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Make a Meal

Serve with Farrotto with Tomatoes and Pecorino ([>]), Risotto-Style Penne with Tomatoes and Ricotta Salata ([>]) or Easy Stovetop Polenta ([>]).

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PAN-SEARED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH HAZELNUTS Vegan

Quickly boiling and then flash-searing in a hot skillet is the perfect preparation for these "little cabbages" with big flavor. Hazelnuts, a little nut with a distinctive taste, are the perfect match for the Brussels sprouts.

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped or grated

½ teaspoon coarse salt

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup ground toasted and skinned hazelnuts

Freshly ground black pepper

Mash the garlic and salt in a mortar with a pestle. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with the salt in a saucer with the back of a spoon.

Bring 1 inch water to a boil in a large skillet. Add the Brussels sprouts and boil for 2 minutes. Drain and shake dry. Wipe out the skillet.

Heat the oil in the skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a Brussels sprout. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sprouts begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic mixture and hazelnuts. Cook, stirring, until the garlic and ground nuts are evenly distributed, about 1 minute. Add a grinding of black pepper. Spoon into a serving dish.

Hazelnuts

Grind toasted peeled hazelnuts in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. If only raw unpeeled hazelnuts are available, toast them in a preheated 350°F oven until lightly browned and the skins begin to crack, about 12 minutes. Pour the hot nuts onto a rough dish towel, cover and cool for 15 minutes. Rub the towel vigorously over the nuts to loosen and remove the skins. If some of the skins remain clinging to the hazelnuts, don't worry. They'll add flavor and texture.

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Make a Meal

Serve on a bed of Toasted Bulgur Pilaf with Cumin, Dried Fruit and Crispy Shallots ([>]) with a side dish of Carrots with Moroccan Spices and Lemon ([>]).

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CRISP-COOKED SAVOY CABBAGE WITH ASIAN FLAVORS Vegan

Ginger, toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds add a luscious complexity to this simple cabbage stir-fry. I prefer savoy cabbage for this dish because it is softer and has a milder flavor than the hefty, tightly packed heads of regular green cabbage.

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

1 small head (about 1 pound) savoy cabbage, quartered, cored and cut into ¼-inch-wide slices (about 8 cups)

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Heat the olive oil, garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper, if using, in a wok or large skillet over medium-low heat until the garlic begins to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately add the cabbage and ¼ cup water and turn the heat to medium-high.

Toss the cabbage with tongs and cook, adjusting the temperature to keep the cabbage sizzling but not browning, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. For softer cabbage, cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the sesame oil. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Shortcuts

For the head of cabbage, substitute the convenient bags of shredded red and green cabbage that are now available in many markets. Before using, soak in ice water for 10 to 20 minutes to rehydrate the cabbage.

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Make a Meal

Serve with Stir-Fried Tofu with Oyster Mushrooms, Bell Peppers and Spinach ([>]) and white, brown, red or black rice (see [>]).

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CARROTS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES AND LEMON Vegan

Toasted Bulgur Pilaf with Cumin, Dried Fruit and Crispy Shallots ([>]) and Carrots with Moroccan Spices and Lemon ([>])

Perhaps it's because we're a family who likes to snack on raw carrot sticks, but for the longest time, I neglected carrots