I just told you about my experience taking the VegOut! Challenge to eat 30 vegetables in 30 days.
Did you find it a little annoying that I didn't share any recipes for
all those vegetables? I did. Sure, I gave you links to a few good ones, but
that's not the same. I felt a little guilty telling you how great of an
experience it was to eat 30 vegetables without giving you suggestions
for eating 30 vegetables on your own! My food blog has started to morph into a dessert or baking blog, so my new goal is to post more recipes for main dishes and sides. Bring on the
veges!
I'll start by sharing recipes for cabbage and fennel which I made into coleslaw, two ways. At the end of our 30 vegetables challenge, we had red, green, and Chinese cabbage in the fridge plus a giant jar of sauerkraut. I figured coleslaw would be the easiest way to use cabbage. Both of the recipes that I'm about to share make a reasonable amount that could easily serve 6-8 people. For a larger crowd (it's almost BBQ season), scale up. You won't mind having leftovers.
The first slaw is coleslaw with fennel. Fennel is an anise-flavored bulb-like stem supporting bushy leaves and tiny yellow flowers. Fennel seed is commonly used in Middle-Eastern and Asian cooking. You've probably bitten down into a fennel seed while eating sausage pizza. I thinly sliced the bulb-like stem and added it to my shredded cabbage and onion. The bulb provides a crunch and a sweet, licorice-like flavor. I left fennel seeds out of the dressing (I've never liked the texture), but feel free to add them for additional flavor.
Coleslaw with Fennel
(adapted from Simply in Season)
1/4 green cabbage, shredded
1/4 red cabbage, shredded
1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, pieces of core removed
1/2 white onion, chopped
4 carrots, shredded
Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. cilantro
1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. fennel seed (optional)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Directions: Whisk together the dressing and pour over the salad. Toss to mix. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
The second slaw is a family favorite. It's calls for a boiling oil-and-vinegar dressing that was originally poured over just two ingredients: green cabbage and onion. I added red cabbage and carrots for color and added nutrition (bring on the antioxidants and vitamin-A precursors!). My grandma got this recipe from Cam Hubanks at the Avenue Bar in Madison, Wisconsin, one of our family's favorite spots to go for a Friday fish fry.
Oil-and-Vinegar Coleslaw
(Adapted from Cam's Coleslaw)
1 small green cabbage, shredded
1 small red cabbage, shredded
1/2 onion, finely sliced
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. celery seed
1 tbsp. sugar
Directions: Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over the cabbage and vegetables. Set aside. Combine vinegar, oil and spices in a saucepan. Heat until boiling. Pour over the cabbage. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate. Keeps well. Please note that if you use red cabbage, the color will bleed.
The Avenue Bar no longer serves Cam's oil-and-vinegar coleslaw. Instead, they serve a traditional creamy, celery seedy coleslaw that's also very good. Regrettably, I don't have that recipe to share with you. Instead, you'll have to try these two non-traditional versions. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Side Dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Side Dish. Show all posts
10 April, 2014
27 January, 2012
Sweet Potato Fries (Pappy's Style)
Objective
To make sweet potato fries like those at Pappy's Smokehouse. If you've never been to St. Louis, you may not know of Pappy's. If you've been to St. Louis and haven't been to Pappy's, you should probably go back to try their barbecue! I've had Pappy's twice since moving to St. Louis. The first time it was catered, so I not only missed the "whole experience," but I also missed the sweet potato fries. The second time I went on a date and it was absolutely incredible (though we decided that we were in such good moods that about anything would have tasted good). Back to the sweet potato fries! My second experience with Pappy's was much more rewarding because I got to have their coleslaw and sweet potato fries. The fries were small and thin like fast food fries. The outside had a granulated, sweet crunch, but the inside was moist and tender. They weren't overly sweet. The minute I left, I knew I needed more! Adapted from The Art of Doing STUFF.
Materials
1 medium-sized sweet potato, with the ends cut off
1-2 teaspoons cornstarch
olive oil, for drizzling
salt, for sprinkling
dark brown sugar, for sprinkling
Methods
1. Slice the sweet potatoes into medium to small fries (I like mine a little thin but wide so they look flat). Place them in a bowl of water to minimize oxidation until you're ready to use them.
2. Place an oven rack in the center of your oven and place another rack directly below it. On the lower rack, place a seasoned baking stone. Preheat the oven to 425° with the baking stone in it. Give the oven about an hour to preheat and heat the baking stone.
3. Drain the sweet potato fries and give them a squeeze in a paper towel to remove excess water.
4. Place a bit of cornstarch in a large plastic bag. Add the sweet potatoes and shake to lightly coat the potatoes. Transfer the fries to a baking sheet with sides.
5. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and about a teaspoon of dark brown sugar. Stir to coat the fries with oil and seasoning.
6. Bake 15 minutes then remove the fries and baking stone from the oven. Stir, then transfer the fries to the baking stone, leaving behind any excess oil. Return to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or until the fries are just beginning to crisp on the outside.
7. Cool slightly and serve.
Results
These are pretty close to Pappy's! The lack the chunk of particulate that Pappy's has. The outside is crisp and the inside is tender. The flavor is sweet.
Discussion and Future Directions
These are delicious! They are sweet and make the perfect health-conscious dessert. I dipped mine in a Cilantro&Chipotle dipping sauce to make them savory (see Supplementary Materials).The biggest difference was the lack of "crunch." Pappy's sweet potato fries have little granules of what must be some type of sugar on the outside. Next time, I would sprinkle the fries with sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. I can't decide what type of sugar to use, but I'm thinking I would try brown sugar while cooking for the flavor of the caramelized sugar and superfine granulated sugar to sprinkle on after baking. Even without the crunchy sugar, these are close enough for me to be satisfied!
Supplementary Materials
Cilantro&Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Mix equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in chopped cilantro and pureed chipotle in adobo, to taste. Mix well and serve.
To make sweet potato fries like those at Pappy's Smokehouse. If you've never been to St. Louis, you may not know of Pappy's. If you've been to St. Louis and haven't been to Pappy's, you should probably go back to try their barbecue! I've had Pappy's twice since moving to St. Louis. The first time it was catered, so I not only missed the "whole experience," but I also missed the sweet potato fries. The second time I went on a date and it was absolutely incredible (though we decided that we were in such good moods that about anything would have tasted good). Back to the sweet potato fries! My second experience with Pappy's was much more rewarding because I got to have their coleslaw and sweet potato fries. The fries were small and thin like fast food fries. The outside had a granulated, sweet crunch, but the inside was moist and tender. They weren't overly sweet. The minute I left, I knew I needed more! Adapted from The Art of Doing STUFF.
Materials
1 medium-sized sweet potato, with the ends cut off
1-2 teaspoons cornstarch
olive oil, for drizzling
salt, for sprinkling
dark brown sugar, for sprinkling
Methods
1. Slice the sweet potatoes into medium to small fries (I like mine a little thin but wide so they look flat). Place them in a bowl of water to minimize oxidation until you're ready to use them.
2. Place an oven rack in the center of your oven and place another rack directly below it. On the lower rack, place a seasoned baking stone. Preheat the oven to 425° with the baking stone in it. Give the oven about an hour to preheat and heat the baking stone.
3. Drain the sweet potato fries and give them a squeeze in a paper towel to remove excess water.
4. Place a bit of cornstarch in a large plastic bag. Add the sweet potatoes and shake to lightly coat the potatoes. Transfer the fries to a baking sheet with sides.
5. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and about a teaspoon of dark brown sugar. Stir to coat the fries with oil and seasoning.
6. Bake 15 minutes then remove the fries and baking stone from the oven. Stir, then transfer the fries to the baking stone, leaving behind any excess oil. Return to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or until the fries are just beginning to crisp on the outside.
7. Cool slightly and serve.
Results
These are pretty close to Pappy's! The lack the chunk of particulate that Pappy's has. The outside is crisp and the inside is tender. The flavor is sweet.
Discussion and Future Directions
These are delicious! They are sweet and make the perfect health-conscious dessert. I dipped mine in a Cilantro&Chipotle dipping sauce to make them savory (see Supplementary Materials).The biggest difference was the lack of "crunch." Pappy's sweet potato fries have little granules of what must be some type of sugar on the outside. Next time, I would sprinkle the fries with sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. I can't decide what type of sugar to use, but I'm thinking I would try brown sugar while cooking for the flavor of the caramelized sugar and superfine granulated sugar to sprinkle on after baking. Even without the crunchy sugar, these are close enough for me to be satisfied!
Supplementary Materials
Cilantro&Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Mix equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in chopped cilantro and pureed chipotle in adobo, to taste. Mix well and serve.
24 January, 2012
Celery Root and Butternut Squash Gratin
Objective
To make a recipe using celery root. Over the holidays, I had dinner at Brasserie V in Madison, Wisconsin. The chef rotates the sides, soups, cheese platters, desserts and aioli for their incredible frites, so you will always be able to try something different. My server had described a celery root slaw to me, but instead brought a vegetable side that he thought they'd run out of. I enjoyed the side but was a little disappointed that I didn't get to try celery root (also known as celeriac). My two big goals for 2012 are to say "yes" more often and to try new things. When I saw celery root at the grocery store, it reminded me of mandrakes from Harry Potter (see fig. 1). I decided I had to buy it and figured I'd find a recipe when I got home. I decided to try celery root and butternut squash gratin. Adapted from CHOW.
Materials
Topping:
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence
pinch dried thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 celery root, peeled and sliced in half
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup gruyère cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
Materials
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
2. Melt the butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Mix the cream and milk in a large bowl. Add the sliced butternut squash and celery root. Mix to coat the vegetables with liquid.
3. Layer half of the squash and celery root in the bottom of the baking dish. Place half of the onions over the squash/celery root. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the rest of the squash/celery root and onions. Pour any remaining cream/milk mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then sprinkle the cheese on top.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the topping. Sprinkle over the cheese.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the vegetables are soft. Let sit 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Results
The dish tastes delicious! The celery root cooked more slowly than the butternut squash, so I left it in the oven closer to an hour.
Discussion and Future Directions
Celery root tastes like (wait for it..) celery! When I tried the celery root raw, I was concerned that the flavor would be overpowering in the gratin. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the dish. The herbs and spices complemented each other nicely and added a good flavor to the dish. I was skeptical of adding walnuts to the topping, but it added a nice element of complexity to the topping.
The only complaint I have is that the celery root is much harder than the butternut squash and took longer to cook. Next time, I would make the butternut squash slices thicker than the celery root slices. I cut these by hand, but a mandoline would be a great way to control the thickness of the slices. I have a mandoline, but without a dishwasher, I hate using it!
I reduced the fat from the original recipe by halving the cream with milk (I used fat free skim milk). To reduce the fat even further, you could try whole milk and see how it turns out. You could certainly leave out the cheese. To change the flavor, you could substitute other root vegetables (but be sure to account for differences in the firmness of the different vegetables). This is a delicious way to make a meal around vegetables!
Supplementary Materials
To make a recipe using celery root. Over the holidays, I had dinner at Brasserie V in Madison, Wisconsin. The chef rotates the sides, soups, cheese platters, desserts and aioli for their incredible frites, so you will always be able to try something different. My server had described a celery root slaw to me, but instead brought a vegetable side that he thought they'd run out of. I enjoyed the side but was a little disappointed that I didn't get to try celery root (also known as celeriac). My two big goals for 2012 are to say "yes" more often and to try new things. When I saw celery root at the grocery store, it reminded me of mandrakes from Harry Potter (see fig. 1). I decided I had to buy it and figured I'd find a recipe when I got home. I decided to try celery root and butternut squash gratin. Adapted from CHOW.
Fig. 1: Celery root or celeriac
Materials
Topping:
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence
pinch dried thyme
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup milk
1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
1 celery root, peeled and sliced in half
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup gruyère cheese, shredded
salt and pepper
Materials
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
2. Melt the butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Mix the cream and milk in a large bowl. Add the sliced butternut squash and celery root. Mix to coat the vegetables with liquid.
3. Layer half of the squash and celery root in the bottom of the baking dish. Place half of the onions over the squash/celery root. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat with the rest of the squash/celery root and onions. Pour any remaining cream/milk mixture over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper then sprinkle the cheese on top.
4. In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the topping. Sprinkle over the cheese.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the vegetables are soft. Let sit 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Results
The dish tastes delicious! The celery root cooked more slowly than the butternut squash, so I left it in the oven closer to an hour.
Discussion and Future Directions
Celery root tastes like (wait for it..) celery! When I tried the celery root raw, I was concerned that the flavor would be overpowering in the gratin. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the dish. The herbs and spices complemented each other nicely and added a good flavor to the dish. I was skeptical of adding walnuts to the topping, but it added a nice element of complexity to the topping.
The only complaint I have is that the celery root is much harder than the butternut squash and took longer to cook. Next time, I would make the butternut squash slices thicker than the celery root slices. I cut these by hand, but a mandoline would be a great way to control the thickness of the slices. I have a mandoline, but without a dishwasher, I hate using it!
I reduced the fat from the original recipe by halving the cream with milk (I used fat free skim milk). To reduce the fat even further, you could try whole milk and see how it turns out. You could certainly leave out the cheese. To change the flavor, you could substitute other root vegetables (but be sure to account for differences in the firmness of the different vegetables). This is a delicious way to make a meal around vegetables!
Supplementary Materials
18 January, 2012
Mexican Rice and Bean Salad
Objective
To make a Mexican-inspired side dish to go along with stuffed poblanos. As an undergraduate, I studied abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico. My first few nights in Mexico were rough. My stomach was doing somersaults and I could hardly eat. My Señora couldn't quite get the hang of "gluten-free." While my roommate ate delicious pastries for breakfast, I choked down eggs and mango, both of which I hated. I can best describe the smell of Guanajuato as a combination of exhaust, sewerage, and corn tortillas. The last piece is what made Mexico such a great place to be gluten-free. I ate a lot of corn and a lot of rice. Ever since, Mexican food has been a staple in my diet and I couldn't have been more excited when "Taqueria Guanajuato" opened in Madison, WI with pictures of Plaza de la Paz and other familiar places. I believe this is the first recipe I've noted on my blog as gluten free (though I went back and tagged a few others). From here on out, I hope to be better at remembering my friends who are gluten-free! Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Mexican edition.
Hypothesis: This salad will be a little zippy with the onion and jalapeño but refreshing with the vinegar and lime juice.
Materials
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen peas
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Methods
1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
2. When the rice is fully cooked, move to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. Eat as is or chill before serving.
Results
This salad looks beautiful! The flavor is light and not overpowering.
Discussion and Future Directions
This salad made a great side dish for a Mexican entree and also made a great salad for lunch. I actually preferred the salad closer to room temperature than cold. I think that chilled, it wasn't quite as flavorful (sort of like red wine--different temperatures effect the smell and taste of your food/wine. Aromatic compounds won't be as strong if the food is colder, and the vinegar may become more prominent). I used very conservative amounts of salt and pepper, so I encourage you to continue adding more to taste.
One thing that disappointed me was that the jalapeño flavor really gets lost in the dish and there is no "zip" or heat. I de-seeded and de-veined the jalapeños which dramatically decreased the heat of the peppers (biting into seeds wouldn't be good because the texture contrast with the soft foods would be kind of weird). If I were to make it again and want some heat, I would probably use serrano peppers instead of jalapeño peppers. This makes a lot of food and since it doesn't need to be kept warm, would make a great dish for a potluck!
Supplementary Materials
To make a Mexican-inspired side dish to go along with stuffed poblanos. As an undergraduate, I studied abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico. My first few nights in Mexico were rough. My stomach was doing somersaults and I could hardly eat. My Señora couldn't quite get the hang of "gluten-free." While my roommate ate delicious pastries for breakfast, I choked down eggs and mango, both of which I hated. I can best describe the smell of Guanajuato as a combination of exhaust, sewerage, and corn tortillas. The last piece is what made Mexico such a great place to be gluten-free. I ate a lot of corn and a lot of rice. Ever since, Mexican food has been a staple in my diet and I couldn't have been more excited when "Taqueria Guanajuato" opened in Madison, WI with pictures of Plaza de la Paz and other familiar places. I believe this is the first recipe I've noted on my blog as gluten free (though I went back and tagged a few others). From here on out, I hope to be better at remembering my friends who are gluten-free! Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Mexican edition.
Hypothesis: This salad will be a little zippy with the onion and jalapeño but refreshing with the vinegar and lime juice.
Materials
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen peas
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Methods
1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
2. When the rice is fully cooked, move to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. Eat as is or chill before serving.
Results
This salad looks beautiful! The flavor is light and not overpowering.
Discussion and Future Directions
This salad made a great side dish for a Mexican entree and also made a great salad for lunch. I actually preferred the salad closer to room temperature than cold. I think that chilled, it wasn't quite as flavorful (sort of like red wine--different temperatures effect the smell and taste of your food/wine. Aromatic compounds won't be as strong if the food is colder, and the vinegar may become more prominent). I used very conservative amounts of salt and pepper, so I encourage you to continue adding more to taste.
One thing that disappointed me was that the jalapeño flavor really gets lost in the dish and there is no "zip" or heat. I de-seeded and de-veined the jalapeños which dramatically decreased the heat of the peppers (biting into seeds wouldn't be good because the texture contrast with the soft foods would be kind of weird). If I were to make it again and want some heat, I would probably use serrano peppers instead of jalapeño peppers. This makes a lot of food and since it doesn't need to be kept warm, would make a great dish for a potluck!
Supplementary Materials
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