Italian Parsley-Caper Vinaigrette
This adaptation of the pungent vinaigrette from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables is magical drizzled over roasted vegetables or salad greens!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup golden raisins
3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves
⅓ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Put the vinegar and raisins in a little bowl and let the raisins plump for about 30 minutes.
2. Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the capers and pulse until you have a coarse paste. Add the parsley and pulse again until completely chopped.
3. Add in the raisins and vinegar and pulse until the mixture is blended, but still slightly coarse. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil to make a slightly chunky dressing. Taste and adjust with salt or more oil, if needed.
Roasted Purple Tomatillo Salsa
Great served with chips, or mixed into rice, this awesome salsa also makes excellent sauce for enchiladas!
Ingredients:
1 pound purple tomatillos, husks removed
3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeño pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped green onion
Olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 500°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. After husking the tomatillos, rinse them well in cool water (they can be sticky). Cut the stems and hard portions (if any) off the tomatillos and cut any very large ones in half.
3. Combine the tomatillos, unpeeled garlic, onion, and the jalapeno on the lined baking sheet. Spritz with extra virgin olive oil until lightly coated and toss the ingredients with your hands to make sure they are all well-coated.
4. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. If the vegetables have not charred, turn the broiler on to high and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until the skins of the peppers and tomatillos begin to turn black. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. When the vegetables have cooled, carefully squeeze the skin of the roasted garlic, releasing the soft, roasted garlic clove, into the jar of a blender or work bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining roasted vegetables and then add the salt, pepper, and lime juice. Process until the desired consistency is reached and then transfer to a serving dish.
Grana Cheese-Roasted Broccolini
Tossed with garlic breadcrumbs and nutty Grana cheese, this tender broccolini is fantastic tossed with pasta or served atop grilled bread.
Ingredients:
1-2 bunches of broccolini
2 cloves garlic
2 slices of rustic bread, such as Italian Rustica
Pinch red pepper flakes
½ cup Grana cheese, grated
Olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425°. In a food processor, pulse the bread slices and garlic until the bread forms coarse crumbs and the garlic is chopped.
2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccolini and red pepper flakes with about 2 tablespoons oil and then season generously with salt. Add the grated Grana and bread crumb mixture and toss to combine. Spread in an even layer and roast until the broccolini is tender and beginning to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
