Side Dishes
Delta Pine Rice
Serves 10 6 tablespoons butter 2 cups medium diced onion 2 cups medium diced celery 2 cups medium diced green bell pepper Vegetable oil spray 1 cup long grain rice 2 (4 1/2 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, with their liquid 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans beef consommé 1 teaspoon salt…
Escalivada
2 eggplant 2 large red bell peppers 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ tablespoon of salt Pinch of pepper 2 cloves of garlic Preheat the oven to 350 F. On a rimmed sheet pan toss the eggplant and the red bell peppers with half the olive oil. Bake the vegetables…
Lemon Potatoes (Patates Lemonates)
Serves 3 to 4 4 large Idaho potatoes The juice of 1 lemon 3/8 cup Greek olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon tomato paste Dried Greek oregano, to taste Peel the potatoes, cut into wedges and soak in cold water for 1 to 2 hours before cooking.…
Cucumber Tomato Salad with Yogurt and Toasted Cumin Seed Dressing
This salad would go especially well with a spicy dish because it has sugar and dairy in it, two ingredients which naturally tame a chiles’s heat. But it would also be a delightful side dish for any fish, poultry, or meat entree. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total…
Onion Beer Bread
A larger-than-usual crowd meeting up at your house for dinner soon? This onion beer bread would add a lot to the menu. It’s delicious, of course, but it’s also very easy to whip up. Unlike more conventional breads, this one doesn’t involve yeast or require multiple risings. And, except for…
Warm Cabbage with Bacon and Gorgonzola
This is a wonderful wintertime side dish and a great way to glorify the humble cabbage. It would go well with lean grilled sausages (lean because this is a relatively heavy side dish), pork chops, or my Blasted Chicken (Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, page 66) 6 thick slices bacon,…
Cream Biscuits
This is a recipe I developed while working in the Gourmet magazine test kitchen. It is so easy and versatile that I use it as the basis for any biscuit-related recipe I make. See Apricot Scones (p 302) and Biscuit Sticky Buns (p 303) in Sara Moulton Cooks at Home,…
Cheesy Baked Grits
A kind of carbo-licious porridge made from dried and coarsely ground corn, grits are to Southern cuisine what potatoes are to Northern cuisine – a deeply satisfying staple. These days we’re starting to see grits all over the country. Oftentimes, they’ll show up at breakfast seasoned with salt and pepper,…
The Smoothest Mashed Potatoes
I’ve made mountains of mashed potatoes in my little life by faithfully adhering to the method I learned in cooking school. And I’ve always been reasonably happy with the results. But really, how far wrong can you go with potatoes, butter, and cream? Who cares if the mashed potatoes are…
Fried Rice Puppies
1 cup long grain white rice 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper 1 can (10.5 ounce) French onion soup 1 tablespoon butter 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup dry bread crumbs oil for frying, preferably rice bran oil In a…
Cut Up Salad
Serves 8 1 ½ cups avocado, peeled and cut into medium chunks, chilled 1 ½ cups papaya peeled and cut into medium chunks, chilled 1 ½ cups ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into medium chunks, chilled Feel free to add our substitute the fruits as nature avails them! Bibb…
Brussels Sprouts Sauteed with Pancetta and Balsamic
Photo by Jessica Liebowitz If you are a Brussels sprouts hater this recipe will turn you into a believer. The trouble with the usual cooking methods for Brussels sprouts –boiling, steaming, even sautéing- is that by the time the center of this tiny cabbage cousin becomes tender it has also…
Mexican-style Street Corn
Grilled corn slathered with mayo and coated in grated cheese is a well-loved staple of Mexican street fare. Several years ago Gourmet magazine ran a recipe for this tradition using shredded cotija, a crumbly aged-cured Mexican cheese. At the time, it occurred to me that it might be a hit…
Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Yogurt and Toasted Cumin Seed Dressing
photo by Jessica Leibowitz This salad would go especially well with a spicy dish because it has sugar and dairy in it which naturally tame a chiles’s heat. But it would also be a delightful side dish to any fish, poultry, or meat dish. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15…
Fried Green Tomatoes with Ranch Dressing and Yellow Cherry Tomato Salad
Tomato lovers, it doesn’t get much better than this. In this easy summer time recipe from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home you start with a base of breaded and fried green tomato slices, top it off with a little salad of cherry tomatoes, and spoon on some homemade ranch dressing. Done. Just…
My Favorite Summer Salad
Here is the very loose recipe: Beefsteak tomatoes, sliced and salted lightly on both sides for 15 minutes, then patted dry layered with sliced avocado and mozzarella, drizzled either with vinaigrette or just excellent olive oil, and topped with shredded basil. Plus a mound of grilled corn tossed with minced jalapeno,…
Ruthie’s Summer Camp Zucchini
When my daughter Ruthie was six, she started attending “summer camp,” which was actually extended day care based out of the house of a teacher she’d come to know and love. There were only four kids in the camp and they did all sorts of fun things. Of course I…
Butter Steamed Broccoli with Soy Sauce
This is a quick and easy way to cook broccoli in a large skillet. Try this method with any of your favorite vegetables. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 10 minutes Total preparation time: 16 minutes 1 large head broccoli 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon soy sauce Kosher salt and…
Ruthie’s Summer Camp Zucchini
When my daughter Ruthie was six, she started attending “summer camp,” which was actually extended day care based out of the house of a teacher she’d come to know and love. There were only four kids in the camp and they did all sorts of fun things. Of course I…
Celery and Parsley Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Toasted Walnuts
Too many of us Americans think of parsley as no more than a garnish. The Italians know better. This salad is a tasty demonstration of the ability of parsley to command the center of the plate. Toss it with some celery, lemon juice, olive oil, walnuts, and freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano,…
Quick Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz When I first started doing “Cooking Live” in 1996, Sue Fenniger and Mary Sue Milliken were co-hosting the Food Network’s “Two Hot Tamales.” I had been a fan of these talented chefs ever since I ate at one of their restaurants in the late eighties,…
Rice Puppies
Rice Puppies 1 cup long grain white rice 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper 1 can (10.5 ounce) French onion soup 1 tablespoon butter 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup dry bread crumbs oil for frying, preferably rice bran oil…
Parmigiano-Reggiano Couscous
Couscous, which is already a very tasty weeknight side dish option, becomes that much more exciting with the addition of chicken broth and freshly grated cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings Hands- on time: 5 minutes Total preparation time: 10 minutes 2 cups chicken broth 2 tablespoons unsalted butter One…
Sauteed Shredded Beets with Balsamic Vinegar
In this recipe you peel and grate the beets while they are still raw which cuts way down on the usual cooking time. Now just they take 3 to 4 minutes to cook rather than the usual 45. Makes 6 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total preparation time: 15 minutes…