Showing posts with label sides. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sides. Show all posts
I found myself with a half of a white cabbage in my refrigerator that I wanted to use up but I didn't feel like making a coleslaw or anything like that. I wanted something comforting and delicious. Todd's not fond of coleslaw. He doesn't like eating anything that has hard vegetables in it.
Cauliflower is a really popular low-carb option these days for those who are looking to cut back on their carbs.
It is one of several vegetables considered to be Cruciferous vegetables, or members of the brassica family.
I cooked my husband a Roast Beef Dinner for Father's Day at the weekend, with all the trimmings. Even Yorkshire Puddings. He was in Man-Food Heaven!
He loves my roast beef and my Yorkshires! These are recipes I learnt from my late FIL who was a cook in the Canadian Forces. As you know an army marches on it's stomach, so as you can imagine he was an excellent cook!
Normally with a Roast Dinner over here they will serve cabbage of some sort, or Brussels sprouts. Usually the crinkle leafed Savoy Cabbage (lower left above). I never realised there were so many kinds of cabbage until I moved here to the UK.
They love their cabbage. In the photo above, going clockwise from the Savoy you will see Sweetheart Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, Red Cabbage and White Cabbage, which is the type I was used to cooking with from home.
I didn't have any other kind or even any Brussels Sprouts to cook for Todd, just a white cabbage. It is lovely fried, and in cabbage rolls, or coleslaw . . . but it just doesn't shine when it is boiled or steamed.
Then I realised I had never shown you my favourite recipe for Creamed Cabbage and so I decided to make that as a side dish!
What this recipe may lack in bells and whistles, it more than makes up for in taste!
Creamed Cabbage might look and sound quite unremarkable, but I can assure you, it is anything BUT unremarkable!
Its just cold cooked cabbage, mixed with a rich cream sauce, covered with buttered cracker crumbs and baked until bubbling and golden brown.
This is a lucious twist on traditional creamed vegetables however.
The cream sauce is rich and flavoured with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
You could add some hot pepper sauce or dried mustard powder if you want it to have a bit of a bite.
Taste and make sure you have enough salt. The cabbage won't be very salty, and it will need the lift.
I know we are not supposed to eat too much salt, and we try not to, but some things just need it I find. This does.
Once you have it mixed with the cream sauce, you simply pour it into a buttered baking dish and cover it with buttered cracker crumbs.
Into the oven it goes until it is golden brown . . . those cracker crumbs all crisp and buttery . . . and the cabbage and sauce are bubbling away.
Oh boy, but this is some good. This is a dish I really love and it makes an excellent side dish for roast dinners!!!
Creamed Cabbage
Yield: 4 - 6
This is a good old fashioned dish that we really love. I love cabbage in any way shape or form, but when you combine it with a delicious creamy sauce and cover it with buttered cracker crumbs, I just think it's the best! I could eat a big plate of this and nothing else, and in fact I just may have the leftovers for my supper tonight!
ingredients:
- 2 cups cold cooked cabbage, chopped (About half a medium head of white cabbage)
- 1 TBS butter
- 2 TBS plain flour
- 2 cups hot milk (480ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- cracker crumbs
- 2 TBS butter, melted
instructions:
How to cook Creamed Cabbage
- Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Whisk in the hot milk, whisking continuously, and cooking until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
- Place the cabbage in a buttered shallow casserole dish. Pour the cream sauce over top, covering it completely. Mix the cracker crumbs together with the melted butter and sprinkle on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the heated oven, until bubbling and nicely browned on top. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.
I don't know why I don't make this more often . . . . wait . . . yes I do . . . its because I could eat the whole thing all by myself! Yes, I could possibly be that greedy when it comes to things I really like! Oh, and if anything, this tastes even better the day after! Oh boy . . .
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We have just enjoyed a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend, with beautiful sunny and warm weather! Its been really gorgeous! That makes a change, as the norm is rainy, cold and wet on a bank holiday!
I have never known a bank holiday here in the UK that wasn't accompanied by copious amounts of rain!
I wanted to make a side dish the other night using potatoes, but of course I couldn't do anything that was baked, and we didn't feel like mashed or boiled.
I went through my cookbooks, and decided to pick one from one of my Company's Coming library. I've been collecting them for years.
I got my first Company's Coming cookbook back in the 1980's as a gift from my friend Mabel. It was the Cookies and Squares one. I about wore it out. I fell right in love with it.
They are like community cookbooks, but the recipes work. They are pretty much a Canadian Institution. This recipe today was adapted from their Potato Cookbook.
This is Potatoes O'Brien. Its not a British dish I am afraid. Its very North American. I researched the history of it and came up with this.
"The dish has been claimed to originate in the early
1900s from a Boston restaurant known as Jerome's and from a Manhattan
restaurant known as Jack's during the same time period."
This is a pretty basic version, using only salt and pepper as seasoning. You could also add garlic powder and or paprika.
I added some paprika. I like the colour it adds to potatoes when you are frying them.
Basically it is like a potato hash, except it doesn't use already cooked potatoes.
You peel and dice raw potatoes and add them to some hot fat, along with chopped onion and the seasoning.
The recipe also called for chopped pimento, or jarred roasted peppers. I didn't have any of those.
You can also use chopped red, and/or green peppers in their place, which is what I did.
Just make sure your fat is nice and hot and you use a non-stick pan. That's what works best when you are pan-frying potatoes.
If the oil isn't hot enough, they will absorb the oil, and if you use a regular pan, the natural sugars in the potatoes cause them to stick. Non-stick is the way to go.
You can get them as brown as you like.
I actually browned these for a bit longer than I am showing you, but I was losing the light, and wanted to take some photos, so am showing them to you a bit lighter than what they ended up.
Its all personal preference really. Some people like them darker, and some lighter.
These reminded me very much of my first MIL's fried potatoes, except she used to fry hers in salt pork fat. Oh boy but they were some good.
I learnt a lot about cooking from her. She lived to be 100! She was a farm wife and probably one of the best cooks I ever had the pleasure to know and learn from.
Potatoes O'Brien
Yield: 4
Such a simple and homey dish. Goes with anything. Quick easy and delicious!
ingredients:
- 450g peeled, diced potatoes (2 cups)
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS cooking oil
- 57ml jar of chopped roasted peppers (2 ounces) (alternately you can use 75g diced red or green pepper (1/3 cup))
instructions:
How to cook Potatoes O'Brien
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the diced potatoes, onions and seasoning. (I like to add a sprinkle of paprika as well.) Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes, or until the potato is tender and browned. Add the chopped roasted peppers and heat through. If you are using fresh peppers, you can add them at the same time as you add everything else. Such an easy and forgiving dish!
There are only two of us and so we had leftovers. I divided them into foil packs yesterday, sprinkled them with cheese and then reheated them on our outdoor grill. Even better. We had them with BBQ'd Pork Chops and grilled Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese. So Yummy!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thank you for visiting! Do come again!
I think one of my favourite holiday vegetables has to be Brussels Sprouts. I fear they are a "love it or loathe it" kind of vegetable, with too many people having been served soggy over-cooked sprouts at one time or another. A perfectly cooked sprout is a thing of beauty, but, when done poorly, I don't blame anyone for disliking them!
One of my favourite Christmas sitcom Episodes is the one on the Vicar of Dibley where she gets invited to about 5 different Christmas Dinners and by the last one, she has just about had it, when they announce a Sprout-Eating Contest.
The sight of her trying to cram just one more sprout into her mouth is so funny. I don't think there is anything better on earth than a traditional British Christmas! I gobble it up from the reruns of our favourite Christmas shows, and the Queen's Christmas message, to the Brussels Sprouts!!
Back to the sprouts . . . when properly cooked sprouts have a nutty almost sweet taste, but they can be almost bitter when over cooked. They should be crispy tender!!
Roasting really enhances their natural sweetness and helps to prevent them from being over-cooked. You get gently caramelised edges, mixed with that nuttiness of the sprouts . . .
You will want to trim them really well, removing any discoloured or damaged leaves, and trimming off any woody ends.
Once they are trimmed, you cut them in half and toss them on a baking sheet with some olive oil and salt. Don't waste extra virgin olive oil on roasting. It is not an oil that is meant for roasting. It is an olive oil which is meant to be tasted, on its own, in salads, with bread. Use a light olive oil for things like frying and roasting.
You toss some chopped pecans in with the sprouts during the last five minutes or so of their roasting, so they can get all toasty as well. So now you have the nuttiness of the sprouts and the nuttiness and crunch of the pecans!
Another addition is some plumped dried cranberries . . . sweet and jewel-like with the lovely greens of the sprouts . . . very festive!
You can season them a bit with some cracked black pepper and sea salt, and a lovely drizzle of best quality Balsamic vinegar. Really good Balsamic is a joy and a pleasure and it really helps to enhance the sweetness of the sprouts here.
Finally a light drifting of finely grated Parmesan cheese just as you bring them to the table. Another beautifully festive holiday side dish!
Yield: 4
Roasted Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans
prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins
A delicious holiday side dish featuring nutty roasted sprouts, dressed with toasted pecans, plumped dried cranberries and a drizzle of good balsamic.
ingredients:
1 1/2 pound of fresh Brussels sprouts
2 TBS light olive oil
fine sea salt to taste
50g dried cranberries (1/3 cup)
40g coarsely chopped pecan nuts
1 TBS good quality Balsamic vinegar
60g finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup)
flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking
sheet with aluminium foil and spritz lightly with some baking spray.
Trim and peel your sprouts, trimming off any woody ends and discoloured
leaves and discarding. Cut the sprouts in half and place onto the
baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss
to coat with the oil.
sheet with aluminium foil and spritz lightly with some baking spray.
Trim and peel your sprouts, trimming off any woody ends and discoloured
leaves and discarding. Cut the sprouts in half and place onto the
baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss
to coat with the oil.
Roast in the preheated
oven for 20 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through the time. Add
the chopped pecans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Place
the cranberries into a bowl and cover with some boiling water. Let sit
for five minutes and drain well.
oven for 20 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through the time. Add
the chopped pecans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Place
the cranberries into a bowl and cover with some boiling water. Let sit
for five minutes and drain well.
Transfer the
roasted sprouts and nuts to a serving bowl. Scatter the plumped
cranberries over top. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle
with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper as
desired.
roasted sprouts and nuts to a serving bowl. Scatter the plumped
cranberries over top. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle
with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper as
desired.
I know there are some people who don't like and won't like Brussels Sprouts no matter what you do to them, bah humbug!! (Taste is taste I guess!) If you happen to like Sprouts, you are going to love these! Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!
One of my favourite soups has to be broccoli and cheese soup. I just love it. I love broccoli anyways, and when you combine it with cheese, well . . . that is just a match made in heaven.
This delicious casserole today had very similar ingredients as broccoli cheese soup, except it's not soup, it's a fabulous casserole that will have your family scrambling for seconds!
It also makes great use of leftover baked potatoes. In fact if I am going to bake some potatoes for supper, I always throw a few extra into the oven just so that I can make this tasty casserole the day after!
It never hurts to have already cooked potatoes on tap!
I call it Skinny Broccoli and Potato Casserole because I used to make it with full fat ingredients, but now I make it with low fat or no fat ingredients, which cuts back on the calories quite a bit.
It is surprising how easy it is to cut back on fat and calories with just a few substitutions!
And, NO, that doesn't mean you get to eat twice as much as you normally would. You just eat the same amount as you usually do and feel good about eating a bit healthier. Everybody wins!
Fat free sour cream . . . low fat cheddar and mozzarella cheeses . . . skimmed milk. Combined with chopped baked potatoes, cooked broccoli and spring onions and you are in for a real treat that doesn't taste low fat at all.
It's every bit as rich tasting as the original . . . which probably had a lot more cheese in it as well, but what the heck!
These days I am just happy if there is any cheese in anything! Seriously you are going to love this.
I could eat a plate of this and be quite happy with nothing else. I really do love my veggies, and broccoli and potatoes are two of my all time favourites from the vegetable kingdom!
*Skinny Broccoli and Potato Casserole*
Serves 4
60g of reduced fat strong cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
55g of low fat Mozzarella, shredded (1/2 cup)
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Spray a shallow casserole dish with low fat cooking spray.
The real challenge is keeping the pounds off of me! Oh, I wish I could eat whatever without having to worry about it. Sigh . . . Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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