Category Archives: Vegetables

Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables

February 26, 2010

I’m on my second year of blogging and much longer cooking and this is the first time I’ve ever made a pot roast! I’m slowly overcoming my feat of meat. Or more appropriately I’ll call it ignorance. Fear usually stems from unfamiliarity and that has been the case with me and meat. Back when I began to take an interest in what I was eating, I knew how to defrost a boneless skinless chicken breast (a whole bird- no way!) and grill or bake it. That was about it. Seafood? Scared me to death. And I stayed away from red meat (besides the occasional chunk of ground beef that I could throw in a skillet) because it was bloody and intimidating. I didn’t even know pork tenderloin existed! So as my tastes have broadened and my culinary skills improved, I’ve worked up the courage to conquer a variety of meats. Certain things I have yet to attempt (I’m still nervous to pay top dollar for a fillet mignon that I might ruin), and some I like to think I have mastered.

This recipe came so highly regarded and seemed so simple that I knew I was destined for success. With Tyler Florence’s guidance I managed to turn a huge hunk of beef into a savory and succulent dinner… tender roast beef swimming in a rich beef jus with soft and flavorful vegetables. I stuffed as many carrots and potatoes as I could into my smallish pot. I don’t have a pretty dutch oven. I wish I did. It would work perfectly here. But fancy equipment or not, when vegetables are slow-cooked in juicy beef drippings the result is amazing. The vegetables almost steal the show. And the gravy, speckled with fresh herbs and escaped flecks of beef, poured generously over top the finished sliced meat, will definitely win you over! While I won’t let myself too attached (since a diet should contain only a little red meat), I’m suddenly very fond of roast beef!

Beef Pot Roast with Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

1 3-4 lb. beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
1 cup water
2 yellow onions, thickly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
carrots, peeled and chopped (as many as you can fit in the pot)
Yukon gold potatoes, chopped (as many as you can fit in the pot)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive in a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Sear the beef on all sides in the preheated pan, forming a nice brown crust on the outside.

2. Pour in the tomatoes and water. Add the onion, garlic, celery. Scatter the remaining vegetables and herbs around the pot. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining Tbsp. of olive oil.

3. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking 3-4 hours, basting every 30 minutes or so with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender. Place beef on a platter surrounded by the vegetables. Slice and serve with the pot juices on the side.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Cauliflower Gratin

February 18, 2010

I enjoy cauliflower just about any way you can make it- crunchy and raw dipped in garlic hummus, softly steamed and seasoned with salt and pepper, roasted with olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan. But this recipe, this cauliflower, I adored! This baked cauliflower dish is sinfully creamy and rich. It starts with a roux (flour and butter used as a thickening agent for milk) that is the base for the sauce. Then you add a dash of nutmeg and two handfuls of exquisite fresh cheeses- Swiss Gruyere and Italian Parmigiano Regiano (and I threw in a little Pecorino). The hot sauce is poured over semi-steamed cauliflower florets and topped with fresh breadcrumbs and extra cheese. If you’re feeling extra indulgent, adding a little butter on top won’t hurt either.

I served this alongside Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin and Balsamic Roasted Asparagus. Since tenderloin is a particularly lean cut of meat, I justified pairing it with a richer side. This is, after all, a vegetable dish! If you have picky eaters in the house (children, or husbands!), I promise they will be completely won over by this one. Dustin ate most of the pan, taking breathers every so often to exclaim how amazing it was!

Cauliflower Gratin

INGREDIENTS

1 large (3 lb.) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
kosher salt
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 cup Gruyere, freshly grated
1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated (I used half Parmesan and half Pecorino Romano)
1/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (day old bread crumbled and/or pulsed in the food processor)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. (I baked mine at 400 F alongside a pork tenderloin and it worked well.)

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil or steam cauliflower florets until tender but still firm. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Remove from the the heat and add 1 tsp. of salt (or to taste), the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.
4. Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of a 8×8 inch square baking dish (or similar equivalent). Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt another Tbsp. of butter to drizzle over the gratin (optional- I didn’t think this was necessary). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Let sit for a few minutes to set up before serving.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Classic Roast Chicken and Vegetables

February 12, 2010

I realize I’ve roasted a handful of chickens over the last year, and I’ve shared quite a few similar recipes with you. And they were all exceptionally good- all with different spice rubs and flavors infused into the poultry. But this recipe is classic. Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa), who I borrowed this recipe from, called it perfect. And it is. It is the roast chicken and vegetables recipe you’ve been dreaming of. What makes it so spectacular? Let me tell you…

Chunky carrots, onions, and potatoes, dressed in a coat of silky olive oil, are spread in the bottom of a large roasting pan. A lemon, garlic, and thyme-stuffed chicken is placed directly on top of the mountain of vegetables. An hour or two later, the chicken is done- skin blistered, juices sizzling in the bottom of the pan. It’s those juices that work miracles. You see, the vegetables have been bathing in them. The chicken is removed to rest while the vegetables finish caramelizing in the oven. The onions have become soft and savory, the carrots sticky and sweet, the potatoes bursting with bold chicken flavor. It will be the best plate of vegetables you ever eat. We were both wishing I had made at least twice as many. They’re better than candy. And the chicken- moist, tender, perfect.

Classic Roast Chicken and Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

1 5-6 lb. roasting chicken, insides removed
6-8 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-inch chunks
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
6-8 Yukon Gold potatoes, halved or quartered
large bunch fresh thyme, divided
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with half of the sprigs of thyme, the head of garlic, and the lemon. Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Tie the legs of the chicken together using kitchen twine.

3. Place the carrots, onion, potato, and the remaining sprigs of thyme in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.

4. Roast in preheated oven for about 1 1/2-2 hours (depending on the size of your bird), until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. (If the chicken is burning or browning too fast you can tent it with foil while cooking.) Remove the chicken from the pan to a serving platter and tent with foil. Toss the vegetables with the juices in the bottom of the pan. Return the vegetables to the oven to continue cooking and caramelize while the chicken rests. After about 15 minutes, remove the vegetables from the oven, add to the platter with the chicken, and serve.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Food Network)

Sausage, Mushroom, and Pepper Pizza

December 16, 2009

Sometimes I get so excited to eat what I’ve created that I forget the finishing touches. Halfway through devouring this cheesy delightful pizza I realized I forgot to add the fresh basil. Such a shame. So I surreptitiously sprinkled some on top, after the pizza had cooled. Not the same, but better late than never. Don’t forget the basil (especially if you buy a 3$ bunch of it just for this occasion). It makes it this pizza marvelous (and particularly beautiful).

I have to tell you. Tomorrow we leave for a Christmas vacation. We’re on break from school for the next few weeks and so we’re heading to Oregon to spend the holidays with Dustin’s family. We’re quite excited because it’s been almost 2 years since we made the trip. But this does mean that I won’t be in my kitchen… for 2 weeks! We barely left last night (staying with my parents in DC today) and I’m already experiencing separation anxiety. In theory, I’m looking forward to a break from cooking, but I know I’m going to miss it very much. I’ve saved a few recipes to share, but my posts may come a little less often until I’m back and caught up.

Feeling sad about the impending separation? Need a comforting slice of cheesy pizza to cheer you up? This recipe will do. It combines classic pork sausage and fresh sauteed veggies for a pizza supreme. It’s cheesy, rather greasy, and livened up with fresh cut basil (if you don’t forget it!). Make sure to visit the link below for instructions on making the perfect pizza crust. It’s my most-utilized recipe on this site.

Sausage, Mushroom, and Pepper Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1 recipe pizza dough
6-8 oz. sweet or spicy Italian pork sausage
1 cup onion, thinly sliced (I used 1/2 of a large white onion)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz. mushroom mix (I used half cremini and half skitake), cleaned and quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
about 1 cup pizza/marinara sauce
about 2 cups mozzarella cheese
fresh basil, julienned

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.

2. Preheat oven to 450 F.

3. Remove casings from sausage and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add onion, pepper, and mushrooms and saute until tender (about 8 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Once the crust is prepared, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the crust. Top evenly with the sausage and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with desired amount of cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve.

Makes 1 large pizza.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

November 21, 2009

This is my new favorite way to eat a sweet potato! No sugar, no streusel, no marshmallow fluff- nothing sweet about it. A savory, wholesome recipe. Sour cream, Canadian bacon (much healthier and awesome in this recipe, but you can use real bacon if you must), Cheddar cheese, and chives get smashed with sweet potato innards and stuffed back into the skin. Then you sprinkle a few more shreds of cheese on top and place them in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and the outside is crisp.

I suppose you could use this same recipe with a regular baking potato. But how boring. Plain Jane potatoes have so much less color, less flavor, less nutrition (it’s true!), and less fun. It’s the combo of the mildly sweet potato center and the salty savory additions that makes this dish so delish!

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
4 slices Canadian bacon, cut into tiny cubes (or real bacon, cooked and crumbled) (optional)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

NOTE: All these ingredient amounts are approximate. Use more or less of any ingredient to taste.

DIRECTIONS

1. Poke several holes in each sweet potato with a knife or fork. Wrap each sweet potato in a paper towel and place in the microwave. Cook on high until the potatoes are soft in the middle. (Some microwaves have a potato setting.) For a medium sized potato it will take about 10 minutes. You can cook them in the oven but it takes much longer.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

3. Remove the potatoes from the microwave. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut in half, and scoop out the centers into a small bowl. Combine the sweet potato flesh with the sour cream, Canadian bacon, Cheddar cheese, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mash together with a fork or spoon. Stuff the potatoes with the mixture. Sprinkle with a little more shredded cheese.

4. Place stuffed potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the skin has started to crisp. Remove from the oven, top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with more chives (both optional). Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

(Adapted from Health)