Category: Side Dish

Sour Salty Punch

August 3, 2009


img_2958

Growing up in Seattle, we made frequent trips to Victoria, B.C.  I went with my family, I went with friends, and I went on school trips.  Victoria is a magical small city on Vancouver Island (just to be confusing, the city of Vancouver is not on Vancouver Island).  If you look at a map, Victoria is very close to Seattle.  Because of geography however, it can take a very long time to get there.  These days you can take a hydrofoil that leaves from the piers in downtown Seattle, and deposits you in Victoria’s harbor in about 2 hours.  But it has taken me as long as 7 hours to get there.

In true food lover fashion, trips to Victoria first and foremost meant MacIntoshes Toffee.  This incredibly buttery and almost impossibly sticky confection was best eaten after throwing it to the ground (while still in it’s box) repeatedly until it broke into small enough shards that wouldn’t pull the fillings out of your teeth.  I would buy several boxes each trip and then mourn when I had finished them off.  I would also always use up the last of my Canadian money on all the Cadbury candies that we don’t carry in this country.  And I would buy lots and lots of salt and vinegar chips.

These days, salt and vinegar chips are easy to find but back then, you had to head north to Canada or way East to England.  It took me a while to warm up to these puckery treats but once I did, they became my favorite chip (and that is saying something because I love me some chips.)

When I saw this recipe, it sounded like heaven on a plate.  A cross between a salt and vinegar chip, a french fry, and a grilled potato – who wouldn’t want that?  Here is the question though: would you think less of me if I told you I stole this recipe?  I was in a waiting room recently.  A waiting room that had practically current issues of Martha Stewart Living.  If you frequent waiting rooms, and I hope you don’t, you know that having magazines you actually want to read that are from the year in which we are currently living…it’s almost unheard of.  And how do I repay these people for their read-able and almost current magazines?  I steal a page.  But these are potatoes I had to have.

After eating a huge portion of them last night, I can tell you a couple of things.  They are really vinegar-y.  I think the next time I make them I will boil them in 3/4 parts vinegar and 1/4 part water instead of all vinegar as the recipe tells you to do.  Also, they need a lot of salt to balance the flavors.  I tossed the cooked slices with a healthy dose of salt and then sprinkled a bit, and then a bit more, and even more still on the end product.  I used a fancy finishing salt someone got me as a gift, but sea salt would have been just fine.

Usually the recipes I put up here are things I think would appeal to just about anybody.  These may be more of an acquired taste.  But if you love that sour-salty thing, give them a try.  Oh, and because I was shooting the photos of these outside with my boys, they insisted I take photos of their “treat” as well.  My youngest calls them “pocco pocco pocco”.

popsicle-collage

Grilled Potato Slices with Salt and Vinegar
Martha Stewart Living
Serves 4

1 pound potatoes, preferably fingerling, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 cups white vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1.  Bring potatoes and vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan (vinegar should cover potatoes).  Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer potatoes until just fork tender, about 5 minutes.  Let potatoes cool in vinegar for 40 minutes.  Drain well, and gently toss with oil, salt, and pepper.

2.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Grill potatoes in a single layer until browned on both sides and cook through, about 5 minutes per side.  Sprinkle with salt before serving.



“Blasted” Broccoli

July 17, 2009


img_2868

Broccoli is my favorite vegetable.  I know, I sound so earnest.  I didn’t say it was my favorite food, just my favorite vegetable.  But I do love it so.

To be even more annoying, allow me to tell you that my favorite way to eat it is simply steamed, with a squeeze of lemon and a good shower of salt.  Cheesy sauces and gratins are all well and good, but not for broccoli.  Not for my broccoli.

A few months ago I was at a trendy bar in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle called Black Bottle.  I was with some friends and we were trying to decide on some nibbles from what was a very appealing menu.  Our server told us we had to try the “blasted” broccoli which I scoffed at.  I know how I like my broccoli, thank you very much.  Over the course of the few hours we were there, I saw that very dish on almost every table in the place.

Recently, I came across the recipe for this same “blasted” broccoli in one of my food magazines.  I made dinner for a friend with a new baby a couple of nights ago, and wanted to bring a simple side dish.  I figured it was time to try this one.  I am totally smitten with roasted cauliflower, why not broccoli?

I’m here to tell you that roasted – it’s really great.  This is a good recipe, something to make when you want to make broccoli but want to dress it up a little bit.  The broccoli itself caramelized, much as cauliflower does, and the garlic gets nice and toasty too.  The whole dish gets a little kick from the red pepper flakes.  Want more kick?  Add more red pepper.  Just like roasted cauliflower, you will want to season this dish well and allow it time enough in oven to get nice and toasty brown.  UPDATE 1-18-12 – I’ve made this a million times since I posted about it and have also eaten it at Black Bottle.  I changed things around in the recipe and the one I posted below reflects those changes.

img_2861

One Year Ago:  Green Goddess Salad with Romaine, Cucumbers, and Avocado

Blasted Broccoli

Adapted from Black Bottle
4 servings

1 1/4 pounds broccoli crowns, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
3 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Place broccoli in a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with the olive oil and then sprinkle with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Roast 15 minutes.  Remove sheet from oven and sprinkle with the garlic and red pepper flakes.   Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 5-8 minutes longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.



Cooking for Karen and Kerry

June 9, 2009

img_2569

I’m back from LA.  It was a sweet trip.  We really just hung out the whole time I was there.  Aside from a few trips to get groceries and a few hours in a great park, we just stayed home.  I got to hear Karen talk about her daughter while sitting across the table from her and I got to see photos of her taken just days before she died.  I got to watch our two boys play.  And I got to feed those two lovely mommies.

I had thought I would fly south armed with a few recipes but then decided to just see how things played out.  Like many people who love food, I think about each upcoming meal.  What time will I eat, what will I eat, and will it satisfy me?  Yes, I had offered to cook for them, but maybe they would want to go out or order in.  I relaxed my expectations and tried not to plan.

Now, I have known Karen since my freshman year of college (which was a long time ago) and we have eaten many many meals together.  We have shared food in dorm dining halls, New York City, Paris, Los Angeles, and Seattle.  She is a closeted vegetarian and loves the chance to eat that way with me.  But somehow, in all the years I have known her, I have never cooked for her.  To get to do so was a treat.  Uncharacteristically, menus just came to me.  I didn’t consult cookbooks or even this blog.  I just improvised (though still wrote out a shopping list – really old habits die really hard).  I’m happy to say I made some good food.

This chickpea dish is something that I’ve made incarnations of over the years.  It stars one of my favorite things in the whole world – chickpeas – and some of my favorite flavors.  It is hearty and satisfying but still really healthy.  The yogurt sauce that I drizzled over the top brought a nice tang to balance out the intensity of the spices.  I told Karen I would make it again when I got home so I could post about it, but the truth is, I would have made it anyway.  It is the kind of dish that I crave.  Basmati rice and roasted cauliflower are great accompaniments here.

img_2563

It’s been a while since I last talked about roasted cauliflower and I have some new tips.  If you haven’t tried it yet, you are in for something special.  Even if you think you don’t like cauliflower, give the preparation below a try.

img_2564

One Year Ago:  Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing

Spicy Chickpeas with Ginger and Kale and Lime Yogurt Sauce
Dana Treat original
Serves 3-4

The chickpeas:
1 large shallot, peeled and diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. tumeric
2 14-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. tomato paste
4 leaves kale, tough stems removed and cut into bite size pieces
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

The yogurt sauce:
1 cup full fat or low fat (not non-fat) plain yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lime
20 small mint leaves, chopped
Pinch of kosher salt

Heat a medium pot over medium heat.  Add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot and add the shallot, garlic, and ginger.  Season generously with salt.  Stir until softened but not brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Sprinkle on the spices and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the chickpeas and toss to coat with the spices, then add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste.  Mix together well and bring to a simmer.  Add the kale and give it a good stir.  If the pot seems to dry at this point, add a little water – about a tablespoon at a time – to keep things moist.  You don’t want it soupy but you want enough liquid to cook the kale.  Adjust the heat to keep it at a simmer and cover the pot.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is very soft, adding water as necessary.

Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce.  Stir together all the ingredients and set aside.

Just before serving, add the cilantro to the chickpeas and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over basmati rice with a drizzle of sauce over top.  Serve the cauliflower alongside.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Wash the cauliflower well and cut it in half.  Remove the core from each half, then cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place on a baking sheet (dark works great in this instance) and drizzle with olive oil and a healthy pinch (or two) of salt and pepper.  (Cutting it into slices rather than florets gives you more surface area on the baking sheet which means more caramelization which means more yum.)  Mix with your hands and then place in the oven.

Allow the cauliflower to cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and flip all the slices over.  Return to the oven and cook for another 15 minutes.  You will want quite a bit of brown on your cauliflower so if it looks too pale, give it more time.  Once it is done, you can cut the slices into bite size pieces.



Southwestern Sweet Potato Gratin

April 15, 2009

img_1880

There are friends you trust and those you don’t.  There are co-workers you trust and those you don’t.  There are probably even family members you trust and those you don’t.  And for me, there are cookbook authors I trust and those I don’t.  In case you are curious, I trust Deborah Madison, Jeanne Lemlin, Ina Garten, the people at Cook’s Illustrated, and I trust Martha Stewart.

Let me say this, I am not a Martha Stewart kind of gal.  I am not neat, or crafty, and I have never been to jail.  (Both my brothers have though.  Another story for another time.)  But I do love to cook and I very much appreciate a well-written cookbook with well-tested recipes.

There is the theory that, when cooking for guests, you should only make familiar recipes.  Being a personal chef for three years (!) who very rarely repeats menus has forced me to make all kinds of things I have never made before.  Every so often I make something and wonder – is this going to be any good?  If it has come from one of my trusted books, it always is.

Two books I use on a regular basis are the two volumes of The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook.  Some of my favorites have come from these huge tomes.  Everything I have made turns out well.  The recipes are clear and concise and many of them are truly delicious.

img_18781

I made this gratin last night for my clients and for my friend John who came to dinner.  When I pulled it out of the oven, I wasn’t sure.  It smelled good and I knew I liked all the ingredients in it, but I just didn’t know how it would come together.  But, because it came from Martha – or from the people who write her cookbooks – I didn’t worry.  And it was delicious – smoky and sweet, cheesy but not too rich, and just a bit of spice.  I served this as a main course with red beans and rice and a citrus salad, but it would be lovely as a side dish as well.

img_1871

A few words about the recipe.  The next time I make it (and there will be a next time), I will make three layers instead of two.  This will no doubt require a bit of squishing because the pan was quite full with just two layers, but it bakes down considerably and I would have loved another layer.  Even if you do not like spicy food, do not skip adding the chipotle chile.  Martha says it is optional but I say the smokiness that it lends to the dish is essential and it is not too spicy.  If you like spice, add another one.

img_1884

Southwestern Sweet Potato Gratin
Adapted from The New Classics
Serves 8-10 as a side, 4-6 as a main

4 large sweet potatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
1 1/2 cups grated Chihuahua or Monterey Jack cheese, 6 oz. (DT: I used Monterey Jack)
1 1/2 cups crumbled Cotija or French feta cheese, 6oz. (DT: I used Queso Fresco)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo
1/3 cup vegetable stock, or water
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 cup crushed tortilla chips
Lime wedges, for garnish
Mexican crema or sour cream, for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Arrange half of the potatoes in a 9 x 13 baking dish, overlapping the slices.  Sprinkle with half of each cheese.  Top with onion.

2. Stir the chipotle into the stock or water; drizzle over the onion.  Sprinkle with half the cilantro.  Top with the remaining potatoes; sprinkle with the remaining cheeses and cilantro.  Scatter the chips on top.

3. Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes.  (DT: I sprayed my foil with non-stick spray so the cheese wouldn’t stick too much.)  Remove the foil; bake until very tender and top is well browned, about 30 minutes more.  Let cool slightly before serving.  Serve with limes and crema, if desired.



For the Chickpea Lovers

April 6, 2009

img_1766

The humble chickpea.  I love them more than almost any food that is not a french fry, chocolate, or caramel.  I love them pureed into hummus, I love them in soups, I love them in grain salads, I love them in green salads.  I love them straight out of the can.  If I weren’t vegetarian, I would probably like them with green eggs and ham.

This salad is a great one when you want something healthy and crunchy but with some heft.  The chickpeas marinate for at least half an hour in an intoxicating mixture of olive oil, garlic, cumin, and lemon juice.  If you plan ahead and let them swim around overnight in the refrigerator, they taste even better.  Before you serve it, you add slivers of red onion, thinly sliced radishes and chunks of cucumber.  It comes together quickly and lasts well in the refrigerator for another day or so.  It’s also nice and flexible.  You can serve it as a side (just make sure it’s room temperature instead of cold), or make it more salad like by adding lots of arugula and a little more olive oil and lemon juice.

Marinated Chickpea Salad with Radishes and Cucumber
Inspired by Food and Wine
6 servings

The original recipe calls for only one can of chickpeas but I double that amount here.  If you prefer your salad to be more vegetable heavy and less bean-y, use only one can.  If you are going to use a regular cucumber (rather than an English one), be sure to peel it and scrape out the seeds.

1/8 cup olive oil, or more to taste
Juice of  1 medium lemon
1 garlic cloved, minced
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large English cucumber, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
6 large radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, and cumin and season with salt and pepper.  Add the chickpeas and let marinate for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  If you plan to marinate longer than 2 hours, cover and refrigerate.  Before serving, stir in the cucumbers, radishes, onion, and parsley and season with salt and pepper.



« Older Posts Newer Posts »