Side dish - quick and easy recipes - page 65

Padrón peppers, known as pimientos de Padrón, originate from Galicia, Spain. These small and slightly sweet peppers are generally mild, but one in every handful will be surprisingly spicy. They’re usually deep-fried, but grilling is a healthy and quick preparation that adds a smoky layer of flavor. Serve these tapas style as a prelude to grilled paella and sangría for the ultimate Spanish feast. What to buy: Padrón peppers are harvested in the summer months.

Buttery croutons are crunchy and delicious in soup or on salad, but after seeing savory granola on menus around the country, we thought it’d make an interesting garnish alternative. Our flavor-packed topper is made with rolled rye flakes, crunchy pumpkin seeds (a.k.a. pepitas), and Parmesan cheese. Add a sprinkle to a bowl of Creamy Tomato Soup or a crisp Fennel, Parsley, and Celery Salad for an unexpected twist.

We made this granola a little more interesting by substituting rolled barley and wheat for the oats. It’s sweetened with maple syrup, and also includes crunchy toasted pecans and dried cranberries. Try it on your morning yogurt or use it as an ice cream topper. What to buy: Rolled barley flakes, not to be confused with whole or pearl barley, can be found at health food stores, gourmet grocery stores, or online. Rolled wheat flakes, not to be confused with wheat berries, can also be found at h...

Earthy porcini mushrooms and salty Parmesan are a winning Italian combination. Ground and mixed with salt, they become the perfect seasoning for scrambled eggs, roasted chicken, or creamy pasta, pumping up those dishes with savory, umami flavor. Special equipment: You will need a coffee or spice grinder for this recipe.

Without any butter or cream to mask them, the sweet flavors of parsnip and cauliflower come through in this easy, comforting side dish. It’s a healthy alternative to the usual mashed potatoes served with braised short ribs or seared lamb chops. This dish was featured as part of our 5 Recipes for Fall Ingredients. Game plan: This purée can be completely made ahead. Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve. Rewarm, stirring occasionally, in a covered saucepan over low heat.

Guacamole may be the most popular accompaniment to tacos, nachos, or tostadas, but this crema is just as easy and flavorful. Using a food processor to blend an avocado with sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice creates a smooth sauce that works great as a dip for Chorizo Scotch Eggs or as a topping for Black Bean Cakes with Fried Eggs.

This chopped salad is a departure from your average leafy green salad, made instead with chunky, crunchy chopped vegetables. Sweet snap peas, cucumber, and carrots are cut into bite-sized pieces and tossed with cilantro, scallions, and a spicy Thai-inspired dressing for a healthy and flavorful side dish. Add some grilled shrimp or leftover roasted chicken and serve over rice noodles for a healthy weeknight meal or easy packed lunch. What to buy: Look for chile-garlic paste in the Asian sectio...

Dicing raw zucchini and yellow squash for a salad is a fast way to use up these plentiful summer vegetables. Toss them with some red bell pepper, grapes, pine nuts, chopped mint, and a Moroccan-inspired dressing to round out this healthy dish. Paired with a grilled rib-eye or a hearty piece of fish, this salad adds plenty of flavor to a summer meal with minimal time in the kitchen. What to buy: Look for preserved lemons in gourmet grocery stores or online; or you can make your own.

Like banana bread, zucchini bread is an easy quick bread to put together, without the need for any fancy appliances. Just mix the dry ingredients together in one bowl, the wet in another, combine the two, and pour the batter into a bread pan. After about an hour in the oven, and a little time to cool, you’ll have a tender, sweet, flavorful bread to enjoy for breakfast, teatime, or a snack. Special equipment: You’ll need a metal 9-by-5-inch loaf pan for this recipe.

Dicing the avocados, cucumber, and pineapple gives this guacamole a chunkier salsalike texture rather than the standard smashed or smooth style. The cucumber and pineapple lighten the mixture and add fresh, sweet, and acidic flavors. Try it on fish tacos or for chip-dipping and margarita-sipping. What to buy: Look for avocados that give slightly when pressed but are not completely soft. We used Hass avocados.

This unique guacamole recipe adapted from Rick Bayless veers from the common avocado, lime, and cilantro combination, and instead is sweet and nutty with the flavors of dried apricots and almonds. Try it with a chicken quesadilla or simply on a tortilla chip. What to buy: Look for avocados that give slightly when pressed but are not completely soft. We used Hass avocados.

Simplicity reigns in this salad of butter lettuce and pumpkin seeds. The roasted garlic and apple juice in the vinaigrette add a welcome twist. What to buy: If you want to intensify the pumpkin flavor, make the vinaigrette with pumpkin seed oil. Game plan: We roast garlic a few times a week and keep it around to add a subtle layer of flavor to dishes. Put a whole head of garlic in a 400°F oven and roast until the cloves are soft when pressed.

The flavour in this rich caramel sauce is balanced out by the addition of bourbon and espresso powder. Start by boiling butter, brown sugar, and cream, plus some light corn syrup to keep the caramel from crystallizing. When it’s ready, flavor it with bourbon and espresso powder for a boozy sauce that adds a little extra pizzazz to a scoop of ice cream or a slice of Mississippi Mud Cake. Game plan: The sauce can be made up to 4 days ahead.

Though braising sounds like a time-consuming effort, this recipe from Ana Sortun, chef and owner of the Mediterranean restaurant Oleana in Cambridge, Massachusetts, can be pulled off in less than 30 minutes. The mix of Mediterranean ingredients like anchovy, raisins, capers, olives, pine nuts, and lemon lends tons of bright flavor and unexpected complexity without extra fat or calories.

This shortcut version of the classic Spanish romesco sauce—a combination of tomatoes, red peppers, bread, and almonds—is an easy, quick dip to prepare for cocktail parties. Its flavors pair well with anything from vegetable crudités to grilled chicken breasts and pasta, but one of our favorite ways to serve it is with roasted shrimp. Try pairing it with easy homemade chimichurri sauce for a garlic twist on this classic dipping sauce.

The classic technique for making glazed carrots involves adding just the right amount of water to a saucepan along with carrots, butter, and sugar and simmering for the exact length of time it takes for the liquid to reduce to a syrup and the carrots to become just tender. I usually overcook the carrots or add too little water, so I like this more forgiving technique. Cook the carrots in boiling water until crisp-tender and drain.