Category Archives: Vegetables

Grilled Hoisin-Glazed Steak with Vegetables

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals, Salads, Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Hoisin-Glazed steak with grilled vegetables and salad.

Hoisin-Glazed steak with grilled vegetables and salad.

I imagine many families will be gathering around the outdoor grill this weekend to celebrate Father’s Day.  Whether Dad is the one doing the grilling or you’re the one grilling a meal for him, this quick and easy way of cooking steak results in a piece of meat that is tender, juicy and full of flavor.  Along side it on the grill lay some of your, or his, favorite vegetables and you will have most of the meal at your fingertips.  While the grilling is taking place, have someone on kitchen duty making a salad to go with it, and before you know it everyone will be sitting down together to celebrate Dad in the best possible way.

The glaze on the steak calls for hoisin sauce, ginger, and fish sauce, giving it an Asian flair, so I kept that theme going in the meal I prepared by using green and yellow squash, brushed with a little sesame salad dressing as they cooked.  For a salad I made cucumbers and radishes dressed with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce.  The recipes for making this complete meal are given below.Whether you make all of it or only part of it, I think you will enjoy it as much as we did.

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HOISIN-GLAZED STEAK 

Yield:   Serves 4

For the steak:

  • 3 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated, fresh peeled ginger
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce  (This adds a rich, savory flavor to the glaze, but it’s OK to omit it if you don’t have it on hand.)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1  (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed; or any other tender cut of steak  (I used boneless rib eye steaks)

1.  Preheat the grill to high heat.

2.  Combine hoisin and remaning ingredients ( except steak) in a small bowl.  Brush half this mixture on one side of the steak(s).  Place steak glaze-side down on the hot grill rack and grill about 5-7 minutes.

Lay steak on the grill glazed-side down.

Lay steak on the grill glazed-side down.

Brush top side of steak with remaining glaze mixture and turn steak over.  Grill another 5 -7 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

Brush top side of steak(s) and turn over.

Brush top side of steak(s) and turn over.

For the Vegetables:

  • 1 medium size zucchini squash
  • 1 medium size yellow squash
  • 1 bottle commercially made sesame salad dressing

1.  Slice the squash lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices.  Brush both sides of the squash with the salad dressing.

Squash slices on the grill.

Squash slices on the grill.

2.  Place squash slices directly on hot grill rack or use a fine mesh cooking screen if squash is in danger of falling through the grates.  Cook squash, turning over several times, until nicely marked and just fork tender.

Squash cooked on the grill gets lovely grill marks on it.

Squash cooked on the grill gets lovely grill marks on it.

For the Salad:

  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced finely on the diagonal
  • 1 cup finely sliced radishes
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, or cilantro leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

1.  Combine vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a medium bowl;  add cucumber and radishes.  Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro and salt.  Toss gently to coat.

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SOURCE:  Adapted from  Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens

Sauteed Cabbage and Kale

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Cabbage and Kale Sautee

Cabbage and Kale Sautee

Kale seemed to be the darling vegetable of 2012, and its popularity does not seem to be letting up in 2013.  Whether cooked in soups or with other vegetables or eaten raw in salads, this is one vegetable that packs a nutritious punch.

For years I wouldn’t even look at kale.  I thought it was only used as a garnish in fancy restaurants. Its leaves and surface are so rough, all I could imagine was trying to eat a brillo pad.  Until last year I had never even purchased kale.  But being a person who does not want to be left out of a good thing,  I realized that I owed it to myself ( and the people I cook for) to at least give it a fair chance.  So my first endeavor was to put some in a soup, where I would not have to meet it face-to-face.   I could tolerate that because it was mixed with the other vegetables, and every thing tasted quite good.  My second encounter with kale was not so successful.  I made Kale Chips.  So many articles and blogs raved about baked kale chips; crispy, a little salty, addictive.  Yup, they certainly were—-and I over did it.  Unpleasant side effects!  Mr. D. had the same reaction, so there has been a lengthy time lapse since that experience.

Where food is concerned, a good picture will get me every time.  So when I saw a picture of this dish on My Gourmet Connection of kale sautéed with cabbage, onions, and scallions, I decided to give it one more chance.  This time it was a winner.  If you are a fan of this leafy green vegetable that becomes soft and silky smooth when cooked, you must give this recipe a trial run.

Because you want to caramelize rather than brown the cabbage in order to develop its natural sweetness, this dish takes a little time to prepare, but I think you will find that the flavor is well worth the extra effort.  It is a great side dish that goes with all sorts of entrees.

SAUTEED CABBAGE AND KALE

Take time to slowly cook the cabbage until it is browned.

Take time to slowly cook the cabbage until it is golden.

YIELD:   about 4 – 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 small head of cabbage, chopped or roughly cut
  • 1 lb. fresh kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 bunch scallions, ( 4 – 5 ) chopped
  • salt and pepper

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to soften.  Add the garlic and continue cooking just until fragrant, 1 minute longer.

2.  Add about 1/3 of the chopped cabbage, season with a pinch of salt and cook until wilted and reduced in bulk.  Repeat with the other two batches of cabbage, being sure to season with a bit more salt each time.

3.  Continue cooking, stirring often until the cabbage is caramelized and golden in color, 15 to 18 minutes.  Add the butter, a few grinds of black pepper, and adjust the salt  to taste.

4.  Add the kale and continue cooking until it’s wilted and tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then add the scallions and cook until they’re slightly softened, but still bright green.

Add kale and scallions to the pan.

Add kale and scallions to the pan.

Transfer to a serving dish.

A great side dish ready to be enjoyed with any entree.

A great side dish ready to be enjoyed with any entree.

SOURCE:   MyGourmetconnection.com

Maple Soy Salmon with Roast Cauliflower

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Maple-Soy Salmon

Maple-Soy Salmon

Since I went  a little hog-wild at the supermarket and purchased a lot of different forms of citrus fruits, now I’m in the situation of trying to use them in as many ways as possible.  Eating them peeled and sectioned “out of hand” and in fruit salads is a given.  A tangerine, a Mineola, or a clementine  make a quick snack any time.  I’ve already shared with you my recipe for Lemon Cream Squares here, so this week I will be featuring recipes that contain other forms of citrus.

Roast Cauliflower with Clementines, Cranberries, and Pistachios

Roast Cauliflower with Clementines, Cranberries, and Pistachios

One of the recent dinners I made was this one, Soy Maple Salmon with Roast Cauliflower.  Even  though you see no mention of a citrus in the title it’s there none the less, in both the salmon part and the cauliflower.  We thought this meal was fabulous and one that I want to repeat again soon.  During this season when seafood is also plentiful, I try to prepare a fish item at least once per week.  The total calories for these two items is under 400 calories, and only 18 Gm. Carbohydrate.  There is a bargain of goodness in this meal any way you look at it.

In planning my time to prepare this meal I found that if I roasted the cauliflower and made a salad while the salmon was marinating, I could then pop the salmon in the hot oven, finish the cauliflower dish and dress the  salad.

SOY-MAPLE SALMON

SERVINGS:    4

Marinating the salmon.

Marinating the salmon.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2  Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2  Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4   4-5 ounce salmon fillets

1.   Mix all the ingredients (except salmon) plus  2 Tablespoons water in a large bowl or zip-lock baggie.  Add the salmon and turn to coat.  Allow this to marinate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

2.   When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400*F.   Coat a rimmed pan with cooking spray.  Drain the fish, season with salt and pepper and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake until slightly golden and beginning to crisp around the edges, 8 – 10 minutes.  The salmon should be moist, and flake easily with a fork.

Note:  Salmon will be baked after cauliflower at a lower oven temperature.

ROAST CAULIFLOWER WITH CLEMENTINES, CRANBERRIES AND PISTACHIOS

SERVINGS:   4

INGREDIENTS

Cauliflower brushed with oil and ready for the oven.

Cauliflower brushed with oil and ready for the oven.

  • 1 small head cauliflower, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slabs
  • 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 clementines, zested and segmented
  • 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 2 Tablespoons whole or chopped pistachios
  • 1 teaspoon zest from clementines
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1.    Preheat oven to 450*F.  Arrange cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and brush with 2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast, flipping once, about half way through cooking time, until tender and a little charred at edges, about 25 minutes.

Cauliflower after roasting.

Cauliflower after roasting.

2.  Transfer to a serving platter with clementine segments and cover with foil to keep warm.  Turn down oven heat to 400*F to cook salmon.

3.  In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil, add the cranberries, pistachios, clementine zest, and a little salt and pepper to taste. Stir to heat through.  When ready to serve, drizzle over the cauliflower and clementines.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

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This dinner entree is a mash-up of two recipes that I put together with some major modifications.

SOURCES:   Salmon:   Food Network Magazine;   Cauliflower:  Whole Living Magazine

Braised Potatoes and Fennel

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , ,
Braised Potatoes and Fennel

Braised Potatoes and Fennel

This is a neat little recipe to have up your sleeve for when you want to cook potatoes yet another way.  Besides the potato, fennel is included in this really easy way to make a side dish that goes with most any kind of meat or other vegetables.

Use 1 pound of potatoes that are similar in size so that they will cook uniformly. Slice them into 1/4 inch slices.

When selecting a bulb of fennel choose one that is firm, pale in color, with strong stalks and feathery fronds.

Fresh Fennel.

Fresh Fennel.

To prepare the fennel, cut off the stalks, cut the bulb in half lengthwise, and remove the hard core at the bottom.  Then slice it into 1/4-inch wedges.  Reserve the fronds.

BRAISED POTATOES AND FENNEL

SERVINGS:   4

  • 1 pound small potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 medium bulb fennel, sliced into 1/4 inch wedges  Reserve some of the fronds.
  • 1 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • lemon wedges, optional

1.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.

IMG_2402

Heat skillet and melt butter with olive oil.

Add potatoes and cook, turning occasionally until golden in color.  Do this in 2 or 3 batches.  Potatoes will brown better if they are not crowded in the pan.

Potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick.

Potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick.

Golden brown potatoes.

Golden brown potatoes.

Add fennel and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes.

Add in the fennel and continue cooking.

Add in the fennel and continue cooking.

2.   Stir in the chicken broth.  Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.  Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.  Before serving sprinkle with fennel fronds.  Serve with lemon wedges if desired.

Braised Potatoes and Fennel

Braised Potatoes and Fennel

SOURCE:   slightly adapted from   EVERYDAY FOODS

Creamy Hash-Brown Casserole

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Creamy potato hash brown casserole.

Creamy potato hash brown casserole.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like potatoes, do you?   And there are umpteen thousand ways to prepare them.   So this is what I was asked recently:  “Carolyn,  I love the way you make potatoes, would you, could you, make a big pan of something special for Christmas Dinner?”   Who could say “no” to that?  Start with a compliment and then ask the question.  That’s how to get results.  Here’s the situation;  when we all get together there are usually somewhere between 15 and 20 people.  So I needed to make  A LOT!

Fortunately, I knew immediately what I would make.  I’ve made it before and it was a great success.  People always go back for seconds whenever I serve these rich, cheesy potatoes.  The casserole is a snap to fix using convenience foods, and it travels well, too.

The recipe as presented here makes 12 – 16 servings.  In my need to make sure there was plenty for everyone, I expanded the recipe by adding some additional diced potato, that I cooked in advance;  added some milk to the soups for more liquid, and increased the sour cream to 1 1/2 cups.

Recipe:  CREAMY HASH-BROWN CASSEROLE

Convenience foods make it a snap to put together

Convenience foods make it a snap to put together

SERVINGS:  12 – 16

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each ) condensed cream of potato soup
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 package ( 32 oz.) frozen hash brown potatoes
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine the soup, sour cream, and garlic salt.

Mix together the soup, sour cream and garlic salt.

Mix together the soup, sour cream and garlic salt.

Add potatoes and cheddar cheese;  mix well.

Mix in the hash browns and grated cheese.

Mix in the hash browns and grated cheese.

Pour into a greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.  Top with parmesan cheese.

Spread in a greased baking dish, and top with more cheese.

Spread in a greased baking dish, and top with more cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 55 -60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Top should be browned and bubbly.

Creamy potato hash brown casserole.

Creamy potato hash brown casserole.

SOURCE:   slightly adapted from TASTE OF HOME

Spiced Honey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Vegetables and tagged with , , , ,
Spiced Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Spiced Honey Glazed
Sweet Potatoes

Up until just recently  the most common way that we eat sweet potatoes is baked whole.  I treat them as I would  regular baked potatoes, split and served with butter and maybe a sprinkle of brown sugar.  One of the many recipes I looked at for holiday side dishes was this one for sweet potatoes baked in a honey spice sauce.  I took it for a spin and was rewarded by how good it turned out.  Besides being a good compliment to turkey or chicken, I think it would also go very well with ham or pork roast.  My husband said he likes sweet potatoes fixed this way better than baked whole as I had been doing, so this will most likely be my go-to recipe for sweet potatoes from here on.

It takes a few minutes of prep time to peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges.  Once placed in a shallow baking dish, I made the sauce in the microwave and poured it over the potatoes;  placed the whole thing in the oven and let them bake for about 30 -40 minutes, stirring and basting with the sauce 2-3 times.  They will come out tender, glazed, sweet, spicy and so, so good.  If you or someone you know doesn’t like sweet potatoes, try them this way and I think you will become a convert.

SPICED HONEY-GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

EVERYDAY FOOD

SERVINGS:    8

  • 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 ) peeled and cut into 3/4-inch wedges

    Cut sweet potatoes into thin wedges.

    Cut sweet potatoes into thin wedges.

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 stick ( 4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 3-4 dried bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • coarse salt and pepper

1.   Grease a shallow baking dish, or rimmed baking sheet.   Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  In a small sauce pan, bring honey, butter, bay leaves, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to simmer over medium heat.  ( I used the microwave for this step)

Pour sauce over sweet potatoes.

Pour sauce over sweet potatoes.

3.  Pour mixture over the potatoes and bake until tender and glazed about 30 minutes, stirring and turning several times.

Spiced Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Spiced Honey Glazed
Sweet Potatoes

Crusty Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Onions

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Crusty Potatoes with Tomatoes and Onions

Potatoes are one vegetable that seem to have limitless ways to prepare them.  I love potatoes in all forms, however Mr. D.  can be a little particular about how he likes his potatoes, preferring them to be more “fancy” than plain.  He would say “interesting, not boring”.  And  so I try to find recipes that fit the bill.

Flipping through one of my vegetarian cookbooks recently I came upon this recipe for “the spud” that combines potatoes with tomatoes and onions.  The onions and tomatoes caramelize and create an irresistible crust in this country-style casserole.  For a vegetarian meal just add a salad and some bread.  When I made it I served it with pan sautéed fish fillets and a salad.   The next day I had the leftovers with a poached egg;  also a very satisfying meal.  I know that I will be making this casserole many more times as it seems to fit into many meal combinations.  Both Mr. D. and I liked it very much.  It’s the kind of dish where you keep going back for one more bite!.

Please note that I made half a recipe, using one large and three small(ish) potatoes and the resulting dish in my opinion would serve four people, so the recipe as written will make quite a large amount.

CRUSTY POTATOES, TOMATOES, AND ONIONS

SERVINGS:   4-6

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 medium (about 2 pounds) potatoes, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
  • 3 large onions, halved vertically and thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1  28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup fruity olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Lightly grease a 12″ x 7″ x 2″ baking dish or other 2 1/2 quart ovenproof shallow dish.

Slice potatoes evenly.

2.  In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, onions, garlic and tomatoes.

Combine potatoes, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl.

3.  In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, olive oil, water, oregano, salt and pepper.   Pour over the vegetable mixture and toss to coat well.

Combine tomato paste, water, olive oil and seasonings.

Pour seasoning mixture over vegetables and toss well to coat.

4.  Spread this mixture in the prepared baking dish.

Ready for the oven. Cover with foil before baking.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 45 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are easily pierced and tender.

Crusty Potatoes with Tomatoes and Onion

SOURCE:     Quick Vegetarian Pleasures,  Jeanne Lemlin

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

These twice baked potatoes are called marbled because they also contain sweet potato that is mixed with the baked russet potatoes.  They make a colorful addition to any meal.  I prepared them to go along with the smoked tuna I described yesterday.  I have long known how to make them and don’t really have a recipe,  but this is the way I usually prepare them.

MARBLED STUFFED POTATOES

SERVINGS:   4        To make more just adjust the ingredients accordingly.  For every 4 russets use 1 sweet potato.

  • 4 large russet potatoes
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar chees
  • pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Pierce each potato in several places and place directly on the oven rack.  Bake for 1 hour, or until tender.  Let cool slightly.

2.  Peel the sweet potato.  Transfer to a bowl and mash lightly with a fork until almost smooth.

Cut a slice off the top of each russet potato, lengthwise.  Scoop out most of the flesh, leaving the shell intact.  To the white potato, add the sour cream and butter and mix in.  Add the scallions, 1/2 cup cheese , nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

Gently fold in the sweet potato.

3.  Season the potato shells with salt and pepper.  Generously fill with the potato mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

4.  Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Place the stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet or baking dish and bake until they are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 25 – 30 minutes.

Marbled Stuffed Potatoes

MMMMM….mmmmmm!  These are so good !   Give them a try real soon.  I’m sure you will like them.

Where’s the Beef—-steak?

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Tomato, Squash, and Red Pepper Gratin

In this case the beefsteaks come in the form of juicy ripe tomatoes.  Combined with other fresh garden vegetables, quinoa, and eggs this casserole is a meal in itself.  We are making an effort to go meatless at least one day a week, so when I found  this recipe I decided to try it out.  It turned out to be  so hearty and satisfying all you need add is a green salad.

Quinoa is the new darling of the grain world and if you have not tried it yet this dish “hides” it so well you will not know it’s there.  Quinoa has double the protein and fiber of rice so I felt that I owed it to myself to give it a try.  I must admit I was not overly taken with it when served plain, but when combined with other ingredients it is enjoyable with its nutty flavor.   If you know someone who is a little hesitant to try something new,  this recipe will be a good way to introduce them to quinoa.

TOMATO, SQUASH, AND RED PEPPER GRATIN

SERVES    6

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 pound yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 1/2 cups)
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil, divided**
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme**
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup reduced fat milk ( 2%)
  • 3/4 cup shredded cheese; Gruyere, Swiss or other good melting cheese.
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • cooking spray
  • 1 cup seasoned croutons
  • 1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into 8 slices

** If fresh basil and thyme are not available you may use the following dried herbs:  1 teaspoon basil and 1/2 teaspoon thyme.

DIRECTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare an 11 x 7 inch glass or ceramic baking dish by coating with cooking spray.

2.  Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add 4  teaspoons oil; swirl to coat.  Add onion; cook for 3 minutes.  Add bell pepper; cook 2 minutes.

3.  Add squash and garlic; cook 4 minutes.  Place vegetable mixture in a large bowl.

Stir in quinoa, 1/4 cup basil, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.

Egg mixture with dried herbs, added.

4.  Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, milk, eggs, and cheese in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add milk mixture to vegetable mixture, stirring until just combined.  Spoon into prepared baking dish.

5.  Place seasoned croutons in a food processor; pulse until coarse crumbs form.  Instead of that, I like to put them in a zip-lock bag and pound lightly with a meat mallet to form coarse crumbs.     (no extra dishes to wash!)

Ready for the oven.

6.  Arrange tomatoes evenly over vegetable mixture.  Top evenly with crumbs.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until topping is browned.  Sprinkle with remaining basil before serving.

  

SOURCE:   Cooking Light,  August, 2012

Stuffed With Good Stuff

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Side Dish, Vegetables and tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Looking back over my more recent blog postings I was struck by how many contained the word “stuffed”:  Stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Zucchini, Stuffed Mushrooms.  I didn’t realize until now how many vegetables I prepare with a stuffing that seems to make the base veggie  as well as the stuffing itself so much better–one enhances the other.  Well, if you can stand another such recipe this one uses those nice big tomatoes fresh from the garden.   You know, the ones that could be a meal in themselves.

These big boys are juicy and tender, and contain a filling on the order of a salsa, but better because of the cheese and breadcrumbs.  I served them with a fillet of tilapia, lightly crisped with a cornmeal crust, and a mixed greens salad.  This was so good my husband has requested that I make it all again very soon. I only made two but next time I will make the full recipe of four, as I think they would make a great lunch just rewarmed in the microwave.  The nice thing about this recipe is that you can make only half, or double it and make 8 if you’re feeding a larger group.

TOMATOES STUFFED WITH CORN AND BLACK BEANS

SERVES     4

INGREDIENTS

  • 4  beefsteak tomatoes, or large heirloom tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup corn kernels ( from one ear of corn)
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts separated, and thinly sliced.
  • 1/2 to 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided
  • 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, divided.  I used prepared seasoned bread crumbs, 1/2 cup total, divided.
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • salt and pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Coat an 8″ square pan with non-stick spray.

2.  Cut top 1/2 inch from each tomato, and scoop out flesh and seeds.  Turn upside down on paper towel to drain while you prepare the stuffing.  Don’t waste a bit of these delicious tomatoes–use the flesh you scoop out here to make a simple bread to go along with your meal.  (see below)

3.  In a medium skillet heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat.  Add corn and scallion whites and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the jalapeño, black beans, 1/4 cup cheddar, 1/2 cup bread crumbs (or 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs) and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix the filling ingredients all together.

4.  Turn the tomatoes right side up.  Sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper, and spray or brush the skins with olive oil.  Place in baking dish.  Fill the tomatoes with corn mixture.  Combine remaining 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 cup bread crumbs (1/4 cup seasoned crumbs),   and 2 teaspoons oil.  season with salt and pepper and divide among the tomatoes.

5.  Tent loosely with foil and bake 10 minutes.  Uncover and bake until tomatoes are soft and breadcrumb topping is deep golden, about 5 minutes more.

PAN CON TOMATE

This is a simple Spanish appetizer, and the name means Bread with Tomato.  Here’s how to make it:

Spread reserved tomato flesh on rustic bread–a crusty loaf, split in half lengthwise.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of herbs (any).  Bake in a 450 degree oven until the edges are brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.  Watch carefully  so it doesn’t get too browned.  Serve with more olive oil for dipping.

SOURCE:   Everyday Food