Roasted Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Onions with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

A while back, our family had a fruit and vegetable CSA allotment. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, which is a program where you purchase the produce directly from a local farm.   The CSA provided me with an opportunity cook more vegetables.  I created a "CSA Challenge," which pushed my culinary abilities by cooking dishes that included beets, turnips and sweet potatoes.

For this challenge, I had green beans.  My typical side dish for green beans is to blanche them for a couple of minutes to preserve their color, and then saute them with a little butter, salt, pepper and lemon juice.  Occasionally, I add some slivered almonds.  While this side dish does the trick, especially when you do not have a lot of time to cook a meal, I wanted to try something different. I wanted to prepare the beans with ingredients that I would not typically think of when I am pondering green bean recipes.

I came across a recipe that included, among other things, mushrooms and "parmesan breadcrumbs."  Neither ingredient is one that, at least for me, I would generally associate with green beans.  So, I decided to make this recipe.  The result is a rather colorful dish, with the different colored green beans, the red onions and the brownish mushrooms.  The parmesan breadcrumbs add a "crunchy-ish" kind of texture that gives a hint of parmesan cheese, which helps to make this dish work.  

ROASTED GREEN BEANS, MUSHROOMS AND ONIONS

WITH PARMESAN BREADCRUMBS

Recipe adapted from Delish

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of green beans, trimmed

1 medium red or yellow onion, sliced into rings

8 ounces of cremini mushrooms, sliced

8 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Juice from 1 lemon.

Directions:

1. Prepare the vegetables and mushrooms.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  On two rimmed baked sheets, arrange green beans, onions and mushrooms.  Toss each with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until deeply browned, about 30 to 35 minutes.  

2.  Toast the breadcrumbs.  In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add breadcrumbs and oregano and cook, stirring constantly until breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan.

3.  Finish the dish.  Squeeze lemon juice over roasted vegetables and top with Parmesan breadcrumbs.

ENJOY!

Pan Roasted Black Grouper with Black Eyed Pea Cakes and Smoked Tomato Coulis

I was perusing the seafood section of a local store when I came across the sign: "We have the Cadillac of all groupers." The sign caught my attention.  When one refers to a "Cadillac" of anything, the implication is that it is the best. After all, a Cadillac was supposed to be the most prestigious, most luxurious of all of the General Motors cars.  The name has been used to signify something that is an outstanding example of its kind.

So, to understand what could be a "Cadillac" of groupers, one has to know the different lines or species.  There are the small species, like the Brown Grouper.  Known as the Scamp, it is relatively small and fairly common.  Then, there is the sporty species, like the Red Grouper, which is said to give the some of toughest fights when hooked.  There is the flashy species, like the Yellowfin Grouper, whose bright red or brown splotches and yellow pectorals are said to make it one of the prettiest of the grouper species.

And, there is the Black Grouper, which is the largest of the Mycteroperca species, often growing to sizes between 50 to 100 pounds.  Thus, the Mycertoperca Bonaci - or Black Grouper -  fulfills the size proportions that one would expect of a "Cadillac."  The only question is whether it also fulfills the "luxury" expectations that comes with the use of the term.  The definition of luxury is subjective. Nevertheless, the fillets of black group are thick, meaty and mild in flavor.  For most people, that would probably satisfy the definition of luxury when it comes to fish.

I have some limited experience with the Black Grouper.  A couple of years ago, I created recipe a called Spanish Black Grouper with Saffron Rice.  My goal with that recipe was to pair a subtle spice and smoke that comes with the paprika used in Spanish cuisine with the thick fillets.  While that was a delicious dish, I wanted to try something different with this fish.   I searched the Internet for some ideas and inspiration.  I found it in a recipe from the Food Network.

The Food Network recipe was fairly ambitious.  In addition to the fish, the recipe also called for black eye pea cakes, shrimp, frisee salad and smoked tomato coulis.  That is a lot of different elements. I am sure that, together, they make for a great dish.  I decided to trim down the recipe.  I would focus on the fish, the black eye pea cake and the coulis.  I "86'd" the shrimp, and decided to do a simple side salad.  After all, there should be something green on the plate.

One final note: the smoked tomatoes.  Fortunately, I have a Cameron Stovetop Smoker and I smoked the tomatoes using some pecan wood dust.  If you are not able to smoke the tomatoes, you could just make a tomato coulis or add a little ancho chile or smoked paprika to give the coulis that smoked flavor.   

PAN ROASTED BLACK GROUPER WITH

BLACK EYED PEA CAKES AND SMOKED TOMATO COULIS

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Serves 6

Ingredients (for the Black Grouper):

2 pounds of black grouper, cut into even-sized pieces 

1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Ingredients (for the Black Eyed Pea Cakes):

3 cups cooked black-eyed peas

1/2 cup finely sliced green onions

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon creole seasoning

1 egg

1/4 cup shredded romano

1 cup finely ground bread crumbs

2 to 3 tablespoons clarified butter

1/2 cup seasoned flour

Ingredients (for the Smoked Tomato Coulis):

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup shallots, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ripe tomatoes, smoked, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1.  Prepare the fish.  Season the fillets with salt and pepper.  In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over a high flame, but not quite to the smoking point.  Add the butter, then quickly, just as the butter begins to brown, place the fillets in the hot oil  Allow the fish to brown well before turning it over, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Turn the fillets and brown the other side.  Once the fish is browned, place the fish on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.  Finish baking the fish in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Make the Black Eyed Pea Cakes.  With your hands or a potato masher, smash the black eyed peas, leaving a few peas whole.  Add the green onions, red pepper, spices and egg.  Mix thoroughly.  Add cheese and bread crumbs. and mix well.  Divide the mix into six 2 1/2 inch balls.  Flatten balls to 3 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick  This may be done a day ahead of time, covered and stored in the refrigerator.  Heat butter over medium high heat in a large skillet.  Lightly dust the both sides of the cakes with seasoned flour (salt and pepper) and place them in the skillet to brown.  Leave enough room between the cakes to be able to flip them over.  When the cakes are brown on both sides, place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes or heated through. 

3.  Make the Smoked Tomato Coulis.  In a small stainless steel sauce pot, heat the olive oil over a low heat.  Place the shallots, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper in the hot oil and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent browning.  Add in the peeled and seeded smoked tomatoes and cook over a low heat for about 10 to 12 minutes.   Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Place the cooled mixture into the blender and puree until smooth.  Stir in the vinegar and warm until ready to serve. 

4.  Plate the dish.  Place the black eyed pea cakes in the center of each plate.  Place the grouper atop atop the pea cake and place a small pool of the smoked tomato coulis near the front of the dish. 

ENJOY!

Batali-Style Turkey Thighs with Snap Peas and Agliata

One of my favorite Mario Batali recipes is his Chicken Thighs with Snap Peas and Agliata.  I have made this recipe a couple of times, and, each time it produces very tasty chicken thighs that are a hit with guests.  Recently, I decided to make this dish using turkey thighs rather than chicken thighs.

In theory, turkey thighs should work in the same fashion in chicken thighs.  However, there is one difference, 3 pounds of chicken thighs might be a dozen thighs, while 3 pounds of turkey thighs may be just 2 thighs.  In order to make this recipe work for a group of guests, it is necessary to trim the thighs and cut them into "chicken-thigh" sizes.  Cutting the turkey thighs into smaller pieces also allows for more of the thighs to be covered with the garlicky bread crumb mixture, which is definitely a good thing.  The one thing to remember is that, as you cut the thighs, make sure that the thighs are roughly the same size and shape.  This will help ensure that the thighs cook evenly and together.

In addition to the thighs and the snap peas, I decided to serve some grilled corn to complete the dish.  The corn is optional.  I used a basic recipe ... butter, salt and pepper applied liberally to the corn, which is wrapped and then placed on the grill.  It is important to rotate the corn about every five minutes, so as to prevent the corn from being burned.  

BATALI-STYLE TURKEY THIGHS WITH SNAP PEAS AND AGLIATA

Adapted from recipe by Mario Batali and available in Italian Grill, pg. 141

Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup, plus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cups of fresh bread crumbs

3 pounds of turkey thighs, deboned, cut into chicken thigh-sized pieces

3 shallots, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste

1 pound snap peas, blanched in boiling water until

     bright green, chilled in an ice bath and drained

Olio Piccante for drizzling
4 ears of corn, shucked
1 stick of butter, melted

Directions:

1.  Prepare the bread crumb mixture.  Combine the garlic, 1/2 cup of the oil, the anchovies, parsley and bread crumbs in a food processor and zap until smooth. 

2.  Prepare the chicken thighs and the corn.  Put the turkey thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat well.  Arrange in a single layer on a platter and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Prepare the corn by basting the corn on all sides with the melted butter.  Liberally salt and pepper the corn and wrap in foil.

3.  Grill the chicken.   Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling.  Place the turkey thighs skinned side up on the cooler part of the grill, cover the grill, and grill, turning once until the turkey is cooked through, about fifteen minutes per side.  After the turkey is flipped, add the corn to the grill and rotate the corn by ninety degrees every four to five minutes.

4.  Finish the dish.  Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 10 to 12 inch saute pan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and anchovy paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the snap peas and cook, stirring, just until heated through.  Transfer the snap peas to a platter and set aside.  

5.  Plate the dish.  Arrange the thighs on top of the snap peas, add an ear of corn, and serve with a drizzle of olio piccante.

ENJOY!

Southwestern Bean Burgers with Jalapeno Guacamole and Chipotle Fries

Recently, I wanted to make black bean burgers for my beautiful Angel.  I soon learned that there are a seemingly endless number of black bean burger recipes on the Internet.  I reviewed several of those recipes, but none of them really stood out to me.  As I began to wonder what to do, I came across a recipe for Southwestern Black Bean Burgers for Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries, which was provided by Katherine Martinelli on her website.  The recipe incorporated chipotle peppers and adobo into the burgers.  I have previously professed my love for chipotle peppers in connection with The Inferno Steak recipe.  So, with the opportunity to use chipotle chiles, I chose Martinelli's black bean burger recipe.  

As I got ready to make the dish, I made a couple of changes to the recipe.  The biggest change was the substitution of sweet potatoes with regular potatoes.  I am not a big fan of sweet potatoes and so I decided that I would use Russet potatoes in their place.  The other major change is that I decided that I would make a guacamole to serve with the bean burgers.  I found a fairly basic recipe for guacamole on the Internet, which was posted by Bargain Briana, and I was ready to make the meal.

There was one curveball.  I bought all of the ingredients that I needed for the black bean burgers, fries and guacamole, except one ... the buns.   Unwilling to head back out to the grocery store, I decided to improvise and used slices of a beefsteak tomato for the "buns."  The tomato slices actually were much better than a bun, the substitution reduced the amount of carbohydrates and lightened the dish. 

SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN BURGERS WITH 

JALAPENO GUACAMOLE AND CHIPOTLE FRIES 

Recipe for the burgers and fries adapted from Katherine Martelli

Recipe for the guacamole adapted from Bargain Briana

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients (for the burgers):

1 (14 ounce) can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup of corn kernels (defrosted, if frozen)

1 chipotle in adobo (from can, reserve the rest for later)

1/2 teaspoon adobo liquid

1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped

1 egg

1 cup of bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 very large beefs steak tomato

Salt

Ground pepper

Ingredients (for the Chipotle Fries):

2 Russet potatoes, cut into thick matchsticks

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder

Ingredients (for the Jalapeno Guacamole):

2 avocados, ripe

1 red onion, diced

1 lime

1/2 bunch of cilantro

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

1.  Prepare the chipotle fries. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Toss the fries with the olive oil, chipotle powder and salt.  Lay the fries on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and starting to get crispy.   Shake the fries halfway through the baking.  

2.  Prepare the bean burgers.  Put the black beans, corn, chipotle, adobo liquid and cilantro in a food processor.  Transfer to a bowl, add the egg, bread crumbs and garlic powder.  Mix all of the ingredients together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Form into two large or four small even patties.  Place the patties on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.  

3.  Prepare the jalapeno guacamole.  Add the avocados, red onion, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Mash the avocados and all of the other ingredients until the desired consistency is reached.  

4.  Cook the burgers.  Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the black bean burgers and cook until browned on both sides, flipping once, about 8 minutes total. 

Overall, this dish impressed me.  I am not a big fan of black bean burgers, but the use of chipotle peppers in the mix really provided the burger with a spicy, smoky kick.  Clare really liked this dish as well, which means that I'll be making it again. 

ENJOY!