Pasta with Cherry Tomato and Basil Sauce
If you’ve got an abundance of cherry tomatoes, this quick & easy sauce is divine. Anchovies are optional but they add delicious umami & you really won’t taste them. Enjoy!
Tag: vegetarian
Oven Roasted Garlic and Lemon Artichokes
I love a good artichoke recipe, don’t you? And if you’ve been following me here on my journey, then you might remember how excited I was to finally learn how to grow them myself here in zone 5. I’ve also shared with you some basic tips on how to select and steam them, which is the most popular way to prepare them whole. But what I really love is a good roasted or grilled artichoke, methods that bring out a whole new dimension of flavor for these lovely and tasty thistles.
You can’t be afraid to roast these until they start to char along the edges; that char is what gives these their smokey flavor. The outer leaves are really all that crisp up here, while the inner leaves and heart soak up all the flavor. If you have fresh herbs on hand, they’re a great addition to these; you can throw them in stems and all.
Oven Roasted Garlic and Lemon Artichokes Recipe
- 3 large artichokes
- 12 large cloves garlic, 8 of them smashed and 4 of them minced
- 2 large lemons; zest one of them, juice one & 1/2 of them (about 1/4 cup), and slice the remaining half into 6 thin slices. Keep the lemon halves you juiced because you’re going to use them to rub the artichoke parts that you cut, to prevent browning.
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450°
- Remove the first two layers of bottom leaves of the each of the artichokes and discard
- Trim 1/4 inch off the bottom of the stem of each artichoke and discard
- Use a vegetable peeler or a small knife to peel the outer layer of the stem and trim off any remaining leaf bases from the leaves you removed from each artichoke
- Use one of the lemon halves you used for juicing and rub it along the base and stem to prevent them from turning brown
- Cut off 1/2 inch of the top of each of the artichokes and rub with lemon
- Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and rub the exposed areas with lemon
- Using a small spoon, such as an iced tea spoon (my go-to choice) or a paring knife, scoop or cut out the furry choke and sharp inner leaves from the center of the heart, rubbing each heart with lemon as you go
- Gently pull apart the leaves of each artichoke half and sprinkle with the garlic that you minced in between some of the leaves
- Place the artichoke halves cut side up in a roasting pan
- Placed the crushed garlic cloves into the hollowed-out hearts
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Drizzle with lemon juice
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Place lemon slices on top of each artichoke
- Place in preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes
- Remove pan, turn the artichokes over so they’re cut-side down, and cover pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil
- Return to oven for 20 minutes
- Reduce heat to 400°
- Continue roasting for 30-40 minutes until the artichokes are tender and outer leaves are charred
- Remove and let rest for 10 minutes before serving
Here are a couple of shots of them before they go into the oven:
If you’d like, serve these with a dipping sauce, such as a lemon butter or hollandaise sauce on the side. I have an easy and quick hollandaise sauce recipe here if you need one. These really have a lovely flavor all on their own though; the olive oil and lemon juice really shine here while still letting the taste of the roasted artichokes come through. If you really love lemon, squeeze a bit more juice on them before serving.
Artichokes are a good source of fiber, vitamins C and K, and are a delicious part of the Mediterranean diet so we should all be enjoying them more often.
To grill these instead of roasting, just prepare them in a grill-safe pan and prepare and cook as stated. And if you have any leftovers, these are delicious chilled and make a great snack the day after making them.
Enjoy!
Oven Roasted Carrots with Miso and Sesame
I’ve never been a huge fan of cooked carrots but preparing them this way has turned me around. Last year, I had my first successful season of growing carrots in my garden; they’ve typically given me a run for my money by not faring very well. I know carrots are very healthy for you, especially dark purple, red, and orange ones. They’re a great source of not only antioxidants such as beta carotene but also vitamin K, fiber, and potassium. So now that I can grow them and am always trying to keep a wide variety of veggies on my menu, I’ve devised this recipe to make me love, love, love carrots.
Here’s a shot of the organic rainbow carrots I find at my local store here in the dead of winter.
Oven Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Miso and Sesame Recipe
- 2 lbs. carrots peeled (or scrubbed if you prefer) and
ends trimmed off - 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bunch – about 8-10 scallions – ends trimmed and cut in half across (a bunch of white ends, a bunch of green ends). Thinly slice the top greens of 2-3 scallions and set aside for a serving garnish.
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (white, black or a combo)
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon white miso, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400
- Add softened butter, miso, and sesame oil to a medium-size bowl. Set aside until carrots are done cooking.
- Line a baking sheet (I use a medium 10 x 15 one) with parchment paper
- Cut carrots in half so that you have a top half and a bottom half. Cut the thicker top into 4 pieces and cut the skinnier bottoms in half. This should give you mostly-even pieces for roasting; that’s really all you’re looking to do here.
- Place cut carrots on a baking sheet (I use a medium-size 10 x 15 pan for these), drizzle with the olive oil and toss well.
- Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil – it doesn’t have to be a tight seal, just a loosely-fitted cover to help keep the steam in a bit as they cook.
- Place covered carrots in preheated oven and roast for 15 – 20 minutes, until starting to steam.Remove foil cover and continue to roast for 10 more minutes.
- Add scallions and toss, and roast 10-15 more minutes.
- Toss one more time, sprinkle with sesame seeds and return to oven to roast about 15 more minutes, until carrots and scallions start to char on the ends.
- Test carrots for doneness. If necessary, roast an additional 10 minutes or so.
- Remove carrots from oven and toss well with miso and sesame mixture, making sure that miso has distributed evenly.
- Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with reserved sliced scallion greens and serve.
Aren’t they gorgeous? The miso adds salty umami and I think sesame oil is always a delicious addition. Of course, these work with any bunch of carrots but the color of these heirlooms just add to the fun (and nutrition!).
For the record, I do save my carrot tops and peels for making stock at a later date. I always have a freezer bag full of veggie parts that are ready to go when I commence to stock-making. This not only cuts down on waste but it makes for powerfully good stock.
Don’t be afraid to cook these in a shorter amount of time than I do here – with this method, they end up with just the larger pieces having a bite but this is honestly the way I like them. Weird, I know. Normally, I’m preaching about not over-cooking your veggies. 🙂
This also works with different veggies so don’t be afraid to play with it – broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus are some of my favorites. Honestly, the only thing better than oven-roasted veggies are oven-roasted veggies tossed with butter, miso, and sesame oil.
I hope I’ve given you some inspiration on a new way to eat your veggies. If you don’t have miso, try it with just the butter and sesame oil. If you don’t have sesame oil, try walnut oil, which is also a delicious oil!
Eating veggies doesn’t have to be boring – have a little fun with them. Enjoy!
Bean and Vegetable Salad with Cumin, Lime, and Cilantro Dressing
This bean and veggie salad is packed full of antioxidants, fiber, and deliciousness. It’s easy to make and also easy to customize to suit your tastes. We enjoy this not only as a salad or side dish but also as a bean and veggie salsa …