My Prairie Cookbook (23 page)

The secret of this salad is the dressing. There's something about it that magically makes raw vegetables appealing to anyone . . . even children! Use your imagination here; add any and all green veggies that you like: green peppers, zucchini, arugula, kale, and so forth. Just keep it green, otherwise you'll have to change the name. For example, if you add carrots it would have to be “Greeny McGreen Green and a Little Orange Salad.”

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons olive oil

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 heads romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

•
Mix together the oil, lemon juice, honey, and mustard in a large bowl. Add all of the veggies and toss. Serve immediately.

This recipe comes courtesy of my best friend, Sandy Peckinpah. It's her grandmother's recipe. I never serve my General Gilbert's California Fried Chicken with Pan Gravy (
this page
) without also serving these green beans.

Serves 4

1 pound (455 g) green beans

4 slices bacon

1 red onion, sliced

½ cup (120 ml) apple-cider vinegar

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

•
Cook the green beans in boiling water until soft, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.

•
Cook the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until crisp. Drain it on paper towels. Sauté the onion in the bacon fat until soft and golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

•
Mix the vinegar and sugar in a small bowl. Add them to the onion in the pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the green beans to the onion mixture. Crumble the cooked bacon and stir it into the green bean mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently, covered, for about 45 minutes. Serve warm.

This homey family-style dish is yet another way to make veggie haters learn to love their vegetables. It's amazing what cheese can do. If you like, substitute cauliflower for the broccoli or equal parts Gruyère and Parmesan for the Cheddar.

Serves 6 to 8

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour

2 cups (480 ml) milk

4 large eggs

⅔ cup (150 g) unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly black ground pepper

3 large bunches broccoli, finely chopped (with stems, if desired)

1 yellow onion, minced or grated

1 pound (455 g) Cheddar cheese, shredded

•
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish.

•
In a large bowl, combine the flour, milk, eggs, butter, baking powder, salt, and pepper and mix well to combine.

•
Add the broccoli and onion to the bowl and mix. Add the cheese and stir to blend.

•
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake, covered, for 60 to 75 minutes, until set and golden brown on top. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

I make this dish every few weeks. It's a big favorite at my house. I was quite surprised by everyone's reactions the first time I served it, but the mystery was solved after I tasted it myself. It's an absolute winner!

Serves 4 to 6

Salt

2 pounds (910 g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed

¼ cup (½ stick/55 g) unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ cup (30 g) dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

•
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and boil until just about cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain them in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop them from cooking any further. Cut them in half lengthwise.

•
Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the edges begin to brown, about 2 minutes, then remove and discard the garlic. Add the Brussels sprouts to the skillet, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring often, until the sprouts are well browned in places, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the sprouts and stir well, then add the lemon juice and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.