Get Cooking: 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen (38 page)

deeply roasted cauliflower

Makes 3 generous servings

C
auliflower is one of those vegetables that is good anywhere and everywhere along the textural spectrum—from raw to mush (as in, boiled to oblivion and mashed with butter, salt, and pepper, mashed-potato-style). This high-temperature treatment allows it to be a bit of both—very well cooked (to the point of singed, but in a good way) and utterly tender, but also crisp and crunchy.

1.
Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking tray with foil, and drizzle it with the olive oil.

2.
Arrange the cauliflower pieces on the tray and shake them into a single layer. Put the tray in the oven and roast the cauliflower for 10 minutes.

3.
Shake the tray and/or use tongs to redistribute the cauliflower so that more surfaces can come into contact with the hot oil. (This will crisp everything up nicely.) Roast for another 5 minutes, or until a taste test tells you the cauliflower is cooked to your liking. (It will continue to cook a bit more after it comes out of the oven.)

4.
Remove the tray from the oven, and let the cauliflower cool for about 10 minutes on the tray. Season with the salt, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

GET CREATIVE

• Spice mixes are really nice on roasted cauliflower. Try sprinkling on a bit of
  za’atar
  (Chapter 5: Burgers) about halfway through the roasting process. Or try a store-bought spice blend, such as Cajun blackening spices or curry powder.
  
• Season with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
  
• Consider leaving out the salt, or tasting the cauliflower before adding any. You might be surprised at how good it tastes unsalted. That said, it’s also fun to garnish this with a very light sprinkling of coarse, crunchy salt.
  
• Crumble some feta, goat cheese, or bleu cheese over the hot cauliflower after you take it out of the oven, and let it melt to form a cheese topping.
  
• Sprinkle some toasted breadcrumbs (see Chapter 3: Pastas) over the cauliflower after it comes out of the oven.
  
• To make a gratin, transfer the cooked cauliflower to a baking dish, top with toasted breadcrumbs (see Chapter 3: Pastas) and shredded jack or Cheddar cheese, and put the pan under the broiler briefly to melt the cheese.
  
• Include a thickly sliced red onion or a thickly sliced carrot on the baking tray and roast it along with the cauliflower.
  
• Try this same process using broccoli instead of all or some of the cauliflower.
  
• Roasted cauliflower will keep for up to 5 days in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator, and will respond beautifully to all sorts of sauces, glazes, and salad dressings. You can also just cut it small and throw it into a green salad.
  

seriously good green beans amandine

Makes 4 to 5 servings

T
he classic preparation, only better. The double cooking process involves blanching the beans first, and then coating them in a warm mixture of toasted almonds and garlic-and-butter-infused olive oil. You will want to make this for special occasions. You may also want to make it every night.

1.
Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a big pinch of salt. Place a large colander in the sink.

2.
While waiting for the water to boil, place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. When the oil has become warm (after about 3 minutes), add the butter and swirl to combine. Turn the heat down to low, add the almonds, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they give off a toasty aroma. During the last couple of minutes, stir in the garlic. Watch carefully and keep stirring, turning the heat down if the almonds or garlic begins to burn. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

3.
When the water boils, turn the heat down to low and add the green beans. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the beans turn bright green and shiny and are beginning to become tender. (This is subjective, so do a taste test.) When they are
done to your liking, drain them in the colander, shaking it emphatically, and then dry the beans by patting them with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

4.
Return the pan of almonds to the stove over medium-low heat. Add the green beans, turning them with tongs until they are uniformly coated with the oil and nicely mingled with the almonds. Sprinkle in the salt as you go. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

delightfully spiced carrots

Makes 4 servings

H
aving written many vegetable-featuring cookbooks over the past very many years, I can say with some confidence that the spices in this recipe are the ones that love carrots the best. And vice versa. Whether eating them cooked or raw, I like my carrots crunchy, so I’ve designed this recipe around that preference. But perhaps you like them better soft when cooked. If so, you can add an extra, easy step: Simply put a pot of water to boil, and put a colander in the sink. When the water is ready, toss in the sliced carrots and cook for 30 seconds or so. Then immediately drain them in the colander, shake it exuberantly a few times, and proceed with the recipe. You will get your tender result this way.

1.
Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.

2.
Stir in the cumin and cinnamon, and let them cook in the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add the carrots and garlic, turning them with tongs until thoroughly coated with oil and spice.

3.
Sprinkle in the salt, and stir well. Cover, and cook, stirring several times, for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots are just tender. (If at any point they appear to be sticking or scorching, add a tablespoon of water.) Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

GET CREATIVE

• Garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing at the table.
  
• Add a teaspoon or two of butter when heating the olive oil and spices.
  
• Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes along with the spices.
  
• Add a tablespoon or two of fresh lemon juice or orange juice along with the carrots.
  
• Add up to a teaspoon of grated lemon and/or orange zest.
  
• Add 2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar along with the carrots. (Or just sweeten to taste.)
  
• Add up to 3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger along with the carrots.
  
• Add ¼ cup currants or golden raisins along with the carrots.
  
• Toss in a few tablespoons of minced fresh mint during the last minute or so of cooking (highly recommended!).
  
• Sprinkle the cooked carrots with up to ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or sliced or slivered almonds.
  

fajita-style peppers and onions

Makes 4 to 5 servings

W
hen cooked minimally over high heat, sweet bell peppers retain much of their crispness and color and become even sweeter and more intense, resulting in the most versatile side-dish-slash-condiment imaginable. A touch of this magical combo can cheer up any plate, at any temperature. Serve it as a side dish or wrap it in a tortilla, and you can accommodate vegetarians alongside meat lovers when whipping up a steak fajita dinner (see Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat). You can also pile these peppers and onions on any burger (see burger chapter beginning on Chapter 5: Burgers), a Pan-Grilled Boneless Chicken Breast (Chapter 6: Chicken, Fish, and Meat), an open-faced toasted cheese sandwich, an omelet, pasta, pizza, rice…really just about anything. Make a batch and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week, stored in a resealable plastic bag or a tightly covered container, so you can use it whenever you like.