This is a super alternative to the usual fries, mashed or twice baked potato to accompany that wonderful steak dinner you were planning. Yes, believed it or not Spring is around the corner and the warmer, sunny weather will be here.
- 2 lbs. baby potatoes (all colours)
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- Montreal Steak spice for sprinkling
- 2-3 tablespoons melted butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Boil the potatoes for about 8 minutes (until fork tender). Drain and let cool slightly.
Brush a rimmed cookie sheet with 1 tbsp. oil. Lightly crush the potatoes with the palm of your hand. No smaller than 1/2 inch. Sprinkle with the Montreal Steak Spice (lightly). Brush with half the melted butter and roast until golden and crisp (about 15-20 minutes). Rotate the pan and brush again with the remaining butter.
Serve with your favourite steak. The steak spice ties in perfectly on the potatoes. Add a crisp salad and a glass of whatever tickles your fancy. I prefer a nice Pinot Noir or even a Merlot.
Cauliflower Gratin
Before the cost of cauliflower goes through the roof, buy one and make this. It is so truly yummy you won’t want to miss out.
- 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets – 8 cups
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and ground pepper
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 tbsp. grated Asiago cheese
- 1 1/2 cups finely grated Gruyere cheese
- pinch of grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Lay out on a baking sheet and roast, turning once, for about 20-25 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour, stirring for one minute to cook off the flour, slowly whisk in the milk/cream until it begins to simmer. Whisk constantly for about 10 minutes, until it thickens . Remove from the heat and add the Asiago cheese, nutmeg and 1/2 of the Gruyere cheese.
Spray a 2 quart baking dish with Pam and pour the cauliflower in. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere cheese over the top and bake for about 25 minutes.
You could also substitute the cauliflower with Broccoli. Be adventurous and use half and half.
Cornmeal Side Dish For Christmas Ham
Not everyone serves turkey or perhaps, like us, you will be offering both at your over-laden table. Why not? Hmmmm
This is for a cornmeal spoon bread and is really a great side dish. It is easy to make and quick as well. Why letting the ham rest, getting the other food together, this can be baking. Just be sure to let this sit for about 5 minutes after removing from the oven to let it ‘settle’.
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 cups of milk
- 1 cup of fine ground white cornmeal (can use regular cornmeal)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole (soufflé) dish with 2 tbsp. butter and set aside.
Heat milk in a saucepan until just starting to simmer. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal , and continue whisking until it begins to pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Beat in the salt, sugar and 3 tbsp. butter. Beat in the yolks now until well blended. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form in a clean bowl. FOLD into the cornmeal, 1/3 of the whites to ‘loosen’ the mixture. Continue to fold in the remainder carefully.
Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden. Enjoy. You could drizzle a little maple syrup over the top before serving. Just sayin’.
Cauliflower With Brown Butter And Sweet Paprika
This is a wonderful and tasty dish to serve family and guests alike.
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs
- pinch of salt
- 1/3-1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
- 1 large head of Cauliflower, leaves removed
- 6-8 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp. Hungarian sweet paprika
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the panko crumbs in a skillet until golden in colour (about 3 minutes). Let cool completely then stir in the salt and cheese.
Place a steamer basket in a pot filled with water just below the basket. Place the cauliflower in, cover and steam for 10 minutes until fork tender. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Melt butter in a saucepan until browned (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat, pour half the brown butter over the cauliflower and sprinkle about half of the panko mixture.
With a paring knife, cut the cauliflower into chunks and pour the remaining butter over the top, sprinkle with the remaining panko mixture and serve immediately.
Grilled Tomatoes With Pesto
This will make a great side dish for chicken or a quick appetizer while conversing with friends.
To serve 6, you will need:
- 3 medium, firm and cored tomatoes, cut in half crosswise
- 1/4 cup pesto (homemade or purchased)
- 6 super thin sliced onion slices
- 1/2 cup Havarti cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
With a spoon, scoop out 1/4 inch of the tomato halves. Top each tomato half with 2 tsp. of the pesto sauce and an onion slice. Arrange on foil pie plates.
On the barbecue at a medium-high temperature, place plans on the grill and close the cover for about 8 mins. just until they are heated through but not mushy.
In a small bowl, mix together the almonds, cheese and parsley. Sprinkle the mixture over the tomatoes and grill for about 5 more minutes until the cheese has melted.
Yum!
Maple Glazed Butternut SquashWith Pancetta
Sorry for being late……fellows were here cleaning the windows and we were also shopping…but here we go.
- 3 oz. pancetta, chopped
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 – 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash. halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tbsp. maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup unpeeled miniature clementines, cut in 1/2 inch wedges
- 1/2 cup orange juice
In a large skillet, cook the pancetta over a medium heat for about 6-7 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel, drain and set aside. Reserve any drippings.
Add butter to the pan with the drippings. Add the squash and cook for 5 minutes until it just begins to soften. Carefully, add water, maple syrup and salt. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes, covered. Stir in the orange juice and clementines.
Increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, uncovered, for 6 minutes, until the squash is tender and the orange juice has reduced a little.
Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the pancetta over the top.
This dish would be totally awesome with pork. And just in time for dinner. Hurray for me!
Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowl
This is THE ideal recovery meal, opting for foods with a three to one ratio of carbs to protein. This recipe is near perfect. It is a great meal to help healing if you have had or are contemplating surgery. Otherwise, it is a great ‘pick-me-up’ meal on any day.
- 1 lb. firm tofu, drained
- 3 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 1/2 cups brown Jasmine rice
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 tbsp. wasabi powder
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cucumber, chopped
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- juice from 1 large lime
Cut tofu crosswise into 8 slices. Place in a shallow bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey and sesame oil. Pour soy sauce mixture over tofu and let soak, turning just once for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably longer.
When ready to serve, cut tofu into pieces in half crosswise and reserve the marinade.
Place rice, ginger and 2 cups of water in a saucepan (rice cooker preferred). When cooked, fluff with a fork.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a dry, heavy bottom skillet, add the sesame seeds and toast, shaking pan occasionally, until the seeds pop and become fragrant.
In a bowl, toss together avocado, cucumber, carrot, onion and cilantro. Whisk lime juice into the wasabi paste and toss with the avocado mixture.
Divide rice among 4 serving bowl and top with tofu pieces and avocado mixture. Drizzle on any reserved marinade.
Roasted Broccoli and…….Olives
Who would think of this? It really works with the crispiness of the roasted broccoli and the tang of the olives and garlic…..just be sure to add the touch of lemon to really make this dish sing.
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and gently crushed
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 lbs. broccoli, washed, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup mixed unpitted olives
- flaked sea salt
- 1/2 lemon
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic and 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt. Using the back of a spoon, muddle the two together until the garlic releases its oil. Let this stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil and set aside.
Trim the broccoli stems, cut the stalks lengthwise into halves. Place in the prepared baking sheet. Pour the garlic oil and olive over and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the remaining salt. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Cook only until al dente. Transfer to a baking dish.
To serve, sprinkle with the salt flakes, drizzle with additional extra virgin olive oil, squeeze lemon juice over,
This will serve 8 people.
Beets With Marmalade Butter
Make sure you cook the beets unpeeled and whole. This way they don ‘t bleed while cooking and they keep all the ‘healthy’ nutrition.
Beets
- 10-12 fresh beets, without greens
Cook the beets in a pot of boiling water for about 40 minutes, until cooked and when pierced with a skewer are tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut off the stem and root ends and peel the outer layer off with a paring knife.
If you have a mandolin to slice the beets or use a Chef’s knife to slice by hand and put into a large bowl.
Butter
- 1/4 cup Seville Marmalade
- 2 tbsp. butter
When ready to serve, place the butter and marmalade in a saucepan and melt over low heat. Add the beets and ‘gently’ mix to coat evenly. Cover and heat until hot.
Garnish
- 4-5 kumquats, cut in half
- 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
To serve, line the edges of a platter with spring mix greens. Set the beets in the middle and garnish with the kumquats and parsley. It is lovely and a very impressive vegetable to serve.
Serves 8
Duchesse Potatoes
These are a perfect addition to your dinner – especially if it is your Easter fare. It will serve 8. The only thing you need is a piping bag with a large star tip. Easy but looks elegant.
- 8 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 4 large egg yolks, separated
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream at room temperature
- pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley for garnish
Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water over high heat. Cook until very tender. Drain and return the pan to the heat, shaking the pan for about a minute or until all the moisture is evaporated.
Using a ricer set over a large bowl, process all the potatoes, allowing to cool for about 5 minutes. With a spatula, add the butter, 2 egg yolks, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste to adjust the seasoning, if needed.
Spoon the potato mixture into the piping bag and pipe 16 rosettes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Beat the remaining 2 eggs lightly and brush very gently the rosettes. In a preheated 400 degree oven, bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.
Sprinkle with the parsley and serve 2 rosettes per plate.
Cauliflower “Couscous”
Even Mikey will like this and your children won’t recognize the ‘veggies’ so it is definitely a “win-win” meal.
- 1 large cauliflower
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely diced
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup finely diced dried apricots
- sea salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 tbsp. sumac powder
- 1/3 cup chopped pistachios, for garnish
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Cut the cauliflower in half. Remove the leaves and most of the core. Cut in 1/2 inch slices and place, in batches, into a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse gently until the texture is similar to rice or couscous.
Heat a large skillet to a medium temperature and add the cumin and red chili flakes. Saute until fragrant (about 5 seconds). Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned. Add the red pepper, raisins, apricots and cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper. Increase the temperature to medium high, turning often until the cauliflower is lightly browned and cooked to the desired texture (about 4 minutes). Sprinkle with pistachios and cilantro. Mix really well and transfer to a warmed serving dish.
In a word: yummy!
Mushroom Gnocchi With A Fabulous Sauce
This is the perfect dish for the barbecue season. It is easy to make and so tasty.
- 1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp. mushroom powder
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. flour
Boil the potatoes in a pot of water until soft. Drain and press the cooked potatoes through a ricer ( to achieve a smooth consistency) into a mixing bowl. Add all the dry ingredients and egg and continue mixing until it forms a dough.
Roll the dough into a long tube shape and then cut into 1 inch pieces on a lightly floured surface. Boil in lightly salted water for 2 minutes until they float. Remove from the water and cool slightly.
Sauce
- 12 baby carrots, peeled
- 6 baby turnips, peeled, quartered
- 12 white mushrooms, halved
- 6 pearl onions, peeled
- 2 tsp. butter
- 2/3 cup red wine (Pinot Noir or a lovely Merlot)
In a pan on medium heat, glaze the onions with the wine for about 7-8 minutes until the onions are tender.
Cook the carrots and turnips until tender. In a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms in butter, add the gnocchi, the cooked vegetables, and onions. Carefully mix together.
Serve with your favourite bbq beef dish (ribs, roast, steak) and for sure, a glass of red wine.