red or green?: November 2012

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

spicy roasted cauliflower & garlic

it is time to introduce you to the most simple, easy and delicious way to serve cauliflower...slow roasted with tons of garlic and a healthy dose of dried red pepper flakes. the roasting turns the vegetables deep brown, caramelized and incredibly sweet. the pepper flakes add a bit of heat. the recipe calls for a large pinch...use more or less depending on your heat tolerance.

i first made this years ago for friends. when the pan came out of the oven we descended on the finished dish and ate every bite literally from the pan...did not even wait to serve with dinner. you may want to consider doubling the recipe...everyone will want seconds.

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower & Garlic

Ingredients

1 head organic cauliflower

1 head organic garlic, cloves separated and peeled

extra virgin olive oil

grey salt

large pinch red pepper flakes

Cooking Directions

preheat oven to 425 degrees. prepare cauliflower by first washing and removing leaves. (save for stir frys, soups or stock). cut off stem and then cut cauliflower in half lengthwise and then again into quarters. place one of the cut sides down on cutting board and...with the knife at an angle...cut off stem. repeat with remaining three pieces. break cauliflower into bite sized florets.

place prepared cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet. run 4 passes of olive oil bottle over pan and, using your hands, roll cauliflower in oil ensuring evenly covered. place in preheated oven for 30 minutes. remove from oven and add garlic and another 2 passes of e.v.o.o. stir and sprinkle salt and red pepper flakes over vegetables. return to pan and roast for another 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, adding additional oil only if necessary. keep roasting until the cauliflower is deep brown and caramelized on all sides being careful not to let burn.

remove from oven, taste and adjust salt if needed. place in on a serving platter and pour all e.v.o.o from pan over vegetables. serve immediately.

it is cauliflower week at food network's fall fest. check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends:
Red or Green?: Spicy Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic

Devour: 6 New Ways to Use Cauliflower
Thursday Night Dinner: Quick Cauliflower Curry
Feed Me Phoebe: Roasted Cauliflower and Fennel Salad With Endive and Radicchio
FN Dish: 10 Standout Cauliflower Recipes
HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Cauliflower

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california girl in taos
napa farmhouse 1885

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

bolitas bean salad

steve sando, of rancho gordo fame, recently sent an email update lamenting the absence of beans on this country's thanksgiving day menu. his point was that the feast celebrates food from the "new world". so why are beans left off the table? as steve says:

"I maintain that dried beans (cooked, natch) belong on the table with the turkey, the cranberries, the wild rice, the potatoes and other New World foods."

i couldn't agree more. i will go a little bit further and add chiles. don't you think the traditional dishes are sometimes a tiny but bland? delicious...but bland. a bit of heat sounds wonderful to me.

so...this year i am adding a spicy bean salad to my holiday table. served at room temperature, the beans are paired with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and jalapeno. the vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, spices and herbs are the perfect complement to turkey...and taste delicious with all the other side dishes. give it a try and let me know what you think.

bolitas bean salad
(adapted from a rio culebra recipe)

8 oz bolitas beans, rinsed
2 tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped
1 english cucumber, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp organic seasoned rice vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt
pepper

add beans to large stockpot and cover with water by 3-4 inches. bring to a boil and then reduce heat to high simmer. cook until beans are tender. (note, cooking times depend on how fresh your beans are. fresh dried beans, like the ones sold by rio culebra or rancho gordo take about 2-3 hours to cook. older beans, like the ones bought at the supermarket, can take considerably longer...4-6 hours. plan accordingly and begin testing every 30 minutes after 2 hours. they should be al dente...like pasta...when ready. drain beans (save that bean juice!)** and add beans to a large bowl. add tomatoes, onion, cucumber, jalapeno and garlic to bowl. gently toss. add lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, pepper flakes, large pinch each of salt and pepper. toss and taste. adjust seasonings if needed. (i usually need to add more salt because the beans were not salted while cooking). add cilantro, toss one more time and serve warm or at room temperature.
*for spicier salad add the jalapeno seeds
**bean juice has tons of flavor and nutrients. i use it in place of stock for soups and stews. i cook greens in the juice to add flavor and sweetness.

note, i used bolitas beans for this recipe, but pinto, black or anasazi are equally good. i am a big fan of the beans from rancho gordo but, now that i live in taos, new mexico i am trying to shop locally whenever possible. i have recently discovered rio culebra, a cooperative of farmers from southern colorado (a short drive from taos). their beef and lamb are 100% grass fed without the use of any antibiotics or added hormones. their beans and corn are sustainably grown with no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. the crops have been adapted to our 8000 foot elevation and shorter growing season. i discovered them at the last taos farmers' market of the year. i look forward to telling you more about this wonderful group of ranchers and farmers in upcoming posts. for now...check them out...they have an online store.

it is favorite thanksgiving side week at food network's fall fest. check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends:

Feed Me Phoebe: Five Spice Winter Squash Soup
Chez Us: Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Virtually Homemade: Brussels Sprouts Salad With Avocado and a Tangerine Vinaigrette
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spicy Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Red or Green?: Bolitas Bean Salad
And Love It, Too: Potatoes Au Gratin (Gluten and Dairy-Free)
Devour: Thanksgiving Yam and Sweet Potato Sides That Are Almost Desserts
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing or Dressing
Cooking With Books: Rosemary and Pear Potato Salad
FN Dish: Old School Sweet Potato Soufflé

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and please visit my other blogs:
california girl in taos
napa farmhouse 1885

Friday, November 2, 2012

corn, peppers & onion sauté

i am so happy to announce that, for the second year in a row, food network is getting the entire food community together to celebrate a virtual thanksgiving, called the communal table (hashtag #pullupachair) on wednesday, november 7th at noon EST. they have invited me to participate...how cool is that?

here's how it works....bloggers from all over the country, as well as the food network gang, will each create a post/article on their respective sites sharing one of their favorite thanksgiving recipes. each blog will also contain links to all the other blogs so readers can see what everyone is “bringing to the table.” just think...a one stop place to view loads of delicious sounding recipes and plan your thanksgiving menu. with two weeks before the big day, we will all have plenty of time to finalize our menus.

i decided to submit this quick, easy and delicious corn, peppers & onion saute. perfect for the thanksgiving menu which, i think, screams for a dish with texture, crunch and a bit of heat. organic frozen corn is used for this time of year, but fresh corn in season is equally wonderful. add it to the more traditional holiday lineup. you will be glad you did. happy thanksgiving-planning everyone!

corn, peppers & onion sauté
3 poblano chilies (about 1 lb)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded, deveined and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried cumin
2 16 oz bags frozen corn (organic if possible), thawed and drained
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

place peppers on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet and place under the broiler set to HIGH. cook until peppers are blackened on all sides (check oven often and, using tongs, turn as each side is finished). remove from oven and allow to cool (note, some people recommend placing the peppers in a paper bag, closing tightly and allowing to cool. i never seem to need this step).
when peppers are cool, peel off the skin. (just use your hands, the peel should come off really easily). cut the peppers in half, pour off the liquid and remove the seeds. cut into slices about 1 inch wide and then cut in half. set aside

warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add onions (both yellow and green) and sauté until softened. (about 5 minutes) add the bell peppers, jalapeño and garlic and sauté until softened (about 4 minutes). add oregano and cumin, stir and cook an additional minute. add the corn and prepared poblanos, stir and sauté until corn is hot (5 minutes). season to taste with salt and pepper. pour into serving bowl and sprinkle cilantro over top. squeeze 2 lime wedges over dish. serve with remaining lime wedges.