String Beans With Ginger And Garlic

This is the perfect accompaniment to any Chinese entree.  It is also wonderful with grilled steak.


Ingredients


Salt

2 1/2 pounds string beans (French-style slim haricots verts work especially well), trimmed

4 tablespoons vegetable or sesame oil

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger (about 6 inches ginger root, peeled)

4 medium-size garlic cloves, minced

Soy Sauce (optional)


Preparation


1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Working in two batches, boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 4 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking, lift out immediately when cool and drain on towels. (Recipe can be made to this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)

2.When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add half the beans, half the ginger and half the garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining oil, beans, ginger and garlic. Serve.

Add soy sauce if you wish

YIELD 10 servings .

Golden Broccoli Gratin

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and olive oil are combined with panko, the coarsely ground Japanese bread crumbs, to form a crisp, golden brown topping for this broccoli gratin.

The only thing I would suggest is that you sautee the onions first until translucent and then proceed to make the cream sauce in the same pan.  In that case, chop the onions instead of slicing them. Add the bay leaf once the cream is made.



Ingredients:

Kosher salt, to taste

2 lb. broccoli

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup panko

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 Tbs. olive oil

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350ºF.

Bring a large saucepan of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Cut the heads from the broccoli stalks and cut the heads into small florets. Peel the stalks and thinly slice. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl filled with ice water, then drain well.

In a 10-inch fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until well incorporated and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the onion and bay leaf and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and add the Gruyère, stirring until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully fold in the broccoli and spread in an even layer.

In a small bowl, stir together the panko, Parmigiano-Reggiano and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the panko mixture over the broccoli mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the gratin is golden and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 4 to 6.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Family Meals, by Maria Helm Sinskey (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Butternut Squash With Brown Butter

Ingredients


Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon dark brown-sugar

Directions

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add squash; saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, about 16 minutes.

Add chicken broth, the water, and brown sugar; cook until liquid has evaporated and squash is nicely caramelized, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Recipe:  Martha Stewart