Post

Posted by Stephanie Meyer on Oct 11, 2006 at 10:20am

Hooooeeey! Good morning! That’ll wake you up, a nice, brisk, 33 (!) degree walk to start the day. Few first snow flurries to boot. Whoa! But I was ready, with long underwear and windpants, a pocketful of tissues, and a soft hat. I actually enjoyed being out there, mostly because I’ve been so house-bound since getting sick last week. But also because the howling winds have yet to blow down all the beautiful leaves. Ah, Minnesota. Lovely; yet brrrrr…!

Happy Birthday to my father-in-law John! I hope you’re planning a fabulous meal and some damn good wine!

Today, since I have CSA-veggie share broccoli and cauliflower sprouting from my fridge, I’m going to make another couple of Jacques Pepin gems – broccoli puree with brown butter and cauliflower with scallions and sesame oil. Both are gorgeous, delicious, simple. (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

And hey, I’ll add a couple more recipes to boot, I made myself a tasty and satisfying lunch – miso soup and a cabbage, spinach, and apple salad with sesame dressing. Both super-simple, and good together. (Recipes posted in comments, below.)

Stay warm!

Print Friendly and PDF

Older Comments

  1. By Stephanie on October 11, 2006 at 1:47PM

    Cabbage, Spinach, and Apple Salad with Sesame Dressing
    Serves 2

    1 c. shredded cabbage
    1 c. shredded spinach (or lettuce)
    ½ apple (Honeycrisp is terrific), sliced into matchstick pieces
    1 scallion, sliced thin
    salt and pepper

    Dressing
    2 tsp. dark (toasted or Asian) sesame oil
    1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

    Combine cabbage, spinach, apple, and scallion in a medium bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss into greens. Serve.

  2. By Stephanie on October 11, 2006 at 1:43PM

    Miso Soup
    Stephanie Levy
    Serves 2

    1 tsp. oil
    2 scallions, chopped
    1 small carrot, sliced thin
    2 mushrooms, sliced thin
    Other vegetables, sliced thin (cabbage, cauliflower, whatever you feel like or have)
    2 c. (or 1 14-oz. can) chicken or vegetable broth
    ¼ c. firm tofu, cut into small cubes
    2 Tbsp. miso paste (red or white, I like red)

    Heat the oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir in vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in broth and tofu, bring to a boil, then stir in miso until dissolved. Simmer over low heat, partially covered, for 5-10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

  3. By Stephanie on October 11, 2006 at 10:45AM

    Cauliflower with Scallions and Sesame Oil
    From Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin
    Serves 4

    1 firm, white cauliflower head (about 1 ½ lbs.), trimmed of any green leaves
    ¼ tsp. salt
    ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
    1 Tbsp. peanut oil
    2 tsp. dark (Asian) sesame oil
    1/3 c. fine minced scallions

    Divide the cauliflower into 12-14 florets. Bring about ½ inch water to a boil in a stainless steel saucepan and add the florets. Cover and cook over high heat for 8-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender but still firm. There should be almost no water remaining in the pan.

    Transfer the florets to a serving bowl and immediately add the remaining ingredients. Toss gently to coat the cauliflower and serve immediately.

  4. By Stephanie on October 11, 2006 at 10:36AM

    Broccoli Puree with Brown Butter
    Adapted from Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin
    Serves 4

    3 bunches broccoli (about 1 ¾ lbs.)
    2 garlic cloves, peeled
    2 Tbsp. butter
    ¾ tsp. salt
    ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

    Cut the broccoli florets from the stems. (You should have about 1 lb. florets.) Reserve the stems (about ¾ pound) for a different use or discard.

    Bring about 2 c. water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the broccoli florets and the garlic. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain; reserve the liquid. Put the solids in a food processor.

    Melt the butter in a skillet and continue cooking it over medium heat until it turns light brown. Add to the food processor along with the salt, pepper, and 3 Tbsp. of the reserved cooking liquid. Process into a fine puree. (You will have about 2 cups.)

    Serve immediately, or cool, cover, refrigerate, and reheat in a microwave oven at serving time.