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  • Z's Potato Salad

    Salad:

    • 3 lbs potatoes, scrubbed and cut into half inch cubes
    • chopped green olives
    • a few hard boiled eggs
    • handful of chopped roasted red peppers (we roast our own and freeze them in the fall)
    • a scoop of capers
    • fresh carrots, diced up mini
    • fresh peas or greens or any other veggie (colored cauliflower is great)
    • Fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, thyme, tarragon, anything you like, in any combination)

    Steam or boil the cubed spuds until just tender (don't overcook! they keep cooking even after you drain the water). Add the rest of the ingredients to the drained spuds.

    Dressing:

    I always wing it, but I usually do some combo of the following in the blender to taste:

    • glug of olive oil
    • a couple big spoonfuls of mayo or vegenaise
    • splash of tamari (soy sauce
    • little glug of vinegar (cider or red wine is good)
    • plop of sweet pickles & their juices (we make our own in the fall and our recipe includes onions)
    • salt
    • pepper
    • dash of Cranky Baby Hot Sauce

    Blend. Pour over the potato mixture and mix together.

  • Cauliflower with browned butter

    Makes 6 servings
     
    1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
    1/4 cup butter (no substitutes)
    2 Tbsp.  fresh minced parsley
     
    1.  Steam cauliflower until just tender, about 6 minutes.  Drain and keep hot.
    2.  Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and swirl butter until it foams and then turns a pale brown.  Don't let the butter burn!  If it does, start over.
    3.  Pour hot butter over cauliflower and sprinkle with parsley.  Serve at once.

  • Roasted cauliflower

    Makes 6 servings
     
    2 large cloves of garlic, minced
    3 Tbsp. olive oil
    Salt and black pepper, to taste
    1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
    1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
     
    1.  Combine garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a casserole dish.  Add cauliflower, and toss to coat well.
    2.  Bake 25 minutes at 425 degrees, stirring once halfway through.
    3.  Sprinkle top with Parmesan and parsley, and broil 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.

  • Brussels Sprouts with Mustard-Caper Butter

    Serves 8 or more. A zesty way to do up Brussels sprouts, romanesco, broccoli and/or cauliflower. This has become a staple at our Thanksgiving table.
     
    Mustard-Caper Butter:
    2 garlic cloves
    sea salt and fresh pepper
    6 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temp
    2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
    1/4 cup drained small capers, rinsed
    grated zest of 1 lemon
    3 Tbs. chopped marjoram, or 2 tsp. dried
     
    Pound the garlic with 1/2 tsp salt in a mortar until smooth, then stir it into the butter with the mustard, capers, lemon zest, and marjoram. Season with pepper. Can be made a day ahead and then refrigerated. Bring back to room temp before serving.
     
    The Vegetables:
    1 lb. Brussels sprouts, or 1 whole stalk stripped of its sprouts
    1 head romanesco and/or broccoli and/or cauliflower
     
    Trim the base off the sprouts, then slice them in half or, if large, into quarters. Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into bite-size pieces.
    Bring a pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add teh other veggies and continue to cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
    Drain, shake off any excess water, then toss with the Mustard-caper butter. Taste for salt, season with pepper and toss again.