Wednesday, September 24, 2008 12:08 PM
Recipe challenge: Fast, easy apps and sides?
Because most of my effort goes into the main dish, like the hours prepping and cooking a gumbo or assembling the ingredients for a righteous meatloaf, I’m usually short on inspiration for appetizers and sides. It’s often an afterthought, like cheese and crackers or a quick tossed salad.
I thought this would be a good place to assemble a comprehensive collection of our favorite, super-fast “recipes”. Forget 30-minute meals. I’m talking 30 seconds. Minimal ingredients and cook-times, and preferably stuff you usually have lying around to throw together last-minute. (Okay, so fennel isn’t all that common. Minor details.)
Post links to blog entries, or better yet, just slap your simple recipes in the comments section so they’re all in one place.
Appetizers
Fennel Salad: Layer thinly-sliced fennel with Parmesan shavings. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Charcuterie/Salumi Chips:
Bake any thinly-sliced dried, cured meat (think: salami, sopressata, bresaola, coppa, prosciutto) on a pan lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees until crisp (about 15-20 minutes).
Spicy Edamame:
Saute 1 tablespoon minced garlic in 2 teaspoons sesame oil; toss with one bag of hot, steamed edamame and 1 teaspoon coarse salt.
Baked Goat Cheese:
Smear 1 small log of goat cheese in the bottom of a small baking dish. Top with chopped arugula or chives and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Top with toasted, chopped pine nuts.
Sides
Creamed Carrots:
Grate 2 cups of carrots and sauté in butter. Stir in 1/4 cup cream. Bake in a gratin dish at 350 degrees until crisp-brown around the edges.
Tuscan Salad:
Toss cooked cannelini beans with shaved Parmesan, chopped salami, sliced boiled eggs and roasted red peppers. Dress with paprika, oregano, olive oil, black pepper and red wine vinegar. (Throw in a can of tuna to make it a main dish, like the Tuscan Tuna Salad, pictured.)
Peas with Mint:
Mix cooked peas with butter, chopped mint and crumbled bacon.
Tex-Mex Beans:
Heat cooked black-eyed peas and black beans with lime juice, minced red onion, chopped jalapeno and cilantro. Serve with sour cream.