Tag Archives: vegetables

Dec12

Creamy Multiple Greens Soup with a Caribbean Flair

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creamy multiple greens soup

Creamy Multiple Greens Soup with a Caribbean Flair

Serves 4

I used 4 cups of greens—a mixture of organic leeks and collards- adding some peas as well.  Using this simple recipe made a very delicious soup that was just perfect for a cold wintery day.  You don’t have to use all of the ingredients listed below; you can vary them and for instance, not use the peas, or not use as much dairy product, or increase the amount of broth and not use dairy, or not use the marinade. You even don’t have to blenderize it, but doing so will make it extra creamy.  You could instead of using the marinade introduce some cheese such as parmesan.  The necessary basic ingredients to use are the greens of course, some oil or butter, and broth. For the rest, use your imagination.  Lastly, I have found that the organic greens don’t cost that much more than the non-organic variety and are so much better.

Ingredients:

  1. 2 Tblsp. butter (but you could use olive oil)
  2. 4 C. mixed or not mixed greens- coarsely chopped, well washed and trimmed of thick stems
  3. 1 C. frozen peas
  4. 2 C. hot vegetable broth (or you could use chicken or even beef)
  5. 2 C. half-and-half or milk
  6. 2-4 Tsp. Caribbean Marinade
  7. S&P to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large deep sauce pan place the butter and turn the heat to medium.  When the butter is melted, add your greens and cook, stirring until they wilt (about 5 minutes).
  2. Add the stock; bring almost to a boil; lower the heat and cook briefly, until the greens are tender.  The time here will depend on the greens that you have used.  Spinach of course cooks very fast.
  3. Put through a sieve or food mill, or carefully puree in a blender.
  4. Return to the heat and add the half-and-half—DO NOT BOIL—and serve.
Dec11

Roast Pork Shoulder with a Caribbean Fling with a Side of Braised Celery and Julienned Carrots Also With a Caribbean Fling

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celery carrots caribbeancaribbean on plate caribben pork in dish

Roast Pork Shoulder with a Caribbean Fling with a Side of Braised Celery and Julienned Carrots Also With a Caribbean Fling

 Serves 4 to 6

Cross country skiing here in Blaine County ID has been so marvelous this December.  Now that I am a Courtesy Patrol Person for the Blaine County Recreation Area, it’s even better because I get to meet all sorts of wonderful people.   However, I must say that I do come home hungry; so tonight, I made myself the most marvelous dinner and one that I want to share with you all.  I started the process this morning before I left for the trails and when I came home—it was a breeze to just stick in the oven and enjoy when done.

I also had some left over celery and one carrot which got me thinking about a nice veggie side dish.  A baked potato to add and that was all that I needed.  Perhaps a sweet potato or yam might have been more perfect—but I didn’t have that and I do enjoy baked potatoes.caribbean on plate

Roast Pork Shoulder Caribbean Style

Ingredients:

  1.  2 ½ lb. to 5 lb. bone-in pork shoulder
  2. 1 medium onion, thickly slices
  3. 1 head of garlic, peeled
  4. 2 Tblsp. oregano
  5. 2 Tsp. cumin seeds
  6. 1 Tsp. black peppercorns
  7. 2 bay leaves
  8. 1 Tblsp. olive oil
  9. 1 orange—rind sliced off and chopped small; orange juiced
  10. 1 ruby grapefruit-rind sliced off and chopped small; grapefruit juiced
  11. 1/4 C. lemon Juice

Directions:

  1. Make several sharp cuts in the pork—all over.
  2. Pam spray a large round Pyrex bowl and place onions on bottom.  Then place pork on top.
  3. In a food processor, put the rest of the ingredients.  (The orange, grapefruit and lemon juice should add up to 1/2 cup total of juice.)  Process to make a nice marinade. Use only 1/2 of it for a 2 ½ lb. roast and save the rest for another roast, pork chops, etc.  Best of all, even if your roast is 5 lbs., save 2 tsp. of it for the veggies mentioned here.
  4. Rub the pork, all over, with the marinade making sure that it gets into your multiple cuts.
  5. Cover with wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
  6. Now’s the time to go cross country skiing (or whatever).
  7. When you are ready to cook this roast, preheat over to 450. If  you haven’t had time to remove the roast to get it to room temp, cook it at the 450 stage 5 minutes longer.  If it is at room temp  place the pork in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes.  After the initial 30 or 35 minutes, turn down the temperature to 325 degrees and cook 30 minutes per pound total—until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 160.
  8. Remove roast from oven; allow roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving and discard onions.

celery carrots caribbean (2)

Braised Celery and Julienned Carrots Caribbean Style

Ingredients:

  1. 5 to 10 leafless stalks of celery—cut into small pieces
  2. 1 to 2 carrots–julienned
  3. 1-2 Tblsp. butter
  4. 1-2 Tblsp. olive oil
  5. 1-2 Tblsp. flour
  6. 1- 1 ½  C. chicken stock
  7. 1-2 Tsp. of the marinade used above
  8. Dash of soy sauce
  9. 1/4 to 1/2 C. slivered almonds which you have lightly browned in 1-2 Tblsp. butter.

Directions:

  1. In a deep wok like pan melt and heat the butter and olive oil
  2. Cook and stir the celery and carrots stirring for about 2 minutes.
  3. Season with S&P and sprinkle with flour.  Cook, stirring for about 2 more minutes.
  4. Add the stock, marinade and soy sauce, stir, bring to a boil then turn the heat to low. Cover and cook until the celery is tender but still a bit crunchy (about 10- 15 minutes).
  5. Uncover and if you think that you have too much liquid, boil off some of the liquid.
  6. When the mixture has a saucy garnish, add the almonds.  Perfection!!!
Dec8

Creamy Banana Squash or Winter Squash Soup

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Creamy Squash Soup

Creamy Banana Squash or Winter Squash Soup

Serves 2 generous and 4 scant servings

Here you are using a true “New World” crop. Banana squash seeds were discovered from an archeological site in Peru.  In 1893 R.H. Shumway of the seed catalogue fame introduced this squash to us here in this country.  This squash requires long periods of warm season weather to reach maturity and often stays on the vine for up to 120 days.  Therefore, it requires over a half-year to cultivate and makes for just one single crop annually.  With that in mind, let’s really give respect to this very healthy and delicious squash.  I really enjoy squashes cooked in all sorts of various ways, however, this easy to make “creamy” soup is one of my favorites.  Even though I do call it creamy, as you may notice there is no fat in it.  There is another variety that does contain cream and butter which is more luxurious; however, frankly, this wintery warm-me-up version fits just right for my belly.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  1.  3 C. peeled banana squash- cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes (about 1 ¾ lb.)
  2. 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled
  3. 1 pippin apple-peeled, cored, and chopped fine
  4. 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon
  5. 2 tbsp. white wine or vermouth
  6. 4 C. chicken stock
  7. 4 to 5 slices of stale French bread torn into small pieces
  8. S&P to taste
  9. Green onion slivers (bulb and top) for a topping
  10. Plain yogurt(non-fat is fine) for topping

Instructions:

  1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a large pot and place on medium high heat.
  2. Bring to a boil then turn the heat to medium low and cook for about 30 minutes—until pumpkin is very soft.
  3. Add the bread pieces and cook 5 minutes more
  4. Puree the soup in a blender, reheat and add S&P to taste.
  5. Top with a generous dab of yogurt and green onion slivers.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help or hosting

 @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

 

Dec8

Spinach Simmered in Yogurt or Spinach Raita

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Greens Simmered in Yogurt

Spinach Simmered in Yogurt or Spinach Raita

Serves 4 however I can eat almost all of it at one sitting

 

I loved traveling through India.  It’s such an awesome country in every way and I do love their cuisine. It is, I find, a very healthy one.  So, here is one of my favorite dishes.  It’s so easy to make and delicious to eat.  In fact, you can eat a lot and lot of it and not be worried about gaining any weight.  It’s nutritious and perfect for after the holiday extravaganzas.  I hope you’ll enjoy it as I do.

Ingredients:

  1. 1 lb. spinach well rinsed (6 C. of raw spinach = 1 lb.) and coarsely chopped
  2. 2 Tblsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
  3. 3 minced garlic cloves
  4. 2 small dried red chilies(if I don’t have that, I use chili flakes)
  5. 1 Tsp. ground coriander
  6. 1 Tsp. turmeric
  7. 1 C. plain whole milk yogurt (but I have used non-fat) whisked till smooth
  8. Salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the spinach. Cook over moderate high heat, stirring, until wilted.
  2. Place the spinach in a colander and press the liquid out of it.
  3. In the same skillet, heat the oil of your choice and add the garlic and chilies.  Cook over moderate heat about 2 minutes. Add the coriander and turmeric. Cook stirring until it hits your nose—about 1- 2 minutes.
  4. Add the spinach and yogurt. Cook over low heat, stirring until the yogurt just begins to separate-about 3 minutes.
  5. Season with salt and serve.  You can serve this over rice or with Nan of course.
  6.  I have made this with a variety of other greens—so don’t be shy about substituting.  Other greens usually take longer to cook though—so make sure to taste.  As well, you can add or substitute various ingredients such as adding grated fresh ginger or some green chopped chilies.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help or hosting

@ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

 

Nov7

Creamy Cauliflower (a lovely and healthy mashed potato substitute)

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Creamy Cauliflower (a lovely and healthy mashed potato substitute)creamy cauliflower puree 5

This is a very variable dish and fun to “fool” your guests with—because many of them won’t even note the difference between usual and the different.  Cauliflowers which now can be procured from markets in all different kinds of shades and resembling it’s cousin, broccoli, in form is low in fat, low in carbohydrates but high the good stuff like dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C.  You actually can see cauliflower mentioned in the writings of the Arab Muslim scientists in the 12th and 13th century.  For me, I first heard of it when my parents informed me that they picked me as a baby from a cauliflower patch.  Yes, you heard right.  This was a common European/French statement to make to the younglings—when they asked that pertinent question:”Where Did I Come From?” Choux which in French alludes to the cauliflower is still used as an endearing term as in: “Mon petit choux”.  So there you have it—Margot loves cauliflowers because from it she was derived.  No laughing please—this is a serious topic.   To end this little diversion, here is a recipe that I often use and enjoy:

Ingredients:

  1. 1 nice creamy white cauliflower: about 8 C. of bite-size pieces (but if you wish to be inventive another color will do) and save the stem greens if you wish to use in presentation decoration.
  2. 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled or minced
  3. 1/2 green cooking apple (I use it unpeeled but do as you wish) such as the wonderful Pippin—diced
  4. 1/3 C. Buttermilk or I use 1/3 C. milk with 1 Tblsp lemon juice which has sat for 5 minutes
  5. 2 Heaping Tblsp Parmesan—1 to be saved as a topping
  6. 2 Tsp. butter-1 tsp to be saved as a topping
  7. 1/2 Tsp. Salt or as much as you wish for taste
  8. Fresh ground pepper for taste

Directions:

  1. Place bite sized cauliflower florets in a microwave safe dish along with the minced garlic and diced apple- and just a bit of water with a cover and microwave on high for about 8 minutes. Steam until very tender.  Then drain well.
  2. At this point, either use a potato smasher to smash everything before putting in a blender to puree; or use your food processor to puree the ingredients.  Before switching your machine switch on, add the milk, 1 heaping Tblsp. Parmesan, 1 Tsp. butter and S&P.
  3. When you have finished the puree, place the ingredients in a broiler proof dish and top with your remaining butter and parmesan.  Place under broiler until nice a brown on top.  (If you have made this dish several hours or more before serving and want to heat it up in the oven before broiling, please do that. Or you can even microwave it till hot and then broil it.)
  4. By the picture, you can see that I surrounded this dish with roasted Brussels sprouts and the very exterior rim is lined with the leaves I had saved from the Cauliflower itself.
  5. Variations include using different kind of cheeses, chopped herbs without the apples; or even nutmeg, cinnamon or currents with the apples; and so once again, it’s your imagination that can rule.  I imagine you could even use rich cream or 1/2 & 1/2 instead of the milk.
  6. In conclusion, this can be a very healthy dish and it’s fun to play around with and with which to surprise you dining guest.
  7. Bon Appetit from Margot, TempInnKeeper.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

Oct24

Brussels Sprouts 8 Different Ways

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Roasted Brusels Sprouts 001 Brussels Sprouts at Xmas Brussels Sprouts in Cup (2)

Brussels Sprouts 8 Different Ways

Now I know why: the Brussels Sprouts issue- UGH or YUM!

UGH:mushy and bitter— YUM: so sweet and crunchy.  You may already know the following, but I didn’t—so here goes. In web hunting info about this debate I found out to my amazement that scientists have discovered a genetic reason why people love or hate Brussels sprouts.  Brussels sprouts contain a chemical similar to PTC (Phenylthiocarbamide) which tastes bitter to people who have that particular mutated gene.  Those without this gene are immune to the bitterness (that’s 50% of the people).  I know those who only like Brussels sprouts raw (I guess less bitter).  No matter what please know that this veggie is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and is a great source of thiamin, riboflavin, iron, magnesium phosphorus and copper and is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A,C,K,B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.  It is low in calories, is good for you and is abundant at this time of the year.  I guess that’s why it’s also thought of as a festive dish so I am thinking sprouts for my holiday meals.

So, why do these little cabbages have the first name of “Brussels”?  In researching this, I found out that this vegetable was first cultivated in Italy during Roman times and possibly as early as the 1200’s in Belgium.  Ah-ha!! That’s it!  As early as 1587, the sprouts with which we are familiar today were indeed cultivated in large quantities in Belgium and were gifted with its first name after the Belgian capital of Brussels.  They were introduced in the USA in the 1800’s when French settlers brought them to Louisiana.  In fact, T. Jefferson grew them at Monticello.   California started growing them in the early 1900’s on its central coast in Steinbeck country (Monterrey and the likes).  Coastal fog and cool temps made growing conditions for these little guys just perfect. Today California supplies the majority of the U.S. production from June through January.

Brussels Sprouts: 3 to 4 servings per pound

Here are 6 ways of serving them and who knows, maybe because of the additional ingredients, even those with the “bitter” gene might enjoy them as well:

  1. Stir-Fry: Peel the outer leaves off the heads; slice thinly the nubby center; stir-fry all in a bit of olive oil for about 2 minutes with some minced fresh ginger and red pepper flakes; when the leaves are tender, stir in slivered scallions, lemon zest and a bit of butter.
  2. Sauté:  Cut into quarters and sauté with butter, caraway seeds, bits of real bacon and chopped onion (or thinly sliced onion); then add a splash of apple cider vinegar and let that cook down to glaze the sprouts.
  3. Use Raw: Slice thinly and toss with very thinly sliced radicchio, toasted pine nuts, sharp goat cheese and red-wine vinaigrette.
  4. Carmalized: Slice thinly or in quarters.  In a skillet, melt some butter and olive oil and add the sprouts to brown for about 8-10 minutes.  Then add some brown sugar and/or honey and keep on stirring till the sprouts are well covered with this mixture and done the way you would like.  Taste for adjustments.  If you wish add a bit of ginger, cinnamon or paprika and/or some chicken bouillon, a dash of orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar or even brandy to finish it off.   You can really use your imagination here however don’t use too many ingredients at once.
  5. Roast: Trim and halve sprouts lengthwise. In a bowl mix 1-3 Tblsp. olive oil, S&P, and a bit of lemon juice. Toss the sprouts with this mixture. (Don’t wash the bowl yet.) Then arrange the sprouts cut side down in a baking dish with tall sides and lined with parchment paper.  Place the sprouts evenly spaced towards the pan sides as much as possible.  Roast in a 425 oven until tender and browned, about 15 minutes.  No need to flip. They will be very brown but good.  Before serving toss in the olive oil bowl once more. (Now you can clean that bowl.)
  6. Roasted with gomasio: If you wish, pair the roasted sprouts with gomasio (sesame salt).  To make this take 2 Tblsp. sesame seeds and toast them over medium heat in a small dry skillet, stirring almost constantly until light golden-brown-3-5 minutes.  Add the salt and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a small bowl and cool completely.  Put the salted seeds in a clean spice grinder and pulse a few times to grind coarsely—or smash them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag.  You should have a few whole seeds in the mixture.  Toss about 2 tsp. sesame salt per pound of sprouts with them after roasting. If need be, save the remainder of the gomasio for other roasted veggies such as asparagus, broccoli, green beans, parsnips, sweet potatoes and turnips.
  7. Italian-Style: Cook your sprouts in which ever manner you wish and add the following well whisked vinaigrette to the sprouts when cooked: 1 Tblsp. Dijon mustard, 2 Tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 minced clove of garlic; add 2 Tblsp. shaved Parmesan Cheese  over the top. You could even add to the sprouts some shavings of raw sprouts.
  8. Thanks to Alex duMauriee, here is one more recipe: 3 Tblsp. grape seed oil; 1 Tblsp. minced shallot; 12 large Brussels sprouts trimmed and leaves separated from the cores (about 8 C.); 3/4  C. shelled pistachios (salted or not); 2 Tblsp. lemon juice.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over med. hi; add shallot and stir 20 seconds; add Brussels sprout leaves and pistachios and sauté until leaves begin to soften but are still bright green(about 3 min.); drizzle lemon juice over; season with S&P. YUM. Thank you Alex.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

Sep28

Brussel Sprouts and Artichoke with Green Olive Dip

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Brussel Sprouts and Artichoke with Green Olive Dip

OK— this is not something for everyone, however, I like it so much that I wanted to share before the holidays.  This is a nice hors d’oeuvres that’s healthy and tasty.  The reason it’s not for everyone is because it consists of Brussel sprouts and olives.  Those two are not on everyone’s  favorite list.  But, they happen to be within my best loved list. Hope you might see my point.

Ingredients:

1 large artichoke—Cook it your way or mine

As many Brussel Sprouts as you believe you may need

Olive Oil—3 Tblsp. for the roasting of perhaps one pound of Brussel Sprouts

Lemmon Juice—to taste

S&P

For the Dip:

1/2 C. chopped parsley

5 Tblsp. olive oil

2 Tblsp. sliced green olives with pimentos (you can buy a jar of them)

1 Tblsp. drained capers

1 Tblsp. lemon juice

1/2 Tsp. Dijon mustard or Dijon Poupon with horseraddish

1/8 Tsp. salt

Directions:

To Roast Brussel Sprouts:

Pre-heat your oven to 400-425 degrees.

Wash and split the sprouts in 1/2 length wise

Mix 3 Tblsp. olive oil with some S&P and a squirt of lemon juice in a bowl large enough to generously coat the sprouts.

Line a high sided baking pan with parchment paper and place the sprouts cut side down in the pan, as many near the outer edge as possible without crowding.  Place in oven for 15 minutes.  No need to turn them over.  Test them for doneness and be aware that they will be very brown with some burnt edges after 12 minutes or so.   Don’t worry about the burnt edges—that’s part of the roasting veggies scenario and actually adds extra to the flavor.

The Artichoke:

With the artichoke, I cut the individual leaf ends off so that the thorns are removed; cut both ends (the stem close to the choke and also the very top off about 1/2 inch) and wash. I then place the artichoke, bottom up, in a steamer placed in a tall pot or just in the pot itself, with water that goes about half way up the artichoke.  In the water I add a dash of olive oil, a bay leaf, a garlic clove and a squirt of my favorite vinegar or lemon juice.  You can also add fresh tarragon or thyme.

In CA I lived nearby where these edible thistles grew in beautiful fields.  In  fact I had several plants in my very own yard so I garnered very fresh chokes that barely needed to be cooked at all.  However, here, transported, it usually takes a bit longer. I start watching the doneness at 20 minutes because overcooking an artichoke can create a mushy one and under cooking can create a very hard biting one. As well, I’ve found that the smell can tell you when they are done.  Cover the pot when cooking and steam it at least 15 to 20 minutes if truly fresh.  They are usually done when a leaf can be removed easily but make sure to taste.  A well traveled choke can take as long as 45 minutes to cook, however, if longer than that you usually have procured a very old choke.

Frankly, I like to eat my artichoke plain without any butter, olive oil or mayonnaise.  But if you so insist, a very simple combination of olive oil or melted butter with a dash of minced garlic, lemon juice and S&P will be perfect.  One more combination that I make and everyone loves is half or more cup of mayonnaise with a dash of curry powder in it.  Well, use your imagination.  That’s what cooking and eating is all about, isn’t it?

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

Sep7

A Quick and Easy Guide to Roasting Veggies

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Roasted Brusels Sprouts 001 roasted brocolli roasted brocolli (4) roast zucchini with toasted sesame seeds 001

A Quick and Easy Guide to the Roasting of Vegetables

  • When flavoring roasted vegetables (particularly after roasting) you want to avoid a heavy dose of liquids because they’ll soften any crisp edges that develop during roasting.
  • Roast in a very hot oven—Anywhere from 425 to 475 degrees is usually perfect. It really depends on your oven and your taste. I don’t mind veggies that are blackened somewhat; maybe for you that’s too much. So, I guess I’d try 450 degrees to start with.
  • Cut your vegetables in even-sized pieces so that they’ll roast evenly. Except for potatoes, you can cut up the veggies the morning of your planning to roast them.
  • To prevent sticking, line a heavy duty high edged pan with parchment paper.
  • Place your vegetables evenly over the whole pan—and in fact near the edges of the pan particularly if your pan is sparsely populated.  Vegetables near the edges tend to brown better.

The Master Recipe Is:

Ingredients:

1 lb. vegetables—well washed and peeled if necessary-cut per directions below

1- 3 Tblsp. olive oil

1/2 Tsp. or more to taste of kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Fresh lemon juice—a couple of squirts (optional and depends on whether you’ll be using one of next

weeks yummy splashes recipes)

       Directions:

  1. Place rack in center of oven and heat to 425-475 degrees.
  2. 2.        Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash, air dry and prepare vegetables according to the “quick guide introductory paragraph” at start of this column and the “vegetables to use” guide found below.
  3. 3.        In a bowl toss your vegetables with the “master recipe” ingredients. Do not clean bowl because you’ll be using it again after the veggies are done. 
  4. Place your vegetables evenly spaced on your lined pan-lying–on the cut side if that’s applicable.
  5. Roast according to individual vegetables mentioned below in “vegetables to use guide”.  Watch carefully to see that your veggies don’t brown more than you wish them to—but remember, they shouldn’t be under roasted.
  6. 6.        When the vegetables are done, return them to your original bowl and use the rest of the marinade left or if need be, add more olive oil if they seem a bit dry and season with more S&P and lemon juice if you deem necessary

( OR use another flavoring which will be mentioned in my subsequent column next week).

Vegetables to use guide:

  1. Sweet potatoes: 3-4 servings per lb. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Roast 10 minutes and flip and roast 5 to 10 minutes more.
  2. Cauliflower: 3-4 servings per lb. Cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch florets. Stir every 10 minutes until tender and light brown—20 to 25 minutes total.
  3. Asparagus: 3 -4 lbs. per serving: cut off tough bottom ends. Roast for 5 minutes, flip and roast till tender—5 to 8 minutes
  4. Brussels Sprouts—3-4 servings per lb: half lengthwise; arrange cut side down and roast until tender and brown—about 15 minutes. No need to flip.
  5. Potatoes (red, yellow, russet) 2 -3 servings per lb. Peel or scrub clean and dry. Cut into 1 inch wedges.  Roast until brown on bottom-10 to 15 minutes. Flip and continue to roast until tender—5 minutes more.
  6. Carrots: 3-4 servings per lb. Peel, if thick cut in half crosswise to separate thick end from thin end; half the thick end length wise. Cut crosswise into 1-inch lengths.  Roast until lightly browned on bottom, 12-15 minutes. Flip and roast until tender—3 to 5 minutes more.  Shriveled can be OK.
  7. Beets: 4 servings per lb. Trim, peel and cut into 3/4-1 inch wedges. Roast 15 minutes, flip and roast until tender-10-15 minutes more.
  8. Parsnips– 2-3 servings per lb. Peel, halve crosswise, halve or quarter thick end lengthwise and cut all crosswise into 2-inch lengths.  Roast until browned on bottom about 10 min. Flip and roast till tender-about 5 minutes more.
  9. Broccoli Crowns-2-3 servings per lb. Trim, peel the stem; slice it into 1/4 inch thick disks.  Split the florets through the stem so that each piece is 1-1/2 to 2 inches wide.  Roast until the floret tops begin to brown, 8 – 10 minutes. Stir and continue to roast until tender—3 to 6 minutes
  10. Green beans: 4 servings per lb. Trim stem ends. Roast until tender, a bit shriveled, and slightly browned, about 15 minutes. No need to flip.
  11. Butternut squash: 4 serving per pound. Peel and cut into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces.  Roast until browned on bottom-15 minutes. Flip and roast until tender-5 to 10 minutes
  12. Mushrooms: (cremini or small white) 3-4 servings per lb.  Brush clean and trim stems flush with cap. Roast stem side down until brown on bottom 20-25 minutes. Flip and roast until browned on top- 5 to 10 minutes more.
  13. Zucchinis Wash well, cut off ends. Cut lengthwise to create 4 halves and then crosswise in even 1/2 to 3/4 inch chunks. Roast open side down till brown, about 9 minutes. No need to flip.
  14. Roasting a medley: If you insist, because they do cook at different rates, this will be more time consuming and intensive caretaking, so try to roast veggies that have approximately the same cooking times; or cook them all individually and then put them together.
  15. Veggies I have left out because of print space limitations: Fennel (15 min. flip 10 min. more); Turnips (10-15 min., flip, 5 more min.); Rutabaga–15 min. flip and 10-15 min. more.

NEXT WEEK—Six Yummy Splashes To Use With Your Roasted Veggies.

 

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

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Six yummy splashes to use with your roasted veggies (main recipe found in last week’s Sun edition or on Margot’s Blog)

 

Master Recipe once again is:

         Ingredients:

1 lb. vegetables—well washed and peeled if necessary-cut per directions below

1- 3 Tblsp. olive oil

1/2 Tsp. or more to taste of kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Fresh lemon juice—a couple of squirts (optional and depends on whether you’ll be using one of next

weeks yummy splashes recipes)

The Six Splashes are:

 

  1. 1.        Rosemary-Lemon Oil

           Ingredients

Zest of 1 large lemon, removed in long strips with a veggie peeler

2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil or more as needed

1 Tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tsp. chopped fresh thyme.

Directions:

Combine in a small saucepan lemon zest and oil. Cook over medium-low until zest bubbles steadily for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, let cool about 3 minutes and stir in the herbs.  Let sit for at least 20 minutes. Toss with the vegetables and S&P before roasting. With this splash you don’t need to use the master recipe. Discard lemon zest when veggies are put on baking sheet.  If necessary, add additional oil after veggies have roasted.

Pair with beets, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, fennel, mushrooms,zucchini, parsnips, potatoes and sweet potatoes.    

 

 

  1. 2.        Moroccan-Spice Rub

    Ingredients

2 Tsp. ground cumin

1 Tsp. ground coriander

1/2 Tsp. chili powder

1/2  tsp. sweet paprika

1/2 Tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 Tsp. ground allspice

1/4 Tsp. ground ginger

1/4 Tsp. cayenne

Pinch ground cloves

2 to 3 Tblsp. olive oil

Directions:

Mix all of the spices in a small bowl.  Add S&P to taste.  Before adding the

olive oil from the master recipe to the veggies, toss 1 Tsp. of these spices with your veggies.

After veggies are done, douse them with this rub and if you wish, more olive oil as well.  .

Pair with butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes.

                     potatoes and turnips.   

  1. 3.        Sesame Salt (gomasio)

    Ingredients

2 Tblsp. sesame seeds

1/2 Tsp. sea salt

1-3 Tblsp. olive oil

Directions:

In a small dry skillet, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring continually until light

golden-brown, 3-5 minutes. Add the salt, cook stirring, for about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a

bowl and let cool thoroughly. Pulse the seeds in a clean spice grinder till coarsely ground

you should still see some whole seeds in the mixture. Roast your veggies using the master recipe.

Toss about 2 tsp. sesame salt with your batch of veggies after roasting . If you feel the veggies

are too dry, add some more olive oil. I have also not ground the seeds and just used them

roasted which seems to be very tasty as well. I really use this easy splash a lot.

                    Pairs with: asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, zucchini, parsnips, sweet

                    potatoes and turnips.

 

 

  1. 4.        Caramelized Shallot Butter

           Ingredients

3 1/2 sweet butter, softened

1 large shallot, finely diced (1/3 cup)

1/2 Tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/2 Tsp. finely grated lemon zest

S&P

Directions

Heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Add shallot and cook,

stirring frequently, until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in

thyme.  Cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine the shallot mixture with the remaining 2 1/2 Tbsp. butter and

The lemon zest.  Stir to blend well. Season to taste with S&P.

Scrape the butter onto a small piece of saran wrap, mold into a log shape and wrap in the

plastic.  Refrigerate until ready to use. Roast your veggies using the master recipe. When done,

toss about 1/3 of the butter (generous tablespoons)  with  the veggies.

         Pairs with: asparagus, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, carrots, fennel, green beans,

         mushroom, parsnips, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

 

  1. 5.        Ginger-Lemon-Soy Splash

                             Ingredients

1-inch piece fresh ginger

1 Tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 Tsp. soy Sauce

Directions:

                             Set a small strainer in a bowl. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Put the grated ginger in

the strainer and extract the juice by pressing it in the sieve with a small spoon.  Transfer

1/2 Tsp.  ginger juice to another small bowl. (Discard the rest or save for another use.)

Stir in the lemon   juice and soy sauce. Roast the veggies using the master recipe. After roasting them,

toss them with this splash.

 Pairs with: beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and mushrooms

 

  1. 6.        Toasted Garlic and Coriander Oil 

    Ingredients

           1 1/2 Tblsp. Olive Oil

1 Tblsp. finely chopped garlic (2 cloves)

2 Tsp. ground coriander

1 Tsp. fresh lemon juice

S&P

          Directions

In a small saucepan, combine the oil and garlic.  Set over medium-low hear and cook until

the smaller pieces of garlic turn light golden-brown, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the coriander

and cook for about 20 seconds.  Immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a small

heatproof bowl to prevent overcooking.  Keep warm. Arrange your veggies that have been

roasted using the master recipe on a serving platter and spoon the toasted garlic oil over

them.

         Pairs well with: asparagus, zucchini,  beets, broccoli, cauliflower, fennel, green beans,

         Mushrooms and turnips.

         

                                         

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

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Jul16

Kale and Spinach Get Together

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Kale and Spinach Get Together

Can Serve 4  portions, however, I can eat the whole thing

 

This is an easy and healthy dish to enjoy by itself or with almost any kind of entrée. Personally, I do love my greens so I’ll make this my whole meal.

 

Ingredients:

3 C. chopped fresh kale freshly water rinsed

2 C. fresh baby spinach freshly water rinsed with the kale

1/2 C. chopped onion

2 chopped garlic cloves

1/2 to 1 Tsp. crushed red pepper

1 Tblsp. olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 C. water or vegetable bouillon

1/2 to 3/4 C. of shredded 6 blend Italian cheese

Grated Parmesan for the topping

 

Directions:

Put the olive oil in a large pot over a medium high burner and when heated, put in the onion, garlic cloves and red pepper.  Stir until onions are translucent and garlic is slightly brown and add the freshly water rinsed kale and spinach and stir a bit more until they are somewhat wilted.  Then add the water or bouillon and let simmer without a cover for about 15 minutes. (If you need a bit more liquid, add some.)  Then add the cheese and let simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. (Once again, if you need a bit more liquid, add some.) Place in a pretty dish and sprinkle the top with shredded Parmesan.

Variation: Instead of using the olive oil, chop some bacon and let gently fry in pot; remove bacon but leave the bacon oil and in it, sauté the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper. Then proceed as above and stir in the bacon with the veggies at the very end. Then sprinkle top with the Parmesan.

 

 

 

Jun19

Minty Salad

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Minty Salad

(This recipe serves 4 but you can easily make more or less)

I love fresh salads however, I must admit, I have not thought much about using chopped fresh mint in them.  This healthy ingredient has just recently been brought to my attention and so of course I had to look up (once again) to see the beneficial health properties that it contains.  They are briefly among others that aren’t mentioned: a relief for indigestion, heartburn and IBS symptoms; an antioxidant; a bacteria and fungus inhibitor; breathing, respiratory and congestion aide; a mild sedative and combatant for bad breath.  And besides all of that, it smells so fresh and adds a special zest to a salad. I think that as I, you will really enjoy it.  So, this is a salad that I’ve concocted to share with you.

Ingredients:

Fresh mint chopped (about ½ C)(or more if you wish)

1 C. watercress leaves-stemmed

1 C. baby arugula

1 C. chopped green cabbage

1/3 C. chopped red onion

5 or more baby tomatoes sliced

1/2 fresh avocado bits (I spoon mine out of the shell.  Don’t throw it away and keep the seed. Put it back together as if it were never cut, wrap it in seran wrap, put in frig. for further use.)

Further ingredients that you can add are:

Chopped hard boiled egg

Shrimp

1/4 C. cooked Millet

Parmesan cheese shaved or goat cheese

For the dressing I use:(please use the amounts that suit your individual taste)

Rice Vinegar

Olive Oil

 

Bon Appetit

 

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.innkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.