Sautéed Brussels Sprouts ~ Vegan and Gluten Free

 

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Sautéed Brussels sprouts with pecans, shallots, and garlic.  A delicious fall side dish that can be made in 20 minutes. Vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients:
2/3 cups pecans, chopped and toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, or sub olive oil
1/2 cup shallots, sliced (2 large shallots)
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 lb shredded Brussels Sprouts (about 7 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, more to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Pinch red pepper flakes, Aleppo or Urfa biber are both nice here

Optional Holiday Additions: 

¼ cup craisins, 

1 tablespoon fresh sage

Directions:

If your pecans need toasting, heat an extra-large skillet over medium heat and toast pecans, stirring every minute or so, for 6-7 minutes, set aside.

To the same skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and stir until fragrant and just tender 3-4 minutes.

Lower heat to medium and mix in the Brussels sprouts (and craisins and sage if using). Season with the salt and pepper and mix well, sauteeing for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender-crisp.

Add the vinegar and maple syrup, stir well, and cook it off a bit.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper, add chili pepper to taste. If you like it saucy, add more vinegar and maple to taste. Sometimes, if not cooking for vegans, I’ll add a splash of fish sauce. This is 100% optional. 

Stir in the toasted pecans and serve.

Patty Melts With Cranberry Chutney

Patty Melts with Cranberry Chutney

Part grilled cheese, part burger, this patty melt offers the best of both worlds in one satisfying sandwich. Made with turkey, onion, sage and cranberry.  The recipe makes more cranberry chutney than you need, but it freezes well and is terrific with poultry or pork.
Ingredients:
Cranberry Chutney
1 cup (250 mL) water
3/4 cup (175 mL) sugar
12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries, about 3 1/2 cups 875 mL
1 cup (250 mL) grated peeled Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup (60 mL) minced shallot
3/4 cup (175 mL) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground ginger
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground mace
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Burgers
2 lbs (905 g) ground turkey, preferably dark meat
1 egg
1/2 cup (125 mL) panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup (150 mL) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely minced fresh garlic
Canola oil for cooking
2 cups (500 mL) thinly sliced white onion
8 slices turkey bacon
8 slices pumpernickel bread
8 slices Swiss cheese, about 1 oz (30 g) each
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened, divided
Directions:
For the chutney, combine all ingredients in medium pot over high heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mixture is thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

For the burgers, combine ground turkey, egg, panko, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Using hands, mix thoroughly. Form into four equal oval patties to fit bread slices. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.

Mix mayo, sage and garlic in small bowl to make an aïoli. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.

In a medium frying pan, warm a film of oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a film of oil in a very large skillet over high heat. Add bacon and reduce heat to medium. Cook until brown and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Wipe out skillet, add a fresh film of oil and place over high heat. Add patties, reduce heat to medium and cook until well browned on both sides and an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Lay out eight slices of bread, spread a little aïoli over each slice, then place a slice of cheese on top. Divide onions between four slices. Place turkey patty and two slices turkey bacon on onions. Top with remaining cheese slices, then bread.

Melt 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter in very large skillet over medium heat; add in sandwiches. Cook until brown and crisp on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip sandwiches and add remaining butter into pan. Cook until bread is crisp and cheese is melted, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Cut each melt in half and serve immediately with cranberry chutney.
Serves 4

Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms

Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms, Sage, And Garlic

This Creamy Polenta with Wild Mushrooms, garlic, and sage is a life saver! A simple, easy meal that can be made in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
Creamy Polenta

4 cups veggie or chicken stock (or sub water with 1 tsp salt)
1 cup polenta (ground corn meal)
___1/2 cup cheese-optional (goat cheese, white cheddar, parmesan, romano, vegan cheese) or leave it out!
1–2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
Shallot

Salt and pepper to tasteShallot,  

Sauteed Mushrooms

3 cups mushrooms, cleaned -chanterelles, morel mushrooms, button mushrooms, cremini, miatake, shitake or portobellos
1–2 tablespoons oil or butter (a mix is nice)
1 shallot, diced
2–4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
2–3 tablespoons wine- totally optional(cooking sherry is nice- sherry wine, not sherry vinegar!)
1 tablespoon fresh sage (or sub rosemary or thyme)
finishing salt
Garnish- a drizzle of truffle oil ( optional- but worth it! )

Directions
Make the Polenta: 

Heat the stock in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn the heat down to low and gradually whisk in the cornmeal to the hot liquid while whisking vigorously to avoid any clumping.

Bring to a simmer, cover and let simmer gently on low heat for 10 minutes, then give a good stir. (Start the mushrooms below!) Cover again, simmer 10 more minutes, give another good stir. If using fine cornmeal, this should be close to done, if using a coarse polenta, you may need to cook a tad longer until grains fully open.

When the polenta is tender and cooked through, add your choice of olive oil, or butter, cheese, white pepper, stirring until fully incorporated. TASTE and adjust salt. Turn off heat, cover until ready to serve.

Mushrooms: 

While the polenta is simmering, saute the mushrooms. Heat oil over med heat, add shallots, garlic and mushrooms, cook 6-7 minutes until mushrooms release their liquid, lowering heat if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Let the liquid cook off and allow the mushrooms to brown a little. At this point, you could splash with a little wine, letting this cook-off too- optional. Add the sage leaves right at the end and cook for one minute. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve the mushrooms atop a bed of delicious creamy polenta.
Drizzle with Truffle oil if you like!

NOTES


I also love adding wilted baby spinach to this for extra nutrients. Feel free to add the spinach to the mushrroms towards the end, letting it gently wilt. So tasty!

Salt Baked Turnips With Gorgonzola-Sage Butter

                                                                                                                     

Salt-Baked Turnips with Gorgonzola-Sage Butter

Salt-baking turnips pulls out moisture and ensures even seasoning throughout. The Gorgonzola-sage butter adds richness to the dish and accentuates the earthy flavour of the humble root.  Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 large head garlic
Olive oil for brushing
1/2 lb (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
6 oz (170 g) Gorgonzola cheese
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground black pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) Tabasco
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh sage leaves, chopped
8 cups (2 L) kosher salt or coarse sea salt
1 cup (250 mL) egg whites (about 8 large, lightly beaten)                  3 lbs (1.36 kg) medium turnips (about 8), washed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

To make Gorgonzola-sage butter, cut a layer off top of garlic bulb, just enough to expose tops of cloves. Place in a square of foil. Brush generously with olive oil. Wrap tightly and place in small baking pan. Bake on middle rack until very soft, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven, carefully open foil and cool completely.
 
Squeeze cooled garlic into a small mixing bowl. Mash with fork. Add butter, Gorgonzola, lemon juice, black pepper, Tabasco and sage leaves. Mix well to combine. Using plastic wrap, roll butter into cylinder shape and refrigerate until ready to serve. (This will make more butter than the recipe needs; it will keep well, tightly wrapped and refrigerated up to 2 weeks.)
 
To bake turnips, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
 
Mix salt and egg whites thoroughly in large bowl until well-combined. Spread a thin layer on bottom of ovenproof baking dish. Place turnips in dish, then top with remaining salt and egg white mixture, covering turnips completely.
 
Bake until turnips are easily pierced with a metal skewer or small paring knife, about 40 minutes. Rest 10 minutes, crack open salt crust, remove turnips and brush away any excess salt. Quarter turnips lengthwise and serve immediately topped with slices of Gorgonzola-sage butter.

Marcella Beans

Marcella Beans  Quick Ideas

Ingredients:

Marcella Beans topped with

EVOO

Fresh Sage

 

Lemony Corona Beans with Olive Oil and Garlic

Lemony Corona Beans With Olive Oil And Garlic

Corona Beans– giant buttery white beans seasoned with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs and lemon zest. Serve as a vegan main or side dish or add to salads and Buddha Bowls. Rancho Gordo.com for heirloom beans.  They sell the best beans.

Ingredients:
1 lb dry Royal Corona Beans (or substitute white beans or cannellini beans), soaked in water 4–12 hours with 2 tablespoons salt.  (see notes)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 bay leaves
3 celery sticks, cut into 3 inch pieces
1 onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, smashed
a few fresh sage leaves or thyme sprigs ( optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
zest of one lemon
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Aleppo chili flakes ( or regular), optional.
another option: a couple spoonfuls of Chermoula , Gremolata or Zhoug

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Directions:

Place soaked beans in a large dutch oven ( or Instant Pot) and cover with 3-4 inches of water.  Add salt, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaves and herbs.

Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover, simmering until tender, about 1 ½-2 hours.

Drain, saving liquid and remove aromatics. Place in a serving dish or back into the pot, adding back ½ cup-1 cup of the warm cooking liquid, olive oil, lemon zest, fresh Italian parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

For an extra burst of flavor stir in a couple tablespoons of chermoula, gremolata or zhoug!

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Notes

To make in the instant pot, place the soaked beans and cover with 4 inches of water. Add salt, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaves and optional herbs. Add a tablespoon of oil ( to minimize foaming)

Pressure cook Royal Corona Beans on High for 60 minutes. Naturally release. Continue with recipe. Pressure cook White Beans 25-30 minutes, Cannellini Beans 35-40 minutes.

*Adding salt your soaking water and your cooking water will actually help soften tough skins ( it helps break apart the calcium and magnesium ions in the outer skin) which makes the skin softer and more permeable, allowing water to penetrate more easily into the bean itself, and promotes even cooking. I realize there are a lot of opposing views on this out there- and for years I never salted until after cooking, but I’ve found I have better results ( better texture and flavor) with salting- and especially salting the soaking water. Do whichever method you please. 🙂

Mushroom Gravy And Buttermilk Biscuits

Mushroom gravy loaded with sage packs the same nostalgic flavor as the classic sausage version. It's excellent spooned over warm split biscuits, or try it for dinner as a baked potato topper. The recipe comes from Nettie Colon, head cook at Chef Camp in Minnesota.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 medium shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup vegetable stock
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
In a very large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until shallot is tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. 

Sprinkle flour over vegetables in the pan and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute. Carefully add the stock, stirring as you pour. Add milk, sage, salt, and pepper; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until gravy reaches the desired thickness, 1 to 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Chef Camp Buttermilk Biscuits:
The recipe for these flaky biscuits, a staple at Minnesota's Chef Camp, comes from Honey and Rye Bakehouse in Minneapolis. Try them with Mushroom Gravy.

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks), cubed
1 cup cold buttermilk, plus more as needed
Heavy cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add the cubed butter. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut or rub the butter into flour mixture until mixture looks like bread crumbs, with a few remaining pieces of butter larger than pea-size. Drizzle in buttermilk, tossing with your hand or a fork to incorporate. 

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Gently knead a few times until dough holds together, drizzling a little additional buttermilk over dry, floury bits if needed. Pat out dough to a 1-inch thickness. Quarter dough, stack the pieces, then press to flatten. If needed, dust surface with additional flour, then roll or pat dough to a 5x8-inch rectangle, about 1-inch thick. Cut dough with a floured 21/2-inch round cutter or use a knife to cut into 8 squares. Dip cutter into flour between cuts and reroll scraps as needed.
Place biscuits 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill 10 to 15 minutes. Brush tops of biscuits with cream. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.