Vegetables

  

• COOKING BROCCOLI RABE 

If the bitterness is too strong for you, there are some ways to help minimize it (although in the end, rapini will always have some bite). 

Blanching helps. Throw the greens into boiling water for 1-2 minutes and then plunge directly into an ice-bath before cooking/sauteeing your rabe. Some say that you can try trimming the leaves and peeling the stalks as well. 

FLAVORINGS 

Bitterness is complemented by fat, salt, or heat. So saute your greens in/with combinations of the following: 

FAT – olive oil; bacon drippings; sausage; sesame oil 

SALT – parmesan and/or lemon juice; bacon bits; sausage; oyster sauce; soy sauce 

SPICE – red pepper flakes; spicy sausage; garlic; ginger; shallot 

.Some people also add the tiniest bit of sugar to their broccoli rabe–you can use a pinch of white sugar, honey, or mirin if your dish has an Asian flair. 

• CELERY ROOT “CHIPS” 

This recipe uses same technique you would use to make oven-baked “potato chips” or sweet potato “fries”; however, celeriac’s fresh taste makes these chips my preferred side for sandwiches and/or soups. It’s better if you have a mandolin to cut the celery root (unless you’re very good with a knife) because the rounds will cook evenly; but if you don’t, you’ll probably just sacrifice a few overdone specimens. 

Preheat the oven to 500. Pare away the knobby skin of the celery root. Slice the root into thin rounds (1/8 inch is good). Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper. You can also toss them in a vinaigrette (I to add a little vinegar and dijon to mine). 

Put the rounds on a non-stick cookie sheet in a single-layer and bake them for 15-20 minutes. Turn them once during the cooking and start checking them periodically after about 12 minutes to make sure they don’t burn. 

• T’s “THIN” EGGPLANT PARMESAN 

My lovely sister–a much, much better foodie and cook–provides the following recipe for no-fry eggplant parmesan. We used a sm-med eggplant and it nicely filled a 9×9 pan, able to serve 4 hungry people. Double the recipe (and the pan size) if you want to serve more. 

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the eggplant as thin as possible. Sometimes the supermarket deli will slice it for you on their machines–this is the best option. If you have a mandolin, use it. If not, just do the best as you can. IF YOU’VE USED A KNIFE, then this next step is important (it’s less important if you had the eggplant sliced for you): put the eggplant slices in a colander and put a generous amount of salt over each layer. Let it sit over a bowl for at least 30 minutes. This will help draw out excess water and help the eggplant become more pliable. 

In the meantime, prepare the sauce: saute 1/2 a red onion and 1 white onion plus 3 minced garlic cloves in olive oil. After the onions have carmelized, add about 12-16 oz of canned crushed tomatoes and cook, incorporating the tomatoes with the onion. Taste and add salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Set aside. (you can chop some basil and add it, if you have it, at this point). 

After 30 minutes, remove the eggplant from the colander and rinse the salt off. Then put the slices between towels and press to wring them out (I simply ball them up in my hands and squeeze, but it makes for some seriously ugly eggplant slices). Next, beat 3 eggs in a bowl and put about 1-2 cups of bread crumbs on a plate. Dredge the eggplant in the eggs, then the crumbs, and set them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes until the crumbs are browned. 

In the meantime, slice up about 12-16 oz. of mozzarella and grease your pan. When the eggplant is finished, start layering: eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella and repeat, finishing with cheese on top. You can also add shredded parmesan. Then put in the oven at 350 and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (everything is cooked, so you are just trying to melt the cheese and make it slightly browned and bubbly). Enjoy!

• GREEK-STYLE LEMON OREGANO POTATOES

2 Russet potatoes (1 per person), cut lengthwise into 8 wedges each
1 T olive oil
1 t oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t salt (coarse preferred)
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1/2 c. water
juice of one lemon
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Preheat the oven to 450. Put the potatoes in a snug single layer (or close enough to it) in a cast-iron skillet or shallow baking dish. Add all the other ingredients to the pan. Throw the pan in the oven and in 15 minute increments, turn the potatoes over (you don’t have to do it every 15 minutes, but I think it turns out much better if you do–at least turn them once during cooking if you don’t get up every 15 minutes). If the liquids start to evaporate and the mixture gets too dry, then add a water to the pan. Cook the potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serves two selfish people.
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Adapted from Donna Klein’s “The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen”

• QUICK IDEAS FOR ASPARAGUS

Asparagus, like many other vegetables, is something that can go almost anywhere and can be prepared in almost any way–grilled, broiled, raw, blanched, etc. To prepare asparagus, snap off the woody ends (should be less than 15% of the stalk if the stalk is fresh) and, if you have thick stems, you can also peel them (although I rarely do). Here are some of my favorite quick ways to do asparagus:

WHEN YOU ARE UP TO COOKING

Roast them: This is my favorite way of preparing asparagus. Coat them in some olive oil and salt and pepper and put them in the oven at 450 for 5-10 minutes (depending on the stalk thickness). Some chopped chervil, tarragon, or sage is also a nice flavor boost. You can eat them straight or drizzle a little basic vinaigrette or lemon juice over them.

“Fake penne”: I eat this as a substitute for pasta. No, it doesn’t taste the same, but it’s delicious in its own right. Cut the asparagus stalks into penne-like shapes and put them into boiling water for about 3-5 minutes (depending on the stalk thickness). Take them out and plunge them in an ice bath. Brown some butter with a little chopped garlic in a pan, add your stalks back in and coat to warm. Then sprinkle them with parmesan cheese and a squirt of lemon, salt and pepper.

ASPARAGUS IN THE RAW

Yes, you can eat asparagus raw (I often blanche it anyway because I like the color), and the vegetable will retain more of its nutrients in the raw.

Shaved asparagus: Use jumbo stalks and a vegetable peeler to shave long strips of the asparagus. You can make a wonderful salad with the asparagus, shaved ribbon carrots, orange sections, shaved cheese (parmesan, manchengo, peccorino) and a white-wine vinaigrette. Or, just chop them up and add them to a basic green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a little lemon juice (or zest) and some shaved parmesan.

Alternatively, you can also dress shaved asparagus rippbons with a champagne vinaigrette, poach an egg and set it on top of the shaved asparagus. Fry up some bacon and crumble it on top, if you’re so inclined. Not a “no cook” method entirely, but so good anyway.

• FISHLESS FISH TACOS

The taste of a fish taco is a combination of typical flavors with red cabbage as the star. You need red cabbage, crema Mexicana, lime juice, corn tortillas, thinly-sliced onions, and cilantro. Crema Mexicana is usually sold in major supermarkets, but there are recipes online for making your own. They are, however, a bit involved and usually ask that you wait hours for the mixture to thicken.  Our method is to mix sour cream with a bit of heavy cream or half and half or milk to thin it, and then add a small pinch of sugar and call it a day.

Keep your tortillas warm in the oven. Combine some red cabbage, onion, and cilantro; then add your crema; and spritz a little lime juice. You might also wish to add some avocado if you’ve got some. And there you have it: a fishless taco that tastes great.

For the omnis’ fish tacos, use firm fish like mahi mahi, swordfish, or tilapia. You can batter and fry the fillets, or you can just cook them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

• MISO-ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS
BRUSSELS SPROUTS BASICS
To prepare fresh Brussels sprouts, pare off the rough bottoms of the stems and remove any yellowing outer leaves. Cook them in boiling salted water for about 3-5 minutes, until just tender. After 3 minutes, check by cutting one in half and testing for crunchiness.

MISO-ROASTED
You can, however, also use frozen Brussels sprouts for convenience, and this recipe doesn’t require any defrosting–you just mix them up with the dressing and throw them, rock-hard and all, in the oven. Couldn’t be easier.
3 t sesame oil, divided
3 t rice vinegar, divided
2 t miso paste (I used white)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 t sriracha chile sauce*
1 16-oz bag frozen Brussels sprouts
2 t toasted sesame seeds (optional)
*if you don’t have sriracha, you can use a few drops of your favorite hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 450. Whisk together 2 t of the oil, 2 t of the vinegar, miso paste, garlic, and sriracha in bowl. Add the Brussels sprouts and toss to coat. Spread the sprouts on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes (until the coating looks dry), giving them a stir halfway through. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining 1 t of oil, 1 t of rice vinegar, and sesame seeds.
Serves six

Recipe from Vegetarian Times magazine, courtesy Kendra Feather

• IDEAS FOR RADISHES
Radishes tend to be subject to personal taste–some people find their mustard taste too much to handle, but I think they can provide a much needed zing. Nevertheless, should you buy radishes to use one or two in a salad, you’ll be left with the rest in the bunch. And what do you do with those?

CLASSIC FRENCH
Saute your radishes in butter with a little salt. They will become milder and softer.

ASIAN STYLE
Saute your radishes in sesame or peanut oil with soysauce, ginger, mirin (rice vinegar), and a drop of honey.

AMERICANA
Slice your radishes up for a salad. Add some cucumber, green onions, and/or potato. You can use either mayonnaise, sour cream, or a mixture of the two, combined with mustard (about 3:1, mayo:mustard) and a little seasoned salt to taste.

WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE GREENS?
You can eat the tops of radishes, provided that you do it quick (like, the day you buy them). They have a peppery flavor like the radishes themselves and taste good raw in salads. You can also saute them as you would spinach with a little olive oil and garlic, or you can try substituting them for leeks in classic potato-leek soup. Saute the greens in a little butter or olive oil before adding chopped potato and vegetable broth. Cook to allow flavors to combine (maybe 20 minutes?) and the puree. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

• MINTY MASHED PEAS
The English eat this as a staple–usually with their fish and chips, but it’s so good and so simple, I like eating them for like, breakfast.

1 lb. frozen peas (or fresh, if you have them)
2 T. butter
a handful of mint leaves

Rinse the peas under cold water to help them defrost a little (I don’t always do this, but it helps to speed up the cooking process). Dump them in a pot with the butter and mint leaves. Bring everything to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Then, you can either use a masher (or a fork) if you like the peas more chunky, or a stick-blender if you like them smooth, and mash them up.

Serves 2 greedy people

From Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Dinners: The Essential Family Cookbook

• LEEKS: USING THE WHOLE ENTIRE LEEK
There are many, many recipes that use the white and spring-green parts of leeks, but not many that use the darker green tops.

THE WHITE BOTTOM PART
I think that leeks are great roasted (put a little olive oil on them with salt and pepper and roast at 450) with an acidic vinaigrette, or sauteed with butter, mushrooms, and white wine for pasta. Braising them makes them mellow and soft:
BRAISED LEEKS
6 large leeks
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced shallots
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock
Preheat the oven to 400.
Peel any bruised outer layers from leeks. Trim roots, leaving root end intact. Trim green leaves, leaving two inches of green. Cut in half lengthwise. Clean very well in water to remove internal grit. Heat pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in ¼ cup oil and wait 1 minute. Place cut side down in pan without crowding them. (Make in two batches, and use more oil, if necessary.) Sear them 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, and turn over to cook 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer them, cut side up, to a gratin dish that will fit leeks and chicken stock, or use two dishes. Pour ¼ cup oil into pan and heat over medium heat. Add shallots, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, until just beginning to color. Add wine and reduce by half. Add 1½ cups stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour over leeks, without quite covering them. Braise in oven 30 minutes, until tender.
Serves 6
From The New York Times

THE GREEN LEAFY TOPS
LEEK MAC N’ CHEESE
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch leek greens (from 1 1/2 pounds of leeks), thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half or whole milk
10 ounces Manchego cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
1 pound elbow macaroni
Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the leeks and cook over high heat, stirring just until slightly wilted, 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until very tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and cook over moderately high heat, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half and bring to a boil, whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 2 cups of the cheese, season with salt and pepper and whisk the cheese sauce until melted.
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni until nearly al dente. Drain well. Add the macaroni and the cheese sauce to the leek greens and stir until combined.
Transfer the macaroni to an 8-by-11-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, until bubbling. Turn the broiler on and broil the mac and cheese until golden brown on top, about 3 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Serves 6
From Food & Wine

• SWISS CHARD GRATIN
A delicious, healthy alternative to the standard potato gratin.
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2 bunches of swiss chard, leaves and stems separated
2 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, more for the baking dish
1 cup low fat milk
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Comté or Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon bread crumbs
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop the chard leaves into pieces and slice the stems into thin strips. Place the stems in the saucepan with the water, bring to a boil, and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add in the chard leaves and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Set chard aside. In the same saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. When butter has melted, whisk in the flour until blended. Whisk constantly for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and reserved cooking liquid. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in half of the grated cheese. Stir in the cooked chard and transfer to a buttered 9×9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
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serves 4
Adapted from Whole Foods recipe email service

• HOW TO COOK FIDDLEHEAD FERNS

A little heat and a bit of flavor is all you need. Fiddlehead ferns can be prepared in a variety of ways–they are as versatile as broccoli, so you can steam them, roast them, boil them etc. However, my favorite preparation is to saute them: heat up some olive oil and butter in a pan and add a little chopped garlic. When the garlic is fragrant, add the fiddleheads and cook over medium heat until they are softer, but still crunchy and bright green. Stir in a little dijon mustard and add salt and pepper to taste. Voila!

…Okay, if you really want a recipe, steam your fiddlehead ferns over boiling water for 15-20 minutes until they are soft but still crunchy. In the meantime, make shallot sauce and after the ferns are done, pour the sauce over. Now that’s the stuff…

• CUCUMBERS, HOT & COLD

Two recipes for enjoying cucumbers, one hot and one cold:

Hot

JULIA CHILD’S BRAISED CUCUMBERS

An oldie but goodie (and true to Julia’s butter-centric vision): peel and de-seed 1-2 cucumbers and cut into halves or quarters. Heat about 1-2 T of butter on the stove, add the cucumbers, and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add about 1 t of lemon juice and a bit of chopped mint and heat through, about 2 more minutes.

Cold

ASIAN CUCUMBER SALAD

One of the easiest recipes for tasty cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers into discs (cut in half if they’re too big). Mix them with 1 T rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar, depending on your taste) , 2 t soy sauce, ½ t sugar, and a pinch (or more if you like it hotter) of red pepper flakes. Some people like to add a little sesame oil; I find it too strong, but you can live the dream. Feel free to adjust the ratio of vinegar: soy sauce to taste.

• PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS

Here are 2 recipes for making portobello mushroom burgers/sandwiches. The first is a delicious and easy quick dijon marinade; the second is more of a basting sauce recipe from Whole Foods.

Both serve 4, so you’ll need 4 large portobello caps, 4 buns, and the requisite amount of trimmings.

DIJON VINAIGRETTE MARINADE

4 T olive oil

4 T red wine/balsamic vinegar

1 t chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 T dried)

1 T chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (optional)

Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 of a cup)

Pinch red pepper flakes

Pinch of black pepper (to taste)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all the marinade ingredients. Marinade the portobello caps for about 30 minutes (spoon the marinade directly into the underside fibers and make sure tops are coated). Throw them all goopey onto the grill and cook for about 6-8 minutes per side (until tender). If you like cheese, add a slice to the portobello in the last minute or so of cooking (as you would a cheeseburger).

TERIYAKI GLAZE

 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons bottled teriyaki sauce

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 Heat the grill and coat the portobello caps with the teriyaki baste. Throw them on the grill and cook for about 6-8 minutes per side (until tender), basting occasionally. If you like cheese, add a slice to the portobello in the last minute or so of cooking (as you would a cheeseburger).

ASSEMBLY

We recommend eating portobello mushrooms with nice thick slabs of ciabatta or ciabatta rolls–they are especially good brushed with a bit of olive oil and grilled for a few minutes alongside the mushrooms. Add arugula (or regular lettuce, if you’re not into designer greens), grilled onions, tomato, and roasted red pepper (we buy them premade). We find that there’s no need for condiments, but if you really wanted to go that extra mile, you can try a hit of aioli (quick and dirty=mayo mixed with minced garlic and a little lemon juice to taste).

• HOW TO COOK BABY BOK CHOY

Stir-frying baby bok choy is a cinch.
1. First, cut the very bottom 1/2-inch or so off of the head. Then separate the leaves until you get to that little baby center–don’t discard it! Just cook it along intact with everything else.
2. Then, mince up some garlic and a little ginger. Throw the garlic and ginger in a little cold oil (canola or olive are fine–I don’t recommend sesame oil at this point because I find it too heavy), THEN start heating the wok. This will help prevent the garlic and ginger from burning.
3. As the garlic and ginger start to sizzle and become fragrant and toasty, throw in your baby bok choy and stir, stir, stir to coat, for about 20 seconds.
4. Then add your liquid–which can be water, wine, or broth–and cover and cook for 1 minute. For a pound of baby bok choy, I’d use maybe 2 T of water or so.
5. Then remove from the heat and season. You can use a little soy sauce, oyster sauce (my mother loves it with oyster sauce), a drizzle of sesame oil, or just a little s+p. And enjoy!

• SIGUMCHI NAMUL (KOREAN MARINATED SPINACH)

If you’ve ever had kalbi at a Korean restaurant, then you’ve probably had banchan, small plates of (usually pickled) appetizer dishes before the main event. Sigumchi namul is often served as part of the banchan and it’s delicious. It’s also easy enough to cook and I love making a big batch and storing it in the refrigerator to eat as a snack.
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1 lb. spinach, washed
2 cloves garlic, crushed (use a press or the stuff that comes in a jar)
2 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
3/4 t sugar
3/4 T sesame oil
1/2 t sesame seeds
1 scallion, minced
Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Turn off the heat and add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is soft and bright green. Plunge the cooked spinach in an ice-bath and drain. Then collect the spinach and squeeze it with your hands to drain some of its excess water. I like my spinach pretty dry, so I will oftentimes leave it in the strainer in the refrigerator for a couple hours, but you don’t have to.
You can leave the spinach in a ball and cut the ball into quarters if you think the spinach pieces are too long and tangled, but if pressed for time, don’t worry about it.
Combine the spinach with the rest of the ingredients and mix (easiest with your hands).
Refrigerate the spinach for an hour. After the hour, if you notice a lot of liquid in the bowl, go ahead and strain it out–unless you really like the marinade dripping off the leaves (I, again, prefer it flavored, but pretty dry). And enjoy!

• HOW TO COOK COLLARD GREENS

Cooking collard greens is pretty easy. There are two primary ways that we make them. One involves boiling the leaves ahead of time and then sauteeing them; the other simply cooks them in the saute. The first method tends to make the greens softer, but also may turn them gray. The second method may result in crispier (and hence, more bitter) greens.

First take the collard greens and bunch the leaves together and cut them up into about 1/2-1/4 inch slices, so they’re in strips. Cut up the bacon (as much or as little as you want–we might use about 6-10 strips for a large bunch of collards) into small pieces. If using the first method, bring a pot of water to boil, then throw the greens in and let them boil for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, put the bacon in the frying pan and cook the pieces. Do not throw out the fat.

Then drain the collards and throw them into the bacon fat. Let them cook for a few more minutes (you can add a little moisture, like water, vinegar, or beer as noted below), then dump them out–bacon and all–season with salt and pepper, and serve.

If you are using the saute method, omit the part about boiling and start by cooking the bacon. After it’s been cooked, throw in the greens. You will probably need some liquid to help wilt the greens a bit. Some people use a little plain water or sweet mild vinegar (like red/white wine or cider), but you could also add beer (you want a nice clean beer–low hops–so a Belgian like Hoegaarden or Duvel would be nice). Add maybe 1/4 c. or so–you can always add more. Then cover the pot and let it steam for about 5-10 minutes (depending on how wilted you like your greens), season with salt and pepper and serve.

These will make some good, basic collards, but you can always play around with the seasoning to your liking. Some people add a little oil and sliced onion to the bacon saute. Others add garlic, a pinch of sugar, and/or vinegar. Some popular garnishes after they’re done include your favorite hot sauce, a splash of vinegar, or a spritz of lemon juice.

• BRAISED ENDIVE in a MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

1 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 lbs. Belgian endive (about 6 heads)
3 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 T grainy mustard
2 T red-wine vinegar
coarse salt and pepper (to taste)
1/4 c. olive oil
1 T. flat leaf parsley, minced (for garnish)
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the endive, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Pour the stock into the skillet, bring to a boil, and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, turning the endive occasionally, until just tender, about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the endive to a paper-towel-lined plate; discard the stock. Pat the endive dry, and set aside.
Make the dressing: whisk together the mustard and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, pour in the oil in a stream until emulsified. Gently toss each endive in the dressing, coating well. Garnish with parsley and serve at room temperature.
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Serves 4
From Martha Stewart’s The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics

• CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES

This recipe actually comes from Weight Watchers and is famous in that community. While I don’t think that it offers a true substitute for the real McCoy (ie, don’t serve it at Thanksgiving), it is delicious all its own and an appropriate substitute if you’re the type of person who would eat mashed potatoes all day every day but you know better. This is also one more for those of you on the anti-cauliflower spectrum because the boiling step mellows the cauliflower taste (yes, I warned you not to boil, but here it’s to get the florets soft enough for pureeing). And it’s easy peasy.

8 oz cauliflower, florets    
3 sm. Yukon Gold potato(es), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 10 oz)    
2 med. garlic clove(s), peeled    
1 tsp table salt, divided    
1/4 c. 1% low-fat milk    
2 tsp butter    
1/8 tsp black pepper    
1 Tbsp chives, fresh, snipped (for garnish)
Place cauliflower, potatoes, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil until vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain and return to saucepan.
Stir in milk, butter, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper; mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in chives and serve. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

• EASY DELICATA SQUASH

CITY BAKERY METHOD
I was told that City Bakery cuts the squash in half, scoops out the seeds, slices it and then cuts the slices into halves or quarters. The pieces are then simply doused in olive oil and salt and pepper and roasted until they carmelize–350, about 30-45 minutes. If you want, you can add a little butter, or garlic, or a selection of fresh herbs: rosemary, sage, and thyme all go nicely. A sprinkling of parsley at the end is also nice.
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N.’s METHOD
A friend of mine also added that another delicious preparation is to cut the squash in half, fill it with chopped onion (about 1 medium) and sprinkle it with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Bake it at 350 for 45 minutes, face up. You don’t need to cover it.
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Either way, pretty easy, huh?

• ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS FRIED AND NOT FRIED

FRIED
This is, I’m afraid, the best way to eat zucchini blossoms. Wonderful for an appetizer or a snack during the big game.
zucchini blossoms (however many you want. The batter is probably enough for 10-12)
2/3 c. flour
3/4 c. beer
oil (a lot)
Heat a large skillet with oil (about 1 inch) to 375 degrees. Whisk together the flour and the beer to make a batter. Dredge the blossoms in the batter and then drop 2-3 in the hot oil. Wait maybe 1-2 minutes and then pull them out and drain excess oil on a hot towel. Repeat until you’ve finished all your blossoms and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
<span style=”text-decoration:underline;”>Variations</span>
<em>After-dinner walk</em>: stuff the blossoms with a little lowfat or part-skim ricotta cheese before battering and frying
<em>After-dinner marathon:</em> stuff the blossoms with Boursin before battering and frying.
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NOT FRIED
-Saute them in a little butter, olive oil, garlic and salt
-Stuff them with a little storebought lobster or mushroom pate/mousse (Trader Joe’s makes good ones) and steam them
-Stuff them with goat cheese, bake them in a 375-400 degree oven until warm to the touch (but not burnt!), then drizzle them with your favorite tomato sauce
-Throw them in your quesadilla or scramble them up with eggs and feta cheese