Kristen's Recipes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 wide strips orange zest, plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 bunches asparagus (about 1 pound each), trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths (or sugar snap peas)
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves

In a small saucepan, bring oil, orange zest, and red-pepper flakes to a simmer over medium-high and cook 3 minutes. Remove chili-orange oil from heat and set aside. (To store, refrigerate cooled oil in an airtight container, up to 3 days.) Working in 2 batches, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus and green beans separately until bright-green and crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon chili-orange oil over high. Add half the vegetables and cook, stirring often, until warmed through and tender, 3 minutes. Stir in half the basil, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a platter. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and remaining vegetables and basil. Drizzle with remaining oil and orange juice and serve immediately.

3 pounds medium beets, preferably a mix of colors
One 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Salt
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup chopped tarragon
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted pistachios
1/4 cup celery leaves, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375°. Arrange the beets in a roasting pan and add the cinnamon, bay leaves and water. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the beets are tender; transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool; discard the liquid and spices. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the shallot, vinegar and a large pinch of salt. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the orange zest, tarragon, parsley, chives and oil; season with salt. Peel and trim the beets and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the beet slices in overlapping rows on a platter. Stir the herb dressing and spoon it over the beets. Scatter the pistachios and celery leaves on top and serve.

2 pounds (1 kilo) mushrooms (chanterelles, shiitake, or even button mushrooms will work)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Under a thin stream of cold water, lightly wash mushrooms and remove their feet. Use a clean dish towel to dry the mushrooms, then cut them into uniform slices, about ¼ inch thick. Heat the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the onion and shallot until transparent, about 3–5 minutes. In the meantime, stir together garlic and parsley in a small bowl. Add mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have given their juice and then the juice has been cooked off, 3–5 minutes. Add parsley and garlic and cook another 2–3 minutes, before the parsley begins to wilt. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, tips and stalks separated
1 T. mild curry paste (such as Patak’s)
½ cup vegetable broth

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the asparagus stalks and curry paste, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Add the asparagus tips. Cook until the asparagus is just tender. Transfer the asparagus and sauce to a serving dish. Serve hot or at room temperature.

9 small and medium yellow onions
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, thinly sliced
coarse sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
fresh rosemary sprigs

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the tops off of each onion, but leave most of the skins on the onion. Arrange the onions in a square baking dish or a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the onions. Place a thin pat of butter on each onion. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and top with a rosemary sprig. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbling and tender. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes until the onions are completely tender and the tops are browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove the skins, slice and enjoy warm.

1 pound carrots
6 to 8 fresh cloves Garlic
4 or more T. butter
1/2 tsp. pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Chopped Fresh parsley

Peel carrots and slice diagonally into 1 inch lengths. Peel garlic and slice thinly lengthwise. Place carrots and garlic in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan with enough water to barely cover. Add butter and pepper and cook, covered over medium heat until carrots are tender. Remove cover and cook over high heat until water has boiled away and carrots are glazed with butter about 5 minutes. Salt to taste and garnish with chopped parsley.

1 medium head of cauliflower
2 T. heavy cream
2 T. butter
1/3 C. shredded sharp cheddar
4 egg whites
Salt & pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Clean and trim the cauliflower, adding the florets to a microwave safe bowl. Add the cream and butter to the bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cheese to a magic bullet or food processor and blend until still chunky – kind of like a cooked oatmeal consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for at least half an hour. Whip the egg whites to a stiff peak. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cauliflower mixture to lighten it up. Then fold the cauliflower mixture into the rest of the egg whites and gently mix until combined. For best results, chill for another half hour or they won’t hold their shape as well. Fit a pastry bag with a round or star tube with about a 3/4 inch opening. Spray the inside of the bag with nonstick spray. Gently squeeze out 1 inch sections onto a greased cookie sheet, cutting with a butter knife as you go. When finished, bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes (or longer if you’re skipping the frying) until puffed and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and serve – or heat 1/4 inch of oil in a sauté pan and when it’s very hot add the tots. It doesn’t need long, a minute per side to turn them golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup red wine
16 oz. mushrooms (I used cremini, but you can use whatever kind you want)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted and begins to bubble, add in garlic, stirring frequently, until it turns just golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in red wine and return mixture simmer. Add in mushrooms and toss to coat with sauce. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Remove lid, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking on medium-low heat for an additional 5-8 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through and the bottoms are golden. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle parsley over the top

1¼ pounds zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini)
½ teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Cut zucchini in half crosswise, then cut each half into 4 lengthwise sticks. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano and garlic, and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and lemon peel, and sauté for about 3 minutes until zucchini is lightly browned. Mix in Parmesan cheese and pepper. Serve warm.

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground (see note)
1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 T. balsamic vinegar
3 T. tamari or soy sauce
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned with a damp towel

Preheat the broiler. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, cumin, chili powder, pepper, vinegar, tamari and olive oil. Immerse the mushrooms completely in the marinade for 10 to 15 minutes. Place the mushroom caps button-side down in a baking dish. Brush marinade onto the mushrooms. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are brown and dry. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Note: To toast seeds, place in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until seeds are fragrant, shaking the pan to keep the seeds from scorching.