SIDE DISHES

Rhubarb Chutney
Spinach Sauté with Brown Butter & Garlic
Jeweled Rice with Pistachios & Apricots
Roasted Beets with Balsamic Vinegar and Marjoram
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Warm Napa Cabbage Salad
Butternut Squash Casserole
Cape Cod Cranberry Cornbread

Rhubarb Chutney

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 Tb. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. dried crushed red pepper
4 cups fresh rhubarb (about 1½ lbs.) cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup dried tart cherries or golden raisins

Method

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large heavy pot with lid. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb, onion and dried cherries or raisins. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Let mixture cool completely.
2. Can be refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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Spinach Sauté with Brown Butter & Garlic

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter
4 cloves garlic, gently crushed and peeled
2 lg. bunches spinach, 16 oz., washed and stems trimmed
½ ea. lemon, halved
salt and pepper

Method

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the garlic until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
2. Raise the heat to high and add the spinach in batches. Flip and stir as needed until just barely wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat and remove the garlic if desired.
4. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
5. Toss and serve immediately.

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Jeweled Rice with Pistachios & Apricots

This is a traditional Persian accompaniment to just about any chicken, lamb or fish main course. You can vary the dried fruit as desired. Fresh pomegranate seeds would be a wonderful garnish on top — about ¼ cup is sufficient.

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati, rinsed several times
3½ cups chicken stock
2 Tbs. olive oil
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup dried apricots
½ cup toasted pistachio pieces
½ cup toasted almond slivers
salt and pepper

Method

1. Combine rice, chicken stock and olive oil in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. Decrease heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, uncover and check rice — if water isn't absorbed, re-cover and cook until rice is ready. If no water remains and rice is still hard, add a little (¼ cup) boiling water.
4. When rice is tender, remove from heat.
5. Cover the dried cranberries with warm water and soak for 10 minutes or until they plump up. Drain the cranberries and discard water.
6. Combine the cranberries, apricots, pistachios and almonds in a large bowl.
7. Add the warm rice, salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
8. Spoon the mixture onto a serving platter and mound it in the center like a pyramid. Serve.

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Roasted Beets with Balsamic Vinegar and Marjoram

Ingredients

8 medium beets
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. marjoram leaves, finely minced

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Wash the beets well. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the oil and roast on a baking sheet for 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours, or until you can pierce them easily with a knife. Remove from oven and let cool.
3. Peel, and cut into chunks then drizzle remaining olive oil and the balsamic vinegar over beets.
4. Garnish with marjoram and serve warm.

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Steamed Jasmine Rice

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1½ cup jasmine rice, rinsed
2¼ cup water
Pinch salt

Method

1. Place rinsed rice in bowl to rice cooker and add cold water. Press cook button, rice is done with button pops to keep warm. Appox. 20 minutes.
2. Let rice sit for 5 minutes and fluff with rubber spatular.

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Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

3 Tbs. canola oil
2 Tbs. ginger, chopped
1 lbs. sugar snap peas, washed and strings removed
1 orange, zest and juice
2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat saute pan over high heat with canola oil. Add ginger, peas and zest and saute until sugar snaps are bright green, shaking the pan to prevent sticking and uneven cooking.
2. Add juice and reduce. Remove from heat and add sesame seeds and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

3 heads garlic, split in half
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. potatoes, diced
¼ lbs. butter, cubed
¾ cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the garlic on a pie pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.
3. Squeeze or remove the garlic cloves from the head and place in a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the garlic until smooth.
4. Place the potatoes in a pot of salted, cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and drain.
5. Meanwhile, heat the cream up to a simmer. Place the potatoes back in the pot and return to the heat.
6. Add the garlic and butter. Using a hand-held masher, mash the butter and garlic into the potatoes. Add cream until desired texture is achieved. The potatoes should still be somewhat lumpy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Warm Napa Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

1 each Napa cabbage, shredded
1 cup Croutons (optional)
1 cup Crumbled blue cheese
½ lb. Smoked bacon, diced and cooked until crispy
2 cup Button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup Red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. Whole grain mustard
1¼ cup Olive oil

Method

1. Make a vinaigrette with the vinegar, mustard and all but a tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. In a sauté pan, heat the tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add the bacon and cook one minute. Remove from the heat and add the vinaigrette to the pan and then the blue cheese.
3. Toss the above with the napa cabbage and croutons and serve immediately.

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Butternut Squash Casserole

Use local squash and apples, if possible

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded, quartered and sliced into chunks (1-2")
1 medium winter squash of your choice peeled, seeded, quartered and sliced into chunks
2 tart apples peeled, cored and cut into chunks
¼ cup butter
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. cardamom
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup hard apple cider
Generous pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper as desired

Method

1. Cut butter into chunks and toss with all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Spread mixture in an even layer in a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min - 1 hour or until squash is fork-tender.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Cape Cod Cranberry Cornbread

Ingredients

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup buttermilk
6 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted (¾ stick)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Gently blend all ingredients except walnuts in a mixing bowl with a fork or rubber spatula.
3. Spread into a greased 9" square pan. Sprinkle with walnuts.
4. Bake 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Serve warm.

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