Tag Archives: side dish

Roasted Butternut Squash with Tahini and Za’atar

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This may be a new cool weather side dish favorite. A recipe from Milk Street, it combines roasted butternut squash and red onion, then finishes them with a tahini-lemon-garlic sauce and a dusting of za’atar—a Middle Eastern herb, spice and seed blend.

Before roasting, the squash and onion are tossed with olive oil and honey to encourage browning. After sprinkling on the za’atar, you scatter on chopped parsley or basil chiffonade for color and fresh, herbal notes.

Don’t worry if the pieces of squash are in different shapes; this is unavoidable. But when cutting the squash quarters crosswise, be sure they’re no thicker than ¾ inch and that the chunks don’t measure larger than 1½ inches in any dimension or they’ll take too long to roast.

We had less than half a red onion on hand, so we threw in a small shallot to help compensate. But the onion was so good roasted, that I want to make sure to have a large whole one when we make it again.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Tahini and Za'atar

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and cut crosswise ¾-inch thick
  • 1 medium red onion, root end intact, cut into 1-inch wedges
  • 2 Tbsp. tahini
  • 4 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1 tsp. za’atar
  • ¼ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, or lightly packed fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the lower-middle position. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons oil, the honey and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the squash and onion, then use your hands to rub the mixture over the vegetables until well coated.
  2. Distribute in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Using a wide metal spatula, flip the vegetables, then roast until nicely browned and a skewer inserted into the squash meets no resistance, 12 to 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon water; the mixture should have the consistency of thin yogurt (if too thick, whisk in additional water 1 teaspoon at a time to thin). Set aside.
  4. When the vegetables are done, transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with the tahini-lemon mixture, then sprinkle with the za’atar and parsley.

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Adapted from a recipe from Milk Street

Warm Farro with Lemon and Herbs

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For this dish, use whole farro, in which the grain’s germ and bran have been retained. It has a nutty flavor and delicately chewy texture, and some brands cook in as little as 20 minutes, making it one of the fastest-cooking whole grains. (Ours took 30 minutes.)

The simplest cooking method is best: Just boil in salted water for about 20-30 minutes until tender and drain well. Warm farro can be tossed with sautéed aromatics, olive oil and herbs for a simple but satisfying side dish such as this one. It went wonderfully with our Shawarma Chicken.

We were fresh out of mint, so in lieu of making an extra trip to the grocery store, we just substituted two tablespoons of fresh oregano, which was one of the herbs in our main chicken entrée.

Warm Farro with Lemon and Herbs

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 1⁄2 cups whole farro
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

  1. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add farro and 1 tablespoon salt, return to boil, and cook until grains are tender with a slight chew, 20-30 minutes. Drain farro, return to now empty pot, and cover to keep warm.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, until shimmering. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and slightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cooked farro, stirring frequently until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, mint, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

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Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook

Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

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Tasty spuds are always a welcome side dish at our table. Here, melted parmesan cheese takes these roasted potatoes to a whole new level. They’re foolproof and taste delicious with just about everything.

If there was such a thing as a Potato Olympics, these babies would be sure to medal. Just make them, you’ll be glad you did…

Crispy Parmesan Potatoes

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. fingerling potatoes, about 30 potatoes
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, about 1 cup
  • 6 sprigs fresh parsley, stemmed and chopped

Directions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes in half lengthwise. Place in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss to combine. Arrange the potatoes in single layer cut-side down.
  3. Roast until the bottoms are starting to turn golden-brown, about 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, finely grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 lightly packed cup). Pick the leaves from 5 to 6 fresh parsley sprigs and finely chop until you have about 2 tablespoons.
  5. Carefully flip over each potato with tongs or a thin metal spatula so they are now cut-side up. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the potatoes. (It’s OK if some fall onto the pan.) Roast until the potatoes are cooked through and the cheese is crisp and golden-brown, about 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

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Recipe from TheKtchn.com

Braised Red Potatoes with Miso and Scallions

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For a simple, one-pot potato side dish that features the benefits of both boiling and roasting, Cook’s Illustrated got creative. They combined halved small red potatoes, butter, and salted water in a 12-inch skillet and simmered this mixture until the potatoes turned creamy and the water fully evaporated.

In the then-dry skillet, the potatoes and butter were left alone to fry and develop great flavor and color. Finally, subtle aromatics like thyme and garlic balance well with last-minute additions like miso, Dijon or lemon juice.

Our only issue was that the miso mixture wasn’t loose enough to spread with the hot potatoes. We suggest removing the potatoes to a bowl when done. *Put the miso-garlic mixture in the hot skillet and add two tablespoons of water. Using a wooden spatula, combine the mixture and water while scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When fully combined, pour the sauce over the potatoes, add scallions, and toss gently before serving.

NOTE: We had to use a 14-inch regular skillet because it was the only pan large enough to fit all of the potatoes in one layer, plus it had a lid. This dilemma prompted us to purchase an adjustable lid to fit our two larger nonstick skillets.

Braised Red Potatoes with Miso and Scallions

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled, halved
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. red miso, Dijon or lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • ¼ cup minced scallions

Directions

  1. Arrange potatoes in single layer, cut side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add water, butter, garlic, thyme, and salt and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
  2. Remove lid and use slotted spoon to transfer garlic to cutting board; discard thyme. Increase heat to medium-high and vigorously simmer, swirling pan occasionally, until water evaporates and butter starts to sizzle, 15 to 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, mince garlic to paste. Transfer paste to bowl and stir in lemon juice and pepper.
  3. Continue to cook potatoes, swirling pan frequently, until butter browns and cut sides of potatoes turn spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Off heat, add garlic mixture and chives and toss to thoroughly coat. (*See note above about alternative way to coat potatoes with miso mixture.) Serve immediately.

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Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated

Braised Leeks; Two Options

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In the allium family, leeks are the tallest and offer the sweet taste of onion but with an earthier, grassy herbal character, and we love them! This first Braised Leeks with Bacon and Thyme recipe hailing from Molly Stevens “All About Braising” cookbook braises the leeks slowly in chicken broth until they collapse into blessed tenderness.

As Molly describes, braising reveals all of their goodness and brings out a complexity of flavor that would be lost by boiling or steaming. They are infinitely versatile and made a perfect accompaniment to our roasted chicken dinner. Serve them hot, warm, at room temperature or even a little chilled. They’ll keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Option number two is a vegetarian dish from Milk Street. Braised Leeks with Balsamic Glaze are meltingly tender. They are poached in olive oil and water then drizzled with a tangy-sweet balsamic glaze. The vegetable retains its mild spring onion flavor with none of the raw allium pungency—a wonderful example of letting the natural flavor of an ingredient shine through!

Leeks are at their best in the fall and winter. Shop for leeks that feel solid at the base, not at all squishy. The green top portion should be dark, not dried out. Inspect the white portion to see that it’s smooth and bright, not split or slimy. Late-season leeks may have developed solid woody cores, an indication it is way past their prime, and shouldn’t be purchased.

Braised Leeks with Bacon and Thyme

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
  • 1 tsp. butter
  • 4 to 5 lbs. medium to large leeks
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut lengthwise in half
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (do not substitute dried)
  • 1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1/2 lemon

Directions

  1. Place the bacon in a medium skillet, set over medium heat, and fry, stirring often with a slotted spoon, until mostly crisp but with some softness remaining, 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and set the skillet aside.
  2. Preheat the over to 325°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. (We didn’t have as many leeks so we used a 9×9 square dish.)
  3. With a large knife trim off the root end of each leek, but leave the base intact. Get rid of the heaviest green part and any tough white parts. Cut off the tops at the point where the green turns from pale and smooth to dark and leathery.
  4. Cut the leeks lengthwise in half, without cutting completely through the root end, Wash the leeks thoroughly, holding them upside down under cold running water and flaring the layers to let the water run through to remove all the sand.
  5. Shake off the excess water and place them in one layer in the prepared baking dish. Tuck the garlic halves in the dish and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sprinkle on the thyme.
  6. Pour off as much fat from the reserved bacon skillet, without discarding the bacon drippings. Place over high heat, add the stock, and bring to a boil to deglaze the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot stock over the leeks.
  7. Cover the dish tightly with foil and place on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Braise for 30 minutes.
  8. Turn the leeks over with tongs, and continue braising uncovered until the leeks are fork tender, another 15-25 minutes. Scatter the reserved bacon over the leeks and continue braising for an additional 15 minutes, or until the leeks are soft enough to be easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
  9. With tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer the leeks and bacon to a platter, and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour any remaining juices, along with those from the platter, into a skillet and reduce down to 1/4 cup. Add a generous squeeze of lemon, taste for salt and pepper, and simply pour over the leeks. Serve warm or room temperature.

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Braised Leeks with Balsamic Glaze

You want to make sure not to stir the leeks too vigorously or too often when browning them. Stir gently just once or twice, without flipping them, so they color evenly. And once the water goes into the pan and the cover goes on, it’s best to simply shake the skillet, not stir its contents, so the leeks hold together.

These leeks just melted in the mouth! We omitted the sliced almonds for this meal; and next time we would cut the glaze in half. Although it was very good, we didn’t even use all of it and it was still a lot.

Braised Leeks with Basamic Glaze

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb. leeks, white and light green parts only, outer layers removed
  • 2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter, cut into 2 pieces
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 6 thyme sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 3 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

Directions

  1. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise. Fill a large bowl with water, submerge the leek halves and swish them around to remove the grit between the layers. Pour off the water and repeat until the leeks are clean, then pat dry. Cut the leeks on the diagonal into 2-inch sections, keeping the layers intact as much as possible.
  2. In a 12-inch skillet, combine the oil, butter and leeks, adding them to the pan cut side down. Set the pan over medium-high and cook, gently stirring only once or twice so the layers do not separate, until the leeks are lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
  3. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then slowly add ⅔ cup water. Add the thyme sprigs, cover and reduce to medium-low. Cook, occasionally shaking the skillet, until a knife inserted into the leeks meets no resistance and most of the water has evaporated, about 20 minutes.
  4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the leeks to a platter, leaving the oil in the skillet. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Add the vinegar and honey to the pan, then cook over medium, stirring often, until the mixture is syrupy, 2 to 4 minutes.
  5. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then pour over the leeks. Sprinkle with the chopped thyme and the almonds, if using.

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Beer-Braised Cabbage

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To pump up the flavors of the braising liquid in this Beer-Braised Cabbage, Cook’s Country chose a light-bodied lager. They also used beer-complementing ingredients like sautéed onion, mustard, vinegar, and thyme. To ensure the cabbage doesn’t overcook from extended simmering, the braising liquid is simmered until slightly thickened before adding the cabbage.

We paired the cabbage with a pan-seared pork chop and braised red potatoes with miso and scallions.

A great side dish that’s quick enough for a weeknight. You can substitute ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme for the fresh. This hearty side dish was a nice complement to the pork, although you can serve it as a vegetarian side.

Beer-Braised Cabbage

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • ½ cup beer, preferably light-bodied lager
  • 1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
  • ½ tsp. minced fresh thyme
  • 1 small head green cabbage (about 1 lb.), halved, cored, and sliced thin
  • 2 tsp. cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in beer, mustard, and thyme and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
  3. Add cabbage and vinegar and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 8 minutes.
  4. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

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Recipe from Cook’s Country

Cheesy Italian Baked Beans

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Flexible in that this Cheesy Italian Baked Beans recipe could be your main dish, or part of a meal as a side. Here, traditional Italian ingredients like onion, garlic, tomatoes, cheese, and rosemary put a spin on classic baked beans.

The prep is minimal and afterward it only cooks in the oven for about 20 minutes. When it came to topping the casserole with the shredded fontina cheese, I may have put a bit more than the 1/2 cup that was called for… like 50% more 🙂

I added a final step of letting the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven. We paired the entrée with a side of steamed broccolini and a toasted whole grain baguette with garlic and parmesan.

Cheesy Italian Baked Beans

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped yellow onion 
  • 3 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 28-oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained
  • ¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped, plus additional for garnish
  • 3 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup cup shredded Fontina cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender.
  2. Stir in tomatoes and rosemary. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  3. Stir in beans and half the Parmesan. Season to taste with crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to a 2-qt. rectangular baking dish. Top with remaining Parmesan and the Fontina. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until beginning to lightly brown around the edges.
  4. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
  5. Sprinkle with additional rosemary before serving.

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Adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking Magazine

Red Cabbage Glazed with Maple Syrup

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This recipe, published in The Times in 1991, was adapted from Yves Labbé, the chef at Le Cheval d’Or, a restaurant in Jeffersonville, Vt., that showcased French country cooking. Mr. Labbé was known to serve this side dish alongside quail in a red-wine sauce, and its simple instructions belie depths of flavor. The cabbage cooks down, braising in its own juices, while the sweetness of the apples and maple syrup, a Vermont staple, tones down the bitterness of the cabbage. The result has broad appeal. —Marialisa Calta

We decided to pair it with a tasty and moist Sous Vide Pork Loin which came out of it’s immersion bath at just the right temperature, then was seared on all sides to achieve a golden crust…. but I’m getting ahead of myself… now about this cabbage dish.

It’s quite easy actually. Spend a bit of prep time chopping or mincing the first four ingredients. Next several minutes are spent sautéing the bacon and onion. Everything else now goes in the Dutch oven, the pot is covered and put in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

The dish was incredibly good. We did notice however quite a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pot and thought perhaps next time we’d reduce the amount of maple syrup by half, using only a 1/4 cup instead of a 1/2 cup. Which would appeal to our preference for more savory than sweet.

Red Cabbage Glazed with Maple Syrup

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 5 slices bacon, minced
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 medium firm, tart apple, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
  • 1 lb. red cabbage (about 1/2 head), cored, outer leaves removed and shredded
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • Salt and black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all of the ingredients, sauté the bacon over medium until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 more minutes.
  2. Add the apple, cabbage, bay leaf, maple syrup, and season with salt and pepper, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
  3. Serve hot.

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Recipe by Yves Labbé for NY Times Cooking

Lemon-Rosemary Melting Potatoes

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“These full-flavored potatoes are a great new approach to your typical potato side dish. The potatoes roast, then “melt” with the flavors of lemon, rosemary and garlic. They’re good enough for a special occasion, but easy enough for a weeknight.”
—EatingWell

We paired our potatoes with a sous vide, pan-seared steak and spinach sautéed with garlic and olive oil.

The original recipe indicates the potatoes will serve six. They were so good, we barely got three portions from them, so I would plan on a maximum of four servings.

A word to the wise, DO NOT use glass or stone bakeware. When it’s time to add the broth and lemon, even though the liquids are room temperature, there’s a high likelihood the very hot dish will crack, trust us on this one. Either a metal pan or enameled cast-iron one are good choices. Ideally, the pan should have a wide enough bottom to accommodate the potato slices arranged in a single layer.

Lemon-Rosemary Melting Potatoes

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick 
  • 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground pepper
  • ¾ cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • ¼ cup lemon juice 
  • 2 Tbsp. sliced garlic

Directions

  1. Position rack in upper third of the oven; preheat to 500 degrees F.
  2. Toss potatoes, butter, oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. (Don’t use a glass dish, which could shatter.) Roast, turning once, until browned, about 30 minutes.
  3. Carefully add broth, lemon juice and garlic to the pan. Continue roasting until most of the liquid is absorbed and the potatoes are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes more.
  4. Garnish with additional rosemary.

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Recipe from EatingWell Magazine

Braised Sweet Potatoes with Coriander and Orange

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This colorful side dish features an unusual combination of flavors; the inspiration comes from a recipe in “365,” a cookbook by German food blogger Meike Peters. Earthy sweet potatoes pair well with the subtle citrusy notes of coriander and the fruitiness of orange juice, while savory onion, spicy cayenne and salty olives balance the natural sugars. Although we skipped the olives altogether this time in reference to the rest of the meal.

We love the texture and flavor pop of lightly crushed coriander seeds; a mortar and pestle are the best tools for the task but the bottom of a heavy skillet works, too; OR put them in a small ziploc and mash with a heavy meat club. If you prefer, you can use 1 tablespoon ground coriander in place of the seeds, but it will require less than a minute to bloom in the oil.

Don’t use a narrow saucepan or pot for this recipe. The wider diameter of a Dutch oven allows the potatoes to be distributed in a thinner layer, which results in more even cooking. If you like sweet potatoes, you’ll LOVE this amped-up version of the colorful spuds.

Braised Sweet Potatoes with Coriander and Orange

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. coriander seeds, lightly crushed
  • 1 medium red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 lbs. orange-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup black or green pitted olives, or a mixture, chopped (optional)

Directions

  1. In a Dutch oven over medium-high, cook the oil and coriander seeds, stirring, until fragrant and sizzling, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add the sweet potatoes, orange juice, cayenne, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and ½ cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the potatoes meets no resistance, 8 to 11 minutes.
  3. Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has almost fully reduced and the potatoes are glazed, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in the olives, if using. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

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Recipe by Albert Stumm for Milk Street

Cheesy and Creamy Fennel Gratin

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Hands down, one of our most favorite side dishes ever! American chef and cookbook author David Tanis‘ homey but sophisticated Cheesy and Creamy Fennel Gratin casserole, incorporates fresh mozzarella, fennel seed, garlic, crushed red pepper and rosemary, plus a hearty glug of olive oil to help the flavors meld in the oven.

To avoid stringy and tough cooked fennel, David explains in his latest book, “David Tanis Market Cooking,” to blanch the fennel for a few minutes, drain, then run under cold water, a process that just barely tenderizes the fennel slices. The result, after baking, strikes the ideal balance between toothsome bite and jammy caramelized onion.

Since many supermarket mozzarellas lack the creaminess of harder-to-find fresh, Milk Street (where we found this recipe) opts for a blend of shredded fontina and provolone. And mixing Parmesan into panko breadcrumbs creates a solid crust that contrasts with the tender fennel beneath. Finally, a sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a pop of color and grassy notes to balance the cheese. This simple combination elevates the dish into something much more than the sum of its parts, and was a perfect compliment to our rack of lamb entrée.

Important: Don’t use a baking dish or pan that is not broiler safe. After baking, the gratin spends a couple minutes under the broiler to brown the topping, so be sure the vessel can withstand the intense heat.

Cheesy and Creamy Fennel Gratin

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 medium fennel bulbs (about 2½ lbs. total), halved lengthwise, cored and sliced about ¼ inch thick
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¾ cup)
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 oz. fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
  • 4 oz. provolone cheese, shredded (1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper-middle position.
  2. In a large pot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add the fennel and 1 tablespoon salt, then cook for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under running cold water until cool to the touch. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible, then lay the slices out on a kitchen towel and thoroughly pat them dry.
  3. In a 9-by-13-inch broiler-safe baking dish, toss together the fennel, oil, rosemary, fennel seeds, pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; distribute in an even layer.
  4. Roast until beginning to brown and a skewer inserted into the fennel meets no resistance, 25 to 30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan, panko and garlic.
  6. Remove the baking dish from the oven and turn on the broiler. Evenly distribute the fontina and provolone over the top of the fennel, then sprinkle on the Parmesan-panko mixture.
  7. Broil until the top is nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

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Adapted by Calvin Cox for Milk Street

Potato, Celery Root and Leek Gratin with Gruyére

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We are talking calorie-busting decadence here, but oh so worth it! Just keep in mind, a little goes a long way—think French when considering portion size; after all, Gruyère cheese is in the gratin. And it was a perfect accompaniment to our main course of sous vide, pan-seared beef tenderloin, which in of itself is very lean. Completing the plate was a lump crab meat patty, and roasted Brussels sprouts with an orange sauce.

The Hubs and I were a bit leery about the seemingly low amount of liquid, but it turned out perfectly creamy. One of our dinner guests admitted to disliking celery immensely and was concerned when he heard it contained celery root. However, he loved the gratin, even taking seconds!

A mandoline comes in real handy for uniformly-thin slices of potatoes and celery root. To aid in scheduling your dinner, this gratin can be made up to two hours ahead of time, covered with foil, then reheated for about 20 minutes.

Potato, Celery Root and Leek Gratin with Gruyere

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 sprig thyme plus 3 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, divided
  • 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • 3 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
  • Kosher Salt
  • 2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced crosswise (1/8″ thick)
  • 1 lb. celery root, peeled, very thinly sliced crosswise (1/8″ thick)
  • 2 cups grated Gruyère
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat to 350°. Heat cream, garlic, and thyme sprig in a medium saucepan just until bubbles begin to form around edge of pan. Remove from heat; set aside to steep.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; season with salt and cook, stirring often, until tender (do not brown), 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Butter a 3-quart gratin dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Layer 1/3 of potato slices and 1/3 of celery root slices evenly over bottom of baking dish. Cover with 1/3 of leeks, then 1/3 of Gruyère. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves. Repeat layers twice more. Strain cream mixture into a medium pitcher and pour over vegetables.
  4. Set gratin dish on a large rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour. Carefully remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 25–30 minutes.
    DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Tent with foil and rewarm in a 300° oven until hot, about 20 minutes.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Susan Spungen for Bon Apétit

Cranberry Sauce. Love It or Leave It?

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Growing up, I was never a fan of cranberry sauce, probably because it was the canned jellied version that was plated as one big lump on the festive table. Not too appealing… But of course, as we age, our tastes change, and so hopefully do our desires for something more elegant, especially at holiday time.

For this variation from Serious Eats, spices like cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves as well as orange juice and zest are combined, then finished off with a bit of spiced rum. “The end result is incredible: a cranberry sauce that has a multidimensional array of seasonal flavors that fits seamlessly into any Thanksgiving meal,” according to chef Joshua Bousel.

And it couldn’t be any easier. I bet if you still are ambivalent about cranberry sauce, this time around you just might love it!

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. orange juice
  • 1 tsp. orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 Tbsp. spiced rum

Directions

  1. Place all cranberries, white sugar, water, brown sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, Kosher salt, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until berries start to pop, about 10 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat, stir in spiced rum, and let cool for 30 minutes. Adjust consistency with additional water as needed. Serve immediately or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, reheating prior to serving.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Joshua Bousel for Serious Eats

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Garlic-Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes

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In the most recent issue of Bon Appétit Magazine, the minute I saw this recipe I knew we had to make them. Then serendipitously, while deciding our weeks menus, The Hubs came across a Braised Asian-Style Pork Shank entree which we knew would pair well with these potatoes—and we had shanks in our freezer!

But back to those potatoes. The original serves eight, so we cut it in half for just the two of us (with leftovers). After rereading the recipe numerous times, and the fact that I’ve made mashed potatoes for decades—and am pretty darn good at them—I instinctively knew there was WAY too much butter and cream, resulting in potato soup. After I made them my way, I went back to the online comments and sure enough, many disappointed reviewers noted that fact.

For example, the BA recipe called for 1 1/2 cups heavy cream which I cut back by 2/3, to only a 1/2 cup. The butter was listed as two full sticks, cut that by at least 50% and use only one stick, or less, if making the full recipe. And I always like to use ground white pepper in my potatoes, but that’s a personal preference. Ground pepper of any kind is a must.

“A couple of spoonfuls of miso adds a little extra umami and saltiness to these spuds, a subtle bridge between the roasted garlic and dairy that nobody will quite be able to put their finger on. And yes: These potatoes are actually mashed. I’m not going to stop you from pulling out a ricer or food mill if supersmooth is your thing, but I personally like a bit of texture—a few bits of intact potato remind you that you’re actually eating, you know, potatoes.” —Brad Leone

NOTE: You can either make the garlic paste ahead (Steps 1 through 3), or if you already have some in the fridge, you are way ahead of the game. You’ll save an hour and a half on dinner day.

In the end, even with my diminished amounts of butter and cream, I still found the mash too loose, especially the reheated leftovers, so consider scaling back even more… although they were indeed delicious!

The silver dish on the left holds the homemade silky garlic paste.

Garlic-Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 heads of garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp. white or yellow miso
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 lb. medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 8 spuds)
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut ½” off top of each head of garlic to expose just the tops of the cloves inside. Place on a 12″-square piece of parchment paper or foil. Drizzle with oil and season with salt. Drizzle 1 tsp. water over.
  2. Bring edges of parchment up and over garlic and fold together to make a packet and seal. Place on a small rimmed baking sheet and bake until very tender, 60–75 minutes.
  3. Let garlic sit until cool enough to handle, then squeeze out cloves into a medium bowl. Add butter and mash together into a paste with a wooden spoon or stiff rubber spatula. Add miso and mix well. Season garlic-miso butter with salt and pepper; set aside.
  4. Peel and quarter potatoes. Place in a large pot and pour in water to cover by 1″; season generously with salt. Bring water to a boil over medium-high, then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender (a tester or paring knife should easily slide into flesh), about 20 minutes from the time water starts to simmer. Drain potatoes and let sit 5 minutes to dry out; reserve pot.
  5. Bring cream to a simmer in reserved pot over medium-high. Remove from heat and return potatoes to pot. Set aside about 3 Tbsp. garlic-miso butter for serving and add remaining garlic-miso butter to pot. Using a potato masher (or use a potato ricer or food mill if you prefer a silkier texture), smash potatoes until mostly smooth; taste and season mashed potatoes with salt.
  6. Transfer mashed potatoes to a large shallow bowl. Top with reserved garlic-miso butter and season generously with more pepper.

Do ahead: Mashed potatoes can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill potatoes and reserved garlic-miso butter separately. Reheat potatoes over medium, stirring often and adding 1 tablespoon milk at a time to thin if needed.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe loosely adapted from Brad Leone for Bon Appétit

Roasted Kale and Red Onions

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Found in a recent Fine Cooking Magazine, this tasty side dish recipe is a perfect combination of balsamic vinegar, kale, and red onion. The side made a wonderful partner to our Roasted Loin Chops with Charmoula.

With only the two of us, we cut the amount of onions and kale in half, the balsamic vinegar and chicken broth by a third, and the remaining ingredients were kept the same. The original recipe is intact below.

Roasted Kale and Red Onions

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 large red onions, cut in wedges 
  • 6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • ½ cup chicken broth 
  • 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 bunches (about 1-1/4 1bs.) kale, stems removed coarsely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Line large roasting pan with foil; set aside.
  3. In bowl toss onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper; set aside.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet; add onion mixture. Cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to brown. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add broth and vinegar. Cover; cook 15 minutes or until onions are tender.
  5. Add butter. Increase heat to high. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, until onions are glazed.
  6. Meanwhile, add kale to roasting pan. Toss with remaining oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Roast, uncovered, 15 minutes, tossing 3 times.
  7. To serve, gently toss with onions.

http://www.lynnandruss.com