Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

This is one of my favorite weeknight meals. It has many things going for it. It’s fast to make. It’s a one-dish meal. It’s adaptable. And I usually have all the ingredients on hand. It’s also very tasty. Try it tonight.

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage

Yields: About 4 servings.
Time to make: About 40 minutes.

• Salt to taste
• About 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, or more to taste
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ to ½ pound Italian sausage, sliced or crumbled
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ pound cut pasta
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the broccoli until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Scoop the broccoli out of the water and set it aside.

Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds if you’re using them, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute or so. Add the broccoli and wine, and cook, mashing and stirring, 2 or 3 minutes more. Turn the heat to low to keep the sauce warm.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water. Drain it, reserving about a cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the broccoli sauce, along with some of the pasta water to keep the mixture from drying out. Serve immediately, with the Parmesan.

Notes: You can easily substitute cauliflower, broccoli rabe or any green for the broccoli. It is nice to add roasted red pepper or sun-dried tomatoes to this when it’s finished cooking. Cubed mozzarella is another good addition. Simplify this recipe even more by eliminating all ingredients after the red pepper flakes and tossing the broccoli mixture with cooked pasta.

How to Make Croquettes

I have been making croquettes — or little fried cakes — for a long time now. They are always popular, and for me they are comfort food. I usually make them with mashed potatoes or beans. It didn’t occur to me that I could use another vegetable until I found Mark Bittman’s recipe for spinach croquettes. But then I realized that the basic croquette is a versatile recipe that can be adapted quite freely. And since it requires cooked vegetables, it is the perfect vehicle for using up leftovers.

Last night I made croquettes with leftover cooked kale. They were surprisingly good, and even the baby ate three small ones. I would also try making them with other greens, artichoke hearts, broccoli, carrots, corn, peas, sweet potatoes or winter squash.

I served them dry, though, which I would amend for next time. Croquettes really need some kind of sauce to be complete. My husband suggested hollandaise sauce, which would be quite decadent and delicious. But even something as simple as a pesto, salsa or aioli would work. But even without the sauce, they are yummy and very quick to make. If you have time to chill them beforehand, all the better.

Basic Croquettes

Yields: about 6 croquettes

• 2 cups cooked vegetable, either mashed or chopped fine
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup cheese, grated
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs, plus more for cooking
• seasonings of your choice: chopped onion, fresh herbs, seasoning mix, etc. plus salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. oil
• ¼ lb. cooked, flaked fish or ground meat (optional)
• Hollandaise sauce, pesto, salsa, aioli, or other mayonnaise or dipping sauce to serve

Combine the vegetable, eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs and seasonings in a bowl, and mix well. Add the meat, if using — these will make the cakes more of an entree than a side dish. If the cakes aren’t holding together, add more breadcrumbs. If they are too dry, add more beaten egg to bind.

Form the croquettes into cakes. You should have at least 6, or you can make mini-cakes to get more. Lay on a sheet of wax paper on a plate and cover with wax paper. Chill for at least half an hour and up to a day.

Heat the oil over medium-high. Dredge the cakes in breadcrumbs. When the oil is shimmering, fry the cakes until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. You may have to cook the cakes in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

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Pasta with Broccoli & Mozzarella

Pasta with garlic and oil is one of the most basic pasta dishes, which I imagine most people can make without even consulting a recipe. Because it is so simple, it lends itself well to variations. This is one of my favorites.

Although I make pasta about once a week, I do not like the time and energy it takes to boil all that water. Usually, I try to make that pot of water do as much as work as possible. I like this recipe because it uses the big pot of boiling water for double duty: to cook both the broccoli and the pasta.

Another reason I like this recipe is because I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so it serves as a quick but healthy meal when the pantry is empty. And it’s a vegetarian offering that’s also really satisfying.

Pasta with Broccoli & Mozzarella

Yields: 2-3 servings, depending on appetite
Time to make: ~30 minutes

• 1 bunch broccoli, florets cut off, stems peeled and chopped
• ½ lb. chunky pasta, such as penne or rotini
• 2 lg. garlic cloves, minced
• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. mozzarella, cubed
• salt and red pepper flakes to taste
• grated Parmesan for garnish

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rapid boil. Add the broccoli stems and cook about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and cook 2 minutes more, until they are bright green and tender. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool a bit. When it’s cool enough, chop the broccoli roughly.

Start cooking the pasta in the same pot as you cooked the broccoli.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it turns golden. Add the broccoli and mozzarella cubes, plus salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Stir to combine and melt the cheese a bit. Remove from the heat.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving about ½ cup of pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the broccoli mixture and stir to combine well, adding the pasta cooking water as needed to help the sauce and pasta cohere (you may not need all of the reserved water). Garnish with Parmesan to serve.

Simmering: A Technique for Cooking Flavorful Vegetables

There are probably two main ways we all learned how to cook vegetables with liquid: boiling and steaming. But both of these techniques have disadvantages. Boiling vegetables in a lot of water often yields overcooked, mushy results that many of us remember (and hate) from our childhoods. And steaming all too often lets the flavor and moisture escape into the air rather than keeping it in the vegetables.

Lately, I have been simmering vegetables in an attempt to retain moisture and flavor without cooking the vegetables to death, and I’ve loved the results. Simmering is a hybrid of boiling and steaming that takes advantage of the best aspects of both.

Simmering involves cooking vegetables in a smaller amount of liquid than boiling them, and at a lower temperature, enough to keep a gentle simmer going. The pot is covered, trapping the steam and cooking the vegetables in less time so that their vibrant colors are retained.

Liquids other than water can be used to add more flavor. My favorites have been chicken stock, apple cider and orange juice. Flavorings can also be added to the liquid, such as soy sauce, herbs or garlic. Once the vegetables are cooked, if you like, raise the heat, uncover the pan and reduce the cooking liquid to a sauce to retain every bit of flavor.

Here are the basic steps for simmering vegetables:

1. Cut the vegetables into smallish pieces, if necessary, such as cubes.
2. Add the vegetables to the pot with enough liquid just to cover them halfway.
3. Add a pat of butter or a small amount of olive oil, salt and other seasonings as desired.
4. Bring the liquid to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and simmer until the vegetables are just tender (see below for suggested cooking times).
6. If desired, uncover the pot, raise the heat and let the liquid reduce for a sauce.
7. Serve as is or with the cooking liquid, or toss with a vinaigrette, flavored butter or a little lemon juice and fresh herbs.

Not all vegetables lend themselves to this cooking method, but many do. Here are some of my favorites:

• Simmer less than 5 minutes: asparagus, bok choy, corn (off the cob), green beans
• Simmer 5-10 minutes: artichoke hearts, broccoli florets, brussels sprouts, carrots (baby or cut into rounds)
• Simmer 10-15 minutes: cabbage, summer squash, baby zucchini
• Simmer 15-30 minutes: new potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, winter squash

Eat Your Vegetables! Prepping, Blanching and Revitalizing Vegetables

colors in the market, originally uploaded by Zé Eduardo
Sometimes it seems like a lot of work to sneak in those 5 servings of vegetables per day. When I’m trying to throw together a quick weeknight supper, I often don’t want to spend time making side dishes. And I’m not going to eat fresh vegetables for lunch or a snack unless they’re convenient too — I just don’t have the time.

It pays to take a little extra time when I have it, especially when I’m weekend cooking, to prep vegetables so that they’re ready to go during the week. I can quickly turn prepped vegetables into a salad or side dish or add them to a pasta sauce or soup without too much trouble.

Whenever I have the extra time, I always wash, trim, peel (if necessary) and cut up more vegetables than I need for the recipe I’m preparing. Prepped vegetables keep well in the refrigerator wrapped in damp paper towels and stored in a plastic bag. Peeled potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots can be stored in water, as can pre-snapped green beans. For longer term storage, many vegetables can be blanched briefly and then frozen; just remember to adjust the final cooking time accordingly.

To blanch vegetables, bring several quarts of water to a boil over high heat and season liberally with salt. Boil the vegetable until the color brightens and the vegetable is crisp-tender. This doesn’t take very long — no more than 30 seconds to 1 minute for tender vegetables, up to 5-6 minutes for sturdier vegetables. Save time by blanching several vegetables in the same pot — just cook them one at a time.

All of the following vegetables benefit from blanching:

• artichoke hearts
• asparagus
• bean sprouts
• broccoli florets and trimmed stems
• cabbage leaves
• carrots
• cauliflower florets
• fava beans
• green beans
• new potatoes
• snow and sugar snap peas

Remove the blanched vegetables from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and plunge them immediately into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool for 1 minute, then pat dry with paper towels. They can then be refrigerated or frozen for later use. Blanched vegetables also make great crudites for dipping.

Even if you will be eating cooked vegetables the same day, it is better to let them cool and then revitalize them just before serving than to try to keep them warm and risk overcooking them. The French method of revitalizing blanched, frozen and leftover vegetables is my favorite.

If the vegetables are left over from a previous meal, first rinse them of any flavorings. Heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil or butter over medium per serving. Add the vegetables and stir until warmed through. Season and serve.

Steamed Vegetables with Sesame Dressing

This Asian-influenced sesame dressing is a light accompaniment for pretty much any vegetable that can be steamed: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, snow peas or sugar snap peas. (If you substitute another longer cooking vegetable, remember to adjust the steaming time accordingly.) Serve this as a light starter before a heartier soup or stew. Serves 4.

1. Prepare 2 cups of the vegetable by trimming and/or cutting into equally sized pieces
2. Place a steamer basket over about ½ inch of water in a large, shallow pan and bring to a boil
3. Reduce to a gentle simmer, place the vegetables in the basket and cover
4. Steam until tender and bright green, 4-7 minutes

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by mixing together:

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Pour the dressing over the steamed vegetables and serve.

How to Make the Perfect Stir-Fry

The secrets to a successful stir-fry are organization and preparation, which are also the keys to accomplishing pretty much any complex task. Cooking is a small mirror held up to life (profound, huh?). If you can pull off a good stir-fry, you can probably successfully manage three complex software development projects with deliverables expected in late December, or the equivalent. We’ll see.

Before you even start cooking, you’ll want to get yourself and all of your ingredients organized. When the cooking starts, it goes fast, so you’ll need to have everything ready and at hand. The first thing I do is cook the starch, either rice or noodles, such as Chinese ramen-style noodles or angel hair pasta. The rice will steam and then stay warm while I’m preparing the stir-fry. The noodles will be done fast and then can sit in their pot until I’m ready to mix them in and reheat them.

Second, prepare the protein. I usually use boneless chicken breast for this dish, but turkey, pork, shrimp, scallops, fish or tofu should also work just fine. For 2 people, I use about ¼ pound of protein. Remember, traditional stir-fries are skimpy on the meat and generous with the vegetables. Cube the meat and let sit in a mixture of 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tbsp. sherry and ¼ cup water while you prepare the vegetables.

Choose 2-3 vegetables for the dish, enough to make ½ pound. Keeping it simple keeps both you and the stir-fry from getting overwhelmed. Dice or slice each vegetable into as nearly uniform pieces as you can make them. Arrange the cut vegetables in bowls in order of their cooking time, with the longest cooking vegetables first:

1. Mushrooms: 5-10 minutes, depending on type and thickness
2. Cabbage, spinach, other greens: 4-6 minutes
3. Asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green beans: 3-5 minutes
4. Peppers, snow peas, sugar snap peas, summer squash, zucchini: 2-3 minutes
5. Bean sprouts: less than 1 minute

These are just suggestions. You may want to try other vegetables.

In addition, mince 2 garlic cloves and ½ tbsp. ginger root, and place them in line behind all the vegetables.

Next, prepare the sauce. My base stir-fry sauce is a mixture of ¼ cup chicken stock, 2 tbsp. soy sauce, 1 tsp. cornstarch and 1 tbsp. flavoring, such as a bottled Asian sauce, sake or rice wine, or fermented black beans soaked in sherry. Feel free to experiment. I give a suggested variation at the end of this post.

Finally, get your garnishes together. Chopped nuts, sliced scallions, raw bean sprouts and minced fresh herbs all make good garnishes.

The last step is to prepare a coating for the protein for cooking it. Drain away the marinade and toss the chicken (or whatever you’re using) in a mixture of ½ tbsp. sesame oil, 1 tsp. cornstarch and 1 tsp. flour.

Now you’re ready to assemble the stir-fry:

1. Heat 1 tbsp. peanut oil in a nonstick skillet over high until shimmering
2. Add the protein in a single layer and cook without disturbing until browned
3. Flip each piece and brown the other side in the same manner
4. Remove the cooked protein to a plate
5. If needed, add another ½ tbsp. peanut oil to the pan
6. Add the vegetables in order of their cooking times and stir-fry, keeping the food moving constantly, until tender
7. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry 30 seconds
8. Reduce the heat to medium
9. Return to the protein to the pan and mix in the sauce
10. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens
11. If using noodles, stir them in and heat through
12. Remove from heat, garnish and serve

Sweet Chili-Garlic Stir-Fry Sauce

Serves: 2

Mix together:

• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. honey
• ½ tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1-2 tsp. chili sauce, depending on taste
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. cornstarch

How to Braise Vegetables

This is a great technique that works well with all sorts of vegetables, especially those that don’t have a lot of moisture content. The vegetables benefit both from the magic of browning and steaming.

This past week, I’ve tried this technique using broccoli, parsnips and celery. It all turned out great. You could also try it with carrots, whole endive, leeks, potatoes and/or turnips. To prepare the vegetables, cut them into bite-sized pieces, such as cubes. You don’t want them too small or too big. If you’re using broccoli, separate the stems from the florets.

Start off by heating a small amount of oil or butter over medium-high. You may, at the end of cooking, want to reduce the cooking liquid down to a glaze. In that case, use butter — it will work better.

Add your vegetables and let them brown without disturbing. The secret here is timing, especially if you are cooking many different kinds of vegetables. Firmer, thicker vegetables will take longer to brown than thinner, more delicate ones. Broccoli stems take longer than florets. So don’t add everything at once. Rather, add the ones that need the longest browning time first, let them sit there a couple of minutes without stirring, then add the rest. Once browned on the bottom, stir them around and let them brown some more.

Now, add your cooking liquid, just enough to halfway cover the food. Start with ¼ cup and build from there. For the liquid, chicken broth is going to be a safe and flavorful choice always, but here is another opportunity for experimentation. For example, you might try combining some stock with wine or sherry, or use apple cider for a nice seasonal flavor (toss in some apples, too — why not?). Water is also ok. Season with salt, pepper and whatever else you like. If you want to make a glaze at the end, sprinkle in some sugar at this point.

Now, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the vegetables finish cooking until tender. You’ll know they’re tender when you can easily pierce them with a fork. Some people like crunchier vegetables, some people like softer. Cook it until it’s how you like it.

Remove the lid and raise the heat to high. Let the remaining liquid boil away, tossing the vegetables frequently, until you have a thick sauce or a glaze. Got some fresh herbs all minced up? Garnish and serve.

Comforting Potato-Broccoli Soup

This is the soup I always make when it’s rainy outside and I want something warm and comforting in my tummy. It is based on my basic formula for Creamy Pureed Soup.

Potato-Broccoli Soup

Serves: 2
Time to make: ~30 minutes

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ onion, diced
• 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 1 small bunch broccoli florets
• 2 cups chicken stock
• salt, pepper and other seasoning to taste
• scallion greens, sliced, and grated cheddar cheese to garnish

Heat the oil over medium-high. Saute the onion until golden. Add the potatoes, broccoli and stock. Season — I like this soup a little spicy, so I use Penzey’s Northwoods Fire Seasoning. Reduce heat to medium, cover and let simmer until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and puree, adding more stock if you need to. Gently warm through. Garnish and serve.