Fresh & Fast Vegetarian_ Recipes That Make a Meal - Marie Simmons [65]
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarse bread crumbs from day-old Italian bread, crusts removed (see headnote)
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 garlic clove, grated
1–1½ pounds asparagus, peeled if large
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
Toss the bread crumbs, cheese and garlic in a bowl until blended. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and blend with your fingertips or a fork until the crumbs are moistened with the oil.
Spread the asparagus on the baking sheet. Add a generous grinding of black pepper and turn to coat with oil. Arrange the asparagus side by side in a tight line and sprinkle the crumb mixture on top, pressing it into the asparagus.
Roast, without disturbing, until the asparagus is tender and the crumbs are browned and crisp, 12 to 18 minutes. Serve at once.
To Make Fresh Bread Crumbs
Slice off the hard crusts from a firm, but not dry, day-old loaf of rustic bread. Cut the bread into ½-inch cubes and pulse in a food processor to medium-fine consistency. Make extra and keep in the freezer for another day.
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Make a Meal
Serve with Cannellini Ragout with Leeks, Green Beans and Orange ([>]), Artichoke and Potato Stew with Black Olives and Tomatoes ([>]) or Lentil and Shiitake Ragout with Green Beans ([>]).
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TWICE-COOKED GREEN BEANS WITH CURRIED PECANS Vegan
Expand your green-bean repertoire with this easy and tasty twice-cooked dish. Briefly boiled in salted water and then tossed in a hot skillet with olive oil and dressed with curried pecans, the beans make a great little accompaniment.
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
1–1½ pounds slender green beans
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
½ cup pecan pieces
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Bring a large saucepan half full of water to a boil. Add the green beans and 1 teaspoon salt and boil until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the maturity of the beans. Drain and shake dry.
Heat a medium skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle and evaporate a drop of water. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until it is hot enough to sizzle a bean. Add the beans and cook over medium-high heat, tossing, until they blister and darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the garlic and stir to combine. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and transfer to a serving dish.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the pecans and curry powder to the skillet and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until the pecans are toasted and coated with the curry, about 2 minutes. Spoon the nuts over the green beans and serve.
Substitutions
Substitute walnuts for the pecans.
Variation
Roasted Asparagus with Curried Pecans: Roast the asparagus as directed for Roasted Asparagus with Warm Cherry Tomatoes and Black Olives ([>]; omit the cherry tomatoes). Prepare the curried pecans following step 3 in this recipe.
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Make a Meal
Serve with Curried Chickpeas with Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach ([>]).
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GREEN AND YELLOW WAX BEANS WITH ALMOND PESTO
Whether you use a mix of green and yellow beans or all green, this recipe is a keeper. You need just a small bunch of basil and use less olive oil and cheese than for a standard pesto.
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
Almond Pesto
¼ cup whole skin-on almonds
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ cup thin lengthwise slices red onion
1 pound green beans, yellow wax beans or a combination, left whole if slender or cut into 1-inch lengths
To make the pesto by hand: Combine the almonds, garlic and salt in a large mortar and pound into a paste with a pestle. Add half of the basil and pound until reduced to a coarse paste.