Grilled Pineapple Strips

Grilled Pineapple Strips

What goes with chicken? This for sure: grilled pineapple. Try a side dish that’s a bit different:

GRILLED PINEAPPLE STRIPS

One whole pineapple
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
sea salt or kosher salt

Cut the leaves off the pineapple. Remove the outer fibrous rind. Cut the pineapple into strips and place them in a plastic bag or bowl. Heat the brown sugar, coconut oil, orange juice and orange zest in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into the bag over the pineapple. Let rest for at least 45 minutes. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium (or use a grill pan or the oven broiler). Grill the strips for about 4 minutes per side or until well glazed and tender, brushing occasionally with some of the liquid. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

Makes 6 servings

Roasted Asparagus with Zatar

When I was a kid, vegetables were always boiled (usually to death) and served with a pat of butter or margarine and it was no wonder that most people hated them.

We’ve learned a lot since then.

Whether you steam, poach or roast them, it’s incredibly easy to dress up any vegetable and make it a delicious side dish or even the star of your dinner.

Like this:

Roasted Asparagus with Zatar

• 1 pound medium-thick asparagus

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped, optional

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon zatar

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the ends of each asparagus spear. Rinse and dry the spears and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil on top and scatter the optional garlic on top. Roll the spears to coat each one. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for about 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drizzle with the lemon juice, sprinkle with zatar and serve.

NOTE: these are fine whether served hot or at room temperature.

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Lemon-Rosemary Potatoes

Roasted Lemon-Rosemary Potatoes

So here it is, the last day of February 2024. The last day of National Potato Lovers Month.

Really folks, I don’t need anyone to declare a month for loving potatoes. Anyone who knows me knows that potato is my favorite, #1, “last thing I want to eat before I die” food.

However, in honor of National Potato Lovers Month, here’s one of the zillion potato recipes I love: crispy roasted potatoes with some citrusy lemon tang and a sprinkle of rosemary.

ROASTED Lemon-Rosemary POTATOES  

• 2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potato cubes in a bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and rosemary and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the potato mixture on the parchment lined sheet, spreading the cubes into a single layer. Roast for 15 minutes. Toss the potatoes and continue to roast for about another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetable Kugel

Back in September I posted a recipe for a dish (Couscous with Seven Vegetables) that is traditional on Rosh Hashanah among the Jews of North Africa. We love the dish so much that I made it several times, changing the spices a bit each time. Then, one time, I decided to use the same vegetables and seasonings but instead of serving them over couscous, mix them into a kugel.

It worked perfectly!

Of course the texture of kugel vs braised vegetables over couscous is quite different. But the flavors are reminiscent of each other and just as delicious, either way.

This is a good side dish for Thanksgiving. First, it goes so well with turkey. It’s a good choice for any vegetarians who might be at your table. and also, you can make it in advance

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetable Kugel 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small onion, sliced

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger

• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 1 medium tomato, cut into chunks

• 1 small parsnip, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch slices, optional

• 1/2 cup cut up bite sized butternut squash

• 1/2 teaspoon ras al hanout (or use 1/4 teaspoon harissa plus 1/8 teaspoon each of ground ginger, turmeric and cinnamon)

• 3/4 cup vegetable stock

• 1 cup diced zucchini

• 1/4 red bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• Salt to taste

• 12 ounces egg noodles

• 3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 375F. Heat the olive oil in sautepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute. Add the carrot, tomato, parsnip and squash and stir the ingredients. Stir in the ras al hanout. Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, raisins and chickpeas. Cook for about 10 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste. Cook the noodles according to the manufacturer’s directions. Spoon the vegetables and pan fluids into the noodles and mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Beat the eggs and mix them in. Place inside a baking dish and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is crispy.

Makes 4 dinner servings, 8 side dish servings

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Cranberries

I usually make mashed sweet potatoes of some sort for Thanksgiving. It’s easy (one of my recipes has 3 ingredients), I can make it ahead and I can vary the seasonings from year to year. I can serve them plain or with marshmallows on top.

But, as anyone who knows me knows — I don’t like to cook and/or eat the same food over and over again, so I always tinker a bit and add a new dish or two to a holiday menu.

This year, instead of mashed sweet potatoes I am making this sweet potato/apple combo. I’ve cooked it several times in the last few weeks, to get it right. The flavor combo is perfect: sweet vegetable, tangy fruit; and the texture is nice too: tender sweet potatoes and softened but still firm apple.

Best of all — I can still prep all of it beforehand. It’s also an easy side dish and a nice change from the usual.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Cranberries

• 3 medium sweet potatoes

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

• cinnamon, salt

• Aleppo (or cayenne) pepper, optional

• 2 apples, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into bite size pieces and place on the baking sheet. Pour the vegetable oil and maple syrup or honey over the pieces and toss to coat them. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, salt and Aleppo pepper if desired. Roast for 12-15 minutes, turning the potatoes once or twice, or until softened. Add the apples and dried cranberries, toss and continue to roast for another 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes and apples are crispy and tender.

Makes 6 servings

Roasted Cauliflower with Tomatoes and Green Olives

A colorful side dish always makes dinner more special and festive no matter what you’re serving as an entree.

I love the colors in this dish — I’ve made it with different veggies on different occasions but this combo seemed the prettiest to me (black olives work too though). And the olives add a surprisingly tasty tang. It’s perfect for Shabbat dinner

Bonus: if you have any leftovers you can sprinkle them with vinaigrette for a lovely salad. Add cooked potato or hard cooked egg if you have some.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH Tomatoes and Green Olives

• 4 cups bite sized cauliflower florets

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• kosher salt or sea salt

• 2 dozen halved cherry tomatoes

• 10-12 green pitted olives

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or green scallion tops

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the cauliflower pieces on the parchment and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Toss the pieces to coat them evenly with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 20 minutes, tossing the pieces once during that time, or until lightly browned. Sprinkle the tomatoes and olives with the remaining olive oil and add them to the cauliflower. Toss the ingredients and roast for another another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Roasted Potato Salad with Red Onions and Rosemary

If you’re getting out the grill to celebrate Lag BaOmer or because the warm weather is finally here or just because grilled food is so so good — have you decided about a side dish to go with those chicken legs or salmon steaks or hot dogs.

How about potato salad?

I make all sorts of potato salad, but because roasted potatoes are a classic food for Lag BaOmer, I went the extra step and roasted the potatoes for this version. The crispy edge added a really satisfying texture and the flavor was extra rich because the high heat caramelized the onions. I used a cast iron pan and suggest that for best results. Your oven is fine (instructions below) but if you have room for the pan on the grill — go for it and cook the entire feast outdoors.

This dish tastes best at room temperature, although my husband likes it hot, so, either way.

Roasted Potato Salad with Red Onions and Rosemary

• 2 pounds “new” waxy potatoes (such as Red Bliss or baby Yukon Golds)

• 1 small red onion, sliced

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If you have a cast iron grill pan or frying pan, preheat it in the oven. Wash the potatoes and cook them in simmering water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Peel the potatoes when they are cool enough to handle; cut them into bite size pieces and place them in a bowl with the onion slices. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the vegetables, toss them to coat all sides and place them in the preheated pan (or use an ovenproof pan or baking sheet). Roast for 25-30 minutes, mixing 2-3 times, or until lightly browned and crispy. While the potatoes are cooking, mix the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Add the roasted potatoes and onions when they are done. Add the parsley and rosemary. Toss the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve still warm or at room temperature.

Makes 4-6 servings

Honey-Spice Sweet Potatoes

It will be a tiny Thanksgiving dinner for us this year. It’s sad. And yet, I am still thankful that my kids and grandkids will celebrate separately and we will FaceTime during the day to send virtual hugs. And we will hope that next year we can go back to the large, crowded, noisy celebrations of days gone by.

Also, I am thankful that my brother and sister-in-law, who live nearby, will have dinner with us, seated far apart.

So, a scaled-down dinner. I know everyone will want sweet potatoes, so here is the scaled-down version of a dish I sometimes serve. It’s enough for 4 or 6 so maybe there will be some leftovers.

Btw, you can set this up ahead and pop it into the oven at the last minute.

Honey-Spice Sweet Potatoes

• 3 medium sweet potatoes

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel

• 3 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, butter, margarine or coconut oil

Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them into chunks and place in a saucepan. Cover with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain under cold water and place in a lightly oiled casserole dish. In another saucepan, combine the honey, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, orange peel, orange juice and lemon juice. Bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Mix the cornstarch and water together to form a paste. Spoon the paste into the boiling honey mixture and stir briefly until the sauce thickens. Stir in the vegetable oil. Pour the sauce over the potatoes. Set aside. About a half hour before you are ready to serve the dish, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and bake the casserole for about 20 minutes.

Makes 4-6 servings

Beet Salad with Pepitas

Lucky me!

My entire Rosh Hashanah celebration has changed for the better. I thought it would just be Ed and me, attending Zoom services and sharing a meal for two.

But my kids and grandkids are coming too! We will watch outdoors on the patio. And be together —- sort of — for a meal! Each family will have a separate place to eat.

I can’t tell you how thrilled I am, even though it won’t be normal and we can’t hug and kiss. But it’s something. And I am grateful.

Instead of the chicken dish I was planning to make, it’s going to be food for a family, not just the two of us: brisket (I was finally able to get one) and a turkey breast plus several sides, including this beet salad, which I can make in advance and scatter with seeds at the last minute.

This is better than the original plan. For sure.

Beet Salad with Pepitas

• 3 large beets, trimmed

• 3 scallions, chopped (or one large shallot or 1/3-1/2 cup chopped red onion)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons orange juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

• salt to taste

• 2 tablespoons toasted pepitas

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Scrub the beets and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Roast until tender, about 45-75 minutes, depending on size. Unwrap the beets and when they are cool enough to handle, peel them. Cut the beets into bite size pieces. Place the beet chunks in a bowl. Add the scallions, olive oil, orange juice, mint and orange peel. Toss ingredients. Sprinkle with salt. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with pepitas. Serve at room temperature. 

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Corn Salad

I can’t wait for 2020 to end. It’s been a stressful, depressing year.

In addition to the pandemic and the hate-filled political climate, we had a storm last week that knocked out our power and land-line telephone for days, and there was sketchy internet service too.

And we lost a huge limb from our favorite hundreds-of-years-old maple tree.

Then there was a water main break so we had no water for a whole day.

YECH!!

Still, I am grateful for a number of things.

For instance: crops. Vegetables that grow despite the political circus, despite the hatreds, despite the racial tensions, despite the bad weather, despite the virus, despite the social distancing and the quarantines.

They don’t make up for the lost lives, the lack of hugs, the inability to travel or be with loved ones. But, thank goodness for these, the positives that nature brings us.

Summer’s best crops: tomatoes, peaches and nectarines.

And corn.

Get a couple of good ears of corn and grill them or use your oven and follow the recipe below for a refreshing summer salad. It made me feel better to make this one.

Charred Corn Salad

• 2 cups corn (about 3 ears of corn)

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion ( 2 3/4-inch thick slices)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (or use goat cheese or any crumbly white cheese)

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the corn and onion on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the vegetables, toss and roast for 12-20 minutes or until crisped and browned. Alternatively, rub the ears of corn and the onion with the olive oil and grill for about 10-12 minutes, turning the vegetables occasionally, or until crispy and tender, then remove the kernels and chop the onion. Place the vegetables in a bowl. Let cool. Add the cheese and parsley. Pour in the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings