For those of you uninitiated in fried plantains you’re really missing something. A plantain is that fruit you see in the grocery that looks like a really big, green, banana. This is a high starch plant and tastes horrible raw. Think of it more like a potato.
As for cooking difficulty, if you can handle hash browns, you can handle making these. They are really best fresh, much like French fries. Try them with any Caribbean dish or BBQ.
Stir-fry Bok Choy
Bok choy is so good for us. It is full of calcium, fiber, and potassium, and Vitamin C. I have always added it to different vegetable and meat stir-fries, but finally decided to let it be the star of the show. It works great. Delicious with roasted chicken. To make this a vegetarian dish, simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
This is a nice change of pace from the typical vegetable side dish. To see the recipe, just click here.
Colcannon
I am such a fan of kale. It is healthy and delicious. Quick and easy to prepare. Inexpensive. Eating it makes me just feel good.
Here is a way to introduce kale to your family: mix it in with a favorite, traditional, comfort food. Colcannon, an Irish tradition, is mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale mixed in. In some recipes, leeks or onions or carrots are added as well, so feel free to improvise.
I like to keep it simple. My favorite method for making kale as a side dish is to saute with garlic and crushed red pepper and top with red wine vinegar. So, when I decided to make Colcannon the first time, I just combined my favorite mashed potatoes with my favorite kale recipe. You can try it by clicking here.
Roasted Broccoli with Lemon
This is more of a technique than a recipe. Quantities are very forgiving, as is cooking time. This can also be done with cauliflower and other vegetables. Roasting broccoli gives it a sweet nuttiness that is very different from steamed broccoli. It’s also quick and easy and you probably have the ingredients on hand. Great recipe to play around with – add crushed red pepper, or try broccoli and cauliflower together. It’s all good.
This recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe. The five spice powder and pistachios really add an interesting twist to this dish. This makes a wonderful side dish at a holiday meal.
Click here to see Asian Butternut Squash.
Grilled Onions with a Curry Mustard Glaze
If you’re new to grilling vegetables I really think onions are a perfect start. They are firm by nature, easy to cut into a flat surface, and generally can go with a variety of dishes. There are some pitfalls to be avoided, however, and after more than a few less than stellar outcomes over the years I think I’ve hit them all.
One, the bigger the onion the better. Smaller onions have a habit of ending up vertical and falling through the grates.
Two, when in doubt slice thicker, not thinner. Thin onions have a habit of becoming not so tightly packed together at the end of the grilling process.
Three, if you’re a big onion fan, like myself, almost any onion variety will be a treat. However, in general, I have found that the sweeter the onion the better. If you can score a bunch of Vidalia onions in season, definitely use them.
For the recipe this week, some people will debate on whether the spices should be blended with the mustard, or applied after the mustard is already on. The latter group will claim it leaves a crust. The former will claim they are “chalky”. Click here, and I’ll let you decide.
