Roasted Green Cabbage Wedges

Okay, this is soo easy, it almost seems ridiculous to post about.
But, I never would have thought to roast green cabbage on my own, so when I flipped through the January issue of Martha Stewart Living and saw these gorgeous pieces of cabbage that had browned edges, I couldn't believe it.

This has got to be one of the simpliest recipes ever.
Cut a cabbage into wedges. Brush the wedges with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven, turning halfway through. Eat.
I mean, it really is just that simple.

My kids and I went crazy for this. We were all eating it with our fingers, holding the little piece of core and just gobbling it down.
The outside leaves were a little bit crunchy, but the inside was so tender, it basically just melted in your mouth.
It was really unbelievable how delicious this cabbage was.

Just be sure to leave the core intact when you are cutting your cabbage into wedges, so that your cabbage leaves don't fall off all over the place.
This is one that we are going to enjoy over and over again.


Roasted Green Cabbage Wedges from January 2010 Martha Stewart Living
Serves 8

1 small head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 wedges, core intact
1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange cabbage on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides of wedges with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast, flipping half-way through, until edges are brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
Squeeze lemons over cabbage.

Mexican Street Salad

This is my new favorite food.

Nancy, shared the link for Mexican Street Salad from Jamie Oliver, when I sent out a tweet asking for ideas for side dishes to take to a dinner at my MIL's.

She said she was going to make it that night and I have to admit, after looking at the beautiful picture of all the colors and veggies, I was intrigued.
I decided I was going to make it and take it as a side dish for this dinner.

Nancy told me that she and her husband enjoyed it but that it had a little bit too much heat for some of the other people that tried it.
When I made it, I decided to cut back on the jalapenos a little bit, so that it would be crowd/kid friendly.
It is made with white cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, radishes, cilantro (fresh coriander), jalapeno, red onion, and then dressed with lots of fresh lime juice, a little olive oil and sea salt.

Jamie also notes that whatever veggies are in season would be a great addition to this salad.
So, I added 1/2 of a finely diced green pepper, chopped fresh green beans, and the celery hearts with their leafy tops that I was saving for soup.
I also shredded my carrots, so they would be the same thickness as the cabbage. I used angel hair coleslaw mix, which comes in a bag by the lettuce, because it is very finely shredded and easy to use.
I left out the red onion to reduce the heat a little bit and added a sprinkle of garlic powder and cumin.

The fact that this takes literally minutes to throw together is wonderful, but it is also one of the most delicious things I have tasted. The simplicity of the lime juice/olive oil/ coarse salt dressing (kind of) just really brings out the great flavors of the cabbage and other veggies. The radishes add a nice touch of heat.
When I was mixing this up, I took a bite and was blown away. It was soo good.
I took it to the dinner, to share, and the kids, as well as adults, loved it.

I actually made a very large bowl of it saturday night and ate it for dinner while everyone else was eating pizza. I had some last night and will have some today too.
I know Nancy has made it again as well.
The great thing about it is that you can make it super spicy and hot if that is what you like, or you can hold back a little bit on the spice depending on how much jalapeno and red onion you use and totally make it great for whatever taste you prefer. And it is so fresh.
Did I mention I love it?

Recipe for Mexican Street Salad

One Year Ago-Edamame Soup with Feta Croutons and Shrimp or Chicken Summer Rolls with Honey-Lime Dipping Sauce

MS: Cupcake Club (MSC)- Chocolate Salted-Caramel Cupcakes

MSC started as an idea by Sugar B- she had bought Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Cookbook and she sent out a plea;
she had owned it a month and not a cupcake had been made, she need motivation and a gameplan (we all joined in!);
we decided to bake 1 cupcake a month starting with these delicious, chocolate mini-cupcakes, filled with salted-caramel (don't be scared of this part- watch it close and act fast!), topped with satiny dark chocolate frosting and a sprinkle of sea salt;
I made 1/4th of the recipe and they disappeared fast- go check out Sugar B's blog for the Blogroll of MSC!


You can find the recipe HERE or on page 148 of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes


One Year Ago- Cheesecake Pops, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes, and Chocolate & Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Thai Red Curry Risotto

This is another recipe that I had hanging out in my drafts that I haven't had a chance to blog about yet.

I have tried lots of risotto recipes and also have a thing for red curry paste, so this recipe was a no-brainer. Of course, when I saw it, I knew I was going to make it.

The combination of flavors in this risotto was good.

We all liked it, but it was a little strange to be eating Thai-flavored risotto. Those 2 things don't really seem to go together. I once again realized that I don't really care for peas in risotto, they added a little too much sweetness for me.

Definitely interesting and different. This was a fun dish, but I don't think I am going to be making it all the time.

Thai Red Curry Risotto

Notes: Thai red curry paste is available in many supermarkets. It's hot - add more or less to suit your taste. This risotto also works well without interruption; just leave it on the heat after step 3 and continue with step 4.

1 onion (about 6 oz.), peeled and chopped

3 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup grape seed or other salad oil

2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (see notes)

1 1/2 cups arborio or other short-grain white rice

1/2 cup dry sherry

About 4 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth

4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, stems removed, and sliced; or common mushrooms, rinsed, tough stem ends trimmed, and sliced

1 cup coconut milk (regular or low-fat; stir before measuring)

1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt

1 lime (about 3 oz.), rinsed and cut into 6 wedges

1. In a 12-inch frying pan or 14-inch wok over medium heat, stir onion, ginger, and garlic in oil until onion is barely limp, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in paprika, curry paste, and rice, mixing well to coat rice. Pour in sherry and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, until sherry is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

3. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and stir until broth is mostly absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and coconut milk; stir gently until liquid is mostly absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 2 more cups broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until almost absorbed, about 15 minutes total. Rice should be almost tender but still slightly firm to bite. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, up to 4 hours.

4. Return pan to medium-high heat, add 1 more cup broth, and stir until liquid is absorbed and rice is creamy and tender to bite, about 9 minutes. If risotto is too dry or rice isn't quite tender, add a little more broth and cook until risotto reaches desired consistency. Stir in peas, cilantro, and salt to taste. Spoon risotto into serving bowls and garnish each serving with a lime wedge.


Coming Tomorrow- Vanilla Bean Shortbread