Category Archives: On the Side

Summer is here: Traditional Caprese Salad

June 23, 2014 By in Appetizers, Dinner, Healthy, Italian, On the Side, Tomatoes, Vegetables Tags: , , 2 Comments

 

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I was in Grand Central Station last week for a meeting and decided to stop in to pick up some produce at their fashionable market on my way back up to CT.  For anyone that hasn’t been to the Grand Central Market it is a little paradise of food – farm stand produce, gourmet cheeses, artisan breads, jams, jellies, pastries, chocolates and truffles, cured/aged meats, fresh fish and poultry, and the list goes on.  As you can imagine, this little haven of food comes at a cost and is the biggest tourist trap going.  I knew I’d probably pay top-dollar, but I promised to bring a side to the dinner-party I was headed to that evening and knew I wouldn’t have time to hit up the grocery store beforehand.  Poor planning on my part.

1slice of tomato

As I scanned the abundant selection, I stopped short in my tracks at the sight of a table full of gorgeous vine-ripened tomatoes in every shape, size, and color known to the imagination.

Tomatoes

Right now is probably a good time to pause in the story and tell you about how much I love summer tomatoes.  There are obvious reasons – I am half Italian, I grew up every summer picking them from my grandparents garden, I even have a best friend from college that loves tomatoes just as much, if not more, than I do – but aside from posterity and fond memories, there is an X factor there that I can’t quite put my finger on that makes tomatoes stand out.  Among the many splendid summer fruits and vegetables, garden tomatoes are by far those that I look forward to the most.  They’ve always just made me happy.

Tomato Slices

So as I was saying, I approached the tomato table and carefully selected 3 perfect tomatoes.  I was in a rush, half paying attention, and texting with my hubbie when I was rung up.  I’m not going to tell you how much my total came to (because it’s embarrassing), but let’s just say the cost was more than my round-trip train ticket to and from CT.

Mozz

As mentioned, I was in a rush and really had my heart set on the tomatoes at that point so reluctantly forked over my card and ran out of the market to catch my train.  I vowed on the way home to never, ever again pay so much for produce, but I have to admit (and I think everyone at the dinner-party can tell you) that they were pretty outstanding.

Finished Salad

 

Caprese Salad Recipe Card

Roasted Baby Carrots and Shallots

May 15, 2014 By in Carrots, Dinner, On the Side, Shallots, Vegetables Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

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Easter is obviously over, but carrots are always in style.  The carrot has become a symbol of Spring due to its affiliation with Easter, but the best time to harvest carrots is actually in the Fall.  Despite the fact that it’s not currently the ideal season, I’ve been making a mean baby carrots and shallot side lately that is so delicious and versatile, I must share.  I don’t mean the kind of baby carrots that come shaped by a machine and packaged in a plastic bag (although those do make great snacks), but the kind that look like they’ve been yanked right out of the ground.

Full Carrots

Carrots remind me of something playful, like a bouquet of daisies or tulips.

Pot of carrots

This side is beyond simple to prepare, yet looks elegant.  For some reason there is something about baby carrots (and shallots) for that matter that make people think a lot of time and effort went into preparing, but in reality they are pretty low maintenance. One tip to keep in mind, the stems are a bit longer above (to make my photos look pretty!), but the reality I found was that the stems come out tough and chewy when roasted.  I’d recommend trimming the green stem down to no longer than an inch (as seen in the finished product).

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I also like leaving the tail end of the shallot in place, which holds the bulb together.

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Toss everything cleaned up with a vinaigrette and into the roasting dish they go to cook for about an hour or until you can pierce easily with a fork.

Tossed

I adore this dish with a pork tenderloin or chicken, but steak and a number of other meats and poultry would work as well.  Enjoy!

Finished Recipe

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Brussels Sprouts w Pancetta

February 23, 2012 By in On the Side, Vegetables 1 Comment

I decided to make brussels sprouts my first post as it is the dish I make the most often.  To many this might be a surprise as brussels sprouts unfortunately had the unfair reputation for many years of being bland and boiled.

I hated them as a child (as most did) and was pleasantly surprised about 5 years ago when I had them at a restaurant and could not believe my taste buds.  I immediately rushed home to look up recipes (that’s a lie – I did a casual google search the next day or even possibly the next week) and found that there were many fun, tasty ways to prepare brussels sprouts. Now these little green globes pop everywhere from refined restaurants to trendy celebrity chefs – brussels sprouts are all the rave and are finally prepared as they always should have been. With lots of rich, nutty, salty ingredients that bring out each mouth-watering bite, brussel sprouts could become your next and/or first favorite vegetable.

The best thing about brussel sprouts is their capacity to absorb.  They don’t overpower and perfectly compliment strong herbs and spices, stinky cheeses and smoky meats.  Layered and surprisingly rich and flaky, they are the perfect side dish (or main dish as I often eat them) for many meals.

~ RECIPE ~

1 Pint of  Brussels Sprouts (or 12-15 Sprouts)

Pancetta (ounces?)

3 Cloves of garlic (minced)

1 tsp of red pepper flakes

3 tsp of grated parmasean cheese

5 tbsp of olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

First cut the pancetta into cubes and toss into a frying pan.  Cook pancetta for about X minutes or until crispy. Prepare the sprouts by cutting the stumps and discarding any browned or discolored leaves.  Cut each brussel sprout in half and toss into a pot of water.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the brussel sprouts and any remaining leaves into the pot of boiling water (add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water to maintain the color and nutrients in the sprouts).  Cook for 5-7 minutes and drain.  While the sprouts are cooking mince 3 cloves of garlic and toss with the cooked sprouts, olive oil and red pepper flakes.  Saute in the frying pan until crispy and browned.  Toss in the parmesean and cooked pancetta, mix well, and serve immediately.