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Category: Vegetables

Cauliflower AF

Cauliflower AF

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Yield: 4

Serious Eats

I learned the joys of nutty, rich, roasted cauliflower. Roasting it at a high temperature creates a crisp exterior with a tender—but not mushy—interior. The high heat also ensures that those unpleasant sulfurous compounds don’t form. Today, cauliflower is a staple in my dinner rotation: It’s easy to make, pairs well with just about everything, and can be dressed up with a favorite seasoning blend, fresh herbs, or a simple sauce I already have on hand.

Note: Air fryers are fast? Maybe so, but this is only doing half at a time. So double the time!
Prep: 10 Cook: 20 (really 45)

  • 1large head cauliflower (about 1¾ lb), tough outer leaves and core removed
  • 2TBS neutral oil such as canola or vegetable oil
  • 1TBS water
  • ½tsp kosher salt, if using table salt use half as much by volume
  • ½tsp ground black pepper


Prep:

Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. Cut cauliflower into 8 wedges, then cut into 2-inch florets (should be about 4 cups total). In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with oil, water, salt, and pepper until well coated, use your hands to make sure all nooks and crannies are coated with oil and seasonings.

Arrange half (about 2 cups) of the florets into the preheated air fryer basket, cook, shaking basket twice during cooking, until tender and well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm, and repeat cooking with the remaining cauliflower. Combine cauliflower and serve.

Make-Ahead and Storage:

Cauliflower can be chopped into florets and refrigerated in a zip-top bag or airtight container up to 3 days before cooking.

Air-fried cauliflower can be made up to 4 days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat in a microwave or air fryer preheated to 340ºF until warm.

Variations:

Curry and Cumin: Add 2 tsp Madras-style curry powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp ground cumin with the oil to toss with the raw cauliflower in step 1.

Dill and Lemon: In a large bowl, toss the roasted cauliflower with 2 TBS minced fresh dill, ½ tsp lemon zest, and 1 TBS lemon juice before serving.

Buffalo-Style: In a small bowl, whisk 2 TBS melted butter with 2 TBS Frank’s Red Hot Sauce or other Louisiana-style hot sauce to combine. Once cauliflower is done roasting, transfer to a large bowl and toss with the prepared buffalo sauce before serving.

Egg Roll Skillet

Egg Roll Skillet

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Yield: 4

The Kitchn

A veggie-rich take on the classic Chinese appetizer that you can eat as dinner.
When you need a quick one-pan dinner that has tons of veggies and protein, look no further than this egg roll skillet. Inspired by the tasty filling in Chinese egg rolls, this ground pork skillet requires very little chopping thanks to a bag of coleslaw mix, but it’s full of ginger and garlic and all the hallmark flavors you expect from egg rolls.

Note: Needs a starch or something crunchy.

  • 1TBS olive or vegetable oil
  • 1lb ground pork
  • 1medium yellow onion, diced
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3cloves garlic, minced
  • 1TBS minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 1(14-oz) bag coleslaw mix
  • 2TBS soy sauce
  • ¼cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 1tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1tsp rice vinegar

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through, and the onion is tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the coleslaw mix and soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the scallions, sesame oil, and vinegar, and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Chicken & Vegetables with White Sauce

Chicken & Vegetables with White Sauce

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Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from Fortunecooking

A very simple clean tasting stir fry made with vegetables and left-over chicken. Your choice of vegetables. I usually use broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, carrots, celery and sometimes water chestnuts.

My white sauce was not as white as the original. It is fixed now. 😊 😊

  • 2cups total:
  • broccoli florets
  • pea pods
  • button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • carrots, sliced thin on a diagonal
  • celery, sliced thin on a diagonal
  • sliced water chestnuts
  • chicken, cooked and sliced 
  • 1heaping tsp garlic, minced
  • 1heaping tsp ginger, minced
  • 2cups water or stock
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS cornstarch mixed with 1 TBS water for slurry
  • 1sesame oil to taste (optional)


Blanch vegetables:

Bring 2 cups of stock or water to a boil in a wok or pan.

Add the 2 cups vegetables and chicken and cook for about 1½ minutes.

Reserve some of the vegetable cooking water and set aside.

Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Chicken & sauce:

Add ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

Add slurry and stir to thicken.

If desired, add sesame oil to taste.

Serve.

Shrimp Boil

Shrimp Boil

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Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: CarlsbadCravings

This sheet pan version of the Shrimp Boil is loaded with succulent shrimp, tender potatoes, sweet corn and smokey sausage all enveloped in Cajun seasonings then baked to perfection then drizzled with Lemon Parsley Butter.

Note: Came out spicier than expected. Might use less Old Bay.

  • 1lb fingerling or baby potatoes
  • 4TBS extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1TBS + 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning divided
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • ½tsp ground mustard
  • ½tsp ground coriander
  • ½tsp dried dill
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • ¾tsp salt divided
  • 3ears sweet corn, cut into 4 pieces (12 pieces total) or kernels removed from cob
  • 111-12 oz pkg. smoked Andouille sausage sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick (optional)
  • 1red or yellow onion, cut into ½-inch wedges (optional)

Parsley lemon butter: (optional)

  • 4TBS melted butter
  • 1½TBS finely chopped parsley
  • 1½TBS lemon juice

For serving:

  • chopped parsley
  • lemon slices
  • hot sauce


Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a half-sheet pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray, set aside.

Pre-cook potatoes: Depending on size, chop potatoes in half or thirds. Transfer cut potatoes and onions to a prepared half-sheet pan and spread out into an even layer. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

Mix: Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, whisk together 3 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, ground mustard, coriander, dill, pepper and ½ tsp salt. Add par cooked potatoes, corn, zucchini, and sausage. Stir until evenly coated.

First Bake: Pour bowl onto prepared half-sheet pan and spread out into an even layer. Reduce heat to 400°F and bake for 15 minutes.

Season Shrimp: Meanwhile, add shrimp to the same bowl (don’t wipe out). Drizzle with 1 TBS olive oil, 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning and ¼ tsp salt. Stir until evenly coated.

After 15 minutes, remove the half-sheet pan from oven and give everything a good stir. Add shrimp and spread everything into a single layer.

Second Bake: Place pan back into oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Parsley Lemon Butter: Meanwhile, whisk Parsley butter ingredients together, set aside.

Serve: As soon as the shrimp is done, drizzle the entire pan with Parsley Lemon Butter. Serve with additional freshly cracked salt, pepper, lemon wedges, parsley, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce on the side.

Pork Tenderloin with Giardiniera Vegetables

Pork Tenderloin with Giardiniera Vegetables

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Adapted from: theKitchn

This sheet pan pork and veggies combines quick-cooking pork tenderloin with tons of colorful vegetables that can be served straight-up or over a super-simple salad. And, thanks to a bottle of Italian dressing, it’s packed with easy flavor.

  • 21-1½-lb pork tenderloins
  • 1tsp kosher salt, divided
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2TBS Italian dressing, plus more for serving
  • 1medium head cauliflower (about 1 lb)
  • 3-6stalks celery
  • 8oz mini bell peppers (about 16)
  • 1zucchini (optional)
  • 1small red onion
  • 3cloves garlic
  • 2TBS olive oil, plus more for the half-sheet pan
  • 4oz feta or goat cheese
  • 5oz baby arugula


Prep:
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a half-sheet pan with olive oil.

Wash and trim the vegetables.

Cut 1 medium head cauliflower into 1-inch florets. Thinly slice celery stalks. Halve and seed 8 oz mini bell peppers. Slice the zucchini into 1/2-inch slices. Dice 1 small red onion, mince 3 garlic cloves.

Season the pork all over with salt and pepper.

Brown Pork:

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and brown pork, turning occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and place in the middle of the prepared sheet pan.

Brush browned pork with 2 TBS of the Italian dressing.

Roast the Pork & Vegetables:

Add the vegetables to a large bowl and drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Add the vegetables in an even layer all around and in between the tenderloins.

Roast until the pork is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes .

Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, crumble 4 oz of feta or goat cheese into a large bowl. Add 5 oz baby arugula and toss with more Italian dressing as desired.

Slice the pork crosswise and serve with the vegetables over the salad.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Thighs with Cauliflower, Carrots and Onions

Thighs with Cauliflower, Carrots and Onions

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Adapted from: Food52

This is a great, fairly simple, meal. I added carrots to the recipe. Would be great for a group.

  • cooking oil, for greasing
  • 1large head cauliflower 
  • 2onions
  • 4-6carrots, red, yellow or sweet
  • 5TBS olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste
  • 1TBS whole cumin seeds or ground cumin, see note above
  • 1TBS whole coriander seeds or ground coriander, see note above
  • 2tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼-½tsp cayenne, to suit your heat tolerance
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • 6-8boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 2 lbs.

Special Equipment:

  • Mortar and pestle or spice grinder

Prep:

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and position one rack in the center and another at the top.

Line and oil two half-sheet pans.

Spices:

If you have them, toast whole cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat until they turn light brown and smell fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Add to a small bowl and mix with the smoked paprika and cayenne.

Peel and slice carrots into ¼-inch thick diagonal slices.

Peel and half onions. Either slice ¼-inch thick, or cut into ½-inch wedges.

Cut cauliflower into florets, large florets halved or quartered as necessary to bite sized pieces.
Place cauliflower florets, carrots and onion on a half-sheet pan. Season all over with a tsp of kosher salt and pepper to taste, and a large drizzle of olive oil.

Sprinkle half of the spice mixture over the vegetables. Use your hands to toss the vegetables evenly with the oil and spice mix. Transfer pan to the top shelf of the oven and roast for about 15 minutes.

Chicken:

Place chicken thighs in a large bowl. Season generously all over with salt. Add sprinkle on the remaining spice mix, 1-2 TBS of oil, and minced garlic. Toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature while vegetables roast.

Roast:

After the 15 minute roast of the vegetables, remove the half-sheet pan and mix the vegetables. Return to the center rack of the oven.

Lay the chicken thighs on the second half-sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes—if thighs are large, they may need 5 to 10 minutes more. Thighs should be 185ºF in center of thickest part. Remove the vegetable pan after the second 15 minutes and cover loosely with foil.

Remove the chicken pan from the oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

The chicken can be served as is, or cut into 1-inch pieces (best for a group), about the same size as the cauliflower. Return chicken to sheet pan or to a serving platter along with the vegetables  and any juice from the chicken pan. Toss everything together.

Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt sauce, warm up some bread, cut the lemons, etc.  Taste and adjust seasoning and squeeze a lemon over everything, if desired.

Note: The cauliflower does not freeze well. Should not be frozen!