Vegetable Baked Rice with White Beans & Leeks

Baked rice is quick and easy to prepare and is really delicious. This baked rice dish was inspired by prasorizo, the classic Greek rice-and-leek dish. It makes a great vegetarian main dish or a phenomenal side. We ate it as a main dish with rotisserie chicken on the side. 😉 The freshly grated Parmesan really added richness to the meal.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. Almost any vegetable can be incorporated into the dish.  I added my beautiful CSA Romanesco cauliflower (with its greens) as well as baby spinach. The original recipe suggests alternatively adding tomatoes, zucchini, and/or broccoli with the leeks, or arugula and/or sliced sugar snap peas after the dish is removed from the oven.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 to 5 leeks (about 2 pounds), trimmed, white and pale green parts, cut lengthwise & sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 lemon
• chopped tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli florets, and/or cauliflower florets, optional (I used Romanesco cauliflower florets)
• 1/4 cup raw almonds (I used raw slivered almonds), or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white basmati rice
• 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (such as cannellini or great Northern), drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water or stock
• coarsely chopped spinach and/or arugula, or sliced sugar snap peas (I used 2 cups chopped baby spinach)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced or chopped basil, chives, mint or fennel fronds, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Soak sliced leeks in a bowl of water, remove with a slotted spoon or spider, then shake or pat dry.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 1-inch-thick strips of lemon zest, then cut the lemon in half. Cut one half into four wedges and reserve the other half.
4. In a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, combine the leeks, lemon zest strips, almonds, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. (I used an enameled cast iron baking dish.)
5. If adding chopped tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and/or cauliflower, add to the pan with the leeks. (I added Romanesco cauliflower florets.)
6. Season generously with salt and pepper, and arrange in an even layer. Roast until the leeks start to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove and finely chop the lemon zest strips, then stir the zest back into the leek mixture. Arrange in an even layer.
8. Sprinkle the rice evenly over the leeks, then top with the beans and 1 teaspoon salt.
9. Add the boiling water or stock, then seal the pan tightly with foil.
10. Bake until the rice is tender, 20 to 22 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven, and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
12. If adding spinach and/or arugula, or sliced sugar snap peas, add them in at this time. (I added the Romanesco cauliflower greens, ribs removed and finely sliced, as well as 2 cups of baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped.)
13. Squeeze the lemon half over the rice, then stir in Parmesan and herbs.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Serve with lemon wedges, and more Parmesan and herbs, as desired.

Shortcut Chicken & Dumplings

More weeknight comfort food! This dish uses rotisserie chicken meat and store-bought gnocchi as shortcuts to create a close match to traditional chicken and dumplings. It was quick to prepare and very tasty.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Alexa Weibel. I incorporated my CSA parsley, leeks, carrots, and collard greens. In addition, this soup could easily gobble up many other vegetables such as frozen peas, fennel, squash, parsnips, or mushrooms. We ate it with a green salad. Great.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 to 5 cups 1/2-inch ribbons of collard greens or kale, ribs removed (optional)
• 2 medium carrots or 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium leek, trimmed, white and pale green portion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 cup) (can substitute 1 large shallot, if desired)
• 2 medium celery stalks, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 2/3 cup)
• additional vegetables such as frozen peas, or diced parsnips, fennel, or mushrooms, optional
• 3 to 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)(I omitted it)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (16 to 18-ounce) package fresh or shelf-stable store-bought gnocchi (I used Trader Joe’s 17.6-ounce gnocchi)
• 1/2 store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 to 3 cups shredded meat)
• fresh tarragon, parsley or dill, for garnish

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add the carrots, leek, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme and poultry seasoning, if using. Incorporate any additional vegetables at this time as well; I added sliced collard greens. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with the flour, then cook, stirring, 2 minutes. (This cooks the flour to soften its raw flavor.)
4. Gradually stir in the stock and cream, and bring to a boil over medium-high to high heat.
5. Once the mixture boils, stir in the gnocchi, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until gnocchi and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the chicken in the last couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Divide among bowls and top with fresh tarragon or parsley and more black pepper, if desired.

Spicy Pork Kebabs with Fennel, Cumin & Red Onion

This is a full-flavored, weeknight summer dish. I served it with sautéed Napa cabbage, grilled radicchio, grilled fennel, and brown Basmati rice on the side. We squeezed fresh lime juice over the grilled meat, but next time I may also serve it with a garlicky lime-yogurt sauce.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used cubed pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder and modified the proportions.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1 ¾ pounds boneless pork shoulder OR 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• Kosher salt
• 1 lime, plus some wedges for serving
• ¼ cup cilantro or basil, leaves and tender stems, plus more for serving
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 jalapeño or other green chile, seeded if desired (I used an unseeded Serrano chile)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 ½ tablespoons fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 small red onion, sliced, for serving

1.  Season pork lightly with kosher salt and put it in a bowl or resealable bag.
2. Juice the lime into a blender or food processor and add cilantro, fish sauce, garlic, chile and honey. Blend until the chile and garlic are puréed, then add fennel, cumin, coriander seeds and pulse four or five times to bruise the spices and mix them in.
3. Pour mixture over the pork, tossing to coat the pieces. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you heat the grill, or up to 24 hours.
4. When ready to cook, heat the grill or broiler with a rack positioned 4 inches from the heat source.
5. Thread the pork onto skewers, leaving a little space between cubes. Grill over the highest heat possible, or broil on high, for 2 to 5 minutes, then flip the skewers and continue cooking until the meat is browned all over and charred in spots. It should be just cooked through: A little pink is OK, but there shouldn’t be any red spots.
6. Serve the pork with cilantro sprigs and onion slices on top, and lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

One-Pan Pork Sausage Meatballs with Green Lentils

I love one-pan dishes! This dish is made in the oven using one baking dish. It was also easy to prepare. 🙂 I modified the recipe due to personal preference- and to incorporate ingredients that I had readily available. I included all of the options in the recipe below.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. I modified the proportions and oven temperature, used celery instead of fennel, and added carrots. I also substituted sweet Italian pork sausage for hot sausage and green lentils for brown lentils. The vinegar was essential to the finished dish.

Yield: Serves 6

• 4 celery stalks, diced or 1 fennel bulb, cored, cut into 1/2-inch wedges through the root, plus 1/4 cup fresh fennel fronds
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds bulk hot or sweet Italian pork sausage (or fresh Italian sausages, casings removed)(or a combination)
• 1 egg
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils
• 4 to 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1-2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 425°, preferably on convection.
2. In a 9×13-inch baking pan or baking dish, gently toss the celery and carrots (or fennel wedges) with the olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (I used a ceramic baking dish.)
3. Roast until vegetables are golden brown underneath, about 10 minutes for fennel or up to 20 minutes for carrots and celery. (Fennel will not be tender at this point.)
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, use your hands or a spoon to mix the sausage with the egg until combined. Roll the mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs.
5. Add the chicken stock, lentils, garlic and rosemary to the roasted vegetables. Stir to combine, then season with 3/4 teaspoon salt.
6. Place the meatballs in the lentil mixture, drizzle the meatballs with olive oil, then roast until the meatballs are browned on top and lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Discard the rosemary sprig, then stir in the vinegar, parsley leaves and fennel fronds, if using (reserve a few fronds for garnishing, if desired). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Spoon the lentils and any braising liquid onto shallow bowls and top with the meatballs.
9. Garnish with additional parsley leaves and fennel fronds, if desired.

Roasted Shrimp with Salsa Calabrese

Did I mention that I met Bobby Flay this summer? It’s true! It was fun but really not that exciting. 😉 He came to our mall for the 10th anniversary of his first “Bobby’s Burger Palace” restaurant. I stood outside in a huge line in 90+ degree heat with my kids and friends for the opportunity to meet him. I think that I waited so long to share this news because the photo of me with Mr. Flay is terrible. I was also too shy to ask him to write to “the brook cook” in my new Bobby Flay cookbook. Ugh. Overall, we all had good time, I bought a great cookbook, and we got free milkshakes. 🙂

Now seems like the time to share this dish because it’s from his “Fit” cookbook, healthy and tasty. Perfect for the season of resolutions and dietary changes.

The recipe is adapted from Bobby Flay Fit: 200 Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson. I used graffiti eggplant instead of Japanese, grape tomatoes instead of plum, and increased the garlic. I made the dish a little more caloric by serving it over brown Basmati rice. Cauliflower rice would also be a nice option- or without rice as in the original recipe.

Yield: Serves 4

• 2 graffiti eggplants or 4 Japanese eggplants, about 1 pound, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 12 grape tomatoes or 2 seeded plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste, preferably Calabrian
• 5 T olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 21-25 count)
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• brown Basmati rice or cauliflower rice, for serving, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons of the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Spread the vegetables on a large, parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring a few times, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and purée until almost smooth. Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup of water, and continue processing until smooth.
5. Add the basil and the parsley and pulse a few times to incorporate while still leaving flecks of herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a bowl.
6. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the fennel and season with salt and pepper.
7. Spread the shrimp in an even layer on a large, parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until pink and firm and just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
8. To serve, spoon sauce over prepared rice, if desired, or in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with about 5 shrimp and garnish with whole basil leaves.

Note: The vegetable sauce can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Hazelnuts & Bacon

Yes- more soup! It may be sunny outside but it is still freezing. The positive spin I’ve taken on this gloomy situation is that I can still make delicious soup for dinner. 🙂

This recipe is from one of my favorite magazine columns, the RSVP section of Bon Appétit. It was adapted from chef Mark Filatow of Waterfront Wines in Kelowna, British Columbia. It was fabulous!

• ½ cup raw hazelnuts
• 2 T baking soda
• 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into small florets
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling, optional
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 4 ounces)
• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 small onion or ½ of a large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup dry white wine or water
• 6 cups chicken stock
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves

1. Blanch and Peel the Hazelnuts: Boil 1 ½ cups water in a small saucepan. Add 2 T baking soda and the nuts. Boil for 3 minutes, or until the skin is easily removed. Drain, rinse with cold water, and peel the skin off of the nuts.
2. Preheat oven to 350°, preferably on convection roast.
3. Toast the blanched hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
4. While the nuts are cooling, increase oven to 400°, preferably on convection roast.
5. Toss cauliflower and 2 T oil on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until florets are browned all over and tender, 30–35 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cut bacon crosswise into ½” pieces.
7. Heat a heavy pot over medium and cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to paper towels.
8. Cook fennel, onion, and garlic (I chopped them using a food processor) in drippings in pot, stirring occasionally, until onion and fennel are very soft, 5–10 minutes.
9. Add wine and cook until mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
10. Add roasted cauliflower, broth, cream, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper.
11. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 20–25 minutes.
12. Pluck out bay leaves; discard. Let mixture cool slightly.
13. Working in batches, purée cauliflower mixture until very smooth. (I puréed the soup using an immersion blender in the pot.)
14. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
15. Just before serving, ladle soup into bowls; top with bacon and nuts and drizzle with oil, if desired. (I omitted the additional oil.)

Do Ahead: Soup can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill soup and bacon separately.

One Year Ago: Breakfast Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Muffins

Two Years Ago: Cheesy Pasta Casserole with Wild Mushrooms

Three Years Ago: Gemelli with Mushrooms & Ricotta

Four Years Ago: Saffron Pappardelle with Moroccan Spiced Shallot-Butter Sauce

Five Years Ago: Minestrone and Macaroni Baked in Yogurt (Arshda Madznov)

Wild Rice & Mushroom Casserole

This hearty vegetarian main course casserole would be a lovely option to serve vegetarian guests during the holidays. We ate it as a cozy winter meal with roasted broccoli and green salad.

The puréed beans add creaminess to the filling. After reading comments about this recipe online, I was apprehensive to include all of the bean liquid required in the original recipe because others had complained that the final consistency was mushy. I only used half of a cup but next time I would include 1 cup or even additional liquid (noted below).

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I substituted celery for fennel, added a chipotle chile, used mixed baby greens, and reduced the breadcrumbs, beans, liquid, and baking time. It was the ultimate dish to utilize my brand new giant 14-inch skillet. Yay! The vegetables could be cooked in batches if using a smaller pan, of course.

Yield: 12 servings

• 2 ¼ cups vegetable, mushroom or chicken stock
• coarse salt
• 1 ¼ cups wild rice, rinsed
• 9 t0 10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 24 oz sliced mushrooms, preferably a mix of different kinds (I used cremini mushrooms.)
• 3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1 celery heart or 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and chopped
• 5 ounces mixed baby kale, chard, and spinach
• 7 fat garlic cloves (4 chopped, 3 finely grated or crushed into a paste)
• ½ tablespoon tomato paste
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 (14-ounce) cans white beans, strained with liquid reserved (I used cannellini beans.)
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce (about 2 tsp)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or basil)
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/4 cups panko or coarse bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Taste broth; if bland, season to taste with salt. In a medium pot, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice, lower heat, cover and simmer until just tender, about 1 hour, or according to package directions. Fluff rice with a fork, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sauté vegetables: In a large, heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. (If using a smaller pan, cook in batches, adding oil if necessary.)
3. Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
4. In the empty skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Stir in leeks, fennel/celery and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 8 minutes.
5. Stir in baby greens, chopped garlic, tomato paste and red pepper flakes, and cook until garlic starts turning golden, another 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
6. Heat oven to 400 degrees, and oil a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. (I used cooking oil spray.)
7. In a blender, purée 2 cans beans with 1/2 cup to 1 cup of the reserved liquid, chipotle, lemon juice, 1 grated garlic clove, and salt to taste. (I used a Vitamix.)
8. Stir bean purée, remaining whole beans (drained), mushrooms, cilantro, parsley and cooked wild rice into skillet with vegetables. Taste and add more salt or lemon as needed; it should be well seasoned. Add additional bean liquid, if necessary, in order to achieve desired consistency. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
9. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, rosemary, lemon zest, remaining 2 grated garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil and Parmesan, if using.
10. Sprinkle evenly on top of casserole and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Note: To make part of this recipe in advance, assemble casserole and prepare topping (separately) up to 24 hours ahead. Refrigerate, covered, in separate containers. Just before baking, spread breadcrumb topping evenly over the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until heated through and topping is golden, another 20 to 30 minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Cauliflower Gratin

Two Years Ago:

• Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
• Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Three Years Ago:

• Easy Mushroom Lasagna

Four Years Ago:

• Mushroom, Spinach, Barley, & Bacon Soup
• Vegetable Strudel Casserole

Five Years Ago:

• Mushroom-Leek Bread Pudding
• New Orleans Red Beans & Rice with Pickled Peppers
• Stuffing with Mushrooms & Bacon