Creamy Coleslaw

Although I have already posted several different versions of coleslaw on my blog, they all had added ingredients specifically geared towards the enhancement of the dish spotlighted. If I’m looking for a stand-alone BBQ side dish, or a "must have" accompaniment for fish, this is the classic recipe I count on. Coleslaw doesn’t cut it for me if it’s heavily bathed in vinegar. I’m rarely ever satisfied with this side dish when we eat out, as it never lives up to my expectations. Creamy is dreamy for me. I just love the contrast of the crunchy texture of the raw cabbage dressed in silky, creamy goodness. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that coleslaw still needs some vinegar to balance the flavors. That’s what I love most about this recipe, it uses red wine vinegar, so the end result isn't tangy or sour. Simple to make, with all the taste you would expect from old-fashioned, homemade coleslaw. 

Trivia: Did you know that during Bike Week in Daytona, Florida, there is an annual coleslaw wrestling event? Yes, scantily clad women actually wrestle in this common picnic condiment. This takes place at a local bar, appropriately called, The Cabbage Patch. Although it may not be recognized by the Olympics, this roughage-and-tumble sport is very popular among the biker niche and dates back to 1985. But don’t lose your appetite just yet, they don’t tumble around in creamy coleslaw, they square off in a pit of vegetable oil and shredded cabbage.

If you don't want to shred your own cabbage and carrots, just substitute a 16-ounce bag of coleslaw mix. Otherwise, shred 6 cups of cabbage and 1 cup of carrots.




In large bowl, combine shredded cabbage and carrots. In a smaller bowl, make dressing by combining mayonnaise, vinegar, celery seed, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and seasoned salt. (I recommend using a good quality imported red wine vinegar.)

Toss dressing into cabbage mixture. 

Let chill for a while so the flavors have a chance to meld. The longer it chills, the creamier it gets. Yummm!

CREAMY COLE SLAW
Source: Robert Irvine, Dinner Impossible
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 cups shredded cabbage (or substitute a 16-ounce bag of coleslaw mix, and omit carrots below)
• 1 cup shredded carrot (if not using mix)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup good quality imported red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. In large bowl, combine cabbage and carrots.
2. In smaller bowl, make dressing by combining mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, celery seed, sugar, garlic
    powder, onion powder, black pepper and seasoned salt.
3. Toss dressing into cabbage mixture.
4. Let chill for a while before serving

Creamed Spinach Gratin

Did you know that with some recipes, such as this one for Creamed Spinach Gratin, you are actually better off using frozen spinach over fresh? You actually get more bang for the buck with frozen. You can squeeze a lot of spinach in a 10-ounce box, resulting in more spinach and less volume. It would take over 6 cups of fresh spinach leaves to equal what you get in just one frozen box. And, one cup of frozen spinach has more than 4 times the amount of nutrients in a cup of fresh. Although not always the case with fresh versus frozen vegetables, in the case of spinach, frozen wins. 

Creamed spinach is a steakhouse favorite side dish. This variation kicks it up a notch by adding a trio of cheeses and a crunchy panko topping. The cream sauce is infused with shallots, garlic and nutmeg. Then you toss in the spinach and a blend of freshly grated Parmesan, Romano and Fontina cheeses. Transfer the creamed spinach to a loaf pan, top with even more cheese, and, last but not least, panko crumbs. Rich, flavorful, mouthwateringly elegant in presentation and can be on the table in only 20 minutes. Worried about leftovers? Spoon some creamed spinach gratin in puff pastry, pop it in the oven, and you have a completely new and tasty side dish to serve up the next night.

Missing from pic: butter

Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly grease a glass or ceramic loaf pan (or spray with non-stick cooking spray).

Dice shallot. Mince garlic. Grate or shred cheeses.

Place thawed spinach in clean dish towel (or layers of paper towels) and squeeze out as much of the water as you can. Set aside. 

In resealable plastic bag, combine the three cheeses. Shake to mix. Set aside for later.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the shallot and garlic. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Do not caramelize. If they start to brown, reduce the heat. 

Add the heavy cream and nutmeg to the pan. Reduce heat to low. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes to reduce the cream. (The original recipe called for 5 to 6 minutes, but when I did that the cream reduced to nothing.) 

Add the spinach and half of the cheese mixture. Stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. 

If necessary, add more cream. (I must have done a great job of squeezing all the water out of the spinach, because I needed to almost double the amount of cream called for in the original recipe. My best advice is to add cream until you get the creamy texture you desire.)

Pour the creamed spinach into the prepared loaf pan. 

Sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture over the top of the spinach. Evenly sprinkle the panko crumbs over the cheese. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the panko is golden brown. 
At this point, I sprinkled another handful of fontina cheese over the top then placed the loaf pan under the broiler for a minute or so to lightly brown. (This step is optional.)

Serve hot!

 
CREAMED SPINACH GRATIN
Source: Adapted from What We’re Eating
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground or grated
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano
• 2/3 cup Fontina, shredded, plus more for garnish (optional)
• 1/2 cup panko crumbs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly grease a glass or ceramic loaf pan (or spray with non-stick cooking
    spray).
2. Place thawed spinach in clean dish towel (or layers of paper towels) and squeeze out as much of the
    water as you can. Set aside.
3. In resealable plastic bag, combine the three cheeses. Shake to mix. Set aside for later.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted and
    the oil is hot, add the shallot and garlic. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Do not caramelize. If they start to
    brown, reduce the heat.
5. Add the heavy cream and nutmeg to the pan. Reduce heat to low. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes to
    reduce the cream.
6. Add the spinach and half of the cheese mixture. Stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and fresh
    cracked black pepper. If necessary, add more cream.
7. Pour the creamed spinach into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture over the
    top of the spinach. Evenly sprinkle the panko crumbs over the cheese.
8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the panko is golden brown.
9. If desired, sprinkle a little more fontina cheese over the top then place the loaf pan under the
    broiler for a minute or so, to lightly brown. Serve hot.

Tempura Vegetables

If it comes down to a choice of French fries or tempura battered veggies, all I can say is, “Move over fries!” Tempura is a Japanese term for lightly battered fried food. The batter is a delicate covering; crispy, light and not all greasy. A good tempura, however, is not as easy to pull off as one may think. I’ve had numerous failed attempts before finally achieving a perfect balance of taste and texture. I started off with bagged mixes from the grocery store (totally disgusting); then beer batters (too heavy); I even tried specialized flours, such as rice flour (which lacked in flavor). When you look at the recipe, you’re going to say, “What’s so hard about that?” And, you’d be right in saying so. Not many ingredients and nothing “exotic” included. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the “technique” that makes it work, which I will explain in more detail below. Of course, my veggie of choice is “always” mushrooms, but just about any vegetable (or seafood) can be substituted: eggplant, squash, sweet potatoes, onions, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, basically anything you can get batter to stick to. Even your picky little eaters will scoff down more veggies when prepared this way, especially when served with a fun dipping sauce. Although not the healthiest way to get more vegetables in your diet, it sure is the tastiest way. Let’s just call it a “forgiving sin.” 

 

In deep fryer, wok, or large pot, preheat oil to 375° F.

Wash and slice vegetables. Pat dry with paper towels. Tip #1: Dry veggies are a must.

Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne pepper and white pepper.  Tip #2: Sifting yields a “lighter” batter texture.  

Add egg and seltzer water. Whisk to make a smooth batter. 

Fill a larger bowl with ice. Place bowl with batter on top of the bowl with ice (to keep batter cold while frying veggies). Tip #3: Hot oil and cold batter produces the crispiest texture.
 

Put extra cornstarch in a resealable plastic bag. Shake veggie slices in cornstarch, then dip in batter, shaking off any excess. Carefully add the battered veggies to the oil and fry until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Tip #4:  If batter gets too cold, remove bowl from ice for a few minutes. You can tell if batter gets too cold because the batter will slide off the veggies and not stick to them. Once batter has warmed up a little (enough so that the batter sticks again), return bowl atop ice.

When veggies are crispy, remove from oil and drain on paper-towel lined plate (or bowl). Season with salt.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I prefer a basic Ranch dip, but I’ve included a suggested soy sauce dip below. (Note: I haven't tried this dip, so I can't vouch for it; but it seems like it would be a flavorful dipping sauce.)

TEMPURA VEGETABLES
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup cornstarch, sifted
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup cold seltzer water
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper            
• Coarse salt, to taste
• Button mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, sweet potatoes (or other veggies of your choice)
• Extra cornstarch (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oil to 375° F. (Deep fryer, wok or large pot will do.)
2. Sift together flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne pepper and white pepper. Add egg and seltzer water.
    Whisk to make a smooth batter
3. Fill larger bowl with ice.  Place bowl with batter on top of bowl of ice to keep batter cold while frying
    veggies.
4. Put extra cornstarch in resealable plastic bag. Shake veggie slices in cornstarch (a few at a time), then
    dip into batter, shaking off any excess. Carefully add the battered veggies to the oil and fry until crispy,
    about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.
5. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.


TIPS:
 
1. Dry veggies are a must.
2. Sifting yields a “lighter” batter texture.
3. Hot oil and cold batter produces the crispiest texture.
4. If batter gets too cold, remove bowl from ice for a few minutes. You can tell if batter gets too cold,
    because the batter will slide off the veggies and not stick to them. Once batter has warmed up a little
    (just enough so that the batter sticks again), return bowl atop ice.



SOY DIPPING SAUCE
Source: Michael Symon
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Scallions (thinly sliced)
• 1 tablespoon Ginger (grated)
• 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
• Lemon Juice (to taste)
• Sambal Oelek chili sauce (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Stir together all ingredients, and adjust to taste with lemon and chili sauce.

Asparagus Mushroom Saute

Asparagus is hailed as “one of nature’s most perfect foods.” It has no fat, no cholesterol and almost no sodium. It leads nearly all other produce items in the array of nutrients it supplies. For today’s health-conscious consumer, it is heaven-sent. Asparagus is also one of the most versatile foods in the ways it can be prepared: roasted, sautéed, steamed, grilled or eaten raw. On the downside, however, asparagus has a short shelf life, making it one of the most expensive vegetables. With spring comes an abundance of asparagus, a gift from Mother Nature. It wasn’t until recently that I really learned to appreciate and truly enjoy this delicacy of the vegetable world. The first time I tried roasted asparagus was when it won me over. Now, every opportunity I get, I don’t hesitate to add asparagus to our menu. This recipe combines two of my favorites, asparagus and mushrooms, sautéed together in olive oil, garlic, fresh rosemary, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  An easy and flavorful way to savor the peak of asparagus season.

 

Snap off fibrous end of each asparagus spear. (Mike volunteered to demonstrate this procedure for you.) Holding both ends of the asparagus, bend until the asparagus breaks off somewhere in the bottom third of the stalk. Discard bottom ends. Other methods include peeling the woody ends; but I prefer this method, because it's practically foolproof.

Rinse and drain asparagus. Cut asparagus spears diagonally into 2-inch pieces.

 Mince garlic. Mince rosemary.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all ingredients to skillet. Toss to combine.

Cover skillet, and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until asparagus and mushrooms are tender. If you prefer a more tender texture, cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

 
ASPARAGUS MUSHROOM SAUTE
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. Snap off fibrous end of each asparagus spear. Cut asparagus spears diagonally into 2-inch pieces.
2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all ingredients to skillet. Toss to combine.
3. Cover skillet, and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until asparagus and mushrooms are
    tender. If you prefer a more tender texture, cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
 

Vegetable Medley with Rosemary and Lemon Zest

 

The other night when we had the Baked Bacon Cheddar Wings as an entrée, I was racking my brain trying to think of a light and simple side dish as an accompaniment. In an effort to help me with my thought process, Mike told me about a vegetable dish he had a restaurant while traveling recently. He described it as having potatoes, green beans and pearl onions and said it was really tasty. Of course, not being a cook, Mike wasn’t able to discern any herbs or spices included. Nevertheless, I thought the idea was a good one, so I decided to create my own “vegetable medley.” I combined baby red potatoes, fresh green beans, diced onions (I opted not to go with the pearl, as that would have been more time consuming), fresh mushrooms, garlic, red chili flakes, rosemary and lemon peel. Then I topped it off with salt and pepper, and a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice before serving. I was elated when Mike told me that my version was better than what he had at the restaurant. I know, he wasn’t just saying that to be polite, because the next day, he scoffed down the leftovers. Mike never eats leftover veggies (he’ll eat anything else reheated, but not veggies). This would be a great option for a “meatless” meal; or you can make it a complete one-pot meal by adding pre-cooked chicken, shrimp, or kielbasa. And, this is another one of those “versatile” meals; whatever ingredients you don’t like, just leave it out. On the other hand, the addition of some pre-cooked crumbled bacon would be a perfect touch (which I left out because I had enough bacon going on with the wings). 

Missing from photo: onion and olive oil

Chop onion. Slice mushrooms (if not already pre-sliced). Grate lemon zest. Finely chop rosemary.

In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, add potatoes with water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; drain and let cool. 

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, quarter potatoes lengthwise. Set aside.

In same large saucepan, add salted water (enough to cover beans) and bring to boil. Blanch green beans until bright green and tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and shock in bowl of ice water (to stop cooking process). NOTE: This is where I made my mistake. I only blanched them for 2 minutes and they were too crunchy still. I ended up having to sauté the other veggies longer than I wanted, in order to cook the green beans more. So, I would suggest testing the doneness of the green beans before shocking them in ice water. 

In large skillet (or Dutch oven), heat olive oil. Add garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and chili flakes; let sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooked potatoes, onions, mushrooms and blanched green beans. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are cooked and other vegetables are hot and coated with seasonings. (Add additional olive oil, if needed, to keep potatoes from sticking.)

Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

For a complete one-pot meal, add 3/4 pound of diced, pre-cooked chicken, or peeled, cooked shrimp, or sliced, pre-cooked kielbasa to skillet along with vegetables. You could also add cooked, crumbled bacon, if desired.

VEGETABLE MEDLEY WITH ROSEMARY AND LEMON ZEST
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, washed, not peeled
• 1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil (more, if needed, to keep vegetables from sticking)
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (I used Baby Bella, but any kind will do)
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In large saucepan, over medium-high heat, add potatoes with water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to
    medium. Cover and cook until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; drain and let cool. When
    potatoes are cool enough to handle, quarter potatoes lengthwise. Set aside.
2. In same large saucepan, add salted water (enough to cover beans) and bring to boil. Blanch green
    beans until bright green and tender crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and shock in bowl of ice water.
3. In large skillet (or Dutch oven), heat olive oil. Add garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and chili flakes; let
    sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cooked potatoes, onions, mushrooms and blanched green
    beans. Sauté until onions and mushrooms are cooked and other vegetables are hot and coated with
    seasonings. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Note: For a complete one-pot meal, add 3/4 pound of diced, pre-cooked chicken, or peeled, cooked shrimp, or sliced, pre-cooked kielbasa to skillet along with vegetables. You could also add cooked, crumbled bacon, if desired.