The Odd Couple

I like grape jelly and bacon sandwiches. My husband likes saltines along side a bowl of ice cream. Chocolatey hot cocoa is perfect with a hint of the heat of cayenne added to the mug. A friend lists a bacon cheeseburger with peanut butter, grapes tossed in dry jello, and apple pie with cheddar cheese among his favorites. Another food blogger mentions pizza and mashed potatoes as her odd couple of food.

It seems that everyone has their own peculiar food pairings. Pickles and ice cream are not just for pregnant ladies. However, when I noticed a simple soup recipe that contained both cauliflower and potatoes, it seemed odd to me. I had never considered pairing these two white vegetables as the backbone of a soup, but it works.

Onions, garlic, and roasted red peppers flavor the broth along with woody rosemary. Kale ups the earthy factor and makes this a hearty, filling soup. Cauliflower and Potato Soup is finished with the tang of a grating of Parmesan as this odd couple of food warms you from the inside out.

Cauliflower and Potato Soup

(adapted from Rachael Ray)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 small bunch kale, leaves cut from stems and chopped

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-heat. 
Add potatoes, onion, garlic, and rosemary to the pan.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and potatoes are softened slightly.
Add the cauliflower and toss to coat with seasonings.
Cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the peppers and broth; bring to a boil.
Add the kale a bit at a time, letting each portion wilt before adding the next.
Simmer about 5-10 more minutes.
Serve soup topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4.

"Blogging is Just Graffiti with Punctuation"

This is seriously one of my favorite lines from the movie Contagion. When I heard it, I laughed out loud. 

"Blogging is just graffiti with punctuation."

Some bloggers truly are journalists, but for the most part, I believe that the blogging world is very full of those of us that are just scribbling across the internet. As with the painted graffiti on the sides of abandoned buildings...some blogs are intelligent and make us think...some are bold and hard hitting...some lean in an artistic direction but don't quite make it...and some are absolute pure works of beauty...but A LOT of blogs are just scribbles. I know that mine is. Graffiti with punctuation. Pure and simple.

So...what has held me up from posting some of my graffiti on a regular basis? !!#?$#! That's what. Anything and everything has gotten in the way of me scribbling a few words and sharing a recipe. But not tonight. Tonight, I am going to consider this to be my scribbling and throw up an easy recipe for Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Sage, and Browned Butter. It is an adaptation of something I had seen in Everyday with Rachael Ray, and a super simple supper with exceptional flavor. The sage and browned butter punctuate the rich essence of the roasted cauliflower. Art or scribbles? I will leave that for you to decide, as I enjoy this bit of graffiti On My Plate.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Sage, and Browned Butter

(adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray)

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped

1 pound pasta

1/3 pound sliced deli ham, cut into ribbons

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
Bake until browned, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
Cook, without stirring, until the butter is golden-brown, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the sage and remove from the heat.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions.
Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Stir in the ham, cauliflower, and reserved pasta cooking water.
Stir in the sage butter and season with salt and pepper. (Serves 4)

I Won't Be Able to Button My Jeans by Spring

After a couple of sunny and relatively warm days, it is once again snowy/icy/freezing rain-y and cold. I guess it is still winter. I guess I still have excuses to make luxurious comfort food. I guess I won't be able to button my jeans by spring. *Oink.*

Oh yes. Oink. The creamy, cheesy pasta dish On My Plate today is oinking with bacon. Cauliflower also swirls around in the garlic sauce, but trust me, telling yourself that the cauliflower cancels out the bacon only works until you try to button your jeans. 

However, PLEASE (pretty please with bacon on top) don't let that stop you from comforting yourself on a cold evening with some Cauliflower Rigatoni. You can forget about the falling snow and icy streets and frigid temperatures when this Alfredo-like pasta dish warms you. It is rich and hearty and the kind of comfort food that you can even share with guests. This is why they make sweat pants, right?

 

Cauliflower Rigatoni

(adapted from Food and Wine)

3 ounces bacon, cut into 1" pieces (or more if you are an oinker like me)

3 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

3/4 pound rigatoni

One 1 3/4-pound head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
In a medium skillet, fry the bacon until crispy.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
To the bacon drippings add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until lightly golden.
Add the cream and simmer until thickened slightly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook the until al dente; about 6 minutes before the rigatoni is done, add the cauliflower florets to the pot. (This is a bit of a multi-tasking dish, but nothing is too difficult.)
Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the panko bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
Return the rigatoni and cauliflower to the pot.
Add the garlic cream, the bacon and the reserved pasta water and toss until the pasta is coated.
Pour the pasta into a large shallow baking dish and sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the top.
Broil for about 2 minutes, rotating constantly, until the topping is evenly browned. (Serves 4)

Fridge Friday; Episode 16

Sweet 16. Sixteen peeks inside my fridge(s)...I haven't taken time to really blog about it, but did you notice that somewhere along the way I finally got the most awesomest fridge of my dreams? I think that I shall celebrate the 16th Fridge Friday with not just a look inside my fridge, but also a look inside my oven. *wide-eyed amusement and sly grin*

OK. It isn't REALLY a look inside my oven, but by the time I peeled a couple sweet potatoes and chopped some of that cauliflower (front and center on the bottom shelf) into florets, and tossed it all with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted them to sweet, caramelized excellence, my daylight was gone. No good photo shots were going to happen no matter how close to the windows I plopped the Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Coins. Therefore, I decided to try a food shot done in the oven. I kinda like glow from the oven light; don't you? *insert sappy kissed-with-oven-light sweet 16 pun*

I more than kinda like Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Coins (although, truth be told, the sweet potatoes are my favorite part...and Hubs' favorite is the cauliflower...it is the PERFECT side dish for us). Tonight, this will be along side some pretty darn good thrown-together Sloppy Joes. (Chile Garlic Sauce is the secret ingredient, and they would be a most excellent Fridge Friday post, if I had a recipe.) But, I have also paired these amazing vegetables with roasted chicken, stuffed pork chops, meatloaf, and just about anything else that has landed On My Plate.  

Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Coins

(adapted from Everyday Food)

1 or 2 sweet potatoes

1/2 head of cauliflower (more or less)

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds.
Cut the cauliflower into florets.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes and cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast until cooked through and browned on one side, about 25 minutes. (Serves 4.)

Not Just a Hunk of Cow

Mention "roast" to my mom and images of a hunk of beef slow-cooked in the oven with onion soup mix, potatoes, carrots, and onions will pop into her mind. I grew up with pot roast dinners at least twice a month. They were a standard comfort food in my mother's cooking rotation. But, the roast that is a standard in my menus is roasted vegetables. I haven't met a roasted veggie that I didn't like. Potatoes are a given, but tossing asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, or brussels sprouts with a bit of olive oil, fresh ground pepper, and coarse salt before roasting to a golden brown (and seemingly burnt bits are more than acceptable here) makes the most of gorgeous vegetables.

Previously, I have shared my love of Roasted Green Beans, Chile Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges, and Roasted Red Potatoes and Asparagus, but Roasted Cauliflower and Roasted Brussels Sprouts are my current favorites. The method is all the same with slight variations of oven temperature and seasonings. It couldn't be more simple, and that is what I love. Roasted vegetables are always welcome On My Plate.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, seperated into florets
up to 1/4 cup olive oil, use your own discretion (I use much less)
3-4 heads garlic, minced
coarse salt
fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss cauliflower with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Spread evenly in sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. (Serves 4.)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Trim ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves.
Toss sprouts in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper.
Transfer them to a sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp outside and tender inside. (Serves 6)

Cauliflower and Politics

I don't often speak of politics. In fact, this may be the only slightly political submission that I will ever make to this record of my menus with a little life thrown in. Take it; leave it. Agree; disagree. As always, in the United States of America, the choice is up to you.

Yesterday's inauguration of our 44th president was a historic event that seems to have unleashed a new stream of hatred among those not in favor of Barack Obama's political platform. The nature of this great land is to allow us all our own points of view and the right to express them. We don't have to agree, but we do have to work together. From the statements of many, I think that the work together part is forgotten. I hear much venom. All believe that they have sound reasoning behind their belittling and degrading statements. However, venom is venom. It doesn't matter on which side of the issues you stand, how wrong you may think your opponent is, or what power you feel is behind you, ugliness is ugliness. A good leader will listen to the people, but what value can come from venom? As I see it, if you want to help the country, you don't do it by being ugly. Take it; leave it. Agree; disagree. The choice and more importantly, the action is up to you.

Now, since the main purpose of my blog is to share the food that I have enjoyed, here is a recipe for a very simple, but good Cauliflower and Cheddar Cheese Soup. I found it while flipping through an issue of Fine Cooking, and immediately knew that with my love of sharp cheddar, and my Hubby's love of cauliflower, it would be a satisfying meal for us. By the way, I should point out that I believe cauliflower to be a lacking vegetable while Hubby can't stop singing its praises, but we have chosen to agree to disagree about this. No need for venom and ugliness.

Cauliflower and Cheddar Cheese Soup

Kosher salt
1/2 head cauliflower (about 1 lb.), cut into 1-1/2-inch florets
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups grated sharp or extra-sharp white Cheddar (about 14 oz.)
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Boil the cauliflower until tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
Trim the stems from 18 of the cauliflower pieces and cut the crowns into mini florets about 1/2 inch wide; set aside.
Reserve the trimmed stems with the remaining larger pieces.
Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the onion and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring frequently, until soft.
Add the garlic and cook until the aroma subsides.
Increase the heat to medium, add the flour, nutmeg, and cayenne and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Whisk in the broth, cream, and 2 cups water.
Add the thyme and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the cheese until melted and simmer for 5 minutes to develop the flavors.
Remove and discard the thyme stems and stir in the larger cauliflower pieces and reserved stems.
Purée the soup, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Add the mini cauliflower florets and reheat gently before serving.(Serves 6-8)