Category: Sides

Perfect Pearl Couscous Recipe

Servings: 6
Preheat: 
Prep Time: 30
Source: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/pearl-couscous-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-55002

Tender, chewy, and slightly nutty, pearl couscous (Israeli couscous) is an irresistible side dish that comes together in just a few minutes, with very little effort. Simply toast it in some good extra virgin olive oil and boil it in water or broth on the stove until tender. It’s as easy as that! You can enjoy pearled couscous at room temperature in a salad, or hot, tossed with some pesto or other sauces of your choice.

Ingredients: 

Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup pearl couscous
1 ½ cups water
Kosher salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
Zest of 1 lemon, optional

Directions: 

Toast the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat about 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until just shimmering. Add the pearl couscous and toss around to toast (the couscous pearls should turn a nice golden brown).

Boil the couscous: Boil 1 ½ cups of water and add it to the toasted pearl couscous. Season with kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 14 minutes or until the pearl couscous is tender. Remove from the heat.

Season and enjoy! Taste and adjust salt to your liking. To finish, add the parsley and lemon zest (optional), toss and serve.

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Servings: 6 to 8
Preheat: 350
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 min.
Source: New York Times

This deeply savory, buttery sage stuffing builds layers of flavor with each step. First, whole sage leaves fry in melted butter for a pretty garnish that offers pleasurable crispy bits. The butter ends up browned, nutty and infused with the herb’s woodsy aroma, and helps chopped sage, fennel seeds, poultry seasoning and cayenne bloom for a fragrant blend that tastes like sausage. Milk in place of watery boxed stock means there’s a base of richness that only dairy can provide. The combination of white bread and cornbread results in a classic but amped-up Thanksgiving stuffing with textural integrity and a hint of sweetness to boot.

Ingredients: 

8 ounces crusty white bread, such as country loaf or sourdough, cut into ½-inch dice (about 6 cups)
8 ounces store-bought or homemade cornbread, cut into ½-inch dice (about 3 cups)
½ cup unsalted butter
10 fresh sage leaves, plus ⅓ cup coarsely chopped sage (¾ ounce)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt-free poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
Salt and black pepper
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 cups whole milk, plus more as needed

Directions: 

Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread all the bread cubes on a large sheet pan and bake until brittle, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on the pan. (The cooled bread can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.) Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees.

Step 2
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip a wadded-up paper towel into the melted butter and grease a 1½- to 2-quart shallow baking dish or pan with it. Unwad the paper towel and line a plate with it. Add the whole sage leaves to the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the speckled milk solids at the bottom of the pan start to brown and the sage leaves become crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the sage to the paper towel-lined plate.

Step 3
Add the chopped sage, fennel seeds, poultry seasoning and cayenne to the browned butter and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the onion and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the celery and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and heat until steaming. Taste and add salt and pepper; the milk should be assertively seasoned.

Step 4
Transfer the toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. Pour the hot milk mixture over the bread and gently toss with two spoons until the bread is thoroughly soaked; add more milk if needed. Spread the stuffing in the buttered baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is crispy and a little darker in color, about 10 minutes. Scatter with the fried sage leaves and serve.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Pistachio Pesto

Servings: 4
Preheat: 400
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021963-whole-roasted-cauliflower-with-pistachio-pesto

Whole roasted cauliflower is a sight to behold and never fails to delight, especially when it’s topped with a verdant blend of herbs and pistachios. This version delivers a browned cauliflower that ends up soft enough — custardy almost — to serve with a spoon. And it all comes together in one pan, with water added right to the skillet to steam and soften the cauliflower while it roasts over caramelized onions. Sprinkling some Parmesan on top is a nice way to finish this dish.

Ingredients: 

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
1 head cauliflower, preferably orange (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick lengthwise
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper

FOR THE PESTO:
Zest of 1 lemon
½ cup lightly packed cilantro and flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup raw shelled pistachios
1 garlic clove, sliced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper

Directions: 

Make the cauliflower: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the cauliflower, making sure the stem is cut flush with the head so it sits flat. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil, the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until translucent and turning golden on the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup water and remove from the heat.

Rub the cauliflower with the remaining tablespoon oil then with the pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Clear the center of the skillet and place the cauliflower in it. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the center of the oven. Bake until a paring knife meets no resistance when inserted into the cauliflower, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pesto: Reserve a bit of lemon zest for garnish. Place the rest in a food processor, along with the herbs, oil, pistachios, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined.

Turn oven to 450 degrees on the regular setting or, if you have a convection option, 425 degrees. Uncover the cauliflower and baste with some of the pan juices. Cook, basting occasionally and adding 1/4 cup of water to the pan if it threatens to dry out, until nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. Spoon the pesto over top, sprinkle with reserved lemon zest and more herbs, and serve.

Kish Family Two-Bread Stuffing

Servings: 16
Preheat: 350
Prep Time: 2 hours
Source: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/kish-family-two-bread-stuffing

Top Chef winner Kristen Kish’s mom came up with this two-bread stuffing to please both sides of her family: half from Michigan, where white bread stuffing is essential, and half from Texas, where they demand cornbread. A double batch feeds a crowd with plenty of leftovers for the next day.

We modified the recipe to use a 1lb loaf of ciabatta instead of white sandwich bread. The D&E cornbread recipe yields 6 cups. We used 4 C of vegetarian bouillon stock, which makes this a vegetarian side. Very moist. Not sure if 6 C needed

Ingredients: 

Unsalted butter, for greasing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups finely chopped yellow onions
4 cups finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon grated garlic
12 cups prepared cornbread, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/3 pounds)
2 (1-pound) day-old ciabatta, torn into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6?) cups vegetarian bouillon stock

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (13- x 9-inch) baking dishes with butter. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onions and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add sage and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Transfer cooked vegetables to a large bowl. Add cornbread, sandwich bread, parsley, salt, and pepper; stir until well combined. Gradually stir in stock until breads are evenly moistened. Scrape mixture into prepared baking dishes. Bake in preheated oven until hot and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

French Flageolet Beans

Servings: 6-8
Preheat: 300
Prep Time: hours
Source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/french-flageolet-beans-2137547

Ingredients: 

1 pound dried flageolet beans
2 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces bacon, diced
2 cups medium-diced yellow onion (2 onions)
2 cups medium-diced fennel, trimmed and cored
2 carrots, scrubbed and medium-diced
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 cups canned beef or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 

The night before cooking, place the beans in a large bowl and cover them with water by 1 inch. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Drain the beans, rinse well, and drain again. In a large ovenproof pot such as Le Creuset, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-low heat, add the bacon, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bacon starts to brown. Add the onion, fennel, and carrots and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften but aren’t browned. Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 more minutes.

Add the flageolets to the pot and stir in the broth, bay leaves, and rosemary. (Don’t be tempted to add salt! The beans will become tough.) Add 2 cups of water, which should just cover the beans, and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cover the pot tightly and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove the lid, stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and return the pot to the oven without the lid. Raise the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 45 more minutes. The beans will be very tender and there will be just a little liquid in the bottom of the pan. (If the beans are dry, add a little more water.) Discard the bay leaves and rosemary. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

Buttered Stuffing With Celery and Leeks

Servings: 8-10
Preheat: 375
Prep Time: 1 1/4 hours, plus overnight drying
Source: ALISON ROMAN – New York Times; https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020600-buttered-stuffing-with-celery-and-leeks

Those of you who love stuffing know that it might be the only reason to host Thanksgiving. This version is an updated classic — no dried fruit, no surprise ingredients, no “twists” — just a very buttery, deeply savory stuffing made with garlic, leeks and a lot of celery. The bread is crusty and torn, never cubed (for those crisp, craggy edges), and the whole thing is baked in a baking dish, never inside the turkey (to keep it light and fluffy with a custardy interior and a golden-brown top). All stuffing needs two trips to the oven: once, covered, to cook it through and twice, uncovered, to crisp up the top. You can do the first bake ahead of time if you like, or do one after the other if the timing works out that way.

Ingredients: 

1 large loaf good, crusty bread, preferably sourdough or ciabatta (about 1¼ pounds)
¼ cup olive oil
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 large leeks, white and light green parts, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced, leaves reserved for garnish if available
½ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken, turkey or vegetable broth
3 large eggs
½ cup finely chopped parsley
¼ cup finely chopped chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped marjoram, oregano or thyme

Directions: 

Using your hands, tear bread, crust and all, into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. (Alternatively, you can cut the bread with a knife, but I prefer the way the craggy bits toast and soak up the goods.) Place chunks on a rimmed baking sheet, and let sit uncovered at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. If you’re short on time, you can toast the chunks in a 300-degree oven instead, tossing occasionally, until lightly crisped, but not browned, on the outside.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine olive oil and 4 tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the garlic and leeks. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are bright green and totally softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until bright green and tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add white wine, and cook until reduced by about three-quarters, 3 to 4 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes, if using, and remove from heat.

Whisk together broth and eggs in a medium bowl. Place bread in a large bowl (you want a lot of room for mixing, so go big), and add the leek and celery mixture, parsley, chives and marjoram. Stir to coat so that everything is evenly distributed, trying not to totally crush the bread. Pour the egg mixture over everything and toss a few times. Let sit a minute or two and give another toss. Repeat twice until all the liquid has absorbed and evenly distributed to each and every piece of bread.

Transfer mixture to a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish (a 9-by-13 pan also works), making sure not to pack it too tightly. (You want to keep the bread in the stuffing as light as possible.) Dot the top with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, making sure to pay extra attention to the corners, where the stuffing will get the crispiest.

Cover with foil and bake until the stuffing is sizzling at the edges and completely cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. If it’s not yet time to serve, remove stuffing from oven and set aside. (If you are nearly ready to serve, proceed directly to the next step and continue without pausing.)

When ready to serve, remove foil and increase temperature to 425 degrees. Bake stuffing until crispy, crunchy and impossibly golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Scatter with celery leaves, if using, and serve.

Vegetarian Baked Beans

Servings: 8
Preheat: 350
Prep Time: 24 hours
Source: http://awaytogarden.com/recipe-baking-up-some-heirloom-beans/

The way I cook is all about big pots-full of things, and freezing or canning for later: cook once, eat multiple times. For the price of 1 pound of dry beans and a few simple ingredients, the yield is enough for six or eight portions, most of which are frozen in small containers for later use.

This easy recipe takes very little active prep, but lots of waiting on each end for soaking and then baking.

Ingredients: 

1 pound dry beans (I like a Cranberry type, but a creamier-textured Navy-style small white bean is the traditional choice and cooks faster; in this batch I used ‘Yellow Eye’)
2 quartered medium onions
1/4 cup+ molasses
1/4 cup+ maple syrup
4 Tbsp. grainy mustard
4-6 Italian-style paste tomatoes, roughly cut up—alternatively use other tomatoes, canned tomatoes, or even some red sauce
boiling water, enough to cover an inch or so above solids in pot
small amount of olive oil

Directions: 

Soak the beans overnight; discard the water. Add fresh water and simmer beans briefly (maybe 30 minutes) to just barely tender while preheating oven to 350ish. The “right” temperature really varies with the size of pot you are using; you want the beans to bubble in the oven.

Put water on to boil.

Coat an oven-proof covered pot, such as a Dutch oven or large Pyrex casserole or ceramic bean pot, with a splash of olive oil. Lay the quartered onions in the bottom. (Note on selecting a pot: There must be enough headroom to put in all ingredients above, plus at least 1 inch of boiling water, plus clearance to prevent overflows.)

Drain beans; dress them with the other ingredients above (sweeteners and mustard and tomatoes). Pour over the onions.

Pour boiling water over the mixture until it’s an inch or so above the solids.

Cover and bake until done, between two hours and forever. Many recipes say to leave baked beans uncovered while cooking; doing so, with certain large beans, I have had it take six hours or more. I cover the casserole, and periodically check to see if water is receding. If so, I taste a bean; if not nearly ready, I add more boiling water, often a couple of times.

Once the beans reach an almost-ready tenderness, uncover and turn up heat to 375F the last hour (give or take) to reduce the liquid to a thick, dark brown syrup, turning the ingredients a couple of times to mix everything up.

If the flavor isn’t sweet enough, or tomato-ey enough, or wants salt, add it during this last phase. Or balance the maple-to-molasses ratio to suit your taste. This is a flexible process, not delicate chemistry. You can even make the beans soupier, with more sauce than I like, by not cooking down so long.

Again: The freshness of the beans you start with, how well you soak/cook them first, and the vessel you cook in really make the timing and temperature combination vary. Experiment.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Onion with Tahini and za’atar

Servings: 4
Preheat: 475
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Source: Jerusalem – A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

The flavors here are incredible–the earthy tahini is a perfect match to the sweet squash and onion, while the za’atar adds a pop of sharp, herby pungency and the pine nuts offer richness and a bit of textural contrast.

Ingredients: 

1 large butternut squash (2 1/4 lb /1.1 kg in total), cut into 3/4 by 2 1/2-inch/2 cm by 6 cm wedges
2 red onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch/3 cm wedges
3 1/2 tablespoons/50 ml olive oil
3 1/2 tablespoons light tahini paste
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 small clove garlic, crushed
3 1/2 tablespoons/30 g pine nuts
1 tablespoon za’atar
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 475°F / 240°C. Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary

3. Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

4. To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za’atar and parsley.

Cumin Roasted Carrots and Meyer Lemon

Servings: 6
Preheat: 400
Prep Time: 1-hour
Source: http://www.athoughtforfood.net/blog/roasted-carrots-with-cumin-and-meyer-lemon

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 – 2 lbs of carrots (or approximately 10 medium-sized), peeled
1 Meyer lemon cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, seeds removed
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, toss the carrots with four tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Add the sliced Meyer lemon and toss with the carrots.

3. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt over the carrots and lemon slices.

4. Roast for 20 minutes.

5. Rotate carrots and flip lemon slices, and season with another sprinkle of salt. Roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until carrots are golden brown.

6. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over them. Finish with Kosher salt, ground black pepper, and chopped parsley.

Carrots with Pistachio-Herb Butter

Servings: 8
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 
Source: Fine Cooking, Issue #131

Lime and pistachios add brightness and crunch to crisp-tender carrots. This recipe is designed so that you can do most of the work well in advance, making it perfect for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Then all you need to do is cook the carrots and toss them with their seasonings. See the Make-Ahead Tips for details.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup salted, roasted, shelled pistachios
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 Tbs. packed fresh mint leaves
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1 tsp. packed finely grated lime zest
4 to 6 drops hot sauce, such as Sriracha
Kosher salt
3 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into pieces about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
2 tsp. fresh lime juice; more as needed

Directions: 

Make the pistachio butter

Coarsely chop the pistachios in a food processor. Set aside half of the nuts. Pulse the remaining nuts until they are quite fine but not pasty. Add the parsley and mint, and pulse again until the herbs are finely chopped. Add the butter, cheese, zest, hot sauce, and 1 tsp. salt; pulse until well blended. If working ahead, scrape the butter onto plastic wrap, shape into a log, wrap, and freeze. Seal the reserved pistachios in a small zip-top freezer bag or other airtight container and freeze.

Cook and finish the carrots

Take the butter out of the refrigerator if made ahead. Combine the carrots and 1 tsp. salt in a 4-quart saucepan and add enough water to just cover. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook to your liking, about 5 minutes for crisp-tender.

Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the carrots, and then return them to the pan. Add the butter in pieces and toss to melt and coat the carrots. Add the lime juice and some of the reserved water, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and more lime juice. Serve topped with the reserved pistachios.

Make Ahead Tips

The butter can be made up to one month ahead and frozen (along with the reserved pistachios). Thaw the butter in the refrigerator for one day and the pistachios at room temperature.

The carrots can be peeled and cut up to two days ahead. Seal in a zip-top bag or other airtight container and refrigerate.