Lemon-Pepper Linguine with Roasted Romanesco, Almonds & Capers
Seasonal romanesco is first roasted in the oven, then added to this luxurious pasta main.
Ingredients:
1 pound lemon-pepper linguine
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry, divided
½ medium romanesco, cored, cut into small florets
8 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup Grana-styled cheese, grated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Cook almonds, ¼ cup oil, and 1 tablespoon of the capers in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until capers burst and almonds are golden brown and smell toasty, about 5 minutes. Transfer almonds and capers with a slotted spoon to a small bowl; season with salt. Let cool. Toss romanesco with oil from saucepan on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and tender, 20–25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Add garlic, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and remaining capers and cook, stirring often, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with garlic; add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Reduce heat to medium and cook, tossing often, until liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid, then gradually add cheese, tossing until melted and dissolved into a luxurious, glossy sauce. Remove from heat; add butter and toss to combine. Toss in romanesco. Divide pasta among bowls. Top with fried almonds and capers and more red pepper flakes and drizzle with oil.
Simple Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower
So simple, so stunning: Use this basic roasting method as a jumping off point for enjoying this crunchy, mellow vegetable.
Ingredients:
1 pound romanesco, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Toss romanesco with oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning halfway through, until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Squeeze over a few tablespoons of juice from the lemon half and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
Romanesco Salad
Bright Romanesco florets are tossed with an equally vibrant red wine vinaigrette, plus red onions, celery and capers in this fabulous salad from food blog Simple Recipes.
Ingredients:
2 heads Romanesco
2 stalks celery
½ large red onion
1 cup loosely-packed fresh parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Dressing:
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ anchovy, minced (optional)
¼ cup high-quality olive oil
Method:
1. Cut Romanesco heads into quarters, stalk to tip. Cut out the tough core and any outside green leaves. Cut again lengthwise. Place into a steamer basket in a pot with about an inch of water. Sprinkle the Romanesco florets with a little salt. Bring water to a boil. Cover and steam until just tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove Romanesco florets from steamer, place into a bowl, and chill.
2. Thinly slice the celery and red onion. Place the red onion slices in a bowl and cover with water. Set aside.
3. Smash the whole clove of garlic (not cut, just smash with the flat side of a chef’s knife) and place in the bottom of a small bowl. Add the vinegar and salt, stir to dissolve the salt. Add the minced anchovy if using. Whisk in the olive oil.
4. Break up the wedges of Romanesco into smaller chunks of florets. Place into a large serving bowl. Add celery, onions (drained of the water), parsley, capers, and lemon zest. Remove the garlic clove from the dressing and add dressing to the salad. Toss to coat with the dressing. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour. (It’s even better left overnight.) Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to serve.
Roasted Romanesco Broccoli & Poblano Peppers
This dish boasts wonderful depth of flavor thanks to a splash of sherry vinegar and a dash of chili flakes.
Ingredients:
1 pound Romanesco broccoli
2 Poblano peppers, seeds removed and sliced into quarters
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons top-quality sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon dried chili flakes
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 425º. Cut the Romanesco so that the stalks are not more than ½-inch thick. Toss Romanesco and Poblanos with the garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt and scatter on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Roast for 12-15 minutes, tossing the once or twice, until the broccoli turns bright green and is slightly al dente, and peppers have blackened edges.
3. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Toss with the 3 tablespoons of vinegar and ¼ teaspoon chili flakes. Allow to cool a little more. Add more vinegar, chili flakes and salt to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature.
Roasted Beet Salad with Mesclun Greens & Crumbled Chevre
Topped with a light vinaigrette and roasted pumpkin seeds, this salad is both colorful and satisfying.
Ingredients:
Roasted beets, sliced and still warm from the oven (see recipe)
2-3 cups Mesclun greens, washed and dried
½ cup crumbled chevre cheese
½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
½ cup high-quality olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small clove garlic, crushed
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To prepare vinaigrette: Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic together, seasoning with fresh ground pepper to taste.
2. To assemble the salad: Arrange Mesclun greens on a large platter and then top with beet slices. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and crumbled chevre, then drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with additional ground pepper to taste.
Roasted Garlic, Three Ways
The Hungry Mouse blog shares favorite ways to enjoy this essential aromatic ingredient: roasted, in compound butter and as an infused oil.
Ingredients:
Whole heads of garlic
8 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
Method:Â
1. Roasted: Preheat oven to 350°. Cut head(s) off of garlic about half-inch from the top, set trimmed head(s) in baking dish. (You may discard tips, or toss them into the baking dish—just keep an eye on them during roasting as these small pieces burn more easily.) Drizzle garlic with a generous swig of olive oil, seeping oil down into the head(s). Cover dish with aluminum foil, roast for 30-45 minutes until garlic is a deep caramel color and soft. Remove cloves from skin with sharp paring knife.
2. Compound Butter: Cut a stick of butter into small pieces and set in a bowl to soften. Once soft, add in mashed roasted garlic and mix together with a fork. (For 1 stick of butter, add the equivalent of half head of roasted garlic. Feel free to play with this ratio for stronger—or more subtle—versions!) Refrigerate until ready for use. Use to make garlic bread, stir it into mashed potatoes or to garnish a grilled steak.
3. Infused Oil: Set strainer over a small bowl. Take baking pan with extra olive oil and garlic skins and strain into bowl, pressing garlic skins with a spoon to squeeze out any and all extra oil. Keep garlic-infused oil in the fridge, use within one week.
Roasted Golden Beet & Carrot Dip
This vibrant spread is delicious slathered on toasted bread or crackers.
Ingredients:
6 baby golden beets, trimmed and peeled
6-8 baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
1 medium-sized head of garlic, with the end cut off
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Quarter the beets and halve the carrots, then toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, and slide into the oven. Roast 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and edges are a light golden brown, flipping vegetables halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, set out a 10-inch rectangle of foil. Set the head of garlic in the center, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap the foil packet tightly around the garlic, set in a small ovenproof baking dish, and roast for about 15 minutes, or until cloves are soft and cooked through. Carefully open the foil packet, and set garlic aside until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the soft cloves out of the papery skin and set aside.
3. Place the roasted beets, carrots, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until broken down a bit. Then, with food processor running, drizzle in the ½ cup olive oil, honey and a large pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Top dip with minced parsley and serve at room temperature.
Roasted Cara Cara Oranges
These gorgeous oranges are a wonderful addition to a cheeseboard; or, remove the rinds and toss into a salad!
Ingredients:
3 Cara Cara oranges, sliced into thick wedges
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup pistachios or other toasted nut of your choice, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil or parchment paper and place the orange wedges on pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the top of the exposed fruit.
2. Place under a broiler for 3-5 minutes, until the brown sugar is bubbly and beginning to brown and the edges are caramelized. Remove from oven. Drizzle orange wedges evenly with honey and top with the nuts. Serve warm.
Rice Pilaf with Roasted Root Vegetables & Wild Mushrooms
This flavorful pilaf is simmered in our rich chicken stock and topped with roasted veggies and sautéed wild mushrooms.
Ingredients:
2 cups F&L rice blend
4 cups chicken stock
2 Cipollini onions, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sweet ground chile pepper
2 cups Roasted Root Vegetables (see recipe)
½ cup reconstituted and sautéed dried wild mushrooms (see method)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan fitted with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat, then add diced onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft and translucent and garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the rice and the sweet ground chile pepper, plus a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss together well with a slotted spoon and cook for another 2-3 minutes to toast the rice and spice mixture.
2. Add in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a light simmer. Cover and simmer until stock has been absorbed and rice is just cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit covered to steam, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the parsley. Transfer to a large serving platter and top with the roasted root vegetables and sautéed wild mushrooms.
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Sweet Onions
This amazing spread is crafted from farm-fresh tomatoes, onions and hunks of roasted garlic.
Ingredients:
1 pound Sungold cherry tomatoes
1 sweet onion, cut into small wedges
¼ cup olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
Sea salt
4-5 slices rustic country bread, sliced
Fresh basil, for garnish
Method:
1. Heat your oven to 400°.
2. Place the onion wedges, along with the tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves, onto a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and two pinches of kosher salt.
3. Toss until everything is coated, slide into the hot oven, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so. (They’re done when the tomatoes have burst and softened, the onions are soft, and both are browned in places.) In the last 10 minutes of roasting, toast your bread slices.
4. Spread each piece of toasted bread with the flesh of one roasted garlic clove. Arrange toasts on a plate or serving platter, and scrape the roasted tomatoes, onions and pan juices over the top. Sprinkle with a tad more salt, to taste, and the basil, if using.