Vegetables – Page 7 – Rants Raves and Recipes

March 28, 2015March 28, 2015

Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

I am always trying to think of new ways to serve up eggplant. This pasta eggplant bacon & tomato is quick easy and the lesser time cooking doesn’t leave the eggplant so soft. By prepping the vegetables first you can , depending on how fast your stove heats up water, cook it all in almost the same time.

Ingredients for Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

1 large eggplant cubes into ½ inch pieces
2-14 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 red pepper finely diced
3 cloves garlic diced
2 small shallots diced
½ pound bacon diced
2-3 Tbs Olive oil
2 tsp hot pepper flakes ( optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish
Pasta ( your choice)

Directions for Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Peel and cube the eggplant into ½ inch cubes. Finely dice the red pepper. Dice the garlic and shallot.

Dice the bacon and on medium heat cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain and reserve the fat.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil to the bacon fat and bring up to a medium high heat. Add the eggplant, pepper, garlic and shallot and cook for 5- 8 minutes until slightly softened. Begin to heat the water for the pasta at the same time.

Add the crushed tomatoes, and pepper flakes to the sauce, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Cover and cook at a simmer until pasta is done about 10-15 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of pasta water.

If the sauce appears to be too thick add a little pasta water at a time until you have your desired consistency.

Portion out the pasta and cover with sauce.

Garnish with the reserved bacon bits and parsley, and serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Cuisinart 633-30H Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 5-1/2-Quart Saute Pan with Helper Handle and Lid
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star II 11-Piece Knife Set with Block

Again with the vegetables. What could possibly be wrong with a juicy delicious MEATBALL!!!!

Yum

Pasta Eggplant Bacon & Tomato

Ingredients

1 large eggplant cubes into ½ inch pieces
2-14 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 red pepper finely diced
3 cloves garlic diced
2 small shallots diced
½ pound bacon diced
2-3 Tbs Olive oil
2 tsp hot pepper flakes ( optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish
Pasta ( your choice)

Instructions

Peel and cube the eggplant into ½ inch cubes. Finely dice the red pepper. Dice the garlic and shallot.
Dice the bacon and on medium heat cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain and reserve the fat.
Add 2-3 tablespoons of Olive oil to the bacon fat and bring up to a medium high heat. Add the eggplant, pepper, garlic and shallot and cook for 5- 8 minutes until slightly softened. Begin to heat the water for the pasta at the same time.
Add the crushed tomatoes, and pepper flakes to the sauce, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Cover and cook at a simmer until pasta is done about 10-15 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of pasta water.
If the sauce appears to be too thick add a little pasta water at a time until you have your desired consistency.
Portion out the pasta and cover with sauce.
Garnish with the reserved bacon bits and parsley, and serve grated Parmesan cheese on the side

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February 19, 2015August 12, 2015

Caramelized Onions for Steak

Caramelized Onions for Steaks

I think that the person who coined the phrase “patience is a virtue” was attempting to make french onion soup or caramelized onions for steaks. The seemingly simple act of caramelizing onions is in fact not quite so simple.

In order for onions to get to the rich dark brown texture takes a lot of time. Moderate heat to prevent burning and allowing the sugars to exude and brown can take up to an hour.

The following recipe isn’t for soup, it’s a rendition made to top steaks. I use a few tricks to help the flavors along and the results make any steak a “masterpiece”.

For good results I like to use Valdosta (sweet) onions . You can use others, but watch them. Some onions have a very high water content and will take an extremely long time to render out all that juice before they begin to brown.

Ingredients for Caramelized Onions for Steak

This recipe is for two steaks, if your cooking for more you will need a larger sauté pan. You don’t want to pile the onions up in the pan , you need as close to a single layer as possible.

1 large or 2 medium Valdosta or sweet onions thinly sliced
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar
4-5 Tbs good Balsamic vinegar
1 cup water (to prevent onions burning if necessary)

Directions for Caramelized Onions for Steak

Peel and halve the onions and slice then very thin.

In a large sauté pan melt the butter and oil on moderate heat. Add the onions in as much as a single layer as possible. Gently stir the onions to coat with the butter and oil and once coated leave them in a single layer and allow the pan to do it’s job.

As the onions begin to brown with a spatula turn them allowing the onions to begin to brown evenly.

Keep a watch on the pan and do not allow the onions to burn. If it appears the are beginning to burn add a little water to slow the cooking process. If you find it necessary to add water, as you add it deglaze the pan scraping up any brown bits (fond).

Continue to allow the onions to cook turning occasionally.

After 30 -40 minutes you should have fairly good results. At this time add the sugar and stir to combine, then let the onions brown more in the pan turning once in a while to keep them from burning.

Once the onions are completely browned leave the pan on low and begin your steaks.

Just before the steaks are finished, bring the onions up to a medium high heat add the Balsamic vinegar deglazing the pan with it. Stir to combine, remove from the heat and top on the steaks and enjoy.

It’s beef and since I can’t have the other stuff I get the “sanitized version. I’m Mooooooooved to say I love the steak.

Yum

Caramelized Onions for Steak

Ingredients

This recipe is for two steaks, if your cooking for more you will need a larger sauté pan. You don't want to pile the onions up in the pan , you need as close to a single layer as possible.
1 large or 2 medium Valdosta or sweet onions thinly sliced
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar
4-5 Tbs good Balsamic vinegar
1 cup water (to prevent onions burning if necessary)

Instructions

Peel and halve the onions and slice then very thin.
In a large sauté pan melt the butter and oil on moderate heat. Add the onions in as much as a single layer as possible. Gently stir the onions to coat with the butter and oil and once coated leave them in a single layer and allow the pan to do it's job.
As the onions begin to brown with a spatula turn them allowing the top sides to begin to brown.
Keep a watch on the pan and do not allow the onions to burn. If it appears the are beginning to burn add a little water to slow the cooking process. If you find it necessary to add water, as you add it deglaze the pan scraping up any brown bits (fond).
Continue to allow the onions to cook turning occasionally.
After 30 -40 minutes you should have fairly good results. At this time add the sugar and stir to combine, then let the onions brown more in the pan turning once in a while to keep them from burning.
Once the onions are completely browned leave the pan on low and begin your steaks.
Just before the steaks are finished, bring the onions up to a medium high heat add the Balsamic vinegar deglazing the pan with it. Stir to combine, remove from the heat and top on the steaks and enjoy.

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January 23, 2015

Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

One of the benefits to making a baked ham in the winter is all the great secondary dishes you can make with the leftover ham, for those chilly nights here in south Florida.

Leek and potato soup with ham is one of those warm comfort food dinners, served with Scottish Scones ( http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/category/recipes/breads-and-pastries/recipes-for-all-kinds-of-biscuits/scottish-scones-recipes-for-all-kinds-of-biscuits ) and butter and jam makes a very filling meal.

Ingredients for Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

For this recipe the leeks should be quartered lengthwise and well washed, the potatoes peeled and cubed. The choice of stock is up to you. You can use water, or vegetable or chicken stock.

You will also need either an immersion blender, or very good, large food processor to blend the soup.

3 Leeks white and very light green parts only
5 – 6 medium yellow potatoes
6-8 cups stock
2 cups cooked ham (cubed)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs neutral oil
1 Tbs butter
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions for Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

In a stock pot, that will be large enough to hold 10 cups easily ,melt the butter and add the oil. Once hot put the chopped Leeks and Potatoes in and cook until just softened and beginning to brown. Add 6 cups of stock, bring up to a boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes.

Once the vegetables are completely cooked using the immersion blender puree the mixture. It will very likely be extremely thick once completely blended.

Add ¼ – ½ cup of additional stock at a time to the soup and mix until you achieved your desired consistency.

Continue to warm and add the ham and once hot serve.

Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top as garnish.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Cuisinart 77-412 Chef’s Classic Stainless 4-Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set
Cuisinart CSB-79 Smart Stick 2-Speed 200-watt Immersion Hand Blender with Attachments

Another of those darn vegetable things, not a S.A.P.P. friendly dish, but those who like that kind of thing did enjoy it.

Yum

Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

Ingredients

For this recipe the leeks should be quartered lengthwise and well washed, the potatoes peeled and cubed. The choice of stock is up to you. You can use water, or vegetable or chicken stock.
You will also need either an immersion blender, or very good, large food processor to blend the soup.
3 Leeks white and very light green parts only
5 - 6 medium yellow potatoes
6-8 cups stock
2 cups cooked ham (cubed)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs neutral oil
1 Tbs butter
Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

In a stock pot, that will be large enough to hold 10 cups easily ,melt the butter and add the oil. Once hot put the chopped Leeks and Potatoes in and cook until just softened and begining to brown. Add 6 cups of stock, bring up to a boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes.
Once the vegetables are completely cooked using the immersion blender puree the mixture. It will very likely be extremely thick once completely blended.
Add ¼ - ½ cup of additional stock at a time to the soup and mix until you achieved your desired consistancy.
Serve with parsley sprinkled over the top.

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If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site. It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .

Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.