The first time I had a roasted carrot was last month when I made Classic Roast Chicken with Vegetables. Those were the best carrots I’ve ever eaten. And I like carrots. I eat them by the bagfuls raw. Or shredded on salads or steamed soft. But coated in fruity olive oil and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, they are sensational! This time I cooked them alone on a sheet pan and the result was similar. Exposed to the high heat of the oven they develop a crisp caramel crust, while the inside turns soft and delectable. And they develop such a rich flavor. Roasted is by far the best way to eat a carrot!
Roasted Carrots
INGREDIENTS
12 large carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or dill), chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a large bowl, toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, until golden and caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside. Toss with parsley (or dill) before serving.
I made a similar version of this last January. But I’ve improved on it since then. So here is my new republished Italian Sausage and Orzo Soup- now including Canellini beans and even more veggies! This soup contains sausage, so of course it is hearty, rich, and delicious! It’s packed full of fiber from the beans, whole grain pasta, spinach, carrots, and zucchini. Something you can definitely feel good about. (And will keep your stomach feeling full a lot longer!) I went ahead a made a whole pot-full this time and didn’t regret it. We were eating soup all week, but nobody here minded. It was just as tasty and satisfying on day 3!
1/30/09: Nothing is more comforting than curling up with a piping hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day. I blame all the rain for my recent soup obsession. Serve it with a loaf of honey whole wheat or sourdough bread and you have a well-rounded, irresistible meal! This recipe is simple and ready in just under an hour. If you are feeding a family as small as ours (2), I would definitely cut the recipe in half. I did, and we will still have enough leftovers for several lunches.
Italian Sausage, Vegetable, and Orzo Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage (or spicy Italian)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
32 oz. low-sodium beef broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can cannellini (Great Northern) beans
1/2 cup whole wheat orzo pasta
2 small (or 1 large) zucchini, halved and sliced
4 cups packed fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown sausage and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and carrots and continue cooking for several more minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beef broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Add the beans, pasta, zucchini, and basil. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, until the pasta is soft and the zucchini is tender.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).
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.
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.
This stunning appetizer is also called “Christmas Guacamole”, a tribute to the luscious deep green of the avocado and bright red pomegranate arils. Pomegranates and avocados are in season during the winter, so the holidays happen to be the perfect time of your to serve this guacamole dip. Since we’re well into February, I didn’t think the Christmas title was appropriate. But really, this “winter” dish will be well-enjoyed any time of year!
I got this recipe from a friend, and tweaked it a little to my liking. The original called for accent seasoning, something I had never heard of. With a little research, I learned that accent seasoning contains MSG, which provides a characteristic flavor, but isn’t on my list of natural ingredients. So I went with a pinch of sugar in its place. And remember to always add salt and pepper to your individual taste. Avocados tend to brown fast, so store any leftovers tightly sealed with plastic wrap.
Pomegranate Guacamole
INGREDIENTS
3 large avocados, peeled and pitted
1 lemon, juiced (or lime)
2 Tbsp. yellow or white onion, minced (next time I might use 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1 small or 1/2 large pomegranate, seeded
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Place avocado in a medium sized bowl. Pour in lime juice and mash with a fork until smooth but chunky. Stir in onion, cilantro, sugar, and salt. Gently fold in pomegranate seeds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, in an airtight container, until ready to serve.
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