BLISTERED CAULIFLOWER

Poor, neglected and rejected cauliflower -    steamed or boiled into tasteless mush that no amount of cheese sauce can rescue.  Is it any wonder so many people are cauliflower haters.  This recipe is pure magic.  Roasted at a high temperature caramelized florets of cauliflower becomes intensely sweet nutty morsels that are highly addictive, and incredibly versatile.  BLISTERED CAULIFLOWER as a side dish shines.  Add it to a salad – bravo! Toss it with pasta – bellissimo!

(For the recipe simply click on  BLISTERED CAULIFLOWER and travel to my food blog MRS. BUTTERFINGERS.  I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

FLAT BEANS WITH PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO … a Jack in the beanstalk recipe

If you see flat beans at your Farmer’s Market snap them up.  They are delicious.   If you have a garden or a balcony with lots of sun grow them.  They grow almost as fast as Jack’s fabled beans.

I grew my close to the kitchen, in two five-gallon nursery pots.  This step-ladder, past its prime, became my beanstalk  support.

Pick your flat beans and cook them right away for the  simplest and down-right most decadent way to eat beans.

flat beans with parmigiano- reggiano  SERVES 6

1 1/2 pounds fresh romano or flat beans, trimmed

1 tbs kosher salt

1 1/2 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tsp sea salt or fleur de sel

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4-5 ounces shaved parmigiano- reggiano  (I shave the cheese with a vegetable peeler.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of kosher salt and the flat beans, and cook for 3 minutes, or until the beans are just tender.  Drain immediately and place the beans on a platter.  Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt and pepper.  Toss with the cheese and serve hot or warm

GRILLED EGGPLANT IN THAI GARLIC SAUCE

Two garden pots  of eggplants have delivered a bumper crop of these elegant vegetables.   This is a simple recipe to make on the barbecue or grill.  Garlicky and tender, Thai-Style eggplant is a great side dish.

GRILLED EGGPLANT THAI STYLE serves 3-4 as a vegetable side dish

2 Japanese eggplants sliced about 1/4 inch thick.

4 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbs fish sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar,

1 1/2 tbsp fresh finely minced garlic

1-2 tsp. chili sauce

(to finish 2 tbsp white wine or sherry, a squeeze of lime juice, 1 tsp brown sugar)

In a bowl mix together the soy sauce , oyster sauce, fish sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, garlic, and chili.  Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Wash and dry the eggplant.  Slicing lengthwise, thinly cut the eggplant (about 1/4 inch thick is good).

Place the eggplant slices in a long, flat dish.  pour the garlic sauce over the slices, turning them to cover the sauce.  You may have to pile the slices on top of each other.

Allow eggplant to marinate at least ten minutes, or up to 24 hours ahead of grilling time (cover and refrigerate for the longer period).

Place the eggplant slices on a hot grill, allowing 5-10 minutes each side (this depends on hot thick the slices are), or until the eggplant has turned golden-brown and is soft when tested with a fork.

While the eggplant is cooking, pour the remaining sauce from the bottom of the dish into a sauce pan.  Place over medium heat, add a few tbsp. wine plus a good squeeze of lime juice and 1 tsp brown sugar.

Bring to a near-boil, then reduce heat to minimum.  Taste-test the sauce.  It should be garlicky and slightly sweet.  Add the sweetness according to your taste, adding up to 1 more tsp. sugar.   If you like it more garlicky, add a little more freshly chopped garlic.  If it’s too salty for your taste, add another squeeze of lime juice.

To serve, place eggplant on a platter, and either pour the sauce over, or serve it on the side.  This eggplant goes well with rice or practically any dish you might be cooking up.  Bon Appetit!!

You might want to double this recipe it’s so delicious.  The eggplant may  absorb a  lot of the sauce  and it is nice to have the extra to pour over.

 

 

GREEN BEANS WITH BASIL … Provence style

The markets and gardens are filled with armfuls of vibrant  basil.

Military  rows of fresh green beans.

Tender green beans and basil.

A Provenςal marriage made in heaven.

 

Serve this as a side vegetable dish or as a first course.  It should be offered warm to best enhance the pungency of the herb.  I adapted this recipe from Patricia Wells THE PROVENCE COOKBOOK.

 

1/4 cup coarse sea salt

1 pound green beans, trimmed either both ends or just the head

1  cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed,  cut into a chiffonnade

1 generous tb spoon extra-virgin olive oil

Fine sea salt

A generous amount of freshly ground black pepper

A sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Prepare a large b owl of ice water.

Fill a pasta pot (fitted with a colander) with about 5 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat.    Add the coarse sea salt and the b eans, and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Immediately remove the colander from the water, allow the water to drain, and plunge the colander with the beans into the ice water so they cool down as quickly as possible.  (The beans will cool in 1 to 2 minutes.  If you leave them longer, they will become soggy and begin to lose flavour.)

Drain the beans and wrap them in a thick towel to dry.  (The beans can be cooked up to 4 hours in advance.  Keep them wrapped in the towel and refrigerate, if desired.)

At serving time splash the olive oil into a large saute pan over medium heat.  When the oil is warm add the basil and the beans, tossing to coat the beans and warm the mixture, l to 2 minutes.  Season to taste.  Serve warm.  Enjoy your taste of Province  tonight.  Bon Appétit!!

KALE … it’s so good for you, and easy to prepare

 

A beautiful arrangement, and it’s from my vegetable garden!
Kale is delicious.  It’s easy to grow.   It’s incredibly good for you.   It’s easy to cook.  Simply saute  finely chopped  onion and garlic in olive oil.  When it is translucent add chopped kale (remove the tough center rib) salt and freshly ground pepper..  Saute briefly, add a sprinkling of water, cover and steam until tender.  Mother always said “eat your greens”.

SOUTH INDIAN POTATO CURRY … add some spice to your life!

This is another delicious Indian dish.   I made it  to accompany the spicy shrimp stir-fry.  Add some rice and vegetables and you have the makings of a wonderful Indian meal.  The great part is, it’s  an easy dish to prepare

Serves 4

3 tbs olive oil

1 tsp brown mustard seeds

2 whole dried, hot red chillies

15-20 fresh curry leaves or 10 fresh basil leaves, torn

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped,

2 tsp ground coriander

1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp garam masala

1 pound of waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tsp salt

1 cup coconut milk

4 tbs chopped fresh coriander

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium-high heat.  Add the mustard seeds and chillies.  As soon as the seeds begin to pop (a few seconds) add the curry leaves and onion.  Reduce heat to medium and stir the onion for a few minutes until softened but not browned.  Add the ground coriander, cayenne, and garam masala and saute for a few minutes more.

Add the tomato and the potatoes and stir for a further minute or so.  Now add 1 cup of water and the salt.  Bring to the boil.  Cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Watch that your water doesn’t boil away.  Add more  water if necessary.    Finally stir in the coconut milk and fresh coriander.  Enjoy

CORN GLORIOUS CORN ON THE COB CORN!!!

Corn the cob.  Corn on the cob eaten in gorgeously mess fashion.  Pick up and gnawed while butter  smears over your fingers and cheeks and runs off your chin.  This is eating at the trough and it is socially acceptable.    Corn for supper tonight.  Along with roast chicken.  Not just any corn but Chilliwack peaches and cream corn. The first of the season.  Cause for celebration.

Here’s the dos and do nots of  this sacred rite of eating with your fingers.

Don’t peel your corn at the market.  The husks protect the kernels, keeping them fresh and moist, so leave them intact until you’re ready to cook the corn.  You can pick good ears without husking.  They should be snugly wrapped in their fresh , green and moist husks.

Run you finger along the ear, feeling the formation of the kernels through the husks.  They should feel plump and densely packed.

Look for worm holes.  If you see one more on to another ear.  If you find a worm after husking just cut it out.

Eat the corn ASAP.  The sooner you eat it the better it’ll taste.  A local farmer is so pernickity about his corn he sits up a camp stove by the side of his corn field.  Puts the water on to boil, and THEN he picks his corn and into the pot.  Talk about the 100 mile rule.  This man has a 30 second rule.  Don’t you love it.

If you must store corn, wrap unhusked ears in damp paper towels and keep them in a plastic bag in your fridge’s produce bin for two to three days.

Put your corn into ALREADY boiling water.  NO SALT NO SUGAR NO MILK.  Cook from three to six or eight minutes.     If your corn is very tender two to three minutes does the trick.  Drain and serve lavished with butter, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Bon Appetit.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH GARLIC

When you roast cauliflower you create magic.  Bland cauliflower becomes full of flavour.  Now roast it with  some garlic,  toss it with toasted walnuts or pine nuts, parsley and fresh lemon juice and you’ll have a delicious, delectable, delightful  treat.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH GARLIC

1 whole head of garlic coves separated but not peeled

1 large head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large florets,

4 1//2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, divided

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

2 tbsp. capers

2 tbs. toasted walnuts or pine nuts

2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the garlic cloves.  Boil for 15 second.  Drain, peel, and cut off any brown parts.  Cut the largest cloves in half lengthwise.

On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower with the garlic, 3 tbsp. the olive oil, 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp pepper.  Spread the mixture out in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing at least twice, until the cauliflower is tender and the garlic is lightly browned.

Scrape the cauliflower into a large bowl with the garlic and pan juices.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, the parsley, pine or walnuts, and serve hot or warm.

Now how easy is that.

SPINACH PIE RECEIVES GREAT PRESS!

My recipe for Spinach pie is so good (and so green) it would have made a perfect St. Patrick’s day dinner.   But no worries, my friends.  Make it tomorrow, or the next day, but don’t delay.   This recipe (from  Bel’Occhio’s Cooking Classes) is simply wonderful.   My gardening guru friend Dellis makes it at least once a week, and is never without spinach in her kitchen.  This is a generous recipe and with big salad would be perfect to share with friends.  You can make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature.   This recipe is a reputation maker!

Today a reader of Bel’Occhio commented on the recipe.   Please go to his blog.  It is a delight. http://rufusguide.wordpress.com/.  I think his recipe for limoncello would be wonderful when the sun warms the earth and our hearts, and our mind says “cool drinks”.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP … CURRY STYLE

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CURRY CONDIMENTS   … SERVES 4 TO 6

I have a pantry filled with all kinds of squash.   This cold, rainy November day called for soup with an exotic flavour.  Roasting the vegetables before making the soup brings out the flavour and sweetness in the squash, apples, and onions.  I served this soup for lunch the other day.  It is so good everyone had two servings.  Be bold and use the Thai Red Curry Paste.

Preheat the oven for 425 degrees F.

In a very large baking pan  put 3-4 pounds  butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into one inch cubes.  Add 2 yellow onions coarsely chopped, two apples cubed  (any kind but I like to use my son-in-law Micheal’s  favorite apple Honey Crisps).  Sprinkle generously with 3 tablespoons good olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper.  Toss the vegetables to coat with oil.  Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, until very tender.  Towards the end of your cooking time add 3-4 cloves of garlic.  You want to add the garlic part way through the roasting as they burn easily.

When the vegetables are done puree in  a deep stock pot.  Use a hand-held immersion blender.  Or, you use your food processor or a food mill.

Heat 2 -3 cups of homemade chicken stock.    Add l teaspoon (more or less) good curry powder, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, 1 or 2 teaspoons of Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, and one can(400 ml) coconut milk   and enough chicken stock to make a thick soup.  Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with a selection of condiments.

CONDIMENTS:

sautéed sliced bananas,      raisins plumped briefly in hot chicken stock,      salted cashews toasted and chopped, shredded coconut lightly toasted,     scallions, trimmed and sliced diagonally.

For easy reference this recipe is also to the right.  Enjoy