Not So Simple Roasted Vegetables

The recipe I shared in the last post IS indeed the quick and easy version. To develop far more complex tastes, you can make something like Verdure a Scapece, as presented by Mario Batali in Molto Italiano. In that version you lay salted eggplants and zucchini between layers of paper towels, then use weighted pans to press out the liquids for a few hours. Then each vegetable (along with peppers and mushrooms) is roasted or grilled individually, so that they each cook to perfect doneness. The vegetables are then marinated in a viniagrette along with olives, capers and herbs overnight or longer.

The point is, for everyday cooking, use roasting and well-chosen vegetables for a quick treatment. For an impressive marinated vegtable dish, be prepared to expend some energy. I'll admit, though, that those marinated vegetables are worth the effort. They're AWESOME.

Roasted Mixed Vegetables

This simple recipe requires a little prep time with fresh vegetables, which can be done well in advance. After that, this is a "pop it in the oven while you do something else" dish.

1 head cauliflower
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 medium eggplant
3 cloves garlic, sliced or choppped
Red pepper flakes (optional)
olive oil, S&P

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.


2. Lay the eggplant on a cutting board lengthwise, and trim the purple skin off one long side of the eggplant. Trim again on the opposite side. Rotate the eggplant onto a cut side and trim the remaining two sides. You are trying to just get the wide skin section off, so don't cut too deeply into the eggplant. You will leave a few sections of purple skin at each end. That's OK.


3. Cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick slices, then slice again into 1/2" strips. Cut the strips crosswise into 1/2" cubes. Put the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle on 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Let sit for 10-20 minutes while you prepare other vegetables.


4. Tear away all the green outer leaves of the cauliflower. Cut the head in half, then in half again. Attacking it from a diagonal angle, cut the thick stalk / stem away from each quarter head. Now use the tip of your knife to cut florets (trees) away from the stalk. The florets should be 1 inch or less. Some will naturally be that size. For the larger florets, simply cut them in half or quarters.


5. Stand the red pepper upright, with the green stalk facing up. Slice one-quarter of the pepper away, by cutting downward. Repeat for the other three sides of the pepper, so you are left with only the seeds and stem in the center. Trim any white ribs from the inside of the pepper pieces. Then chop the pepper into 1/2" or 3/4" squares. Repeat with the yellow pepper.


6. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets or roasting pans with aluminum foil, Put half the vegetables into each. Drizzle with olive oil and half the garlic. Add plenty of salt and pepper. Add a few dashed of red pepper flakes, if desired.


7. Roast at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. The eggplants will be very soft, the cauliflower will be slightly browned. Combine all the cooked vegetables in a bowl and toss with more olive oil and herbs, if desired.

Using two pans give the vegetables plenty of room so they'll brown nicely. If the vegetables are crowded together, they'll steam in their neighbor's released juices.

Stir Fry Isn't Quick and Easy

Last week I shared a quite lengthy diatribe that could have been summed up in two sentences.

"Good cooking is based on solid fundamentals - in terms of ingredients, recipes, tools and techniques. There are no short cuts to great taste."

This week I'd like to stick with that message and offer a few thoughts about what is or isn't easy to cook.

I've got a recollection that Stir Fry was considered a quick and easy dinner. Toss together some random vegetables, some meat and a few seasonings and dinner was done in no time. A stir-fry dinner is very quick and easy to make......if you're willing to settle for a random mix of ingredients, cooked unevenly, and seasoned with whatever happens to come into your head at the time.

A really good stir fry requires:

• A lot of prep time cleaning and chopping multiple vegetables



• Blanching or otherwise pre-cooking the long-cooking vegetables, so they'll be cooked evenly with the quick cooking vegetables.



• A marinade or other pre-seasoning for the meat/fish



• Preparing aromatics such as garlic, ginger and a few spices



• A sauce that can be added at the end for flavor and slight thickening



• A well composed balance of ingredients that complement each other in taste, but contrast in texture and color

.....and then finally......just a few minutes of quick cooking to bring all those parts together.

I'm not knocking stir-fry at all. Cooks Illustrated has published several excellent recipes over the years with great combinations of ingredients and delicious sauces. I'm simply saying that what is perceived as a quick and easy dish is not at all quick an easy if you are expecting a really top-notch result.

Does that mean that ALL cooking requires a lot of time to be good? Not at all. However, you can't disregard that you need good ingredients, a good recipes and good fundamental techniques to get a good result.

Here's something that is good, quick and easy - Roasted Mixed Vegetables. If you choose the right vegtables to combine with each other and cut them into the proper size so that all the vegetables cook evenly, there's little else to this dish. Just some chopped garlic, lots of salt and pepper and some olive oil. By cooking them at high heat (450 degrees), you'll get just a little bit of browning by the time that the vegetables are completely cooked (15 minures or less). Here are a couple combinations to consider:

• Brocolli, red and yellow peppers and eggplant


• Cauliflower, red and yellow peppers and eggplant


• Zucchini and yellow squash with red peppers (cooks much faster)

Many other combinations, some much more exotic, can be created.....but keep in mind that you want to be able to throw all these vegetables onto one baking sheet and have them all cook at the same time. That's why there are no carrots, for example, as they would have to cook a lot longer. You can add fresh herbs, a dash of cayenne or red pepper flakes for extra flavor. Or add some olives and a little minced anchovy.....OK - I'm taking this further than I should now.

The idea is simple, though. Add a little flavoring to vegetables that WILL cook evenly together. That's it.

Since these vegetables require little or no attention while cooking, you can saute some chicken or fish, or cook a steak while they cook, making for a great balanced meal. Try it this weekend while there's still a chill in the air. Springtime and outdoor cooking is fast approaching.

Warm Regards,

Tom

Frittata with Potatoes, Ham and Gruyere

This is a long time favorite frittata in our house. The keys to success are to cook the potatoes long enough and to use a very good Gruyere cheese. Of course any cheese will work, but ham and Gruyere make a very good pairing.

Frittata with Potatoes, Ham and Gruyere

Adapted from Cuisine Rapide, Pierre Franey

4 small red potatoes, approximately 3/4 pound
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1/2 cup red onion
1/3 pound ham
10 eggs
1/4 pound Gruyere cheese
2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons butter
One or two 12" oven-proof skillets, preferably non-stick

1. Preheat the broiler.


2. Cut the peppers and onion into 1/4" cubes. Cut the ham into cubes, about 1/2" or smaller. Shred the Gruyere or cut into cubes. Peel the potatoes, then cut thin slices.


3. Over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons olive oil, then the potato slices. Shake the pan back and forth every minute to keep potatoes from sticking. Cook 5 minutes. Add the peppers and onion and cook 5 minutes more, also shaking the pan.


4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl with salt, pepper and basil. If fresh basil is not available, use 1/2 teaspoon dried, or use Herbs de Provence or other herbs. Add the cheese cubes and stir to combine.


5. Add the ham to the pan and cook one minute. Remove from heat.


6. If using one pan, tranfer the ham and vegetables to a bowl, and wipe out the pan with paper towel.


7. Melt the butter and add the vegetable mixture to the pan. Add the egg mixutre and cook over medium heat about 3-4 minutes, tilting the pan and lifting the edges of the eggs as they set to let loose egg mixture run under the set eggs.


8. If the eggs are not all cooked through, turn the heat to low and cover for 2 minutes.


9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese (and more fresh herbs if you wish) atop the frittata and place under the broiler for up to 1 minute. The pan should be as close to the broiler element as possible, to quickly brown the frittata, and not overcook the eggs.

You may be temped to use higher heat to cook the eggs faster. This will result in flat, dried out eggs. All the cooking times are approximate, depending on your stove, pans, and preference for how set you like your eggs. I prefer eggs to be a little moist, and will reduce these cooking times as much as I can get away with.

Featured Technique - Making a Frittata

Hurricane Ike Frittata with Asparagus and Goat Cheese

(we needed to use up the eggs and cheese after the power went out)

A frittata is simply an omelet that's not been folded and has been browned on both top and bottom sides. The word frittata is attributed to the Italians. In Spain the same dish is made, often for lunch or dinner, and is called - of all things - a tortilla.

The beauty of a frittata is that any combination of ingredients can be added to a simple egg mixture, with near flawless results.

• Potatoes, cheeses, ham, chicken, and leftovers of all manner make great ingredients


• Recently, I made a frittata using left over wild mushrooms that were cooked with bacon and shallots, then finished with maple syrup, lime juice and cayenne pepper. It was an incredible sweet-sour-hot compliment to eggs and cheese.


• Another recent success was using slices of quickly browned garlic along with potato cubes and grape tomatoes.


• My friend Jan used leftovers from my One-Pot Sausage, Potato and Fish recipe as a filling for a frittata earlier this week.

The point is that frittata variations are endless, and the cooking process takes not much more skill than making scrambled eggs. Here are several ways it can work:

• One method for making a frittata calls for flipping the entire egg concoction over in a skillet partway through cooking process. The eggs are slid onto a plate to facilitate the flipping.


• A recent development is the frittata pan, which is two skillets that fit together, one atop the other, to allow the flipping to be done. This to me, is a colossal waste of money that could be spent on more important kitchen tools, or better yet, spent on actual FOOD.


• My method for cooking a frittata eliminates the drama of flipping 6-10 eggs in a pan. I recommend using the broiler to lightly brown the top. This is to be done with a very hot broiler, placing the pan as close to the heating element as possible - so it quickly browns the top, but does have enough time to cook the rest of the eggs much further.

The basic formula for any frittata is to cook some vegetables and/or meats first. Add a mixture of eggs which have been whisked, along with cheeses or herbs. Let the eggs set, tipping the pan and lifting the edges of the set eggs, to allow un-set eggs to run underneath. Once the eggs are almost completely set (they'll still be a little wet on top), transfer the pan to the broiler to complete cooking and lightly brown the top. A spinkle of good parmesan during the browning step is a tasty addition.

You may be temped to use high heat to cook the eggs faster. This will result in flat, dried out eggs. Use medium to medium-low heat to set the eggs and you'll get a fluffier and moister result. As the frittata comes out of the broiler, it will be beautifully puffed up and golden. Make sure your family or guests see it straight out of the oven - because within a minute, it will settle down and flatten. Show off your prize early.

Any cooking time in a frittata recipe is approximate. Your stove, pans, and preference for how set you like your eggs will vary greatly. But the overall fomula for frittata will stay constant once you establish your cooking times with your equipment. I prefer eggs to be a little moist, and reduce the cooking times as much as I can get away with.