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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tunisian Roasted Cauliflower

1 Head Organic Cauliflower
1 Medium Onion-Organic (Red, Yellow, Vadalia-whatever you prefer)Slice in half and slice thinly
2 Cups Medium Diced Organic Carrots
1 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2 tsp Kosher Salt + 1/2-1 tsp to toss with cauliflower after it is roasted
1 tsp Tumeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBSP Smoked Paprika
1 tsp ground Ginger
1/3 Cup Fresh Chopped Italian Parsley (washed/dried in salad spinner)
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1-2 TBSP to use after cauliflower is roasted
1 Fresh Lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove core from cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces (not too small). Wash in cold water and drain. In a large mixing bowl, toss cauliflower, carrots, and onions with olive oil.
After you toss veggies in olive oil, add garlic powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, turmeric, ginger, paprika, and cinnamon. Toss veggies with seasoning until thoroughly coated.

On a baking sheet (either lined with parchment or sprayed with pan spray), spread veggies out flat. Do not over crowd veggies, they will steam and not roast if they are crowded on pan. You may need to use two sheet pans depending on the size of your pans.

Roast veggies in oven for 15 minutes, gently move veggies around on pan with a spatula.
Continue to roast for another 15 minutes, stir veggies around again. Check to see if they are tender. Veggies are done when tender and some of the veggies are golden in color. Depending on your oven, this will take 30-45 minutes.

I use a convection oven for all my cooking so, this recipe takes about 30 minutes in my oven. If you are using a conventional oven, it will take a little longer.

When veggies are done, remove from pan and place in a large mixing bowl. Season to taste with additional olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Rotisserie Chicken Salad

This is for Steph White.  She was upset about Rotisserie Chicken Salad she purchased at a local grocery store.  The list of ingredients was long & most were unrecognizable.  If you can't pronounce the ingredient or don't know what it is, don't buy it.  Here is a tip: if you are going to buy an item from the deli, ask the clerk to print the ingredient label from the scale before you buy it.  You would be surprised what's in some of that stuff!! 

I created this chicken salad recipe while working at D'Amico & Sons in Minneapolis.  I was working with D'Amico & SUPERTarget at the time, they were looking for ways to utilize leftover rotisserie chicken meat.  This salad become so popular in the 23 stores it was sold in, they couldn't keep up with it.  They were roasting chickens just to make the salad!

It is easy and DELICIOUS.  Be sure you read the ingredient label on the rotisserie chicken before you bring it home!  Enjoy.


Be sure you allow meat to cool before making salad

2 1/2 pounds Rotisserie Chicken Meat (you can use all white or white & dark)
2 Cups Mayonnaise
2 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 TBSP Lemon Pepper (with salt, if using salt free, you will need to adjust salt to your taste)
3/4 Cup Diced Red onion
3/4 Cup Diced Celery (wahsed & dried)
2 TBSP Fresh Chopped Garlic
3 TBSP Chopped Italian Parsley (washed & dried)

Remove skin from chicken and discard.  Pick chicken meat into chunks.  I like it chunky, if you prefer it shredded pull pieces by hand.

In mixing bowl, combine mayo, lemon juice, black pepper, lemon pepper, and garlic.  Whisk ingredients together.  Gently fold in remaining ingredients. 

Serve on top of mixed greens or on a croissant or toasted ciabatta bread with lettuce and tomato!!