Kimchi Coleslaw

Sometimes you're craving the bite of kimchi but in a more approachable eat on its own kind of way. I think this is a fresh and bright, but still spicy satisfier that you can eat on its own or paired with a heavier entree. 

Kimchi Coleslaw

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 yellow/red/orange pepper julienned

2 watermelon radishes julienned
1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup red onion julienned

(If available, use a mandolin to slice all of the above vegetables nice and thin)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup Kimchi

2 tablespoons sriracha

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon salt

Cooked Forever Broccoli from Food 52 Genius Recipes

I am so completely in love with this new cook book, you guys. I got the most incredible wedding gift from my dear friend Christine of 6 of the best cook books I've ever seen and it has become my new favorite past time to flip through them and try whatever I have the ingredients for. The winner of this fine selection of knowledge has so far been the Food 52 Genius Recipes from the editor of Food 52.com. It's an assortment of the most successful recipes from the internet from all different types of cooks and chefs. When I found myself with an abundance of broccoli to use this week, I headed straight for the book and found the Cooked Forever Broccoli Recipe from the great Mark Bittman. I was skeptical of the lengthy cook time, but it was so incredibly delicious and super easy to execute.

2 lbs Broccoli
3 cloves garlic
2 hot chili peppers
3 anchovy filets (I plan on experimenting with kalamata olives for a veg version of this)
1/4 cup olive oil

Begin by carefully chopping your broccoli into a combination of small florets and 1/2 - 1 inch stems. I was really precise this time and I'm glad I took the time because the lengthy time on the pan means everything really needs to be close to the same size. Slice the anchovies into small strips, mince the garlic, and slice the chili peppers in half before setting aside.

Blanche the broccoli for five minutes and set aside to cool. Add the olive oil to a skillet and begin to heat up the garlic and chili in the oil. Once they are simmering, add the anchovies and begin to stir until they are mostly disintegrated. Add the broccoli and begin stirring so that all pieces get a healthy coat of the olive oil mixture. Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours (the recipe calls for 2, but I was really happy with it after an a hour and a half), stirring every 20 minutes or so. Can be served hot or room temperature.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Ah the Brussels sprout! It has to be the #1 vegetable in the category of once hated and then loved. How many people dreaded the sight of this steamed plant on their plates as children and have come to love it in its far better conceived perfectly roasted variation? I am one of those people that used to hate Brussels sprouts until I discovered Ina Garten's recipe of simply dousing them in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasting them for 20 minutes. That being said, I never really do anything else with them, until I came across several recipes that suggested shredding them. I decided to start off with the simple and very french idea just sautee those shredded leaves in butter and see what happens. Man it worked! This is an excellent side dish and the sprouts take on an almost green bean like flavor. Definitely a crowd pleaser to bring to a potluck or even an alternative to a traditional Thanksgiving dish.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts
1 pound Brussels Sprouts
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Begin sliding the Brussels sprouts on the mandolin to shave them into thin little shreds. You will inevitably lose some of that pound of sprouts, and that's ok! You can compost those nubby ends and the recipe assumes you'll lose a lot. Once you have your little hill of shredded Brussels sprouts. Begin sauteing the butter in a large frying pan until mostly melted. Toss in the shredded Brussels sprouts and turn the burner to medium-low. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (don't be shy with that salt!) and once the shredded sprouts are soft and just starting to brown, they're done. Serve hot!

Cajun Style Ooey Gooey Green Bean Casserole

Sometimes you just need something warm and comforting that barely counts as healthy. This has got lots of green beans and veg that adds flavor, but the predominate feature is the cream. Yummy rich cream that bakes into a gooey delight. Make this for yourself the next time you want something decadent, but want to at least get some nutrients with all of that fat. I was inspired by an episode of Diners Drive-ins and Dives feature on the Old Coffeepot Restaurant's Big Easy Green Bean Casserole. That recipe is here on the food network website, but you must always remember that no one tries those before they post the video, so they always need some adaptation. My version uses vinho verde instead of sherry and coconut oil instead of butter. The idea of using artichoke hearts and bell peppers in the stock base was brilliant and gave this a true Cajun flavor, that I love! I left out the carrots to keep the sweetness down and didn't regret it.

Cajun Style Ooey Gooey Green Bean Casserole
1 pound green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
1 quart heavy cream
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup artichoke heart bottoms, diced
1/4 cup bell peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 large stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup white wine(I used vinho verde, just go with what you have)
2 cups vegetable stock (maybe the Joe Yonan version you made at home)
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons salt

Add coconut oil to the bottom of a large dutch oven or other deep pot with onions, celery, bell pepper, and artichoke heart bottoms with a teaspoon of salt. After the vegetables have a golden brown to them, add the white wine and green beans and continue to stir until about 1/2 of the liquid has evaporated. Add the vegetable stock and another tablespoon of salt and simmer for 10 minutes (green beans should be getting soft). Turn on your oven and set to 350 degrees so it has time to pre-heart. Turn the heat to low and add the cream and stir at which point the mixture will look a lot like a cream of mushroom soup with green beans in it.


While that mixture is on low, combine the cold water with corn starch to make a slurry. Slowly stir it into the pot to thicken the mixture. Pour the whole thing into a casserole dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs before popping it into oven for 15 minutes, allowing the top to get a golden brown cover. Serve in a bowl and enjoy!