Vegetables | Simple By Cindy

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Honey

Dec. 8
2015

This is delicious dish from The Food Network Kitchen.

It is simple, fast and easy— my three favorite criteria for choosing a recipe.

The balsamic-honey is a wonderful accompaniment to the brussels sprouts. This tart, yet sweet sauce really compliments this vegetable. It may even persuade your children to taste them and enjoy them!

Whether you are cooking for a crowd or weekday dinner, this recipe is a winner!

Try it for your next holiday celebration!

Ingredients for Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Honey

8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt (plus 1 tsp. reserved)
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper (plus 1/2 tsp. reserved)
3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. honey
1 bay leaf
Shaved pecorino- romano or parmesan cheese, for topping

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine the garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly golden crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove from the heat, transfer the garlic to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.

Season the garlic with salt. Reserve the garlic oil.

Toss the brussels sprouts with the reserved garlic oil on a baking sheet and spread in an even layer; season with salt and pepper. Roast until the brussels sprouts are tender and slightly charred, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, honey and bay leaf in a saucepan and whisk until combined. Simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until slightly syrupy, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the heat; let cool until thick and glossy, about 6 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf.

Transfer the brussels sprouts to a platter; spoon the vinegar syrup on top and sprinkle with the fried garlic and shaved cheese just before serving.

This recipe can be made up to 2 hours ahead.

Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Parsnips

Nov. 16
2015

Fresh, in season vegetables are always the best choice. When I am grocery shopping, I always look for organic produce that can be prepared simply so their natural flavors are allowed to shine.

I have been making roasted parsnips for many years. When I first introduced them to my family, they were skeptical. Once they tried them, they quickly became fans.

Roasting almost any vegetable in a very hot oven gives it a beautiful caramelized exterior while keeping the inside moist and tender. The result is a delicious, clean healthy side dish that takes little time and effort.

These roasted parsnips are proof of that! Try to cut the pieces the same size so they will cook evenly. Don’t use too much oil. They should be shiny and evenly coated.

I promise you will love this recipe! They are simple and so yummy! Great as a side or just to snack.

Ingredients for Parsnips

5 large parsnips
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
Juice of 1/2 of fresh lemon

Preheat oven to 500.

Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Peel parsnips and cut the top and bottom off.

Cut parsnips lengthwise into quarters.

Then cut into 1 1/2 pieces.

Combine parsnips with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon.

Place parsnips on baking sheet in single layer.

Bake for 45 minutes.

SET TIMER.

Parsnips should be golden brown when finished. If parsnips are not brown, reset timer for 4-minute increments until the desired consistency is reached.

DONE!

It’s that simple!

Farro Salad with Tomatoes and Herbs

Nov. 6
2015

I am always perusing through recipes to find a healthy one. Farro is a food composed of grains and wheats. It has a hardy taste and satisfying texture.

I have become a huge farro fan.

There are several different varieties of farro. Look for the “semi-pearled” kind. I find it to be the most flavorful.

Farro can be combined with an assortment of foods like roasted fruits or vegetables. You can throw them into a pot of vegetable soup to give it a rich, hearty flavor. It is nutritious, adds a little fiber to your diet and takes little time to cook.

This recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. All of her recipes are dependable, and this was delicious! You can use it as a side dish, salad or make it for brunch! Just make it! You will not be disappointed and maybe you will become a big farro fan like me!

Ingredients for Farro Salad

4 cups water
10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
5 tomatoes on the vine, seeded and chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1 large garlic clove (or two small), minced
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup of good extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the water and the farro in a medium saucepan. Add 2 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. SET YOUR TIMER!

Once farro is done, drain and transfer to large bowl to cool.

Add the tomatoes, onion, chives and parsley to the farro and toss to combine.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil. add the vinaigrette to the salad and toss to coat.

The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

It’s that simple!

Cauliflower

Oct. 9
2015

There are so many different ways to prepare cauliflower. It can be roasted, sweetened, spiced or caramelized. It is a versatile vegetable that pairs well with a wide variety of meats and poultry. I have several different methods that I enjoy and hope to be sharing them with you in my future blogs.

Oh yes, I know that this one has anchovies but I just think they both blend together so well!

This recipe has a few more ingredients to it (in addition to the anchovies) and presents beautifully! It can be used as a side to any holiday or family meal you are preparing. The breadcrumbs add another layer of flavor that makes this a hearty, delicious accompaniment to any meal! Place it in a deep beautiful serving dish and your company will think you worked a lot harder than you really did!

Well, if you can keep a secret, so can I! This is an easy, dish that I am sure you will love!

Ingredients for the Cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower cut into 2″ florets
6 tbsp. olive oil, divided into 3 and 3
2 tbsp. margarine or butter
4 tbsp. kosher salt, divided into 2 and 2
2 tsp. pepper divided into 1 and 1
Juice of 1/2 lemon
8 anchovies
2 tbsp. capers, drained and dried
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of coarse breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 500.

Toss cauliflower with 3 tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tbsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Spread out on roasting pan in a single layer.

Roast for 45 minutes. Cauliflower should be browned, golden and crispy.

While cauliflower is cooking, heat 3 tbsp. olive oil and margarine or butter in a pan on top of stove over medium heat. Place the anchovies in the pan and cook until they melt, about 4-5 minutes. Add the dried capers and cook until they start to pop, about 3-4 minutes. Toss in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and stir often. Cook until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Take mixture off of the heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

When cauliflower is ready, toss it with the breadcrumb mixture.

It’s that simple!

Pan Roasted Cod and Farfalle Pasta

Sep. 30
2015

Fish, particularly cold water fish like cod, has been shown to be very healthy and an excellent source of protein. Cod is a hearty firm white fish. It has a meaty flesh, flaky texture and mild flavor. This delicate, sweet fish is versatile and easy to prepare. Remember, you can use this recipe with any fish of your choice. I hope you try the Atlantic cod fish. It is simply delicious!

This farfalle pasta recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. I have been making it for years! It is easy and flavorful. Giada writes that the secret ingredient is anchovies! She is right! This is the dish that turned my son into an anchovy lover! It turned my entire family onto this delicate treat as well. Now you can understand how I became enamored (or obsessed) with anchovies! Thanks Giada!

Ingredients for the Cod

3 1/2 pound pieces of Atlantic Cod
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups of panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup fresh parsley (or 3 tbsp. dried)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix panko crumbs, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper into a bowl. Dip cod into egg, and then into panko mixture. Set aside.

Heat olive oil on medium heat in pan on stove.

When heated, place cod into pan. Set timer for 4 minutes. Turn cod over and cook for 4 more minutes. Crust should look lightly browned.

Ingredients for the Pasta

1 pound Farfalle (bow-tie) Pasta
2 heads of broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 anchovies, chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally.

After 5 minutes, add the broccoli florets to the pasta, stir, and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the anchovies and cook until they melt down. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta and broccoli, salt and pepper and toss. To make the sauce thicken, add some of the reserved pasta water a little at a time (you do not have to use the entire cup).

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

It’s that simple!