Monday, August 10, 2015

Recipes: Veggies & Sides

If I were a food blogger this would get posted with gorgeous pictures and lots of directions, but I'm not! So I'm typing up some of my favorite recipes for my friend and I figured I would throw them up here for posterities sake (.... and so I don't lose them forever....). Apparently there are a lot so I will do them in batches and maybe someday I will come back and add pics like a big kid.

And yes I would probably die if I couldn't have garlic and EVOO and I ALWAYS use kosher salt when I'm cooking. I'll use iodized when baking but its all kosher when I'm on the stove top. Just FYI.

Hiromi's Green Beans

1 lb green beans, trimmed and rinsed
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1-2 T EVOO
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 T Coconut Powder (that is not a typo, you get it in packets at the asian food store. I got mine at 99 Ranch Market)
Salt and pepper

Blanch the green beans in salt water for 2-5 mins depending on your desired level of doneness. (I do not do an ice water bath to shock them, I just drain them). In a large skill it at medium high heat, add the mustard seeds to the pan and toast for 2 mins. Add 1 T EVOO to pan, add onion, salt & pepper, saute onions until golden. Add green beans and toss. Add coconut powder. Add salt to taste. I add the extra T of EVOO if I need it if things are dry while I'm cooking.


These are seriously some of the best green beans I've ever had in my life and they reheat good so I tend to do them in like 2 lb batches.



How I do Quinoa:
1 c. quinoa (I prefer white) - well rinsed in a strainer
2 c Chicken broth (or 1 can)
2 cloves garlic (you can increase or decrease this as desired)
1 T EVOO

Rinse the quinoa well. Mince the garlic. Heat the oil in a small sauce pan. Once hot add the garlic and toast for 2-3 mins until toasted. Then add the quinoa and chicken broth. Cover. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until liquid is absorbed approx 15-20 mins. Fluff with fork. You can add all sorts of things to this to compliment your main dish. You can add basil or mint or arugula, chopped nuts (possibly toasted), whatever sounds good. Its a 2:1 ratio of liquid to quinoa like rice. You can increase or decrease as desired to feed more people. 


Wilted Garlic Spinach 

This is so good even my kids eat it. And my picky friends. My father insists it would be better with bacon grease over EVOO...

1-2 T EVOO
2-4 cloves garlic minced
Fresh spinach (LOTS AND LOTS. Buy the big bags or giant containers from costco)
Salt
1/2 medium onion, small dice 

In a LARGE skillet or a big pot, heat the EVOO to medium high heat, add the onion, and start that cooking w/ a pinch of salt, then add the garlic when you get it chopped. Once the onion is nice and translucent and golden, add the spinach. If it all doesn't fit at once, add a lid, wait a couple minutes, add more spinach and toss until its all in there. Add kosher salt to taste as you go. Done!

Basic Green Beans/Asparagus

1 T Butter (optional, since I had Miss Dairy Allergy I skip it)
1-2 T EVOO
1 can chicken Broth
1 lb green beans or 1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed 

Melt butter in skillet w EVOO until its toasted and golden brown, Then add can of chicken broth, and green beans and pinch of salt. Cook until just fork tender. Adjust salt to taste. If its asparagus I like to have fresh lemon to juice or zest (or both) on top!

Roasted Broccoli

Bunch of broccoli, washed and trimmed into florets
EVOO
Salt
Minced Garlic 2-4 cloves


Heat your oven to 400. On a baking sheet spread out broccoli, drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle w/ salt and garlic, toss with your hands. Bake in oven 30-40 mins until tender. It will get pretty brown in spots. Don't freak this tastes fantastic. My sister who HATES and gags over broccoli will eat a piece and say its okay.


Variation w the broccoli that I did earlier this week and they loved: B/c I didn't want to heat up the oven in the summer heat - EVOO & garlic in a pan, toast for 1-2 mins, then add broccoli and saute until brown at points, then add a can of beef broth and cover w/ a lid, braise until stalk is fork tender, serve. It was really good. My family chowed it down. Even Dad ate it.

Grilled/Roasted Veggies 

This is one of those recipes that expands and contracts and does make tasty leftovers, esp on sandwiches and salads, so you can make a lot and eat it over a couple days, so add more or less veggies to your desired size spread.

1/2 - 1 Large onion cut in rings
1-2 zucchini cut in 1/2 inch sticks or spears
1-2 sweet peppers (red, orange, yellow, green take your pick of whatever looks good)
Sliced portabella mushroom caps would also be excellent if you want more
EVOO
Salt and pepper 

Optional toppings:
Basil
tomato
feta
balsamic vinegar


Roast the peppers under a broiler or on top of a gas burner or on a grill until skins are blackened, put in heat safe bowl, cover w/ plastic. Let cool in the steam until cool enough to handle. Use a paper towel and your hands to remove the skins. Remove seeds and stems and chop in slices.


The onions, zucchini and mushroom I slice to about 1/2 inch long slabs and drizzle w/ EVOO and a pinch of salt and pepper, then grill on both sides until tender w/ nice char marks (I usually do this w/ a grill pan on the stove b/c laziness).

All the veggies go on a tray. I like to drizzle them with balsamic, salt, diced tomatoes, and sprinkle chopped basil and feta on top (or have those on the side and let the picky people top them as desired). These are good straight. They're great on wraps, sandwiches, in salads, you name it. And they keep very well.


---
Never before appreciated what a one trick pony I am with green veggies. lol. But considering I was raised w/ plain steamed (or frozen, or canned) w/ butter, this is sophisticated okay? lol

No comments:

Post a Comment