Get Cooking_ 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen - Mollie Katzen [90]
3. When the water boils, turn the heat down to low and add the green beans. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the beans turn bright green and shiny and are beginning to become tender. (This is subjective, so do a taste test.) When they are done to your liking, drain them in the colander, shaking it emphatically, and then dry the beans by patting them with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
4. Return the pan of almonds to the stove over medium-low heat. Add the green beans, turning them with tongs until they are uniformly coated with the oil and nicely mingled with the almonds. Sprinkle in the salt as you go. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
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GET CREATIVE
Toss a handful of halved cherry tomatoes in with the beans just before serving.
Canned French-fried onions make a fun, tasty topping.
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delightfully spiced carrots
Makes 4 servings
Having written many vegetable-featuring cookbooks over the past very many years, I can say with some confidence that the spices in this recipe are the ones that love carrots the best. And vice versa. Whether eating them cooked or raw, I like my carrots crunchy, so I’ve designed this recipe around that preference. But perhaps you like them better soft when cooked. If so, you can add an extra, easy step: Simply put a pot of water to boil, and put a colander in the sink. When the water is ready, toss in the sliced carrots and cook for 30 seconds or so. Then immediately drain them in the colander, shake it exuberantly a few times, and proceed with the recipe. You will get your tender result this way.
This recipe is vegan.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
8 medium-sized carrots (about 1½ pounds), cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices
½ teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 small clove)
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
2. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon, and let them cook in the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add the carrots and garlic, turning them with tongs until thoroughly coated with oil and spice.
3. Sprinkle in the salt, and stir well. Cover, and cook, stirring several times, for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots are just tender. (If at any point they appear to be sticking or scorching, add a tablespoon of water.) Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
GET CREATIVE
Garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing at the table.
Add a teaspoon or two of butter when heating the olive oil and spices.
Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes along with the spices.
Add a tablespoon or two of fresh lemon juice or orange juice along with the carrots.
Add up to a teaspoon of grated lemon and/or orange zest.
Add 2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar along with the carrots. (Or just sweeten to taste.)
Add up to 3 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger along with the carrots.
Add ¼ cup currants or golden raisins along with the carrots.
Toss in a few tablespoons of minced fresh mint during the last minute or so of cooking (highly recommended!).
Sprinkle the cooked carrots with up to ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or sliced or slivered almonds.
fajita-style peppers and onions
Makes 4 to 5 servings
When cooked minimally over high heat, sweet bell peppers retain much of their crispness and color and become even sweeter and more intense, resulting in the most versatile side-dish-slash-condiment imaginable. A touch of this magical combo can cheer up any plate, at any temperature. Serve it as a side dish or wrap it in a tortilla, and you can accommodate vegetarians alongside meat lovers when whipping up a steak fajita dinner (see