Sunday, October 17, 2010

Green Beans Almondine

From: http://www.veganchef.com/

Green Beans Almondine

water
1 cup whole raw almonds
2 lbs. green beans, ends trimmed, and strings removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 T. freshly chopped parsley
2 t. freshly chopped thyme

Begin by blanching the almonds. In a small saucepan, place 3 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Add the almonds and cook for 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside for 3 minutes to cool. Remove the almonds from the water, squeeze each almond between your thumb and forefinger to remove the skin, and set them aside for 5 minutes to dry and cool. Using a sharp knife, split the almonds in half lengthwise, and set aside. Place the green beans in a large steamer basket and steam for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Transfer the steamed green beans to a large bowl. Season the green beans to taste with salt and pepper, toss gently, and set aside. In a non-stick skillet, place the olive oil and halved almonds, and cook the mixture over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until the almonds are golden brown. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Pour the hot almond mixture over the green beans and toss well to thoroughly coat the beans with the mixture.
Serves 6-8

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Feta Dressing

Wilted Spinach Salad with Warm Feta Dressing
  • 1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach leaves
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 medium red onion, halved, cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges with some core attached
  • 1 7-ounce package feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar

Preparation

Place spinach in large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with spinach; remove skillet from heat. Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil and cheese to skillet. Stir to melt cheese slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over spinach; toss to coat and wilt slightly.