Easy Non-Salad Radish Ideas
I love radishes and am always drawn to the pretty color of a pile of radishes. Most of us just slice them into a green salad and the left-over radishes die a fateful death in the fridge. Here are some non-salad ideas that will expand your radish repertoire.
Radish Sauté – It doesn’t really occur to many people that you can cook radishes (as with cucumbers). It’s so simple to sauté radishes in olive oil or butter. They are delicious and make you appreciate radishes in a while new way.
Kimchi – Sprinkle the radishes with a bit of kosher salt and a little chili paste. Toss together and then pack them into a glass jar. Place in the back of the fridge for two weeks. Excellent on top of a burger.
Butter & Sea Salt – A fine butter and a pinch of sea salt on top of a radish slice make the perfect summer bite.
Radish “Sauerkraut” – Slice 1 pound of radishes and toss with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Pack tightly into a glass jar. Weigh down with a wrapped can and place on a shelf for two weeks. Makes a great addition to a sandwich.
Shaved & Lightly Poached In A Tasty Liquid – Slivers of radish dropped in a simmering stock and/or wine for 10 seconds are a great compliment to fresh fish. They let go of their bite, but retain some of their unique crunch we all know and love.
Braised – Sauté a little onion and garlic. Add in some radish quarters and a healthy splash of red wine. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon or dash of vinegar. Excellent draped over a grilled steak or pork chop.
Pickled – Slice some 1/4 inch coins and throw them into a jar. Pour brine over them (1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup water and 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar). You may want to throw in a few dried chilis if you want a bit of spice. Let sit in your fridge for a week.
Soup – Simmered for 30 minutes in a soup. The radishes will take on a sweet and velvety character.
Grated – Grate the radishes along with some freshly grated ginger and use as a condiment with any oily fish such as trout or mackerel.
Roasted – Quarter and toss with a little olive oil. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast in an oven at 425º F for 20 minutes. They should be a little brown and will become sweet. Toss them with some toasted nuts. They are a great side dish at any potluck picnic.
Mac & Cheese Please!
Forget that horrible box stuff and make your own delicious Mac & Cheese. Here is a different spin on the usual cheddar cheese macaroni & cheese dish. Using the brie, cream cheese and mascarpone makes it nice and creamy. I used macaroni pasta here, but you can use pasta shells or farfalle pasta.
INGREDNTS
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
12 Ounces of Farfelle or Macaroni Pasta or Shells
7 Ounces Brie (Rind Removed) Cut Into Chunks
5 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened & Cubed
3 Large Eggs Lightly Beaten
1 Cup Mascarpone Cheese
1 Cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
3/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Finely Grated Nutmeg
Heat your oven to 375º F. Butter a 2 quart gratin dish. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente and then drain well. DO NOT rinse the pasta. Transfer the hot pasta to a large bowl and toss immediately with Brie and cream cheese until melted and smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, mascarpone and Parmigiano. Stir the egg mixture into pasta. Season with the kosher salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Serves 6
Easter Menu Ideas
The greatest feast of the Christian Church takes its name from that of Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn. The feast, however, has another name, the Pasch, the Greek word coming from the Hebrew pesakh, the Passover. This is the term for the feast which is used in nearly every language except English and German, but even these two languages use the words Paschal candle and Paschaltide. In the churches of the Eastern Orthodox the feast of Easter comes somewhat later than in the Western calendar, but the observance is as great, if not greater. Here are some Easter feast ideas that may be useful in your home this Sunday.
Easter Breakfast Or Brunch
Mini Frittatas: Cheddar, Asparagus, Sun-Dried Tomato, Swiss, Bacon or Mushroom
Spring Onion Quiches With Gruyere Cheese: Cooked Leeks & Onions With Cheese & A Savory Egg Custard Baked In A Tart Shell
Asparagus, Arugula & Goat Cheese Quiche: Asparagus, Baby Arugula & Goat Cheese Mixed With Egg Custard Baked In a Flaky Crust
Fresh Fruit Platter: Sliced Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Watermelon , Pineapple, Grapes & Berries
Easter Appetizers
Asparagus Rolled In Pancetta
Mini Spinach & Ricotta Calzone
Bruschetta
Crudites Platter: Celery, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green & Yellow Squash, Sliced Cucumbers, Red/Yellow/Green Bell Peppers, Grape Tomatoes And Baby Carrots
Cheese Platter: Classic American & European Cheeses Cubes & Wedges For Snacking. Serve With Almonds & Crostini
Shrimp Cocktail: Cook, Devein & De-shell Large Shrimp Serve with Lemons & Cocktail Sauce
Smoked Salmon Platter: Sliced Salmon With Chopped Red Onions, Capers, Cornichons, Mustard Sauce & Horseradish Sauce
Whole Boneless Poached Salmon: Poached In White Wine With A Light & Creamy Dill Sauce
Soups
Spring Pea & Onion Soup: Pureed Spring Pea & Onion Soup Made With Celery, Leeks, Garlic & Thyme
Carrot & Fennel Soup: Carrots, Fennel & Tomatoes Cooked In Vegetable Broth. Pureed Smooth
Salads & Side Dishes
Shrimp, Spring Pea & Morel Salad: Shrimp With Crispy Spring Peas, Morel Mushrooms & Tomatoes Lightly Tossed In A Lemon Vinaigrette
Golden Beet, Radish & Frisee Salad: Golden Beets, Radishes, Frisee Served With Goat Cheese, Pecans & Champagne Vinaigrette.
Grilled Asparagus: Marinate In Olive Oil & Kosher Salt. Grill
Gnocchi, Peas & Pancetta: Gnocchi, Peas, Panchetta, Ricotta Salata, Baby Arugula & Lemon Zest
Entrees
Honey Spiced Turkey Breast: Brine, Slow Roast Finished With Spices & Honey Glaze
Apricot Bourbon Glazed Ham: Apricot Jam, Honey, Dijon Mustard & Bourbon Combined & Poured On Top Of Ham Then Baked
Victoria’s Apricot Pork Tenderloin
Rosemary Rubbed Leg Of Lamb: Boneless Leg Of Lamb Marinated In Olive Oil & Herbs Then Roasted To Medium Rare
Grilled Salmon With Crispy Potato & Leek Fondue: Grilled Salmon Topped With Melted Spring Leeks With A Touch Of Cream & Crispy Fingerling Potatoes
Rack Of Lamb: Roasted With A Variety Of Spices
Desserts
Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Chocolate Cake
Yellow Cake With White Chocolate Ganache
Victoria’s Caramel & Chocolate Pecan Bars
Fruit Tarts
Hot Cross Buns
Butter Cookies
It’s time to start thinking about making Christmas cookies.
1 1/2 Cups Softened Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs Lightly Beaten
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/3 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar (Optional)
Cookie Press
Preheat your oven to 375° F. In a large size bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Add the beaten eggs. In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Blend well and then add the vanilla. Fill the cookie press with 1/4 of the cookie dough at a time. Press the cookies onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes while still on the cookie sheet. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with the powdered sugar if you want to. Makes 48 cookies.
Why I Like Kosher Salt
I nearly always cook with kosher salt (coarse salt) for its ease and its pure mild flavor. It’s coarser in texture than standard table salt, but the crystals are actually fine flecks that cling to food and dissolve quickly. The large irregular flakes also make it easier to sprinkle evenly and discriminately, especially when seasoning food to taste with a pinch of the fingers. If you are substituting table salt for kosher salt in a recipe, begin with half the amount listed.
A Note About Grilled Steaks
Steak is perfect for the grill. A well marbled, cut thin and flat steak is made for searing over a bed of hot coals. A grilled steak is mouthwatering if it is brown and crisp on the outside and pink & juicy on the inside. There really isn’t an easier and less complicated dinner than a grilled steak with a green salad on the side. Plus, the cleanup is practically effortless. Most any cut of steak is great for grilling. The classics are rib eye, New York, filet, tenderloin and porterhouse. The lesser cuts are cheaper and usually every bit as tasty if they are marinated. A flatiron, chuck, skirt steak, hangar steak, top sirloin or tri-tip are lesser cuts of steak that I tend to marinate overnight. Steaks can be grilled as a single portion or larger steaks can be grilled whole and sliced for more than one. A steak is best cut 1 to 2 inches thick. If a steak is thinner, then the inside will be overdone before the outside is properly seared. If a steak is thicker then the outside, it will start to char before the inside is ready. Trim off all but a fourth of an inch layer of fat. The less dripping fat means fewer flare-ups.
Seasoning a steak is simple. All you really need is kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Some people like an herb crust. Chopping fresh herbs together in any combination is great. You can combine thyme, rosemary, oregano and/or oregano; however, you should always use rosemary. Mix the fresh herbs with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Rub onto the steak with some olive oil an hour or so before grilling. You should take the steaks out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before grilling to allow the steaks to come to room temperature.
Clean your grill with a wire brush and then prepare a hot fire. Oil the grill and put on the steaks. Your grill should be so hot that you shouldn’t be able to tolerate the heat for more than a couple seconds. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the steaks over and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. If your steak has a border of fat then turn this onto the grill by holding the steak up with your tongs. Sear the fat for 1 to 2 minutes. After you flip your steaks you should start checking for doneness after about 2 minutes. Press the back of your tongs into the steak. If it is rare it will be soft. If it springs a bit then it is medium rare. If it is resilient then it is well done. Keep testing by using the “back of the tong” method. You can check by cutting into the steaks, but I really think that it is better not to cut into the steaks. Keep working on the “back of the tong” method and you will become a good judge pretty quickly. I think that it is a good idea to take the steaks off of the grill when they are a little less done than you want them to be. They will continue to cook while they rest. A 1 inch steak will be grilled rare in about 8 minutes and for medium it should take about 12 minutes. Check your fire while the steaks are cooking. Move the coals as needed to make the fire hotter or cooler. If your fire flares up then move the steaks out of the flames right away or the fire will burn up your steak. This will form a black and acrid crust. When you remove your steaks from the grill let them take a little rest for a few minutes before serving. Resting stabilizes the internal juices so that they don’t run out excessively when you cut into the steaks. If you are not going to serve right away, make sure to cover loosely with aluminum foil to help keep warm. Don’t seal tightly or they will continue to cook.
Happy Grilling!
