Side Dish Recipes | DanaSlatkin.com

Sauteed Spinach with Porcini-Truffle Powder

10/18/2010 By dana Leave a Comment

I am not one to use gadgets in the kitchen. In fact, my friends are baffled that I do not even own a standing mixer. But to me, the math is simple: If [storage space] + [time required to assemble, clean and disassemble] the thing equals or exceeds [time spent accomplishing same task with own two hands], then said gadget is not worth the investment. There are two exceptions. One is my beloved KitchenAid food Processor, signed by Jacques Pepin and his daughter Claudette at a charity auction, which can elegantly grate through 10 potatoes in less than a minute. Even yours truly, the empress of Potato Latkes can’t touch that. The other is my spice grinder, which can turn dried porcini mushrooms into a flavor-charged powder … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

02/08/2010 By dana Leave a Comment

My children love macaroni and cheese, but they will only eat the kind that comes from a box. It has always been a source of contention between us, because I don’t do anything from a box unless I am incapacitated. So mac ’n cheese was something the kids would enjoy at their friends’ homes, like bacon and sugary cereals. But as you know by now, I love a challenge. The other night, I attempted to cook the classic comfort food from scratch, using spelt pasta and real cheese. How did it go over? Let’s just say, I wouldn’t be gleefully sharing the recipe if the dish hadn’t been licked clean. It was creamy and cheesy, with just the right amount of sauce (my kids even admitted the packaged kind never came with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Brussels Sprouts Two Ways: Chips and Roasted with Anchovies and Dates

11/23/2009 By dana Leave a Comment

Brussels Sprout ChipsAre you a lover or hater? The mere mention of brussels sprouts seems to always elicit either a fervent grimace or rapturous smile. In my family, I was outnumbered four to one. In fact, for years, I never bothered to buy brussels sprouts because I knew no one could stand the cabbage-y smell, much less the taste. But you know me well enough by now to sense another imminent cooking challenge. Could I get my husband to embrace the little green buds after a lifetime of rejecting them? Would my children, 3-year-old included, ever learn to appreciate brussels sprouts and even gobble them up enthusiastically? My only shot at success was to find a way to make them irresistibly salty and crunchy, like chips. With my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes, Snack Recipes

Sweet Potato Coconut Crumble

11/20/2009 By dana 5 Comments

The lovely ladies who attended my Thanksgiving cooking class this week received quite a shock at 10 in the morning: I don’t do turkey. I know it’s terribly un-American, but I just can’t bring myself to buy one of those poor, factory-produced, hormone-pumped birds, let alone eat one. It didn’t help that I watched Food, Inc. over the weekend and was still reeling from the eye-popping exposé on our country’s meat-packing facilities. We spent the morning cooking seven delectable recipes for everything but the bird. There was a delicious salad of butter lettuce, Gorgonzola cheese, candied pecans and Honey-Tangerine Vinaigrette; Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce; Brussel Sprout Chips; Wild Mushroom Potato Gratin; Savory Chestnut, Sage … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes

Wild Mushroom Potato Gratin

11/18/2009 By dana 1 Comment

On my way home from the grocery store the other day, something twinkling from above caught my eye and made me gasp. It confirmed what I had seen the day after Halloween but had put out of my mind for a couple weeks, too busy to acknowledge. It was a red and gold tinsel-strewn street lamp. Yes, even here in Beverly Hills, with the sun still shining and flip-flops still the footwear of choice, the holidays have begun to take over the streets. Since I offered to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year, I decided to face down my denial and shift into high hostess gear. So I began to dig through my bulging file of recipes, sorting out the grease-splattered ones I had scrawled with happy faces or “yum!” and tossing those that weren’t so memorable. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Stuffed Eggplant-Mushroom Parmesan

10/18/2009 By dana Leave a Comment

With fall in full swing, I’m in an aubergine mood. It’s not only my favorite color (after all, I am an Aquarius) but also one of the most versatile vegetables on the stands right now. The other day, I fell madly in love with some darling baby eggplants at the Santa Monica Farmers Market. There were tiny purple ones the size of your index finger and striped green ones that looked like Christmas ornaments. I stuffed my bags with dozens of them, planning to use them to decorate the table for a dinner party I was giving. They ended up being the talk of the evening. You can see I added some pomegranates and artichokes as well… The next morning, I pulled all the eggplants out of their vases and turned them into a stuffing for some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes

Summer Corn Puddings

08/07/2009 By dana 1 Comment

Summer is in full swing, and the corn stalks are stretching towards blue skies everywhere. Sure, often I simply throw some cobs on a grill, even brush them with a little garlic butter, and pile them on a platter — a perfectly reliable side dish for an August gathering. After all, summer vacation is long; by now my creative energy has been depleted by weeks of having to keep three kinetic kids active all day. But when the occasional summer rains interrupt, I will bring out the board games for the kids and head straight for the kitchen to cook up something warm and comforting. This is one of those dishes that looks and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen but is actually a breeze to pull together. The puddings are especially … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes

Roasted Purple Cauliflower

05/19/2009 By dana Leave a Comment

On a recent trip to the farmers market, a certain vegetable stopped me in my Converse tracks. A purple cauliflower is an unusual but smile-inducing sight, like a cherubic child with candy-blue lips. This marvel of cross-breeding has slightly sweet and nutty flavors similar to its white, orange and green siblings, which is why this preparation is my personal favorite. Because cauliflower soaks up the juices in which it is cooked, I like to infuse olive oil with loads of savory flavors and then roast the beautiful florets, turning them a deep violet that will either intrigue or spook your guests. Cauliflower of any hue will last a good week or more when stored in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator (if it comes wrapped in plastic, remove … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Side Dish Recipes