Category Archives: Kitchen Tips

Slow Food is the Key to Great Quick Meals

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Last weekend I made gravlax for the first time. That Swedish cured-salmon specialty is the epitome of slow food. But as I waited two days for the fish to cure in its salt-and-sugar rub it occurred to that I wasn’t the one “making” anything.

Time was doing most of the work. And there wasn’t even heat involved.

That’s just the way I like it these days. Over the last couple of years I’ve come to appreciate time as a lazy cook’s best friend. If you’re willing to put in a little (often very, very little) effort on the front end and patient enough to wait a bit, you’ll be rewarded with incredible flavor.

Time is a lazy cook’s best friend. If you put in a little (often very, very little) effort on the front end and are patient enough to wait a bit, you’ll be rewarded with incredible flavor.

It’s a different approach to quick-and-easy, dinner-in-15-minutes cooking, but one worth adding to your arsenal. In fact, you can use the take-your-time strategy one day to prepare components for stellar speedy meals another.

That gravlax is a perfect example. I unwrapped it, rinsed off the rub and and thinly sliced the fish. Then I served it alongside a simple butter-lettuce salad and our All-Purpose French Lentils. With a glass of rose Sancerre, it was a fast, light summer supper. The gravlax has since made other lunch and dinner appearances.

As Lia and I developed our new Nourish Weekly Menus (if you haven’t checked them out yet, here’s a taste with our free e-cookbook), we realized that the Sunday cook-ahead is the heart of our strategy. That’s because we often find ourselves taking advantage of a leisurely weekend to  make a dish that takes a bit longer – roasting a chicken, perhaps, or braising a pork shoulder – that yields a fantastic Sunday supper plus great leftovers to spin into fantastic (and fast!) weeknight meals.

Want to give it try? Here are 3 things you can do this weekend:

  • Make some dough. Yeast dough is really easy, especially if you let time – and the yeast – do all the hard work. Make a batch of Long-Rise Whole Wheat Pizza Dough. Enjoy some one night and stash the extra in the fridge or freezer so you can make homemade pizza later in the week faster than Domino’s can deliver.
  • “Dry braise” a pork shoulder. Lia’s “dry braising” technique is one you’ll want to try. Just rub the meat  with spices, pop it in a covered Dutch oven, and cook at 275 F for several hours. The result: succulent, fork-tender meat and incredible leftovers for other meals. I’ve got some leftover carnitas in my freezer that are scheduled to make a fast-dinner appearance this weekend.
  • Cure some fish. If it’s too hot to fire up the oven, give this no-cook Homemade Gravlax with Wild Alaskan Salmon a try this weekend. Start it on Saturday and it will be ready to slice and serve on crackers as a July 4th appetizer. It’s a perfect low-effort/high-reward slow food.

Like this idea? Please share it with your friends!

The Pressure Cooker “Quick Soak”

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“Quick soaking” with a pressure cooker means you can have beans on the table the same day … even within an hour. No need for the overnight soak.And Alison and I prefer how this particular method makes the beans creamy on the inside, but still strong enough to hold their shape.

Here’s how:

  1. Sort through the beans, discarding any split ones.
  2. Place beans in a 6-quart pressure cooker and add water to cover by 2 inches. Lock lid in place and bring to high pressure over high heat.
  3. Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes.
  4. Release pressure using automatic pressure release OR carefully transfer cooker to sink and run cool water over rim until pressure drops. Remove lid, tilting lid away from you, to allow steam to escape. Drain beans.

If you’d like to cook the beans in the pressure cooker, all the better. Just follow the directions in the recipe, using the pressure cooker instead of a pot, and reduce the cooking time by half.

Super Seven Sustainable Seafood Picks-2011

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It’s World Oceans Day again, and, wow, has the world’s fish been in the spotlight in the past year or what? This time last year, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was still oozing across the Gulf of Mexico. And it seems there’s news every day about a threatened wild fish or some irresponsibly cultivated farmed fish. What’s a conscientious fish-lover looking for sustainable seafood to do?

2011-sustainable-seafood-picksTo make those choices easier, Lia introduced NOURISH Evolution’s Super Sustainable Seafood Picks in 2009. We’ve updated that list each year with some new entries. Our criteria are simple: A fish must be raised or caught in an environmentally sound manner, safe to eat, widely available and easy to identify. We cross-check our selections with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s SeafoodWatch, Blue Ocean Institute’s Seafood Guide and the Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector.

Our selections have remained pretty consistent, though there have some changes. For example, this year, we knocked tilapia off our list of faves. Why? The fish is still an environmental darling – when it’s cultivated in recirculating tanks. But a recent New York Times story revealed that intense demand for the fish has lead to some questionable products on the market. Tilapia cultivated in the U.S. is still a “best choice,” but less than 5% of the tilapia on the market is from here. Much, but not all, tilapia from Central America is OK, and lots of it comes from China, which is definitely a no-no (a new Food & Drug Administration report uncovers serious concerns about contamination in China’s fish farms).

All that makes shopping for truly sustainable tilapia a bigger project than a busy shopper might want. (If you’re a fan of tilapia, try widely available U.S.-raised catfish instead.)

View from the Bay. Watch this video to discover how easy it is to cook mussels — and what you should ask the folks at the fish counter.

Drum roll, please, here are NOURISH Evolution’s Super Seven Sustainable Seafood Picks for 2011:

Barramundi. A common fish in Australia, barramundi is now being farmed sustainably both here in the U.S. and in Southeast Asia. Since they are a fast-growing fish, they’re a great choice for aquaculture.

Farmed Clams, Mussels, Bay Scallops, and Oysters. These bivalve mollusks leave their environment even cleaner than when they arrive because they filter particulates from the water. Even better, farmed versions of these mollusks from anywhere in the world are considered environmentally sound.

Alaskan Pacific Cod. Moist, lean, tender, and mild–if you crave cod these days, make sure it’s from Alaska, which has the most sustainable supply. It’s also marketed as Alaska cod, true cod, gray cod or simply as “cod” (like its less-sustainable cousin, Atlantic cod, so you’ll have to quiz the fishmonger). Pacific Halibut is another great alternative.

Sablefish (Black Cod). This omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish is prized for its velvety, buttery texture. Sablefish is neither cod nor butterfish, though it resembles both and may be labeled black cod, Alaska cod (just like Pacific cod, so be sure to ask the fishmonger if it’s really sablefish) or butterfish. Sablefish from Alaska or British Columbia is the most sustainable choice; Alaksan wild salmon also works well in many recipes calling for sablefish.

Alaskan Wild Salmon. Alaska’s wild salmon is a model of fishery management, so it’s abundant and widely available (fresh when it’s in season in summer and frozen year-round). We also think wild salmon has superior flavor and texture to its farmed cousins. If you can’t find Alaskan wild salmon, try sablefish or Arctic char.

Arctic Char. This is actually a member of the salmon family. In the U.S. and other parts of the world, it’s being raised in sustainable environments. It’s a delicious everyday alternative to salmon.

Herring/Sardines. Sardines are a type of herring, a small, fast-growing fish caught in purse seines with minimal bycatch and habitat damage. You’ll typically find them in cans or jars, often smoked or pickled, although fresh whole sardines are increasingly available, too, and are delicious grilled or broiled.

Certainly, these aren’t the only sustainable seafood, just seven of our favorites. When it comes to selecting other types of fish, here are few simple guidelines:

  • Skip supercheap fish. This advice comes from Mark Kurlansky’s new book, World Without Fish (Workman), a cautionary tale written for his young daughter and other kids. “Cheap fish has usually been caught in careless ways,” he warns. Likewise, cheap farmed fish may be the result of sloppy aquaculture practices.
  • Beware of the hot “new” fish. High demand often leads to overfishing, says Kurlansky. Orange roughy and Chilean seabass are just two examples of fish that high demand has pushed onto everyone’s “avoid” list.
  • Eat a variety of fish. We all have our favorites, and it’s easy to get into a rut (Lord knows, we love Alaskan wild salmon in our household). To avoid overtaxing any particular fish stock, make a point of expanding your seafood repertoire to eat a range of fish, from big carnivores like salmon down to sardines and other abundant choices lower on the food chain.
  • Shop at stores that support sustainable seafood. If you have a local fishmonger who’s knowledgeable about sustainable choices, that’s great. For guidance shopping at larger retailers, check out Greenpeace USA’s Supermarket Scorecard to see how your favorite store stacks up.

Five Make-Ahead Musts

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Alison and I were chatting about how some awesome easy healthy dinners we’d had lately just came together from what we’d had on hand. It prompted me to tease apart the “what we had on hand” to ID especially helpful make-ahead dishes that can be prepped over the weekend or early in the week and put to work for the next several days (or, even better, doubled from a recipe you’re making anyway). Here are my five make-ahead favorites to make part of your meal planning:

  1. make-ahead-recipesChicken – On Monday nights in my house, we either go meatless or we do chicken. Why Mondays for chicken? Because then I can use the rest of it throughout the week to pull together simple meals. Here’s what my week o’ chicken looked like last week. Monday: Cook Simplest Roast Chicken (just ate the thighs/leg for dinner). Tuesday: Gave Noe a leg for lunch. Thursday: Greek Chicken Salad (then made stock with the carcass); Friday: Pork posole with fresh chicken stock. That’s four meals out of one chicken … which only took 5 minutes of hands-on prep time and 50 minutes of cooking time to begin with.
  2. Roasted (or Grilled) Veggies – In winter, it’s these Roasted Root Veggies. In spring, these asparagus virtually live in our fridge. In summer, it’s some sort of variation on this ratatouille. Whatever the form, roasted veggies are a HUGE help in a busy kitchen. Need a quick nibble before dinner? Pile some on toasted baguette slices. Want to pull together a quick dinner? Toss some with cooked pasta and a paste of mashed garlic and olive oil. Looking for an easy lunch? Mix them with some Chickpea Couscous, with or without the pesto.
  3. Lentils – I call All-Purpose Lentils the “little black dress” of legumes, because they go with just about anything: as a side dish or an addition to a salad, or quickly pureed into a spread or a soup. Nutritionally, they a great source of protein. I love dotting a bowl of whole grains with them, or tossing a cup or two into a salad with a nice, tart vinaigrette.
  4. Vinaigrette – My friend Honore turned me on to making vinaigrette in a jar long ago and I’ve never looked back. I shake together a big batch in the beginning of the week and keep it in the fridge to have on-hand.
  5. Bulgur – Bulgur is my go-to grain at the moment. I love how it cooks up super quick and has both a toothsomeness to make you take notice and a neutrality quality that makes it ridiculously versatile. I’ll cook up a ginormous batch and use some as a side dish with, say, lamb. Then I’ll use it as a base for throw-together lunch salads all week made up, you guessed it, of the other four make-ahead musts I have in my fridge. And if I have any left over, I’ll treat myself to dessert at the end of the week.

“Make-ahead” can sound so daunting. But it’s not. It’s more about smart meal planning and thinking all the way through a week so that what you cook does double, even triple duty. And that is food worth thought.

 

The Balancing Act of Balancing Flavors

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I’m always saying that recipes are more templates than commandments — a starting point to creating meals that work for you. A recent conversation on the NOURISH Evolution Facebook page reminded me how important it is for every cook to balance flavors to suit his or her own palate.
balancing-flavorsA reader responded to a recipe for Speedy Chickpea Couscous with Pesto that we’d posted from Maria Speck’s wonderful new book Ancient Grains for Modern Meals. “Seemed like it was missing something,” she noted, “a shot of lemon juice or some vinegar.”

This piqued my interest, because our Facebook friend was on the right track. While the recipe leaves it up to the cook to use any type of pesto, we’d suggested using the Basil-Mint Pesto below. Indeed, when I developed that pesto recipe it needed a little splash of lemon juice to enliven and heighten its flavor. As it turned out, our Facebook pal had used some store-bought pesto she had on hand, which, we think, accounted for the flat flavor of the final dish.

That experience reinforced the importance of following your own palate to cook food you’ll love. “We all like to eat things our own way,” says Speck. “My Greek mom puts loads of lemon juice on everything — she loves the tang.”

Of course, you want to develop the flavors of a dish throughout its preparation, and some ingredients need to be added early in the cooking process. Dried herbs, for example, benefit from cooking to soften and mellow their flavor. But just before serving is a key opportunity to give a dish one last adjustment to elevate it from ho-hum to wonderful.

Some (very) basic tips for how to balance flavors:

  • Salt. If you’ve added salt a little at a time during cooking, you may not need much at the end. But a little finishing dash of salt can boost the flavor of a bland dish. Check out Salted author Mark Bitterman’s tips for how to use salt with finesse.
  • Sour. This is what our Facebook friend craved from her pesto, and it comes in the form of acidic ingredients like lemon juice and vinegars. A splash of acid brightens the overall flavor of a dish. As Harold McGee notes in his latest book, Keys to Good Cooking, acid also stimulates saliva production to make food, literally, more mouthwatering.
  • Sweet. If a dish is too sour, you can add a dash of sugar to balance it out. Similarly, sweet can help balance an overly salty dish.
  • Bitter. You’re not typically looking to add bitterness to a dish. You’re more likely to want to tame it. For that, try a touch of salt or sugar.
  • Umami. This is the so-called “fifth” taste and refers to savoriness. It also helps carry a dish’s aromatic qualities, McGee notes. If you taste a dish and feel like it needs some heft or roundness, you can add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire. A grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese also boosts umami.
  • Pungent. This isn’t one of the five tastes, but pungency is what you crave when you taste a dish and reach for the pepper grinder. Mustard and wasabi are other finishing-touch ingredients that add pungency.

Another tip from McGee: Season foods at their serving temperature. Heat accentuates flavors while cold tends to diminish them. Ever had cold leftovers for lunch the next day? Bet you needed to add salt or something to boost the flavor.

Of course, those are just some basics. You can play with all manner of ingredients–including fresh herbs, flavored oils, different types of vinegars and salts–all of which will add different nuances to your cooking. That’s where it gets really exciting and every dish becomes truly your own creation.

“Most important: Never hesitate to let your own taste buds guide you in cooking,” says Speck. “There’s is no right or wrong.”

Sandwich Talk with Alison Lewis

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I’ve been doing a project for a company that requires me to work on-site a few days a week. The lunchtime pickings near their office are slim, so I usually prefer to take something in. Leftovers are fine, but I really like tucking into a good sandwich. The release of Alison Lewis’s first cookbook, 400 Best Sandwich Recipes: From Classics & Burgers to Wraps & Condiments (Robert Rose), arrived just in time.

Lewis, a longtime recipe developer and food consultant whose work has appeared in Cooking Light, Weight Watchers, Southern Living and other publications, has filled the book with tasty ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. She also has a sizable section devoted to homemade condiments–aiolis, relishes, salsas and more.

I can’t wait for nectarines to peaches to come into season so I can make her Open-Faced Nectarine and Chevre Sandwich and Grilled Peach and Brie Sandwich (Lewis’s personal fave). Her Vietnamese-inspired Banh Mi Burgers, made with ground pork, are sure to turn up on our table this summer.

I asked Lewis about the importance of great condiments, her definition of the perfect sandwich (she should know!) and why she has her son to thank for the book.

You said your younger son, Zachary, came up with the idea for the book. How did that happen?

My publisher, Robert Rose, was looking for a hole in the cookbook market, and they publish single-subject cookbooks.

After months of ideas back and forth, I was on a conference call with my publisher discussing ideas, with my 3 children in the car. Zachary, said, “What about sandwiches?”

My publisher did some quick research, and he realized there was no bible of sandwiches. The rest was history.

But, wow, 400 sandwiches! Where did your inspiration come from?

Most of the recipes were inspired by sandwiches I love or have had in restaurants or while traveling. Some ideas came from friends’ suggestions and requests via social media.

I love that you devote so much space to condiments. Is a good homemade condiment the component that elevates a sandwich from OK to outstanding?

I believe so. What I really love about that chapter is so many also can be used as appetizers, Nectarine Relish, Pineapple Relish, Peach-Ginger Chutney and Southwestern Corn Salsa, to name a few

After developing all those sandwiches, burgers, wraps and condiments, how do you define the perfect sandwich?

Start with great bread and the freshest, most seasonal ingredients possible and add a great spread to top it off.

“Indulgence” Fats in a Nourishing Diet

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I dislike labeling any food “good” or “bad,” but the terms do come in handy sometimes, especially when it comes to fats. Olive oil and avocados, which are full of monounsaturated fat, for instance. GOOD. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and flaxseeds. REALLY GOOD. Trans-fats. REALLY, REALLY BAD. But what about butter and bacon and cream? Are they all that bad?

That’s where I dispense with the “good” and “bad” labels and bring out a new one: Indulgence.

indulgence-healthy-fatsLet’s get one thing straight up-front. Our bodies need monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like those I mentioned above (olive oil, avocados, salmon, flaxseed, etc.). They play several essential roles like storing energy and regulating cell function, and also have a positive impact on blood lipid levels (they lower overall cholesterol and LDL while raising HDL). So these types of fats aren’t luxuries; they’re a necessary staple of a nourishing plate.

Saturated fat, on the other hand, is a luxury (and it raises LDL)—your body already makes all it needs. So there’s no need to look for ways to add saturated fat to your daily diet. But … saturated fats, which come primarily from meat and dairy, are the creamy, silky, buttery, melt-in your mouth fats that can pack a lot of pleasure into just a few calories, which can come in quite handy if your meals are heavy on veggies. Not every meal. Not every day. But every once in a while.

Which is why I call them “Indulgence Fats.” Here are a few ways to use them:

  • Butter – Butter is renowned for adding richness to a dish. Swirl in a tablespoon or so (off the heat) at the end of a sauté to give it body and depth. Or brown the butter slightly before sautéing your veggies, like we did with these Sauteed Radishes with Mint, for an even more complex flavor.
  • Cream – Cream brings a lush silkiness to foods. Whisk a tablespoon or two into a pasta sauce, like our Brussels Sprouts Carbonara, or dribble some into a pan sauce for a creamy texture.
  • Duck Fat – This may sound wacky, but duck fat is a terrific indulgence fat. Make our Revelationary Duck Confit, save the fat in a jar in the fridge and use it in place of oil to add ridiculous richness to things like mushrooms, onions and potatoes. One tablespoon (enough, quite frankly, to sauté mushrooms for four people) has just 4 grams of saturated fat, which is half the amount of butter.
  • Bacon – People tend to demonize bacon, which is too bad. One slice has just 40 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat, and it can add a LOT of flavor to a dish (it is high in sodium though, which is another thing entirely). Try these Clams with Bacon and Garlicky Spinach and you’ll see what I mean. I recommend chopping the raw bacon up and sautéing it with onion or garlic so the flavor permeates the ‘base’ of the dish. Then drain off all but a teaspoon or so of the fat and go on with your sauté.

Is this a green light to sit down and eat a package of bacon fried in butter for dinner tonight? Um, no. But you already know that. This is more about letting go of the paradigm that Indulgence Fats are “bad” and using them (occasionally) to enhance the wholesome foods you want to be eating more of.

Enjoy!

Expert Jill Hough’s Tips on the Best Wines for Spring

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Wine, like food, has a seasonal quality and now that it’s spring we asked Jill Silverman Hough, author of the new book 100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with the Wines You Love (Wiley), to share her tips on what to sip these days. If you enjoyed her fabulous (and easy) Coppa-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese with Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah this winter, you’ll love her Fish “Burgers” with Minted Napa Cabbage Slaw with Pinot Grigio now!

Spring has sprung! Do you find that as the light changes, the days get longer and warmer, you want different wines than you’ve been sipping all winter?

Definitely. Just as I crave salads in the spring and summer and stews and pot roast in the winter, I also crave different wines depending on the season. Frankly, I’m not sure if the wines I’m craving changes or if, since the food cravings change, I crave different wines because they’ll go better with those foods. Probably a little of both.

In general, what makes a wine more “spring” vs. winter or fall?

Wine preferences, and likes and dislikes about food and wine pairing, are highly personal, so it’s always important to me to acknowledge that there is no “right” thing to eat or drink and there are no hard and fast rules–other than that you should eat and drink whatever makes you happy.

That said, spring is light and bright and sunny and refreshing, so the wines that go with spring, and typical spring foods, will have similar qualities.

What are the best wines to serve with spring fare?

Right now, I’m craving light, bright whites: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, crisp Chardonnay. I also recently had a Viognier that I’m still thinking about.

I always think of white wines or roses in spring and summer, but are there reds that also make great sippers with spring dishes?

I’m with you regarding whites and roses in spring and summer, but I also enjoy Pinot Noir and Grenache during warmer weather. Sometimes the mood just calls for a red, and those two hit the spot because they’re lighter reds.

What’s your personal favorite go-to wine for spring?

It changes, depending on what I’m eating (or not) and what the weather is like. Right now, it’s a crisp sunny day in Napa and I could really go for a glass of crisp, sunny glass of Chardonnay.

How ‘Bout Them Bivalves?

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They’re cheap, quick-cooking, sustainable and downright yummy … yet most people I speak with are skittish about cooking bivalves like mussels and clams. Such a pity.

how-bout-them-bivalvesI came to love bivalves while in France. My first time eating mussels was at my maman’s house in Lyon, where she showed me how to cook moules marinere—mussels steamed with onions and tomatoes. This was a working-class household who watered their wine, and mussels fit their frugal budget. Of course, they were scrumptious too.

So if you’re interest is piqued and you’re feeling adventurous, let’s get some bivalves in your kitchen.

How to Buy and Store Bivalves

Mussels and clams are alive when you buy them (and, actually, when you cook them), so be sure to give them air. Your best bet is to lay a moist kitchen towel in a wide bowl and pour in the mussels or clams. Then fold the towel over the top and place in the fridge.

How to Cook Mussels and Clams

The shells should be tightly closed when you take them out of the fridge. If you find one that’s not, give it a little pinch (sometimes they’re just a little jolted from the cold); if it still doesn’t close tightly, pitch it in the trash.

Most mussels come “debearded” when you buy them these days, but check the flat seam of the shell for loose, hairy strands and tug them off if you see any. Soak clams in cold water for 10 minutes or so to loosen any grit, then transfer them to a colander and give them a rinse before cooking.

Mussels are a bit more delicate than clams and are best steamed—although don’t let that hamper your creativity. Try the classic onions, white wine and tomato sauce, or our lip-smacking Curried Mussels (makes my mouth water just thinking of them). Clams take to steaming well too, but they’re also happy being roasted or grilled. In any case, be sure to take bivalves off the heat shortly after they open to avoid drying them out.

How to Eat

My French maman taught me a fun trick to eating mussels. Take the first mussel out of the shell, and then use that shell as a pincher to pull the other mussels out one by one—no fork needed. With any steamed bivalves, too, there will be gorgeous broth to sop up; so plan ahead with some crusty bread or sticky brown rice.

And just in case you’re still feeling squeamish, here’s a little video I shot a while back actually cooking this dish—Clams with Bacon and Garlicky Spinach. Give it a gander and you’ll see how easy it is!

 

 

 

 

10 Ways to Dress Up Your Veggies

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Veggies are awesome. I am forever enamored with how many flavors and textures and colors there are to play with. And the fact that the palette changes each season makes me feel like a wide-eyed kid playing nature’s version of Iron Chef.

10-ways-to-dress-up-veggiesBut I can get in a rut with veggies too. I love the uber-simple Alberto’s Grilled Marinated Asparagus so much, for instance, that I make it over and over and over again. But then, that’s not very fun.

So I developed a little arsenal of ways to dress up any vegetable. Use these like shadows and highlights on your ever-changing palette of seasonal veggies to add a bit … more to something that’s already quite lovely. and by all means, mix and match at will.

  • Toasted nuts – Nuts have a lot of things going for them. Their (healthy) fat adds a touch of richness, they have an incredible range of flavor, and then … there’s that crunch. I like to chop or slice them rather than using whole nuts, both because I like the texture better and because it makes a little go a looong way.
  • Cheeses – Gone (I hope) are the days when vegetables had to be covered in a gooey blanket of cheese to be appealing. Fresh seasonal veggies from a CSA, farmers’ market or garden are way too interesting to be covered up like that. But a tiny bit of flavorful, pungent cheese—shredded, shaved or crumbled—is a wonderful addition to almost any veggie.
  • Brown butter – Try these Sautéed Radishes with Mint to see the effect brown butter has on veggies. Just a tad adds luxurious texture and deep, nutty, lip-smacking flavor.
  • Vinegar – Not all flavor additions have to do with fat. Vinegar—and vinaigrettes—brightens veggies even out of the salad bowl. Try our Roasted Beet Wedges with Champagne Vinegar to see how. I also like tossing our Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette with grilled or roasted veggies.
  • Spices – Simply adding a new spice to a basic dish elevates it to a whole new level. I make roasted broccoli all the time, for instance. Then I pushed the envelope and came up with Roasted Broccoli with Garlic Chips and Spanish Paprika.
  • Citrus zest – Citrus zest packs a surprisingly bright, tangy wallop. A little run of a lemon, lime or orange over a Microplane zester does wonders, especially on richer items like asparagus and potatoes.
  • Soy sauce and miso paste – Both soy sauce and miso paste are umami enhancers, which means they add that voluptuous mouthfeel to the foods. This is especially helpful for vegetables which, for the most part (the big exception being mushrooms), are low on the umami scale.
  • Grated aromatics – I like grating things like garlic, ginger and shallot onto veggies; I find the effect more pungent than simply sautéing them with minced or chopped aromatics. Do beware though: they can burn super-quickly. It’s best to add them in closer to the end of cooking, as I did with our Swiss Chard with Grated Garlic.
  • Honey – Honey truly gilds the lily when it comes to vegetables that have an inherent sweetness to them—like carrots (try our Honey-Ginger Roasted Carrots and you’ll see what I mean). Use it, too, as a semi-sweet counterpoint to salty and sour components like soy sauce and vinegar.

There are my 10 … have any you’d like to share?