Rethinking a Childhood Nemesis

Growing up, even a mention of cauliflower was enough to get my gag reflex going (not to mention the time I nearly threw up when coaxed into trying it at my  neighbor's house). I have to admit, I can understand the lack of appeal. As vegetables go, cauliflower definitely got shortchanged in the looks department and the flavor is a little odd.

A recipe from Ina Garten changed everything for me though. She tosses cauliflower with plenty of garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and then roasts it at high heat, which gives each floret a deliciously caramelized color and flavor. On the weekends, I often roast up a head of cauliflower and then throw it in the fridge for easy meal additions later in the week. This week, I added the roasted cauliflower to pasta, along with crisped prosciutto, wilted spinach, and plenty of parmesan.

Penne with Roasted Cauliflower and Prosciutto

Time

Active: 15 minutes

Total: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2-3 slices of prosciutto

4 cups spinach

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 lb. penne

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Toss cauliflower with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is browned on the edges. 

When the cauliflower is done, turn the oven to broil. Place the prosciutto on a baking sheet and broil for about 3 minutes, or until crispy (word to the wise - watch it closely. It goes from perfectly crisp to black in a matter of seconds). Remove from oven and chop into strips.

Meanwhile, bring a big pot of salted water to boil. Cook penne until al dente and drain. 

Return the pasta pot to the stove. Add a few swirls of olive oil and toss in the cauliflower, proscuitto, and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts then add the drained pasta. Stir in the parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy.

Tip

The cauliflower can be roasted several days in advance and kept in the fridge. This cuts your total time down to about 20 minutes.

Snowy in Seattle

It's snowing like crazy here! At least crazy by a Pacific Northwesterner's definition (which is more like slight flurries by a Northeasterner's reckoning, my husband reminds me). Since I was in the mood for something healthy yet warm and comforting, I decided to try a pureed tomato soup. To finish, spread a little olive oil on a few slices of good bread, top with Parmesan cheese, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and broil.

Tomato-White Bean Soup

Time

Active (i.e. the time you can't be doing something else): 10-15 minutes

Total (how long it takes to get to the table): 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 TBL butter

1 whole onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

Large pinch red pepper flakes

Large pinch herbs de provence

1 28oz can whole tomatoes

1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper

Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and herbs de provence and cook for an additional minute.

Add tomatoes, beans, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the stock and  either use an immersion blender to puree or carefully, working in batches, puree in blende

To serve, ladle in bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Tip

Since you'll be pureeing all the ingredients, don't waste time finely chopping the aromatics. A rough dice will do.

Climbing the Ladder...While Cooking

I'm on a mission. A mission not to succumb to the siren song of teriyaki takeout. Or the my-life-is-lame bowl of cereal for dinner.

By day, I'm a marketer for a complicated business services product at a big tech company. Most of my waking hours, I feel some combination of stressed out, tense, and anxious. Pleasant, right? And to make it better, those hours typically last a pretty long time. Oh, and did I mention they're spent in a windowless office (and that the window offices are given to darkness-loving software developers??!! A story for another day.)

By the time I get home (late), I'm always starving. And after a day of doing things I don't really love, I want to eat something I really do. Hence, the genesis for Working Girl Gourmet. A blog to track my attempts at cooking yummy, soul-satisfying, mostly-somewhat-healthy dinners while still climbing up that corporate ladder. 

Recipes worthy of the Working Girl Gourmet need to meet the following criteria:

1. Be better than takeout. Else why bother?

2. Take less than 45 minutes to make (unless it's the weekend).

3. Meet my self-appointed foodie bar of approval (yes, I'm a bit of a snob).

You in?