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Side Dish

Roasted Cauliflower

January 4, 2011
cooking, recipes, Side Dish, Vegetable
3 Comments

 

Cauliflower was just OK,
Until I tried a whole new way.

Break the head into it’s curds,
I love it when I find new words. :)

Pepper, salt and olive oil,
Set atop a pan with foil.

Bake for 30, add some cheese,
Broil for 5, done with ease.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

Thank you to my mom, Karen, for this delicious vegetable dish. Although this cauliflower will also taste good spiced up, sometimes simple is better.

2 heads cauliflower, broken into curds (florets)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1  tsp. coarse salt

1/2  tsp. coarse pepper

3 T Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Place the cauliflower curds in a mixing bowl and add the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Mix until the cauliflower is well-coated with olive oil.  Transfer to a foil-lined baking pan (easy clean-up) and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the cauliflower with Parmesan cheese.  Change the oven setting to broil (high) and cook the cauliflower for approximately 5 more minutes or until the curds become brown on the edges.  Serve warm as a side or cold as a snack.

CORN FRITTERS

January 24, 2010
Appetizer, corn, fritter, Side Dish
5 Comments

Corn Fritters with Powdered Sugar and Maple Syrup

This fritter here is made of corn,
To me a piece of pure food porn.

Whipped Egg Whites

Yolks and flour and corn assemble,
Peaks of Alps the whites resemble.

Gently fold to fluff the batter,
Drop in oil, it won’t splatter.

Crispy golden clouds of maize,
With powdered sugar or syrup glaze.

Creamy, doughy soft inside,
In your mouth these will reside.

Try it with some fruit and cream,
Or tea and jam, it tastes supreme!

Sweet or savory snacks to munch,
Sometimes I just call them lunch.

CORN FRITTERS – My Mother’s Recipe

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 eggs, separated

1/2 cup milk

vegetable oil

Cook corn; drain. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat egg yolks; stir in corn and milk. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Fold in egg whites.

Fry in 1/2″ vegetable oil; drop by rounded tablespoon-ful for each fritter; drain on paper towel. Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup – or both :) .

MJUDDARA – Lentils and Rice

December 2, 2009
Lebanese, Lentils, Mediterranean, Rice, Side Dish
2 Comments

Mjuddara is but lentils and rice,
And caramelized onions to be precise.

So how do you pronounce this crazy word?
It seems so foreign and absurd.

The ‘M’ says “mmmm” like the soup company,
The accent on the ‘jud,’ you see?

The ‘da’ says “duh”
The ‘ra’ says “ruh.”
Say it now, “Mmm-JUD-duh-ruh!”

More simple a dish I know of none,
Have one taste and come undone.

If deep pockets you have not,
Don’t despair if coins you’ve got.

Just one plate on which to sup,
That’s all it takes to fill you up.

Or pair it with a chicken fried,
A piece of fish or yogurt side.

Texture is a thing subjective,
Pilaf? Risotto? What’s your objective?

What I wish to get across?
Dry or creamy, you’re the boss!

Don’t hold back, have seconds, thirds,
There is no fat, in other words.

Oh hail thee lovely rice and bean,  
There is no finer type cuisine.

One thing that I know for sure,
They’ll eat this in Kuala Lampur.

‘Cuz Lebanese you need not be,
To love this dish, I guarantee!

MJUDDARA RECIPE

1 Large Onion – Sliced

1 Cup Lentils

1/2 Cup Rice

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Quart Chicken Stock or Water

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Sautee the onion in olive oil until golden brown or caramelized. Set aside. Add stock and lentils to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Add rice. Simmer another 20 minutes, or until rice is well-cooked. Add the onion, salt and pepper. Continue cooking over low heat another 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 more minutes. Serve as a side dish alone or with Lebanese yogurt. Serves 4.

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO…

September 13, 2009
Potato, Side Dish, Vegetable
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Rustic “Hammered” Potatoes

Rustic "Hammered" Potatoes

Rustic “Hammered” Potatoes Recipe

The great thing about potatoes is that they always make an excellent addition to any main course.  If you are serving only heavy hors’ d’oeuvres, these potatoes would make an excellent addition to your selection.  Are these particular potatoes fancy?  No, not at all.  In fact, they are very rustic and easy to prepare, and that is what I like about them.  What they lack in refinement and elegance, they more than make up for in taste.  You can spice them up to make them more of a highlight as opposed to a simple side-dish.  With as many spices, chutneys and sauces as there are out there, the possibilities for these potatoes are endless.

I have made them several times now and they are always a winner.  The first time, I served them with an Indian meal and toppped them with onions sauteed in butter and curry.

Potatoes Topped with Curried Onions

Potato Topped with Curried Onions

The second time, I served them topped with a beautiful halibut filet, both on a bed of spinach.  My mother served them on top of a juicy steak.  Any way you make them, you cannot lose.  Please try them and share your own ideas.

Potatoes Topped with Sour Cream, Bacon & Chives

Potato Topped with Sour Cream, Bacon & Chives

10 Small Unpeeled Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
Coarse Salt
With the tines of a fork, poke the potatoes so that they do not explode when cooked.  Place on a plate in the microwave for 5-6 minutes.  When cool, lay the potatoes on a cutting board.  Using a long, flat stainless steel or wood spatula, press down on top of the potatoes, flattening them.  Heat your vegetable oil in a pan on medium-high.  When hot, add two potatoes at a time and fry until golden brown.  Place on a paper-towel lined plate to soak up the excess oil.  Immediately salt to your taste.  At this point, add any topping you desire.
Breakfast Potato with Bacon & Eggs

Breakfast Potato with Bacon & Eggs

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