Anne Rosenzweig’s “Best Brussels Sprouts”

In all the years I have been keeping a blog, I don’t think I have ever gone a full calendar month without at least one post.  Last year—for a lot of reasons—I didn’t post often, but I managed at least once a month.  This year I promised myself (which is as close as I ever get to a NY resolution) that I would post more often…and try to gradually return to a rate of about four a month.  Well…today is February 1…and my last post was on December 31.  All of January just slipped by.  I mention this only because I want to put it out there that in spite of how it might appear, I am not bringing For Love of the Table to an end.  At least not for now.  I will attempt to return to more frequent posting, but I don’t ever want to get to the place that I post something that I consider substandard just to get a post up.  I will continue to aim for a more frequent and regular schedule….but unfortunately may not succeed for a while.  The good news is that I’m still at it…just in a more sporadic way for the time being. 

As for today’s post, it is a bit unusual.  For the most part the recipes that I share are either my own or recipes from another chef or cook that I have tweaked in some way—great or small—to suit my tastes…or my pantry…or my idea of how it really should have been done in the first place.  I have never taken an inventory of recipes that I have shared without any changes, but there aren’t very many.  Today’s recipe is one of the few that I am posting with no changes.  It just didn’t need any….

In fact, the recipe’s creator—Chef Anne Rosenzweig—dubbed them “the best Brussels sprouts.”  I don’t know if I would go that far (there are a lot of really delicious ways to prepare Brussels sprouts!), but they are indeed very, very good. 

Before I share the specifics of what it was about the recipe that appealed to me, I wanted to mention that I was drawn to the recipe because of the source.  It is unfortunate that many of today’s cooks and chefs have never heard of Anne Rosenzweig.  She is an important figure in the recent history of American food and cooking.  When I was just starting out in restaurant work, women who had succeeded in that male dominated world were few and far between.  As I sit here typing and try to come up with a list of women chefs with national reputations who were role models for young women chefs and cooks during the late eighties and early nineties I can only think of a few:  Alice Waters, Nancy Silverton…and Anne Rosenzweig.  (I’m sure there were others…but a quick brainstorm only produces those three…).  Waters and Silverton are still active and well known.  But Rosenzweig—who was the chef at the helm of Arcadia in New York for many years—seems to have slipped out of view.  Last year when I ran across this Brussels sprouts recipe from Arcadia, I wondered about what had happened to her….so I Googled her.  I found a wonderful recent article detailing her career…and where she is now.  It is well worth reading.

In terms of the recipe, many things about it were appealing.  First and foremost, it includes two of my favorite food partners for Brussels sprouts—bacon…and carrots.  The bacon is an obvious and traditional companion.  All the brassicas (cabbage, kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi, broccoli…to name a few) are enhanced by the addition of salty and fatty cured pork products.  The carrots aren’t so obvious...but I know from experience that their natural sweetness make them a perfect foil for the slightly bitter Brussels sprout.  I have posted several recipes—a couple of pastas and a side dish—that feature these combinations if you would like to sample it in other ways. 

The other thing about this recipe that is particularly appealing is how easy it is to prepare.  None of the ingredients have to be pre-cooked (no toasting nuts…or blanching the Brussels sprouts…).   Simply render the bacon...then add the pine nuts and allow them to toast in the bacon fat while the bacon finishes crisping.  

Then add the garlic and carrots and cook briefly to release the fragrance of the garlic.  

Then add slender wedges of Brussels sprouts 

along with a splash of water, cover the pan and cook until the sprouts are tender—which typically takes about 5 minutes.  The whole process from start to finish only takes about 15 minutes…and only requires one pan. 

It would be enough if the dish were just delicious.  But it is attractive too.  The tiny cubes of carrot are elegant.  And because the sprouts aren’t subjected to the heat long enough to lose their fresh color, the dish is a lovely green.  To me this is a lot of return for a small amount of effort.  (And if you are put off by the tiny dice required for the carrots

—it has to be this way so they will cook quickly—think of it as a wonderful opportunity to practice your knife skills!)

These sprouts of course make a great side dish, but they are not limited to that.  Recently I made them for my lunch and topped them with a poached egg (a fried egg would work too). And even though this did require another pan, I have to say it was worth it.  I highly recommend it.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pine Nuts & Carrots

3 slices bacon, cut cross-wise in 1/4-inch strips

Olive oil—as needed

1/4 c. pine nuts

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)

1/2 c. very finely diced carrot (you will need 4 oz. whole carrots)

1 1/4 lb. Brussels Sprouts (4 cups), trimmed, halved and each half cut into quarters

Water

Salt & freshly ground pepper

2 T. minced flat leaf parsley

Render the bacon in a large sauté pan set over moderately low heat.  When the fat is rendered, increase the heat to medium and add the pine nuts.  Cook, stirring constantly until the bacon is crisp and the pine nuts are golden brown in spots—this will only take a minute or so.  Watch carefully to avoid burning the bacon and pine nuts.  If the bacon was very lean, you may need to add a bit of olive oil. 

When the bacon is crisp and the pine nuts are golden, add the garlic and carrots and cook (stirring constantly) until the garlic releases its fragrance (less than a minute).  Add the sprouts, along with a good pinch of salt, and toss to coat in the fat.  Add a 3 or 4 tablespoons of water.  Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the sprouts are cooked to your liking.  Depending on the size and age of the sprouts, they will take anywhere from 2 to 7 minutes.  Check occasionally to make sure they haven’t boiled dry.  If necessary, add more water (but just enough to create some steam).  When the sprouts are tender, uncover and continue to cook until any remaining water has evaporated.  Fold in the parsley.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt (if necessary) and pepper.  If you like, add a drizzle of olive oil (if the bacon was very fatty, this won’t be necessary).   Serve warm.  Serves 3 to 4

Note:  You can make this recipe in just about any quantity (just a portion…or multiple…of the original).  Simply choose a pan that will hold all of the Brussels sprouts so they are not piled too deeply in the pan. 

(Recipe from A Well-Seasoned Appetite, by Molly O’Neill.  The original dish was served at Arcadia in Manhattan for many years.)

 

Printable Version

Bucatini with Cauliflower, Broccoli, Pancetta, Pine Nuts & Currants

While seeking out recipes for an upcoming class, a pasta with what to me was an unusual combination of broccoli, cauliflower, pancetta, pine nuts and raisins (!) caught my eye.  I am always on the lookout for pastas that incorporate seasonal vegetables—particularly those that include combinations of vegetables.  Having pastas like this in my repertoire helps me to use up the inevitable mish mosh of odds and ends of different vegetables that can accumulate in a household of one or two.

But I have quite a few pastas in my “go to” recipe file that include broccoli and cauliflower.  I was mostly intrigued by this recipe because of the inclusion of raisins—something that I often put in a salad...or grain pilaf…with cauliflower or broccoli, but not something I think I have ever put in a pasta with them. 

As it turns out, the combination of raisins (or currants) and pine nuts is a hallmark of classic Sicilian cooking.  Particularly when paired with something salty (like pancetta, anchovies, capers, etc.) they make for an interesting interplay of sweetness in all kinds of savory dishes.  (Other flavor elements that frequently appear—and add to the complexity of flavor—with these two include fennel, orange zest, hot pepper flakes, garlic, rosemary, parsley and saffron.)

Of course, it makes sense that slightly bitter vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower would be enhanced by this combination of pine nuts and raisins.  But as I discovered, they should be incorporated with a light hand—truly as an accent and not a main ingredient.  That first recipe that caught my eye was completely out of balance.  I suspected this was the case as I looked at the list of ingredients, but forged ahead anyway because I trusted the chef who wrote the book.  All I can say is that the half cup of raisins called for (in a recipe for 3/4 of a pound of pasta) was overwhelming.  I added more pancetta than the recipe called for…and it still wasn’t enough to balance the sweetness of the raisins.

But I liked the idea so much that I persisted.  I found a much more balanced recipe for this combination of ingredients in Janet Fletcher’s Four Seasons Pasta (a book worth owning if you love pasta) and used it to correct the recipe that originally caught my eye.  The final recipe is filled with lively flavors and is very satisfying…and a nice change from some of my old broccoli and cauliflower pasta standbys.   

Bucatini with Cauliflower, Broccoli, Pancetta, Pine Nuts & Currants

 

3/4 lb. large cauliflower florets (see notes)

1/2 lb. large broccoli florets (see notes)

3 T. currants

2 to 2 1/2 oz. pancetta, minced

2 to 3 T. Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced  (1 t.)

1 t. minced rosemary

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1 lb. bucatini (or gemelli…or orecchiette)

2 T. unsalted butter (optional)

3 T. toasted pine nuts

2 to 3 T. minced flat leaf parsley

1/2 to 2/3 c. toasted coarse breadcrumbs (see notes)

Ingredients for pasta for one (1/5 of the recipe)

Bring a large (6 to 8 qt) pot of water to the boil.  Salt well.  Add the cauliflower and cook until just tender to the tip of a knife (you want it to be soft, but not mushy)—about 5 minutes.  Lift out and spread on a towel.  While the cauliflower cooks, cut any thick stems away from the florets of the broccoli.  Drop these stems in the same water that you used to cook the cauliflower.  After three minutes add the florets.  Continue to cook until the broccoli is just tender (same texture as the cauliflower).  Lift the broccoli out of the pan and add it to the towel with the cauliflower.  When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop.  You should have a rough mixture of small and medium pieces of cauliflower and broccoli. 

While the vegetables cook, make the sauce.  Place the currants in small ramekin or custard cup and add enough boiling water so that the currants are just covered with water.  (You can just ladle in some of the vegetable cooking water if you like.)  Set aside.

Place 2 T. of olive oil and the pancetta in a large sauté pan set over medium low heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is rendered, beginning to crisp and is turning golden brown.  

Add the garlic, rosemary and hot pepper flakes and cook briefly until fragrant.  Remove from the heat and add the currants along with their soaking liquid.  Stir and scrape to release any caramelized bits of pancetta from the bottom of the pan.  Set aside in a warm spot while you cook the pasta.

Cook the past in the same water that you used to cook the vegetables.  About 3 or 4 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, return the pan with the pancetta and seasonings to moderate heat and bring to a simmer.  Add the cauliflower and broccoli and toss/stir to coat the vegetables with the flavorings.  If the pan seems dry, add a small ladle of pasta cooking water to the pan…you definitely don’t want the vegetables to be soupy or soggy, but neither do you want the pan to be so dry that the pancetta/garlic mix is burning or without the fluid means to coat the vegetables.  When the vegetables are hot through, reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep the “sauce” warm while the pasta finishes cooking.

When the pasta is al dente, drain well, reserving some of the pasta water.  Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce.  If the sauté pan is not large enough to hold the sauce and pasta, return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in and scrape in the sauce.  (Add a splash of pasta water to the sauté pan and swirl it around to get all of the sauce and add it to the pot).  Add the butter (if using), the pine nuts and parsley and toss/stir until the butter is melted and the noodles are coated with a light fluid sauce and all the flavorful bits.  If the pasta seems dry or tight, add some of the pasta water (again, just enough to help the flavorings coat everything in a light fluid sauce—the liquid shouldn’t be pooling in the pan).   If you like, add a good drizzle of olive oil.  Toss again.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Divide the pasta among 4 to 6 plates and scatter the toasted breadcrumbs generously over each serving.   Drizzle with more olive oil and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Notes:

• This dish can be made with all cauliflower or all broccoli…or some of each in proportions that please you. You will need 1 1/4 lb. combined weight of the two. I prefer a slightly larger quantity of cauliflower (which is why I have called for 3/4 lb of cauliflower and only 1/2 lb. of broccoli).
• Leave the cauliflower in very large florets (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across) so they will cook uniformly without becoming mushy. 
• The recipe directs you to cut the broccoli stems away from the florets because the florets will cook very quickly and the stems will take longer. Adding the florets for just a minute or two—after the stems have been cooking for a few moments—will prevent them from becoming soggy.
• To make toasted breadcrumbs, cut the crusts off of some day old/slightly stale bread (choose a substantial loaf of some kind—like French farmhouse…or a good baguette) and process in the food processor to form coarse crumbs. Spread the crumbs in a small baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in a 375° to 400° oven and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown—about 5 to 10 minutes. Toasted breadcrumbs may be frozen. To use, just scoop out what you need and set in a warm place to thaw (or re-toast briefly in a hot oven).

Printable Version

Asparagus with Ham & Pine Nuts…served two ways

Spring means asparagus.  Every year, I start enjoying it when the California crop begins to hit the stores in March.  It is always good, but when the local crop starts to come in I am always reminded of why I like to eat not just seasonally, but locally whenever I can.  The flavor and texture of the local crop can’t be matched.  I bring home bunches and bunches of it from the farmers’ market…stopping only when the crop does…usually sometime in early June.

One of my favorite things to eat with asparagus is ham.  Its salty, fatty—sometimes smoky—taste compliments the herbaceous and mineral-y asparagus perfectly.  We enjoy it on pizza, in pasta, with eggs (in a frittata/tortilla or quiche)…and in salads and sides.  It is a wonderfully versatile combo. 

Historically, this duo is a natural, seasonal pairing as well.  Hogs would have been butchered in the fall…and hams hung to cure.  They would have been ready to eat in the spring.  I can only imagine how delicious those first slices of the new ham would have tasted when eaten with the first few asparagus spears of the season. 

The simple, streamlined dish I’m sharing today is a great way to enjoy this springtime combination.   You can enjoy it as a side dish…or add a little arugula (also in season right now) and you have a salad.  If you don’t want to take the time to make the lemon-shallot vinaigrette, you can simply dress everything with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.  Either way, this is springtime eating at its best.

  

Asparagus with Ham & Pine Nuts

1 to 1 1/2 lb. medium to large spears of asparagus, trimmed

1 T. olive oil

1/3 lb./150 g. diced (1/3-inch) ham

1/3 c. pine nuts, lightly toasted

2 T. minced Italian flat-leaf parsley

2 to 3 T. lemon-shallot vinaigrette

2 to 3 oz. arugula, trimmed, washed and spun dry (optional)

Salt & Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Leave the asparagus spears whole or cut into 2-inch lengths on a short diagonal—as you prefer.  Bring a pan of well-salted water to the boil.  Drop in the asparagus and cook until just tender—about 3 to 5 minutes.  Drain and spread on towels.  (If you are cooking the asparagus ahead, rinse under cool running water before spreading on towels to dry.)  Reserve the pan.

Warm the olive oil in a small sauté pan set over moderate to moderately high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the ham.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ham is sizzling, hot through, and golden brown in spots—about 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the pine nuts and parsley. 

If the asparagus spears were left whole, return them to the pan they were cooked in and drizzle with some of the vinaigrette, gently rolling the spears around to coat them.  If you would like the asparagus to be warm, do this while the pan is over a medium flame.  Season with salt & pepper.  Place the spears of asparagus on a platter or individual plates.  Spoon the ham and pine nut mixture over the asparagus.  If you like, you may arrange the asparagus and ham on a bed of arugula that has been seasoned with salt & pepper and dressed with the lemon-shallot vinaigrette.

If the asparagus spears were cut into short lengths, place the asparagus in a bowl with the arugula and the ham and pine nut mixture (let the mixture cool slightly or it will wilt the arugula).  Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinaigrette.  Toss until all the components are coated with a light film of the vinaigrette and the ingredients are evenly distributed.  Pile on a platter or individual plates and serve. 

Serves 4 to 6.

Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette: Place a tablespoon of finely diced shallot in a small bowl with 3 T. lemon juice and 1/2 t. salt.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Whisk in 5 T. olive oil.  Taste for balance and seasoning.  (Vinaigrette from Sunday Suppers at Lucques—Seasonal Recipes from Market to Table, by Suzanne Goin)

Notes:

• If the asparagus is very fat, take the time to peel the lower 2/3 of each stalk. 
• Any ham of good quality may be used. I like Niman Ranch’s Apple wood Smoked Ham. Black forest ham would be good too. This recipe also makes an excellent use for the “heel” of a prosciutto. 
• You may make the vinaigrette, or simply dress everything with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil. 

 Printable Version

Variation using julienne Prosciutto and shaved Parmesan

Some Thoughts on Grain Bowls… Three Examples… and One Vinaigrette

For years I have been teaching…and posting…recipes and ideas for grain pilafs and salads.  To be honest, it has very little to do with the fact that whole grains are supposed to be good for me.  It just so happens that I like them.   Whether the menu includes one of the recently reintroduced grains (freekeh or farro)…a done-to-death trendy grain (quinoa)…or a soft porridge-like grain (polenta or risotto)…I’m there…spoon in hand.  I have never thought much about why I like grains so much (clearly not everyone feels the same way).  But in trying to guess at the reason, I have decided that it probably has something to do with the fact that I grew up on hot breakfast cereals. 

My mother never purchased any of the boxed, sugar-saturated cold cereals that many of my peers were enjoying.  If I wanted a cold cereal, I had a choice of Grape Nuts or Miniature Shredded Wheat.  Besides the fact that neither of these appealed to me very much (of the two, Grape Nuts was my preference), I found any cold cereal pretty off-putting since they were all reduced to mush in short order by the addition of the milk.  A bowl of hot cereal (particularly during the winter months) was vastly preferable.  Better yet was a soft cooked egg with buttered toast—even though I grew up in the era when everyone was removing eggs from their diets for “health” reasons.  (I count myself lucky that my mother never succumbed to this insanity.)

To this day I adore a soft cooked or poached egg on toast….for any meal of the day.  It did not occur to me until I began to consider why I like whole grains so much that—like a soft, runny egg—they are for me what we all mean when we say “comfort food”…. a food that conjures up memories of a time when someone else was taking care of us and making us feel warm, full and safe.

It is unfortunately not within my power to turn any food into a source of this kind of comfort for anyone.  But I can and will continue to try and share my love for grains by presenting them in their best light:  properly cooked…properly seasoned…and accompanied by all manner of delicious ingredients. 

All of this brings me to my recent obsession with grain bowls.  If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably noticed.  I am late to the party when it comes to the grain bowl.  (They have been “a thing” for several years now.)  But I am, as I have just pointed out, not late to grains.  And the fact of the matter is that there is really very little difference between a grain bowl and a grain pilaf or salad (both of which can be found in abundance on my blog).  As a friend and I were discussing the other day, a grain bowl is to a grain pilaf or salad what a composed salad is to a tossed salad—the ingredients in the former are arranged artfully (one hopes) on the plate and those in the latter are mixed up before they ever hit the plate.  All of the basic “rules” of how to create one will apply to the other.

The greatest advantage of a grain bowl over a pilaf or salad is they let you, the eater, create different combinations of flavor in every single bite.  To me, this adds in a way to the child-like pleasure I seem to derive from grains.  It is almost like being given permission to play with your food:  Taking your fork and dipping it here…dragging it there…in each bite combining the tastes and textures that please you most. 

There are of course some basic tips that will help you build a delicious grain bowl, but rather than write my usual “how to” post (many others have already done that….The Kitchn, Fine Cooking, The New York Times, Food52, and Williams Sonoma…just to name a few)….I thought I would illustrate how to create a grain bowl by sharing how I put together a few that we have enjoyed recently.  (I am including component recipes either as links to old posts in the text…or at the bottom of this post.)

It all started a few weeks ago when I noticed a colorful looking dish in Feast Magazine that featured some favorite winter vegetables (sweet potatoes and cauliflower).  The dish didn’t include any grains, but it was artfully arranged in a bowl…just like a grain bowl.  In addition to the “look” of the dish, the presence of some black beans made me think of brown rice.  I like brown rice, but I don’t cook with it very often (I have only featured it once on my blog).  The main reason for this is it takes so long to cook when compared to other grains I like.  But I don’t shy away from long cooking times in other ingredients, so I’m not sure why I would with brown rice.  With a little advance planning, the cooking time isn’t a problem.  And it is so good in combination with black beans that I thought the little extra time involved would be worth it.    

The dish that inspired my grain bowl included a generous drizzle of a sauce of pureed cashews and almonds seasoned with ginger, turmeric, garlic and lemon.  I decided to deconstruct this sauce and use the spices to season the roasted vegetables (along with a little added coriander), toast and chop the cashews for final garnish with minced parsley, cilantro and scallions and drizzle the whole thing with a lime vinaigrette seasoned with garlic and cumin.  A scoop of plain yogurt (I used traditional full-fat…but Greek would be nice…or Labneh…) was the final touch.  It was fantastic.

Another grain bowl I made recently was inspired by a breakfast out with some friends.  We were at a local coffee shop…and it was late morning….right about the time I’m hungry for a little something sweet.  So that’s what I had…a sweet and tender little financier.  Both of my friends ordered a delicious looking (and tasting!...I got to have a bite) avocado toast with a runny fried egg.  Well…I couldn’t get that toast out of my mind all day.  So for dinner I decided make a grain bowl featuring avocado and egg.  

My grain of choice for my avocado and egg grain bowl was freekeh (currently my favorite grain).  I cooked it using the pilaf method with some diced onion and seasoned it with a little allspice and cinnamon.  Besides the sliced avocado and a poached egg, I added a pile of carrots roasted with olive oil and a smidge of honey, a spoonful of harissa, a generous drizzle of leftover cumin and lime vinaigrette, and a final shower of sliced cilantro and toasted, broken pine nuts.  This too was excellent. Eggs are wonderful with grain bowls…just remember when you poach (or fry) an egg for a grain bowl to make sure that you leave the yolk nice and runny (it makes a great sauce!)

The most recent grain bowl I made is a great example of how one of the best uses for a grain bowl is as a way to use up a few leftovers…particularly for one person.  So often I find myself with only enough leftovers for one serving of something.  If, for example, we have eaten all the chicken I roasted, sometimes there will be one lonely serving of the vegetables that were roasted with the chicken left over.  I have often used odds and ends like this in a green salad for lunch (and will continue to do so on occasion)…but a grain bowl is much more substantial…and more along the lines of what I’m craving during the colder months. 

Last week I was in just this situation with a single serving of leftover roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower (from my brown rice grain bowl)….  And since I had grain bowls on the brain, I made one from my lunch.  I cooked some quinoa (which only takes 25 minutes at most…bulgur would have been equally delicious, and even quicker), added a handful of arugula, some yogurt (always a good idea with grains, in my opinion) some julienned apple (crunchy, sweet and tart…and a perfect partner for cauliflower and sweet potato), the remains of my toasted and crushed pine nuts and then drizzled the whole thing with some of the last of my cumin-lime vinaigrette (but a mustard based vinaigrette would have been fine…or simply a good drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon or lime to finish it off). I particularly liked the raw and fresh additions of the apple and arugula in this one (and should mention that I took the time to season and dress them with a little of the vinaigrette before adding them to the bowl).

I hope that these examples will give you some ideas for assembling your own grain bowls.  Obviously I made great use of one, particular vinaigrette (recipe below).  But even this is instructive in that getting into the habit of keeping favorite vinaigrettes and condiments on hand is a good way to get a jump on future grain bowls.  And don’t feel like you have to have a freshly cooked grain in order to have a grain bowl.  I was able to cook some quinoa for my lunch the other day because I was working from home.  But if you don’t have this luxury (and you would like to have grain bowls for lunch), get into the habit of always making a little extra whenever you cook a grain for your dinner.

I’ll end with a few miscellaneous pointers...things that I try to keep in mind when I’m putting together a grain bowl:  First, always think about contrasts—both in tasted and in texture.  You don’t want a big bowl of all the same flavor profiles or something that is all soft…or all crunchy.  Also, make sure everything goes together/makes sense…as always, less is more.  You’ll be much happier with your bowl if it has distinct tastes that complement each other well than you will be if you just have a big mish-mash of indistinguishable leftovers in a bowl.  If you have one of each of the elements (grain, vegetable, protein, fresh and/or crunchy/chewy garnish, sauce/condiment/vinaigrette) don’t add something else just because you have it.

Finally, keep your eyes open for inspiration.  When you have a grain bowl at a restaurant or café, make a point to note what it is that you like about it…the flavors, the textures, how it’s dressed, etc.  Whenever you have leftovers, think about how you might use them in a grain bowl.  And lastly, take inspiration from everywhere: images and recipes on line, in cookbooks or in a favorite magazine.  Pretty soon you’ll be making such delicious grain bowls at home that you won’t need to go out and pay someone else to make one for you.     

A few recipes/cooking notes for the grain bowls described in this post:

The Grains
I almost always cook grains using the pilaf method--that is, I start by toasting the grain in a bit of hot fat (usually olive oil...about two to three teaspoons per cup of raw grain) in the sauce pan and then after a minute or two adding a hot liquid (lightly salted water or stock).  When the whole thing comes to a rolling boil, cover with a tight lid and reduce the temperature to the lowest setting.  When the grain is tender, turn off the heat and let it continue to steam/rest for five to ten minutes.  The amount of liquid you will need and the cooking time will vary for each grain.  For Brown Rice you need 2 measures of liquid for each measure of rice.  It will take about 40 to 50 minutes to cook.  For quinoa and freekeh I use 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 measures of liquid for every measure of grain.  Quinoa takes 15 to 20 minutes and Freekeh takes 20 to 25 minutes.  Almost all grains benefit from a good rinse under running water before you cook them.  Quinoa must be rinsed or it will be bitter.

In the above bowls I didn't add any seasonings (other than salt) to the brown rice or quinoa.  For the freekeh, I used this favorite recipe (with onion, cinnamon and allspice).  I used brown basmati, white quinoa and cracked freekeh.  

I start with 1/4 cup of raw grain for each person.  You may require more...or less...but that's a good place to start.

Components of 2 grain bowls:  Cooked freekeh, roasted carrots, vinaigrette,
 harissa, cilantro, avocado and pine nuts (eggs not pictured...)

The Black Beans
I used 1/2 cup of cooked black beans for each portion.  You may use canned (be sure you rinse them) or cook your own.  I like to bake beans in a low oven, they require less attention and maintain a better shape.  Soak the beans overnight (or not...they'll just take longer to cook).  Drain and rinse the soaked beans and spread them in a layer no deeper than an inch in a shallow baking dish.  Drizzle with some olive oil, add a few cloves of garlic, several sprigs of thyme and a cinnamon stick.  Cover with boiling water by an inch, cover the pan with foil or a tight fitting lid, and bake at 325 degrees until soft but not falling apart...about 2 hours for black beans.  Add salt when the beans are half cooked.   1 cup of dried beans will make 3 cups of cooked.

Whether you use canned or cook your own, finish the beans by cooking some red onion in a little olive oil until tender and beginning to caramelize (use about 1/4 c. of diced onion for each half cup of cooked beans), adding the beans along with a splash of water or bean cooking liquid (you don't want them to be soup-y...but you don't want them to be dry either) and heating them through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  (If you use canned beans, consider adding a little minced garlic and a dash of cinnamon to the onions just before adding the beans.)

Spice Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Cauliflower
If you aren't in the habit of roasting vegetables, check out my detailed tutorial.  For the vegetables in my brown rice bowl, I roasted a pound of sweet potatoes with 2/3 of a pound of cauliflower (and as mentioned in the text had extra...this was enough roasted vegetables for 3 or 4 grain bowls).  Peel the sweet potato and trim away the leaves and core from the cauliflower.  Cut the cauliflower into 1 1/2-inch florets.  Cut the sweet potatoes in slabs that are a generous half inch thick and cut the slabs into 1 1/2-inch pieces (so they are roughly the same size as the cauliflower florets).  Place them in a large bowl and add a teaspoon each of ginger and turmeric and a half teaspoon of coriander.  Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and season generously with salt.  Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and spices.  If they look dry, add more oil.  Roast in a 450-degree oven (turning once when they are about 2/3 cooked) until tender to the tip of a knife and nicely caramelized...about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette (Printable version)
Place 1/4 c. of freshly squeezed and strained lime juice in a small bowl.  Smash a fat clove of garlic to a purée with a pinch of salt and add it to the bowl.  Let sit for five to ten minutes (to allow the flavor of the garlic to mellow a bit).  Add a teaspoon of cumin and salt & pepper to taste.  Add 6 T. of olive oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly.  Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.   Drizzle as generously as you like over your grain bowl...and pass more at the table.  The vinaigrette will keep easily for a week or two in the fridge.  Bring to room temperature and re-whisk before using.

Rigatoni with Broccolini, Garlic, Lemon & Ricotta

Last Saturday I came home from the farmers' market with a beautiful bunch of broccolini.  Since there are only two of us...and there was enough broccolini to make a side dish for four...or even six...I decided to make it the main event of our evening meal...in a pasta (of course).  It was delicious.  And since I noticed that I haven't posted any pastas yet this year(!), I thought I would share this one.

 

Although it still seems new-ish to me, Broccolini has actually been around for a while now.  Still, it is entirely possible that there are many who have not yet tried it.  Botanically it is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli (sometimes called Chinese kale since it is a leafy vegetable with insignificant florets).  Broccolini has smaller florets and more slender stalks than broccoli.  I find that it has a flavor that is similar to broccoli but a bit more pungent—sort of turnip-like, in fact.  But since all of the broccolis, kales and turnips (as well as cabbages) are members of the Brassica (or mustard) family, the peppery quality is a matter of nuance and degree.  Considering this, Broccolini is relatively mild—some even say sweet—and should be well received by anyone who likes broccoli.

The slender stalks of broccolini are tender and cook just as quickly as the florets.  This makes it so that the stalks/spears can be left whole for cooking and be served as an elegant side vegetable...in much the same way one might serve asparagus.  Broccolini was originally called Aspiration...which probably came from a desire to suggest this style of serving (not because it is botanically related to asparagus in any way).

Like broccoli and kale, broccolini is complimented nicely by garlic, heat and lemon.  So with the addition of a little ricotta to add richness, my pasta practically made itself.  If it happens that you have never had broccolini, this pasta would be a great first bite.  And if you want to try it all on its own, just prepare as directed and serve without the noodles and cheese.

Rigatoni with Broccolini, Lemon, Garlic & Ricotta

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed of very thick/tough ends and cut on a long diagonal (about 1/2-inch thick)...florets halved if very fat (trimmed weight about 6 oz./180 g.)

2 T. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 very fat clove garlic, thinly sliced crosswise (use mandoline)

A generous pinch hot pepper flakes

6 oz./180 g. Rigatoni (or other short, sturdy, tubular pasta)

2 T. pine nuts, lightly toasted

Zest of 1/2 a lemon

1 to 1 1/2 oz. pecorino, grated medium fine

3 oz. whole milk ricotta

Remove the ricotta from the refrigerator and spread it on a plate so that it will warm to room temperature.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water (about a teaspoon of salt per quart).

Place 2 T. of oil in a medium sauté pan along with the garlic and pepper flakes and set over medium heat.  When the garlic begins to sizzle, drop the broccolini in the pot of water.  Cook for one minute, scoop out and add to the pan with the oil and garlic (which should be just beginning to turn golden at the edges...if it begins to color before the broccolini is ready, remove from heat and drizzle in some of the cooking water to stop the cooking).  The oil will sputter and pop when the water clinging to the florets hits the pan.  This is fine.  Continue to cook over moderate heat while the pasta cooks, stirring occasionally and letting it sizzle gently and even brown in spots, until cooked to the doneness you desire.  I like it to be tender, but not mushy.  It should still have some texture.  Set aside until the pasta is done.

As soon as you remove the broccolini from the pot, drop the pasta.  Stir to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Cook until the pasta is al dente.  Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid.  Return the pan of broccolini to moderate heat and add the pasta.  Scatter the pine nuts and zest over all.  Toss, taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.  If the pasta seems dry, add some of the pasta water.  Add most of the Pecorino and toss again.  Add more pasta water if necessary.  Finish with a drizzle of oil.  Toss again. 

To serve, divide the pasta among to plates and dollop small spoonfuls of ricotta over each serving.  Drizzle with olive oil, scatter the remaining Pecorino over and serve. 

Alternatively, dollop spoonfuls of the ricotta over the broccolini and pasta while still in the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter the Pecorino over the top.  Serve from the pan.  (Do not stir the ricotta in.)  Serves 2.

Note:  The recipe is easily multiplied to serve four or more.  Choose a sauté pan that is wide enough to hold all the broccolini in a snug single layer.

Printable Version

What's in Season?...Asparagus

The featured vegetable on my "Twelve Months of Fresh Food" calendar for the month of April is asparagus.  

Like last month's featured food (arugula) I have done many posts that feature asparagus...it's probably my favorite spring vegetable.  I start buying it as soon as it begins to show up at the market sometime in late March and enjoy it several times a week until the season is over sometime in June.

At my house asparagus appears in pasta (of course), 

Alfredo Sauce with Asparagus & Spring Onions

soups, 

Cream of Asparagus Soup

tarts, 

Asparagus Tart

mixed vegetable ragouts,

Spring Vegetable Medley of Spring Onions, Artichokes, Asparagus & Peas

grain pilafs 

Bulgur Pilaf with Asparagus & Peas

and salads....

Composed Salad with Asparagus, Beets, Arugula and Egg Salad Crostini..

Even pizza.

Asparagus Pizza with Prosciutto and Three Cheeses

It is a perfect side vegetable--delicious dressed with nothing but butter (and a few herbs)

Salmon with Medley of Buttered Asparagus & Peas

 or olive oil. 

With a Mushroom & Potato Spanish Tortilla

And it has a special affinity for eggs.  

Asparagus, Walnut & Goat Cheese Salad topped with a Fried Egg

It is in this guise—as a simple accompaniment to scrambled eggs—that I wrote about it in a "basics" post a few years ago.  

In that post I went into detail about how to choose asparagus...how to store and clean it...and then shared my favorite cooking method—a simple étuvée. 

Besides eggs, asparagus has many other friends in the food world:  Cured meats, smoked fish, mushrooms, peas, artichokes, arugula, onions, nuts (especially pine nuts, walnuts & hazelnuts), cheese (fresh and aged goat, Gruyère, Parmesan, Pecorino, Gouda, Fontina, mascarpone, ricotta...), salty/briny condiments (olives, capers, anchovies), Dijon mustard, orange, lemon, butter, cream, olive and nut oils and fresh herbs (basil, thyme, tarragon, parsley and mint...).  It is easy to see how you could eat asparagus several times a week for the few weeks of spring and never get bored.

Since I have already written a basics post about asparagus, I thought that for my calendar post this month I would share a preparation that was new to me:  Asparagus Pesto.  I ran across it while working on an upcoming class.  It is from Michael Chiarello's Tra Vigne cookbook...and it is delicious.    

There are no surprise ingredients in this pesto.  It features cooked asparagus puréed with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and olive oil.  Because of the water content in the asparagus, the resulting pesto is lighter and fluffier than one would expect.  It is wonderful on pasta (which is how I'm sharing it today in Chiarello's recipe  that is reminiscent of a classic Ligurian pasta with basil pesto, green beans and potatoes).  But because of its almost mousse-like texture, it also makes a fine spread for crostini or bruschetta (perfect as an accompaniment to a baked egg....or topped with a poached egg....).

If you have never cooked asparagus before, the recipes in today's post are a perfect place to start.  In both recipes the asparagus is simply cooked in rapidly boiling, salted water—the tenderness to which it is cooked is the main difference between the two.  For the pesto, the asparagus should be cooked until it is soft....five minutes or more.  I would consider this to be too soft for a side dish or garnish, but it is perfect if the goal is a purée.  Don't cook it too long though, or you will lose the bright green color.  Furthermore, since the goal is soft asparagus with a bright green color, the recipe directs you to shock the cooked asparagus in a bowl of ice water or under cold running water which will stop the cooking process and "set" the color.

For the asparagus "garnish" in the pasta dish, the asparagus is cooked for less time.  You want it to be tender...but to still have texture.  The balance between texture and tenderness is up to you.  Somewhere around 2 to 3 minutes should be about right, but the only way to know if it is done to your liking is to fish a piece out of the boiling water and taste it.  This method—boiling just to the point of tenderness—is the one that you will probably use the most often.  It is perfect preparation for asparagus that will be making its way into the many and varied dishes that it will appear in over the next couple of months.

Pasta with Asparagus Pesto & Baby Potatoes

1/2 lb. small potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick

Olive oil

4 oz. (trimmed weight) asparagus, cut into 2 to 3 inch lengths at an angle

3/4 lb. Fettuccine, orecchiette or farfalle

1 recipe Asparagus pesto (recipe below)

Salt

Toasted pine nuts, for garnish

Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Place the potatoes in a high-sided sauté pan with a lid and add water to just barely cover the potatoes.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt.  Simmer the potatoes until they are tender; set aside.

Blanch the asparagus in 6 quarts of boiling well salted water until just tender (about 2 to 3 minutes).  Lift the asparagus out of the water and spread on a towel.  Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente.  Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

Place the pesto in a large bowl.  Add enough pasta water (about a quarter cup) to the pesto to thin it to a sauce consistency.  Add the drained potatoes, the blanched asparagus and the pasta and toss to coat...adding more pasta water (you may need as much as another quarter cup) and/or a drizzle of olive oil as necessary to obtain a fluid sauce.  

Taste and correct the seasoning.  Serve immediately, garnished with pine nuts and Parmesan and passing freshly grated Parmesan separately.  Serves 4

Note: A one pound bunch of asparagus will yield about 8 oz. of trimmed asparagus.  (Trim by grabbing each spear of asparagus and bending until it snaps—it will naturally snap at the point where the spear transitions from tough and fibrous to tender.  Discard the fibrous ends.)  This is the exact amount needed for the pesto and the finished pasta.  I like to trim the whole bunch of asparagus, cut it all (at an angle) into 2 to 3 inch lengths and then divide into two piles—making sure all the tips are in the pile that will go into the finished pasta.  If the asparagus is very fat, make sure that it is cut on a very sharp angle...and cut the tips in half lengthwise.  Use the water that you use to blanch the stems for the pesto to cook the asparagus and pasta for the finished dish.

(Recipe adapted from The Tra Vigne Cookbook—Seasons in the California Wine Country, Michael Chiarello)

Asparagus Pesto

4 oz. (trimmed weight) asparagus, cut into 2 to 3 inch lengths at an angle

1 small clove of garlic, peeled and smashed to a purée with a pinch of salt

1/4 c. lightly toasted pine nuts

1/4 c. packed basil leaves (about 1/4 ounce), washed and dried

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c. grated Parmesan (3/4 oz.)

Salt, to taste

In a pot of boiling, well salted water, blanch the asparagus until quite tender—about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl of ice water, or rinse under cold running water, to stop the cooking process. Blot dry.

Place the cooked asparagus, garlic, basil and pine nuts in the food processor and process until the ingredients are finely and evenly chopped and beginning to purée (stop the food processor a couple of times to scrape down the sides).  With the food processor running, add the oil in a thin stream to achieve a sauce that is the consistency of mayonnaise.  If necessary, add a bit more oil.  Scrape down the sides; add the cheese and pulse to combine.  Thin with water if necessary to achieve a thick, saucy pesto.  Add salt to taste.  Makes a scant 1 cup.

Note:  This recipe makes exactly what you will need for 12 oz. of pasta (which will serve 4)...but is easily doubled if you would like to have leftovers for other uses.  It will keep, filmed with oil, in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several days.

(Recipe adapted from The Tra Vigne Cookbook—Seasons in the California Wine Country, Michael Chiarello)

Printable Version (includes pesto)