Tag Archives: Vegetable

Summer

Summer Squash with Mint

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Simple and delicious. Best served at room temperature.
Makes one portion, but easily scaled up.
Shopping List

very small summer squash (generally one per serving)

1 glug olive oil

shallot (to taste)

fresh mint (generally 1-2 stems of mint per serving)

The measurements in this recipe are vague. Don’t let it throw you. When shopping, look for the squash with the smallest diameter. They should be cylindrical in shape more than bulging or the seeds will overwhelm the results.

Using careful knife skill, a mandoline or other gadget, cut

  • very small summer squash (1 per serving)

into very thin slices. Heat a large skillet on a high flame. Add

  • a glug of olive oil

and add the sliced squash although ♦ATTNcook in batches if you are making a sizable quantity (relative to the surface area of the pan being used). Stir to coat with oil and then let the squash brown a bit before stirring. When it’s cooked enough, set aside in a bowl. Cook additional batches of squash.

Lower temperature on heat and add

  • thinly sliced shallot, to taste

and cook without browning. Add to cooked squash in bowl.

Pluck mint leaves from 

  • stems of fresh mint (1-2 per serving)

Combine the mint and salt to taste with the squash and cooked shallots. Serve at room temperature.

Inspired by several different restaurants in and around Bologna, Italy.

Year Round

Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower)

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A dry-style Indian dish. I like it spicy, but feel free to adjust to your taste
enough for several people as a side dish

Shopping List

1 medium-size head of cauliflower

2-inch piece of peeled ginger

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

1 TBL ground coriander

¼ tsp turmeric

½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or paprika

½ tsp hot chili powder

2 TBL peanut oil

1 jalapeño pepper

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 pound yukon gold potatoes

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p>fresh cilantro

Wash, trim and cut into medium-sized florets

  • 1 medium-size head of cauliflower

Grate

  • 2-inch piece of peeled ginger
  • 3 or 4 cloves of garlic

Place in a small (2-cup) bowl and add

  • 1 TBL ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
  • ½ tsp hot chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup water

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add

  • 2 TBL peanut oil

Heat until shimmering. Add

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, stem removed and cut in two halves. I retained the seeds.

Let cook for 30 seconds. Add

  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

♦ATTN It may spatter and the seeds will begin to pop. When they do, add the water-spice mixture ♦ATTNwhich may spatter so be careful.  Cook about 2 minutes, then add the cut cauliflower and

  • 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch thick slices. Cut the slices into half-circles if they are large.
  • ½ cup water

Stir the mixture to coat the vegetables and reduce heat to a low enough level to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Uncover, as the dish should dry out some as it finishes: this is not a saucy dish. Test for salt and add more to taste. When the potatoes are cooked, serve, garnished with

  • 2 TBL chopped cilantro leaves

Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/cauliflower-and-potatoes-aloo-gobi-recipe.html

 

Year Round

Potato Gateau

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Is it a potato (pan) cake? Well, yes, and no.

Peel and very finely slice 5 baking potatoes. In a cast iron frying pan, heat olive oil and add the potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt. Stir to cook them all a bit. Let them start to cook on one side without stirring — I did this in a more griddle-shaped pan. As they brown, move it to a 400-degree oven and finish them there. I flipped it mid-cooking. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes in the oven to cook through.

Be sure to do this in a heavy metal pan or don’t bother with it. The potatoes won’t get crispy and you’ll be disppointed. My sources tell me this is much better when made with duck or goose fat, but I didn’t have any around this time.

Fall, Winter

Celery Root Saute

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Peel 2 celery roots, trimming as needed to clean. Slice thinly across the root to make even slices and then cut these cross-wise to make julienne. (The safe way to do this is to cut the root lengthwise and then work with each half to make the thin slices.) Set the julienne aside. Despite what you might read elsewhere, they will not brown if you are going to cook with them for 3-4 hours.

When you are ready to cook them, heat some olive oil to coat the saute pan. Add the julienne and saute for about 10 minutes, or until they are soft and have some color. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley.

Summer

Cold Borscht (for 40)

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The perfect thing for a hot summer night. Normal people will probably want to cut this in half or freeze some of: it freezes really well.

Peel and dice 3½ lbs of beets (to make 8 cups). Bring to simmer in pot with 8 cups water, ½ onion finely grated, 2-3 cloves garlic run through a garlic press and salt. When beets are cooked — not too soft — remove from heat and add sugar (2 TBL) and sour salt (½ tsp) to taste. Let cool. Mix with sour cream to serve and garnish with any of the following: diced boiled potatoes, diced cucumber, diced hard-boiled eggs or none of the above.