3 posts tagged “dressings”
I love beets! I always have. It wasn't one of those foods I had to grow into, like sour cream. Honestly, I'm quite surprised how many people don't love this vegetable. Compared to most vegetables, I believe they have a much higher natural sugar content. Who doesn't like sweets? I'm not a dietician, so I'm basing this knowledge on two things:
1. My zone-diet friend will not eat these.
2. Jessica Seinfeld, author of Deceptively Delicious, gets away with adding beet puree to many of her desserts.
Unlike zucchini, beets so delicious, you don't have to try to hide their flavor. Add a bit of of vinaigrette and DELISH!
I ROASTED the BEETS according to the Joy of Cooking:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Leaving the rootlets, trim all but 1 inch of the stems, then wash:
1 lb. beets
Place them in an 8x8 baking pan and add 1/2 cup. water. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake utnil the beets are easily pierced with a thin skewer or knife tip, about 45 mintues for small, 1 hour for medium, and 1 1/4 hours for large beets. Slip off the skins when ready to serve. Leave the beets whole or slice into rounds or wedges.
Vinaigrette
Whisk together and toss with sliced (still warm) beets:
1/4 c. sherry vinegar
1/4 c. oil (typically, vinaigrettes have 2-3 parts oil to vinegar, but I love vinegar, so I use the 1 to 1 ratio)
1 t. dijon mustard
snipped chives
salt and pepper
Yes, those are bacon wrapped meatballs. And to think, Husband and I declared this week vegetarian week in our household. We only lasted through Monday. I guess one evening of chickpea salad was enough for us.
Everday Vinaigrette, my favorite dressing, usually appears on our lettuce. Last night, I topped our roasted vegetables with this anything but dull dressing. Don't you think the word everyday implies something that leans towards humdrum? Don't let it fool you. This dressing would work for special occasions too.
Everyday Vinaigrette
adapted from Gourmet Everyday Cookbook
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan
1/3 c. water
1 1/2 T Dijon mustard
1 1/2 t. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 large garlic clove
1 1/2 c. olive oil
1/3 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley
Puree vinegar, cheese, water, mustard, sugar, salt, and garlic in a blender. Add oil and parsley and puree until parsley is finely chopped.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
The magazine basket has been overflowing for a few months now. What do you do with past issues? Is there some sort of organizational trick that I've missed? Though it's tempting, I don't think buying an additional or bigger basket is the answer.
In an effort to reduce the stack, I've been sorting through the food magazines. I do a few each sitting, so that it doesn't seem that I'm getting rid of too many too soon. I flip through the pages, rip out the recipes I think we may try, file the recipes, and then throw the used magazine in the recycling bin. In today's sort, I found inspiration for dinner.
An article on cleaning artichokes caught my eye. I've not attempted this before and thought it was time, as artichokes were on sale this week. It was quite a chore, and I only prepared two artichokes. Did you know artichokes have thorns hidden inside? Unknowingly, I pricked my self. Ouch! Maybe it gets quicker/easier with practice. The end result was delicious, better than canned, but not so outstanding that I'll do it again.
The other inspiration came from Fine Cooking's April/May 2007 issue. (Yes, I've had this magazine for a year, and there's older ones too). Sear-Roasted Halibut with Roasted Red Pepper Puree was a winner. Husband gave it a thumb's up. This recipe will definitely make it to the file. Thinned out with a little more vinegar/oil the Roasted Red Pepper Puree could also double as an excellent salad dressing.
Sear-Roasted Halibut with Roasted Red Pepper Puree
adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine
2 1/2 oz roasted re pepper (about 1/2 large jarred roasted pepper) (I made my own under the broiler)
2 T sherry vinegar
1/2 t. honey
1/2 medium clove garlic, peeled
1/4 c. plus 2 T EVOO
salt and pepper
4 6-7 oz cneter cut, skin-on halibut fillets
1 T thinly slice fresh chives or marjoram
375 degrees. Combine red pepper, vinegar, and honey in a blender. Process for a few seconds and then drop the garlic in. With the blender still running, slowly pour in the 1/4 c. oil and process until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of blender as necessary. Season.
Set the fish skin side down on a plate and season. Heat remaining 2 T oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Put the fish skin side up in the skillet, and cook until well browned, 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish, turn off the heat, and transfer to the oven. Roast until the fish is flaky, moist, and cooked through 5-7 minutes. Transfe fish to dinner plates and spoon about 1 T. puree onto or around each piece. Sprinkle with herbs and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
