Life is What Happens
By Lisa Zaslow Segelman
I love cooking websites. Together with food bloggers, and real or imagined chefs, they help me cook through the year with an eye to seasonal produce, quick and more involved recipes, innovative creations and holiday meal planning. These cooking websites keep me posted as to what’s coming up on the culinary calendar and what I need to shop for, prep for, cook and create.
Some of my favorite websites are free, like FoodNetwork.com, Love & Lemons (loveandlemons.com), and The Mediterranean Dish (themediterraneandish.com), while others involve a fee like The New York Times Cookbook ($5 a month) to access.
As a writer, I love the way they write about food more than any particular recipe they test and publish. For those who look at cooking as a pleasure instead of a task, their prose about cooking sets the mood for what to do in the kitchen when you actually have some time to do it.
For the casual cook, easy and clever recipes are often posted to TikTok, many of which go viral like the Philly Cheesesteak Smash Burger Taco, Baked Feta Pasta, Whipped Coffee and Oreo Sushi (it just looks like sushi!). On TikTok, however, the steps are rushed and sometimes it’s difficult to link into whatever blogger generated the video. That’s one reason why static, reliable food websites are my mainstay.
To take my Thanksgiving prep to the next level, I reached out to Karen Sheer, a chef and food blogger who has a vibrant, creative, colorful site called A Zest for Life (azestforlife.com), which is one of my all-time favorites for its use of fresh, healthy ingredients, memorable flavors and step-by-step directions. When I make Karen’s Kabocha Squash Soup with Apples and Cashews Crema, people usually ask for the recipe.
https://azestforlife.com/recipe/kabocha-squash-soup-with-apples-and-cashew-crema-vegan/
Through her website, Karen has been educating and exciting cooks for 20 years. Her site has grown to include 500 recipes and has been redesigned three times to continually provide the user/cook with a better experience.
“I’m obsessed with cooking,” says Karen. “It’s a soothing experience because it engages all of the senses and encourages my creativity. My kitchen is a place of experimentation and continuous learning… nibbling, tasting and eating.”
Finished photography is a part of every recipe. Karen uses a mirrorless camera, natural lighting and vintage accessories like turn-of-the-century ironstone platters, mid-century serving pieces and hand-embroidered linens to add an extra element of design.
In the next few weeks you’ll be inundated with tips to roast the perfect turkey, but just as important are the side dishes. As guest chef this week, Karen offers some healthy, creative twists on the classic Thanksgiving sides that will take your feast to the next level.
“If possible, shop for locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients which are so important for flavor and crisp texture,” says Karen. “Creativity is key. Try a new recipe like mine here if you’re still adding marshmallows on top of your mashed sweet potatoes.” We are all tied to our traditions, but there’s a beauty to changing things up!
For the big day Karen is sharing her Natural Candied Yams with Apple Cider Cinnamon Glaze and Haricot Verts with Sliced Radishes and Pan-Fried Shallots with a Miso-Lemon-Maple Glaze. Give them a try and who knows, these creative, flavorful renditions of old favorites could become new traditions for your family. Thank you Chef Karen.
Haricot vert with sliced radishes and pan-fried shallots with a miso-lemon-maple glaze
Serves 4 (easily doubled)
Haricot Vert with Sliced Radishes and Pan-Fried Shallots with a Miso-Lemon-Maple Glaze
Equipment
1 large cast iron skillet, or large skillet
Ingredients
Pan-Fried Shallots
- 3/4 cup shallot rings, thinly sliced, about 4 medium
- ¼ cup rice flour (adds crispness, gluten free)
- 1/3 cup neutral oil**
- 1 pound haricot vert beans, cleaned and dried; flat ends trimmed
- ½ cup purple radish* peeled, sliced thinly (from one large)
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil**
- 1 pinch sea salt and pepper
Miso Glaze
- 2 teaspoon miso paste
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon pure maple syrup, the real stuff
Instructions
Haricot Beans & Radishes
Pan fried shallots can be made ahead. Place shallots in a medium sized bowl. Separate into rings with your fingertips. Add rice flour, mix in. Heat the oil in a large skillet, set to medium-high heat. Add the coated shallots and stir up in the oil.
Let crisp and brown, stirring from time to time. Remove golden brown, crisped shallots to a plate with tongs. Do not let the shallots get too dark, they will be bitter. Add extra oil if necessary. Set aside.
Sauté Beans
Add 2 teaspoons of neutral oil to a large cast iron skillet (or heavy skillet) – raise heat to high. When hot, add all the beans and stir up, leave to blacken – do not stir. When the edges have blackened, about 2 minutes – stir and reduce heat to LOW. Sauté 3-5 more minutes until the beans are crisp-tender, cooked through, yet still bright green.
Add the sliced purple radishes, stir in and cook for 2 minutes to soften slightly. (Radishes will turn a magenta color.)
Miso Glaze
In a small bowl, add the miso, lemon juice and maple syrup. Add to the pan with beans and radishes and toss to coat for 1 minute on low heat. Immediately add to a serving platter.
Serving
Add the dish to a serving platter and top with the crispy pan-fried shallots.
If Reheating
Reheat in a skillet, just tossing to warm through – or microwave on 50% power until just warmed.
Haricot vert beans are longer and thinner than American green bean varieties – they’re also more tender (a younger bean) and flavorful than comparably sized traditional green beans.
Notes
* Purple radishes: such as purple Daikon or watermelon
** With concerns about GMOs and processing of oils, use a vegetable oil that has not been chemically treated, this is called “expeller pressed.”
Natural candied yams with apple cider cinnamon glaze
This is a must for Thanksgiving! A wonderful thick glaze surrounds the yams with a cinnamon essence. A healthier lightened- up recipe. A beautifully sticky glaze that’s not too sweet. The trick: reduce fresh apple cider.
Servings: 12
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 7 medium yams or sweet potatoes, about 3½ pounds (buy similar sized ones)
- 4 cups fresh apple cider, (preferably without preservatives)
- 2 large cinnamon sticks, broken in half
- 8 whole cloves
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, I use organic
- ½ cup raw honey
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Clean the yams well, prick each in a few spots with a fork. Cut 7 large pieces of heavy-duty foil to wrap each yam in, about a 6×6 square each. Wrap each yam tightly, and place in a baking pan to fit. Bake for 45 minutes.*
Take out of the oven, unwrap one and test it with a knife. The yams should be still firm, but mostly cooked through. Do not overcook, the yams will cook once more with the glaze. Unwrap and cool. *The timing depends on the size of your yams. Large ones will take slightly longer; narrow ones slightly quicker. (Mine were 3 inches in diameter).
Make the Glaze (while the yams cook)
In a saucepan, add 4 cups of apple cider. Set heat at medium-high and cook until reduced to 1½ cups, about 20 minutes. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, butter, honey and salt to the pot. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Butter a large baking pan 10×13 (that is suitable for the broiler). Cut each yam into 4–5 medallions – about 1-inch rounds. Best to make sure the slices are ALL the same size so they will brown evenly under the broiler.
Place them in the baking pan. Strain the apple cider glaze over the yam slices. Can put the cinnamon sticks scattered in the pan. Cover with heavy foil and bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Test and make sure the yams are cooked through.
There will be ample glaze surrounding the yams, of which some will be absorbed. It will thicken as it stands. Can be made a day or two ahead at this point, sealed tightly and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and heat gently at 325 degrees – then proceed.
Broil (last step)
Set the broiler on high and broil the yams 4 inches from the heat source until very golden, almost blackened around the edges.
Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@gmail.com
