ROASTED CAULIFLOWER---JOYCE'S FAVORITE

 "Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education."

Mark Twain , from Pudd'nhead Wilson.

If cauliflower is a cabbage with a college education, then this purple cauliflower must have a graduate degree.

Neither Joyce or I like roasted broccoli although it is very popular in my family.  Since I didn't like the broccoli, I have never tried roasting cauliflower.  Joyce changed my mind and it is delightful roasted with a dusting of Parmesan cheese when it leaves the oven.  

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER----JOYCE'S FAVORITE

Cauliflower

Olive oil

Salt 

Pepper

Parmesan cheese

Ingredients:  Cauliflower, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Thoroughly rinse or soak cauliflower to remove sand and any bugs.  Cut off the leaves and remove the core.  Cut the whole cauliflower into florets.  Put florets on a cookie sheet with sides.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.  Toss to coat all the florets.  Roast in preheated 400° oven for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the florets.  About half way through the cooking time, turn cauliflower over with a spatula.  Cauliflower is done when tender.  Pierce with the tines of a fork to determine tenderness.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

FUN ADDITIONS:  Add some chopped garlic to the cauliflower before roasting.  Sprinkle with some lime juice along with the olive oil.  Add some chopped pimiento or chopped red pepper for color.  Add some red and yellow cherry tomatoes to roast with the cauliflower.  The cauliflower season is long, enjoy it often with different flavors and additions.

Remove the leaves and core.

Cut into florets and place on rimmed cookie sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.

Place into a preheated 400° oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the florets.  Half way through cooking turn over the cauliflower with a spatula.  Cauliflower is done when it is tender when pierced with the tines of a fork.  Remove from oven and place in serving dish.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

When heat from the cauliflower softens the cheese, serve.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!!!

LAKE MICHIGAN WHITEFISH AMBER-STYLE---THE FISH MONGER'S WIFE

 

Amber, the Fish Monger's Wife, hard at work.

Tom's cousin, Joyce, and I had so much fun going to the Muskegon, Grand Haven, and Holland Farmer's Markets while she was here visiting from Mississippi.  One of our favorite vendors in Muskegon is Amber who sells the freshest Lake Michigan Whitefish and Lake Trout.

Home base of the Fish Mongers.

Since Joyce and I are always on the hunt for new recipes, we were intrigued when Amber told us that she seasoned her Whitefish with Turmeric, White Pepper, and Cumin.  I had all the spices on my shelf so our dinner that night was Amber's Whitefish.  We were all very happy with the results.  The turmeric gives the grilled or skillet fried/baked fish a deep-fried color.  The cumin adds a warm earthy taste to the fish; however, it is pungent and should be used sparingly.  Spicy warmth comes from the white pepper.  The three spices are sometimes called the "holy spice trifecta."

LAKE MICHIGAN WHITEFISH AMBER-STYLE

Whitefish fillets, or other mild tasting fish

Turmeric

Cumin

White pepper

Ingredients:  Turmeric, cumin, white pepper, and whitefish fillets.

Lime.  

I am probably the only person who doesn't like lemon on fish.  However, I learned last week that I love lime squeezed over fish.  It is wonderful.  Do try it!!!!

Sprinkle turmeric on the fillet side of the fish.  Lightly sprinkle the cumin on the fish.  Sprinkle with white pepper to taste.  Grill or pan fry/bake.  

 

See the Michigan Cottage Cook post on fish grilling or pan fry/bake methods:   http://michigancottagecook.blogspot.com/2010/07/fish-fillets-two-ways.html

 Beautiful fresh caught fish with pin-bones removed.

 Sprinkle with white pepper.

 Lightly sprinkle with cumin. 

 Sprinkle with turmeric.

Cousin John took over the grilling now that Tom is gone.

Serve with slices of lime for squeezing over the fish.  Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!

BAKED SWEET CORN. IF YOU HAVEN'T TRIED IT, YOU MUST. IT IS THE EASIEST AND TASTIEST WAY TO COOK CORN.

 Customers have been known to fight when the supply for the day of Dutch Love corn is getting down to a very few ears.

The quickest, easiest way to cook fresh sweet corn on the cob is to take the corn out of the bag from the Farmer's Market or grocery store and put the corn just as it is on the oven racks in a 350° oven.  Bake for 30 minutes.  The corn will be perfectly cooked.  The husks and silk will peel off easily.  Have a bag ready to throw away the husks and a stick of butter, if you want it--I eat mine plain, ready on which to roll the corn.  Salt, if desired.

SCHNOODLE LOVE.

Poor Izzy.  She sometimes gets called "porky".  Then others tell me that I feed her as if she was a German Shepherd like Katrinka.  She has also been told that she looks like a pig.  She now would like to silence her critics and to put all their false statements to rest.

Here she is after her visit to the vet.  She due for her summer grooming.  Look how thin her leg is where the vet put the bandage.

Isn't it great, the vet put a pink bandage on me.

 I am done having my picture taken.

IZZY'S ANSWER TO ALL HER CRITICS IS, "I AM NOT FAT, I AM FLUFFY.

 See how svelte I am?

 All the fluffy has been trimmed off for the summer.  My great shape has been revealed.

My advice to all is don't listen to your critics!!!  You know how great you are under the fluff that people see.  Love, Izzy

ROASTED BEETS WITH CARROTS, POTATOES AND ONION. ROASTED BEET ARE SO SWEET THEY TASTE LIKE CANDY!!

Beets at the Grand Haven Farmer's Market. 

Tom's beloved cousins, John and Joyce, are staying at their cottage in Highland Park, Grand Haven.  They are from Mississippi and think our hot days are a breeze!  Joyce enjoys farmer's markets as much as I do.  The produce in the markets are things she can't get in the summer because of the hot weather in Mississippi.  She and I are always looking for different ways to serve the abundance of fruit and vegetables available right now.

Joyce decided to roast beets.  She peeled them.  They were delicious, but I didn't want to go to the work of peeling them.  By now you know I am either lazy or I just like things simple and quick.  Also my Mom always insisted that all the vitamins and minerals were right under the skin so she rarely peeled vegetables.  I tried roasting them with their skins on and we all liked them equally as well as those that were peeled. 

Sweet fresh carrots which I didn't peel either.

Combining the beets with carrots adds extra sweetness to the dish.  We also added German Butterball Potatoes and Sweet onions.  Every time we made our roasted vegetables the bowl was licked cleaned.

Roasted beets, carrots, potatoes and onions ready to serve.

ROASTED BEETS WITH CARROTS, POTATOES AND SWEET ONIONS


Fresh beets, sliced
Fresh carrots, sliced
Potatoes, sliced
Sweet onions, quartered and sliced
Olive oil
Salt 
Pepper

Ingredients:  Beets, carrots, sweet onions, potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Wash the produce.  Cut into slices and put on a cookie sheet with sides.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Put in a 425° to 450° oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  Turn over the vegetables half way through the baking time.  

Rinse dirt off the vegetables.

Cut off the ends of the beets, carrots and onions.  Cut beets in half and slice.

 

Sliced beets.

Place sliced beets on a rimmed cookie sheet.

Slice carrots.

Place carrots on the baking pan.

Slice potatoes.

Take the skin off the onions and slice.

Drizzle vegetables with olive oil. 

Salt to taste.

Sprinkle with black pepper.

Toss to coat the vegetables with oil, salt and pepper.

Bake in a 450° oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  Turn vegetables over half way through baking time.

 

Roasted vegetables ready to serve.

Sweet, salty, crispy, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!!!!!!!