Stir-Fried Cabbage with Fennel Seeds

• 1 1/2 pounds green cabbage (half a large head)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 medium-large onion (about 7 ounces), peeled and cut lengthwise into fine half rings
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Remove coarse outer leaves of the cabbage. If you have a cabbage half, cut it in half again lengthwise, and then core the sections. Cut each section lengthwise into very fine, long shreds. A bread knife or chef's knife is ideal for this. (You can also use a food processor.)

Put the oil in a wide, preferably nonstick or cast-iron pan, and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the cumin, fennel, and sesame seeds. As soon as the sesame seeds begin to pop, put in the onion. Stir and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion has browned a bit.

Put in the cabbage. Stir and fry for about 6 minutes or until the cabbage has browned somewhat. Put in the salt and cayenne. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring now and then, for another 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions appear caramelized and soft. Note: you may need to do this in a couple batches.

Add the lemon juice and garam masala. Stir to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serves: 4.

VERDICT:  Delicious, and a good way to use up inevitable leftover cabbage.  Keep!

Classic Coleslaw with Caraway Seeds

• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt, or 2/3 cup regular plain nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (16-ounce) bag shredded coleslaw mix
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

If using regular yogurt, place it in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl whisk together the Greek or stained yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add coleslaw mix and caraway seeds and toss to coat.

 

Serves 6 (2/3 c.).

 

VERDICT:  Very simple--verging on bland--but really easy and a nice use of caraway.  Keep

Classic Dressing

• 2 1-pound loaves country-style bread
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Tear bread into 1” pieces (you should have about 20 cups); spread out on baking sheets and let sit overnight to dry out.

Preheat oven to 375°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, sage, and thyme; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 10–12 minutes. Add butter, celery seeds, cayenne, and broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted.

Transfer to a large bowl; add bread and parsley. Toss, adding more broth as needed to moisten.

Transfer to a 13x9” baking dish; cover with foil. Bake until heated through, 45–50 minutes. Uncover; bake until dressing is browned and crisp, 15–20 minutes longer.

Serves 12; 350 calories.

VERDICT:  I made a half-batch of this for Thanksgiving, using half caraway rye and half sourdough, and it was everyone's favorite.  I will probably keep trying new recipes, but this one was good.  Keep.

Apple-Herb Stuffing

• 6 cups torn chunks French, sourdough or country loaf, torn into bits (I use 2 7-ounce demi-baguettes)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large Spanish or sweet onion, chopped small
• 1 large or 2 small stalks celery, diced small
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large or 2 small firm, tart tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and diced small
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 sage leaves, minced
• 1/2 to 1 cup cup turkey, chicken or vegetable stock or broth
• 1 large egg

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread bread cubes in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool in pan while you prepare the other ingredients.

Generously butter a 2-quart baking dish (a 9×5-inch loaf, 8- or 9-inch square dish, etc.) with 1 tablespoon butter. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, thyme, salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper and cook for 2 minutes, until becoming translucent. Add celery and cook for 2 more minutes. Add apple and saute until a bit tender, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Place bread in large mixing bowl. Scrape contents of skillet on top. Whisk egg and 1/2 cup broth or stock together and pour over. Stir in parsley and sage. Spoon into prepared pan. If mixture looks a little dry, pour remaining 1/2 cup broth over it. [This is a good place to pause, if needed. Nothing bad comes of the stuffing absorbing the liquids for longer.] Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until brown on top and no liquid appears if you insert a knife vertically into the center of the stuffing pan and turn it slightly. Serve immediately, or reheat as needed.

VERDICT:  Of the two stuffings I made for Thanksgiving this year, this was the lesser.  It was good, but the rye bread stuffing was better.  I will probably not make it again, as I'm on the quest for the perfect stuffing, but it's not the recipe's fault.  Toss.

Classic From the Vault: Easy Refrigerator Pickles

• 6 c. thinly sliced cucumbers
• 2 c. thinly sliced onions
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

In a glass or crockery bow, alternately layer the sliced cucumbers and onions.  In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard seed, celery seed, and ground turmeric; bring mixture to boiling, stirring just until sugar is dissolved.  Pour vinegar mixture atop cucumber-onion mixture; cool slightly.  Cover tightly, refrigerate pickles at least 24 hours before serving.  Store up to one month in refrigerator.

VERDICT:  Perfect--the standard to which all other pickles must be compared.

Zucchini and Summer Squash with Chili, Mint, and Toasted Almonds

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 medium yellow squash
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1/2 very small red bird chili, seeds removed and finely sliced, or pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint

Toast the almonds in a pan over medium heat until golden, watching carefully, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Trim the zucchini and yellow squash and cut each one in half lengthwise, and then in half again, so you have four long quarters. Slice each quarter into 1-inch chunks. Put about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a wide sauté pan with high sides and set over medium-high heat. When the pan starts to smoke, add the zucchini and squash and a large pinch of salt, and turn the heat up to high. Sauté the squash, tossing frequently, until it’s well-caramelized but still has a bite, about 3 minutes.

Lower the heat to medium and add the chili to the pan. Cook for another minute, tossing occasionally. Sprinkle the sugar and vinegar over the squash and toss to combine. Cook for another minute or so. Turn off the heat and stir in the mint. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary, and then fold in the almonds. Serve immediately.

A variation: cool the cooked squash and serve at room temperature, shaving some ricotta salata or parmesan over the top.

Serves 4 as side dish.

VERDICT:  I made some changes--I used all zucchini, substituted red wine vinegar for the sherry vinegar, and used the red pepper flakes.  I included some zucchini slices, to use them up, which disintegrated, so the whole thing ended up kind of mushy.  But it had really nice flavor!  You could taste the vinegar and chili and mint and almonds, but none of them were out of balance.  Keep. 

Panfried Smashed Potatoes

• 8 medium red potatoes (about 2 inches long; 1 3/4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Generously cover potatoes with cold water in a 3-to 4-quart pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and lightly crush to about 3/4 inch thick with a potato masher, keeping potatoes intact as much as possible.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Transfer potatoes with a spatula to skillet, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 20 minutes total. Serve sprinkled with cheese. Season generously with pepper. 

Serves 4.

VERDICT:  I don't think these are good for you, but they are fantastic and easy.  Keep!

Roasted Radishes

Toss halved trimmed radishes on a baking sheet with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Roast at 425° until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Toss with fresh lemon juice, room- temperature butter, and chopped fresh herbs; season with flaky sea salt (such as Maldon).

VERDICT:  Not bad, and a good way to use up the inevitable half-bag of leftover radishes.  Keep.

French Green Bean Salad

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (from 1/2 of a small shallot)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 pound haricots verts
• 1 tablespoon Whole-Grain Dijon Mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Combine the shallot, vinegar, and garlic in a large, nonreactive bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Also, prepare the beans by cutting the stem end off of each, leaving the wispy tail on.

When the shallot mixture is ready, add the mustard and measured salt and pepper and whisk until combined. Whisking constantly, add the oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in the capers. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed; set aside.

When the water has reached a boil, add the trimmed beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and immediately add to the dressing. Using tongs, toss until well coated, then transfer to a flat serving dish. Spoon the remaining dressing over top and sprinkle the beans with the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Serves 6.

 

VERDICT:  Strongly flavored and acidic, but delicious.  We made these for a side with mac and cheese and were able to make it while the casserole baked.  The original recipe is here.  Keep.

 

Classic From the Vault: Strawberry Banana Jello Salad

• 1 box of strawberry Jello
• 1 10 oz pkg frozen strawberries 
• 1 c. boiling water
• sliced bananas

Add boiling water to jello.  Stir until dissolved.  Add strawberries and stir to break up.  Chill.

VERDICT:  This is the best Jello salad ever.  Despite being made of largely processed and frozen foods, it manages to taste fresh and refreshing.  For future reference--use the small box of Jello, don't thaw the strawberries, and add the bananas after slightly set.  I doubled the recipe to serve eight and used three bananas.  Keep!

Lemony Kale Salad

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups torn kale leaves
• 2 cups torn Swiss chard leaves
• 4 teaspoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 2)
• 1 ounce shaved pecorino Romano

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add kale and chard; toss. Let stand 10 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add kernels; cook 5 minutes or until brown, stirring frequently. Add kernels, onions, and cheese to greens; toss.

Serves 6 (1 c.); 65 calories.

VERDICT:  Sadly, it turned out the Parmesan I had planned on using in this salad had gone moldy, so I don't think I can judge it properly.  I'm willing to try it again, but perhaps would wilt the kale a bit first.  Keep.
 

Wheat Berry Salad with Raisins and Pistachios

• 1 cup uncooked wheat berries (hard winter wheat)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons shelled pistachios
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

 Preheat oven to 350°.

Place wheat berries and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above wheat berries, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Drain.

Place pistachios on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes, stirring once. Cool slightly, and chop.

Combine oil, juice, honey, coriander, ginger, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add hot wheat berries and raisins; stir well to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

Add nuts, 1/4 cup green onions, and cilantro to wheat berry mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Serves 6 (1/2 c.); 240 calories

VERDICT:  Nicely balanced and delicious.  I thought it was a bit wasteful to heat up the oven for 3 T. of pistachios, so I didn't, and I think it's still good. Keep.

Herbed Cracker Stuffing

• 8 ounces white sandwich bread (about 9 slices), cut into 3/4-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 teaspoons)
• 2 onions, finely chopped (3 cups)
• 3 to 4 celery stalks, finely chopped (2 cups)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 sleeves saltine crackers (about 66), coarsely crumbled (4 cups)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until dried but not browned, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, and celery, and saute until just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine, and simmer 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in bread cubes, crackers, herbs, and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Stir in broth, milk, and eggs until just incorporated.

If not stuffing turkey, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon stuffing into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with parchment, then foil, and bake 45 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees. Uncover stuffing, and bake until top is crisp and browned, about 5 minutes.

Serves 8.

VERDICT:  I was so excited about this.  I thought the crackers were going to be surprising and salty and good; in practice, they essentially disappeared and the whole dish was kind of bland.  Toss.
 

Moroccan-Spiced Spaghetti Squash

• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, if you’re cilantro-averse

Cooking spaghetti squash in your microwave is super-quick, but roasting it isn’t much more work — I’ve made it both ways and it works equally well. This works great as a side, but I tried something different this time and bulked it up with canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed. We had it with couscous but if I had thought of it sooner, it would also be great with some sautéed greens.

 

To cook the squash in a microwave: Pierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting. Cook in an 800-watt microwave oven on high power (100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 minutes.

To roast the squash, two methods: If you’d like to roast the squash whole, pierce it all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting and bake it in a 375°F oven for one hour. If you are good with a big, sharp kinfe, you can save some time by cutting the squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and roasting the halves face-down in an oiled baking pan for about 40 minutes in a 375°F oven.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is barely golden. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat.

If you have microwaved or roasted your squash whole, carefully halve it lengthwise (it will give off a lot of steam) and remove the seeds.

Carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will give off steam) and remove and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands as you remove it from skin. Toss with the spiced butter and cilantro.

Serves 4.

VERDICT:  I made this because I had had a spaghetti squash lying around for a while, and I had all the other ingredients.  I can't say I recommend cooking the squash in the microwave--it was certainly faster, but it seemed really watery.  I also forgot to weigh my squash before I started cooking it and had to guess on how much of the butter to use, so it's probably my own fault that it seemed a little lackluster.  Toss.

Classic from the Vault: Spicy Cranberries

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 inches stick cinnamon
• 1 c. fresh cranberries

Combine 1/4 c. water and sugar in small saucepan.  Add cinnamon.  Bring to boil, stirring till sugar dissolves.  Add cranberries and boil rapidly till berries just pop, about 2 minutes.  Chill.  Remove cinnamon.  Serve in hollowed out lemon cups.  Makes 3/4 c.

VERDICT:  This recipe is marked "really good" in my mom's 1968 Better Homes and Gardens Cooking for Two cookbook.  It is really good, and has been made for Thanksgiving for many years.

Almost Hands-Free Dill Pickles

• 4 Kirby cucumbers (about 1 lb, quartered lengthwise)
• 3/4  cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  dill seed
• 1  teaspoon  black peppercorns
• 1  bay leaf
• kosher salt

Place the cucumbers in a 1-quart jar or some other container with a tight-fitting lid.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, onion, garlic, sugar, dill seed, peppercorns, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¾ cup hot tap water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving. The pickles will last up to 1 week.

Yield: sixteen spears

VERDICT:  Amazingly, these really did only take five minutes to make--I had grand visions of myself casually whipping up batches of pickles for friends or potlucks.  Sadly, they mostly just taste like vinegar.  Toss.
 

Navy Bean-and-Artichoke Casserole with Goat Cheese

• 2 (1-ounce) slices whole-wheat bread 
• 2 (15-ounce) cans navy beans, undrained
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cups chopped leek (about 3 large)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke bottoms, drained and each cut into 8 wedges 
• Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 1 cup.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Drain beans in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Add enough water to liquid to measure 1 cup. Combine beans, thyme, sage, pepper, and 1 garlic clove.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 garlic cloves, leek, rosemary, salt, and artichokes; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in bean liquid mixture. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Spread half of bean mixture in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, and top with half of goat cheese. Spread artichoke mixture over goat cheese; top with remaining bean mixture and remaining goat cheese. Combine the breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle over goat cheese. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serves 6 (1 c.); 349 calories.

VERDICT:  I was thinking of this as a main course, but it turned out to be more of a side dish--a little one-note to be a meal.  It's not bad, but for the amount of effort and expense (leeks and goat cheese!) involved, toss.

Asparagus with Balsamic Tomatoes

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed 
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook asparagus in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar; cook 3 minutes. Stir in salt. Arrange asparagus on a platter; top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper.
4 servings; 69 calories.
VERDICT: I wanted a vegetable side dish for navy bean casserole--this used up the rest of the goat cheese, was easy, and complemented nicely.  (Plus, cherry tomatoes were on sale!)  Keep.

Garlic Bread

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 (15- by 3 1/2-inch) loaf Italian bread

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt using a heavy knife. Stir together butter, oil, and garlic paste in a bowl until smooth, then stir in parsley.

Without cutting completely through bottom, cut bread diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife, then spread garlic butter between slices.

Wrap loaf in foil and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Open foil and bake 5 minutes more.

Cook's notes: ·Bread can be spread with garlic butter 8 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in foil. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.
·For a brighter flavor, you can substitute 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil for 1 tablespoon of parsley.

VERDICT: A little more trouble than frozen and not quite as definitively garlicy, but fewer additives and less chemical taste. Keep.