Broccolini Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving—welcome to December! This weekend kicks off a super busy month for me, with my girlfriends are visiting Saturday night for an early holiday get-together. I am trying out a few new recipes, so there will be plenty of ideas to follow in the coming weeks, as well as holiday menus.

I wanted to start with this simple broccolini salad, which upon first glace may look unassuming. But look closer and you will see hot pink! That is the amazing color of the cranberry vinaigrette. I am thinking it would make a terrific holiday hostess gift. Perhaps in a pretty bottle, with recipe ideas attached? I know will be enjoying it many times in the winter months to come. For salad variations, I may leave out the gnocchi for a lighter fare or switch up the cheese (feta, would be nice). However, I find the almond flavor and crunch to be essential, so won’t be touching that!

Broccolini Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
serves 4 as a side dish

dressing
1/2 c fresh cranberries
2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
2 T water
1 T Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

salad
1bunch broccolini, long stems trimmed
2 c cooked gnocchi
1 c thinly sliced fresh spinach
1/2 c crumbled ricotta salata
1 c toasted, sliced almonds

In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients. Puree until smooth, and set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add broccolini, and cook 3-4 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Shake well, to remove all water, and transfer to a bowl. Add gnocchi, spinach, ricotta salata and almonds. Toss to combine and divide among serving plates. Top with cranberry vinaigrette and salt and pepper, to taste.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Yesterday was my last CSA pickup and while I am quite sad to see the season end, I left with three huge bags of goodies that should keep me busy for a few weeks. I have a few unusual vegetables to get creative with—celeriac and parsnips, some of the usual fall suspects—Chinese cabbage and greens, and a butternut squash that doesn’t stand a chance to make it through the weekend.

But this week, I am on a sweet potato kick. They pair so nicely with both the sweet and savory, which provides a wealth of possibilities. This recipe I had made over a year ago and it just stuck in my mind. With the amount of recipes I go through, and the amount of blogs, books and magazines I constantly draw inspiration from, that says something.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Quesadillas
adapted from Vegan Planet . serves 4

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 small jalapenos, finely chopped
14-oz can diced tomatoes
15.5-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
juice of 1 lime
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 c crumbled feta cheese (optional)8 whole-wheat tortillas
1 c salsa

Preheat oven to 400F. On a baking sheet, arrange sweet potato cubes in a single layer. Bake 20 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and set aside, leaving oven on. In a large pan, heat olive oil, over medium heat, and add garlic and jalapenos. Sauté 3-5 minutes, until garlic just begins to brown. Add diced tomatoes, black beans, lime juice, salt, pepper and cilantro. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well heated. Turn off heat, stir in red onion, feta (if using) and sweet potato. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange four tortillas on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven, and bake 2 minutes. Remove from oven, and top each tortilla with sweet potato mixture and an additional tortilla. Transfer to oven, and cook 6 minutes, until tortillas are golden brown. To serve, cut each tortilla into quarters and top with salsa.

Asiago Sweet Potatoes

I came across the most fabulous kitchen gadget a few months back. It’s called a mandoline. What, you've heard of it? Huh. Then I really wished you had told me about it sooner. This little $5 tool has transformed my life. That, and the citrus squeezer (what was I trying to do juicing lemons and limes with my bare hands?).

First, I went on a bit of a mandoline-slicing-caramelized-onion-kick. Then I was on to potatoes. Now, its onions AND potatoes. I know, things are getting crazy around here.

I’m gearing up for Halloween.

If you are sitting there mandolin-less, this dish is certainly doable with a sharp knife and a steady hand. After that, it’s some quick layering, and the oven finishes the work.

I don’t often make a dish over and over, but this is one of my Fall favorites and one that will be awarded a place at the Thanksgiving table this year. I think Tommy agrees, he’s on his third helping.

Asiago Sweet Potatoes
serves 4

4 T olive oil
2 T fresh thyme leaves
2 medium sweet potatoes (or 1 1/2 large), sliced thin
2 small onions, sliced thin
2 c grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. In a casserole dish, drizzle 2 T olive oil, and sprinkle 1 T thyme. Layer sweet potato slices, slightly overlapping, followed by onions. Sprinkle with a handful of Asiago. Repeat, layering sweet potatoes, onion, and Asiago, until no ingredients remain, about 5-7 layers total. Drizzle with 2 T olive oil and sprinkle with 1 T thyme.

Transfer to oven, and bake until potatoes are cooked through, and cheese is brown and bubbling, about 45 minutes.

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Rosemary and Feta

It’s Memorial Day weekend here in the US which means the official kick off to summer and barbecuing. So, while these potatoes can be enjoyed all year long in the oven, they are easy to wrap in foil and throw on the grill along with whatever you are cooking up this weekend. The key to success is the double cooking which allows the edges to brown to a nice crunch. In fact, I used tiny 1” potatoes for a bigger crunch-to-potato ratio, but as you know I have a thing for tiny foods. Any size red potatoes will work great however. As far as taste is concerned, I personally like to smother them in olive oil and salt, but well, I also have a thing for olive oil and salt, so please do as you prefer.

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Rosemary and Feta

10-15 tiny or 6-8 medium red potatoes
olive oil
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
3 T fresh rosemary leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

To bake: Preheat oven to 450F. Scrub potatoes and poke 2-3 holes in each with a fork. Place hole side up, in a single layer, on a baking sheet. Drizzle 2-3 T olive oil over potatoes. Bake 45-50 minutes until fork can be inserted easily. Remove baking sheet from oven, and cut an X in each potato with a sharp knife. With a clean kitchen towel, push the top of each potato until it opens (it will look messy). Drizzle each potato with a substantial amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with feta cheese, rosemary leaves, salt and pepper. Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes until edges and cheese are golden-brown and crunchy.

To grill: Heat grill to medium-high. Scrub potatoes and poke 2-3 holes in each with a fork. Place hole side up, in a single layer, on tin foil. Drizzle 2-3 T olive oil over potatoes. Place another sheet of tin foil on top, and fold in sides to seal. Grill 25-30 minutes until fork can be inserted easily. Remove foil packets from grill, place on a flat surface and open foil carefully. Cut an X in each potato with a sharp knife. With a clean kitchen towel, push the top of each potato until it opens (it will look messy). Drizzle each potato with a substantial amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with feta cheese, rosemary leaves, salt and pepper. Return to grill (in unsealed packets) 5 minutes until edges and cheese are golden-brown and crunchy.