Get Cooking

by Mollie Katzen

  1 pound spinach, fresh (stemming optional) or frozen

  1 tablespoon water

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  ½ teaspoon minced garlic

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1. If using fresh spinach, place it in a colander and rinse well. Shake to remove most, but not all, of the water clinging to the leaves. If using frozen spinach, thaw it in a colander by running it under room-temperature tap water, and then let it drain well, pressing out most of the excess liquid with the back of a spoon. (It doesn’t have to be bone-dry—just not soupy.)

  2. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium-low heat, add the tablespoon of water and the olive oil, and heat for about 30 seconds. Then add the spinach, and cover the pan. Let it cook, covered and undisturbed, for 30 seconds for fresh spinach or 1 minute for frozen. Then uncover, toss with tongs, and turn up the heat to medium-high.

  3. Add the garlic and salt, and cook, stirring with the tongs for about a minute longer, or until the spinach is wilted. Lift out the spinach with tongs, leaving behind any extra liquid. Serve right away.

  THE SPIN ON SPINACH

  The year-round availability of packaged prewashed baby spinach has made it so much simpler to enjoy this great vegetable more easily and more often. I often buy spinach loose, in bulk, rather than packaged, which is usually a less expensive way to go. Look for bulk spinach in the produce departments of many supermarkets and at farmers’ markets. I like to rewash the packaged prewashed spinach, just as I do the bulk-bought kind. It’s a simple procedure if you intend to cook the spinach, because you don’t need to spin it dry. The water still clinging to the leaves after you’ve shaken them a few times becomes part of the cooking process. (However, if your spinach is destined for a salad, spin it very dry.)

  * * *

  GET CREATIVE

  Add some black pepper and/or red pepper flakes along with the garlic.

  Drizzle the cooked spinach with a little high-quality olive oil or any roasted nut oil just before serving.

  Drizzle some toasted sesame oil over the cooked spinach and top with toasted sesame seeds.

  Squeeze lemon juice over the cooked spinach.

  Add a handful of raisins or currants along with the spinach.

  Once the spinach is cooked, sprinkle on some lightly toasted pine nuts, chopped toasted walnuts, or chopped apple.

  * * *

  braised brussels sprouts in mustard sauce

  Makes 2 to 3 servings

  Through this dish, I’ve discovered that many people who think they don’t like Brussels sprouts turn out to be wrong. The trick is to slice the sprouts thin and cook them until they’re very tender. This makes for a bit more work, but it elevates the sprouts to melt-in-your-mouth status. It’s worthy of becoming your Thanksgiving signature. For a change of pace—and a lovely sweet flavor that goes with the sauce—this recipe uses shallots instead of onions or garlic. They’re easy to find and easy to cut if you use a very sharp paring knife. You can use any kind of prepared mustard in this recipe. I have made it with everything from Dijon to good old French’s yellow.

  This recipe is vegan.

  1 pound Brussels sprouts

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  1/3 cup minced shallots (about two 3-ounce shallots)

  ½ teaspoon salt

  5 tablespoons water

  ¼ cup prepared mustard

  2 tablespoons light brown sugar

  Freshly ground black pepper

  1. Use a very sharp knife to cut off and discard the base of the Brussels sprouts. (As you do so, the outer leaves will fall off. Keep and use any that are not bruised!) Then slice a piece from one side, place the sprout cut side down (for slicing stability), and cut the sprout crosswise into about 5 slices (more or less, depending on its size). Repeat until you have cut up all the sprouts in this way.

  2. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the shallots, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the Brussels sprouts and salt, pour in 3 tablespoons of the water, and spread everything evenly across the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, combine the mustard, brown sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, and stir until blended.

  4. Once the Brussels sprouts have cooked for 5 minutes, pour in the mustard mixture, stirring to distribute it well. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes.

  5. Stir again, and decide if you like the sprouts cooked to this degree or if you want to cook them a bit more. You can leave the skillet on the stove over low heat for up to 5 minutes longer, in which case the sprouts will brown and become more intensely flavored—it’s your call. Serve hot or warm, topped with a generous amount of black pepper.

  * * *

  GET CREATIVE

  Use pure maple syrup in place of the brown sugar.

  Throw in up to ½ cup dried cranberries or golden raisins along with the Brussels sprouts.

  Sprinkle some chopped toasted hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds over the finished dish.

  Scatter some thinly sliced fresh spinach or arugula (just a handful of leaves) over the finished dish—a beautiful green contrast to the yellow sprouts.

  * * *

  dark leafy greens with very sweet onions

  Makes 4 servings

  Here’s your opportunity to become acquainted with some of those mysterious edible dark green leaves you are being told are so good for you. I recommend using some combination of kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and chard to complement the sweet flavor of the onions. Other possible candidates include spinach, escarole, beet greens, dandelion greens, and turnip greens. Don’t be put off by the apparent enormity of the quantity of greens. They cook down dramatically.

  This recipe is vegan.

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  2 medium red or yellow onions, chopped

  3 large bunches fresh greens, stemmed if necessary, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups chopped)

  ½ teaspoon salt

  Freshly ground black pepper

  1. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions, turn the heat to high, and sauté for 2 minutes. Then reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, for another 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and soft.

  2. Add the greens in three or four batches, sprinkling them very lightly with some of the salt after each addition. As they cook, turn the leaves with tongs, bringing the wilted ones from the bottom to the top of the pile.

  3. When all the greens have wilted to your liking, grind on a generous amount of black pepper, and serve hot or warm.

  LARGE GREEN LEAVES TAKE OVER THE WORLD (OR AT LEAST YOUR REFRIGERATOR)

  Green leafy vegetables are huge until they’re cooked, and they can present a volume challenge for your refrigerator. They’re also fairly perishable. Two solutions: Either simply cook and eat them the same day you buy them, thus avoiding the need to store them at all, or, precook them slightly. When you get home from the store, put a large pot of water to boil over high heat, and set a colander on a plate next to the stove. When the water boils, turn the heat down to a simmer. Rinse your bundle of greens, still bundled, under cold water, and then dip the leaves (holding the bundle by the stems with tongs) into the hot water for about 10 seconds. As you remove the leaves from the water, shake as much of the water as you can back into the pot; then let them drain in the colander for a few minutes. Take the colander to the sink, and use your hands to squeeze any excess water out of the leaves. After squeezing, you will have a tight little bundle of partly cooked leaves, with their volume many times reduced (and their refrigerator shelf life many times increased). Transfer the bundle to a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to several days. When it’s time to make this recipe,
simply slice the bundle into strips, and proceed.

  * * *

  GET CREATIVE

  Add up to 12 medium-sized stemmed, sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms along with the onions.

  Add ½ teaspoon minced garlic just before you begin adding the greens.

  For more sweetness, use Vidalia or Maui onions (two very sweet varieties) instead of regular onions.

  Use a high-quality olive oil for sautéing, and drizzle a little more on at the end.

  Drizzle the cooked greens with any roasted nut or seed oil.

  Gently stir in up to 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or ricotta salata just before serving.

  This is wonderful served over pasta, such as penne or rigatoni.

  Add a handful of dried cherries or golden raisins along with the greens. Or, at the end of cooking, stir in up to 1 cup drained canned unsweetened sour cherries.

  Sprinkle up to ½ cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts on the finished dish.

  Serve with a big chunk of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

  * * *

  urban-grilled summer squash

  Makes 4 servings

  The definition of “grilled” is up for grabs. You can use a grill or a grill pan (with raised ridges that sear those telltale stripes onto the food). I extend the definition to include this easy method: simply searing something in a pan and not moving it while it cooks (thus allowing it to acquire a delectable golden-brown crusty underside). It’s the grilling method for when you live on the fifth floor and you’d probably get evicted if you cooked on a hibachi on your windowsill. Hence the name “Urban-Grilled.” It works with any of the thin-skinned, quick-cooking squash varieties, like yellow pattypan, green or yellow zucchini (a combination of the two looks great), or yellow crookneck. To avoid overcrowding the pan (which would “urban-steam” the squash, rather than grilling it), you can brown it in batches as directed and/or set up two or more pans for browning.

  This recipe is vegan.

  2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

  2 medium red or yellow onions, thinly sliced

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 good-sized clove)

  1½ pounds summer squash, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices or ½-inch cubes

  Freshly ground black pepper

  1. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions and half of the salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions become very tender and lightly golden. During the last minute or so of cooking, stir in the garlic. Then transfer the mixture to a serving bowl that will be large enough to hold the squash as well, and set aside.

  2. Without cleaning it, return the pan to the heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil, swirling once again to coat the pan. Add as much of the squash as will fit in a single layer, and cook without stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, or until very golden on the bottom.

  3. Use a thin-bladed metal spatula to carefully loosen each piece and flip it over. Let it cook, undisturbed, on the second side for 1 to 2 minutes, until deeply golden brown on the bottom.

  4. Loosen the pieces with the spatula again, and add them to the bowl holding the onion mixture.

  5. Repeat the browning process with the remaining squash, adding more oil as needed, in as many batches as necessary.

  6. When all of the squash has been cooked, toss it gently with the onions. (Try not to break the squash any more than necessary, but don’t fret if you do.) Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a good amount of black pepper. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

  * * *

  GET CREATIVE

  Add ½ teaspoon dried thyme to the onions, or sprinkle the finished dish with 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (or minced parsley, or snipped chives).

  Scatter 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint over the finished dish.

  Drizzle a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar over each batch of squash in the pan, just before you transfer it to the bowl. Or drizzle a few teaspoons of pomegranate molasses (see Get Cooking) over the finished dish.

  Sprinkle up to ¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts over the squash mixture just before serving.

  Add up to ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese when you stir the onions and squash together.

  * * *

  winter squash au naturel

  Makes 4 servings

  Eager to get you acquainted with winter squash (see “Squash for All Seasons,” Chapter 7: Sides), I’ve decided to keep it very basic here. You’ll simply roast it cut in half, and serve it that way. You can mash it with a fork directly in the skin, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper, maybe melt in a little butter. But start plain and see how you like it (and also see how the particular squash in front of you tastes—the sweetness can vary, depending on growing and harvesting conditions). Believe it or not, the only tricky part about preparing winter squash is cutting it. The combination of its very hard skin and its round shape makes it a knife challenge, so proceed slowly and carefully. (Safest technique: Insert the point of a good sharp knife first, and use a gentle sawing motion to initiate the cutting.) Once you’ve split the squash, use scissors to cut loose the strands of pulp around the seeds, and then scrape the seeds away with a spoon. Discard the seeds or reserve them to toast—see Chapter 1: Soups).

  Figure on about ½ pound of squash per serving, and plan accordingly. Ideally, you will find a 1-pound acorn squash for every two servings, or a 2-pound butternut that you can quarter for serving four.

  This recipe is vegan.

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  2 pounds winter squash (acorn, butternut, or delicata)

  1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with foil, and pour on the olive oil. Use your fingers to distribute the oil so that it coats the area where you’ll put the squash.

  2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds. If the squash is very large, cut each half in half again, crosswise this time.

  3. Place the squash, cut side down, on the olive oil coating. Put the tray in the oven, and roast the squash until it is tender enough to easily insert a fork or a sharp knife into the flesh: 15 to 20 minutes for delicata, 35 to 40 minutes for acorn or butternut.

  4. Remove the tray from the oven, and let the squash pieces rest for about 10 minutes before turning them over. Serve hot or warm, in the skin, with forks for mashing and/or spoons for scooping.

  DELICATA A SQUASH WORTH ITS STRIPES

  The next time you’re hunting for produce, check out delicata squash. They’re small (averaging about ½ pound) pale yellow ovals with bright orange and deep green stripes—often so beautiful that you might want to keep a bowlful around just to look at. When you cut them open, you’ll see a large seed cavity and flesh that tends to be only ½-inch thick, or less. Thus, they cook in about half the time of their winter squash cousins. And their flavor is subtle to the point of ethereal.

  * * *

  GET CREATIVE

  It’s fun to have an assortment of condiments at the table and let each person customize his or her squash. Use any of the following:

  Butter, at room temperature

  Salt and pepper

  Balsamic vinegar

  Brown sugar

  Real maple syrup

  Pomegranate seeds and/or pomegranate molasses (see Get Cooking)

  Wedges of lemon or lime

  Chopped crystallized ginger

  Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

  * * *

  SQUASH FOR ALL SEASONS

  Most types of squash are available most of the time, yet we still refer to some as summer squash (zucchini, yellow crookneck, pattypan) and others as winter squash (butternut, acorn, delicata). The categories really have more to do with characteristics than with seasons. Summer squash have thin, edible skin and very pale, tender flesh with negligible seeds (all of which traits are especially evident in smaller, younger sp
ecimens), and they cook very, very quickly on a stovetop or grill. They’re also quite perishable and need to be refrigerated. Winter squash, on the other hand, are encased in hard, inedible skin, tend to have golden-hued, sturdy flesh, and contain a pocket of seeds that you need to remove. (Not unlike when you make a jack-o’-lantern. In fact, pumpkins are a type of winter squash. But you knew that.) Winter squash have a long larder life, meaning you don’t need to refrigerate them; they will keep for weeks if stored out of direct sunlight. Winter squash is usually baked unpeeled, in seeded halves, and then the flesh is often scooped out and made into some other fine concoction (such as the soup on Chapter 1: Soups). Rarely is it just presented on its own, playing itself, totally unscripted and with no makeup. And this is a shame, because “just plain” winter squash is a delightful thing—sweet from its own natural character, delicate in flavor, and full of excellent nutrients (most notably fiber and vitamins) with very few calories.