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AM: Recipes
Vegetable Sides
Recipe for September 1, 2009
ROASTED BEETS
Yield: approx. 2 cups
Beets are one of the most underused vegetables and one of the vegetables we grow quite well in Alberta. I'm a fan of pickled beets, but I have to admit, I love roasted beets. While boiling them with the skins on still works well as a cooking method, roasting is my favourite method as it brings out a concentration of sugar that adds more flavour to the final result. Roasting with the skins on is quick, but I've found that peeling them first, dicing them and then roasting them, allows the beets to caramelize more and may also reduce the beet stains on your hands.
Try this beet mixture with a slice of Prairie Mill 9 Grain Bread* that's topped with goats cheese or fresh creamed cottage cheese** seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Also, save those beet tops and use them in a stir-fry or for cabbage rolls!
3 Purple Beets, washed peeled and cut into ½" cubes
3 Golden Beets, washed peeled and cut into ½" cubes
1 to 2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Chopped Fresh Thyme (optional)
to taste Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1 tbsp Honey (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 375 F. In a bowl, toss the beets with olive oil, red wine vinegar and thyme. Place in a roasting pan, roasting dish or on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until fork tender. Season with salt and pepper and add honey. Excellent as a side dish with your next bbq!
*Prairie Mill 9 Grain Bread is available at their retail store at 14253 - 23 Avenue or on Saturdays at the Downtown Farmers' Market on 104 Street.
**Fresh Cottage Cheese is available from Johnson's Wool 'n Dairy on Thursdays at the Farmers' Market at Salisbury Greenhouses in Sherwood Park. Franco's Ricotta (available at the Italian Centre) or Fairwinds Farm Goat Cheese (available at Planet Organic) are good alternate artisanal choices!
March 3, 2009
ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH FETA AND QUINOA
Yield: 4 to 6 portions
2 cups ¼" Julienne Strips of Tri-coloured Peppers
1 cup ¼" Julienne Strips of Zucchini
1 cup ¼" Slices of Onion
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Chopped Fresh Basil (or 1 tbsp dried)
1 tbsp Sea Salt
¼ cup Olive Oil
½ cup Quinoa*
½ cup Feta, crumbled
to taste Salt and Pepper
2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (add more if you prefer to taste)
to taste Olive Oil, if required
Preheat oven to 450 F. In a bowl, toss the peppers, zucchini and onion slices with garlic, basil, sea salt and ¼ cup olive oil. Spread onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 10 to 15 minutes until they start to colour and become tender. Remove from oven. In the meantime, cook quinoa. Rinse quinoa in a sieve in cold water and drain well. In a small pot, add quinoa to 1 cup of cold water. Bring to a boil, simmer and cover for 20 to 30 minutes or until soft. In a bowl, toss the roasted vegetables with balsamic vinegar. Add quinoa and feta and toss. Add more olive oil, salt and pepper if required. Enjoy this dish hot or cold.
*Quinoa is an ancient grain. The Incas called it the "Mother of All Grains." It's available in white, black and red seeds and is similar in appearance to sesame seeds. It has a mild nutty flavour and is gluten free. Use whole seeds as a hot cereal or side dish (replace 1 for 1 with rice, cous cous and pastas). Red and Black quinoa seeds have thicker husks and may take up to 30 minutes to cook.
 SMOREBROT WITH TRI-COLOURED TOMATOES AND GOATS CHEESE
Yield: 4 pieces
Smorebrot are Danish open-faced sandwiches. At Gourmet Goodies we prepare small ones as appetizers and larger ones for lunch, using a variety of toppings and serve them cold.
4 slices Whole Grain Bread*
4 tbsp Fairwinds Farm Goat Cheese**
12 slices Tri-Coloured Tomatoes***
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Lightly toast bread. Spread 1 tbsp of goats cheese over bread and top with overlapping slices of yellow, red and orange tomatoes. Brush with olive oil and top with a dusting of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until tomatoes are warm and goat cheese begins to melt.
*Today I'm using Baker Bill's whole grain sauerkraut bread from the downtown farmers market.
**Fairwinds Farm Goat Cheese is available at Planet Organic in a variety of flavours - plain chevre, herbes de Provence, peppercorn or roasted pepper. Any variety is fine.
***Greenhouse growers at markets are producing a Monet painting of colour - these tomatoes are vine ripened yellow, orange and red.
ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH CANOLA OIL AND BIRCH SYRUP
Yield: 6 to 8 portions
1½ cup Mushrooms, whole washed
1½ cup Zucchini, cut into 1" dice
1½ cup Onion, cut into 1" dice
1½ cup Red, Yellow and Green Peppers, cut into 1" dice
1½ cup Eggplant, cut into 1" dice
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
½ to ¾ cup Canola Oil
½ to ¾ cup Birch Syrup*
1 tsp Salt
4 tbsp Basil, chopped fine
In a medium bowl, toss the mushrooms, zucchini, onion, peppers and eggplant together. In a small bowl mix the garlic, canola oil, birch or Manitoba maple syrup, salt and basil. Pour over the vegetables and spread them evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast at 500º F for about 10 minutes until they start to colour and become tender. Remove oven and adjust seasonings, oil and birch syrup if required. Can be served hot or cold and topped with Feta Cheese.
Note: any combination of the above vegetables will work. If using dried herbs, halve the amount (i.e. 4 tbsp of fresh chopped Basil equals 2 tbsp of dried chopped Basil)
*Birch Syrup is produced by the Alberta Sugarmakers' Association and is available at Bard's Baskets at the Strathcona Farmer's Market. Try using Manitoba Maple Syrup.
HONEY GLAZED CARROTS
Yield: 4 servings
4 cups ½" Julienned Carrots
¼ cup Butter
¼ cup Honey
to taste Salt and Pepper
1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Dill or 1 tsp Dried
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Blanch carrots for 5 to 10 minutes or until it can be pierced with a fork. Drain well. Add remaining ingredients and toss. Serve.
BRAISED RED CABBAGE
Yield: 8 portions
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Crushed Garlic
1 kg. Red Cabbage, cored and julienned
½ cup Cider Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
½ cup Apple Juice or Water
1 tsp Caraway Seeds
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Chopped Fresh Thyme (optional)
to taste Salt and Pepper
sprigs Fresh Thyme for Garnish
Heat oil in frying pan and sauté garlic for a minute or two. Add cabbage, vinegar, apple juice or water, caraway seeds, ground cinnamon and thyme. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for 30 to 45 minutes until cabbage is soft. Remove lid and bring to a boil to reduce liquid if necessary.
Optional: Add grated apple, raisins or sautéed onion.
GREEN BEANS AMANDINE
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
1 pound Green Beans (tip 'n tailed)*
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Sliced or Slivered Almonds
to taste Salt and Pepper
Steam beans or cook in lightly salted boiling water until tender. Drain well cover and set aside. In a saucepan, melt butter, add lemon juice and almonds. On medium heat, sauté until almonds are lightly brown. Add green beans and salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
*At this time of year, local farmer's markets have yellow and green beans - use both! Tip'n tailed is one of those great terms used in commercial kitchens - simply means that the ends are cut of. If the beans are very fresh and the ends are not tough, leave the ends on for more flavour and fibre!
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
¼ cup Canola Oil*
¼ cupBirch Syrup**
1 tsp Each Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
2cups Quartered Baby Potatoes, washed, skin on
1 cupDiced Parsnip, washed, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
1 cup Diced Carrot, washed, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
In a medium bowl, mix together canola oil, birch syrup, salt and pepper. Add root vegetables and toss to coat. Roast at 375 for 30 to 45 minutes until lightly caramelized and cooked through. Stir regularly. Eat hot or cold!
*Use Highwood Crossing's Fresh Pressed Organic Canola Oil (from Aldersyde Alberta), available at health food/organic food stores and Safeway.
**Birch Syrup is produced by the Alberta Sugarmakers' Association and is available at Bard's Baskets at the Strathcona Farmer's Market. He also produces a great Manitoba Maple syrup!
STUFFED PEPPERS
Serves 4
1 lb. Ground Beef or Bison
½ cup Finely Chopped Onions
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/3 cup Quick Cooking Oatmeal (not instant)
¼ cup Milk
1 Egg
½ tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
¾ tsp Salt
½ tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
1/3 cup Ketchup, Chili Sauce, Salsa or BBQ Sauce
4 Bell Peppers**
2 tbsp Butter, melted
¼ cup Bread Crumbs
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients but last four ingredients; mix thoroughly with spoon or hands. Slice tops off of peppers, remove seeds and if peppers cannot stand upright, cut a slice off the bottom (be careful not to cut through the pepper. Pack filling into peppers. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese and set aside. Place peppers on a glass pie plate, casserole or roasting pan. It's best to choose a pan that can hold the peppers upright and snug as they will shrink when cooked. Add 1 cup of water and loosely cover with foil. Bake at 350 for ½ hour. Spread butter breadcrumbs across the filling of each pepper. Place back in oven and continue baking for 30 more minutes. If topping is not lightly browned, place under broiler until lightly browned.
** Choose Colourful Bell Peppers. Alberta has great hot house vegetable producers that grow some of the sweetest bell peppers year round. Check your farmer's market or grocery store for local produce.
FARMERS MARKET SAUTÉED SPRING VEGETABLES
Yield: 4 portions
2 tbsp Butter
½ cup Onion, fine diced
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
½ tbsp Oregano
1 cup Quartered Mushrooms
2 cups Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, stems removed
1 cup 1" diced, Long Flat Broad Beans*
to taste Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
¼ cup Water
Melt the butter in a sauté pan. Add the onion, garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and beans, season with salt and pepper, add the water, cover and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.
*These long flat broad beans are new at Doefs and are sweet and crunchy. Green beans, peas, or snow peas can be used.
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