Brussels Sprouts, Radicchio and Chorizo Sautéed Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 tbsp [45 ml] olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, sliced
1 lb [454 g] Brussels sprouts, cleaned, ends trimmed, and quartered
6 oz [170 g] chorizo, thinly sliced
1 head radicchio (about 6 oz [170 g]), trimmed and sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup [60 ml] vegetable or chicken broth, or water
1 tbsp [15 ml] balsamic vinegar
Method
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over over medium-high heat. Cook the shallot until it starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced chorizo sausage and sauté 2 minutes or until browned and crisp. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add the brussels sprouts and stir to mix all the ingredients together. Cook until the brussels sprouts begin to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir again, then add the radicchio and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the 1/4 cup broth. Cover and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally and adding a little more broth if the salad dries out. When the brussels sprouts are soft, remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Serve as a side dish with chicken or fish, or piled on a slice of grilled bread and topped with parmigiano-reggiano shavings as an impromptu tartine.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from a recipe by the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.
Herbed Polenta Fries
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
3½ cups [875 ml] chicken stock
1 cup [170 g] instant polenta
3 tbsp [30 ml] butter
¼ cup [60 ml] finely grated parmigiano-reggiano
1 tbsp [15 ml] chopped rosemary leaves
1 tbsp [15 ml] oregano leaves
1 tbsp [15 ml] thyme leaves
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for brushing
Method
Place the stock into a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil.
Gradually whisk the polenta into the stock. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened.
Remove from heat, add the butter, parmesan, herbs, a good pinch of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Spoon into a 9” x 13” [23 x 33 cm] lightly greased baking pan and spread to ½-inch [1-cm] thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
Preheat oven to 425°F [220°C]. Cut the polenta into ½” x 4” [2 x 10 cm] fries and brush lightly with oil. Place on a lightly greased baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the fries halfway through, until golden and crisp.
Serve with mayo or aïoli.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 51
Whole-Grain Rice, Baby Spinach, Walnuts and Cherry Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients
3½ cups [875 ml] red or brown rice, cooked, heated
4 handfuls baby spinach, stems trimmed
2/3 cup [160 ml] walnut halves, toasted
1½ cups [375 ml] sweet cherries, halved and pitted
½ cup [125 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup [60 ml] white wine vinegar
Fine-grain sea salt
Small basil leaves
Goat cheese, crumbled
Method
Combine the hot rice, spinach, and most of the walnuts in a large bowl. Toss until the spinach wilts a bit.
Make the cherry vinaigrette by combining one-third of the cherries, the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon [2.5 ml] sea salt and blending until smooth. Add a generous splash of the dressing to the salad.
Tear the remaining cherries in half and stir most of them into the rice. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Turn the salad onto a platter and finish with the last of the cherries, walnuts, basil leaves and goat cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe Credit: Heidi Swanson, Super Natural Every Day
Zucchini and Hazelnut Salad
The sweetness of hazelnuts and creaminess of zucchini makes this salad the most luxurious summer starter.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/3 cup [80 ml] shelled hazelnuts
7 small zucchini (about 1¾ lb [795 g])
4 tbsp [60 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tsp [5 ml] balsamic vinegar
1¼ cups [310 ml] mixed green and purple basil leaves
3 oz [85 g] top-quality parmigiano-reggiano, broken up or very thinly sliced
2 tsp [10 ml] hazelnut oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 300ºF [150ºC]. Scatter the hazelnuts over a baking sheet and roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until nicely browned. Let them cool down before rubbing them between your hands to remove most of the skins (some should remain). Chop the hazelnuts roughly.
Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and leave it there until it’s almost red-hot – at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim the ends of the zucchini and cut them on an angle into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Place them in a bowl and toss with half the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place the slices in the hot grill pan and char-grill for about 2 minutes on each side; turn them over using tongs. You want to get distinct char marks without cooling the zucchini through. Transfer to a mixing bowl, pour over the balsamic vinegar, toss together and set aside.
Once the zucchini have cooled down, add the remaining olive oil, the basil and hazelnuts. Mix lightly, then taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Transfer the salad to a flat plate, incorporating the parmigiano-reggiano, and drizzle over the hazelnut oil.
Recipe Credit: Plenty, Yotam Ottolenghi
Curried Potato Kale Galette
A versatile rustic vegetarian dish where vitamin-packed kale takes center stage.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 tbsp [15 ml] vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp [15 ml] finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp [5 ml] ground cumin
1 tsp [5 ml] garam masala
½ tsp [2.5 ml] turmeric
½ tsp [2.5 ml] salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
8 cups [2 L] chopped kale (about 1 bunch)
4 potatoes
¼ cup [50 ml] butter, melted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
In 8-inch [20 cm] nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic and ginger together for about 8 minutes or until onion is softened. Add cumin, garam masala, turmeric, salt and cayenne pepper and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add kale in big handfuls, stirring constantly and waiting until each batch is wilted before adding more (about 1 minute between each addition). Once all the kale has been added to the skillet, cook for about 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl. Do not clean the skillet.
Peel potatoes. Using mandoline or sharp knife, cut into paper-thin slices. Spread one-third of the potato slices on the bottom of the skillet you used to cook the kale and spices mixture, overlapping each slice a bit to create a beautiful pattern. Sprinkle potatoes with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with half of the kale mixture. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining potatoes, pressing well to evenly distribute. Pour melted butter over top.
Bake in 425°F [220°C] oven for about 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes; refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
Serve this hearty vegetarian galette in larger portions with a simple green salad, or complement it with a protein: grilled sausages, fried eggs or curried kebabs are just some of the great matches to this flavorful dish.
Recipe Credit: Adapted from Canadian Living Magazine
