De Ma Cuisine

Roasting Archive

Monday

14

April 2014

1

COMMENTS

Roasted Asparagus with Almonds and Crispy Bacon

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten Free, Lunch, Meat, Pork, Quick and Easy, Roasting, Sides, Vegetables

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What a treat spring’s veggies are. Light and flavorful, they seem to bring a breath of fresh air to the table. I love hearty winter veggies, don’t get me wrong. But, there’s just something about those first crisp, slender, bright green asparagus that makes my heart happy.

Especially when they’re topped with bacon and almonds.

What a simply delightful side for your first spring barbecue.

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I read in last week’s Abundant Harvest Organics newsletter that asparagus stalks can grow up to ten inches in a day! What!? Imagine if we grew that much in a day… that would be weird. (Now I’m giggling to myself picturing really tall tall tall skiiiiiiiinny people who don’t fit in their houses… oh dear…)

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This recipe is an easy one. You ready? Asparagus is tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

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I love to roast veggies any time of the year, so that’s what I did with the asparagus.

Favorite.

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Things get a little bit crispy and nutty in the oven. This is the best part about roasting veggies. I could probably eat a whole pan by myself.

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Thick and delicious bacon compliments the asparagus nicely. It goes into a cold pan, which keeps it from curling too much. I’m not sure about the splattering though… sometimes I cover the pan… baking the bacon also works well.

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You could be fancy and wrap the bacon around a few stalks of asparagus to roast it. I thought about it, but then I thought that I’m too lazy practical. Chopping distributes the bacon a little better and takes way less time. But, if you’re in need of some serious bacon, or if you want something a little bit fancier, feel free to experiment.

The bacon and the almonds are chopped up in my version.

This was my Oma’s cutting board. I love having things that were once hers. It makes the fact that she’s gone a little more bearable. I have little pieces of her in the kitchen… that sounds weird… you know what I mean.

Oma means Grandma.

Mine was a fabulous cook.

I think she would enjoy the bacon and asparagus combination. Who wouldn’t?! I wonder, if there are any non-asparagus lovers out there, if they might enjoy it all roasted and topped with bacon and almonds.

Worth a try.

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Unless you live with me, a hungry food blogger, who might just devour it all and not save you any… Might.

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I want to make this again and again, it’s so good, and so easy. At the end, half a lemon is squeezed over the deliciousness. Make it for a spring brunch, an Easter dinner, or just to eat by yourself as you play Words with Friends with your brother.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Asparagus with Almonds and Crispy Bacon
Recipe Type: Side, Dinner, Vegetables, Pork, Bacon, Roasting, Quick and Easy
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 T olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/4 almonds (I used roasted and salted), chopped
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 425F.
  2. Place bacon strips into a cold skillet. Turn on heat and cook until crispy. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
  3. Toss asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes. Turn and roast 5-8 minutes more, or until they are as crispy as you would like.
  4. Top asparagus with bacon and almonds. Pour lemon juice over.
  5. Serve immediately.

 

Wednesday

9

April 2014

0

COMMENTS

How To: Take the Bite Out of Radishes

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, How To, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Roasting, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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Radishes they have a bit of a bite.

They’re peppery.

I get it.

They can be great raw, when mixed with the right flavors (ahem, two recent posts: Radish and Feta Toasts, and Radish Slaw).

They’re super in soups (yep, did that on purpose), tasty in frittatas, impossibly good (and impossible to detect) in Shepherd’s Pie.

Buuuut, let’s try one more way. Let’s roast them.

Let’s tame the heck out of them.

Oh, and this is gonna be really simple.

You ready?!

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When I was working on this recipe I tried a few different things. I was going to make a sauce for the radishes, or maybe add a little more to them when roasting. But I realized that they didn’t need it.

They have a fun and interesting flavor. Why mask it?

I thought they’d be good quartered. They could be halved, or left whole. Just adjust the roasting time.

Then they’re tossed with just a few things: thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

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On to a baking sheet and they’re ready for the oven.

I told you it was going to be easy.

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Just like their flavor, the colors become muted.

The remind me a bit of Easter eggs.

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They’re served with a squeeze of lemon.

Simple as that. They’ve been tamed.

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In my experience, cooking is generally a good way to tame a bold food. Whether it’s braised, roasted, sautéed, grilled… the heat usually mellows things out. However, if you’d like to try keeping things raw, mixing with complimentary flavors will also do the trick.

For radishes, think things like:

Lemon + dill + crab cucumber + cream cheese.

Lemon juice + olive oil + parsley + onions.

Shrimp soy sauce + scallions.

I like to chop or grate loud veggies when they’re going to be eaten raw (hello garlic, red onion, and radish!). It lets them continue to sing, just a little bit quieter, in harmony with the other ingredients.

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There’s no need shy away from radishes any more. Whether they’re raw or cooked, I’ve got you covered.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Radishes
Recipe Type: Side, Roasting, Vegetarian, Vegan, Vegetables, Radishes
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 2
Taming radish’s peppery bite by roasting them.
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch (about 8) radishes, tips and tails removed, quartered
  • 1 t olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1/4 t dried thyme, crushed
  • lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375F.
  2. Toss radishes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes. Flip and roast for 5 minutes more.
  3. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
3.2.1269

Monday

17

March 2014

0

COMMENTS

How To Cook Beets

Written by , Posted in How To, Roasting, Vegetables

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I haven’t always loved beets. They’ve been one of those foods that I’ve had to grow to even like. But, now that I know how to prepare them, I enjoy eating them, and even crave them.

Right now I’m craving a Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad that I’m planning to make later today.

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Are you craving beets?

If you are, my first suggestion for when you finish reading this post is to go and make this Mache and Citrus Salad or Roasted Beet Salad. I don’t think you’ll be sorry you did.

Since you’ve probably made extra beet chips for the salad (to eat right off the pan, right? Just me? Ok.), I would suggest saving them to make a simple and delicious pasta.

Then, if you have any beets left, I’d make some borscht.

And you thought you didn’t like beets. Wait, that was me.

Wrong.

Beets are awesome.

“Everybody loves beets.” – Dwight K. Schrute

Beets can be cooked in so many different ways. Like most vegetables, I prefer them roasted and a bit crispy. They’re also delicious roasted whole, so they get soft and tender, or in small, bite-sized pieces, to be dunked in a creamy sauce.

When roasting beets, I might peel them first, so they can be chopped small, or made into chips. I wouldn’t recommend trying to peel these after roasting. However, if you’re roasting whole or halved, you can let them cool a bit, then peel. The skin should come off suuuuper easily.

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Same goes for steaming or boiling.

Hey, if you’re going to boil, after you’ve removed the beets, what if you added some white vinegar to the water and saved it to dye Easter eggs!?

Or, throw in the beet peels and whatever other veggie scraps you have on hand and you’ve got homemade vegetable stock in about an hour.

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However you cook them, beets are a simple root, and can be dressed up to suit the occasion. They’re super dense, so they will take a while to soften. Do not be dismayed, they will eventually cook.

Roasted Whole/Halved/Quartered

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  1. Scrub well. Halve, quarter, or place whole on a baking sheet. Pierce a few times with a fork. Roast at 350F for about 60-90 minutes (or until the beet is easily pierced by a fork, but isn’t mushy).
  2. Remove from oven and let cool.
  3. Remove skin.

Beet Chips

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  1. Scrub and peel beets. Thinly slice.
  2. Toss beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes, or until beets are slightly crispy and tender.
  3. Remove from oven and cool.

Steamed

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  1. Scrub well. Quarter and place in a steamer basket in a pot with boiling water. Steam for about 20-25 minutes, or until the beet is easily pierced by a fork, but isn’t mushy.
  2. Remove from steamer and let cool.
  3. Remove skin.

Boiled

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  1. Scrub well.
  2. Quarter and place in a pot of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and boil for about 20-25 minutes, or until the beet is easily pierced by a fork, but isn’t mushy.
  3. Remove from water and let cool.
  4. Remove skin.

Handling beets makes for red fingers. Beware. 😉

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Happy Beeting!

Wednesday

12

March 2014

10

COMMENTS

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad – For Genevieve

Written by , Posted in Appetizers, Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Roasting, Salads, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

RoastedBeetCarrotSalad8A long long time ago, I asked a few friends to spread the word about my new blog. Two and a half years later, I’m finally finishing up with what I’d promised in return: a dish made up with them in mind.

Last, but definitely not least, Genevieve.

My friend Gen loves food, especially the healthy and delicious kind. I came up with this pretty little salad for her because it’s something I could totally see her making.

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Beets and carrots are thinly sliced and roasted.

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A quick dressing is whisked together.

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An orange is segmented and walnuts are chopped.

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Seems like the perfect meal for a busy Natural Chef.

I’d rather have shared it with Gen. But, like many friends, she lives far away.

So I had to eat it all myself.

I was almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

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Do not attempt to make or eat this salad while wearing white. You will probably be sorry. I was not wearing white, but I still made a mess. Sorrynotsorry.

Happy Eating!

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 beets, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 2 t olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 2 oranges, segmented
  • 1/4 C walnuts, chopped
  • dressing: 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • pinch ginger
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1/4 t dried thyme
  • 1/2 t dijon mustard
  • 1 T balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 T lemon juice
  • 1 T honey
  • 2 T olive oil

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375F.
  2. Toss beets and carrots with 2 t olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 10-20 minutes, or until beets are slightly crispy and tender. Remove from oven and cool.
  3. Whisk together dressing ingredients, streaming olive oil in last.
  4. Arrange beets, carrots, and orange segments on a serving platter. Sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/roasted-beet-and-carrot-salad/

Monday

3

March 2014

0

COMMENTS

Turnip and Potato Gratin

Written by , Posted in Cheese, Dinner, Herbs, Kid-Friendly, Potatoes, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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How many ways are there to cook turnips?

I mean, there’s the usuals: roasting, sautéeing, adding them to stew.

Um, but what about thinly slicing them and adding them to a potato gratin?

Sound fun?

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I don’t usually peel my veggies. I don’t feel like I need to (unless they’re too tough, then it’s cool). There are lots of nutrients found in their skin, so I like to keep it on. (If you can’t stand the peel, there are still plenty of nutrients on the inside, so it’s definitely better to peel and eat than to not peel and not eat at all.)

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I love honey and thyme. They’re one of my favorite duos right now.

Thyme, honey, and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce will compliment the turnips well. And the turnips will compliment the carrots, who will compliment the potatoes, who will… ok enough.

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My mom had a set of baking dishes like this when I was growing up (she probably still has them). So when I saw this one at a yard sale I had to have it. I like having things in the kitchen that remind me of family.

The thick cheesy sauce is spread between the layers of veggies. As it bakes, the veggies will finish cooking, and everything will meld into one tasty dish.

I wonder if I have any left in the fridge. It sounds really good right now.

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Lemons totally brighten things up. I mean, not just their great color, but their wonderfully fresh citrusy flavor. It seemed like a good idea to squeeze a lemon slice over top before enjoying. 

It was.

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Last thing to note: if you have picky eaters who “think” they don’t like turnips… Tim said he didn’t know there were turnips in this dish, sooooooo yeah… 😉

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Happy Eating!

Turnip and Potato Gratin
Recipe Type: Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Roasting, Steaming
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 medium potatoes, halved
  • 2 medium turnips, halved
  • 4-5 small (or 1-2 large) carrots, whole
  • water, for steaming
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 T all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 C milk (almond, cows, a mixture, or any other kind that you enjoy)
  • 1 T honey
  • to taste salt
  • to taste pepper
  • 1/2 t dried thyme
  • 3/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 C reserved)
  • lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
  2. Place the veggies in a steamer basket in a pot of boiling water. Cover and steam for 20-25 minutes, or until they are par-cooked. Let cool slightly, then thinly slice.
  3. Heat a medium sized pot or skillet over medium or medium-low heat. When it’s hot, add oil, then whisk in flour. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds. A bit at a time, whisk in milk, letting it thicken a bit between each addition. Stir in honey, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and let it thicken for a few minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  5. Place a layer of veggies into a greased 8×8 ovenproof dish. Spoon a bit of the cheese sauce over the layer. Repeat until all veggies and sauce are gone. Top with the reserved cheese.
  6. Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
  7. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.