Category: Vegetable sides

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Mock garlic mashed potatoes

Belinda

We eat these a lot and they contain no carbs!

 

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Serves 4

1 medium head cauliflower
1 tbsp cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp straight chicken base or bouillon
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chopped fresh or dried chives
1 tbsp butter

Clean and remove all the green leaves from a cauliflower. Put it into a steamer and steam until tender.
(You can also cut the cauliflower into florets and boil them till tender)
Drain well, do not let cool and pat the cooked cauliflower very dry with several layers of kitchen towel.

In a food processor puree the cauliflower with the cream cheese, parmesan, garlic,chicken base and pepper until almost smooth.
Garnish with chives and serve with pats of butter.

HINT- try roasting the garlic and adding a little fresh rosemary for a whole new taste!

Do-ahead · Egg based · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Roasted cherry tomato clafouti

Belinda

Printed with permission from Rose Murray.

2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 1lb)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp of dried thyme)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp granulated sugar
salt and pepper
1 cup cream
3 extra large eggs
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 to 3/4 lb shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Remove the stems from the tomatoes. Arrange in a single layer in a shallow 6-cup baking dish.
Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the thyme,garlic, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Roast in oven for 10 -15 minutes or until the skin shrivels slightly.

In a blender, blend the cream, eggs and flour until smooth. Pour over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Serve immediately with a salad and crusty bread.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Lawry’s original creamed spinach

Belinda

I am a creamed spinach “nut” and have been trying to find the recipe Lawry’s restaurant use, as it’s so tasty.
I finally found it and it’s incredibly easy and GREAT! A good side for Thanksgiving too.

Serves 8

6 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onions
‘1/4 cup flour
2 tsp Lawry’s seasoned salt
1/2 tsp Lawry’s seasoned pepper
1/2 tsp Lawry’s garlic powder
1/4 tsp parsley
1 3/4 cups whole milk
2 (10 oz) packages frozen spinach, cooked and drained

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon until almost crisp.
Add the onion and cook until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes
Remove from the heat.
Add the flour and seasonings, blend well.
Gradually stir in the milk, cook and stir over low heat until thickened.
Add spinach and mix well.
If too thick, add more milk.

And that’s it! Simple but really tasty

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides

Mashed rosemary white beans

Belinda

This is lovely as a replacement for mashed potatoes, especially with lamb.

2 (15 oz) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 -3 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
a few sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped finely
1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil, garlic and rosemary over medium – low heat. Saute till fragrant.
Add the beans and chicken stock.
Increase the heat to medium and stir the beans.
Continue to stir until the beans begin to soften, approximately 8 minutes.
Using a potato masher, mash the beans until they reach the desired consistency.
Add the salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
(I used a bit of cream at the end to make it even silkier and it worked a treat!)

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Eggplant Gateau

Belinda

Eggplant is so simple, elegant and utterly Provencal using only eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic and parmesan.
All you need is a loose bottom cake tin. I use a round 9″ diameter one, but it doesn’t really matter what shape or size, just make sure it’s non stick and you spray olive oil as an extra guarantee that it’ll come away from the tin when ready to serve.

Serves 6

3 medium eggplants, thinly sliced
olive oil, to drizzle
Large piece of unsalted butter
2 lbs cherry tomatoes, halved
3 – 5 garlic cloves, minced
large handful of fresh basil
sea salt and ground black pepper
8 – 10oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Heat the oven to 350 F.
Thinly slice the eggplants and lay the slices out on two large oiled baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for about 8 minutes, till softened and lightly browned.

Melt butter in a large saute pan and cook the cherry tomatoes with the garlic until softened and pulpy. Tear the basil leaves and stir in, season with salt and pepper.

Layer 1/4 of the eggplant slices over the base of the cake tin, top with 1/3 of the tomato mixture, then sprinkle well with some parmesan cheese.





















Add another layer of eggplant, then another 1/3 of the tomato/basil mixture, then more parmesan cheese.
Repeat this again, finishing with a layer of eggplant to cover, then a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Don’t worry if you use more ingredients than the recipe says, you can really put as many layers as you want.


Put the cake tin on a baking sheet so that if any juices run out, they won’t mess up your oven. Bake it at 350F  for about 30- 45 mins, looking at it after 30 to see if the top is nicely browned.
It will be done when the cheese topping is bubbling and browned.
Let it stand for 5 minutes, then slip out of the tin onto a large plate.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Gluten Free · Nuts · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Sauted asparagus with melted gorgonzola and toasted pine nuts

Belinda

Divine!!
Makes 4 servings.

1lb  fresh asparagus, thin spears are preferred but if you use thicker ones, peel the stalk ends.
1 tbsp olive oil, or more if you want
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 to 1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
2 – 3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts (toast them in a high temperature skillet or oven)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. You may not need too much salt due to the gorgonzola cheese being salty.

Snap off a piece of asparagus to see where to cut off the tough ends, then trim all the asparagus to that length and cut into 2inches long
. Cutting on a diagonal looks prettier!

Put the olive oil into a large frying pan, turn the heat to medium, add garlic and saute about 1 minute or until you start to smell garlic and the cloves are barely starting to get some color.
Don’t let the garlic brown or it will make your oil taste bitter rather than delightfully garlicky.
Take the pan off the heat and remove the garlic and discard.

Put the pan back on the heat, add the asparagus and saute for about 5 minutes, turning frequently, until the asparagus is barely starting to soften and brown slightly.
Timing will depend completely on how hot your stove burner is, but I cooked mine exactly 5 mins and it was perfect.

While the asparagus cooks, toast the pine nuts. When the asparagus is done, turn off the heat and sprinkle the crumbled Gorgonzola over the asparagus in the pan.
Let it sit for a minute until about half the cheese is starting to melt and the rest is still in firm pieces.
Plate the asparagus and sprinkle with the pine nuts.

Season with salt and pepper. (I didn’t need any salt) and serve immediately!