this is a page for
Category: Side Dish
How about another side dish? This one is a versatile and easy dish, albeit a bit time consuming to make. But won’t you agree that some dishes just need that bit of extra effort or time because they deliver on taste? Frijoles is one of those dishes. When you really think about it, frijoles is a simple concept in cooking. Clean and soak some beans overnight and add them to a pot with a liquid, simmering until tender. Now here is where the fun comes in… think of all the ingredients you can use to flavor your legumes. My favorite flavoring is bacon, pork jowl, or ham hock. The smokiness imbues the dish with a wonderful base flavor. Adding onion, garlic, and peppers rounds out…
Tonight’s post is a simple and delicious side dish since I noticed I seem to post few side dish recipes. This recipe is versatile as it can be augmented to make it a main dish with the addition of a protein like chicken or seafood. It is also extensible in that you can add other vegetables like carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and/or green beans. And you can ‘dress it up’ with fresh herbs as a garnish – like cilantro or scallions. I made the basic form of this recipe since it was late and I was hungry. Hey, it beats running out to the nearest burger or teriyaki joint (not that there is anything wrong with that from time to time!). Anyway, I hope…
OK, so this is not exactly a meal for one, but just think of the dishes you are going to enhance with this delicious homemade bread. I have seen several of these recipes and finally settled on replicating this one from Girl Versus Dough. Naturally, you just know I had to play with the recipe. I split the flour between bread and all purpose. And you know what? This bread is beyond description! Crusty on the outside while tender and soft on the inside with an incredible flavor. Are you skeptical about the amount of effort it takes to make this delicious bread? Don’t be, because it truly does not require kneading. Simply mix the flour, yeast, salt and water together, cover and let rise, then…
One of the many ways I like green beans is spicy. Whether spicy pickled, sauteed with dijon mustard sauce, or Szechuan style, there is something special in spicy green beans. Today, I tried sous vide cooking some green beans in a Szechuan style spicy sauce. The flavors were intense and wonderful – and perfect as a side dish for the pan seared garam masala scallops. So if you ever needed a reason for a second sous vide immersion circulator or water bath, this is it. Vegetables need higher temperatures and longer times than delicate scallops, salmon, and ahi so you will not be able to cook them all together in one water bath. Yet the results are incredible, so make that investment in a second sous vide set…
Tonight’s dinner is my take on that ever popular Chinese restaurant appetizer and staple in different dishes – char siu pork. I decided to make it with a pork shoulder using sous vide. After marinating the pork shoulder overnight, using sous vide will create a moist and tender result after 8 hours in the water bath. To finish, I hot smoked the meat over apple wood to create the delicious, smoky crust that makes this dish special. This recipe yields more than 1 meal so be sure to check out the serving options – traditional appetizer of sliced char siu with mustard, ketchup, and sesame seeds; pulled as a different take on pulled pork sandwiches; or diced/julienned for use in fried rice or noodle dishes…
Tonight’s dinner is based on Suzy’s recipe for Farro and Mushrooms with Peas from her blog, The Mediterranean Dish. Her recipe is delicious as a vegetarian side dish, but I decided to make it into a full meal for one by pairing the farro with a pork loin chop. Farro is one of the ancient grains that is chock full of nutrients and has a wonderfully nutty taste. Like Suzy, I kept the seasoning simple to allow the farro to be the star of this show and cooked it all using one pan. The results are a tasty, chewy risotto-like platform for the juicy pork loin chop. Fairly simple yet slightly elegant… yep, that is how I would describe this meal. Give…
I was recently exposed to this Ethiopian spice blend and just had to find a new way to use it. This spicy and robust blend of chilis, coriander, cumin, etc. just screams to be used. But I was stumped for a little bit on how to incorporate it into the ingredients and way I cook. Then I had that lightning strike epiphany… use it like a curry powder and kick up some vegetables. First up, broccoli. And I was not disappointed! The flavors enhance and deepen the sweetness of the sautéed broccoli and the lemon juice – used mainly to steam and soften the broccoli – brings another layer of flavor with its acidity. When paired with the Smoky Maple Sous Vide Salmon, all of it…
I made this sauce for the Sous vide Seared Ahi dish and just knew I had to share it as a separate post. This sauce is beyond description – slightly sweet, slightly sour, slightly spicy and simply amazing. I decided to use some local honey (my neighbor keeps bees and always a shares some of his honey with me!) instead of sugar to simplify this sauce from a standard gastrique. I thought sweet and sour are great and all, but I wanted to add a bit of heat to it… and hot red chilis were available at my local store. So I added them to this sauce and kicked it up just a little bit, which I think you will enjoy. Give it a try on seared…
Tonight I am going way out on a limb. I have never made kimchi before, but I had some napa cabbage to use up so I thought, “what the heck, why not?”. I found several recipes online and from them I settled on the tweaked recipe below. I have to say the process for this ‘easy kimchi’ was fun. And do you know what the best part is… I can say I made it! Now, I wonder what fun things I can make with my kimchi later this week? Save Print Preparing Kimchi Prep time: 120 mins Total time: 2 hours Ingredients 1 lb napa cabbage, cored and cut up into 1 inch slices 3 oz daikon radish, julienned 1…
I know, you can get this soup from a can. Campbell’s Chunky, Progresso, etc… there are plenty of options. Most are tasty and make for a quick meal. Yet, making clam chowder at home is really easy. I challenge you to try this recipe and even tweak it as you desire. I am positive you will enjoy the results. Since this recipe makes enough for two as a perfect first course or appetizer, maybe you can use this dish to get your Valentine’s Day dinner started off on a delicious note! Save Print Clam Chowder Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 45 mins Serves: 2 Ingredients 6 oz chopped clams 1½ cups golden…