This is the kind of dish that conjures up daydreams of Italy. Scoop a spoonful onto rustic bread, take a bite and close your eyes. You’ll be transported—if only for a minute.
The time it takes to prep the artichokes is well worth the tasty bite at the other end.
You can follow the shortcut route with this recipe—with bottled peppers and canned tomatoes, even frozen artichoke hearts or bottoms—but if you have the time, use fresh artichokes and roast your own peppers. You’ll be glad you did. Turn on the radio, roll up your sleeves and have some fun in the kitchen.
You’ll need two-thirds of a 28-ounce can of tomatoes. Freeze the remainder in a covered plastic container for later use in soup, pasta sauce—you name it.
Raw kale is the perfect foil for garlic and lemon-laced Caesar dressing. The substantial leaves stand up to the thick, flavorful mix. I like to add some lettuce, too—to soften up the overall mouthful. You might add another green as well, perhaps a bit of spinach or arugula, or a few herbs. I developed the egg and anchovy-free dressing for my egg-avoiding, vegetarian husband. You’ll hardly miss either. The dressing is thick, fragrant and packs a lemony punch. Just what you’d expect with Caesar.
Try adding some ripe avocado to the bowl—it adds a pleasant creaminess to balance the crunch and chew.
Carrots always rank high on any veggie-oriented greatest hits list—most popular to grow in the garden; best for weight loss; favorite veggie to eat raw; healthiest snack on the run; and so on. If there was a lifetime achievement award in the produce world, they’d be a serious contender. Carrots are pleasantly crisp, sweet and bright tasting—a colorful feast for the eye, too. When you think about it though, these familiar faces mainly assume a supporting role on the plate—as healthy lunchbox sides; crunchy dip scoopers; building blocks for deeply-flavored soup; adds-in to a leafy salad. As directors of our personal mealtime productions, we rarely cast carrots in the starring role. More’s the pity as they’re capable of delivering a flavorful line in the spotlight.
This simple sauté of carrots and peas is quick to prepare, but loaded with flavor. You can substitute chopped spinach, sugar snap peas or shelled fava beans for the peas. Try adding some minced ginger root for extra spice.
Serve with Indian flat bread such as naan or roti (check out Trader Joe’s frozen section) or rice. Add a bowl of yogurt raita on the side for a complete meal.