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Cauliflower Zahlouk

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Cauliflower Zahlouk Above

I have seriously been under using cauliflower.  To be honest, I used to find it quite boring and uninspiring.   Boiled.  Bland.  Yuck.  But all that has changed.  I’ve forced myself to use the vegetable more and have stumbled upon some wonderful recipes.  This particular one is outstanding.  Typically zahlouk, a chopped or mashed salad, is made with eggplant.  However, you can substitute any vegetable.

There are so many flavors and textures going on in this dish – it’s actually exciting to eat it!  And you hardly remember you are eating what used to be boring, bland cauliflower.  The charmoula dressing (a typical Moroccan sauce) really brings the ingredients alive.  I have made this repeatedly over the past few months, using it as a side dish with grilled chicken, baked fish and even a steak.  It goes with everything or can be eaten alone as a vegetarian dish.  Also, it lasts for up to 4-5 days in the fridge!

I adapted this recipe from the cookbook Mediterranean Fresh.  Fabulous book with many excellent recipes.  I’m working my way through some dishes that have caught my eye and will most certainly post another one shortly.

In the meantime give this recipe a try, you will be amazed at how delicious cauliflower can be.

Here’s what  you will need to serve 4-6 as a side dish…

Recipe

1 large cauliflower (largest you can find), cut into small florets

4 cloves garlic, whole

1 strip fresh lemon peel

1/8 lb green beans (I use a fist full of haricot verts), cut into 1/2 inch dice

3/4 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp oil cured black olives, roughly chopped

3/4 cup – 1 cup charmoula dressing, thinned with lemon juice

Charmoula Dressing (makes 1 cup)

1/8 cup lemon juice, plus 1 Tbsp

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp cayenne

3 Tbsp chopped parsley

3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2 cup olive oil, plus some extra if needed

salt & pepper

Method

Place the cauliflower florets, whole garlic cloves and lemon peel in a steamer and steam until just tender (not too mushy), about 6-7 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Add green beans to steamer and cook until just tender (still having a slight crunch).

While the cauliflower is steaming, prepare the dressing by mixing the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt & pepper in a bowl.  Stir in the parsley, cilantro and olive oil. Set aside.

Place the cauliflower and garlic cloves in a large bowl and mash coarsely.  I still like for many of the florets to stay intact, so be gentle.  Add the green beans and stir in most of the charmoula dressing.  (I say “most” because you really don’t want this to swim in the dressing and that really hinges on how large the cauliflower is, which will differ from one person to the next.)  Gently fold in the chick peas and olives.

Dressing should lightly coat all the ingredients.  If you feel you need a touch more dressing, add it.  You can also add more olive oil if needed as well.

 
Cauliflower Zahlouk
 
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Ingredients
  • ⅛ lb green beans (I use a fist full of haricot verts), cut into ½ inch dice
  • ¾ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 Tbsp oil cured black olives, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup - 1 cup charmoula dressing, thinned with lemon juice
  • Charmoula Dressing (makes 1 cup)
  • ⅛ cup lemon juice, plus 1 Tbsp
  • ⅛ cup red wine vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne
  • 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
  • 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus some extra if needed
  • salt & pepper
Method
  1. Place the cauliflower florets, whole garlic cloves and lemon peel in a steamer and steam until just tender (not too mushy), about 6-7 minutes.  Remove from pan.  Add green beans to steamer and cook until just tender (still having a slight crunch).
  2. While the cauliflower is steaming, prepare the dressing by mixing the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt & pepper in a bowl.  Stir in the parsley, cilantro and olive oil. Set aside.
  3. Place the cauliflower and garlic cloves in a large bowl and mash coarsely.  I still like for many of the florets to stay intact, so be gentle.  Add the green beans and stir in most of the charmoula dressing.  (I say "most" because you really don't want this to swim in the dressing and that really hinges on how large the cauliflower is, which will differ from one person to the next.)  Gently fold in the chick peas and olives.
  4. Dressing should lightly coat all the ingredients.  If you feel you need a touch more dressing, add it.  You can also add more olive oil if needed as well.

Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheese Breakfast Strata

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stratasideresize

I have to be honest, for a long time I wasn’t exactly sure what a ‘strata’ was.  I’ve heard about it, read recipes for it, but just never delved in to find out what it was or actually try to make it, for that matter.  What a mistake that was!  Simply put, it’s a breakfast pie.

This vegetable strata was delicious.  But the best part is….you make make the entire dish ahead of time, like the day before, then just pop it into the oven in the morning.  How easy is that?!   I must admit I was quite proud of myself as I pulled this baby out of the oven, it looks gorgeous!  You will look like a superstar serving it.

It’s substantial and satisfying, hearty and savory.  It’s somewhat healthy, filled with veggies.  I decided to try a recipe from Ellie Krieger as my first foray into strata-land.   I didn’t want to clog every artery I have and push  my cholesterol level off the charts. I felt this version was a nice balance.  This would also be delicious with an addition of bacon or sausage, I might try that version next.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4 people….

Recipe

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2  cups sliced mushrooms

Cooking spray

1/2 whole wheat baguette, crusts removed, cubed (about 2 cups)

4 eggs plus 4 additional egg whites

1 cup lowfat milk

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 medium head of broccoli, steamed, cooled and chopped

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

7.5 oz jar sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained, thinly sliced

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a medium bowl and allow to cool. Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in the skillet and saute the mushrooms until they release all of their water, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer in the bottom of the dish. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, egg whites, milk and mustard until incorporated. Add mushrooms, onion-garlic mixture, broccoli, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, and salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Pour mixture over bread, making sure liquid saturates bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove the plastic wrap from strata and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the top forms a light brown crust.

Original recipe can be found here…

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/broccoli-mushroom-and-cheese-breakfast-strata-recipe/index.html

Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

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DoublePeppersFinalR

I had no idea how nutritious red peppers are!  They are an excellent source of vitamins C and A and they contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals (bad things) that cause some types of cancers and heart disease.  Surprisingly, red peppers contain almost three times the amount of vitamin C as green peppers.   Poor green peppers, they just aren’t up to snuff.

Traditionally, stuffed peppers are made with chop meat.  I do make the meat version at times, however, I like to keep things on the healthy side over here, so I try to make it with mostly veggies now, or sometimes I will add some ground turkey.  All versions are delicious.  I like to bring a stuffed pepper with me to work for lunch, and since I make 4 or 5 of them I eat one a day, everyday for lunch that week.  And NO, I don’t get sick of it!  They are so delicious, healthy and filling.  A complete meal stuffed inside a nutritionally packed red pepper.  What more could I ask for?

Here’s what you will need to make approximately 6 peppers…

Recipe

4 large red peppers

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 large zucchini, small dice

1 large yellow squash, small dice

1 large onion

1 small container crimini mushrooms, small dice

1 can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed up

1/2 cup chopped baby spinach

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tbsp grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

pinch dried oregano

pinch pepperoncino

olive oil

Method

In a skillet over medium heat coat pan with some olive oil.  Saute the zucchini, squash, onion and mushrooms until slightly softened, roughly 5 minutes.  Add grated garlic, spinach, oregano and pepperoncino and some salt & pepper.  Cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

While the filling is simmering away, carefully cut out the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the pepper.  It helps to have small hands!  I usually discard the tops, but once or twice I did keep them and put them back on top of the peppers for decoration, like little hats.  Up to you.

Once the filling mixture has cooked for awhile, add all the brown rice and parsley and stir well.  Turn off the heat and add the cheese.  Mix well again.  I’ll tell you, this sauce (minus the rice) would be perfect over some pasta!  Here’s how things should be looking at this point.

PepperRiceMixtureFinalR

Now for the fun part…stuffing!  I love stuffing these guys.  I use a teaspoon for this.  Basically just stuff the filling mixture into each pepper, pressing the filling down into the bottom of the pepper.  Fill them way up to the top.  Just like this…

DoublePeppersFinalR

In the bottom of a baking dish, I put some water and oil (and some tomato sauce if I have some left over) to keep things moist.  Arrange the now stuffed peppers in the baking dish and sprinkle the tops of the peppers with some olive oil.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 – 60 minutes, or until the peppers have become slightly wrinkly and soft.  I prefer my peppers to still have a slight bite to them.  Some people like to cook them alot until they are very mushy, again – up to you.  As I said, I like mine with a bite, not too mushy.

Get stuffing people!

 

Vegetable Stuffed Peppers
 
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Ingredients
  • 4 large red peppers
  • 1 cup brown rice, cooked
  • 1 large zucchini, small dice
  • 1 large yellow squash, small dice
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 small container crimini mushrooms, small dice
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed up
  • ½ cup chopped baby spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
  • pinch dried oregano
  • pinch pepperoncino
  • olive oil
Method
  1. In a skillet over medium heat coat pan with some olive oil. Saute the zucchini, squash, onion and mushrooms until slightly softened, roughly 5 minutes. Add grated garlic, spinach, oregano and pepperoncino and some salt & pepper. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
  3. While the filling is simmering away, carefully cut out the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the pepper. It helps to have small hands! I usually discard the tops, but once or twice I did keep them and put them back on top of the peppers for decoration, like little hats. Up to you.
  4. Once the filling mixture has cooked for awhile, add all the brown rice and parsley and stir well. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix well again.
  5. Once the filling mixture has cooked for awhile, add all the brown rice and parsley and stir well. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix well again.
  6. Now for the fun part...stuffing! I use a teaspoon for this. Basically just stuff the filling mixture into each pepper, pressing the filling down into the bottom of the pepper. Fill them way up to the top.
  7. In the bottom of a baking dish, I put some water and oil (and some tomato sauce if I have some left over) to keep things moist. Arrange the now stuffed peppers in the baking dish and sprinkle the tops of the peppers with some olive oil. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 - 60 minutes, or until the peppers have become slightly wrinkly and soft.