The Veggie Spiral Slicer Cookbook (14 page)
Read The Veggie Spiral Slicer Cookbook Online
Authors: Kelsey Kinser
4.
Stuff this mixture into the peppers. Place the peppers into a casserole dish, tops up, and brush the outsides of the peppers with the remaining olive oil.
5.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the top of the rice begins to brown and the peppers are soft. Serve hot.
Nothing (save for a fresh-picked tomato) captures the purely unadulterated flavor of summer like freshly made basil pesto. In this recipe, feel free to make your zucchini noodles any shape you prefer. I like the wider, fettuccine-style noodle, as it’s great for holding onto all of the garlicky green goodness. The quality of your ingredients matters more than usual in this recipe, as there are so few ingredients being used. This dish is also lovely topped with a baked chicken breast.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium zucchinis, spiralized however you prefer
1 very large bunch fresh basil, leaves picked from the stems
1 large clove garlic
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium-high. Add the noodles and stir to coat the bottom. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the noodles begin to soften.
2.
While the noodles are cooking, mix the remaining ingredients in a food processor, saving 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan to sprinkle on your finished dish. Blend until you have a smooth paste.
3.
After the 5 minutes of cooking are up, remove the cover and continue to cook until the noodles are completely wilted and there is no moisture left in the pan.
4.
Remove the noodles from the heat and toss in the pesto. Top with the remaining Parmesan and serve warm!
Bolognese is what I think of when people say “spaghetti” or “red sauce pasta.” It’s a classic Italian dish full of flavor, lycopene-rich tomatoes, and the umami powerhouse of tomato paste and bacon. While this dish is already pretty lean, feel free to use ground chicken or turkey if you are trying to avoid red meat in your diet.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-1/2 pounds zucchini, spiralized on blade 3
1 medium yellow onion, diced fine
1 medium carrot, diced fine
1 stalk celery, diced fine
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 sliced smoked bacon, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, to top
1.
Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the salted and squeezed zucchini noodles, toss to coat with the olive oil, and cover. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the zucchini has wilted and cooked through. Set aside and dry the pan.
2.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and bring the pan back to medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the carrots and celery softened and the onions to be translucent, without browning.
3.
Stirring constantly, add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
4.
Add the chopped bacon and ground beef. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, making sure to stir frequently so that the beef is no longer red.
5.
Add the white wine, chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring this mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and allow your sauce to cook, uncovered, at a low simmer for about 1/2 hour or until the bolognese has thickened. Make sure to stir the sauce every now and then to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
6.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking, turn up the heat to medium-high and add the zucchini noodles to warm them and allow the sauce to stick to them.
7.
Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
For nearly two years I worked as the pastry chef of a meatball-based restaurant group. I went from never eating meatballs to eating them nearly daily. I love meatballs now, but I don’t love how much fat is added to them to keep them moist and flavorful. This is my version of a classic.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1.
In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, yogurt, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, red pepper (if using), and ground fennel. Mix only to combine. You do not want to overmix or squeeze the meatballs too densely. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and either rub with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3.
Roll the meat into 1-1/2-inch-diameter balls and place on the baking sheet. You can either spray your hands with cooking spray or keep a shallow bowl of water handy to keep your hands wet. This will help prevent the meat from sticking.
4.
Bake the balls for approximately 20 minutes, or until the outside is browned and the internal temperature is 165°F and no longer pink.
I prefer uncooked zucchini noodles in this recipe. The lightness of the raw vegetable helps to carry some of the cheese in this dish, which is basically a spicy bayou mac and cheese–style meal. It’s not the kind of dish that you would find in a restaurant, but it’s absolutely the kind of dish you’ll find in Louisiana family–style gatherings. If the 1/4 cup butter is too much for you, substitute 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the onions and peppers and add 3 tablespoons of water when you add the crawfish and crab.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16-ounce) package cooked and peeled whole crawfish tails
1/2 cup uncooked crab meat
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 large zucchini, spiralized on blade 1
1.
In a large skillet on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and pepper and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, crawfish tails, crab meat, and Cajun seasoning. Allow this mixture to come up to a simmer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
2.
Add the half and half, fresh mushrooms, cheddar cheese, hot sauce, and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring, until the cheese melts and the mixture thickens up, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green onions and zucchini noodles. Serve hot.
Lobster and Seafood Mélange Pasta
This pasta is an indulgent dish with a unique ingredient: chayote. Chayote is technically a fruit usually found in the “exotic” or Latin produce section of your grocery store. It’s wonderfully mild with a nice crunch to it. If you can’t find it you can substitute zucchini for this recipe.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 (2-pound) live lobster
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 pounds littleneck or Manila clams
12 raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
8 whole squid, cleaned and sliced
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 pound chayote, spiralized on blade 2
salt and pepper, to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lobster for about 13 to 14 minutes or until the shell turns red and the meat is soft. Remove from the water and set aside until it is cool enough to handle. Remove the meat and chop it coarsely. Set the meat aside. Drain all of the water before placing the shells back in the large pot.
2.
Heat the 1/2 cup of oil with the shells and onion and bring them up to a simmer on medium-high heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the shells begin to release an aroma and turn a nice golden color, and the onions become translucent.
3.
Remove the shells and then add the lobster along with the butter, red pepper flakes, white wine, oregano, garlic, clams, shrimp, squid, and tomatoes, simmering until the sauce reduces partially and the clams open up, about 7 to 10 minutes.
4.
Stir in the chayote noodles and simmer another 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce sticks to the noodles and they are slightly softened.
5.
Add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with the lemon juice, and top with parsley to serve.
Here’s a dish that needs practically no introduction when it comes to pasta: shrimp scampi. I like my scampi the classic way, with lots of butter, lots of garlic, and a healthy amount of lemon. Once you have everything measured out and ready, this recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium zucchinis, spiralized on blade 3
1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
juice of 1 small lemon
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1.
In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-high.
2.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini noodles and stir to coat in the garlic and olive oil. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until any water from the noodles has cooked off.