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Tag: Sides

Manchego Smoked Paprika Mashed Potatoes

  • 4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small squares
  • Salt
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ to 1 cup half and half
  • 2 cups shredded Manchego cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Pepper
  • ½ cup green onion, chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Add the cut potatoes to a deep pot and cover with water. Add at least 2 tablespoons salt and the garlic cloves. Place a lid on the potatoes and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and garlic and put them through a food mill and add back to the hot pot. Add butter, half and half and smoked paprika. Check for seasonings, add pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool all the way. Add the grated cheese and mix well. At this point, the potatoes can be refrigerated and made at least a day in advance. Once ready to bake, take out of fridge at least 30 minutes in advance.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or till heated through. Garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Sauteed Zucchini with Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves

Sauteed Zucchini with Mustard Seeds

 

  • 3 medium zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Juice of half a lemon

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium high heat or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the zucchini slices and sauté on high heat 5-6 minutes, till the slices begin to brown. Add the salt, coriander powder and cayenne pepper. Mix well and turn the heat off. Add the lemon juice and check for seasonings before serving.

Creamy Peas and Asparagus with Pancetta
  • 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ½ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup cream
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
  • Salt

Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for a minute and shock them in ice water to retain the color. Keep aside.

In a wide frying pan, heat the pancetta on medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onion into the pancetta fat and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the all purpose flour and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and cream and whisk till the liquid is smooth. Bring to a boil and simmer till thickened and reduced by one third- about 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice, tarragon. Add the peas and asparagus and warm them through. Add salt to taste and garnish with the crispy pancetta.

Minted Mushy Peas

This is a great side dish with the fried fish.. I made it special with yummy mint, cilantro and green onions. Try this one- it is simply delicious…

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 pound frozen petite peas
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Heat a frying pan with olive oil. Add the green onions, mint and cilantro. Sauté for a minute. Add the peas, salt and pepper. Mix well and reduce the heat to low and cover with lid. Steam for about ten minutes or till the peas are cooked through. Mash with a potato masher and add butter. Taste for seasonings and serve.

Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo

I have to eat brussels sprouts on Thanksgiving- it is a must. I like them best roasted till they are nutty and yummy. This particular one of course has Latin flavors- chorizo to be specific. I like the Mexican style chorizo, which is the fresh and uncooked variety. I love the yummy garlic and paprika flavor of this sausage. It enhances any dish to a new level. I have been making brussels sprouts with walnuts and a cream sauce. This one is a bit different- it includes pecans and the delicious sausage. It is a very simple dish to put together and all the prep work, including cutting the brussels sprouts, shallots and pecans. You can do it the day before and put the dish together in the morning. It can be reheated right before you sit down to eat. Enjoy!!

  • 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, cut in half
  • 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive and sprinkle the salt and pepper. Mix well and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Squeeze the garlic out and keep aside.

  • 4 ounces fresh chorizo, casing removed and crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium shallots, sliced
  • ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
  • 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Add the chorizo and olive oil into a large frying pan. Saute for 2 minutes and add sliced shallots. Saute until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the roasted garlic and sprouts. Add the pecans and vinegar. Add salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

Grilled Baby Zucchini

Grilled Baby Zucchini As I mentioned yesterday, Sundays are our official grilling day… it is a must. As I marinated and assembled the delicious basil and garlic burgers, I started to think of the accompaniments. I wanted to keep the whole fare relatively healthy. I initially decided to eliminate potatoes out of the meal but then… after thinking about it, I decided to make some. I need to have some potatoes with my burgers. For a veggie, I decided to take out the baby zucchinis I had bought from Trader Joes. They were bright green and tender and best of all, they were tiny… I simply tossed them in some olive oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar. They sat around for a couple of hours until they looked really happy and ready to be grilled. It took less than five minutes to cook them.. since they were so tender, they only needed to be browned on both sides on a hot grill. They were delicious and beautiful with the burgers…
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4th Of July Recipes- Cole Slaw with Yogurt and Tamarind Vinaigrette

Cole Slaw with Yogurt and Tamarind2 I am all for making things from scratch but I do like to use all the conveniences I can find at the store. For this recipe I bought packaged, shredded cabbage, carrots and broccoli slaw. It saved me a ton of time and made everything a lot easier.

To complete a well-balanced menu, I was going to make a coleslaw dish with the Thai style burgers and potato salad. The recent Bon Appetit issue had a whole article on tamarind and it’s virtues. I am quite familiar with tamarind as I use it for all different things including using it in drinks, dressings and as a condiment.

They talked about pairing yogurt with tamarind concentrate to make a delicious, tangy dressing. I added my own twist by adding roasted cumin to the creamy dressing which gave the dish a nice nutty flavor. Overall, the dish went well with the burger and the potato salad.

What else do you need? Yes, I know what you are thinking- where is the dessert??? Stay tuned for tomorrow and you will have a great recipe for a dessert as well…
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