Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric and Asian Spices
February 13, 2012
Aunt Suzy says . . .
This roasted cauliflower is not only delicious, it’s good for you! In a prelude to the original recipe, it states “The turmeric, white peppercorns and coriander seeds are beneficial to the respiratory and circulatory systems; the kumquat, with its sour and bitter tastes, warms the chest and eases coughs.” And I will say that the shallot I used was hot, hot, hot, – adding to the overall warming effect. Served with these Indian-spiced chicken burgers, which made for a great meal. A French Pinot Gris was a perfect match for the spices of these two dishes.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
One 3-pound head of cauliflower, cored and separated into 1-inch florets
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced and separated into rings
4 kumquats, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Preheat the oven to 400°.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, spices, salt, garlic and crushed red pepper.
Place the cauliflower on a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the cauliflower with the olive oil mixture and toss to coat. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Check and stir after 15 minutes. Scrape the cauliflower into a serving bowl. Add the sliced shallot, kumquats and cilantro and toss well. Can be served hot, warm or room temperature.
Korean-inspired Chicken Soup
February 22, 2011
Aunt Suzy says . . .
After a day and a half of snow, what could be better! This soup has great warming ingredients – the hot peppers of the kimchee and the fresh ginger – along with a wonderful earthiness. It may be the very definition of Umami, the fifth taste. The original recipe called for making the chicken stock with a whole chicken and then using all the meat from the chicken in the soup. I pared back on the chicken to one cup cooked which I think allows for a better balance of all the great flavors in this soup. Indeed, I think that chicken meat is optional given all the other goodies! A Riesling that’s on the sweet side or an Alsace blend is a perfect match for the flavors in this soup.
- 2 1/2 quarts chicken stock or 8 cups of boxed or canned chicken broth
- 8 ounces udon noodles, broken in half
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup peeled fresh ginger, finely julienned
- One 12-ounce block firm silken tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup kimchee, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or in 1/2-inch cubes (optional)
Cook the Udon noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside. Bring the chicken stock to a boil and simmer uncovered until amount is reduced to 8 cups, about 5-7 minutes. In a Dutch oven, saute the mushrooms in the oil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Add the 8 cups of chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the ginger, tofu, kimchee, fish sauce and sesame oil. (Start with 1/2 tsp sesame oil and add more to taste.) Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cooked udon noodles and simmer another 5 minutes or so. Add the chicken, if using, and heat to serving temperature. NOTE: The udon noodles, kimchee, fish sauce and sesame oil can be found at Asian supermarkets, Whole Foods or your local food co-op, if indeed you have local food co-ops.
Sweet & Savory Kitchens 