Sunny's Kitchen (35 page)

t
his cabbage is both simple and complex—simple because the ingredients are easy to find, and complex because each ingredient packs such a powerful flavor profile. I enjoy sharing recipes from my kitchen, especially when they are dishes I make again and again. This is one of those recipes. The aroma is wonderful, with a hint of sweet orange and the savory flavors of everything else. This side dish goes with many things in any season.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Cook the bacon.
Cook the bacon in a large pot until it’s crisp and the fat is rendered. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.

2
Prepare the cabbage.
Add the olive oil and onions to the bacon fat and season with a pinch of salt. Add the peppercorns and celery seeds. Cook, stirring, until the onions are tender and celery seeds fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir in the cabbage. Toss the cabbage to coat and season with another pinch of salt. Cook, tossing, until wilted, about 5 minutes.

3
Braise and serve.
Pour in the chicken stock, orange juice, liquid smoke, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm topped with the reserved bacon.

 

tips!
If you cannot find slab bacon, try a smoked ham hock instead, and reduce the liquid smoke to 1 tablespoon.
•
This is a great brunch dish next to a steak or scrambled eggs.

f
rench fries were my favorite fast-food side until I started working at Sonic Drive-In while in high school. Then onion rings took over. Without a Sonic in my backyard, I’ve whipped up my own onion ring breading to get by. And everything tastes better as a casserole, so I found a way to fit circles into a rectangle.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Start the sauce.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to swirl, add the onion, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the garlic and stir to incorporate. Add the tomato paste, stirring to mix, and cook until slightly deeper in color, about 5 minutes.

2
Finish sauce.
Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, crushed tomatoes, and vinegar to the pan, stirring to incorporate between each addition. Taste and season with salt, if needed. Butter a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Pour the sauce into the dish and set aside.

3
Dredge and fry the onions.
Heat 1 inch of vegetable or peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet to 350°F. Place the flour on a large plate. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, paprika, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix the panko and thyme in a wide bowl. Keeping the onion slices intact, dredge completely with flour, coat with the egg mixture, then dredge only the smaller or tapered side of the onion surface in the panko mixture. Carefully transfer to the oil, panko side down. Fry until golden, about 4 minutes.

4
Finish the dish.
With a spatula, carefully nestle the onion slices into the baking dish, panko side down, forming a single layer. Discard the flour and egg mixture, but keep the panko portion of the dredge. Add the olive oil to the reserved panko and stir to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the remaining panko over the baking dish. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and the onions are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

t
his is something I created in my kitchen for the winter holidays. Combining two dishes to make one gives you more space in the oven and one less dish to wash or make room for on the table. This casserole works for me during the holiday rush, but it also makes an appearance at the end of spring/beginning of summer. It’s a great way to bridge the seasons with comfort and fresh vegetables.
SERVES 6 TO 8

1
Prepare the potatoes.
Cut the reserved potato peels into thin strips, then soak in a large bowl of water for 20 minutes. Fill a large pot with water. Add the garlic and a small handful of salt. Bring to a boil and add the potatoes. Cook until fork tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the potatoes and garlic with a slotted spoon and drain in a sieve. Transfer to a large bowl.

2
Blanch the green beans.
Add the green beans to the same water. Bring back to a boil if needed, then simmer until the beans are bright and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl.

3
Prepare the mushroom cream sauce.
In a large straight-sided pan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, onion, serrano pepper, thyme, paprika, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook until the onion is tender, then add the mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms wilt and become tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs and slowly stir in the heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the cream thickens a bit, 6 to 8 minutes. Once thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the crema. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

4
Prepare the potatoes and green beans.
Add the jalapeños and three-quarters of the mushroom mixture to the potatoes and mash everything until combined. Add three-quarters of the cheese to the potatoes and stir to combine. Add the remaining cheese and mushroom cream sauce to the green beans. Stir to combine.

5
Make the topping.
Pour the potato strips into a colander and give them a final rinse under running water until it appears to be clear. Pour them onto a clean, dry kitchen towel and pat dry as much as possible; using paper towels works too. In a medium bowl, combine the potato strips, sage, thyme, paprika, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss the potato peels in the seasonings to coat.

6
Assemble the casserole.
Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 × 8-inch baking dish. Spread the potatoes over the bottom of the dish, then layer the green bean mixture over the top. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the beans and press down gently. Bake until the potatoes brown and begin to crisp on the edges, about 30 minutes.

 

tip!
To prepare in advance, build the casserole, but leave off the topping and refrigerate. Refrigerate the potato peel strips in a bowl of water. Before baking, rest the casserole at room temperature for about 1 hour, then make the topping and bake as instructed.

i
love fried green tomatoes, but I also love eating food when I want it. Luckily, the season for tomatillos runs longer than that for green tomatoes in Brooklyn, and tomatillos have that tart flavor I enjoy. I get them at a local farmers’ market and fry them using this easy recipe. Leaving out the egg in the dredge makes a great crunch and my slightly spicy cream sauce is perfect.
SERVES 4 TO 6

1
Make the sauce.
In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, yogurt, honey, and hot sauce. Taste and season with a pinch of salt, if needed. Refrigerate while making the tomatillos.

2
Season and press tomatillos.
Line up the tomatillo slices on a plate and season both sides with a pinch of salt; let rest for 10 minutes. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel.

3
Dredge the tomatillos.
Put the flour and a pinch of salt in a shallow dish. Pour the buttermilk into a second shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, cornmeal, thyme, garlic powder, chili powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir with a fork. Coat the tomatillo slices first with the flour and then shake off the excess. Dip in the buttermilk, then press both sides into the bread crumb mixture. Transfer to a plate as you complete the rest.