The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [40]
For a little extra treat, try the roasted peppers bundled around a tangy filling of goat cheese and walnuts.
KITCHEN NOTES: Roast the peppers first or in advance and keep in the fridge. While the orzo cooks, fill the peppers.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups orzo pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large zucchini, grated coarsely
(about 2 cups)
½ medium-size onion, grated
coarsely
2 tablespoons butter, or equal
amounts olive oil
1 medium-size ear corn, shucked
and kernels removed
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Bring 8 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of the salt to a boil. Add the orzo, cooking until al dente, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and transfer to a wide serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil to keep lubricated.
Gather the grated vegetables into your hands, in small bunches if necessary, and squeeze out any water, until nearly dry.
In a 10- or 12-inch skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the grated veg mixture and lower the heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to minimize burning. Cook for 5 minutes by itself, then add the corn kernels, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and remaining salt. Stir until well combined, and cook for an additional 5 minutes; it’s okay if the mixture develops a little crust.
1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
3 sprigs fresh thyme and/or
oregano, or 1½ teaspoons
dried
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup fresh mint leaves, finely
chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into
chiffonade
Squeeze of ½ lemon
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-
Reggiano cheese
Ground black pepper
½ to 1 cup cherry or grape
tomatoes, for garnish
Transfer the cooked veg to the pasta bowl, and stir into the orzo, until everything is thoroughly combined. Add the mint and basil leaves and the lemon, mix, then stir in the cheese. Taste for salt and pepper. Garnish with the tomatoes.
Serve hot or at room temperature.
Makes 4 to 5 servings
GOAT CHEESY ROASTED PEPPERS
INGREDIENTS
3 medium-size red bell peppers
½ cup goat cheese
⅓ cup toasted walnuts, finely
chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into
chiffonade
Olive oil, for drizzling
Squeeze of ½ lemon
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the peppers on a baking sheet, whole with their stems attached.
Roast for 40 minutes.
While the peppers roast, make the filling. Place the goat cheese in a small bowl, and with a spoon, stir to soften and “whip.” Stir in the walnuts.
Transfer the peppers to a sealed container or bag so that they can sweat and loosen their skins. After 15 minutes, remove the stems and seeds, which should easily give way. With your hands, remove the skins to the best of your ability; don’t rinse, as this zaps away the roasted goodness.
Cut the peppers into two or three sections, depending on size. Measure out 1 teaspoon of goat cheese filling and tuck inside a pepper section that you may wrap or fold around it.
Garnish the peppers with the basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a lemony squeeze. Can be made in advance.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Fall . . .
. . . makes us wake up and smell the coffee.
Back to school, the grind and reality. We resume the lightning-speed pace of our lives and fill the calendar. For a short time, we have the best of both produce worlds; the last hurrah of summer crops and the debut of underground morsels hinting at the seasonal transition.
There’s a chill in the air when the sun goes to bed, a call for supper warmer-uppers such as red lentil dal with cumin-fried onions and twice-baked sweet potatoes. Yet we also race to eat every last tomato before the first frost, a perfect opportunity for a swan song pot of ratatouille, bursting with the last bit of sun.
With the rustle of leaves under our feet, it’s time to let go of the past and embrace the here and now: Halloween shades of squash, ruffly leaves of roasted kale, blood red beets tucked into a cheesy tortilla, and pears ripening for a salad of hearty greens.
RATATOUILLE