Green Bean Casserole

 INGREDIENTS
2   pounds green beans, trimmed
2    tablespoons butter
1    pound white mushrooms
3    cloves garlic, minced
3    tablespoons all-purpose flour
1    cup low-sodium chicken broth
1    cup half-and-half

1    cup canned fried onions for topping
¼   cup Parmesan cheese for topping

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the green beans to about 2 inches in length. In a large sauce pan, bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil and add the beans. Boil for 5 to 6 minutes until they are crisp-tender and bright green. Drain the beans and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet or sauce pan, add and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to release their moisture. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly. Add the broth and mix thoroughly. Add the half-and-half and mix it in. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add the beans to the sauce and mix to coat all the beans. Pour into a 3 quart baking dish and arrange into a flat layer. Sprinkle the fried onions over the top and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.

Based on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated

Corn Fritters

 

INGREDIENTS

½   cup all-purpose flour
½   teaspoon baking powder
1    egg, lightly beaten
¼   cup half-and-half
¼   teaspoon salt
1 ½  cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare an edged baking sheet by spreading 2 tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the sheet.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a large bowl and mix. Add the egg and half-and-half and mix in. Add the corn and stir together. Place small portions of the corn batter on the prepared baking sheet  Each “dollop” should be about 2 tablespoons and you should end up with about 8 to 10 fritters. Leave room between the fritters because they will spread.

Place into the middle of the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until are slightly browned on top and the edges are browned. Cool for a few minutes and serve.

Beet, Orange, Fennel Salad

Roasted beets and braised fennel make this salad a bit more difficult and time-consuming, but your guests will be amazed by the combination of ingredients and tastes.
 
INGREDIENTS
2   medium red beets, peeled, cut and roasted
2   medium gold beets, peeled, cut and roasted
2   small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
½  cup dry white table wine
1   large navel orange
2   tablespoons olive oil
2   tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

ROAST THE BEETS:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Peel each of the beets, wearing gloves to prevent your hands from becoming stained red. Cut each beet into 8 pieces, cutting length-wise. Place the pieces into a medium bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of olive oil making sure each piece is covered. Place the beet slices upright on a baking sheet (rounded part down) and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, remove and allow them to cool.

BRAISE THE FENNEL

Place the slices of fennel in to a large skillet over medium heat and dry-fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning often. Add the white wine, cover and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until the fennel has browned slightly. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

Peel the orange and remove as much of the white pith as you can. Cut the top and bottom off the orange, about ¼ inch slice each, and cut the remainder into 4 slices. Cut each slice into quarters. Each of the 4 salad servings will receive 4 orange pieces, 4 red beet slices, 4 gold beet slices and ¼ of the fennel. Start with the orange slices, add the beet slices and top with the fennel. Sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and garnish with the chopped parsley. You could also garnish with chopped fennel greens if you wish.

Vegan Butter Bean Soup

 INGREDIENTS
3   tablespoons olive oil
1   cup celery, finely chopped, tops and stalks
1   cup carrots, finely chopped
1   cup white onion, finely chopped
2   cups dry white table wine
1   cup water
1   cup shredded yellow or Yukon Gold potato
1   tablespoon dried basil
2   cans (15 ounces) butter beans, rinsed, drained
1   can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes

METHOD

In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the celery, carrots and onion. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and add the wine, water, potato and basil. Cook over a simmer for 10 minutes.

Working in batches if necessary, add to a food processor or blender and process to a puree. Remove to a clean sauce pan and add the butter beans and tomatoes. Continue to simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, remove from the heat and serve. This recipe will provide 8 to 10 servings

Roasted Squash Garlic Soup

INGREDIENTS
1    acorn squash, about 1 to 1 ½ pounds or similar
12   fat cloves garlic, unpeeled
1    cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1    cup dry white table wine
1    cup water
½   teaspoon ground ginger
2    tablespoons olive oil
1    medium white onion, chopped

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the squash into quarters length-wise, remove all the seeds and stringy stuff and place on a small roasting pan, skin side down. Place the garlic cloves into an oven proof bowl. Put the roasting pan and the garlic bowl into oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the garlic bowl and allow it to cool. Continue cooking the squash for 10 minutes. Remove the squash and allow it to cool.

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the onions. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until they are translucent.

Scrape the squash out of the skin or peel the squash and cut it into cubes. Add the squash to the sauce pan. Remove the roasted garlic from each clove and add to the pan. Add the broth, wine, water and ginger, stirring each ingredient into the mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to thoroughly cook and meld the flavors.

Working in batches if necessary, place the soup into a food processor or a blender and process to a puree. Return the soup to a clean sauce pan over medium heat, reheat for a few minutes and serve.

Herbed Beef Roast

INGREDIENTS
4   tablespoons olive oil, divided
2   pound boneless beef roast
4   cloves garlic, chopped
2   tablespoons dried parsley
1   tablespoon dried thyme
1   tablespoon dried Italian oregano
1   tablespoon dried rosemary, ground
2   tablespoons Dijon style mustard
3   medium carrots, peeled, cut to 1 inch pieces
3   stalks celery, cleaned, cut to 1 inch pieces
1   large white onion, quartered
3   medium Yukon gold or yellow potatoes, quartered

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides until nicely browned, about 7 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a blender or food processor, add the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary and mustard. Process these ingredients to a paste. Steam the carrots and celery for 7 to 8 minutes to pre-cook.

Place the beef roast in a large roasting pan and coat it on all sides with the spice paste. Arrange the vegetables around the beef roast, breaking the onion quarters into smaller pieces. Bake in the oven until it reads 125 on an internal thermometer (about 30 minutes) and make sure the vegetables are all cooked tender. Let the roast rest about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.This recipe should serve 4 as a main course.

Salt Cod with Cannellini

Please read the information at the top of this blog about preparing Salt Cod.
 
INGREDIENTS
1    slice bacon, cut to ½ inch strips
1    can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1    cup chicken or vegetable broth
½   cup chopped onion or leeks
1    tablespoon dried basil
½   pound prepared salt cod
1    tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained
1    can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed, drained

METHOD

Place a medium sauce pan over medium heat and add the bacon pieces. Fry until they are crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes, and add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add the broth, leeks and basil. Cut the cod into bite-sized pieces and add to the sauce pan. Add the capers.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until the cod is tender. Add the cannellini beans and reheat for 5 to 6 minutes before serving. Will make 3 to 4 servings as a fish or soup dish or 2 servings as a main dish.

Fried Fish or Pescado Adobado

Usually, this dish is marinated for hours, covered with flour and fried in oil. I decided to speed things up and eliminate the frying part by baking the fish instead. Tastes great, less filling.
 
INGREDIENTS

1    pound firm white fish; halibut, pollack, mahi-mahi
4    cloves garlic, chopped
4    tablespoons white vinegar
3    tablespoons olive oil
1    teaspoon smoked paprika
1    teaspoon oregano
1    cup bread crumbs
      mmayonnaise for serving

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the fish into bite-sized portions – 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes – and pat dry with paper towels. In a food processor or blender, combine and puree the garlic, vinegar, olive oil, paprika and oregano. Pour this into a medium bowl. Place the bread crumbs on a medium plate.

Place a large wire rack onto a baking sheet. Dip each piece of fish into the bowl of puree, allowing the excess to drip off. Roll each piece of fish into the bread crumbs and place onto the wire rack on the baking sheet. When all the pieces are covered, put the baking sheet into the middle of the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Carefully remove them to a serving dish with a small dish of mayonnaise and serve. The recipe will serve about 4 people.

Modified from a recipe in About.com Spanish Food

Garbanzo Ragout

 INGREDIENTS
2    tablespoons olive oil
1    cup diced white onion
2    cloves garlic, minced
1    teaspoon ground cumin
2    cans (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
1    can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1    teaspoon dried thyme
2    teaspoons honey
2    teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1    cup chicken or vegetable broth
      couscous for serving
½   cup flat leaf parsley

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until tender and add the garlic. Cook the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant and sprinkle with the cumin, stirring to combine.

Add the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, thyme, honey, emon juice and broth, stirring to combine well. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. While this cooks, prepare ½ to 1/3 cup of the couscous according to package directions.

Add the parsley to the garbanzo mixture and stir. Remove from the heat and serve over portions of the couscous.

From a recipe at Epicurious.com by Sheila Lukins

Rice with Sun Dried Tomato

INGREDIENTS
½   cup Arborio rice
2    tablespoons olive oil
¼   cup pine nuts
2    teaspoons minced garlic
¼   cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
½   cup chicken or vegetable broth
½   cup minced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
1    tablespoon white balsamic or white wine vinegar

METHOD

Cook the rice in boiling water for 7 minutes, drain and set aside. In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat. When warmed, add the garlic and pine nuts and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, broth, basil and vinegar. Cook for 4 minutes and add the rice. Continue to cook while stirring for 2 minutes,  remove the skillet from the heat and serve.

Adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine