I am particularly excited about the Fried Rice and the Potato and Chard Skillet Pie. And a friend (and fellow SIO member) inspired a salad I tossed together for lunch today of radicchio, mint, some chopped, toasted almonds, a handful of golden raisins a bit of scallion and a dressing of tahini, lime juice, olive oil and salt. It was delicious. I’ve not had a chance to fully develop it and write it up but if that combination sounds good to you, give it a try based on these loose guidelines. Happy cooking!
Red Cabbage and Sausage Fried Rice
Potato and Chard Skillet Pie
Sugarloaf or Radicchio Salad with White Beans and Potato “Croutons”
Winter Squash Caponata
Carrots with Cumin, Garlic and Sesame
Radicchio Salad with Egg and Parsley
Red Cabbage and Sausage Fried Rice
This is a simpler fried rice than my typical–no eggs, no soy or fish sauce–just ginger, garlic, pepper, cabbage, pork and rice, basically.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 scallions, white and green parts, separated, all thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Szechuan pepper corns, ground in a spice grinder or mortar (or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper)
4 ounces pork sausage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or 1 serrano chile, minced
6 cups shredded red cabbage
Salt
3 cups cooked rice, cold (fresh, hot rice is too sticky for fried rice)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges, for serving
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until very hot. Add the onion and scallion white parts and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, Szechuan pepper, hot pepper and cook for another minute. Add the sausage and stir well and cook for about 2 minutes, still over high heat. Add the cabbage and a few generous pinches of salt and stir well. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add the rice and mix in well and cook until heated through and crisping in places. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in cilantro and scallion greens and pass lime wedges and serve immediately.
Potato and Chard Skillet Pie
–inspired by Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison
This is a substantial side dish or a light main dish served with a salad or two. It’s begging for adaptations with different greens, herbs, the addition of a bit of sausage or leftover chicken to the filling, cheeses, etc.
Serves 4-5 as a main, 6-7 as a side
2 lbs firm fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 bunch chard, washed, leaves roughly chopped and stems reserved for another use
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground if possible
4 eggs, whisked
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
2/3 cup fairly fine bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Put potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until nice and tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile mash the garlic into a paste with a generous 1/2 teaspoon salt with the side of a chef’s knife or in a mortar. Mash the potatoes with the garlic paste and 3 tablespoons butter until you have a rough puree. Stir in the eggs and the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Cook the chard in a skillet with 2 tablespoons water and a few pinches of salt until tender, about 5 minutes. Press any liquid out of the greens with the back of a wooden spoon, though the greens don’t have to be bone dry. Stir in the nutmeg.
Heat the remaining tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch well-seasoned cast iron skillet or any oven proof skillet. Swirl the butter to cover the base of the pan and evenly cover with bread crumbs. Dab a generous half of the potato mixture evenly over the skillet and then gently spread it evenly, taking care not to mix the breadcrumbs into the mixture. Spread the chard over the potatoes and top with the remaining potatoes and spread out evenly. Bake for about 35 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter of the pie to loosen it and invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sugarloaf or Radicchio Salad with White Beans and Potato “Croutons”
This is my idea of good wintery salad. Savory with a hint of bitterness from the escarole or radicchio, which is rounded out by the crispy potatoes and creamy beans. Adapt as you see fit; sub crispy breadcrumbs or toasted nuts for the potatoes, skip the bacon, etc.
Serves 4-6
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1-2 slices bacon, finely chopped
6 cups sugarloaf chicory or radicchio, washed, dried and chopped fairly fine (see photo)
2 tablespoons parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned white beans, well drained
Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons red wine, cider or champagne vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1-2 teaspoons honey, apple cider syrup or maple syrup
2 teaspoons minced onion or shallot or finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced potatoes and a sprinkle of salt and cook for about 5-10 minutes until nice and crispy and just tender. Add the diced bacon to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes or until bacon is rendered and beginning to crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
Put the chicory, beans and herbs in a salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar and pour over greens. Toss well and taste for seasoning. When you’re ready to serve toss in the potatoes and bacon. Serve immediately.
Winter Squash Caponata
This dish is just slightly adapted from a dish that Jim Dixon posted on Real Good Food. It’s a winning twist on the classic Sicilian dish which uses eggplant.
Olive oil
4-5 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
2 stalks celery, with leaves if possible, diced
1 red onion (or any onion you have), diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped up a little
Small handful of olives, pitted and chopped (optional–I rarely have them on hand so haven’t used them and it’s still fantastic)
1/3 cup roasted tomatoes, chopped (I usually have them in the freezer) or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Dried (or fresh) oregano, crumbled or chopped (optional)
Salt
In a large, heavy skillet heat the oil. Add the squash and toss well with a few pinches of salt. Cook for a minute or two. Add the onion, celery, garlic, capers, and olives (if using) and cook, covered, until the squash is just about tender–about 12-15 minutes. You may want to stir occasionally and make sure things aren’t burning. I like a bit of browning though. Add the roasted tomatoes or tomato paste, vinegar and honey and simmer for another five minutes until the squash breaks down a bit more. Stir in some oregano, if using and a good splash of good olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature with good bread. I recently also enjoyed it with black beans and fresh tortillas!:)
Carrots with Cumin, Garlic and Sesame
I tossed this dish together for lunch one day. It took about 7 minutes to make and is a keeper in our household. You could add grated winter squash and/or potatoes to this and cook it just a couple of minutes longer for a more robust dish.
Serves 2-3
4 cups grated carrots (grated on large holes of a box grater)
1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, slivered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Dressing:
¼ cup Greek yogurt (whole milk)
Juice from half a lemon (or more to taste—you want it nice and tart to counter the sweetness of the carrots)
½ teaspoon harissa (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the seeds and garlic and stir to coat with oil and let cook for about 1 minute. The seeds will start popping and get very fragrant. Don’t let the seeds or garlic burn. Add the grated carrots and stir well. Cook, stirring almost constantly for about 2-3 minutes just to soften the carrot.
Mix the dressing ingredients, with the exception of the cilantro together well. You want it to be quite thin so add a little water if it’s too thick.
Serve the warm carrots with a generous drizzle of the dressing and cilantro, if using.
Radicchio Salad with Egg and Parsley
The richness of the egg pairs nicely with the assertive radicchio. You could dress this up with toasted nuts and/or apples or pears but I do love the simplicity of this, especially if you’re serving other rich dishes.
Serves 4
4 cups radicchio (or a mix of radicchio and escarole), thinly sliced
2 hard cooked eggs
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1-2 teaspoons apple cider syrup or 1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cover the eggs with cold water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and immediately turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit, covered in the hot water for 8-9 minutes, depending on how big the eggs are. Run under cold water and peel and chop finely.
Put the radicchio and parsley, if using, in a serving dish. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, syrup or honey, 3/4 of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss the radicchio with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with the egg, drizzle with a little more olive oil and season with more salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.