Leek and Pearl Onion Gratin

For her birthday, I pulled together two of my wife's favorites into one creamy gratin dish - leeks and perl onions.  Turned out to be a great gift!
2 large leeks, trimmed, cleaned, cut in half lengthwise and widthwise
1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb frozen peeled pearl onions
1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup half and half
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Topping mixture:
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp salt
dash freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cubed Swiss or Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Melt butter in the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add leek, cut side down and slowly brown over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

Watch carefully so as not to burn. Gently turn leek over and add 1/4 cup water.

Cover and braise the leek for about 10 minutes, until very soft to the tip of a knife. Transfer leek to a baking dish.

Melt the next batch of butter and oil in the skillet and tip pearl onions into to skillet.

Brown the pearl onion, shaking often, until they soften and brown. This will take about 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat.

While the onions cook, toss together the topping mixture in a small bowl.

Once the onions are nicely caramelized and soft, add the half and half and bring to a gentle boil. 

Lower heat to a simmer and and reduce liquid by half.

Scatter the cheese over the leeks.

Tip onions into casserole on top of leeks. Top with panko toping mix.

Bake in oven for about 20-30 minutes, until the casserole in browned and bubbly. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Ham

Gelson's Market in Pacific Grove, California, pulls through with the best Brussels sprouts I found in town for Thanksgiving - and I'm picky about my sprouts.  If fresh and not overcooked, these tasty treats are sweet and crunchy.

Here I pair with a mild ham and some Balsamic glaze - inspired by Ina Garten, one of my go-to cooking heroes.
4 cups Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered to a uniform 1-inch size
1 cup sliced purple Bermuda onion
1/2 lb ham steak, 1/4-3/8 inch thick, cubed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed dried red chili flakes, or to taste
about 1 Tbsp Balsamic glaze (see note)

Heat oven to 425F. Mix the Brussels sprouts and onion in a large bowl.

Brown the ham in a skillet with a dash of oil for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly caramelized.

Tip into the veggie mix. Add the oil, salt and chili flakes, and mix well. Tip onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread to an even, single layer.

Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes and then stir. Continue roasting another 5 or so minutes until the veggies begin to brown well.

Now remove to the stovetop and sprinkle balsamic glaze all over the veggies generously - about one tablespoon, or to taste. Return the veggies to the oven and continue roasting for about another 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are nicely browned and slightly crispy at the edges. The sprouts should only be crisp-tender, not mushy, so judge cooking time by tasting a few.

Serves 4.

Pacific Thanksgiving Table

Cook's Note:  I've seen Ina use a wonderful syrupy Balsamic vinegar and pancetta.  But I don't know that I can find as good (syrupy) a vinegar as she.  So, I always have Trader Joe's Balsamic glaze on hand which I think works perfectly well here.  I also use great local ham steaks, though pancetta is fantastic as well.  I like the moist/crunch aspect of ham cubes, though the thin salty-crispy of Ina's pancetta is a delight as well.

Don't sweat it if the sprouts shed a bunch of leaves when you cut them - that's actually a good thing - they will brown and crisp up really well.   Even if the bulk sprout doesn't brown as much by the time it is crisp tender, you will get that crispy roasted effect for the overall dish nicely.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Glaze

Celebrating the end of a glorious summer with a salad made with the essence of summer - summer squash.  We get the most beautiful variety in our farmers markets here in the mid-Atlantic - rich deep yellow smooth skin with dark green stalks.  Meaty and sweet.  Perfect for grilling.  Also get the best tomatoes you can find and don't fear the grill - they'll drip and sizzle, but that's half the fun.
4 native local yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise
2-3 large fresh heirloom tomatoes, sliced 3/4-inch thick
2 cups fresh green beans, cut in 1-inch lengths

Prepared Balsamic glaze (I use Trader Joe’s)

Heat a grill to high. Bring a quart of salted water to a boil. Cook the green beans only enough to be just crisp tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain the beans and immediately quench them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the beans.

Spray the squash and tomatoes with canola oil on all sides. Grill over medium heat until good grill marks form, turning every 2-3 minutes.

Lay the green beans in a layer on a serving platter. Top with the tomatoes and then the squash. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves 4.

Pickled Veggies

At a recent family reunion we discussed the health benefits of fermented veggies like kimchi and sauerkraut.  These dishes can be complicated for the home cook, and we all agreed that plain old veggies were also good for you!  Duhh.

And here is a halfway point - lightly pickled begins.  You can choose many crispy veggies for this; these are just some suggestions.  I learned this technique a long time ago from my Chinese cooking teacher, but I add considerably less sugar than she taught over 25 years ago.  With the acid from the vinegar, they last quite some time in the refrigerator.
4 cups cauliflower
3 cups cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 carrots, sliced
1 large purple onion
2 center stalks of baby celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced in thirds, lengthwise
palmful fresh dill, including flowers/seeds
panful fresh basil leaves and flowers

Pickling marinade:
3 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp kosher salt
3-4 cups water
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Place veggies in a large container.

Mix together pickling marinade in a bowl until the sugar and the salt dissolves, reserving about a cup of water. Pour over veggies. Top off with a bit more water if necessary, just to submerge all veggies in broth. Cover and refrigerate for at least a day or two. Lasts for at least a week or two in the refrigerator.

Serves many - depending on pickle preference! Share with friends.

Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts with Craisins and Almonds

I think it is a welcome transformation that I no longer need to be afraid to say "Oh, l love Brussels sprouts." Twenty years ago you would have been considered nuts.  And not surprising because of the way it used to be so typical to overlook Brussels Sprouts.  It was not uncommon to boil them whole until they were completely fork tender, almost a mush - the long drawn out boiling breaking down and releasing malodorous sulfurous compounds that would never see the light of day with a more rapid cooking touch.

Today, even a relatively quick pan sear can blacken the sprout a bit to give it a smokey tone while caramelizing and sweetening but retaining a nice crunch. Cooked only until just 'crisp-tender'.  Oven roasting at high temperatures for relatively short times can also achieve a similar depth of flavor.

These days Brussels sprouts are all the rage and you can hardly find a restaurant that doesn't feature them somewhere on their menu.  What's next, the turnip, perhaps?
2-3 Tbsp canola oil
4 cup Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 cup slivered carrot
1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, salted

Heat a large skillet (NOT non-stick, unless ceramic) to high. Add canola oil and heat to shimmering - you want this baby HOT. Carefully add the Brussels sprouts and carrots and allow one side to brown for about 2-3 minutes.

Don’t stir too much or you will not get a good browning. But the trick is not to allow the sprouts to burn. This takes attention!

Stir when the first side is browned and continue in total for about 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the cranberries, nuts and seeds and heat through.

Serves 4-6 as a side.

Grilled Asparagus and Japanese Eggplant with Furikake and Balsamic Glaze

Here is a marriage of global flavors, great for grilling season: asparagus with Japanese eggplant, flavored with Japanese furikake spice mix and Italian Balsamic glaze.  Not so far from believable, as Asians regularly use vinegar and sweet sauces to flavor - exactly the effect of Balsamic glaze.

2 purple Japanese eggplants, cut into 3-inch quarters
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp furikake Japanese spice mix
Balsamic glaze - I used Trader Joe’s

Heat grill to high. Combine the shallot, garlic, red pepper flakes and three quarters of the olive oil in a rimmed baking sheet. Mix well.

Using tongs, roll the asparagus generously in the seasoned oil.

Place asparagus on grill.  Turn grill down to medium high.  Spatula the remaining shallots and garlic from the baking sheet into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining oil, the furikake and the eggplant sticks.

Mix well. Place eggplant on grill.

Turn asparagus and allow both the eggplant and the asparagus to cook another 2 minutes. Salt and pepper veggies to taste.  Rotate each eggplant stick to an ungrilled face and turn the asparagus. Cook another 2 minutes. Repeat turning the veggies and cook a final 2 minutes.

Transfer the veggies to a serving platter, alternating layers of asparagus and eggplant. Drizzle balsamic glaze generously on top.

Serves 4-6.

Zucchini and Mushroom Strata Gratin

Prepare.  Experience.  Enjoy.  The perfect way to get those valued veggies while you run, meditate, or practice the guitar.  Prepare and you are prepared.
2 medium zucchini, sliced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil plus 1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sheets no-boil lasagna
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 tsp herbes do Provence or Italian herbs

Preheat oven to 375F. Sauté the zucchini in a large skillet in a dash of olive oil.

Set aside. Then cook the mushrooms over medium high heat in the same skillet, in the olive oil and butter, until they release what water they will. Allow them to brown a bit and then add the garlic. Cook another 2-3 minutes over medium low heat.

Layer half the zucchini on the bottom of a medium (about 4-6-inch) baking casserole. Top with the lasagna noodles. Then spread the ricotta cheese over the noodles. Season with half the herbs de Provence.

Top the ricotta with the mushrooms and then layer the remaining half of the zucchini over the mushrooms.

Scatter the feta over the zucchini, followed by the panko crumbs and remaining herbs.

Bake about 30 minutes, just until brown and bubbly.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Butternut Squash and Leek Galette

Savory vegetable galettes are an elegant side dish for a festive dinner.  You can use your favorite veggies, just cook them lightly before you assemble and bake the galette.
Crust:
3 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1-1/2 stick butter, cubed and chilled in freezer for a few minutes
6-8 Tbsp ice water

1 medium butternut squash, pelled, seeded and cubed 1/2-inch
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 Tbsp rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and sliced
1 7-oz tub creme-fraisch or marscapone cheese
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 egg plus 1 Tbsp light cream or half and half

Prepare the crust by combining the flour, salt and butter in a food processor.  Pulse a few times just to form pea-sized chunks.  Turn the processor on and add just enough of the ice water to pull together a ball.  This should take seconds to do - do not over process.  Stop processing and carefully transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Break into two and form two disks.  Wrap in plastic wrap and allow to sit in fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the squash with the oil, salt, rosemary and coriander.

Season generously with fresh ground black pepper. Tip onto a rimmed baking sheet and roast the squash in the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn halfway through, and allow the squash to just soften and brown.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in the olive oil in a skillet. Sauté the leeks in the butter/oil mixture, adding a tablespoon of water as the leeks begin to heat up. This allows the leeks to soften up a bit without burning. Allow the water to gently evaporate and continue sautéing the leek over medium-low heat until they are soft and fragrant.

Roll out each dough disc into a circle about 10-12 inches in diameter. Transfer crust to an oiled baking sheet. Place half the squash in the center.

Dot with half the creme fraisch or marscapone. Top with half the leeks and half the parmesan cheese. 

Wrap the outer edges of the dough back into the center to form an opened galette.

Whisk together the egg and cream and baste the crust.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned.

Makes 2 8-inch galettes.

Saint Patty's Day Hash

A fantastic hash starring greens including Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and green onion for that green St. Patty's day custom.  And don't potatoes help make this Irish?  A great way to lower carbs and amp up the veggies.
4 golden potatoes, scrubbed
2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil

2 small leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
10-12 Brussels sprouts, base trimmed and quartered lengthwise

1/2 lb cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 small head)
1/2 lb broccoli floweretts, about 2-3 cups
1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced

Prick the potatoes on all sides with the tines of a fork. Microwave for 2 minutes on each side, four times, rotating, each time. Remove the hot potatoes with a towel and carefully slice into eighths.

Heat a large non-stick skillet and add the butter and olive oil and brown the potatoes over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. 

Turn the potatoes with tongs regularly so that they brown on all sides. Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile get your veggies all lined up.

Sauté the leeks and Brussels sprouts in a large pan in a bit of olive oil. 

After about 5 minutes, add the cabbage and the broccoli and continue cooking another 5 minutes or so, until the veggies are only just becoming crisp tender. 

Add the red pepper flakes and the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Now toss in the potatoes with the green veggies and tip into a serving bowl.

Serves 6 as a side dish.