Savory: Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Sherry Vinegar

I love the late autumn harvest goodies that show up in the markets. Squash, pumpkins, and asparagus are both beautiful and delicious.  But there is something exceptional about a whole brussel spout stalk.  We are talking about large scale farm stand drama.  Like some kind jingle bell vegetable fantasy, they beckon you to pick them up and shake.   A single stalk is festooned with 50 or more edible buds bearing green-purple leaves that resemble baby cabbages.

Bring them home, and throw the entire stalk into a vase with clean water; this helps them to keep fresh before using.  You will get a much longer shelf life from a stalk than loose sprouts you may find at the market.  To remove the buds, grasp each and twist gently.  They should come off fairly easily.  Wash, and then set aside until ready to cook. If you are using frozen, take them out of the freezer and let them rest on the counter for 5 - 10 minutes.  Do not microwave.

Based on Mark Bitman's classic recipe, this method is easy, fast, and flexible.  When they are in season, brussel sprouts are often very inexpensive; this stalk was a bargain at $3.99. Left to roast in a heavy pan (I like a cast-iron skillet), the leaves come out sweet, crispy, and caramelized.  Whole garlic cloves are used, yielding a more subtle and fragrant dish without a bite.  Sherry vinegar gets added as a finale, both brightening and heightening the flavors. I prefer sherry vinegar over balsamic, but any kind of acid will work here. I tend to be generous with seasoning but use your best judgment. 

You can change this up as per the holiday or international flavor of your choice.  When available, throw in roasted chestnuts and make it a doubly festive dish for the season.  Add some parmesan and red wine vinegar for an Italian flavor.  Swap cider vinegar or pomegranate molasses on Rosh Hashanah. 

I like to serve this with roast chicken; often I cook them in the same pan after the chicken has been removed, soaking up the fond and flavor.  This dish pairs well with bland or slightly savory dishes.  Can't use them all in one dish?  The smaller ones are sweeter, so cook those and save the rest for soup or slaw.  If you like going big, this dish is easily doubled using an entire sprout, looks impressive, and is an excellent side at a large dinner or party. Enjoy every bite.

Ingredients

• 25 individual brussel sprout buds (about 1 lb)
• 4 - 6 tablespoons of olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, whole and peeled
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Using a paring knife, slice the bottom off of each bud; discard the bottoms.  Then cut each bud in half. 
3. Place a large cast-iron skillet on the stove.  Heat for a few minutes and then add oil.  Place the buds in the pan, flat side down.  Add garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes until they start to look a little brown on the edges.  
4. Place pan in a pre-heated oven, and roast for 10- 20 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and taste.  Season with additional salt and pepper as necessary.  Add vinegar and serve.  

Serves 4 - 6

Savory: Summer Zucchini Saute

Zucchini is a summer pleasure.  It grows quickly and abundantly, yielding ongoing yellow blossoms and delicious fruit to enjoy.  There is something particularly satisfying about its silky texture, especially when smaller, more delicate zucchini are picked fresh that day.

Personally, I enjoy it cooked as simply as possible and in concert with other summer harvests like tomatoes and fresh herbs. Feta complements it with a nice, brined punch.  

This recipe is quick, cheap, and delicious.  I like to serve it with orzo or rice, but any type of small grain would work - think quinoa, barley, or acini di pepe.  It also pairs well with mild fish such as sole or tilapia.  Enjoy every bite.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped 
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 small/medium sized zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups of chopped tomatoes, seeds removed
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 chopped dill
• 4 oz of feta cheese (if you can find the Bulgarian kind, even better)

Method

1. Heat oil and butter on medium heat using a heavy, oven friendly pan.  I prefer a Le Creuset skillet.
2. Add onions and sauté with salt and pepper until they start to soften, about 3 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until soft. 
4. Add parsley and dill, cook for 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat.  Spread tomatoes evenly across the top of the pan, and then crumble feta cheese on top. 
6. Broil on high for 3 - 5 minutes, until the feta begins to slightly brown.  Remove from oven and serve.

Underrated: Sweet Omelettes

Omelettes are on my go to list of foods:  they are fast, easy, versatile, cheap, and delicious.  But for some reason, highly underrated for the home cook.  When asked about omelettes, most people tend to smile and mention their favorite Diner rather than their best recipe.  Even then, there is a focus on cheese, ham, scallions, herbs, and other tasty savories, because that is what tends to be on the menu.

My recipe is a sweet departure from its road-stop cousin.  After all, an omelette is really an egg pancake, and is well suited to more luscious pairings.  Here I used cream cheese and Nutella for a quick mix, but the options are limitless.  Think ricotta and honey, bananas and chocolate syrup, diced apples sautéed with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, lemon curd, macerated strawberries, blueberries cooked in maple syrup, or whatever pleases you.

One note on the pan:  There is a lot of religion out there on omelette pans.  Personally, I don't think any home cook requires a fancy, expensive omelette pan (although smoke if you got 'em).  Nor do you need to use a non-stick pan - the butter will take care of that and also helps to make for a fast clean-up. Here at Chez Noonie, I rely on a standard issue, stainless, 9 inch fry pan.

My son likes this for breakfast, but with a little flair this could easily turn into a great gluten-free or Passover dessert. I am thinking 6 eggs would probably make dessert for 4, with the omelette rolled up Julia Child style and cut into even pieces, instead of filling use toppings, add a little raspberry drizzle presentation...but I digress.

Enjoy every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp sugar (caster if you have it)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• 2 tbsp Nutella
• powdered sugar

Method

1. Gently whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt together.  
2. In separate bowl, blend the cream cheese and Nutella.
3. Place a small frying pan on medium heat and melt butter.  Swirl gently to coat bottom and sides of pan.
4. Add the egg mixture.  It will begin to cook around the edges. 
• Use a fork to lift the edges up and allow the remaining liquid to run underneath the cooked portion; this creates the layers that make a fluffy omelette.  
• Repeat this process until the eggs resemble a large pancake and is mostly dry, 2 - 3 minutes at the most.  
5. Add the cream cheese/Nutella mix down the center.  Flip one half over the other to create a half-moon, and then slide onto plate. 
6. Lightly brush with butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Savory: Satay Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Once you have mastered peanut sauce, chicken satay is a breeze and makes for a lovely and impressive presentation. It may look daunting, but truth be told this is a simple and fast recipe that is great for a party or everyday meal, especially if you plan ahead.  The chicken skewers are simple kebabs that take mere minutes to finish - as long as you make the peanut sauce and marinate in advance, you can have this on the table in less than 15 minutes.

Satay is great family meal - kids love to grab the skewered chicken, and also choose their poisons, I mean vegetables.  Dipping is a fun and messy affair for all.  I find that a little kid empowerment makes for a more peaceful table.  On the other hand, keep on eye out for skewers repurposed as weapons. 

I chose to use pepper, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes, with some hard boiled eggs thrown in for fun.  But honestly anything works here - corn, zucchini, snap peas, tofu - whatever you have on hand will work in a pinch.  If you are dining without the kids, then up the heat by adding some red chilis or sriracha sauce to the marinade.  Fire up some onions with the satay, add some cabbage slaw or bok choy, add some spicy pickles, maybe even grilled eggplant - whatever you like.  The mix and match simplicity of this dish really gives you lots of options and no bad choices. 

Enjoy every bite.

Ingredients

Marinade

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

wooden skewers

Platter

1/2 lb green beans, cut

1 english cucumber sliced into thin circles

2 large red peppers sliced into long strips

2 carrots sliced into thin circles

2 medium tomatoes, cut into sixths

4 hard boiled eggs, halved

1 portion peanut sauce, room temperature

Method

1. Combine marinade ingredients and add chicken.  Refrigerate for 2 - 4 hours.
2. Remove wooden skewers from packaging and immerse in water for 30 minutes or more.
3. Blanche the green beans, carrots, and peppers for 30 seconds.  Remove and arrange on platter.
4. Remove chicken from marinade.  Thread carefully onto wooden skewers.  
5. Grill chicken for approximately 2 - 3 minutes per side - chicken should be cooked through.
6. Plate chicken with vegetables, eggs, and sauce, and serve at once. (serves 6)

Savory: Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce is a tasty, versatile, and fairly simple condiment to have on hand. Equally delicious as satay or slaw, it lends a unique and somewhat exotic mystique to the lowly peanut and will save you a fortune in take out costs. It can be served hot or cold with fresh vegetables, spread on bread to brighten an otherwise ho hum PB&J, or even eaten straight up with a spoon.  

This particular recipe is also vegan, parve, and dairy free.  Got nut allergies?  Substitute equal parts tahini or sunflower seed butter for a comparable result.  

Kecap manis is a sweetened soy sauce available at Asian specialty stores.  If you cannot find it, make your own by heating 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp molasses, and 1 tbsp light brown sugar until all the sugar is dissolved.   

A big shout out to Peanut Butter Boy, whose exceptional chunky peanut butter contributed to the success of this dish.  I like this brand for many reasons, not the least of which my friend Nick Strand invented it, but also because it is emulsified without being too oily or greasy.  There is no sugar added, so the peanuty flavor really shines through.  Highly recommended.  

The recipe makes a large amount of sauce, which works for me as I have lots of plans for it.  Come back soon to see more recipes.  

Enjoy every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil (peanut if you have it, otherwise stick to something neutral like grape seed or vegetable oil)
• 1 onion, large, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp cayenne (or as you like it)
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 8 oz peanut better, crunchy style
• 14 oz can of coconut milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp kecap manis (sweetened soy sauce - see above)
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• salt 

Method

1. Heat oil and onion and garlic.  Cook on low heat until translucent (about 10 minutes).
2. Add chili powder, cayenne, and paprika. Cook for a minute or two. 
3. Take the pan off heat and incorporate the coconut milk and water.  Place on burner again, and heat slowly on low temperature until the sauce boils.  
4. Add kecap manis and tomato sauce.  Salt as desired.  Serve cold or hot.  

Savory: Greek Eggplant "Salad"

Eggplant can be as mysterious to cooks as the Mona Lisa's smile.  Do you salt it or wet it?  How can you make it less bitter?  How can you cook it without soaking every ounce of oil up like a sponge?  I have had many really smart, independent, determined friends come to me with the same dilemma time and time again, looking at me as if I have the primer for the Da Vinci Code.

The truth is, it really is not that difficult to work with eggplant, as long as you plan ahead of time - last minute eggplant anything recipes are hard to find.  If you are new to it, think of it like a bad first date; you have to coax it out of its bitterness and try to ignore it's self-absored nature.  Once you get past that, it is yielding, easy to work with, and delicious.  First impressions can be deceptive.

This recipe came to me from The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook, part of the Essential series from Bay Books which I enjoy.  The books survey several countries in each volume, and then serve up luscious pictures, details about exotic ingredients, and terrific recipes.  In this book, you can travel through Spain, France, Northern Africa, Turkey, the Middle East, and of course Greece, where you will find this easy to make albeit time consuming recipe.  Billed as a salad, it can be served on its own with rice or orzo as a main course.  Eggplant, tomato, and onions are basically sauteed on low heat for about an hour, yielding a soft, velvety meal for six.  Did I mention that it is low fat, vegetarian, and gluten free?

Enjoy every bite.

Greek Eggplant Salad
Adapted from The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• Canned chopped tomatoes (800 grams or 1 lb 12 oz)
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped mint
• 5 1/2 oz greek yogurt
• 1 oz toasted pine nuts

Method

1. Cut the eggplant into 3/4 inch cubes.  Place in colander, generously salt (kosher salt if you have it), and let it drip into a bowl for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat dry using a dish towel.  
2. Mix the remaining 2 tbsp of oil with garlic and lemon juice.  Add to yogurt along with the mint and stir.  Set aside.
3. Using a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil on medium-high.  Fry the eggplant in batches until golden and cool on paper towels.  Add 2 more tbsp of oil to the pan and fry the onion for 1 - 2 minutes, then add the cinnamon and 1/2 of the garlic.  Mix and fry for 1 more minute and then add the tomatoes, and stir well.  Add the eggplant, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about an hour, until the liquid is cooked through/the mixture is dry.  Add half of the chopped herbs and remove from heat to cool down. 
4. Add pine nuts and mix through.  Top with remaining fresh herbs and serve with yogurt sauce and orzo.  

Savory: Fish Tacos

Fish tacos have very trendy here on the east coast.  The first time I tried them was more than a decade ago out in San Diego, visiting family and and soaking up the local culture.  We were out Coronado, walking off our jet lag and looking for dinner.  We passed a local dive and I was sure that in my state I had read the sign incorrectly but sure enough, fish tacos were on the menu...and they were fabulous.  Simply cooked fish in a spicy sauce, crisp slaw, fresh tortillas - what a revelation.

These tasty SoCal transfers are easy to make, endlessly versatile, and delicious.  The below recipe calls for tilapia but any firm white fish works - try on red snapper, cod, whatever suits your fancy.  Change up flour tortillas with corn.  Swap sour creme with crema or yogurt.  Go nuts with the spices, or even better...add nuts!  There are no rules and everything just seems to work. So have fun, enjoy your summer, and as always, enjoy every bite.

Ingredients:

Fish tacos

• 1 lb tilpia fillets
• 1/2 cup grape seed oil
• juice from 1 freshly squeezed lime
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• Salt, to taste

Slaw

• 1 savoy cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• salt and pepper

Smokey Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 freshly squeezed lime
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder or to taste
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tilapia fillets into 8th s.  Combine spices, lime juice, and oil together and then add fish.  Marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes.  
2. While fish is marinating, combine all slaw ingredients together and place in bowl. Toss.  
3. Combine smokey sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Let the chipotle bloom for at least 10 minutes.  
4. Place fish sticks on a lined baking sheet and into the oven.  Cook for 10 minutes or until white and flaky.  
5. Serve with warm flour tortillas.