Six Seasons-A New Way with Vegetables
​This is a salad for all seasons, but it is featured as an Early Summer recipe in Joshua McFadden's cookbook "Six Seasons". The Pistachio Butter is a condiment you can use in other recipes, so keep this on hand. I love to serve it along with a charcuterie board. BUY THIS BOOK! That is the best cooking advice I can give you. You will absolutely love every recipe. 

​Serves 4
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
½ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1¼ pounds beets, peeled; use a mix of colors if you can
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup lightly packed mint leaves
½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
Pistachio Butter
Pistachio Butter
1 cup pistachios, lightly toasted
⅓ cup water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
 

1. Combine the garlic, raisins, and vinegar in a large bowl and let sit for 1 hour.
2. Grate the beets on the large holes of a box grater or cut into fine julienne. Yes, your hands will get stained, but the color fades quickly.
3. Remove the garlic from the raisins and discard. Add the beets, lemon juice, most of the parsley and mint (save the rest for finishing), and chile flakes.
4. Season with 1½ teaspoons salt and lots of black pepper and toss. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then taste—the slaw should be tart, spicy, peppery, and sweet.
5. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, then add ¼ cup olive oil. Toss and taste again.
6. Spread a layer of pistachio butter onto each plate and top with the slaw.
7. Finish with the reserved fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

 
Pistachio Butter

1. Process the pistachios in a food processor to get them as fine as possible.
2. Pour in the water, vinegar, and salt with the motor still running and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Drizzle in the olive oil with the motor still running.
4. Taste and adjust with more salt or vinegar. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

 

By Joshua McFadden from his book Six Seasons
Serves 2-4 
(depending on the shape of your head of cauliflower and how many “steaks” you serve per person)
 
1 large head cauliflower (1 ½ -1 ¾ pounds)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups dried breadcrumbs (or panko breadcrumbs)
1 cup (3 ounces) aged provolone, shredded (grated on large holes of a box grater)
Plus ¼ cup finely grated provolone for dusting (cheddar, mozzarella, or swiss are delicious too)
½ cup chopped pickled sweet hot peppers
1/3 cup chopped mixed pitted olives (kalamata, green)
¼ cup capers
¾ cup lightly packed roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Trim the bottom of the cauliflower so that it sits firmly on the cutting board. Trim off about ½ inch from two opposite sides (to flatten them), then cut the cauliflower into thick slabs. Use a large spatula when handling the slabs. This will help to keep them from falling apart. Brush both sides of each slab with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Chop the trimmings and set aside to use in the topping.
3. Heat a baking pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Preheating the baking pan will help to brown the steaks on the bottom. Heat two if needed to cook the steaks without crowding.
4. Using a spatula, lay the slabs on the preheated pan and return to the oven quickly. Roast the cauliflower until tender, but not falling apart, 18-20 minutes.
5. While the steaks are roasting make the topping by mixing the breadcrumbs, shredded provolone, pickled peppers, olives capers, parsley lemon zest, and chopped cauliflower trimmings. Moisten with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, just to help the filling hold together. Taste the filling and season well. You should want to eat it all!
6. Take out the baking pan again and distribute the topping among all the slabs, pressing the make a thick layer. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the topping is lightly browned and starting to crisp, 10-15 minutes. 
7. Using your spatula, transfer the slabs to plates and top with a dusting of finely grated provolone.

 
Alternatives:
 
Variation to the above filling: (omitting the pickled peppers, olive, and capers) instead use 1 cup roughly chopped fresh mushrooms-cremini, portabella, button, ½ cup roasted red peppers, roughly chopped, 1/3 cup black beans, drained and rinsed. Follow the recipe as above.

Protein option: Place topping on slabs of fried tofu

Herb options: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
 
How can you use this topping? 
 Stuffing for peppers, zucchini
Topping for roasted portabella mushrooms, spaghetti squash, pasta

By Gabrielle Hamilton
“This recipe does not include quantities for an excellent reason. At Prune, in New York, we started with a pound of brussels sprouts for dinner but ate them all while still prepping in the kitchen and then increased to two pounds and ate those as well, before we even sat down. Now we make them to be eaten standing up on purpose. Set out on the bar for parties, where you’d expect to find olives; they never last there either.” Gabrielle Hamilton
 
Kosher salt (Liz used about 2 tablespoons Kosher salt)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed at stalk end 
Extra-virgin olive oil (Liz used about 2 tablespoons)
Vietnamese fish sauce-Red Boat is a good brand ( Liz used 1 tablespoon)
 

1. Bring a large pot of water (Liz used 6 cups) to a boil, and season with coarse kosher salt until as salty as the sea. The author suggests to get a spoon and taste the hot water for salinity. It’s the only way to know what you’ve got in the pot. 
2. Add the brussels sprouts, and cook for about 10 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Still firm but fork tender.
3. Drain sprouts, and quickly transfer to a heatproof shallow bowl, and while hot, douse them with good-quality olive oil and sprinkle fish sauce over them judiciously. Stir, and taste one. Add another splash of fish sauce, if needed, and let the sprouts cool completely, resting and steeping for an hour or so, before serving at room temperature.

Crispy Fried Tofu

By Gabrielle Hamilton
“This recipe does not include quantities for an excellent reason. At Prune, in New York, we started with a pound of brussels sprouts for dinner but ate them all while still prepping in the kitchen and then increased to two pounds and ate those as well, before we even sat down. Now we make them to be eaten standing up on purpose. Set out on the bar for parties, where you’d expect to find olives; they never last there either.” Gabrielle Hamilton
 
Kosher salt  (Liz used about 2 tablespoons Kosher salt)
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed at stalk end 
Extra-virgin olive oil (Liz used about 2 tablespoons)
Vietnamese fish sauce-Red Boat is a good brand ( Liz used 1 tablespoon)

1. Bring a large pot of water (Liz used 6 cups) to a boil, and season with coarse kosher salt until as salty as the sea. The author suggests to get a spoon and taste the hot water for salinity. It’s the only way to know what you’ve got in the pot. 
2. Add the brussels sprouts, and cook for about 10 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Still firm but fork tender.
3. Drain sprouts, and quickly transfer to a heatproof shallow bowl, and while hot, douse them with good-quality olive oil and sprinkle fish sauce over them judiciously. Stir, and taste one. Add another splash of fish sauce, if needed, and let the sprouts cool completely, resting and steeping for an hour or so, before serving at room temperature.

 

​Bar Snack Brussels Sprouts Steeped in Olive Oil and Fish Sauce 

Cauliflower Rice

Serves 4-6

4 tablespoons butter, ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil
12 ounces cauliflower
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro
Salt and pepper

1. To “rice” the cauliflower: Remove outer leaves. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Using a box grater, grate the cauliflower florets. To use a food processor, place the blade attachment in the processor bowl. Add the florets and pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. 
2. Place the riced cauliflower onto a cotton towel and squeeze it to release as much water as possible. 
3. In a large heavy skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the riced cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften--about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the herbs and cook just until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

​

Serves 4-6

4 tablespoons butter, ghee, coconut oil, or olive oil
12 ounces cauliflower
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro
Salt and pepper

1. To “rice” the cauliflower: Remove outer leaves. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Using a box grater, grate the cauliflower florets. To use a food processor, place the blade attachment in the processor bowl. Add the florets and pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. 
2. Place the riced cauliflower onto a cotton towel and squeeze it to release as much water as possible. 
3. In a large heavy skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the riced cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften--about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the herbs and cook just until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Additions:

• 1 cup riced broccoli
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup peas
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• Hard boiled eggs

Serves 2-4
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil         
4 beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes ( to save time, you can purchase Loves cooked beets from the produce section at your grocery store.
2-4 ounces baby arugula or other salad greens-radicchio or shaved red cabbage would be beautiful too!
¼ of small red onion, sliced thinly
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds or chopped pistachios

1. Put the vinegar and olive oil in a jar with a cover. Shake to combine.
2. Heat oven to 400° F. Place cut beets into pan or in a casserole dish, drizzle with a bit of oil, add a splash of water, cover with foil and roast until tender (about 45 minutes). Cool. If using already cooked beets, cut them into cubes and put them under the broiler and cook until they brown up a bit-about 5-8 minutes.
3. Place the beets in a large mixing bowl. Toss with half of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the arugula in a separate bowl and toss it with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Place the arugula on a serving platter or individual plates and then arrange the beets, red onion slices, and pumpkin seeds on top. Serve.

Note: this salad is wonderful with warm beets too!

Additions: 
Orange segments-add on top to keep the color bright.
Feta, cheddar cheese curds, or goat cheese-use as garnish
Toasted croutons
Capers
Cooked shrimp, scallops, steak, or lamb