Curried Green Beans and Roasted Cauliflower with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

One of the heirloom beans we are growing for the first time is Anellino di Trento.  We were initially drawn to the unusual crescent shape and speckled colors of this bush bean.  Sometimes known as Anellino Marmorizzato, this heirloom variety from Northern Italy is "marmorizzato" (marbled) in shades of green, purple and lavender, with a dense, firm texture and unusual, rich flavor.  The taste actually resembles that of a yardlong bean.  A pole version of Annellino, Stortino di Trento ("Curved from Trent"), is also available, but we have been quite pleased with both the productivity and taste of our bush beans.    Stortino di Trento, Anellino di Trento, and another heirloom bean, Sultan's Golden Crescent, are all beans referred to as "shrimp" beans because of their curved shape.

Anellino di Trento beans, with their unusually solid texture and distinct flavor, combine perfectly with roasted cauliflower to create an extremely hearty dish.   The vegetables are filling (and vegan) even without the yogurt sauce, but the sauce adds a nice zing thanks to fresh cilantro and spicy garlic.   These flavors play off the toasted Madras curry which seasons the vegetables to perfection.   If you are not growing Anellino di Trento beans, any green beans or even yardlong beans will work well in this recipe.   Be sure to select beans that are firm, not wrinkled or starting to dry out, with a bright color that indicates they are still fresh and full of flavor. 

Curried Green Beans and Roasted Cauliflower with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
serves 2-4

Ingredients

Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

1            cup                non-fat Greek-style plain yogurt such as Fage
1            Tbs                fresh lemon juice
1/2          cup               cilantro, choped
1                                 garlic clove, minced

Curried Green Beans and Roasted Cauliflower

1             large             cauliflower head, cut into 1" florets
1                                 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4          cup               olive oil
1/2          lb                  green beans, cut into 2" pieces
1            Tbs                vegetable oil
2            slices             white sandwich bread, cubed
1            tsp                 Madras curry powder
                                   sea salt and black pepper

Procedure
 

Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

1. Combine all ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
   

Curried Green Beans and Roasted Cauliflower

1. Heat oven to 425°.  Combine cauliflower and onion with 3 Tbs olive oil.  Season with sea salt and black pepper, then spread in a single layer on a sheet pan.
2. In same bowl, toss the beans with 1 Tbs olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Spread beans on another sheet pan.
3. Place both sheet pans in oven and roast until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  The beans will cook faster, about 14 minutes, than the cauliflower, about 18 minutes.  Remove from oven and combine.
4. While vegetables are in the oven, heat 1 Tbs vegetable oil over low heat and saute bread cubes until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes.  Remove from pan to cool.
5. In the same pan, toast the curry power over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Scrape out of the pan and toss with the cooked vegetables until well coated.  Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
6. Serve vegetables while still warm, topped with the bread cubes and yogurt cilantro sauce on the side.

Printable Recipe 

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Nectarines

Aromatic spices make this roasted cauliflower dish pop.  Based on a recipe from Thai chef Su-Mei Yu, we substituted nectarines for kumquats to add sweet, cool flavors to this spicy dish.  We are a mixed marriage (David loves heat, Robin doesn't); if you're in the latter category, serve with Greek yogurt on the side to extinguish some of the heat here.

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Nectarines

adapted from Food and Wine, March 2010
serves 2

Ingredients

1        tsp            ground coriander
1/2     tsp            white pepper
1/4     cup           olive oil
1        Tbs           garlic, minced
2        tsp            turmeric
1/2     tsp            red pepper
1                         large head cauliflower, broken into small florets
1                         shallot, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1                         nectarine, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4      cup          cilantro, chopped
                          salt to taste
                          optional, Greek Yogurt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 400°. 
2. Combine spices with olive oil, then toss cauliflower to coat.
3. Spread cauliflower on sheet pan, season with salt to taste, then roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and toss with nectarines, shallots and cilantro.
5. Serve warm with yogurt on the side.

Silk Road Cauliflower Pilaf

There's a fine line in cooking between creativity and just plain weird.   If you look at the recipe below, you'll conclude that this pilaf falls into the latter category.  But we assure you that the flavors meld perfectly from the admittedly unusual combination of cauliflower, rice, marcona almonds, and raisins.   The Silk Road now stretches to Texas.

Silk Road Cauliflower Pilaf

Ingredients

1 1/2             cup            long-grain white rice
2                   Tbs            olive oil
2                   cups           vegetable stock
12                                   cardamom seeds (not powder)
1                   tsp             cumin seeds (not powder)
1/4                tsp             chopped dried chile pepper
                                       (we used Anaheim from the garden)
1                                     cinnamon stick
1                   tsp              sea salt
2                   cups            cauliflower florets
1/4                cup              Marcona almonds, chopped
1/2                cup              raisins


Procedure

1. Cook rice in the olive oil, stirring, over low heat until rice is coated with oil, about 1 minute.  Add stock, bring to a boil.  Add spices, salt and cauliflower.  Reduce to a simmer and cover. 
2. Cook until rice is done, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick and as many cardamom pods as you can find.  Add almonds and raisins and eat immediately.

postscript:
Frank of the beautiful site Memorie di Angelina writes "Not so weird, really, but delicious yes! In Italian cooking the combination of cauliflower, raisins and pinoli nuts (often with saffron or anchovy added) is a classic one, often paired with pasta. It is found in dishes that come from Moorish influence."

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Brown Butter and Sage Salt

This recipe from the New York Times introduced us to Sage Salt, now a staple in our kitchen.  Here it is used to season roasted cauliflower for a rich and filling vegetable dish.

Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Brown Butter and Sage Salt
adapted from New York Times

Ingredients
                Sage Salt
1/4  cup   olive oil
1     tsp     sea salt
2               small heads or 1 large head cauliflower
6     Tbs    unsalted butter
1               lemon, juice and zested

Procedure

1. Break cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil and sea salt.  Spread onto sheet pans.
2. Heat oven to 375, put a roasting pan with 1" of water in the bottom of oven.  This water slows the cooking, but the moisture will keep the cauliflower moist.
3. Bake until brown, about 30 minutes.
4. Melt butter in small pan over medium heat.  When foam subsides, watch closely and stir often. When white solids are brown and butter smells toasty, turn off heat, squeeze in juice of lemon and stir well.
5. Toss cauliflower with lemon butter, lemon zest, and sprinkle with sage salt.  Add more to taste.

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