Cauliflower Gratin with Dill

Comfort food = gratin. Something baked with grated cheese. While we’ve been preparing cauliflower every which way because it happens to be seasonally abundant, we really craved scalloped potatoes during an early blast of blustery weather. This lighter version with cauliflower filled the bill.

This is a very simple dish to make. After lightly steaming cauliflower, I made a white sauce of butter, flour, warm low-fat milk, grated white cheddar cheese and a large handful of fresh dill, and poured it over the cauliflower arranged in a shallow pan. Baked at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or so, it emerged puffy and golden, wonderfully aromatic and satisfying. The seasonings can be varied significantly. Use lovage or parsley instead of dill or use paprika or its smoked version pimenton, or on the spice side, try grated fresh nutmeg or ginger. I personally like to keep the seasonings light during cauliflower season since I like the vegetable to be present. The grocery market variety available at other times of year can be bland, so the seasonings matter more.  

Cauliflower Gratin with Dill

½ medium head of cauliflower, separated into florets

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 c warm milk (low-fat is fine)

½ c grated white cheddar cheese or another hard cheese of your choice

Salt to taste

Handful of chopped dill or other herbs, or paprika or grated fresh nutmeg or ginger

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Steam the cauliflower untl crisp tender and transfer it to a gratin dish (I use an enameled cast-iron Le Creuset pan) or glass pie plate.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir in the flour with a whisk, mixing until smooth. Let it cook a minute or so, taking care not to brown it, to diminish the rawness of the flour. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking well to keep lumps from forming. Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes until thick, whisking from time to time to keep it smooth. Add the cheese and stir to melt it. Adjust for salt. Add the herbs or spices.

Pour the white sauce over the cauliflower and bake uncovered for about 25 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Serves 2-4 depending on what else you’re making.

Read Full Post »

Summer Squash and Tomato Tian

As summer winds down, the oven goes on. A Provence-inspired tian is perfect for the season. Neat layers of sliced zucchini, crookneck squash and plum tomatoes nestle atop a bed of onions, all seasoned with fresh herbs – rosemary sage and thyme—and topped with olives. Beautiful and aromatic 

A tian is basically a layering of vegetables whose juices meld together while baking.  The word comes from the name of the vessel that traditionally held the vegetables (like the tagine of Moroccan cuisine). This is in contrast to a gratin, a word that comes from the French term for scrape. Perfect, since its characteristic is a topping of grated cheese and/or stale bread. This dish would be a gratin if topped with cheese or bread, and it would be delicious prepared that way.

Like most composed dishes, this requires some advance planning, but is equally fine tossed together as a jumble. I have frequently made this for parties and picnics since it can be assembled in advance and cooked at the last minute. It can be served hot or at room temperature.  And the leftovers are even more delectable, a great base for a poached egg for a simple lunch or supper (or in my case, a savory breakfast). 

The complexity of the dish is not just visual. It comes in part from the layering of vegetables whose juices meld during cooking. But the real source is the advance sauté of the onions and squash with a mixture of herbs. First, sliced onions are lightly cooked in olive oil and chopped sage, rosemary and thyme. (I like to halve the onion crosswise and lengthwise, then slice it lengthwise into half moons, or quarter it and slice it crosswise.) The onions are then placed in the bottom of a baking dish. I used an enameled cast iron but a terra cotta or ceramic dish is probably more traditional. Then squash slices are lightly sauteed the same way, until slightly brown but not mushy. This is essential to the character of the dish. You can layer them the way I did or simply toss them on top of the onions, tucking slices of tomato here and there and topping with olives. I add a few sprigs of thyme on top before baking and a few more as garnish.

The method came from Deborah Madison’s superb vegetable cookbook, The Savory Way. This is one of my favorite cookbooks not only because of the inspired cookery but also because of the graphic design. Good paper, nicely bound, well composed, decorated throughout with woodcuts. It’s a real pleasure to use.

Summer Squash and Tomato Tian adapted from Deborah Madison, Savory Way

Adjust the quantities according to the size of your baking dish. The amount of vegetables below will fill baking dishes of approximately 7×11 inches or 8×12 inches.

3-4 small-medium zucchini or summer squash, or a combination

4-6 plum tomatoes of roughly the same diameter

1 large yellow onion, preferably a sweet one

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp each sliced sage leaves, thyme leaves, chopped rosemary leaves

5 tbsp olive oil, divided

Salt

4-6 pitted Kalamata olives, quartered vertically

Additional sprigs of thyme

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the vegetables. Slice the squash into ¼-inch thick rounds. Slice the tomatoes into the same size pieces. Quarter the onion and slice it vertically into half moons. Chop or slice the garlic. Divide the herbs into two parts.

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil and add the onions, the garlic, half the herbs and a little salt. Cook slowly until the onions have wilted but don’t brown them. Place the mixture in the baking dish.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan and add the squash, the remaining chopped herbs and a little salt. Saute over medium high heat for a few minutes until slightly wilted. A few pieces will be lightly browned. Arrange the squash rounds in row in the baking dish, interspersing them with the tomatoes. (You can do this neatly in rows or more informally.)

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on top, add the sliced olives, a little salt, and some sprigs of thyme, reserving some for the final garnish. (The dish can be made ahead to this point.)

Bake, covered with foil, for about 50 minutes. Remove the foil and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme.

Serves 4-6.

Read Full Post »

Summer Vegetable Ricotta Custard

There’s nothing like a versatile base that simplifies meal preparation at any time of year. In the winter, we tend to favor vegetable frittatas, open-faced Italian omelets that contain any number of cooked vegetables. But in the heat of the summer, a mixture of eggs, milk and ricotta cheese makes a light base that envelopes the vegetables and forms a light custard. The custard can be flavored with spices such as saffron or nutmeg, or with herbs such as basil, parsley or cilantro You could also add grated cheese, or even a little precooked rice, but that makes the final dish heavier and more suitable for fall.

 I made this custard twice this month: the first time with roasted eggplant, red pepper and basil the second with corn, red and orange peppers and cilantro. I have previously used eggplant, tomatoes and mushrooms, as well as yellow summer squash and wax beans. As is, this makes a simple summer supper served with fresh tomatoes or a watermelon and tomato salad with feta cheese and basil. Simple, satisfying, summer.

 Summer Vegetable Ricotta Custard

About 2 cups of roasted or otherwise cooked vegetables (e.g., a combination of eggplant and red peppers, or corn and peppers, or summer squash and beans, or tomatoes and mushrooms, or any of them alone)

2 eggs

½ c milk (low-fat is fine)

½ c ricotta cheese (low-fat is fine)

Seasonings (e.g., 1 tbsp chopped basil or parsley, ¼ tsp grated nutmeg, ¼ tsp saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water)

1 tsp salt or to taste

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 1-quart baking dish. Layer the vegetables in the dish.

Lightly beat the eggs and add the milk, ricotta cheese, stirring to combine well, Add seasonings and salt. Pour over the vegetables.

Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving

Read Full Post »

Potato, Zucchini and Pepper Tian

That’s just a fancy name for scalloped potatoes. Except that these really are special. I didn’t know what to call this. “Casserole” would send my husband over the edge, thinking of the concoctions his mother fed him as a child.

What I like about this is how the addition of salt and olive oil between layers, and baking covered with foil, turns a layering of simple vegetables into an almost unctuous (in a good sense) mélange.  Like much of my cooking, this is more method than a recipe, and the ingredients are not precise.  Simply layer thinly sliced potatoes and zucchini, sprinkle with a little olive oil and salt, and add a scattering of sliced red peppers and fresh thyme leaves. Repeat the layers, arranging the potatoes and zucchini neatly, and sprinkle with more salt, thyme leaves and olive oil. Cover tightly with foil, and bake in an oven heated to 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Tomatoes can be substituted for the peppers, sliced onion can be added, fish can be baked on top after the potatoes are partially cooked, and you can vary the herbs.

Read Full Post »

Ricotta Frittata: Hakuna Matata

Someone could make a jingle out of that title. Ricotta frittata is a springtime refrain for casual living. It reminds me of that Swahili phrase “hakuna matata” (no worries), made famous by two meerkats in The Lion King. That certainly is the case with frittatas made from locally grown seasonal produce and really fine eggs from a local farm. I could have gone so far as to make the ricotta from local organically produced milk, but I didn’t. I was actually trying to use up the big tub I bought for our Easter pancake breakfast.

A frittata, if you’re not familiar with it, is an open-faced omelet favored in Italian cuisine, cooked very slowly on top of the stove and sometimes finished under a broiler if you have one (I don’t). You basically cook some compatible vegetables and cool them, and combine them with grated cheese and/or herbs if you want, and some lightly beaten eggs. You heat a heavy pan on the stove over pretty high heat, add butter to coat the bottom and sides, and pour in the egg-vegetable mixture. You then turn the heat to a very low setting and let the frittata cook slowly for about 20 minutes. Pass it under a broiler to brown the top if you want, and serve hot, warm, or cold.

No worries. The perfect antidote for that blank stare at the open refrigerator after a blasting day at work when you need to get dinner on the table in half an hour and don’t have a clue what to cook. Hakuna matata.

The inspiration for this frittata started with spring onions, gorgeous violet, white and green bulbs that I found at the farmers’ market. I split the bulbs completely along their length, sprinkled them with olive oil and salt and roasted them in a 400-degree oven, cut side down and then flipped them, roasting for a total of about 5-7 minutes. They were the vegetable foundation of the dish, along with local, freshly picked asparagus.

So where does the ricotta fit in? Dollops of ricotta combined with herbs (I used chives to complement the spring onions) are placed carefully on top of the egg mixture after it’s been poured into the pan and before it’s cooked. The ricotta sets up beautifully along with the rest of the frittata, and it provides another layer of flavor and texture to the dish. This was an experiment on my part and I was pleased that it worked. Especially since we were really hungry.

Ricotta Frittata

1½ – 2 c cooked vegetables, lightly salted (I used sliced grilled spring onion and asparagus)

5 eggs

Optional: 1/4 c grated Parmesan of other hard cheese

1/3 c ricotta cheese

Snipped herbs (I used chives)

1 tbsp butter

Assemble the ingredients. Cook and cool the vegetables. Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and add the vegetables and grated cheese, if using. Combine the herbs and ricotta.

Heat a heavy pan (I use a 9-inch enameled cast iron pan) over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the butter and tip the pan to coat the bottom and sides. Add the egg and vegetable mixture and turn down the heat to very low. Place four spoonfuls of ricotta on top of the eggs. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the top is no longer runny. Pass under a broiler for a few minutes to brown, if desired. Serves 3-4.

Read Full Post »

Dark Days 16 Vegetarian Challenge Part 2: Cauliflower and Collards Custard with Carrot Ribbons

A continuing series on weekly meals that use sustainable, organic, local and ethical food during the challenging winter months. For more information, go here to the DDC section of Not Dabbling in Normal’s website: Dark Days Challenge.

In which I combine winter brassicas in a creamy custard for a satisfying all-local vegetarian meal accompanied by the ribbons of carrots and the season’s first baby collard greens…

Collards custard is one of standard go-to meals when I have an abundance of greens from our CSA in summer and fall. A trip to the farmers’ market in late February yielded a bunch of baby collards that had shot out of an old root at the first signs of spring. Collards thrive in cold weather and since our winter has been so mild it’s no wonder that hardy greens are available. I have kale and chard in my own garden, though they’re pathetically small.

With a resolve to clean out the vegetable bin of my fridge, I’m embarrassed to admit that I was hanging on to a small lump of local cauliflower. The florets were browning but after I trimmed the head, I had a lot of meaty stalks and stem. I simmered it with a little chopped onion in local organic milk and cream (I could have used whole milk but didn’t have any) and added chopped collards that had been cooked in a tiny bit of ghee. After cooling the mixture, I added beaten eggs and a little local cheese, and cooked the custards in the oven in a water bath.   

Cauliflower and Collards Custard

½ c milk

¼ c cream

2 c chopped cauliflower

¼ c chopped onion

1 tsp ghee

½ c collard stems

1 c collard leaves, cut into ribbons

5 eggs

½ c grated cheese

1 tsp salt

Bring the milk, cream, cauliflower and onion to a simmer in a medium saucepan and cook, covered, until the cauliflower is very tender. Puree and set aside to cool.

Melt the ghee in small pan and add the collard stems. Cover and cook slowly until crisp tender. Add the leaves and continue to cook until the leaves are tender. Set aside to cool.

When ready to assemble and bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Boil water for the water bath. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish or individual molds (6 half-cup molds).

Lightly beat the eggs. Add the cheese, salt and the puree and greens. Pour the mixture into baking dish or molds and set them in baking pan filled with hot water half of the depth of the baking dish or molds.  Bake for about 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of the dish) until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the water bath and set aside to cool for a few minutes before unmolding.

Read Full Post »

Braised Chard Stems and Potatoes

I have the good fortune of having my in-town garden full of chard following a season of heartbreaking local crop failures due to an exceptionally wet summer, a hurricane and flood, and a freak October snowfall. Yikes.

I love being able to step out into my garden, which has followed organic principles for years, and harvest a bouquet of green chard for dinner.  I think it’s as picturesque as a bunch of flowers. The chard in my garden is tall so I have abundance of stems. They have the consistency of young celery stalks and are mild in flavor, but what to do with them? Sometimes I shallow boil them and serve them with the chard leaves. Here, I cut them into small sticks, combined them with similarly cut potatoes and added enough homemade chicken (or turkey) stock to about ¾ full.  They were braised in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes were cooked through. I added a few chard leaves to the top to wilt down. Chard leaves, torn or cut into ribbons, have been replacing parsley as my go-to garnish. I even served them for Thanksgiving over the top of oven-roasted root vegetables. If you wanted to add a few slivers of smoky ham to the potato and chard stem braise, you could make a whole meal of this. 

Read Full Post »

Timbale of Collards, Red Pepper and Corn

A savory custard envelopes seasonal vegetables to make a simple but satisfying vegetarian meal. (It would also welcome a few cubes of smoked ham if you’re so inclined.) Like quiche filling without the crust, this is a riff on one of my standbys, extended by adding corn and red pepper to the collard leaves and stems.  I posted a cheesy and collards-only version of this during last winter’s Dark Days challenge.

Unlike the long-stewed collard greens common to Southern cooking, this dish cooks collard stems with onions just until tender and then adds the greens, cut into ribbons. Cooked to an al dente consistency, the collards give the custard a lot of body and spunky flavor. The addition of corn, red pepper and seasonal herbs makes this quite different – lighter and more festive – than the winter version. Since this timbale takes nearly 1½ hours to assemble and bake (1+ hour of baking and resting time) I usually make the collards in advance.

Timbale of Collard Greens, Red Pepper and Corn

1 bunch of collard greens (8+ leaves)

1 small onion, chopped

1 tbsp butter

½ red pepper, diced

Kernels cut from 1 ear of corn

Salt and pepper

5 eggs

½ c milk

¼ heavy cream

Herbs such as basil or parsley

Slice the stems of the collards from the leaves. Chop the stems into ½-inch pieces and the leaves cross-wise into ½-inch ribbons.

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the onions, cooking over medium heat for about 2 minutes or until they begin to look translucent.  Add the collard stems and cook, covered until tender, about 10-15 minutes. (This will vary by the age of the collards. Mine were fresh and cooked in about 8 minutes.)

Add the collard greens, corn and red pepper, and continue to cook, covered for about 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool. (May be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and put a kettle of water on to boil. Butter the inside of a 2-quart baking dish. Set out a roasting pan large enough to hold the baking dish and water to come about halfway up the sides.

Lightly beat the eggs, and add the milk, cream and herbs. Stir in the cooled collards, corn and pepper mixture and pour into the prepared baking dish. Place the dish in the roasting pan and add boiling water to come up 1-1½ inches up the side.  (It’s best to do this in the oven.) Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the mixture set for about 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Read Full Post »

Gingered Eggplant, Tomato and Potato Stew with Green Beans

The aroma and taste of this hauntingly delicious vegetable stew comes from the combination of ginger and tomatoes, punctuated by the deep and lingering spice of fresh cumin. Distantly Indian, simple but complex, and definitely more-ish, this is one of those memorable dishes that certain members of my family request whenever they come for a visit. It seems perfect for this time of year when eggplant and tomatoes are on the wane, the air turns crisp and we yearn for warm and comforting food that’s still in the season.

This is based on a recipe from Deborah Madison’s brilliant cookbook The Savory Way, although I have adapted it liberally, starting with the way that the eggplant is prepared. She roasts a whole eggplant and cuts up the flesh. I roast unpeeled eggplant cubes.  The difference is that in her version, the eggplant becomes a sauce for the potatoes. In mine, the eggplant and potatoes have parity. As a result, I don’t particularly have the urge to serve this over rice, as she does. She remarks that she drastically reduced the amount of oil from the version shown to her from her friend from India. I cut it down even more, relying on the tomato to provide the necessary moisture. I also added green beans, which provide a contrast of colors, flavors and textures.     

Gingered Eggplant, Tomato and Potato Stew inspired by Deborah Madison

1 large eggplant (about 1½ lbs)

Salt

3 small red or yellow potatoes

3-4 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp whole cumin seeds (or 1 tsp whole and 1 tsp ground)

1 large yellow onion, cut into ½-in squares

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

4 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1 c)

¼ c water (more or less)

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Optional: handful of cooked green beans

Optional: 1/4 c plain yogurt

Prepare the eggplant. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplant (unpeeled) into ¾ to 1-inch cubes, salt them lightly and let them drain in a colander for about 20 minutes. Wipe the moisture from the eggplant, toss the cubes with about half of the olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Cut the potatoes into 1/2 -inch pieces, toss them with a sprinkling of olive oil and salt and add them to the baking sheet with the eggplant. Roast the vegetables, turning once or twice, until golden brown and soft.

Toss the whole cumin seeds in a saute pan to toast slightly. Grind half to powder and reserve the other half.

While the eggplant and potato are cooking, heat the remaining oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned. Add the ginger, the ground cumin, bay leaf and garlic and stir to combine and cook slightly. Add the tomatoes and cook gently until they start to break down into a sauce. Add the eggplant, potatoes and a little water if the tomatoes are not very juicy. Cook over medium to low heat for about 10 minutes until the whole stew is cooked. Taste and adjust for salt. Just before serving, add the cilantro, whole toasted cumin seeds and (optional) green beans. Serve swirled with yogurt. Accompany the stew with rice (if you want).

Read Full Post »

Summer Squash, Chard and Leek Tian

The hot, humid, seemingly unbearable cloud of oppressive summer weather makes us seek simple and light vegetarian dishes that use seasonal produce and minimize effort.  Mostly, there are fruits, salads and chilled foods on our table these days but other than grilling, an occasional simple baked dish seems just right.

 I have a penchant for vegetarian dishes made with eggs, milk and sometimes cheese, as they are nutritious, delicious, pretty quick, and adaptable to whatever you have on hand. For me, this is a technique and not a formula since I use a proportional model. This particular go-round uses non-fat lactose milk with the gorgeous eggs from a local organic farm but cream or regular milk would work.  Also, the vegetables could vary widely. And you could add bread or rice to make a more substantial meal. But for me, summertime begs for simplicity …and seasonal flavor.

Summer Squash, Chard and Leek Tian

2 medium leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced

Olive or vegetable oil, or butter

1 stalk green garlic or 1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 yellow zucchini or summer squash, thinly sliced

1 lb chard cuttings, green part only, washed and drained (reserve stems for another use)

1-2 tbsp snipped herbs (such as dill, lovage, or parsley)

2 extra large eggs

½ c milk or cream (lactose-free and nonfat milk are fine)

Optional: ¼ c grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sauté the leeks slowly in oil or butter until tender. If using green garlic stalks (as I did), sauté them with the leeks. Otherwise, add the sliced garlic cloves at the end of the leek cooking cycle. Set aside to cool.

In the same pan, with additional oil or butter as needed, sauté the squash until lightly browned and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cook the chard in a small amount of water until tender and remove to a colander to drain. When cool, squeeze to remove excess water and chop finely.

Lightly beat the eggs, add the milk, reserved vegetables, herbs, optional cheese, and salt and pepper. Pour into a baking dish that has been buttered or oiled.

Bake for 30-40 minutes until set but not dry. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Read Full Post »