Green Bean and Yellow Tomato Salad with Mint
Fried Green Tomatoes
Sweet Potato Soup
Frittata with Greens
Homemade Peanut Butter
Smoked Pork Chops With Corn and Okra
Green Bean and Yellow Tomato Salad with Mint
For the green beans to absorb the flavor of the mint fully, toss them together while the beans are steaming hot. Yellow tomatoes have a sweeter, less acidic flavor than red tomatoes, but red ones can be substituted, or use equal amounts of each. If using red tomatoes, reduce the amount of red wine vinegar to taste.
1 lb. long, slender green beans such as Blue Lake or Kentucky Wonder, ends trimmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 or 2 yellow tomatoes, cut into wedges about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup thin red onion wedges
2 tsp. red wine vinegar, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes; the timing will depend on their size. Drain.
In a large serving bowl, combine the hot beans, mint, olive oil and salt and toss to mix. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Just before serving, add the tomatoes, onion, vinegar and a grind of pepper to the bean mixture and toss to mix. Taste and add more vinegar, if necessary. Serve the salad at room temperature. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking, by Mary Abbott Hess, Dana Jacobi & Marie Simmons (Oxmoor House, 2003).
Fried Green Tomatoes
For the rémoulade:
1 cup mayonnaise (purchased, or see recipe at left)
1 Tbs. minced cornichons
1 Tbs. nonpareil capers, rinsed
1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon
1 tsp. spicy brown mustard, preferably Creole
1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 sp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
3 green (unripened) tomatoes (about 7 oz. each)
1 cup canola oil
To make the rémoulade, in a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, cornichons, capers, parsley, tarragon, mustard, anchovy paste and garlic until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, mix together the flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the milk and eggs until blended. Spread the cornmeal in a third shallow dish. Have ready a baking sheet.
Core the tomatoes and cut crosswise into slices about 1/4 inch thick. One at a time, dip the tomato slices into the flour mixture to coat evenly, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and then in the cornmeal, patting gently to help it adhere. Transfer to the baking sheet.
Preheat an oven to 200°F. Set a large wire rack on another rimmed baking sheet and place near the stove. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. In batches to avoid crowding, add the coated tomato slices to the hot oil and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the slices and fry until the other sides are browned, about 2 minutes more. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the tomatoes to the rack and keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining tomatoes. Serve hot, passing the rémoulade on the side. Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).
Sweet Potato Soup
To toast pecans, preheat an oven to 325°F. Scatter the pecans on a baking sheet and toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. You can also toast them, shaking often, in a dry fry pan over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 leek, white portion only, halved, rinsed and
thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into
2-inch pieces
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
Sauté the vegetables
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leek and celery and sauté until the leek is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and stock, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Using a food processor or blender, process the soup to a smooth puree. Return the soup to the pan and reheat to serving temperature. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with the pecans and serve. Serves 4.Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Soup, by Georgeanne Brennan (Oxmoor House, 2006).
Frittata with Greens
About 1 lb. leafy greens such as collards, kale, chard, broccoli rabe or spinach, tough stems removed
1 cup water
8 eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 lb. ricotta salata or young pecorino cheese, thinly sliced
In a large pot, combine the greens and water. Cover, place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes for spinach, up to 10 minutes for tougher greens. Drain the greens and let cool. Place in a kitchen towel and squeeze to extract the excess liquid. Chop the greens and set aside.
Preheat a broiler.
In a bowl, beat the eggs just until blended. Season with salt and pepper. In a 9-inch ovenproof fry pan over low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the greens and a pinch of salt, and stir and toss to coat the greens well with the oil. Lightly stir in the eggs and arrange the cheese slices on top. Cook, using a spatula to lift the edges of the egg to allow the uncooked egg to flow underneath, until the edges and bottom are set but the center is still moist, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the pan to the broiler about 4 inches from the heat source and broil until the top is puffed and golden and the cheese is slightly melted, about 1 minute.
Slide the frittata onto a serving plate. Serve immediately, cut into wedges. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Italian by Michele Scicolone (Oxmoor House, 2007).
Homemade Peanut Butter
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007
15 ounces shelled and skinned AB’s roasted peanuts, recipe follows
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
Place the peanuts, salt and honey into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the lid back on and continue to process while slowly drizzling in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Roasted Peanuts:
2 pounds in-shell raw peanuts*
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt
*Cooks note: If eating peanuts roasted right out of the shell, use Virginia or Valencia peanuts. If utilizing roasted peanuts to make peanut butter, use Spanish peanuts as they have a higher oil content.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Rinse the peanuts under cool water to remove excess dirt. Pat dry and place in a large bowl and toss with the peanut oil and salt until well coated.
Place on 2 half sheet pans, making sure to spread them out into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Once you remove the peanuts from the oven, let them cool slightly before eating. They will continue to “cook” and become crunchy as they cool.
If using peanuts to make peanut butter, remove shells and discard. Remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts together in your hands held over a salad spinner, allowing the peanuts and skins to fall into the bowl. Once the skin has been loosened from all of the peanuts close the salad spinner and spin until all of the skin has been separated from the peanuts.
Yield: Approximately 2 pounds roasted peanuts in shell
Smoked Pork Chops With Corn and Okra
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
4 bone-in smoked pork chops (3/4 inch thick), or 1 1/4 pounds ham steak, cut into 4 pieces
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut off
1/4 pound okra, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Sprinkle the pork chops with pepper and Cajun seasoning to taste. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and okra and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato, 3 tablespoons water, the honey and 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; cook until the tomato is slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the chops to the skillet; cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chops are heated through, 2 to 5 minutes.
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