Category: Vegetables + Salads

I like the ritual of meeting friends for a weekend brunch but I’m usually disappointed with the menu selections. Unless I’m meeting something at Barney Greengrass in New York City, I’d rather cook my own brunch feast.

Ingredients:
5 large eggs
1 large tomato, sliced thinly
1 bunch baby spinach, thoroughly washed, coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400º. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a large nonstick and oven-proof skillet and sauté onions and thyme. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with milk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables, gently lifting them to let egg mixture coat the bottom of the skillet. Arrange tomatoes on top. Cook until the sides are a little toasted but the top still runny.
3. Tranfer to oven and cook until the center is firm and tomatoes are browned, about 15 minutes. To serve, loosen with a heatproof spatula.

I can never ignore a fennel and cheese salad on a menu. It’s so easy to make your own version at home. I like to make this salad before I start cooking because it ties me over until the main course is done. The key is to use lemon juice so that the fennel doesn’t change color. A good quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is the default but I rather like it with a golden Pecorino.

Ingredients:
1 bulb fennel, sliced thinly
Pecorino cheese, or any other hard cheese, shaved
juice of half of lemon
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. In a small bowl, toss fennel with lemon juice. Toss in the rest of the ingredients and transfer to a serving platter.

Related post/s:
Where to buy good cheese

Oyster mushrooms are incredibly cheap in Chinatown. They’re usually white or of a light brown color and they look more like fans than the familiar capped mushrooms. You can add a little cornstarch when making the sauce to thicken it, but I left it out. I prefer thickening the sauce by simmering it until it has the consistency I’m happy with.

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh oyster mushrooms, cleaned and wiped with a paper towel, sliced in smaller pieces
half a pound of string beans, destringed, cut in half
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 bunch spinach, thoroughly washed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
a small knob of fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
2 tbsps rice wine
salt

Sauce:
3 1/2 tbsps oyster sauce
1 1/2 tbsps rice wine
1 1/4 tbsps sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 1/2 tsps canola oil

1. Prepare sauce by combining all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a large skillet, add 1 tsp of oil and heat until hot. Add string beans, garlic, onions, rice wine and salt. Toss until beans are tender. Add a little water and cook until dry. Remove from the skillet to a serving plate.
3. Using the same skillet, add another tsp of oil and heat until hot. Sauté garlic, onions and ginger. Add mushrooms and toss with heat-resistant spatula for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sauce and toss slightly to thicken, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Serve on top of the beans.

Sweet potatoes, or yam, are readily available in larger supermarkets. They’re very starchy with a hint of sweetness and make a great side dish with roasted chicken.

Ingredients:
half a pound of sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Toss and shake all the ingredients in a covered bowl.
2. Transfer to a shallow baking pan and roast until tender and the edges start to brown, about 30 minutes.