Hints and quickie Recipes

[Guest guest]

When I saw this I had to send, great easy dishes, what could be better LOL

and good hints.

AJ

 

Chanterelles are as distinctive, and about as tasty, as morels. Slice 8 ounces

of them and saute in 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil on

medium-high for 2 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup white wine and cook about 5 minutes,

tossing in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus salt and pepper to taste at the

very end.

 

Rosemary " skewers " (with leaves removed) punch up all kinds of food on the

grill. Try thickly sliced mushrooms and/or blanched veggies: new potatoes,

broccoli florets, bell peppers, onions, zucchini. Baste with olive oil or a

vinaigrette while grilling.

 

Pesto--whether made with basil, cilantro, sage, parsley, or whatever--is best

when fresh, but it will keep for up to five days in the fridge. Place in a dish

and press plastic wrap directly onto the pesto, then put another layer of

plastic wrap across the top of the bowl.

 

Toss broccoli and cauliflower florets with olive oil and oregano, salt and

pepper to taste. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 450 degrees for 40

minutes or so. Are there any vitamins left? Who knows? Who cares? Those

caramelized bites are yummy.

 

Peel and slice three cucumbers and toss with 1/4 cup chopped onion, 2 teaspoons

dill, 1 teaspoon each coarse salt and sugar and 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar. Chill

at least an hour.

 

Thinly slice six bell peppers of various colors and saute them in olive oil with

2 tablespoons fresh thyme and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper until they're

soft. Toss in a half-dozen minced garlic cloves and red-pepper flakes to taste,

saute for a few minutes and toss with a pound of cooked spaghetti, chopped

Italian parsley and Pecorino Romano cheese to taste.

 

Cut two medium zucchini and four bell peppers of varying colors into

stick-shaped, No. 2-pencil-size pieces, chop or slice two large cloves of

garlic, and saute it all for about 3 minutes in a quarter-cup of olive oil,

seasoning with salt, pepper and fresh thyme and/or oregano.

 

Cut two ripe honeydew melons into 1-inch cubes and puree in a blender with 2

tablespoons each sugar and fresh lemon juice. Strain through cheesecloth or a

colander; discard pulp. Pour 3 ounces into a champagne glass, add 4 to 5 ounces

sparkling wine, stir and serve.

 

Slice a small onion and saute with a crushed garlic clove in 1/4 cup olive oil

until lightly browned. Add 3/4 cup peeled plum tomatoes and 1 tablespoon tomato

paste. Simmer 15 minutes and stir in 2 cups crumbled Italian bread. Cook low

until mixture thickens. Sprinkle with basil and a bit of olive oil. It's better

made a day ahead and reheated.

 

Using a melon-ball scooper, shape them from one medium-size seedless watermelon,

a honeydew melon and two cantaloupes. Toss with 2 cups seedless grapes. Optional

topping: a cup of plain yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup honey.

 

Got a watermelon that's not as sweet as you had hoped? A sprinkle of salt can

punch up the sweetness of the fruit, but be judicious.

 

Cut 2 pounds of watermelon and 1 pound of tomatoes into 1-inch chunks or wedges

or triangles. Toss with 2 teaspoons coarse salt and 2 tablespoons chopped basil.

Whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and

gently toss with the rest.

 

Basil and tomatoes are simpatico in so many ways. One major trait they share is

that neither should ever be refrigerated unless they have been chopped. Basil

should be wrapped in a paper towel and placed in a sealed plastic bag.

 

Coarsely chop five large tomatoes. Cut two large cucumbers in half lengthwise,

scrape out seeds, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; toss with cup red-wine vinegar,

1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand 30 minutes, then toss with

tomatoes, 3/4 cup chopped onion, cup chopped mint and 3 tablespoons olive oil.

 

Cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and sprinkle with olive oil and chopped

oregano. Place the slices on an oiled grill grate and cook 1 to 2 minutes per

side. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper to taste. This also works with cherry

tomatoes, which should be skewered.

 

Ahhh, sweet corn, warranting a week's worth of items, starting with this tip: A

great way to cut off the kernels is to place one end of an ear in the center

hole of a Bundt pan (where it should fit snugly) and scrape off the kernels,

which will fall into the pan.

 

How best to butter corn on the cob? One way is to slather butter on white bread

and roll corn through it. It works splendidly--even more so with one of these

flavored butters:

 

Citrus butter: Bring a stick of butter to room temperature. Combine 2 teaspoons

grated orange peel with 1 teaspoon each lemon peel, lime peel and coarse salt.

Mix in the butter.

 

Herb butter: Place 1/4 cup basil (or other herbs, but not a mixture) and three

garlic cloves in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add 1 tablespoon

lemon juice, a pinch of sugar and 11/2 teaspoon coarse salt and process. Add a

stick of unsalted butter and blend until smooth.

 

For a salad: Boil five ears of corn for 3 minutes. Drain and immerse in ice

water until cool. Cut cut off the kernels and toss with 1/2 cup diced red onion,

3 tablespoons each olive oil and cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving, toss in 1/2 cup julienned basil.

 

Saute 1/4 cup chopped shallot in 2 tablespoons butter until softened, about 3

minutes. Add 3/4 pound thin green beans (in 1/4 inch pieces), 3 cups corn and 1

teaspoon salt and saute until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Remove

from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1/2 teaspoon lime juice and 2

tablespoons fresh mint or tarragon.

 

Saute a chopped onion in 1 tablespoon butter until softened. Add kernels from

three ears of corn, 1 pound zucchini (cut in 1-inch slices), a pint of cherry

tomatoes (cut in half), and 1 teaspoon each fresh oregano, salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on medium-low for 15 minutes.

 

Rinse and drain a 16-ounce can of white beans. In a bowl, combine with two

seeded, chopped tomatoes, one chopped shallot, a thinly sliced small onion, 2

tablespoons each chopped oregano and thyme and 1 cup of your favorite

vinaigrette.

 

Pole beans are thicker and tougher than their cousins, and may take a while to

cook. Boil a pot of water with 1/4 pound slab bacon or a ham hock for 30

minutes. Snap the beans into 2-inch pieces, add them to the liquid with 1

teaspoon each sugar and salt and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.

 

Baba ganoush can be served with toasted pita chips: Slice two medium-size

eggplants in half; roast at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. In a processor, mix the

flesh, 3 tablespoons each pine nuts, tahini and lemon juice, four garlic cloves

and 1 teaspoon each salt and cumin. Slowly add 3 tablespoons olive oil and

process.

 

Shred 1/2 pound of carrots and toss with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 11/2

tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons each minced garlic and chopped chives, plus

salt and pepper to taste.

 

Rat-tat-too-oui! Cut a medium eggplant, two zucchini, a bell pepper, a medium

onion and a dozen mushrooms into -inch slices. Saute two garlic cloves, the

pepper and onion for 10 minutes, then add the other veggies, 2 tablespoons fresh

oregano and two chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wow, this is full of great ideas for quick

vegetarian meals. Made me so hungry just

reading it!

 

~ PT ~

 

I give you praise, moon of guidance,

That I have seen you again,

That I have seen the New Moon,

The lovely leader of the way.

~ Scots Gaelic prayer to the moon

~~~*~~~*~~~>

, " AJ " <coolcook wrote:

>

> When I saw this I had to send, great easy dishes, what could be better LOL

> and good hints.

> AJ