Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed

Grilled Fava Beans – Flavor Flav, Indeed

Appetizer Grill Recipes Vegetables

I bet fava beans would be a lot more popular if people knew how to cook them, or even what they were. For many people, these are just those mysterious, semi-scary, oversized green beans that they’re not sure what to do with.

Which is a shame, since they’re not only delicious, and easy to prepare, but also very versatile. Fava beans shine in salads, and pastas, as well as on pizzas.  The also, as I demonstrated the end of the video, make for a wonderful spread.

By the way, the ingredient amounts below are pure guesses, since this is not the kind of recipe we're going to measure stuff for. Let your conscience be your guide, but remember what we're eating is inside that charred pod, so season generously.

Fava beans should be readily available this time of year, especially at farmers markets, where they tend to be much cheaper that your high-end grocery stores. Regardless of where you find them, I really do hope you give this great bean, and even better technique a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 small portions:

2 pounds whole fava beans

olive oil, as needed

2 lemons

1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided

3 whole, peeled, bruised garlic cloves

red pepper flakes to taste

2 tablespoons freshly sliced mint leaves

- Grill over high heat for about five minutes per side, or until the pods are soft and charred, and the beans inside are just tender.

WARNING: Some people have an allergy to fava beans. Make sure you don't.

Eggplant “Bacon” – Because Fake Bacon is Better than Real Eggplant

Eggplant “Bacon” – Because Fake Bacon is Better than Real Eggplant

Appetizer Spicy Vegetables

I love that my wife, Michele, follows Questlove on social media, but not just because it makes me feel cooler by extension, which it does, but also because he’s a huge foodie, and this enticing eggplant “bacon” came from his Instagram.

Links were followed, and I discovered the recipe was from Minimalist Baker, and although I did tweak the technique and ingredient amounts a bit, the recipe is basically thieved from this gorgeous blog post. Thank you, Dana! By the way, there they were brushed, but I decided to dip. Because my slices may have been wetter, they did take way longer to cook.

Personal taste being what it is, you’ll have to experiment with not only your sweet-salty-smoky ingredient ratios, but also with how thick you cut your eggplant, as well as how long you cook it. I went for thin and crispy, but it was closer to a bbq potato chip in taste/texture than bacon. I may slice it thicker next time, and see if I can get some chewy bits, woven through the crispy bits.

These would make for some tasty vegetable chips, but were especially enjoyable in a BLT, which I inexplicably didn’t photo. I blame low blood sugar. Regardless of how you enjoy them, I really do hope you give this eggplant “bacon” a try soon. Enjoy!

Makes enough “bacon brine” for 2 medium-sized eggplants:

2 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 to 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, depending on strength

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, a little coarser than usual

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggplants, sliced to about 1/8th inch

The original recipe calls for a 225 F. oven, but I would probably start this like I finished it, and that’s in a 250 F. oven. I’d plan on at least an hour baking time, but that will depend on thickness, pans, etc. Simply cook until they are how you want.

"Norcal" Nicoise Salad – Layered for Your Pleasure

"Norcal" Nicoise Salad – Layered for Your Pleasure

French Cuisine Potato Salads Seafood Vegetables

I know I’ve made fun of salads served in Mason jars before, but when I was asked to contribute a layered Nicoise to an Allrecipes Easter feature, I immediately thought of this tragically hip presentation. Also, I didn’t have a straight-sided, see-through glass bowl to do the layered salad in.

I love a good Nicoise, and it’s perfect for layering, especially if you slice/chop up the ingredients first. Not only will your layers be easier to keep straight, but chopped salads are always a pleasure to toss with dressing. Speaking of which, I really enjoyed this avocado spiked French-style vinaigrette, and it paired perfectly with the rich, fatty, olive oil-packed tuna. 

Look for something from Spain or Italy, and you will be impressed with how much nicer it is than the stuff Charlie and his buddies are pushing. So, whether you composed this on a plate, in the classic fashion, or follow my lead, and create the world’s trendiest Nicoise, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Nicoise (amounts are up to you)

3-4 ounces per person olive-oil packed tuna

tender green beans

Yukon gold potatoes

cherry tomatoes

hard boiled eggs

Nicoise olives, or other pitted olives

parsley and/or chives

anchovy fillets, optional

Ingredients for the dressing:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons minced shallots

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 cup ripe avocado

1/3 cup olive oil, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

pinch cayenne

water as needed to adjust texture

salt to taste

Baked Cauliflower Fries – How Not to Make Baked Cauliflower Fries

Baked Cauliflower Fries – How Not to Make Baked Cauliflower Fries

Cheese Side Dish Vegetables

I won’t add insult to injury writing a long blog post about how disappointing this recipe was. The video pretty much says it all. And while I can’t honestly say I hope you try this yourself, a small part of me secretly hopes you do.

Not that I want you to experience the misery that was this recipe, but rather because maybe you’ll think of a way to actually pull this off. The taste was fine. Maybe even better than fine, but the texture was a huge letdown. You can’t win them all. Enjoy?

Ingredients for about 24 crappy cauliflower “fries:”

2 head cauliflower (about 5 pounds total), cut into florets

1 tablespoon kosher salt

- You should end up with about 3 1/2 cups of cooked, squeezed-dry cauliflower

To the cauliflower add…

2 large eggs

4 ounce (about 1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese

1 ounce (1/4 cup packed) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

4 cloves peeled garlic, crushed fine

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon olive oil

more cheese to dust top

Charred Broccoli Beef – Broccoli Week Continues

Charred Broccoli Beef – Broccoli Week Continues

Asian Cuisine Beef Vegetables

I saw a charred broccoli salad online somewhere recently, and for whatever reason I had the idea to try the same technique for a fairly classic version of broccoli beef. Getting to burn food on purpose is always fun, and in addition to adding a whole extra layer of flavor, I love how this looks.

There’s never been a pretty broccoli beef, but I’d say this is at least handsome, and to make it even more attractive, feel free to double the sauce. The amounts below make just enough to glaze, plus a few extra tablespoons, so it you want lots of sauce to saturate your rice, you should probably make extra.

As I mentioned in the video, never use cooking sherry for cooking with sherry.  Just use sherry. The kind you drink. The good news is, we’re going to let you buy the cheapest bottle at the wine store. Cooking sherry tastes horrible, and has salt added to it, which was originally there so cooks wouldn’t drink it.

If you do make this, and you’re wondering why it doesn’t taste as good as the one from the Chinese takeout place, well, I can answer that in three initials, M.S.G. I’m not a fan of what it does the body, and don’t use it in my cooking, but if you do sprinkle some in, I think you’ll find it remarkably close. Plus, they’re not charring the broccoli. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

For the beef:

1 pound skirt steak

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:

1/4 cup oyster sauce

3 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste

2 teaspoons ketchup

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (use 2 for a thicker sauce)

Final Assembly:

2 teaspoon vegetable oil (plus a little fat from frying the steaks)

3 cloves minced garlic

prepared sliced beef

1 pound broccoli florets, charred in hot oven with a few drops of oil

pinch cayenne

4 cups steamed rice for service

Candied Yams – So Good You’ll Forget You’re Eating Sweet Potatoes

Candied Yams – So Good You’ll Forget You’re Eating Sweet Potatoes

Side Dish Vegetables

While it’s true the “yams” used in this gorgeous candied yams recipe are really just orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, it’s also true that no one cares, “yams” sounds better, and takes less characters to share on Twitter. Like I said in the video, I only mentioned it in case “that guy” is at your Thanksgiving.

I’m not a huge sweet side dish person, but I do make an exception for these candied yams, since it’s, well, exceptional. Part of that, I believe, is using lemon instead of orange juice, since we have plenty of sweetness, and what we really need is some tartness for balance.

Speaking of sweetness, I like to use a Grade B maple syrup, since it seems to have a little deeper maple flavor; or at least that’s what Alton Brown said once, and I believed him. Having said that, any real maple syrup will be just fine.

This will be our last video before the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’ll be taking the next few days off, so just a heads-up that I won’t be around to answer questions on the blog. I’m sure you’ll be fine. Anyway, I want to wish you all a very healthy, and happy holiday, and I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions:

For the yams:

3 pounds yams, peeled, cut in 2-inch pieces,

2 quarts cold water

3 tablespoons kosher salt (or about 5 teaspoons of fine salt)

For the glaze:

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch cayenne

salt to taste

chopped pecans, walnuts or pistachios for garnish

Creamy Corn Pudding – Perfect for Holidays, Weekdays, and Weekday Holidays

Creamy Corn Pudding – Perfect for Holidays, Weekdays, and Weekday Holidays

Grains Side Dish Vegetables

Corn pudding doesn’t get the same attention as some other holiday side dishes, but it’s a real crowd-pleaser that pairs perfect with all your favorite special occasion meats. 

It also looks, and tastes like you have to be a good cook to make, which happily you don’t. If you have a decent blender, or food processor, there isn’t much that can go wrong.

If you are sans mechanical pureeing device, you can still make this by using the corn kernels whole. In fact, many corn pudding makers will leave some portion whole for texture, but as I said in the video, I like the smooth version best. 

The pan under the baking dish is optional, and if you’re in a hurry, you can skip it, which will cut about 15 to 30 minutes off your cooking time; but I like that it slows the cooking, which I think improves the texture. You can do the same thing with a water bath, but that’s slightly more work, and this really isn’t that temperamental of a recipe.

Speaking of cooking time, I used an 8” x 11” baking dish, which is kind of an odd size, so if you use the more common 9” x 12” casserole, you’ll have to test for doneness, as the batter will probably cook faster. Either way, if you’re looking for a special holiday side dish, or just something delicious to throw next to sausage on a Tuesday night, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for a 12 portions:

2 pounds frozen yellow corn (buy premium quality)

3 tablespoons maple syrup

6 large eggs

1/2 cup milk
3 teaspoons kosher salt (1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt)

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup melted butter, divided (2/3 for batter, 1/3 for baking dish)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

- Place baking dish on a sheet pan and bake at 350 F. for between 60 and 75 minutes, or until brown and just set. You may need to adjust for different size/shape baking dishes.