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Published: March 25, 2008 09:33 pm
Versatile veggies
Transform popular side dishes into the main meal
Bev Davis
Register-Herald Senior Editor
Vegetable pancakes. Ratatouille. Warm vegetable salad. Those popular side dishes can easily be transformed into entrees, a Beckley cooking instructor recently told her class.
“Nutrition experts are advising all of us to find ways to get more vegetables into our diets,” said Sawsan Galal, adjunct instructor at the National Institute of Culinary Arts at Mountain State University in Beckley. “Vegetables are versatile, and they can make a very hearty meal.”
Vegetables can also be used to give a new twist to old classics, such as ratatouille, she said.
“That’s a French Provence recipe. I just added a twist to it by dressing it up with some ingredients I like. I tell my students they shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with flavors and textures of foods. All the great dishes were created by somebody just putting a different twist on something they already knew how to prepare.”
Her warm vegetable salad is a different twist on potato salad, and her zucchini and carrot pancakes put a different spin on potato cakes.
“We’re not quite into the season where we have garden vegetables available, but all these recipes can be made with items from the supermarket. These kinds of recipes provide a good way for us to help our children get more vegetables into their diets, as well,” Galal said.
Serve any one of these dishes with a good bread and a hearty soup for a great meal.
The recipes were adapted from the Food Network Web site.
Warm vegetable salad
2 whole red peppers
1-1/2 pounds assorted red and white new potatoes
3/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped oregano leaves, or 2 teaspoons dry oregano
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat broiler. Place the red peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and set them under the broiler. Turning every 2 to 3 minutes, cook the peppers until the skin is blistered, about 8-9 minutes. Place the blistered peppers in a plastic bag. Seal the bag and allow the peppers to sit for 10 minutes to allow the skin to separate and to let cool.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the potatoes to a cutting board.
Add the green beans to the pot. Cook the green beans until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the green beans to a large bowl. Slice the potatoes in half while still warm and combine them with the green beans in the large bowl.
Remove the peppers from the plastic bag. Peel off the skin from the peppers. Slice the pepper flesh into wide strips and remove the seeds and veins. Place them in a bowl with the potatoes. Add the scallions, parsley and garlic and toss to combine.
In a small bowl combine the oregano, lemon juice and zest and white wine vinegar. Whisk in the olive oil. Stir in the salt and pepper. Toss the warm vegetables with the herb vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Ratatouille with feta, green olives and almonds
1 cup whole almonds
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup pitted green olives
1 bunch fresh basil, leaves hand-torn
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, chopped
3 medium zucchini, chopped
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Put the almonds into a large skillet over medium heat. Gently toast the nuts, being careful not to let them burn, for about 3 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, 1 chopped garlic clove and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes and transfer to a plate to cool.
Crush the almonds roughly and put them into a bowl along with the feta cheese, olives, and 1/3 of the basil leaves. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
Put 3 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes into the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, remaining garlic and 1/3 of the basil leaves and cook until the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Put in the eggplant and cook until it is soft, about 10 minutes, adding more olive oil if necessary. Add the zucchini, fresh tomatoes and capers; season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until these vegetables are soft but still whole. Add the canned tomatoes, vinegar and remaining basil leaves. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes; remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
To serve, put the ratatouille into a bowl or platter and top with the feta, olive and almond mixture.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Vegetable pancakes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated zucchini
2 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons oil
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat together the egg, milk, carrots, zucchini and onions. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
Using a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Pour the batter by tablespoons into the pan, making a few pancakes at a time.
Cook about 2 minutes on each side and golden brown.
Add the remaining oil to the pan as needed. Serve pancakes immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
— E-mail:
bdavis@register-herald.com
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