Vegetables and Salads
Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Pecans
This is the way to eat sprouts with a wonderfully versatile vinaigrette that is great over a variety of different vegetables. Vinaigrette can be made 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Brussels sprouts and nuts can be roasted 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat in a 400°F oven until hot, about 5 minutes.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp white-wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup shallot minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp good olive oil
Brussels Sprouts
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces ½ stick
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts (small is best) trimmed and halved lengthwise (quartered if lrg)
- ½ cup pecan halves halved lengthwise
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Vinaigrette
- Whisk together vinegar, water, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, while whisking vigorously.
Brussels Sprouts
- Preheat oven to 400°FMelt butter in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) in lower third of oven, about 3 minutes.Toss sprouts in pan with butter, pecans and salt. Arrange sprouts, cut side down, in single layer and roast in lower third of oven until undersides of sprouts are golden and nuts are fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes.Transfer sprouts to serving dish, whisk vinaigrette and pour over warm sprouts and nuts, toss and serve immediately.
Haricots Verts Almondine
This is a very straightforward treatment for green beans. Even the most finicky eaters will not object to their vegetables with these.
Ingredients
- 4 quarts water plus (2-3 Tbsp) divided
- 4 8 oz packages fresh haricots verts French green beans
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup shallot thinly sliced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add green beans; cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain beans; plunge into a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans, and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Wipe Dutch oven clean; add butter and oil, and cook over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add almonds, and cook, stirring constantly, until butter has browned and almonds are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. (Be careful not to over-toast the almonds).Add shallot and garlic, cook stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring constantly until sauce has thickened slightly and has a glossy sheen. (May need to add up to 1 more tablespoon water if sauce is too thick.)Stir in beans, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium; cook, tossing occasionally, until beans are hot and coated with sauce and almonds, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Lemony Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
- ½ English cucumber seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ yellow bell pepper diced
- Feta crumbled
Instructions
- Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste) in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until it emulsifies. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the salad to allow the flavors to marry.
- Rinse the quinoa in a strainer until the water runs clear. Place quinoa, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a saucepan, bring to boil and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Remove quinoa from refrigerator and add tomatoes, red onion, olives, cucumber, peppers and dressing. Stir to combine. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with feta.