Portobello Mushrooms

Frankly, portobello mushrooms are not my favorite, I often find them much more tough and dry than most mushrooms, maybe because we consume them at an older age than most other mushrooms. However, when portobellos are allowed to braise slowly with onions, fresh herbs and garlic, they become very flavorful and quite delicious. Portobellos, conversely portabellas, are, in fact, a mature variation of Agaricus bisporus, the common white or brown mushroom native to Europe and North America, which is known by many different names depending upon their coloring, age and location. Braising the mushroom cap on top of the onion gill side up, lets the onion caramelize and the mushroom to braise in its own juices, creating a rich and hearty dish. They are lovely served with greens, asparagus and salad.

4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed

1 small onion, sliced into 4 ¼" thick rounds

4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped

4 sprigs rosemary

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Coat the bottom of a large skillet or shallow pan with olive oil and arrange the onion rounds so they are evenly spaced in the skillet or pan. Place the portobello mushroom caps on top of the onion rounds, gill side up. Generously season the mushrooms and place a clove of garlic and sprig of rosemary on each mushroom cap.

2. Turn the heat on to medium-low, cover the mushrooms and braise until tender, 15-20 minutes. Occasionally check the heat, to make sure the onions are not burning, and reduce as necessary. Once the mushrooms are fully cooked and tender, remove from heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

3. Serve the portobello mushrooms warm, along with the cooked onions and juices from the pan, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 portobello mushrooms

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet potatoes have been on my mind lately, possibly because they are commonly served during winter holiday meals or maybe because I am in the south, where sweet potatoes have been cultivated since the 16th century. In the southern States, sweet potatoes seem to be preferred over regular potatoes and due to their sweeter nature; they are found in a wide array of both savory and sweet dishes, including pies, casseroles, breads, stews and fries. Lately, I have come across sweet potato pancakes on menus and signs; at first I thought were similar to a European potato pancake using grated sweet potatoes as a base, which sounded delicious. However, I subsequently learned, in the south, they are referring to traditional breakfast pancakes, in which cooked mashed sweet potatoes are used in addition to the flour. I found baking the sweet potatoes before adding them to the pancakes, added a depth to the pancakes and created a rich sweet potato flavor in the finished product.

Sweet potatoes can be baked in advance. Sugar and spices can be adjusted to taste, depending upon personal preference.

1 lb sweet potatoes

2 c flour

2 ¼ c milk

¼ c butter, melted

2 eggs

4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

½ tsp salt

vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the whole sweet potatoes in the oven and bake until tender, 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, peel and blend until smooth in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Add the dry ingredients to the blended sweet potatoes and thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter, add to the dry ingredients and potatoes, and gently fold to combine into a smooth batter.

3. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Once heated, coat the griddle or skillet with oil. Drop about ¼ c of the batter on to the griddle or skillet, repeating until the griddle or skillet is full. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on the surface, flip and cook until both sides are golden brown and pancakes are fully cooked. Repeat process with remaining batter.

4. Serve sweet potato pancakes warm with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Serves 3-4

Ratatouille

From the French term touiller, to toss food, ratatouille is believed to have originated as a dish made by peasants around Nice in the Provence region of France as ratatouille niçoise, influenced from neighboring Spanish and Italian cuisine. Essentially a stewed vegetable dish, ratatouille generally contains eggplant, summer squash, bell peppers and tomatoes, which are baked, braised, roasted, sautéed or stewed with various herbs, garlic and onion. Because ratatouille can be made any number of ways using any number of ingredients, it is an easy and delicious dish to prepare and serve as an entrée, side dish or leftover. Baking the vegetables gives helps retain their integrity and them a rich flavor. Socca, beets and tangerines or polenta go well to compliment ratatouille.

1 small eggplant, thinly sliced into rounds

1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds

1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced into rounds

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into rounds

1 large tomato, diced

1 tbsp basil, roughly chopped

1 tsp parsley, roughly chopped

1 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned, 5-10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes and continue sautéing until the tomatoes are tender and beginning to form a sauce. Fold in the basil and parsley, simmer until herbs are fragrant and remove from heat. Cool slightly before placing tomatoes in a food processor, purée into a fine sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread sauce evenly on the bottom of a medium baking dish, roughly 9"x9". Layer the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red bell pepper evenly on the sauce. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until vegetables are tender and lightly browned on top, 30-45 minutes. Remove the ratatouille from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Top with Parmesan, goat or cheese of choice and serve ratatouille warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Sesame Chicken with Mustard Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms

Mushrooms continue to be one of my favorite vegetables; both their firm yet tender texture and earthy flavor are appealing to me. Shiitake mushrooms are no exception, and might even be one the best varieties due to lovely appearance and smoky taste. Native to south Asia, shiitake mushrooms have been used in both medicine and cuisine for thousands of years. Though known by different names depending upon the country, the term shiitake, as we use in the States, is Japanese and refers to the type of evergreen tree on which shiitake mushrooms, among others, grow. Shiitake mushrooms have only been permitted for cultivation in the States since the early 1970s due to confusion with another variety of mushroom, Lentinus lepideus, which is an invasive species and prohibited by the USDA. Like other mushrooms, shiitakes are an excellent source of various vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein. Sesame chicken is especially good with rice and vegetables.

1 lbs chicken thighs, skin and bones removed

1 bunch mustard greens, roughly chopped

2 c shiitakes, stems removed

1 bunch scallions, cut into 2" segments

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped

¼ c sesame seeds, toasted

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp mirin

salt and pepper

1. Place toasted sesame seeds in a bowl, add chicken thighs and toss until well coated. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy bottom pan over medium heat, add chicken and brown each side, about 5 minutes per side.

2. Once chicken thighs have browned, add mirin, garlic mustard greens and shitakes, reduce heat to low, cover and braise until mushrooms are tender, 5-10 minutes. Add scallions, gently stir to combine and remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve chicken warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4

Succotash

Succotash, from the Narragansett word msickquatash for boiled corn kernels, is a traditional American dish with a base of beans and corn. Based upon similar dishes made by the Algonquian tribes, American colonists are thought to have interpreted and incorporated succotash into American cuisine during the 16th or 17th century. Many believe succotash was served during early American Thanksgiving meals and later became a staple during the Great Depression due to available, inexpensive and filling ingredients. Succotash can be made with any number of different ingredients including various meats and vegetables and cooked in a variety of ways including casseroles and potpies. I prefer the simplicity of a vegetarian succotash salad, though browned bacon is a delicious addition, because it can be served as a side dish, salad or entrée and tastes great at most any temperature. Succotash pairs well with german potato salad, zucchini-squash fritters and stuffed bell peppers.

2 c frozen lima beans, defrosted

2 ears corn, kernels removed

1 medium tomato, finely diced

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

1. Heat butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and parsley, stir to combine and remove from heat.

2. Place lima beans, corn, tomato and sautéed onions in a medium mixing bowl and gently fold to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Serves 3-4

Roasted Cauliflower

Sometimes it seems cauliflower is relegated to being overcooked and covered with thick sauces, neither of which seem to truly compliment the vegetable itself. Cauliflower, another member of the cruciferous family and so an ancestor of wild cabbage from Asia, widely cultivated in the Mediterranean thousands of years ago, popular in 16th century Europe and now commonly eaten around the world. Cauliflower, like other cruciferous vegetables, is high in nutritional value related to the antioxidant, detoxification and anti-inflammatory systems of the human body and comes in a variety of colors other than the typical white including orange, green and purple. Lightly roasting cauliflower brings out its delicious flavor while slightly maintaining its nice crunch. Roasted cauliflower goes very well with pumpkin purée or warm lentil salad.

1 head cauliflower, florets trimmed from stem

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread cauliflower evenly on a baking sheet.

2. Place cauliflower in oven and bake until tender, 8-12 minutes, stir occasionally to cook evenly and prevent overcooking. Remove cauliflower from oven and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve cauliflower warm or room temperature.

Serves 3-4