Recipes
Sides & Salads
Salads and sides: the plate’s unsung stars! Fresh, crunchy salads add zing, while flavorful sides like roasted veggies, creamy grains, or tangy slaws boost your main dish. Together, they make every meal a tasty, textured feast!
I found this recipe while living in Abu Dhabi, dining with friends.
Jack Squat Gravy
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Turkey (2 legs, 2 thighs, and 2 wings)
6 tbsp of butter, softened
2 large carrots, large dice
1 large onion, large dice
3 celery stalks, large dice
½ lemon, juiced
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed with skin removed
4 fresh sage leaves
6 fresh thyme sprigs
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt, divided
Fresh cracked pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (176 °C).
2. In a roasting pan, combine the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, sage and thyme.
3. Add the lemon juice (and toss the lemon in the mix), olive oil, 1 tsp of salt, fresh cracked pepper, and toss together.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring a couple times.
5. While the vegetable pre-bake, dry the turkey with a paper towel.
6. Massage the butter all over each piece using the other tsp of salt and fresh cracked pepper to season.
7. Once the vegetables have baked for 30 minutes, take them out of the oven and turn the oven down to 300 °F (150 °C).
8. Place the turkey on a rack over the vegetables and cook over the vegetables until the internal temperature of the turkey is 160 – 165 °F (72 – 74 °C).
9. Remove the lemon and discard.
10. Save the turkey for sandwiches!
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2 tbsp cognac (a splash)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
6 cups turkey stock
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp water to 1 tbsp cornstarch)
2-3 tbsp heavy cream
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Directions
1. Over medium heat, place the pan of vegetables directly on 2 burners of the stove.
2. Once the vegetables are nice and hot, take the pan off the burners and add the cognac to deglaze.
3. Place back on the burners and let the alcohol from the cognac cook off a bit. Add the mustard and whisk around a bit. Then add the turkey stock. Cook for about 15 minutes so the vegetables are nice and soft.
4. Take the mixture and buzz (not too intensely as not to whip air into it) in the blender.
5. From the blender, strain thru a fine mesh sieve and put back into a saucepan.
6. Add in the red wine vinegar and sugar.
7. Cook on high until the gravy reduces by half.
8. Taste and adjust the seasonings according to your liking.
9. Add the cornstarch slurry.
10. Cook until it reduces to your desired thickness.
11. Finish with heavy cream and adjust the seasonings again.
Chef’s note: If you are using store bought stock, taste as you go to its not too salty.
Rainbow Carrots with Goat Cheese Maple Frosting and Carrot Top Pesto
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1 cup (40 grams) carrot top greens, tough stems removed
½ cup (40 grams) whole hazelnuts
¼ cup (10 grams) parsley
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp capers, drained
2 tsp nutritional yeast
½ lemon, juiced
1 cup olive oil
Directions
1. Rinse the carrot top greens, discard tough stems, and dry.
2. In a blender add the carrot tops greens, hazelnuts, parsley, chopped garlic, capers, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and a bit of salt, and pepper. Blend until combined, generally. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula.
3. While the blender is on low, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula. Blend until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
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6 tbsp (85 grams) butter, room temperature
3 oz. (85 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
2 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
1 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch of salt
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese, and goat cheese with either beaters or ideally the whip attachment on your stand mixer. Beat for 5 minutes or until it becomes nice and fluffy.
2. Add in the maple syrup and salt. Beat for another 30 seconds until everything is completely incorporated.
3. Set aside.
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1 bunch rainbow carrots (or more if you like!), cut in half lengthwise
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
2.Toss the carrots in olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, turning the carrots over after about 20 minutes.
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¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, rough chop
Dukkah
Directions
1. Spread the frosting as your base.
2. Place the roasted carrots on top the frosting.
3. Drizzle your desired amount of the carrot top pesto followed by the toasted hazelnuts and a generous sprinkle of dukkah.
Enjoy!!!!
Chakalaka
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2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 bell peppers (red, green, yellow or orange), diced
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
Water
Salt and pepper
Directions
1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Sweat the onions and bell peppers until they have softened, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook another minute or so.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, curry powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and thyme leaves until combined. Turn down the heat and cook for a couple minutes to release the flavor of the spices and cook off the raw flavor of the tomato paste a bit.
4. Add in the shredded carrots along with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook over low heat until mixture is well combined and thickened but still moist, 15 minutes or so. Make sure to stir often and add 1-2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking to the pan.
6. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
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1 can cannelloni beans, drained with the liquid set aside
2-3 tbsp chutney
Chopped parsley
Directions
1. Drain the cannelloni beans, saving the liquid in a separate dish.
2. Give the cannelloni beans a couple of mashes (so you have some mashed beans and some whole beans). If you are offended by this, please feel free to use just whole beans; it’s your life.
3. Add in the beans, chutney (I use mango), and 1/3 of the bean liquid directly into the pan with the cooled vegetable mixture and combine. Continue to incorporate the bean liquid until you get the consistency you want.
4. Incorporate a bit of chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer the mixture into a serving dish and garnish with more chopped parsley.
Chef’s note: Chakalaka is meant to be served as a relish/accoutrement. I like to serve it with heavier food such as chicken ‘n’ biscuits or thick curry to give your taste buds a bit of reprieve. In South Africa, it is often included in a braai (aka BBQ) spread.
Chayote (Filipino style)
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2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium red onion (about 1 ½ cups), small dice
3-4 cloves garlic
2 large chayotes, peeled, cored, and cut into medium chunks
1 cup vegetable stock
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Zest of ½ lemon
Directions
1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Sweat the onions until they have softened a bit, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add in the chayote chunks and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the vegetable stock, a bit of salt and a healthy amount of freshly cracked pepper.
5. Cover and cook for 15 minutes (or so), stirring occasionally.
6. Once the chayote is cooked but still has a bite, it is done.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.
8. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with lemon zest.
Chef’s note: ground pork is a delicious addition to the sauteed chayote. Cook the ground pork first and perhaps add a little fish sauce. Set aside and then add into the chayote. Serve over rice or vermicelli rice noodles!
Chakalaka
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2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 bell peppers (red, green, yellow or orange), diced
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
Water
Salt and pepper
Directions
1. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Sweat the onions and bell peppers until they have softened, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook another minute or so.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, curry powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and thyme leaves until combined. Turn down the heat and cook for a couple minutes to release the flavor of the spices and cook off the raw flavor of the tomato paste a bit.
4. Add in the shredded carrots along with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook over low heat until mixture is well combined and thickened but still moist, 15 minutes or so. Make sure to stir often and add 1-2 tablespoons of water to prevent sticking to the pan.
6. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
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1 can cannelloni beans, drained with the liquid set aside
2-3 tbsp chutney
Chopped parsley
Directions
1. Drain the cannelloni beans, saving the liquid in a separate dish.
2. Give the cannelloni beans a couple of mashes (so you have some mashed beans and some whole beans). If you are offended by this, please feel free to use just whole beans; it’s your life.
3. Add in the beans, chutney (I use mango), and 1/3 of the bean liquid directly into the pan with the cooled vegetable mixture and combine. Continue to incorporate the bean liquid until you get the consistency you want.
4. Incorporate a bit of chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Transfer the mixture into a serving dish and garnish with more chopped parsley.
Chef’s note: Chakalaka is meant to be served as a relish/accoutrement. I like to serve it with heavier food such as chicken ‘n’ biscuits or thick curry to give your taste buds a bit of reprieve. In South Africa, it is often included in a braai (aka BBQ) spread.