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I don’t have to tell you about my risotto obsession, and since risotto is actually a cooking method that can be applied to many grains, you can imagine my excitement when I stumbled across a variation with barley.
With all the cooking for one I’ve been doing lately, I’ve tried to tone things down. Lots of salad (barley or otherwise), easy soups – essentially anything that won’t make A. say “You made–insert delicious dish here–without me?” It happened once, years ago, long before I was cooking as seriously as I am now. He wouldn’t be home for dinner for whatever reason, so I made stuffed peppers. I didn’t think anything of it, but even to this day, at least three years later, he still brings up the night he missed out on the stuffed peppers. And although I still like to eat well when it’s just me, I take a bit more care to keep it simple (and provide leftovers so he can experience a glimpse of my meal at lunch the next day).
Barley Risotto with Roasted Cauliflower
Recipe courtesy Gourmet
When cooked in the risotto method, barley becomes creamy. The texture is firmer than Arborio rice, but still soft and satisfying
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower, cored
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup pearl barley
3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third.
Cut cauliflower into 1/2-inch pieces and toss with 2 Tbsp oil and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Spread in 1 layer in a large 4-sided sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and well browned, 20 to 30 minutes.
While cauliflower roasts, toast barley in a dry 4-qt heavy pot over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Bring broth and water to a simmer in a small saucepan.
Cook garlic in remaining 2 Tbsp oil in 4-qt pot over medium heat, stirring, until pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add barley, stirring to coat. Add wine and simmer briskly, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup hot broth and briskly simmer, stirring, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding hot broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until barley is just tender and creamy-looking, about 30 minutes (you may have broth left over).
Stir in cauliflower, cheese, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley and thin with some of remaining broth if desired.
Filed under: Rice and Grains, Vegetables | Leave a Comment
Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes
I’m still mystified that A. has this thing about sweet potatoes. You see, he thinks he doesn’t actually like them. So, of course, I’ve been out to change his opinion ever since I heard the news.
And we’re making a lot of progress. So much, in fact, that he uttered those magical words, “ok, I like this,” when we had this last week. While you can easily treat sweet potatoes like their lighter-skinned counterparts (aka: russets or yukons) by boiling, mashing, and adding milk, this method is just as easy and would make a great side at your Thanksgiving table this year.
Oh, and did I mention the sage butter?
Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes With Brown Butter and Sage
Mark Bittman, New York Times
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated, 4 to 6 cups
Salt and pepper
1/2 stick butter, more to taste
4 cloves garlic, crushed
20 sage leaves (I didn’t use nearly this many)
1. Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add sweet potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until they change color and begin to brown, then stir more frequently until they are tender but not at all mushy (5-7 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sage; shake pan occasionally. When butter turns brown, turn off heat.
3. Use tongs to remove sage and garlic from butter. Serve potatoes drizzled with butter and garnished with a few sage leaves. Garlic can be served alongside, though it will not be super-soft.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Filed under: Holiday, Vegetables | Leave a Comment
It’s the time of year when we start having side dishes for dinner. Because, of course, you don’t want to spend the days before Thanksgiving prepping recipes you’ve never tried before and are hoping they turn out well. Really, it’s better to make a medley of them beforehand so you have a lot of options to choose from. During the months of October and November, when all the food magazines feature fall issues with endless ideas on how to use my favorite vegetables, dinner isn’t always traditional, and I realized that I’d better get posting or run the risk of having an overwhelming backlog of recipes and pictures saved in my iPhoto files.
Last year I teamed up with cauliflower for a cheesy gratin that made me see brussels sprouts in a new light. This slaw is a great way to try them if you haven’t before, or if your food memories are tainted with images of you being force-fed the overcooked, smelly kind. Don’t worry, you’ll find none of that here. As a bonus, you can prep the brussels sprouts and vinaigrette ahead of time and toss together just before serving.
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Mustard Dressing and Maple-Glazed Pecans
Recipe courtesy Bon Appetit
Ingredients
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup large pecan halves
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray large sheet of foil with nonstick spray. Place pecans on small rimmed baking sheet. Whisk maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Add to nuts and toss to coat; spread in single layer. Bake nuts 5 minutes. Stir. Continue to bake nuts until toasted and glaze is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Immediately transfer nuts to prepared foil and separate. Cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight.
Whisk mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar in small bowl; whisk in oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add brussels sprouts. Cook until crisp-tender and still bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Cool on paper towels.
Using processor fitted with 1/8- to 1/4-inch slicing disk, slice brussels sprouts. Transfer to large bowl. DO AHEAD Dressing and brussels sprouts can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.
Toss brussels sprouts with enough dressing to coat. Let marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Mix in some pecans. Place slaw in serving bowl. Top with remaining pecans.
Filed under: Vegetables | 1 Comment
Macaroni and Cheese
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you might recall when I declared war on Macaroni and Cheese almost a year ago. Well, not a blood bath kind of war, but a very delicious war that involved me testing recipes until I found just the right one that would fulfill my cravings and be the perfect go-to recipe for years to come. Well, I’ve done it. I’ve posted three other recipes since then (this one was in the lead until now) and I can barely contain my excitement.
I’ll begin by explaining that I didn’t grow up eating Macaroni and Cheese. I have vague memories (as I’m sure many of you do), of a blue box, something resembling yellow cheese, and my dad and brother chopping hot dogs to add to their bowl. I had none of it, and was never interested in the dish until recently. You see, I have this thing about cheese (as in, if it’s not real cheese I’m not eating it), and once Gruyère entered the picture, well, the rest is history.
Here are few of my tasting notes and lessons learned from past recipes.
Cheese. There is no substitute for quality cheese. There just isn’t. If you’re a busy mom with hungry kids and little time, I’ll forgive you for melting that block of yellow cheddar from Costco (in fact, I’m sure I’ll do the same thing years from now). But it’s the cheese–both the quality and combination of flavors–that is essential. Cheese is the main ingredient, and if you don’t take it seriously, the result will be less spectacular.
I’ve made this dish with all combinations of cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyère and Fontina. Some recipes use one cheese, others use four. Since I’m interested in making things less complicated, my new favorite method is using two cheeses, Gruyere and Comté (which are from the same cow-milk family of cheeses, but the Comté is aged longer). The Gruyère is more pungent and Comté milder and slightly nutty. And when the two are melted together, when you hear that sound of the gooey cheese swirling with the noodles, like splashing in rain puddles, it makes my mouth water.
Noodles. When you make Macaroni and Cheese with penne or ziti, it becomes baked penne or baked ziti. I don’t know why. I don’t know who started using elbow macaroni, or other stumpy noodles, but it works. Pipette Rigate is my pick. For more pasta shapes, check out this fun site.
Toppings. With a dish this soft and creamy, it’s imperitive that you have something crunchy to balance out the texture. Fresh breadcrumbs drizzled with olive oil is the best way to go. I’ve also taken a liking to roasted tomatoes. Again, a dish this soft and creamy can use a little burst of freshness and tomatoes do the trick. If you’re a purist, leave them out, but I highly recommend them.
Extras.
Nutmeg: Use it. It’s the secret flavor weapon that enhances the sauce and adds depth to the dish. No one will know its there, and all anybody will be able to say is “wow, this is delicious.”
Vegetables: A few of my past attempts infused the sauce with all manner of vegetables (onions, carrots, cauliflower, etc.). I’ve found that these have no place in Macaroni and Cheese. And while you all know I love cauliflower, I had to kick it to the curb. If you want a vegetable pasta bake, go for it, but for Macaroni and Cheese, no thank you.
Mustard: Eh. I love Dijon mustard and in many contexts (like salad dressing), or this braised beef, it works. But, like the vegetables, it will have to wait for another dish to make its entrance.
Macaroni and Cheese (or My Perfect, Cheesiest Macaroni and Cheese)
Inspired by Ina Garten and trial and error
I almost thought there could be a thing as too much cheese, because I don’t like when I can’t find my noodles in the sauce. To avoid having your noodles look like they’re floating in a swimming pool, pay attention to the measurements so the sauce is the right consistency. Also, let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes after pulling it out of the oven. It will allow the cheese to settle and really stick to the noodles without becoming dry.
Ingredients
1 pound Pipette Rigate, or elbow pasta
1 quart whole milk (don’t try to use skim!)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyère, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces Comté grated (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
Olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice tomatoes and place in a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and dust with sea salt. Bake 25 minutes, or until tomatoes have started to dry out and wrinkle. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
In a large pot of boiling water, add the macaroni and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until slightly under cooked. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don’t boil it. Melt butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the cheese, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
Arrange tomatoes on top. Combine a few tablespoons of olive oil with the fresh bread crumbs and stir until moistened. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the tomatoes. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Filed under: Pasta | 1 Comment
I don’t eat a lot of potato chips. Aside from my once-a-year Doritos craving, unless they’re baked or made from tortillas, chips aren’t usually found on my plate. But, as with most foods, when you make them yourself, they’re healthier, more delicious, and absolutely crave-worthy.
And now that fall is here (is anyone else mystified that summer is over?) you’ll have more root vegetables than you know what to do with. After you roast them, puree them, and sauté them for weeks, you might find yourself in a fall produce rut. But it’s nothing a little vegetable oil and chili powder can’t cure.
Sweet Potato Chips
Recipe inspired by 5 Ingredient Fix and Tyler’s Ultimate
I didn’t make one this time around, but a creamy blue cheese dip would also be fantastic with these chips.
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch sugar
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Directions
Using a mandoline make long thin chips by peeling/slicing lengthwise from top to bottom. Place in a bowl of ice water and chill for 1 hour. Drain in a colander and layout on paper towels and pat dry.
Combine chili powder, a pinch of cayenne, salt, pepper and sugar. Set aside in a small bowl.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pot to 375 degrees F. Fry the potatoes in single layer batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Lift chips out with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with the spice mixture and serve immediately.
Filed under: Appetizers, Vegetables | 2 Comments
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