Carrot & Rice Casserole

Usually when my CSA goodies arrive, I am excited about a seasonal gem, like tomatillos or lately all the great yogurt. But if I am honest, sometimes, just sometimes, I look in the fridge and sigh, "Holy cow! How the heck can I use up all these freaking <insert abundant vegetable>?"

In this case, it was the carrots. Multiple ... bowls .... full ... of both the bright, almost poppy-colored variety, and a plethora of the tamer yellow version.  I'd roasted, chopped and pureed as many as I could for baby food, dropped others in salads, soups and stir fry and still, the damn carrot supply held on.  

Determined to try something new, I found this carrot & rice casserole. Had I planned better, it might have made a nice Thanksgiving side for some of you. I'll tweet that next year. Whether you are long on carrots like me, simply looking for a hearty side dish, or cooking on a Sunday and hoping for a recipe that will sprout leftovers, this dish could be just the trick.

The whole family devoured, baby included. 

Carrot & Rice Casserole
Base recipe here.  
Ingredients

• 3 cups grated carrots
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or parsley 
• 2 cloves of garlic finely minced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 -1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350
• Combine the carrots, rice, garlic, onion, herbs and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Add the yogurt and beaten eggs and stir to mix
• Coat a 2 qt casserole dish with oil or cooking spray, and spread the carrot mix out evenly.  Top with cheese
• Cook for 45 mins - 1 hour until a knife comes out cleanly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. 

Roasted Mushrooms with Crispy Sage and Walnut Oil

You may not have walnut oil in your cabinet, but you are going to buy some.  You may have slight sticker shock at the price, but I can all but guarantee you will thank me when you taste these mushrooms.

I've had walnut oil in my cabinet for sometime and just recently started exploring with it again thanks to the nudging of one of my besties.  She was touting the health benefits, of which there are many, but really, it's the huge, earthy flavor that I adore.  In the dish below, the sage crisps up, the mushrooms drip and the nutty flavors just scream fall.  Enjoy!

Roasted Mushrooms with Crispy Sage and Walnut Oil
Ingredients (serves 2 as a side) 

• 2 cups of whole button and portobella's chopped into a 2 inch dice. note: bunches of enoki would be glorious here
• 1.5 tablespoons of walnut oil
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 10 - 12 sage leaves ripped in half
• Salt to taste 

Directions 

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• Drop the whole button and chopped portobella on a baking sheet, condensing into a single, close knit center
• Drizzle with the two oils, sprinkle with sage and toss to coat
• Cook for 15 - 20 mnutes until fragrant, but not too shrunken
• Season to taste and enjoy

#FoodPhotography - Roasted Beets

I've been savoring my last few weeks on maternity leave with the little guy and blogging has fallen off my radar.  The summer CSA share and farmers markets are just around the corner, and I'm looking forward to more time in the kitchen.

In the meantime, I'm hoping you enjoy this #FoodPhotography of roasted beets.  Stay tuned, there is a sunchoke risotto post coming which you won't want to miss!

#FoodPhotography: Roasting Beets

 

Kale Caesar Salad

As you know, I...love...kale.  So imagine my delight at opening my first Winter CSA box to find it blanketed in kale. Literally, the whole top of the box was kale-covered.  After a chard-heavy summer share, I quite literally squealed in delight, "ooooohhhhhhhhhhhheeeeee!"

Since then, I've enjoyed poached eggs over sauteed kale, kale chips, and the simple recipe below:  Kale "Caesar Salad."  What I love about this preparation is that you don't have to actually cook the kale.  And as a farm share loving neighbor** pointed out when I had him taste this the other night, this actually ups the nutritional value as you do not lose any nutrients to the cooking process. 

**Yes, during a rocking holiday party I pulled a fellow CSA lover from the living room into the kitchen to talk CSA, vegetable storage, and to taste this kale salad -- it was a nerdy vegetable convention in my kitchen and I loved it!

Kale Caesar Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups of washed, de-stemmed kale cut into bite-size ribbons
• One lemon
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 5-8 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Directions

• Mash the garlic with the kosher salt, add to the bottom of your serving bowl
• Juice the lemon on top of the garlic paste, removing any seeds
• Add a couple of cracks of freshly ground pepper
• Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and 5 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, mixing until until the ingrediants form a dressing 
• Toss in the kale to coat.  Sample your salad, and add more olive oil or Parmesan cheese to taste (i always end up with more of both!)
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving

Dressing

Kale Caesar Salad

Bobby Flay's Wild Rice, Sausage & Goat Cheese Stuffing

For years, I skipped holiday stuffing opting for more mashed potatoes or starchy corn pudding. Perhaps it was my aversion to raisins (or any fruit in a savory dish) or dislike of those boxed, horribly hard croutons. Then I tried Bobby Flay's wild rice and goat cheese stuffing, and my oh my am I a convert!!  Stuffing is now hands down my favorite part of any holiday meal. We enjoyed it on Thanksgiving, and I will whip it up again this Sunday for the Christmas table. 

While Bobby's recipe is delicious on its own, I've made it enough times to alter it slightly for our tastes. Unsurprisingly to any regular LaurenLivingLocally reader, I added some kale. I also took the sausage down a notch in spiciness to accommodate the mixed palettes of our family. Lastly, I omitted parsley...the cardboard of herbs in my opinion. Otherwise, it is true to the original form and we enjoy every single flavor-packed bite.

The second best part of this stuffing recipe is the leftovers. Poach an egg, serve it for breakfast the next day and I promise you will be one happy camper.  The real question is why do we only serve scrumptious stuffing on the holidays? That has got to change! One of my 2012 food resolutions: Eat more stuffing! 

Bobby Flay's Wild Rice, Sausage & Goat Cheese Stuffing
Courtsey of Bobby Flay & the Food Network

Ingredients

• 2 cups wild rice
• 6 cups water / follow your rice directions
• 1 pound diced sweet sausage (or spicy chorizo if your table can hack it!) 
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup diced carrots 
• 1/2 cup diced celery (optional)
• 1 cup washed, de-stemmed and loosely chopped kale
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 loaf country-style bread, cubed (either day old, or toasted in the oven for crunchiness)
• 2 to 4 cups chicken stock 
• 12 ounces goat cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375 
• Combine the water, rice and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, (or follow directions on package).  Drain and set aside 
• Melt the butter in either your final baking dish or a saute pan over medium heat, and cook the sausage, onions, carrots and celery until done.  Add the garlic, herbs & kale, and saute another 2 minutes, mixing frequently
• Combine the bread, goat cheese, 2 cups of stock and rice with the vegetable sausage mixture and mix well to coat and melt the cheese.  It should be very moist, so add more stock if needed.  Add a few cranks of salt & pepper, and either bake in this dish or transfer to a large buttered baking dish
• Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and let rest 10 minutes before serving
• If you make this the day before, or want to enjoy it again in the morning, simply add a bit more stock and reheat for 20-25 minutes. 

Getting Started

 

A No-Justice to Deliciousness Final Product Photo 

 

Breakfast Stuffing with a Poached Egg!

Roasted Squash & Carrot Quinoa

These fall gems arrived in my CSA delivery.  On the weekend, my husband and a few of our good friends spent the day catching striped bass on a boat off Montauk point.  The growing baby in my belly kept me ashore, (I LOVE fishing so this baby better be cute ;-) and I cooked up the accompaniments for the evening feast. You may have read about the delicious apple and pear crisp, and the salad below offered a calm compliment to the star of the of menu, fresh stripped bass in a coconut curry sauce.  Recipe for bass to follow!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Carrot Quinoa Salad 

Ingredients 

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 - 4 large carrots
• 1 white onion
• 1/2 log of goat cheese
• 1 cup dry quinoa 
• Fresh Sage
• Handful of arugula or other greens
• Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil

Directions

• Pre heat over to 375
• Peel, chop and cube the butternut squash and carrots
• Finely dice the onion
• Toss the onion, carrots and squash with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, 5-6 torn sage leaves, salt and pepper
• Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until tender
• Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa as instructed
• When the quinoa is finished, toss with 1/2-1 tablespoon of olive oil to break it up
• After the veggies are roasted, mix the quinoa, veggies, washed greens and goat cheese to coat
• Serve!

About Quinoa

Quinoa is a super food.  High in protein, gluten free and rich in 8 essential amino acids like lysine, Quinoa really is the ultimate grain.  It's also delicious.

Lauren Lately: Veggies with Goat Cheese, Lemon or in Pasta Sauce

Most of my meals are not documentation worthy, however I still enjoy preparing and eating them. "Lauren Lately" is a series that will feature a few go-to items in my dinner rotation on those nights when I want to cook, but don't have the gumption to create a blog-worthy meal.

1) Roasted Veggies with Chili Oil & Goat Cheese  
Ingredients

• Sturdy vegetables, i.e. turnips, beets, carrots, butternut squash, peppers, onions, potatoes and/or parsnips
• Chili Oil
• Goat Cheese
• Salt, Pepper and an Herb (dried or fresh thyme, sage or rosemary)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375. 
• Peel, clean and chop vegetables into 1-inch cubes. If squash or potato heavy, consider smaller cubes or 3 minutes in the microwave to speed cooking time.
• Toss cubes with salt, pepper, chili oil to coat and a few dashes of herbs. Personally, I'm in a dried thyme phase.
• In a roasting pan or tinfoil boat (much less clean up!), roast the vegetable for 35-45 minutes, tasting for readiness.
• Remove from the oven.  While piping hot, mix in a bowl with a tablespoon or two of goat cheese which will melt into a tangy and perfect coating.

2) Steamed Veggies with Lemon Olive Oil
Ingredients

• Green vegetables, e.g. Pole beans, string beans, broccoli, chard, kale, snap peas and/or brussel sprouts
• Lemon Olive Oil

Directions

• Clean, trim and chop green vegetables into bite sized pieces.
• Lightly steam (3-4 minutes for the soft greens, a minute + for the beans, a bit longer for broccoli or brussels). Steam in a glass dish with water in the microwave, stove top in a steamer basket or in a set like ours. Just avoid steaming in plastic, a no-no according to my dietitian friend, because of possible chemical transfer (phthalates and BPA, eek!).
• Toss the veggies with a few glugs of artisanal lemon flavored olive oil* and serve along side grilled chicken or fish. 
• If you don't have lemon olive oil on hand, combine a few healthy squirts of fresh lemon juice with regular olive oil, (then read the note below and contemplate an order!)

*Nudo Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Lemon has been a secret obsession of mine since reading about it in this newsletter.  Simple salad dressing or on veggies as above it is delish. Its so NOT LOCAL, I almost didn't fess up. However the eco-friendly merits slightly cleared my conscious since: a) Nudo farms organically, b) They market a lovely adopt an olive tree program and c) They employ a policy to ship by sea and land wherever possible. The chili oil in the roasted veg recipe above is also Nudo, and a part of their "Three Tenors" trio (Hello holiday or housewarming gift!)

3) Pasta with A Quick Homemade Sauce
When I first went "public" with this blog, a dear friend jokingly remarked she enjoyed it even though heating up pasta sauce was daunting to her.  I laughed... then started obsessing about quick homemade sauce recipes for her.  Below are my general guidelines.  Is the end result fine-dining? Probably not. Is it an easy and enjoyable homemade supper? You betcha.

Ingredients (must have and totally 100% optional)

• A large white onion
• Herbs of some sort (basil, thyme, oregano)
• 4-6 fresh tomatoes or a a can of whole tomatoes
• Parmesan Cheese
• Salt & Pepper
• Pasta
• 100% totally optional ingredients: Protein (ground chicken, sausage, lamb etc.), Fennel, Carrot, Celery, Garlic, Hot Pepper Flakes or Cayenne

Directions

• Meat base: Over medium heat, break up and begin to brown the ground or chopped protein of your choosing (turkey, chicken, beef, lamb, veal, sausage). About 1/4th a pound per person, though the end result will easily freeze if you have left overs. I love meat combination's here (lamb and veal, chicken and sausage) and just as often stick with straight veggies. 
• Veggie base: Add a few glugs of olive oil to a saute pan and continue.  
• Add one half a chopped onion to the meat or olive oil (or a full onion if serving more than 4 people), and saute over medium heat until glistening.  If you have it on hand, this is where you can add chopped fennel, carrots or celery sauteing it all for 5-7 minutes.
• Add freshly chopped tomatoes (4 for two people, more for additional eaters), or a can of tomatoes to the pan, and lower heat to medium low. 
• Add in the chopped or dried herbs (a pinch of dried oregano, a few full basil leaves...its not scientific), and a few cranks of salt and pepper. 
• Optional: Add 1-2 cloves of chopped garlic, and/or a dash of cayenne or a dash of hot pepper flakes to kick it up notch.
• Cook for 15-20 minutes, mixing every 5 minutes or so to break down the tomatoes.
• Meanwhile, bring pasta to a boil on the neighboring burner. When it's done, add 1/2 cup of starchy water from boiling the pasta to the sauce pan to loosen it up. 
• Pasta + sauce + grated cheese = dinner in about an 35 minutes including chopping.

Shishito Peppers: A lasting flash in the pan

A growing culinary trend in New York City and the Hamptons confirms three of my golden food rules: 1) Anything fresh is better; 2) Anything Japanese* is delicious; and 3) Most things fried are a treat.

My eyes have been lighting up at all the non-Japanese establishments now serving grilled or flash fried shishito peppers on their appetizer menus.  Not-coated or battered, the frying feels healthier than what you may be imagining, and these sweet little summer gems could really replace the deep-fried frozen jalapeno poppers blanketing many menus.

When these little guys arrived in my CSA box last week, I knew I had to try my hand at preparing them as I enjoyed them in Japan and as my husband I regularly now order them.  I winged it and we loved it, so this simple little preparation is becoming a post. I'd love to hear suggestions on grilling, omitting oil together, if any of you readers have a healthier recipe you'd like to share in the comments.

*As you may know from this post, I lived in and adore Japan.  

Flash Fried Shishito Peppers

Ingredients 

• As many shishito peppers as you wish to serve, no more than will fit in a single layer of your frying pan or skillet
• Equal parts Olive Oil, Peanut Oil and Sesame Oil, enough to cover the pan in a 1/4 inch layer when combined 
• For six peppers, I used about 1.5 tablespoons of each in a 10-inch pan and had oil left over
• A healthy dose of sea salt

Directions 

• Slightly pierce each pepper through to the middle to prevent them from puffing up during  cooking
• Over low-medium heat, warm the oil blend in your frying pan or skillet for 2 minutes just before it starts to smoke
• Standing back, and using an oil guard if you have one (I never do, and clean oil splatters regularly), place the peppers in the oil mixture
• Sear the peppers for 2 minutes.  Before they start to burn, use tongs to flip.  Sear an additional 1- 2 minutes, and transfer to a paper towel to drain
• While still warm, liberally dose with sea salt and serve

 

About Shishito Peppers
Looks are deceiving when it comes to this little pepper.  Small like their hot cousins, nine out of 10 are actually quite mild and sweet.  The name comes from the Japanese word for lion, shishi, as the top of the stem is said to look like the head of a lion.