Herbs | Simple By Cindy

Cauliflower and Carrots with Smoked Paprika and Parsley

Mar. 8
2018

Maybe when you were a child, you did not want to eat your cauliflower. Well, now that you are grown-up, this is a delicious, delectable way of enjoying it!

Cauliflower on its own can be very boring. When I was growing up, vegetables were steamed or cooked until they died, leaving them soggy and unappealing. No wonder we hated them! The good news is, these beautiful white florets are such a versatile veggie, that you can use it with just about any spice. I usually pick cumin, coriander, paprika, or cayenne pepper to flavor it up. For this dish, I wanted something savory, with a little sweet and some tang to it. This dish came out exactly as I thought it would. The smoked paprika gave it that savory flavor, the honey gave it a nice sweet touch and of course, the lemon added that zip to it. This one is a “keeper”.

Of course, the best way to make cauliflower is to roast it. Mix all the ingredients together and place them on a baking sheet, with the crowns of the florets facing up. It takes a little longer to do this, but in the end, you will have perfectly browned, caramelized florets that look and taste wonderful.

This dish will serve 4 people who may end up loving cauliflower if they didn’t before!

Ingredients for Cauliflower and Carrots

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. honey
1/2 lemon, zested
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish, chopped

Preheat oven to 450F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add the cauliflower florets, carrots, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, honey, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper.

Using your hands, mix well to combine.

Transfer to baking sheet, making sure the ingredients are in a single layer.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until you see the crowns of the cauliflower starting to brown.

Transfer to serving dish.

Sprinkle on fresh parsley.

Ready to serve!

It’s that simple!

Kale Pesto with Wholewheat Linguini

Feb. 26
2018

Food is now so important to us, it has become inspirational. Our connection to food has grown stronger as we’ve come to hold value in how it influences our health. Dinner is not just a meal, it is an important place for families to gather, talk, laugh, and share stories.

This phenomenon has been occurring for years and it evolves with us. Food is now more enriching, nourishing, and more pleasant to all of our senses. You can be just as passionate about a beautiful dish placed in front of you at a fancy restaurant, as you can from a dish that has been in your family for years. It makes no difference if it is served on priceless china or your grandmother’s old dishes. Our relationship with food has become invaluable and more pleasurable. Food has surpassed a means of survival, it has become an experience.

The meaning of food is not the only thing evolving, our palates have become more sophisticated. Who had ever heard of kale ten or fifteen years ago? Today, you see recipes for it often. Some of us, even now, knowing all the health benefits, have a hard time incorporating it into our food repertoire. If you can relate, I am sure this recipe will be a game changer for you. Diana Henry’s recipes are always unique and incredibly creative. She is able to put ingredients together that other cooks would never think of. Her recipes are simple and so delicious.

We have something in common, Diana and I. We collect cookbooks! I’ve read that she has about 4,000. I too, have quite the collection of cookbooks.

(Yes, they are all cookbooks!)

This kale pesto is a rustic, simple pesto sauce made with kale, butter, anchovies, garlic, and Parmesan. It comes together quickly and would be wonderful with any kind of pasta.

This recipe is courtesy of Diana Henry, A Change of Appetite. It does not say exactly how many it will serve, but I would guess about 4-6 people who are sure to become kale lovers.

Ingredients for Kale Pesto with Whole Wheat Linguine

1 pound whole-wheat linguini
sea salt
12 o. Kale (about 4 cups leaves once you have removed the stems
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (grassy instead of fruity)
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
2 good quality anchovies, drained of oil
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2-3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
really good pinch of dried red pepper flakes (optional)

Put the linguine into a large saucepan of boiled slightly salted water and boil according to the package directions until it is cooked al dente.

At the same time, make the pesto.

Wash the kale well and strip the fibrous leaves from their stems.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, plunge the leaves in, and cook for five minutes.

Drain well.

Put the cooked kale into a food processor with the butter, extra-virgin olive oil, parsley, anchovies, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Add the red pepper flakes (if using).

Process, using the pulse-blend button.

The author suggests that you don’t process it until it is completed pureed, and leave some large flecks in it.

Taste, adding the rest of the cheese if you want.

Drain the linguine, then return it to the pot with a little of it’s cooking water. Mix in the pesto and serve immediately.

It’s that simple!

Roasted Potatoes with Oregano and Parmesan

Feb. 15
2018

It took a long time for me to learn to cook. My mother always wanted to teach me, but I was always either busy or uninterested. Does that sound like a lot of you? Don’t you wish your mom or grandmother had written down the recipe for the dish you remember and love so much? Oh, if I had that time back!

Luckily, I did get some time to learn with my mother. I think she was surprised and happy when I finally showed an interest in cooking. I like to think of this blog as an homage to my mom, she would have enjoyed it very much. I know there was so much more that she could have taught me; I think I could have taught her a few things I have learned as well. Like roasting potatoes and vegetables. Her meals always took a long time to cook, so she would have enjoyed learning a few wonderful quick tricks.

Roasting anything is my favorite fast and easy way to get dinner on the table. It also brings out the full flavor, with a depth of caramelization which will delight your taste buds.

The potatoes in this recipe are coated with fresh oregano, infused with lemon zest and juice, and topped off with Parmesan cheese. Have I got your attention yet? I hope so, because they are just that wonderful. They are roasted to perfection and come out of the oven with a beautiful golden crispy outside and a tender, delicate inside.

This is definitely one of those recipes you will preparing again and again. It is full of fresh flavor and you may even find you will be eating more potatoes than you planned to! Put this on your “short on time” repertoire and thank me later.

This recipe will feed about 4-6 people who will be thrilled with it’s caramelized, cheesy goodness! Definitely A “must-try”.

Ingredients for Roasted Potatoes with Oregano and Parmesan

5 potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or large cubes
1/3 cup olive oil
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. pepper
1 tbsp. oregano, or 4 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Put potatoes in a large bowl.

Add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Drizzle in oil.

Place 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese in and toss well to combine all ingredients.

Spread potatoes in a single layer in a 2-inch deep pan or a large aluminum pan.

Roast potatoes in oven until they are golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. (You want to make sure they are well browned on top).

Take out potatoes and sprinkle the remaining amount of Parmesan cheese on top.

Place back in oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

It’s that simple!

Parsnip Bisque

Sep. 25
2017

I love soup any time of the year, but since we are stepping into autumn, I thought it was a good time for a soup recipe. It is an unusual one, as most people have not yet experienced the joy of eating a parsnip.

A parsnip is a root vegetable, most closely resembling a carrot in its shape and origin. It has a cream colored skin and becomes sweeter the longer it remains in the ground. It is high in dietary fiber, contains antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antifungal ingredients.

When roasted, it takes on this magical sweetness that becomes almost addicting. I usually peel and cut it into cubes, mix it with olive oil, salt and pepper, place it on a baking sheet and roast it at 450F for about 40 minutes. The more brown and caramelized it becomes, the sweeter it is.

This soup is as fast and easy as it is wonderful. Combined with the onions and potatoes, the parsnips have a sweet and smoky flavor that is both satisfying and enjoyable.

This recipe is courtesy of Kosher By Design, by Susan Fishbein, and will serve 8-10 people who will love this unusual vegetable.

Ingredients for Parsnip Bisque

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 spanish onion, diced
3/4 celery stalk, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
6 medium parsnips, peeled and diced
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh chives, optional

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the onions and sauté about 6-7 minutes or until translucent. Add the celery, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes longer.

Add the parsnips, potatoes and chicken or vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer about 30-35 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender.

Let cool.

Transfer the soup in batches to a blender and puree. You can also use a handheld immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.

For extra smoothness, you can strain the soup through a fine chinois.

Garnish with fresh chives in the center of each bowl, if desired.

It’s that simple!

Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets

Jul. 24
2017

My choice of cookware is enameled pots. I started using them many years ago. They can be pricey, but they are so worth it. You can now find them in stores like Home Goods at more reasonable prices. I started my collection slowly, buying one or two pots a year, and now I am hooked. I rarely use my stainless steel pots anymore for a number of reasons.

They burn easily and are very difficult to clean.

The enamel pots, on the other hand, clean easily, and rarely require overnight soaking.

In addition, enamel pots are made from a cast-iron or steel base and then coated with porcelain enamel to give the pan a smooth, non-stick surface. This coating is made from natural clay that has been baked and glazed to make it very hard and durable.

I have found that stainless steel pans are a poor conductor of heat, and, as a result, food tends to cook unevenly. They also contain some elements that may interfere with the taste of the food.

Enamel pots, however, combine the heat distribution benefits of iron with the non-stick properties of enamel. Foods cook more evenly and do not contain properties that interfere with the taste of the food.

Buy one for yourself. I know you will notice the tremendous differences between the stainless steel and the enameled pot. I think you are going to be hooked too!

This recipe has turned a beet-hater like me into someone who actually enjoys them. The sweetness of the dark brown sugar combined with the tartness of the orange juice makes the beets as wonderful as popping a piece of candy in your mouth. I used golden beets for this recipe, but you can use the red ones as well.

I hate to peel beets (don’t forget to put on gloves), but I love this recipe enough that I would gladly peel them again. It is scrumptious and worth every minute. Peeling and steaming the beets take the majority of the time required for this recipe. Once the beets are done, the process goes quickly. Take a look at this recipe; how is that for short and simple?

This recipe is courtesy of eating well.com and will serve 6 people who will be popping them into their mouths like bonbons!

Ingredients for Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets

3 cups peeled, steamed cubed beets, 1/2 to 1-inch cubes
3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place beets in a steamer in a pot with 2 inches of water. Steam on high heat for 15-20 minutes.

Combine brown sugar, orange juice, butter, kosher salt and pepper in a large nonstick skillet.

Brown Sugar beets sugar and orange juice

Cook over medium heat until the sugar and butter are melted and starting to bubble.

Stir in the beets and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beets are coated with glaze, about 6-8 minutes.

Brown Sugar Beets in pan with brwon suagr and orange juice

Serve warm.

It’s that simple!