Posts Tagged “side dish”
We finally scored a couple of bunches of ramps. Now what do we do with them? First off we pickled the white and red ends of most of them – so they would last a little longer. Then we used the green wings to make biscuits. And a frittata. And spring minestrone. And a pesto.
One of my favorite recipes for spaghetti squash is this amazing casserole based on one in Moosewood It is a great side dish or a main dish. Lose the pancetta (you won’t really miss it) and you have a delightful vegetarian entrée.
Sadly neglected by most of us, parsnips are a real treat. If you are unfamiliar with them, they are surprisingly sweet. Some people have described parsnips as buttery, slightly spicy, and sweet, and compared them to butterscotch, honey or cardamom.
Broccoli is another one of those hearty green vegetables that proliferate during the cold months. But what do you do with a stalk of broccoli, Fellow FoodBeest? Steam it? Butter it? Maybe a little lemon juice and/or salt? Am I the only one who thinks that’s really boring?
Winter veggies are my new BFF – or at least BF until spring. This recipe for Swiss chard utilizes Mediterranean flavors to brighten up a cold day with red or white chard or any of the other lovely colorful varieties. But it is also wonderful with other greens: kale, spinach, mustard, beets, and turnips.
You probably already know this, Fellow FoodBeest, but wild rice is not rice at all. It’s a grass that grows in shallow waters. There is evidence that it’s been a food source for humans, animals and fish for 12,000 years.
The gratin is perfect as a vegetarian main dish or as both a vegetable and starch side dish if you serve it with meat. It would also be a great addition to brunch. The two cheeses, together with the tomatoes, eggplant and the squashes was inviting on this chilly post-Thanksgiving day.
Inspired by her 100th birthday, I went on a Julia Child binge last week. I drug out my old, beaten-up copies of both volumes of Mastering the Art of French Cooking from the 70s. Then I bought a grand spankingly new and beautiful paperback copy of The Way To Cook. Finally, I went into the kitchen with a purpose and set about making one of her seasonal recipes: Eggplant, Tomato and Zucchini Gratin..
These stuffed, fried zucchini blossoms are finger food with the crunch of a french fry, but the depth and surprise flavor of the cheese, chives and, of course, the blossom of the zucchini, itself. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like them.
This recipe for skill-roasted corn takes the kernels off the cobs, mixes them with onions and fresh thyme and cooks them in a very hot skillet until it forms a kind of cake with lovely caramelized crust that I just bet you and your family will fight over.
