Veal Stew with Cipollini Onions

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Lattes and Leggings

One of my favorite meals growing up was pot roast. The classic kind with carrots and potatoes. My mom would always roll her eyes on those Sunday’s when my dad would make it because it wasn’t her favorite. Not so sure this veal stew would convince her otherwise, but what makes this stew special is the sweetness of the cipollini onions.

No need to boil the onions to remove the skin. Run the onions under warm water, and the skin should easily peel right off.

It doesn’t take nearly as long to make as would a pot roast. The meat is still tender. The veggies are still tender. It’s an earthy, rustic stew. It’s comfort in a bowl. And as you know, I’m a fan, a hardcore fan, of one-pot meals. Especially on Sundays.

My sister called me awhile back for a pot roast recipe. I still don’t have one, but this veal stew might just take its place for now.

Veal Stew with Cipollini Onions
adapted from Giada’s Family Dinners

serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound veal stew meat
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup dry white wine
2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.oz) can diced tomatoes
10 cipollini onions, trimmed and peeled
2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions
In a dutch oven or large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the veal and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until veal is browned on all sides. Transfer the veal to a bowl and set aside. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, and wine to the same pot. Cook for 1 minute, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits at the bottom of the pot. Add the veal back to the pot.

Stir in the broth and tomatoes. Add the onions, potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer over low heat. Cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until veggies are tender. Stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Broccoli and Green Beans with Toasted Garlic and Almonds

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Lattes and Leggings

I woke up this morning completely wired with a million thoughts running through my head. Things to do. Places to go. I always get this way when friends and family come to visit. Not sure why. Oh wait. I know why. I’m naturally a huge ball of stress. A perfectionist. Always worrying about things. Sometimes I really need to loosen up and just have fun. As I sit here drinking a cup of espresso…maybe I should take my own advice.

If you are looking for a new way to cook broccoli and green beans, this is it. Fresh broccoli and green beans sautéed with garlic and almonds. Oh and red pepper flakes for a little kick. Who knew toasted garlic and almonds could be so good. It’s like eating salty nuts out of a can. It’s kind of addicting.

Guess what? Broccoli was on sale. It was 99 cents a bunch. Sale should really be my middle name. I probably type that word more than “stir” or “bake”, but hey, you save money and eat seasonally. Win win.

The easiest way to trim green beans is to line them up evenly on a cutting board. Take one swipe with the knife. Boom. Done.

The vegetables only go through part of the blanching process so that when the vegetables are sautéed, they cook faster and become more tender. Shocking them in cold water would only stop the cooking process. We don’t want that for this particular dish.

Keep your eye on the almonds and garlic at all times. The trick is to stir constantly to keep the almonds and garlic from browning too quickly.

All you need is a little salt to taste. A simple side dish full of flavor. Who said healthy has to be boring.

Broccoli and Green Beans with Toasted Garlic and Almonds
loosely adapted from Molto Batali

serves 4

The trick to this dish is to stir constantly to keep the almonds and garlic from browning too quickly.

Ingredients
1 bunch fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
kosher salt

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and green beans. Cook for 3 minutes, until bright green. Drain the broccoli and green beans. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and almonds and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the broccoli, green beans, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly until vegetables are tender, and the garlic and almonds are golden brown. Transfer to a serving bowl. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Spicy Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Kale

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Lattes and Leggings

Have you tried the candy corn flavored Oreos yet? Me neither. They’re not for me. My husband loves candy corn. He could eat the whole bag if you let him. Hunting for these cookies is like searching for Cadbury eggs during Easter. They are hard to find here in the city, and when you do, you end up buying out the entire store because it’s like finding treasure. I decided to pull out the box of Halloween decorations yesterday. Now the apartment is decked out in witches, ghosts, and purple lights. All that’s left to do is get some candy and a couple of pumpkins to carve. Did you know that pumpkin prices have gone up 30% this year because of the draught? Heard that on the news a couple of weeks ago. That is no good. Hopefully, we’ll be able to find pumpkins at a low price.

If you love veggies as much I do, this is a yummy side dish you’ll want to make over and over. The spicy green beans and kale were served with the eggplant pasta with smoked mozzarella. It’s a fast dish to put together, it’s full of nutrients, and a different way to add some flavor to those veggies.

There are different kinds of kale out there. A flat leaf kale works best for this dish. This is a lacinato kale (aka dinosaur or tuscan kale).

As you can see the ribs were removed from the leaves as shown in the background. Simply use a sharp knife to remove them.

The green beans shown here are frozen halicots verts which is French for “extra fine” green beans. They are my go to green beans when I don’t buy fresh.

The chopped kale will wilt down as it cooks.

The spiciness from the red pepper flakes, brightness from the lemon, and a touch of grated parmesan might convince even the non-veggie lovers to give it a try.

Spicy Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Kale
adapted (just slightly) from Giada’s Kitchen

serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cremini mushrooms, quartered
3 cups frozen green beans, (such as haricots verts)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch kale, rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
juice of 2 lemon wedges
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions
In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, green beans, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the red pepper flakes and kale. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until kale has wilted. Remove pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.