Kyle’s Kitchen
E aster is almost upon us so here are some good side dishes to go with whatever your main course happens to be.
Roasted Lemon Pepper Potatoes 4 large russet potatoes Freshly-ground black pepper to taste 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste Kosher salt to taste 1/4 cup olive oil, or more to taste 1 cup chicken broth 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste 2 tsp lemon zest 4 sprigs fresh oregano leaves, or more to taste Preheat the oven to 400. Trim off long edges of the russet potatoes so that they can lay flat. Cut in half lengthwise and rinse in a bowl of cold water to remove excess starch. Pat dry on paper towels. Season generously with black pepper, cayenne, and salt.
Coat the bottom of a large baking dish with olive oil. Lay potatoes seasoned-sides down in the dish. Brush tops with more olive oil; season with pepper, cayenne, and salt.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and carefully flip potatoes over. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine broth with lemon zest and juice. Pour mixture over the potatoes. Scrape zest off the tops of the potatoes and back into the broth. Stick oregano sprigs between the potatoes. Season with pepper. Shake the dish lightly to slosh the sauce back and forth.
Return potatoes to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Flip again; continue roasting until very soft and creamy on the inside and crusty on the outside, 10 to 15 minutes more. Flip over once more to serve. Drizzle more olive oil on top; sprinkle with pepper and more oregano.
—kwc— I’m not sure why, but these green beans sound very good to me. Neither of my grandmothers, or Mom, ever made them like this. I think they might be Italian. And we are not.
Green Beans with Tomato Sauce
1-1/2 pounds green beans stems removed 1 (28-oz) can of plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed 3/8 cup extra virgin olive oil divided 1 medium onion diced 4 cloves garlic sliced 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup basil chopped 1/4 cup parsley minced In a large pan over medium- low heat saute the onion in a 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil until translucent (about 3-5 minutes). Add in the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more until golden.
Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the plum tomatoes and bring to a simmer over medium to medium- low heat.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Once boiling, add the green beans in and cook for 3 minutes.
Strain the green beans and add them to the sauce. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes longer letting the sauce further reduce and stick to the green beans.
Taste test and adjust salt to desired taste. Once satisfied with the taste and the texture of the beans, turn off the heat and finish with the fresh basil and parsley along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan on the side.
—kwc— Here’s a light salad option great for Easter or any time in the spring.
Cucumbers with Mint Vinaigrette 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced, skins on (about 4 cups) 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar (do not substitute) 20 fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped 4 tsp ginger paste or finely grated ginger 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes Thinly slice cucumber (leave the skin on) on a mandolin or by hand.
Puree in a blender the seasoned rice vinegar, mint leaves, ginger paste and red pepper flakes.
Toss mint puree with sliced cucumbers and chill for at least 30 minutes.
This dish holds up great for several days in the refrigerator.
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