Archive for Side Dish Recipes
Kurt Gutenbrunner’s White Asparagus Recipe
Posted by: | CommentsWhite asparagus has a very short growing season, and is typically seasonably available in May or June. You may possibly be able to purchase a Peruvian variety of it at other times of year. What makes it white? It is grown with the dirt mounted around the stalk, depriving it of light. Because of this lack of sunlight, it is unable to produce chlorophyll to make it green. Lacking bitterness and milder in flavor than its sun exposed green sister, white asparagus does need to be peeled, as the outside is quite tough. What lies beneath is tender and heavenly.
Austrian Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner is chef/co-owner of the NYC treo of restaurants Wallsé, Café Sabarsky, and Blaue Gans. In this video he shares his recipe for a simple white asparagus with vinaigrette.
Recipe courtesy of Kurt Gutenbrunner and New York Magazine:
3 pounds, about 16 pieces white asparagus
1 ½ tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ounces butter
1 small piece of baguette or white bread
Drape a dish towel over a large, inverted mixing bowl. (1) To peel asparagus, grip the spear with three fingers, protecting the tip, and lean it against the bowl to prevent it from breaking. With a swivel vegetable peeler, remove the thick outer layer starting just below the tip, turning the spear as you peel. Peel them well, as the skin can be tough and bitter. (2) Trim approximately one inch off the woody end of each spear. Add the salt, sugar, and butter to 4 quarts of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. (3) Add the bread, which helps eliminate bitterness, and the asparagus, and cook for about 8 minutes, until cooked through but still firm. Remove asparagus and dry on a towel. Serve at room temperature with an herb vinaigrette (made with good extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice) or hollandaise sauce.
White Asparagus with a Blood Orange Reduction
Posted by: | CommentsWe were thinking that between the Superbowl beefy food, and Valentine’s chocolates, perhaps a short detox is in order! Bored with steamed broccoli and even slightly tired of roasted vegetables, we are putting a shout out for new, creative ways to serve seasonal veggies and in this case, fruits.
And we so proudly announce to you a new crush, on the blood orange fruit. For those not familiar, the blood orange is a wonderful winter fruit. An offspring of the traditional sweet orange, blood oranges are typically native to Sicily and Spain, and are harvested from early to mid winter. Their deep red flesh comes from a pigment called anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant present in açaí, concord grapes, cranberries and raspberries. How do they taste? Less acidic than other oranges, blood oranges tend to have a rich, both sweet and tart flavor, with berry undertones. While shopping, choose a heavy feeling blood orange with a thin skin for the juiciest fruit. A slight green tinting of the rind is fine. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to one month, or on the counter for approximately a week.
Our video today features the lovely host Carolyn Jennings from Chic Tv with chef Cedric Tovar from the NYC Park Avenue Peacock Alley Restaurant. He whips up a gorgeous looking braised white asparagus, and serves it with a dressing made from blood orange juice. Click the “read more” to watch the video and for the recipe.
Spice up your Thanksgiving holiday with these cranberry chutney recipes!
Posted by: | CommentsCranberries really are given a bad rap. Memories of the canned version at Thanksgiving, reminiscent of jello are partially to blame, and sadly, this side dish has been discarded from many a modern Thanksgiving holiday.
We say give chutney a chance! What is chutney, exactly? Originating in India, chutney is typically defined as a sweet and spicy condiment made of fruits or vegetables, vinegar, sugar and spices. Chutney can be made with mango, apricots, tomatoes or coconut, and spiced with spices such as nutmeg, coriander, or mint, just to name a few of the thousands of ingredient variations. Typically made fresh in India, the type of chutney that is made depends on the ingredients in the local harvest, and they were often not cooked, but infused in the hot Indian sun for several days until the desired flavor and texture were reached. This method is known to still prevail in today’s Indian kitchens that do not have stoves.
Sanjay Thumma
Recently we’ve discovered a delightful Indian Chef by the name of Sanjay Thumma, who is quite the celebrity in India. Thousands of his recipes and videos can be found on his site here, and we especially love his version of cranberry chutney in this video. The written recipe may be seen here.
Also spotted in the blogosphere: a delicious cranberry apple chutney recipe here, from Think Inside The Icebox. The famous food blogger Orangette has a cranberry, ginger, and dried cherries version found here, which received rave comment reviews. Whichever recipe you choose, cranberry chutney will be a shining star on your table served as a side dish, over turkey slices, or over warm bread.
Acorn squash with a nutmeg and ginger orange glaze with Chef Jeff Nathan
Posted by: | CommentsA graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Jeff Nathan is chef and host of the gourmet kosher public television show “New Jewish Cuisine”. He is featured frequently in publications such as Saveur and Food Arts, and has authored two cookbooks, “Adventures in Jewish Cooking” and “Jeff Nathan’s Family Suppers”.
As director of culinary development for the Hain-Celestial Group, he is responsible for the creation of many products commonly seen in markets.
Jeff is the executive chef of Abigael’s on Broadway in NYC (at 39th), which offers eclectic modern kosher fare, as well as an upstairs tea lounge. Find out more about Jeff and Abigael’s on Broadway here.
In this video from the Jewish Televison Network, Chef Jeff prepares a spicy and sweet acorn squash side dish, perfect for Rosh Hashanah or any fall meal.
