GOTCHA! A healthy recipe! Now that I have lured you into my pastry-laden lair, I’m springing something healthy on you. And easy, very easy!

One of the most nourishing greens (not to mention tasty) that you can eat is Swiss chard.  What you see to the left is a variety called rainbow chard, and the stems come in vibrant shades of red, yellow, and orange.  I often whip this up for dinner, or throw it into soup (that’s the Italian in me).

Start with about a pound or  two of chard.  Chard can be rather sandy, so be sure to clean it well.  Don’t shake off the water, as that will help the greens to cook later on. Chop the stems into 1/2-inch pieces, and then the leaves, but keep the leaves and stems separate.

Drizzle some olive oil in a pan, and add a couple crushed and minced garlic cloves, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  After about 30 seconds, add the chard stems, and saute them gently for about five minutes, then add the leaves.  Just pile them on – chard is like spinach, it will really cook down.  Once the leaves start to wilt, sprinkle on some kosher salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg.  Add about 2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and toss the mixture.  Give it a taste, and adjust seasonings accordingly, but don’t go crazy on the salt since you’re going to finish this with about 1/4 cup of parmigiano reggiano.  In the summer, I’ll toss in a couple of chopped tomatoes, but I don’t cook those.

This is a quick, tasty, and healthy dish.  The colors alone are a feast for the eyes!

Yup. And I’m making these today for Thanksgiving – a light, healthful dish that may convert some Brussels sprout haters.  I got the idea for these after seeing a recipe where they had you take off every leaf of each sprout.  Nice, but that’s not going to happen around here.  I save that kind of anal behavior for my baking, thank you very much.

At any rate, you start with about 2 pounds of sprouts.  Just clean each sprout by cutting off the bottom and discarding any damaged outer leaves.  Then you pop them in your food processor using the number 1 slicing disk (or whatever thickness you prefer).  Melt a bit of butter and olive oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat, and add one or two cloves of crushed or minced garlic.  Don’t let the garlic burn, but after about thirty seconds, add the sprouts and some salt and pepper. Pop the lid on the pan, keeping the heat on medium, and stir once in a while.  You may need to add a bit more butter or salt and pepper, so taste as you go along, until the sprouts are tender but not mushy, about 12-15 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Rayrena, of I Love Happy Cows, and Belita of Culinary Adventures chose this month’s Recipes to Rival (R2R) challenge:  you could make either Beef (Rendang Daging Sapi) or Potatoes Rendang (Rendang Kentang).  I chose potatoes, because I knew I wouldn’t eat the beef and I really, really wanted to try this!  In a nutshell, this dish was a big hit – my husband, the Honorable Master Chow, requested that I put it on the repeat list. For those of you who haven’t heard of this before, R2R celebrates the savory side of cooking, in contrast to The Daring Bakers and Tuesdays with Dorie.  I felt that I needed a balance in my cooking, so I joined last month.

The beef version comes from Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, by James Oseland.  Rayrena and Belita were able to get the potato version from the author, but he did not give his permission to post it publicly. (Rayrena tells me I can post the recipe, and you’ll find it after the jump).  You can find the beef recipe here.  If you read the beef recipe, the potato version is made in a similar manner, it just takes less time to cook.

I have Oseland’s book, and have drooled over it quite a bit, but never got my rear in gear to actually use it until now.  I have to tell you, the house smelled wonderful while this was cooking, and I’m lucky enough to live in an area where I could find the lemongrass, fresh turmeric, galangal, etc., that both the beef and potato recipes call for.

Top row, left to right:  lemongrass, ginger, garlic
Bottom row, left to right: shallots, turmeric, galangal

As for slight modifications, I used a combo of light and regular coconut milk, and I held off on the Thai chili peppers, substituting just a dash of red chili paste (I don’t like a lot of heat).  Everything took about  three hours to cook.  The potatoes ended up with a lovely crispy crust, and a complex flavor with a surprisingly sweet finish (not too sweet).  For those of you who hate coconut (like my husband), the good news is that I could not taste it in the final dish, but I suspect that is where the faint sweetness came from. He absolutely loved these potatoes, especially the crispy crust on the bottom.  I should also point out that he is not a big fan of potatoes, so his enthusiasm over this dish says something.

One word of warning:  turmeric stains everything, including your hands, so wear grubby clothing and wash your hands.  Turmeric should be peeled, but the peel is so thin that, like ginger, you can use a spoon to scrape it off.

From what I understand, this is what is known as a “dry” curry, something that I’d never made before, so I learned a fabulous new technique that I plan to apply to other vegetables. Thanks, Rayrena and Belita, for a great choice that forced me to push the envelope and use ingredients that I don’t use often enough.  I will be cooking from Cradle of Flavor a lot more in the future.  To see how what others did with the recipe, check out the R2R blogroll!
continue reading "Recipes to Rival – Potatoes Rendang"

Another recipe from one of my new favorite books, The Healthy Hedonist: More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts.  I love it when I find a recipe that calls for seldom-used spices, in this case, coriander, and cleans out the vegetable drawer in my refrigerator!

I tweaked things a bit, cutting back on the 1/4 cup of maple syrup called for, and adding some lime zest.  If you have kids who are fussy eaters, they will probably love this, especially if you use the original amount of maple syrup.  That was way too sweet for me, and I found that the citrus really brightened the flavor quite a bit.  Best of all, this is a quick and easy way to throw together a veggie dish for your family.

Lacquered Carrots with Coriander
Adapted from a recipe in The Healthy Hedonist

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick diagonal cuts, about 4 cups
1/2 to 1 tsp. kosher salt (start with the lower amount and add more if you need it)
2 tsp. ground coriander
Zest of one lime
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients except the black pepper in a large skillet, non-stick is great if you tend to get distracted, like I do.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the carrots are tender.  This can take as little as 15 minutes or up to 30, depending on the size and thickness of the carrots that you use.

Uncover the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the carrots caramelize, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.  Serves 4.

I love having things in my pantry that I can throw together to make a tasty meal or side dish.  Or pastry, or cookie – you get my drift.  This is such a dish: something that can be made almost completely with items you have in your cupboards and freezer.

A few years ago, I made an effort to “upgrade” that much-maligned classic American staple, Ye Olde Campbell’s Green Bean casserole.  I mean, really, if famous chefs were telling me, via print and television, that it was awful, I had to listen, didn’t I?  I had to make a bechamel, and fry my own onion topping.  Because they said so.  So why did these high-falutin’ casseroles taste like . . . like . . . doo-doo? (This IS a family site).

So last year, I said to heck with it all.  I went to Campbell’s site, and tweaked the recipe a bit.  One big change I made was to use frozen haricot vert, i.e., French style green beans.  I served the casserole at Christmas and it was a blowout hit.  I was mightily surprised, what with the empty cans of Cream of Mushroom soup in my trash can.  When you make almost everything from scratch, as I do, and one of your most popular dishes uses an ingredient that foodies love to ridicule, it can be kind of embarrassing.  And those canned fried onions?  I use Trader Joe’s, which are so tasty that my husband will eat them out of the can if I don’t stash it.

In the end, I don’t feel embarrassed at all, just resourceful, wonderfully middle class, and American, a fitting reminder on this day.

Recipe after the jump . . . .
continue reading "Good Ol’ Retro Green Bean Casserole"

Like I’ve said before, we do eat something else besides baked goods around here, and the roasted spaghetti squash and orzo salad above are an example. I made this about eight weeks ago, using a bunch of little pastas I had laying around, as well as a squash that I’d found for a good price at the market.

I roasted some garlic and mixed it in with the squash, which worked out well, inasmuch as raw garlic would have completely overwhelmed the vegetable. A little olive oil, salt and pepper, and a wee bit of parmigiano reggiano, and that was it – a lovely and healthy little vegetable side dish.

I know, I know – something that’s not a butter-and-sugar-laden baked good makes an appearance on this blog. Believe it or not, we do eat something other than tarts and cakes around here. On a more serious note, this is my entry for Chris’s Cooking to Combat Cancer 2 event at Mele Cotte. (If any bloggers out there know how do get rid of that floating “do,” let me know – it’s driving me bonkers!) My goal with this recipe was to use ingredients that are readily accessible in most grocery stores. No garam masala? Just use all regular curry powder. No currants? Use raisins. You get the idea.

I lost both of my parents and other family members to cancer. It is a disease that I wouldn’t wish on the worst person in the world. The good news is that there is a lot that we can do to prevent it. The best way is to eat healthily.

Experts recommend that we get as many servings of fruits and vegetables every day as possible: I’ve seen articles that say to strive for five servings, and others that suggest eleven. This curry is a great start – it’s sweet, spicy, with a hint of heat. And not only are you getting the antioxidants in the herbs and spices, but the cauliflower, tomato, and garbanzos also contain ingredients that fight cancer, reduce inflammation, and/or reduce cholesterol. At Chez Chow, it’s a nice change from steamed veggies.
continue reading "Curried Cauliflower with Garbanzos, Tomatoes, and Basil"

Another easy vegetable recipe from Molly Stevens’s All About Braising. Stevens says that this may convert Brussels sprout haters, but I doubt it. It does take the edge off the sprouts, making them less pungent, but they still taste like Brussels sprouts! Luckily, we like that. I adapted the recipe by adding a touch of lemon zest.

Creamy Braised Brussels Sprouts

Adapted from “All About Braising” by Molly Stevens

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts

• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 lemon

Trim base of each sprout, discard ragged outer leaves, and then slice each one in half, thirds, or quarters (if they are very large). The point here is to have a bunch of pieces that are approximately the same size. Each wedge should be about 1/2 inch across.

Melt butter in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the foaming stops, add the sprouts, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts begin to brown.

Pour in the cream, add the lemon zest, and stir. Cover pan and reduce heat to low simmer. Braise until sprouts are tender, about 30-35 minutes. The cream will have reduced and will be a light tan color.

Remove the cover, squeeze in lemon juice (squeeze from lemon half), and adjust seasoning. Simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes to thicken cream to a glaze that coats sprouts. Serves 4 to 6.

I’ve been happily cooking from one of my favorite new cookbooks, Molly Stevens All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking.

Master and Madam Chow have not been disappointed.

This is a true teaching cookbook, and one that is easily accessible to novices in the kitchen. Stevens provides a detailed description of the finished dish, then step-by-step instructions on how to prepare it. I should clarify: instructions that actually make sense. These recipes clearly have been tested again and again. They work, and they taste wonderful. Stevens also provides wine pairings, and often gives practice pointers, such as how to select parsnips, or spare ribs.

I had a head of green cabbage in the refrigerator that I wanted to use up. Again, part of my effort to include a greater variety of veggies in our diet. But I had been waiting to use it because I wanted to try something different. Something exciting (well, as exciting as cabbage can be). And I found it in Molly Steven’s book.

The expansive title is hers, not mine. This cabbage dish is wonderful – it mellows and becomes sweet, especially with the optional addition of balsamic vinegar. Next time, I will quadruple the amount of carrots called for in the recipe. The cabbage was great, but the carrots were incredible. Master Chow loves his vegetables, but even I was impressed as he kept saying “this is delicious” with his mouth full of cabbage. Yes, folks, cabbage.

Now, go eat your veggies!

“World’s Best Braised Green Cabbage”

from All About Braising, by Molly Stevens

(Instructions paraphrased for brevity)

• 1 medium head green cabbage, about two pounds

• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced, about 8 oz.

• 1 large carrot, sliced in quarter-inch rounds

• 1/4 cup chicken stock or water (I used vegetable stock)

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

• fleur de sel or coarse sea salt

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a large baking dish or gratin dish (9 by 13 inch works).

The cabbage should weigh close to two pounds – if it’s much bigger than this, set some of it aside for another use, or the dish will not braise properly. Trim off damaged outer leaves, core, and slice cabbage into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges in a single layer, although a small bit of overlap is fine.

Scatter in the onions and the carrot. Drizzle over the oil, and the stock (or water). Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover tightly with foil and slide into the middle of the oven until the vegetables are very tender, about two hours. After an hour, gently turn the cabbage wedges using tongs. Try to keep the wedges together, but don’t worry if they start to come apart. If the braise looks like it is drying out, add a few tablespoons of water.

Once the cabbage is completely tender, remove from the oven and then remove the foil (carefully, a lot of steam will escape). Increase the oven temperature to 400 F. Sprinkle on the balsamic vinegar, and turn the cabbage with tongs to distribute the vinegar. Return to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes until the vegetables begin to brown. Serve sprinkled with coarse salt or fleur de sel.

I’m trying to incorporate a greater diversity of fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc., in our diet. I do, however, get rather bored steaming broccoli and cauliflower all the time. I’m not bored by the taste, but I like to shake things up a bit once in a while, cooking-wise.

Anthony Bourdain would be appalled, but I developed this recipe by watching . . . Rachael Ray. I have made it using Thai red curry paste as well as Thai Green Curry Paste, with garbanzos instead of pine nuts, and with kaffir lime leaves. So far, the version below is the one I like the best, but feel free to experiment and change ingredients to suit your own tastes. The green curry paste provides a more mellow flavor, and I like the crunch of the pine nuts.

Cauliflower Curry

• 2 medium heads of cauliflower, cleaned and broken into florets

• 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 Tablespoons Thai green curry paste

• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin

• 1-2 Tablespoon garam masala

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

• 2-3 stalks of lemon grass, white end only, crushed or sliced thinly in rings

• 1, 1-inch piece of fresh turmeric, grated on a microplane grater (substitute 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dried turmeric if fresh is unavailable)

• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated on a microplane grater

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water) This is an approximate amount – you want enough total liquid to come halfway up the cauliflower

• 1/4-1/2 cup of raisins

• 1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted

• 3 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped for garnishing

• salt and pepper to tasteHeat olive oil over medium heat in a pan big enough to hold the cauliflower (I use a wok). Add the curry paste and saute for a couple minutes, but do not let it burn. Add the garam masala, cumin, garlic, lemon grass, turmeric, ginger, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and saute for about 1 minute. Stir constantly, and if mixture looks like it is browning, pull it off the heat for a moment.

  Add the cauliflower and stir to coat with the spice and oil mixture. Add coconut milk and vegetable broth. Stir in raisins. Cover pan and cook on low heat for about 8-10 minutes, until cauliflower is tender but not falling apart. Remove bay leaves and lemongrass stems (if you did not slice them into rings). Add pine nuts.

  To serve, sprinkle with cilantro. The sauce goes well with rice.