Category Archives: Sides

Sides, Vegetarian

Marmite Roast Potatoes

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A while back I did a post on umami and at the time, I had never tasted Marmite and didn’t include it. Their advertising slogan is “Love it or hate it,” and I wondered which way I’d go. I tried it in a recipe that I adapted from Karen William’s Marmite Roast Potatoes on Delish – a British cooking site. Maybe I don’t love it yet, but it works for me.

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MARMITE ROAST POTATOES“Vegans, Love It or Hate It, You’re Going to Need It”

 

MARMITE ROAST POTATOES“New ways with Marmite: top cooking tips”

 

Marmite Roast Potatoes

MARMITE ROAST POTATOESIngredients:
  • 2 lb white potatoes
  • 2 oz. butter
  • 1 tbsp. Marmite
  • 1 tbsp. bourbon
  • Thyme leaves (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400o.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Place the peeled and cut into 2 inch potatoes and boil for 10 mins. Drain, shake well to rough-up the edges and leave them in the pot, covered, for 10 minutes.
Melt the butter in a small pot and whisk in the marmite and bourbon until blended.MARMITE ROAST POTATOES
Put the potatoes into a baking tray and pour the marmite over them. Turn potatoes to coat. Cook for 20 minutes, turn the potatoes, and cook for another 20 minutes.MARMITE ROAST POTATOES
Sprinkle with black pepper, thyme leaves and serve.MARMITE ROAST POTATOES
MARMITE ROAST POTATOESMARMITE ROAST POTATOESBased on Melissa Clark’s suggestion. I tried Marmite on a scrambled egg sandwich.  Very good but if you try it, don’t add any additional salt.

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Seafood, Sides, Vegetarian

Shrimp Fried Rice

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Shrimp Fried Rice

This is a fast-cooking recipe so have all the ingredients prepared and ready to add to the pan. In place of, or in addition to the peas and carrots use what ever vegetables you like – broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus. Instead of shrimp try this with a boneless pork chop cut into small pieces. Someday I think I’ll make it with pancetta for a Chinese-Italian fusion.
Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients:
  • 6 oz shrimp (small shrimp or large cut small)
  • Salt & black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil divided
  • ½ chopped onion
  • ¾ cup peas & carrots
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups cooked rice (cold)
  • 1 tbsp. each soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp. chopped green onion
Preheat a large fry pan or wok to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Sauté the shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until they start to color. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.Shrimp Fried Rice
Add the onion, peas and carrots and cook until the onion starts to turn translucent. Slide the onion, peas, and carrots to the side (if you pan isn’t big enough, temporally remove the vegetables) and pour the beaten egg onto the other side. Cook the egg, break it up mix it with the vegetables.Shrimp Fried Rice

 

Shrimp Fried Rice
Add the rice and mix thoroughly with the egg and vegetables. Then add the shrimp. Pour in one tablespoon each of the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and oyster sauce. Stir and fry until everything is combined.  Add chopped green onions and serve.Shrimp Fried Rice

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Sides, Vegetarian

Grilled Broccoli

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Grilled Broccoli

 

I got this grilled broccoli recipe from Julia and Bridget on America’s Test Kitchen. They came up with it for an outdoor grill, but it works just as well indoors. We live in an apartment building in Manhattan so no outdoor grill for us but a grill pan over two burners on a gas stove does the job.
Grilled Broccoli
Ingredients:
  • 2 heads broccoli
  • Salt & black pepper to taste
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves finely minced garlic
  • 1  lemon cut in half
Pre-heat the over to 375o.
Wash the broccoli and trim its stems. Put it in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with minced garlic, juice of ½ lemon and olive oil. Toss the broccoli until it’s thoroughly coated. Grilled Broccoli
Place the broccoli on a large sheet of aluminum foil, fold the sides up and add a ½ cup of water. Completely wrap the broccoli in the foil and tightly seal the edges. Reseal it in another piece of foil. Grilled Broccoli
Place it in the oven  for 30 minutes.
Place the ½ lemon cut side down on the grill alongside the broccoli on a grill and cook until the broccoli begins to sear. Grilled Broccoli
Place it in a serving dish and squeeze the grilled lemon half over it and serve. Grilled Broccoli

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Lunch/Snacks, Sides, Vegetarian

Basilicata Frittata

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Basilicata Frittata

I had some leftover fresh horse radish from the Basilicata Style Pasta, so I used it for a frittata.
Basilicata Frittata
Ingredients:
  • About 12 oz./2 cups of potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
  • 8 eggs
  • 3 oz. grated Parmigiana cheese
  • 3 oz. grated fresh horseradish or more to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Enough olive oil for frying
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the cheese, horse radish, parsley, and seasoning. Mix in the mashed potatoes and blend until you have a fairly smooth mixture. Don’t worry about a few little lumps. If you made the mashed potatoes fresh, make sure they cool off before you mix them so they don’t cook the eggs.

Basilicata Frittata

Basilicata Frittata
Heat the oil in an oven proof 10 inch pan, pour in the egg mixture and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Once the eggs begin to set, place the pan under your broiler for another 5 minutes to cook and brown the top of the frittata.Basilicata Frittata
 

Basilicata Frittata

Slice and serve either hot or at room temperature.

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Sides, Vegetarian

Caesar Salad

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Caesar Salad

This is a traditional Caesar Salad recipe. It contains raw eggs and anchovies. Caesar Salad was invented in Mexico by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who lived in San Diego but operated a restaurant in Tijuana where he could serve alcohol during Prohibition.

 

Ingredients:
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup day old Italian bread, crust trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Salt & black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 minced anchovies (or more)
  • 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan

Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a pan large enough to hold the bread in a single layer and turn heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add the bread, salt and pepper. Toss and brown lightly. Remove and set aside.

Rub the inside of a salad bowl with the garlic clove and discard it.

Beat the eggs and pour into the salad bowl. Slowly add the lemon juice and 6 tablespoons oil, constantly beating. Stir in anchovies and Worcestershire.

Taste for seasoning. Keep in mind that the anchovies and cheese are salty but add lots of pepper. Toss to coat the lettuce. Add the Parmesan and croutons, toss again and serve.

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Sides, Vegetarian

Roasted Pumpkin

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Roasted Pumpkin

Whenever I see a pumpkin I think of Halloween and Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t normally think of Venice. I have a friend who spent some time there who told me that pumpkin (zucca in Italian) is a common ingredient in Venetian cuisine. He’s had it pureed in soup, with pasta, and as a side with meat or fish. Simple roasted pumpkin is even available from street vendors.

roasted pumpkin

Ingredients:
  • 1 pumpkin about the size of a cantaloupe
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • A few sprinkles of nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400o.roasted pumpkin
Wash the pumpkin and cut off the top and bottom. Pull out the seeds * and scrape out the fibers using the edge of a spoon or a melon baller. Cut the pumpkin in 1 inch wide slices.roasted pumpkin
Toss the slices in a bowl with the salt, nutmeg, and oil. Place them in a baking pan skin side down and roast for 25 minutes. Serve plain or as a side dish. You can eat the skin.roasted pumpkin
* If you like you can also roast the seeds. Mix 1 cup of rinsed and dried seeds with 2 tsp. melted butter and a dash of salt. Place them in a single layer on a baking pan and roast at 300o  for 45 minutes  or until golden brown stirring occasionally.
roasted pumpkin

 

https://youtu.be/HmA7ywx3lQk

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Sides, Vegetarian

Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes

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Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes

I recently did a post on Garlic Scapes. At the time I didn’t know what they were but got some feedback from subscribers who were familiar with them. I found scapes at a local greenmarket and was able to try the Italy Magazine recipe that I referred to, as well as another recipe that I got at the green market. 
Here’s the recipe directly from Italy Magazine:Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes
Ingredients
  • 1 pound (454g) garlic scapes
  • 2 cups (470g) white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Equipment: 2 sterilized pint-size (1/2 L) jars
Preparation:
  1. Cut the scapes into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths, removing any tough parts at the bottom and the thinnest part at the top above the small bulbous tip.
  2. Bring the vinegar to a boil over medium-high heat in a saucepan large enough to hold the scapes. Stir in the salt and let it dissolve. Add the scapes to the pot and cover. Boil, stirring once or twice, until the scapes have lost their bright green color, 4 to 5 minutes.Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes
  3. Drain the scapes in a colander set in the sink. Spread them out on a clean kitchen towel and let dry for about 1 hour. Shuffle them around a few times so they dry on all sides.Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes
  4. Pack the scapes into the jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Cover the scapes completely with oil, pressing down on the scapes to submerge them. Screw the lids on tightly and let rest at room temperature for 24 hours.
  5. Transfer the scapes to the refrigerator and let cure for one week before using. Store in the refrigerator for up to 12 weeks. To serve, remove from the jar only as many scapes as you plan to use and let them come to room temperature. Top off the jar with more oil as needed to keep the remaining scapes submerged.  Serve  on  sandwiches, in salads or in an antipasto.  Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes
This is the recipe I got at the green market for sautéed garlic scapes:
Ingredients:
  • 1 bunch of garlic scapes
  • Olive oil for sautéing
  • Salt and black pepper
Preparation:
  1. Same as above – Cut the scapes into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths, removing any tough parts at the bottom and the thinnest part at the top above the small bulbous tip.
  2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add cut scapes and boil for 5 minutes (no need to dry them as thoroughly as above).
  3. Sauté in olive oil with salt and pepper. Serve as a  side dish, on a sandwich or in an omlette. Garlic Scapes – 2 Recipes

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Sides, Vegetarian

Purslane

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Purslane

Purslane

The West 97th Street Green Market was set up for social distancing. The sidewalk was marked with chalk to indicate where to form lines and keep 6 feet between customers. All of the vendors wore masks and gloves.

Purslane

Purslane

Purslane

I was at the West 97th Street Green Market when I came across purslane, a type of greens I’d never seen or heard of before. It’s common in Spain, Greece, and Italy and is a good source of omega-3 and other vitamins and minerals. Purslane is also known as hogweed, pusley, and fatweed. It’s tender enough to use raw in salads. It also works it in stews and frittatas. This recipe for a simple side dish is the one given to me by the farmers who grew it.
Purslane
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups purslane
  • 1 clove  garlic, smashed
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper to taste
Put 1 cup of water and a garlic clove in a frying pan. Turn the heat to medium-high.
Purslane
When the water boils, add the purslane, and reduce the heat to low. Cover the frying pan and keep cooking for 6-7 minutes. If the Purslane has woody stems cook it a little longer.
Remove it from the heat, drain, and season with salt, pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil, Sprinkle with  Parmesan just before serving.
 

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Sides, Vegetarian

Pommes Persillade

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Pommes Persillade

This is a perfect side dish for a meat and potato meal. Pommes Persillade are crisp because they’re boiled, dried, and fried.

Pommes Persillade

Ingredients:
2 russet potatoes
1 tbs. kosher salt + ½ tbs. divided
1 minced garlic clove
Small bunch chopped parsley
2 tbs. melted butter
½ tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. olive oil
Peel and cut the potatoes into approximate 1 inch cubes. Place them in a pot of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes. Thoroughly drain the potatoes and spread them on paper towels for at least 10 minutes to dry.

Pommes Persillade

In the meantime, chop the parsley, mince the garlic and add it to the melted butter. Also add the remaining ½ tablespoon of salt and the ½ teaspoon of black pepper.

Pommes Persillade

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the potatoes over medium-high heat. Don’t crowd the pan and work in batches if you need to. Cook them until they’re crisp/lightly browned. Place the potatoes in a serving bowl, toss with the parsley/garlic/butter mixture and serve.

Pommes Persillade

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Simple Focaccia

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Simple Focaccia

Here’s a basic and simple focaccia recipe using just 4 ingredients. The total time spent on it is about half an hour – not counting rising.

Simple Focaccia

Ingredients:
1. 3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2. ½ tsp. dry yeast
3. ½ tbs. kosher salt
4. 4 tbs. olive oil divided + more for greasing
1. Mix the first 3 ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the water (about 1 ¾ cups) and stir with a spatula until you have a sticky dough. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in another bowl. Add the dough and roll it around to coat it with the oil. Cover it tightly with Saran and refrigerate for at least 1 and no more than 2 days.Simple Focaccia
2. Brush ¼ baking sheet (9”x13”) with oil. Put the dough in the pan and spread it with your fingers. Add more oil if it starts to stick. If it doesn’t get to the edges of the pan it will when after it rises. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and place it in a warm place for 30 minutes to 1 hour until it doubles its size. Pat down the dough down to about 1 inch thickness and dimple the entire surface with your fingertips. Sprinkle or brush it with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. While you’re waiting for it to rise pre-heat the over to 450 degrees.

That’s basic focaccia but the toppings are up to you and now is the time to add them. Sprinkle it with coarse sea salt and herbs, chopped tomatoes, chives or scallions, sliced pitted olives, sesame seeds and/or onions. (Be creative. If you’re feeling artistic you can make a focaccia garden.) Lightly press the toppings into the dimpled dough before you add the olive oil.  I often make it plain because I like it for breakfast with butter and preserves. 

3. Bake it for 20 to 25 minutes rotating the pan once, front to back. Let it cool and then remove it from the pan. It’s good while it’s still warm and will last another couple of days unrefrigerated if wrapped in Saran. It’s thick enough to slice and use for sandwiches.

Simple Focaccia

With Butter and Raspberry Preserves

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