Posts Tagged ‘olive oil’
April 1, 2013
This beautiful salad inspired by Mario Batali, is filled with springtime flavors, and hearty ingredients. The white beans and crab make it filling enough to serve as a light main course, as well as a starter.
For the salad:
Drain and rinse 1 can of cannellini beans and place in a bowl. Add some finely diced red onion, and about a teaspoon or so of diced fresh rosemary and marjoram. Add the zest and juice of a lemon, season liberally with salt and pepper and chill until ready to use.
Before serving, mix in 1 pound of lump crabmeat, and drizzle with mint oil. Add a quick grind of fresh pepper and enjoy!
For the mint oil:
Blanch about ½ cup of fresh mint leaves in boiling water for 15-30 seconds. Drain and squeeze dry.
In a blender or food processor, puree the mint with ½ – ¾ cup of olive oil. This can also be done a couple of hours in advance and set aside until ready to serve.
photo: indigo jones
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Tags:cannellini beans, Crab and White Bean Salad, Food, herbs, lemon, Mario Batali, marjoram, mint, mint oil, olive oil, red onion, rosemary, salad, Spring, white beans
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March 25, 2013
The finished product
I have already posted our recipe for Socca, a chickpea flour flatbread that is gluten free, high in protein and delicious. Tonight, I was looking for something low in carbs, crispy and full of vegetables. After a little thinking, I decided to use the Socca as a pizza crust, and top it with a hearty blend of tomatoes, artichokes and mushrooms. The result was a beautiful flatbread, brimming with flavor and surprisingly filling. As with any unrecipe, top it with whatever you are craving. Consider adding goat cheese, parmesan or a little shredded mozzarella. Toss on some finely sliced pepperoni or bacon if you are a meat lover. Use zucchini instead of artichokes, or even both. The possibilities are endless!
For the crust:
Whisk together 1 cup of garbanzo flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 cups water. Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or up to a few hours.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat the bottom of a 12″ skillet with olive oil. Add a chopped shallot, and place in the hot oven until sizzling. You can also add the herbs of your choice at this stage.
Pour the batter over the shallots, and bake until the flatbread is crisp and brown, about 40 minutes. The flatbread will easily lift out of the pan when it is fully baked.
For the topping:
The topping
Saute 1 clove of garlic and about 6-8 sliced mushrooms until brown. Add a few chopped artichoke hearts ( canned or frozen) and lightly saute them. Season with salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Add 2 chopped plum tomatoes (or some crushed canned tomatoes) and cook until the tomatoes start to soften. If the mixture gets too dry, drizzle in a little more olive oil.
When the crust is done, spread the the mixture over it, leaving a rim all around. Sprinkle with chopped arugula, and enjoy!
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Tags:tomatoes, basil, shallots, garlic, olive oil, arugula, mushrooms, artichokes, salt, oregano, gluten free, Socca, Chickpea flour, garbanzo flour, flatbread, socca pizza, pepper, flatbread pizza, low carb. vegetarian, vegan
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November 26, 2012
My produce bin was filled with an eclectic array of root vegetables. I had turnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions and radishes. I also had some fresh herbs leftover from Thanksgiving. As a much needed break from the sweetness and heaviness of holiday side dishes,this one was a winner. So easy, and so clean, I ended up eating this as my meal!
Roasted Root Vegetables:
Use any combination of root vegetables including: potatoes,sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, radishes, onions, garlic, shallots etc.
I used fresh thyme, but any herbs would work as well.
Cut root vegetables into chunks. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Stir once after about 25 minutes or so.
The vegetables will get a brown, slightly caramelized tinge to them.
Enjoy!!!
Tags:carrots, dinner, Food, herbs, holiday side dishes, olive oil, onions, radishes, roasted radishes, roasted root vegetables, root vegetables, sweet potatoes, thyme, turnips, vegetarian
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October 22, 2012
My family was hankering for pasta with Bolognese sauce, and the meat and pasta part of the dish just wasn’t doing it for me. However,the idea of a slow cooked flavorful dish held some appeal. I had an eggplant laying around waiting to be converted into something, and I realized I hadn’t made ratatouille in many years.
Ratatouille is an ultimate “unrecipe” since the ingredients and flavors are flexible, as is the cooking time.
Indigo Jones’ Ratatouille
Sauté diced garlic and onions in olive oil until transparent.
Working in batches, sauté sliced mushrooms, diced red and/ or green peppers, cubed eggplant, and zucchini until browned. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and basil to taste.
Add diced tomatoes and pitted Calamata olives.
Transfer to an ovenproof casserole and bake for about an hour, until the vegetables are cooked through, and the flavors meld together. Sprinkle with Parmesan
cheese and enjoy!
Tags:basil, calamata olives, diced garlic, diced tomatoes, dinner, eggplant, Food, garlic, green peppers, olive oil, onions, oregano, parmesan cheese, red peppers, tomatoes, unrecipe, vegetarian, zucchini
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September 28, 2012
Friday night is pizza night at our house. Over the last year, I have chosen to abstain and prepare something simple and healthy for myself, without worrying about whether or not anyone else will like it. I wake up feeling more energized, and everyone is happy with his or her meal.
Last Friday night, I worked with what I had on hand, trying to use some of my CSA items.
I split and roasted the acorn squash with a little honey and butter in a hot oven for about 45 minutes.
I sautéed a tiny shallot, and some finely shredded kale in a little olive oil, and lightly browned some pignoli nuts in the pan. I tossed the vegetables with some quinoa cooked in stock and stuffed it into the cooked squash cavity. You can toss in a few dried cranberries for a sweet and colorful pop. A sprinkling of black pepper and a little chopped parsley provided a finishing touch. Easy, healthy and flavorful!
The stuffed squash a nice glass of red wine were the perfect early fall meal.
I have now used the squash, kale, lettuce, kohlrabi, and a little of the parsley. The pineapple sage did not survive the night.
I just have the collards and parsley left to go. What shall I do with it?
Tags:acorn squash, black pepper, butter, dinner, dried cranberries, Food, honey, kale, olive oil, parsley, pignoli nuts, pizza, quinoa, shallot, stuffed acorn squash, vegetarian
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September 11, 2012
A friend brought these over, freshly harvested from their backyard garden. From a distance, I thought they were lemons. Closer up, they resembled heirloom tomatoes.
I would have never guessed that they were actually cucumbers!
This particular variety is called a lemon cucumber, and is named for its appearance, not it’s flavor, which is sweeter than the average cucumber.
I can’t wait to try them in a simple cucumber salad with a dash of olive oil, salt, pepper and some rice wine vinegar! Perhaps a little radish and dill for added flavor? Mmmm!
Tags:backyard garden, cucumber salad, dill, Food, heirloom tomatoes, home garden, lemon cucumber, olive oil, radish, rice wine vinegar, vegetables
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August 22, 2012
Last night I got home from work totally exhausted and not in the mood for spending much time preparing dinner. I had a few things laying around the kitchen from the night before that I whipped into a great hearty dinner salad.
I love when everything comes together in a way that is worth replicating in the future!
On a bed of baby arugula, I diced leftover chicken breasts, several heirloom tomatoes, and an avocado. I drizzled it with a quick pesto made of a handful of cilantro*, a garlic clove, a little olive oil, the juice of ½ a lime, and some sea salt.
I tossed it with the other ½ of the lime juice and added a crumble of soft goat cheese, and grind of black pepper.
It doesn’t get much easier, or tastier than this!
*I had cilantro on hand, but any hearty green would work just as well: parsley, arugula, basil, spinach, kale…you name it!
Instagram Photos: Indigo Jones
Tags:arugula, avocado, black pepper, chicken breast, chicken breasts, cilantro, cilantro pesto, dinner, Food, garlic, goat cheese, hearty dinner salad, heirloom tomatoes, left overs, lime juice, olive oil, sea salt, unrecipe of the week
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July 18, 2012
Did you know that you could freeze and preserve fresh herbs in olive oil?
The oil not only reduces the browning and freezer burn that can affect delicate herbs, but it also creates a delicious herb infusion that can be used anytime.
According to The Kitchn, it is best to use stronger herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano.
The herbs can be chopped, or left in larger sprigs.
Pack the wells of an ice cube tray about 2/3 full of herbs.
Pour extra virgin olive oil over the herbs.
Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove the herb infused cubes from the tray and store in containers or plastic bags.
Use the cubes as you would olive oil, for sautéing garlic and onions, and enjoy the taste of fresh herbs as they spread throughout your dish.
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Tags:Food, freezing, freezing herbs, freezing herbs and oil, fresh herbs, herb infused olive oil, herbs, olive oil, oregano, preserving fresh herbs, rosemary, sage, the kitchn, thyme
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July 3, 2012
I am craving vegetables these days, even more than ever. The markets are full of summer’s bounty, luring me in. Although cauliflower is thought of as a winter vegetable, it is readily available year round. It is a sturdy and versatile plant, capable of starring roles in soups, side dishes and even masquerades as mashed potatoes when boiled and pureed.
I like mine roasted, with a little olive oil, salt, pine nuts, and a dusting of parmesan cheese.
Roasted Cauliflower:
Clean cauliflower and break into florets. Toss with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
Place the florets in an oven proof pan or cookie sheet, and roast for about 25 minutes. Stir the cauliflower in the pan and toss in the pine-nuts. Roast for another 15 minutes or so, until the cauliflower is softened and slightly browned. Be careful not to let the nuts burn.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and put back into the oven for a couple of minutes, until the cheese starts to melt.
Enjoy!
photo: Glasshouse Images
Tags:cauliflower, dinner, Food, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, roasted, roasted cauliflower, salt, vegetables, vegetarian
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July 2, 2012
Last weekend, I went to the Farmer’s Market and was seduced by the display of multicolored radishes. What does one do with radishes, other than eat them raw, you might ask? I roasted them. The flavor was unexpectedly unique. They softened and resembled a turnip or another milder root vegetable, with a slightly caramelized exterior. While I used tarragon for flavoring, almost any herb would do. Next time, I will try a balsamic glaze. It seems no matter what you do, the result will be a unique new twist on a rarely explored vegetable.
Roasted Radishes:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Put a roasting pan in the oven until it’s hot.
Clean the radishes, and toss them in a little olive oil, salt and the herb of choice. I used tarragon.
Place the radishes in the hot pan and return it to the oven. Shake the pan ever few minutes, and roast until they are softened and blistered, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the radishes.
Sprinkle with a little more salt and olive oil if needed and enjoy!!
Tags:farmer s market, Food, fresh herbs, olive oil, radishes, roasted radishes, root vegetable, salt, tarragon, unrecipe of the week, vegetable, vegetarian
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