can compare for yourself.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided, plus additional for dish
1 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 15 to 16 ounce cans corn kernels, drained, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes; cool in skillet.

Whisk milk, eggs, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter in large bowl. Scrape in onion mixture. Add 2 cans drained corn. Puree remaining 1 can drained corn in processor until smooth. Add puree to bowl with custard mixture and stir to blend well; transfer to prepared dish.

Bake pudding until set in center and beginning to brown on top, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Sisi’s Corn Pudding

Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Parmesan and Herbs

Published on May 24, 2010May 26, 2010 by Dawn14 Comments

I love risotto – I try and make it at least once a year. The problem is that I need dedicated stove time with no interruptions – which doesn’t happen to often with two girls that are constantly vieing for my attention. Although, I do love the workout I get by stirring something consistently for 20+ minutes.

I was reading my Cook’s Illustrated, and this title just grabbed me. This would be perfect, I could have my risotto, and possibly keep my children happy at the same time. What could be better? Well, the risotto was fantastic, it was nice and creamy, with a wonderful rich flavor (I used a hard gouda cheese, instead of parmesan). You can easily add some roasted chicken to this and make a heart meal. You could also add some spring vegetables like asparagus, leeks, or fava beans. The sky is the limit, and I can’t wait to try some other combinations now that I know the secret…

Ingredients

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
table salt
1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
group black pepper

Preparation

Bring broth and water to boil in large sauce-pan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. When butter has melted, add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.

Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir 5 cups hot broth mixture into rice; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until almost all liquid has been absorbed and rice is just al dente, 16 to 19 minutes, stirring twice during cooking.

Add 3/4 cup hot broth mixture and stir gently and constantly until risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives; season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add up to 1/2 cup remaining broth mixture to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Parmesan

Poblano, Potato, and Corn Gratin

Published on April 30, 2010 by Dawn5 Comments

I love poblano chile peppers. I love their intense flavor without all the spice – it is a deep rich chile flavor that I just crave. They are the perfect chiles for kids – especially if your kids are not into spicy foods – which mine are not. I have been reading Matthew Amster-Burton’s new book Hungry Monkey – and he talks about how his daughter LOVED spicy food as an infant! I couldn’t believe it. I remember the first time we gave my older daughter something spicy (because when they are babies, they have to eat what you are eating…or else – which he also covers in his book) and the expression on her face was priceless. Then she stuck out her tongue and tried to wipe off whatever was in her mouth (which was nothing at this point). We finally just gave her some milk and it calmed her down. We were hysterical.

Bon Appetit recently started a section every month called Sunday Suppers – they create a menu that is perfect for the entire family to enjoy. That is always my mission – create a very tasty meal that all of us will love – and so I have been very interested in this section every since they started it. This month they roasted a chicken and served it with tortillas – and this gratin. The roasted chicken was delicious, and lasted us the entire week – and this dish was incredible. The flavor of the peppers infused the potatoes, and the corn gave it a slightly sweet flavor. In fact, after we had already finished everything – I realized that it would have been excellent to shred up the leftover chicken and mix it with the leftover gratin for a one dish casserole dinner. Next time!

Ingredients

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 large fresh poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, cut into 2 x 1/4-inch strips
1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup coarsely grated Oaxaca cheese or whole-milk mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub 9 1/2-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish or cast-iron skillet with 2 teaspoons oil. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano strips and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Arrange 1/3 of potato rounds, overlapping slightly, in prepared pie dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of poblano strips over, then 1/3 of corn and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat with 1/3 of potatoes, 1/3 of poblanos, 1/3 of corn, and 1/3 of cheese. Top with remaining potatoes, poblanos, and corn, reserving remaining 1/3 of cheese. Place pie dish on rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk half and half, flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in small bowl. Pour over potato mixture in pie dish; press potatoes to submerge. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle remaining cheese over gratin. Continue to bake gratin until potatoes are tender and cheese is golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Poblano, Potato and Corn Gratin

Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

Published on April 26, 2010April 27, 2010 by Dawn4 Comments

My family loves rice. There was definitely a time when I was making rice at least a couple of times each week. I always had to time things just right though because it is a good 25-30 minutes from start to finish – and then there is the clean-up. I hated when the rice would stick to the bottom of the pan…ugh!

Well – I was talking to my sister-in-law on the phone (who happens to be a food consultant) telling her about the rice I found at Trader Joes in the freezer section – and how easy it is to make – and how delicious it is. In 3-4 minutes, I have a perfect batch of rice – with absolutely no clean-up. Then she told me about the latest product she was working on – she said, if I liked the rice at Trader Joes – wait until I tried this. So I did – and not only does it taste amazing, it is ridiculously healthy. It is really the perfect rice – especially when using it in a recipe – when the recipe calls for a cup of rice – no problem, just measure it out, and put it in the microwave. In minutes, it is done. So – when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit – I knew that the Brown, Red, Wild Rice Medley would be perfect. I was right. I served this to a bunch of moms at my daughter’s Book Club, and they loved it! It was definitely a hit. Half of them even thought their kids would love it.

Now, this new product is not available everywhere – so if you happen to live in an area where this rice is not available, go to their website and send them a message.

Ingredients

1 cup Brown, Red and Wild Rice Medley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup chopped fresh poblano chiles or green bell pepper
1 cup diced seeded red bell pepper
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes yellow zucchini
1 avocado, halved, peeled, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Cook rice using package instructions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add corn, poblanos, yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are just tender, 6 to 7 minutes; scrape into large bowl. Add rice, avocado, green onions, cilantro, and dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

Sunchoke and Potato Gratin

Published on February 7, 2010 by Dawn1 Comment

Sunchokes (otherwise known as Jerusalem Artichokes) are such an interesting vegetable. I would eat them at restaurants, but it was only within the last year that I starting cooking with them – when one week they showed up in my CSA basket. I searched the internet for recipes, and I hardly found any. I could make a sunchoke soup – but I wasn’t interested. Instead, I decided to make a gratin. I made one that was just too heavy – so the next time I tried it my own way. It was delicious – the sunchokes add such a subtle flavor to the dish, but it is perfect with the potatoes. The best part of this dish though is the shallots on top, along with the fontina cheese. I have made this dish a few times, and each time I do things just a little differently. In the recipe below, I use 1% milk – although it is also very good made with chicken broth. If you happen to see sunchokes in the market, don’t be afraid – try this recipe and you will be a big fan!

Ingredients

1 garlic clove
10 sunchokes (about golf-ball sized), sliced thin
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 shallots, sliced thin
1/4 cup 1% milk
1 cup grated fontina cheese
salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×9 ceramic dish with cooking spray. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut sides onto the dish. Discard garlic.

Layer the potatoes evenly in the dish covering the entire bottom. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer the sunchokes evenly covering the potatoes. Sprinkle the sliced shallots on top of the sunchokes – and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Pour milk all over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the fontina cheese.

Cover the dish with tin foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Take the cover off and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Make sure the sunchokes are soft – if not cook a little longer.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Sunchoke and Potato Gratin

Fennel Hash

Published on January 22, 2010 by Dawn3 Comments

Here we go again…my fennel fetish. A potato, celery root and fennel bulb went into a bar – and what happened? They turned into hash! Ok, that is really not funny at all, or makes any sense – but it is really late at night – and I am getting punchy. I had these three ingredients – and decided that this recipe I saw in Bon Appetit was going to be my inspiration. The recipe just called for fennel and potatoes, and then to mash the potatoes after they cooked – but I decided on something different. Instead of using all the potatoes, I used some celery root, and I didn’t mash anything, I left them in chunks – and boy was it delicious. I sat down to dinner, and I was blown away. As soon as the yolk broke, I knew I should have taken a picture. That first bite was all I needed to convince me – it was incredible. The rich yolk over my favorite fennel combined with the celery root and potatoes – wow! I quickly scarfed that down, and had to make another – and this time I took a picture so everyone else could enjoy it too.

Ingredients

2 small fennel bulbs with fronds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes, patted dry
1/2 pound celery root, peeled, cut into 1/2-to 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Cut fennel into 1/2-inch cubes (there should be about 4 scant cups). Cook fennel in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 minutes. Drain; set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and celery root. Cook until golden and crisp, turning often, 20 to 25 minutes. Add fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook until fennel is golden, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes. Stir in parsley. Serve hot with a fried or poached egg on top.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Fennel Hash

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

Published on January 14, 2010May 6, 2010 by Dawn2 Comments

The other morning I was about to leave for work and noticed that I had a very ripe avocado on the counter, which was sitting next to a grapefruit. I thought about our plans that evening, and decided that the only way I was going to eat the avocado before it passed its prime was to bring it to work. I chucked them both into my bag, and off I went.

When it was lunch time, I decided I would just make an avocado and grapefruit salad – those two flavors pair beautifully together – the tartness of the grapefruit with the creamy mild avocado is wonderful combination. When I tried it though, it was missing something. It needed a dressing – not a heavy one, but it needed something else. I decided to venture to the cafeteria to see what I could find. Now, I work at a big company – and there are a lot of foodies around that make sure the cafeteria is somewhat decent. We have famous chefs like Thomas Keller and Mario Batali that show up every once in a while to sign books – I was sure I could find something that I could make work.

I went to the salad station, and none of the dressings sounded good – so I decided to make my own. I took some olive oil and balsamic, and put them in a to go container. As I was making my way past the condiments – it hit me – it needed a french vinaigrette – so I put in a dab of Dijon mustard – mixed it all together and that was it. It was beautiful. Thanks cafeteria for helping with my creation.

Ingredients

1 pink grapefruit
1 ripe avocado
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbl. balsamic vinegar
3 tbl. olive oil

Preparation

Supreme the grapefruit by cutting about 1/4″ off of both ends so the pink flesh shows through. Take a knife and carefully cut off the skin around the fruit so that all the white is removed. Cut down along fruit section to the center, then turn knife to loosen section and lift out. Repeat for other sections. Place the grapefruit in a bowl.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and score the avocado in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to break the skin. Scoop out the avocado with a spoon and separate the chunks of fruit adding it to the grapefruit.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small container with a lid – and shake until everything comes together. Drizzle dressing over the grapefruit and avocado one tablespoon at a time, tasting after each tablespoon so as not to add too much dressing.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

Fennel Slaw with Orange Vinaigrette

Published on December 20, 2009 by Dawn1 Comment

I saw this recipe in Cooking Light – and because of my obsession with fennel, I had to make it. The only problem was that I do not have a mandoline. So, after doing some reasearch online – I decided I would go to the store and buy one. I cook enough, I should probably just have one, as I was justifying the expense. I was just about to leave, when my mother called – and convinced me not to bother. She has one – top of the line – and she said it is hard to use and wouldn’t spend the money. So I settled on my back-up plan – using a good vegetable peeler – and it worked great. You can see by the picture, the fennel was definitely shaved thin – and the salad was terrific. So don’t worry if you don’t have a mandoline – a good old-fashioned vegetable peeler will do just fine.

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 medium fennel bulbs with stalks (about 4 pounds)
2 cups orange sections (about 2 large oranges)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives

Preparation

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

Trim tough outer leaves from fennel; mince feathery fronds to measure 1 cup. Remove and discard stalks. Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise; discard core. Thinly slice bulbs. Add fronds, fennel slices, and orange sections to bowl; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with olives.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here: Fennel Slaw with Orange Vinaigrette

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