Read The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! Online
Authors: Jessica Seinfeld
Tags: #Non-Fiction
The Can't Cook Book: Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified! (37 page)
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon
ACTUAL WORK TIME:
5 minutes |
TOTAL TIME:
15 minutes |
SERVES:
4
This recipe will make you look like you really know what you’re doing.
1 pound asparagus
1 T. e.v. olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tsp.)
1
/
4
tsp. kosher salt
1
/
4
tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Tools needed:
rimmed sheet pan, measuring spoons, grater/zester, kitchen timer.
*
How-to:
Buy
asparagus that is perky, and not at all limp (it’s usually sold in 1-pound bundles).
Store
unwashed in an unsealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Don’t Panic:
The only challenge here is grating the lemon zest.
1.
Heat
the oven (with the oven rack in the middle) to 425°F.
Wash
the asparagus and
snap
off and
discard
the tough bottom end (about 2 inches) from each spear
.
2.
Place
the asparagus in the center of a rimmed sheet pan and
drizzle
with the oil.
Wash
and
dry
the outside of the lemon and
grate
the zest directly onto the asparagus.
Sprinkle
with the salt and pepper (about 12 turns on a pepper mill).
Toss
together with your hands and then
spread
into a single layer (
see here
).
Roast
until just tender, about 10 minutes.
Roasted Eggplant & Cherry Tomatoes
ACTUAL WORK TIME:
10 minutes |
TOTAL TIME:
1 hour 10 minutes |
MAKES:
4 sides or 2 main dishes
Cooking eggplant seems difficult and labor intensive, doesn’t it? Well, here it’s not. You can also spread this on a slice of crusty country bread or use as a pasta sauce. Or fab leftovers.
1 large eggplant (about 1
1
/
2
lbs.)
4 cloves garlic
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
6 sprigs thyme
1
/
3
c. e.v. olive oil
3
/
4
tsp. kosher salt
1
/
4
tsp. crushed red pepper
1
/
4
tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Tools needed:
2
1
/
2
- to 3-qt. baking dish, cutting board, chef’s knife, measuring cups and spoons, large spoon, kitchen timer.
*
How-to:
Buy
eggplant that is smooth-skinned, evenly firm, and without soft spots.
Store
in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Don’t Panic:
Cutting the eggplant into cubes is a cinch, I promise.
1.
Heat
the oven (with the oven rack in the middle) to 400°F.
Wash
the eggplant (no need to peel).
Cut off
and
discard
the stem. Next,
cut
the eggplant into 1-inch-thick rounds.
Stack
2 rounds at a time, then
cut
into 1-inch cubes
.
Smash
the garlic and
peel
.
*
2.
Place
the eggplant and
garlic
in a 2
1
/
2
- to 3-qt. baking dish.
Wash
the tomatoes and thyme and
add
to the dish.
Drizzle
with the oil and
sprinkle
with the salt, red pepper, and black pepper (about 12 turns on a pepper mill)
.
Toss
together with your hands until the eggplant is coated with oil (a little overcrowding in the dish is okay).
3.
Roast
until the eggplant is really soft and tender, 50 to 60 minutes. (Set your timer, and at 40 minutes, give the vegetables a quick stir.)
