Shrimp & Grits with Garlicky Roasted Poblano-Jalapeño Sauce

Annually, we treat ourselves to Southern shrimp and grits over Easter weekend. This year, I served the special dish using purple “unicorn” grits from Millers All Day in Charleston, South Carolina. Festive!

This version was topped with a spicy and garlicky roasted poblano-jalapeño sauce which had a terrific balance with the rich, cheesy grits. The shrimp was also cooked in garlic oil. It was a great variation to try for the garlic and sauce lovers in my house. 🙂 The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Marc Meyer. I modified the method and proportions.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup whole milk 
• coarse salt 
• 1 cup stone-ground white grits (I used stone-ground unicorn grits)
• 2 ounces extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (1/2 cup) 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 jalapeño chile 
• 1 poblano chile
• 5 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced 
• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1/2 an orange)
• freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp, patted dry (I used 21-25 count per pound)

1. Place oven rack in the highest position and set to broil. Place the jalapeño and poblano chiles on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until blackened all over, about 3 minutes per side.
2. Remove from the oven and wrap in the foil. Allow to steam and cool for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins. Stem and seed the chiles.
3. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt. (I used an enameled cast iron pot.)
4. Whisk in the grits and cook over moderate heat, stirring often, until the grits are tender and very thick, about 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the milk, cheese, and butter. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. (I used about 1/2 tsp salt.) Cook for an additional 5 minutes, then keep warm.
6. In a small skillet, cook the garlic in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the garlic is softened and very lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a blender. Add the chiles and the orange juice and puree until smooth. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil and puree until creamy. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. (I used a Vitamix.)
8. Pat the shrimp dry and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of garlic oil. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Heat a very large skillet until very hot, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 45 seconds to 1 minute per side.
11. To serve, spoon the grits into bowls and top with sauce and shrimp. Serve additional sauce at the table.

Warm Lentil & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Salad

This is another dish with a crispy and delicious parmesan topping. Cheese makes everything better. 🙂 I loved that the base of the dish was an arugula salad. The crunchy roasted almond topping provided a nice contrasting texture too.

I cut the head of cauliflower through the center into two steaks and roasted the additional florets in a formation as close to a plank as well, for presentation purposes. Next time, I may change the orientation of the cauliflower to keep the florets attached to the core.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living. I used French green lentils, added red pepper flakes, and modified the cooking and serving methods. It was a lovely, fresh and healthy light meal. We ate it for dinner, but it would also be wonderful served for a special lunch, of course. 🙂

Yield: Serves 4

• 3 cups of cored and chopped tomatoes, about 3 beefsteak tomatoes (I used 2 beefsteak and 3 romas)
• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus 1 clove for cooking the lentils, if desired
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup (8 T) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
• 1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut through the core into 1-inch planks
• 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils (I used French green lentils)
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (3/4 cup)
• 1 bunch arugula, trimmed (I used about 4 oz wild baby arugula)
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• toasted almonds, chopped, for serving (I used sliced almonds)

1. Cook the lentils: Place 3/4 to 1 cup of dried lentils with a large smashed (but intact) garlic clove, optional, in a pot covered by 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender. (You will have leftover cooked lentils.)
2. Toast the almonds: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread almonds in an even layer on a rimmed quarter sheet pan. Toast the almonds, stirring once or twice, about 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Remove and set aside.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 475°F, with a rack placed in the center and another rack in top position. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
4. In a bowl, toss together tomatoes, garlic, capers, large pinch of red pepper flakes, if using, and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
5. Place cauliflower planks on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Brush cauliflower evenly with 3 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.
7. Roast until undersides are golden, 12 to 13 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, flip the cauliflower and push to one side.
8. Add tomato mixture to other side of the pan.
9. Reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees; roast 12 minutes more.
10. Stir 1 1/2 cups drained lentils into tomato mixture. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
11. Sprinkle everything with cheese.
12. Switch oven setting to broil, and broil on top rack until cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
13. Toss arugula with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
14. Serve the roasted cauliflower planks over lentils and arugula salad, sprinkled with toasted almonds.

Crusty Parmesan Roast Chicken with Lemon & Rosemary

I have made this wonderful roasted chicken twice recently. The grated Parmesan forms a crispy and delicious topping on the skin and the meat is very nicely seasoned with fresh rosemary and lemon zest. I served it with roasted potatoes and vegetables on both occasions.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. If roasting vegetables with a short cooking time, such as asparagus, it would be amazing to roast them in some of the pan juices while the chicken is resting. I drizzled my roasted potatoes and other vegetables with the lemony pan juices after they were cooked. Great.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• zest and juice from 1 lemon, divided
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary, plus 3 to 4 sprigs
• large pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving, optional
• 1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) whole chicken, patted dry
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• parsley, for garnish, optional

1. Finely grate the zest from the lemon and place it in a small bowl. (Save the zested lemon for the drippings.)
2. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt, pepper, chopped rosemary and red-pepper flakes, if using.
3. Season the chicken inside and out with salt mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or refrigerate uncovered for up to overnight.
4. Heat oven to 425 degrees. I set my oven to convection roast.
5. Place chicken, breast-side up, in a large skillet, sheet pan or roasting pan. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.)
6. Stuff cavity of chicken with rosemary sprigs. Drizzle breast with a little olive oil.
7. Roast chicken for 30 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chicken all over with Parmesan.
9. Return pan to the oven and continue roasting until bird’s juices run clear when skin is pierced with a knife and the skin is golden, 25 to 30 minutes longer. (I used an oven probe and cooked the chicken until the breast reached 165 degrees.)
10. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes. (I tented it with aluminum foil.)
11. Squeeze juice from the zested lemon, to taste, into the pan drippings and season with more salt and red-pepper flakes if you like.
12. Carve and serve with drippings spooned over the meat. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. (I also had extra drippings available at the table.)

Baked Feta & Tomato Pasta with Basil

I first heard about this spectacularly easy viral pasta dish from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. I think I was the last to know… My daughter has seen countless people make it on TikTok, of course. 😉 She was absolutely thrilled to make it with me!

The original recipe is called “Uunifetapasta,” created by the Finnish blogger Jenni Häyrinen. The foundation of the dish is a block of feta placed in the center of a baking dish surrounded by seasoned tomatoes. After being baked, the cheese and burst tomatoes are combined to create a creamy and delicious sauce to serve over pasta. Deb Perelman incorporated chickpeas in her version- nice.

This version from the Washington Post, contributed by Aaron Hutcherson, recommended using Greek sheep’s milk feta to maximize the creaminess. I used an enameled cast iron baking pan, modified the proportions and incorporated za’atar to the seasoning on the tomatoes prior to baking. It was super creamy and tasty- and as simple and easy to prepare as expected.

Yield: Serves 6

• 3 pints (750 to 800 g) grape or cherry tomatoes
• 5 large garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
• 8 T (1/2 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 block (10.5 oz) Greek feta cheese
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• za’atar, to taste, optional
• 17 to 18 oz medium-length dried pasta, such as campanile, rigatoni, or rotini (I used Gigli)
• fresh basil leaves, for serving

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic and 6 tablespoons of the olive oil. (I used an enameled cast iron baking pan.)
3. Sprinkle the tomatoes with some salt and toss to coat. Sprinkle with za’atar, if using.
4. Place the feta cheese in the center of the tomatoes and garlic, top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle the entire dish with red pepper flakes and a little black pepper.
5. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the garlic has softened and the tomatoes have burst their skins.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
7. Remove the baking dish from the oven and stir the feta and tomatoes with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning, as necessary.
8. Mix the sauce with pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as needed if it looks a little dry. (I incorporated quite a bit of pasta water.)
9. To serve, top with plenty of basil leaves.

Sheet-Pan Garam Masala Chicken with Cauliflower & Chickpeas

I love yogurt-based marinades because the resulting meat is always juicy and tender. This dish not only had a yogurt marinade, it was made on a single sheet pan and had a bright and spicy “finishing condiment” as well. A winner. 🙂

The rimmed sheet pan did accumulate a lot of pan juices, but the chicken and cauliflower were still perfectly crispy on top. The cauliflower and chickpeas absorbed a lot of wonderful flavors from the pan drippings as well.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Kat Boytsova. I added chickpeas and served the roasted chicken, cauliflower, and beans over rice, drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. The lemony cilantro-onion-jalapeño finishing condiment was essential and absolutely delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chicken:

• 3″ piece ginger, peeled
• 2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup (or more) 2% Greek yogurt, for serving (can substitute whole-milk yogurt)
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 T garam masala, divided
• 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs)
• 2 T plus 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 head of jumbo cauliflower (about 3 lbs)
• 3 T vegetable oil or olive oil

For the Finishing Condiment:

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and ribbed- if desired
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• rice and/or warm flatbread, for serving, optional

To Marinate the Chicken & Prepare the Dish:

1. Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. (I set my oven to convection roast.) Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Finely grate 3″ piece ginger into a medium bowl. Transfer all but 1 teaspoon of the grated ginger to a large resealable plastic bag, reserving ginger in bowl for the finishing condiment. (I used a gallon-size bag.)
3. Add 2 cups whole-milk yogurt to bag with ginger.
4. Cut 1 lemon in half crosswise and squeeze juice from each half into the yogurt mixture.
5. Add cayenne and 2 T plus 1 tsp garam masala. Seal bag and shake to combine.
6. Season 8 chicken pieces with 5 tsp salt. (I placed the chicken on a plate, seasoned with half the salt, turned each piece over, and seasoned with the rest of the salt.)
7. Place chicken pieces in the marinade bag, seal, and shake again to cover all the pieces.
8. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag, which makes sure that all the chicken is covered with the marinade. Let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or keep in the fridge for up to 4 hours. (I marinated the chicken 3 hours in advance, letting it come closer to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before roasting.)
9. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Lay out on a paper towel to dry thoroughly.
10. Cut 1 head of cauliflower into quarters through stem end. Place quarters cut side down and remove most of the core. The cauliflower florets should fall apart and separate naturally, but you can slice any larger florets in half or into quarters until all florets are about 2″ in size. You want the more or less evenly sized so they’re cook evenly.
11. Transfer cauliflower and beans to the prepared baking sheet.
12. Drizzle 3 T oil and 1 1/2 tsp salt over and toss to coat. Spread evenly all the way to edges of pan, making sure that the pieces aren’t too crowded, otherwise they’ll steam instead of roasting. (If you ended up with more cauliflower than can fit in a single layer, take some out and save it for something else.)
13. Remove chicken from marinade, slightly shaking off excess. Arrange on baking sheet skin side up, nestling into cauliflower. (It’s okay if some marinade clings to the chicken, just make sure it’s not pooling in pan.)
14. Roast chicken and cauliflower, turning pan halfway through and moving chicken around with tongs to ensure even browning, until chicken skin is blistered, meat is tender all the way to the bone, and cauliflower is nicely charred, 35–40 minutes. (The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To Make the Finishing Condiment and to Serve:

1. Chop the onion, place it in a colander, and rinse it with cold water. (This removes some of the onion’s sharpness.)
2. In the bowl of a food processor, finely chop the cilantro.
3. Add the onion to the food processor, finely chop.
4. Add onion and cilantro to the bowl with the reserved ginger (from step 2 above).
5. Finely grate zest of remaining lemon into the bowl. Cut lemon in half and squeeze 1 half into the bowl; reserve remaining half for another use.
6. Remove seeds and ribs from the jalapeño, if desired, finely chop. Alternatively, it can be thinly sliced into rings. Add to the bowl.
7. Season with remaining 2 tsp garam masala and 3/4 tsp salt.
8. Mix with a spoon to combine, taste, and add more salt and lemon juice if necessary.
9. Arrange chicken, beans, and cauliflower over rice, if desired, on individual plates or on a platter. Drizzle with pan juices, as desired.
10. Top with lemon condiment and serve with a dollop of yogurt or yogurt to pass at the table, as desired. (I served 2% Greek yogurt with the meal.)

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Mustard Vinaigrette

My daughter and I made this lovely dish as a side for our Thanksgiving feast- although it was practically her entire meal. She absolutely loves cauliflower and garbanzo beans and is not a big fan of other Thanksgiving dishes. Dessert is her exception. 😉

This dish was adapted from It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen, via theyellowtable.com. Healthy and delicious.

Yield: Serves 6 as a side dish

• 14 oz can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and dried
• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• coarse salt or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole grain seeded mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF, preferably on convection roast.
2. Toss the chickpeas and cauliflower florets together on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet or in a large roasting pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt.
3. Roast, stirring now and then, until everything is dark brown and the cauliflower is quite soft, about 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together the mustards, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, or to taste.
5. While the chickpeas and cauliflower are still warm, toss them with the mustard dressing and the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Slow-Roasted Carrots with Browned-Butter Vinaigrette

These caramelized carrots were part of our Thanksgiving feast. Initially, I thought that the proportions were really off in this dish- only a drizzle of the amazing browned butter vinaigrette is used and I had a tremendous amount leftover. The proportions could be reduced, of course, but I have used the leftover vinaigrette with roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, CSA rutabaga, and more rainbow carrots. It is absolutely wonderful.

This recipe was adapted from chef Neil Borthwick’s “forgotten carrots” at Merchants Tavern in London via The New York Times, contributed by Mark Bittman. I modified the proportions and cooked the carrots in a cast iron skillet. I would roast four pounds of rainbow carrots next time.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

• 2 pounds large carrots (I used rainbow carrots)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus 3 extra tablespoons for roasting the carrots
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1-2 star anise
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 tablespoons sherry vinegar, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons chervil leaves or chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Scrub the carrots, and peel them if you like (it really doesn’t matter but I peeled them).
3. Set a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a roasting pan over two burners on medium heat; put the olive oil in the pan.
4. When the oil is hot, add the carrots and cook, turning as they brown, until lightly caramelized all over, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Add 3 tablespoons butter, spices, salt and pepper.
6. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven, and cook, shaking the pan once or twice, until the carrots are crinkly on the outside and you can pierce them easily with the tip of a sharp knife, 45 to 60 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, put 1 stick butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the butter foam subsides and the butter turns nut brown, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
8. Put brown butter, vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper in a blender or mini food processor. Blend until a creamy emulsion forms, about 30 seconds; taste, and adjust the seasoning.
9. Put the carrots on a platter, drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and garnish with the chervil or parsley, and serve.

Note: Leftover vinaigrette can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator to toss with other roasted vegetables.