A Thanksgiving Side Dish: Sauté of Chard, Purple Kale & Broccoli Rabe

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can be a whole lotta fun and often times a stressor of sorts; what to make (excluding the obvious), how to make it, will there be enough food, will everything come out at the same time etc…etc…etc…  Over the years I’ve made it a point to simplify. Which means someone else has the responsibility of cooking the turkey and I the sides.

So last night Mike walked in from the garden with an armful of greens; a veritable bouquet of Chard, Purple Kale & Broccoli Rabe. 

Gorgeous! The purple stems are purple kale.

Mike, who is a good cook himself (he cooks the turkey), proceeded to prep the greens for cooking by chopping the stems very small so that they would cook quickly.  

He then continued on to the leaves with a rough chop (bigger pieces than the stems). And put all the prepped greens into a sauté pan.

Then onto the stove it went.  

A Sauté of Greens is a fresh, simple and quick way to complement the Thanksgiving Day Dinner; no matter who cooks it!

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb of your favorite green, rough chop (stems optional - chopped very small)
1 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp of kosher salt
1/2 tsp of fresh ground pepper

Process

Turn your stove burner to medium high.  Place a large sauté pan on that burner and add olive oil.  While olive oil is heating add your greens and sprinkle salt and pepper on top.  Begin turning the greens over and over until they begin wilting. Once they have cooked down, turn the stove down to low, cover and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes or until greens soften but still have a crunch (yes you must test).  Once done ladle greens out into a bowl and serve immediately.  

Yields 6 side servings.

Boursin Cheese, Homemade

Let’s face it, Boursin cheese is one of the best flavored cheeses around.  It’s an airy, buttery and herb cacophony that bursts open on your tongue.  Then melts to nothingness leaving you wanting more and more and more…

The first time I ever tried Boursin, I made it myself.  I had been hired, whilst in culinary school, to help cook for a small catering event.  I was instructed to make an appetizer of baby potato w/ a dollop of boursin cheese; a finger food to pop into your mouth in one bite. I was told that buying Boursin was fine (and delicious) but based on the amount we needed making it would be just as easy. So there I was making a batch of Boursin.  

In truth, and in a pinch, I do buy Boursin.  Making it though is an infinate treat.  I made some for a dinner party this weekend.  With herbs still growing in our gardens all I needed  was a few ingredients from the market.  Can you name all the herbs?

Here’s the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1/8 C of whole whipping cream
12 stems of thyme, leaves only
3—4 sage leaves
5 3” sprigs of majoram, leaves only
1 3” sprig of rosemary, needles only
1 4” sprig of tarrogon (or Mexican marigold), leaves only
15 chives, minced
2 medium cloves fresh garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Process

Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Process untill all ingredients incorporate and the mixture becomes a smooth paste.  Pour into an airtight container.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Tips & Uses
*Bring to room temperature to soften.
*To melt, place in microwave for a few minutes, checking and stirring at intervals.
*Can be used as a spread and/or dipping sauce.

Easter Side: Sugar Snap Peas with Basil

Easter is just a few days away.  One of my favorite parts of the day is planning brunch.  I go for simple ingredients and even easier cooking methods.  

The truth is you can plan a fab meal with a few simple steps and here’s one: a quick recipe of Sugar Snap Peas with Basil.

This year I’ll be driving back from Big Bend in the West Texas desert.  I wanted to leave you with a little something.  So here it is!

Ingredients

8 C of water
1/4 to 1/2 C of kosher salt
1 lb of sugar snap peas, stemmed
1 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 C of fresh basil, julienne
Sprinkling of salt & pepper

Process

Pour water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add 1/4C of salt (it will dissolve, have a bit of a taste - water should taste like salt. Add more salt if needed).  Add sugar snaps and bring heat down to medium high/medium.  

Cook for 3 minutes. Pull one sugar snap out to test.  If it has a slight crunch it’s done.  Scoop peas out with a colander and pour into the well of another colander that has been outfitted into a bowl of iced water .  Swish peas around in cold water until cool.  This will stop the cooking process. Pull colander (w/peas) out of the cold water. Over the bowl gently shake off excess water and place peas on toweling to dry.  This process is a technique called blanching.

Pat excess water off the peas.  Place peas on a a beautiful platter, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with julienne basil, salt and pepper. Serve!

This is a perfect side dish for ham, beef tenderloin or a roast chicken. Serves 6 side servings.

Here’s a cool picture to show you the basics of how to julienne.
Which means to cut into thin or match-like strips:

1. Pile basil leaves one on top of the other.

2. Roll leaves into a “cigar”.

3. Turn so that the roll is horizontal.

4. Begin slicing, with a rocking motion, from one end to the other - very thin slices.

5. With your fingertips undo strips from roll.

6. Sprinkle julienne strips on peas.

This technique should be done right before you are ready to eat your dish.  Because the basil is so delicate it will bruise and brown easily.

Sweet Roasted Peppers

Aren’t these peppers stunningly beautiful?  They’re 2-bites of sweet with a touch of heat.  Bite into one and their juices slide around on your tongue while the colorful flesh melts leaving a longing for more….many more! Here is a quick recipe for this delicious fall treat.

Ingredients

1 bag of sweet baby peppers
1/4 C of extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp of kosher salt
1.5 tsp of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven 400°
Place the peppers on a half sheet pan.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt & pepper all over peppers.  Mix all ingredients so that the oil, salt and pepper surrounds each pepper.  Place in oven until the skins of the peppers begin to get soft and you see their skin charring slightly.  This will take up to 20 minutes.  Check at 10 minute intervals.  Once the peppers are done take out of the oven and cool.  Serve.

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

*these can be served by themselves, with a dipping sauce, sliced on salads – basically sky's the limit!