Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic
Minced garlic and fresh parsley add bright flavor to roasted cauliflower florets.
Ingredients:
1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets
4 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Grease a large casserole dish.
2. Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower, and shake to mix. Pour into the prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake for 25 minutes until florets begin to brown in spots, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley.
Steamed Tokyo Turnips
Finished with your choice of toppings, steamed turnips make for a simple, delicate side.
Ingredients:
2 bunches Tokyo turnips, with greens
Sea salt, lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce or vinegar for serving
Method:
1. Separate turnips and greens. Rinse turnips and wash greens. Remove any yellow or damaged leaves and discard. Quarter both turnips and greens.
2. Place a steamer basket in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid; add enough water so that it reaches a depth of about ½ inch. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add turnips and greens to steamer basket, cover, and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.
Roasted Savoy Cabbage with Raisins
Juicy golden raisins add sweet appeal to this roasted dish.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 large head Savoy cabbage, quartered and cored
2 ½ tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°. Soak raisins in very hot water to cover in a small bowl 30 minutes, replacing hot water once or twice as it becomes tepid. Tear cabbage into large pieces.
2. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet or pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add cabbage in 5 batches, adding some salt and pepper with each batch, stirring, and adding next batch as previous batch begins to wilt. (Some cabbage will brown.)
3. Add butter and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until all cabbage is wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain raisins and add to cabbage, then transfer skillet to oven and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until cabbage is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs before serving.
Broccoli Rabe with Oil & Garlic
Tender-crisp with loads of texture, this dish gets extra spice courtesy of crushed red pepper and garlic.
Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli rabe
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
¼ cup water, or as needed
Sea salt
Method:
1. Trim broccoli rabe. Wash the trimmed broccoli rabe in a sinkful of cold water, swishing the stems gently to remove all dirt from between the leaves. Let the leaves sit a minute or two undisturbed to allow the dirt to settle to the bottom of the sink, then lift the broccoli rabe from the water with your hands or a large skimmer. Drain in a colander.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Carefully lay the broccoli rabe into the oil, season lightly with salt and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Stir and toss to distribute the seasonings.
3. Pour ¼ cup water into the skillet and bring to a boil. Cover the skillet tightly and cook, lifting the lid to turn the stalks occasionally, until the broccoli rabe is tender. Taste and season with additional salt and crushed red pepper if necessary. Serve hot.
Roasted King Trumpet Mushrooms
Thick, meaty slices of this mushroom variety are roasted in the oven for a rich, concentrated flavor.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds King Trumpet mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, sliced
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Arrange the mushroom slices on a large rimmed baking sheet in a slightly overlapping layer. Dot the mushrooms with the butter and drizzle with the chicken stock and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast the mushrooms in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes, turning occasionally, until the stock has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned in spots. Blot with paper towels and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Roasted Radishes with Lemon
This easy roasting method from Martha Stewart highlights crisp, spring radishes with hints of olive oil, salt and lemon juice.
Ingredients:
Radishes
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:Â
1. Toss radishes with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast on a baking sheet at 450°, stirring once, until slightly tender and charred, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with lemon juice.
Roasted Turnips
Poppy seeds and paprika add an unexpected touch to this easy roasted dish from chef Mario Batali.
Ingredients:
2 pounds turnips
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 tablespoon paprika
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Method:
1. Season turnips with salt and pepper.
2. In a large ovenproof pan, heat butter until starting to brown. Add turnips and toss to coat well. Add poppy seeds and saute until light golden brown, about 8 to 9 minutes. Add paprika and toss to coat. Add vinegar and cook until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes, remove from heat and serve.
Pasta with Hedgehog Mushrooms and Chard
This week’s signature dish, with locally-foraged mushrooms, shallots and diced pancetta.
Ingredients:
½ pound hedgehog mushrooms
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ounces diced pancetta(optional)
1 bunch chard, chopped into 1 inch pieces
½ cup red or white wine
1 cup stock or water
Parmesan cheese for grating
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Gently brush and clean mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms in butter and olive oil until golden. Add minced garlic and shallots and pancetta (if desired) and continue to sauté until garlic and shallot is opaque.
2. Add chopped chard and continue to sauté, stirring until chard is just cooked. Deglaze pan with a little wine and water or chicken stock. Test for seasoning add salt and pepper to taste. Toss mixture with hot pasta and serve immediately
Variations: This dish is also wonderful topped with fresh chopped herbs; ricotta cheese; chopped pistachios or pine nuts; or, asparagus instead of chard.
Spaghetti with Green Garlic
Simple, yet perfect, this simple spaghetti dish from chef Alice Waters allows fresh green garlic flavors to shine.
Ingredients:
1 pound spaghetti
â…“ cup olive oil
3 heads green garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add the garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of water. Cover and sweat, stirring occasionally, until soft, adding more water if necessary to keep the garlic from caramelizing too much.
3. Add the cooked pasta to the garlic mixture and toss well to combine. Add some pasta cooking water if necessary to bring the dish to a creamy consistency. Serve with more olive oil and the minced tops of the green garlic, if desired.
Mashed Squash & Maple Syrup
Sweet maple syrup balances the inherent nuttiness of Kabocha squash in this simply amazing side dish.
Ingredients:
1 Kabocha squash
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons maple syrup
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut squash in half; scoop out seeds. Cut into 2-inch pieces; peel, rinse, and drain.
2. Steam the squash, covered, over simmering water until tender, about 25 to 35 minutes. Drain squash and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the butter and some of the maple syrup. Mash and taste. Add more maple syrup, if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.