My Golden Apron

RECIPE: Mushroom Soba Salad with Yuzu Ponzu Dressing

February 17, 2014March 21, 2016Fish, Recipes, VegetarianLeave a Comment

This is my friend’s own recipe, inspired by the different types of soba salads she has had; this light and tasty salad has become a staple on my menu. I also made this for our New Year family gathering, and most recently for my friend’s birthday potluck party.

We made this dish together a few months ago when sea asparagus was in season; it was an excellent addition and added a different texture and taste (“sea-salt”) . As this is a homemade recipe, the quantities and ingredients can be changed according to your taste and dietary needs.

“Poached Pear Queen”, thank you very much for sharing (OO).

Ingredients: (Serves 4 – as light meal)

1 package 100% buckwheat noodles (200g), 1 Tablespoon grape seed oil, 6 to 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced), 1 package white organic shimeji mushrooms (approx. 100g), 1 package organic buna shimeji (beech) mushrooms (approx. 100g), 1 to 2 cloves of garlic (finely minced), sugar snap peas 250 g (lightly blanched and sliced on the bias), 1 large red (or orange) pepper (thinly sliced), 2 pieces satsuma age (Japanese already cooked fried fish cake) thinly sliced, 1 medium onion (thinly sliced), green scallions (chopped for garnish), 1 Meyer (or regular) lemon zest (for garnish), 1 to 2 teaspoons of Japanese mirin, juice of half a Meyer lemon (or regular lemon), sake (just a dash for mushrooms), kosher salt (a little for seasoning mushrooms), drizzle of sesame oil (optional).

Dressing: 4 to 6 Tablespoon yuzu ponzu sauce, 1 to 2 Tablespoon Japanese soy sauce, 1 small red chilli peppers (thinly sliced), 1 to 2 Tablespoon rice vinegar, black pepper for seasoning to taste.

Preparation:

– Prepare ponzu dressing (Yuzu ponzu to soy sauce – 3 to 1), add sliced red chilli pepper and mix well.

– Lightly blanched sugar snap peas, peel and slice on the bias.

– Separate the white and beech shimeji mushrooms into individual stalks, slice shiitake mushrooms, onion, red pepper and fish cakes, set aside.

– In large saute pan, heat oil over medium high heat.

– Add onions, sautéed until lightly browned, add mushrooms, garlic, Japanese sake, mirin and season with kosher salt (a pinch to lightly season the mushrooms) and black pepper, stirring occasionally until they begin to wilt, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.

– Add red pepper slices, cook for another minute, then fold in snap peas and fish cake, add Meyer lemon juice, mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep in mind you would like to keep the vegetables “crunchy”. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

– Cook the Soba noodles in boiling water according to package instructions; cook until they are al dente (treat it as pasta). This step requires your full attention as soba noodles can be overcooked easily. When they are done, rinse under cold water (until water is no longer murky), toss and drain the noodles thoroughly.

Soba noodles rinsed, tossed and drained thoroughly.

– In large mixing bowl, (by hand using plastic disposable food prep gloves or tongs) toss mushroom mixture with soba noodles, the lemon zest and green scallions, slowly drizzle dressing and toss well with all ingredients.

– Taste and adjust with your choice of seasonings (soy sauce, yuzu ponzu, black pepper) according to your own preference.

– Lightly drizzle with sesame oil or garnish with toasted sesame seeds (optional).- Served immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Notes:

– Meyer lemon has a very distinctive flavour which is slightly resembles yuzu. It is not as sharp as regular lemons which work just as well and adds a different flavour.

– When adding the dressing, do it slowly; some of you may prefer a even lighter or heavier dressed noodle salad, you may not use all (or you require more) dressing. Be prepared! If you choose to chill the salad before serving, it’s best to have more dressing available as noodles may become a little dry after refrigeration.

– The small red chilli pepper is spicy; so beware! if you want “kick”, add another one (OO).

– You can make this entirely vegetarian by omitting the fish cakes. Back in September 2013, we made this dish with sea asparagus, maitake and crimini mushrooms, be adventurous and change the ingredients!

– Here’s a picture of some ingredients: organic soy sauce (top left), Yuzu Ponzu (top right) and 100% buckwheat noodles (bottom). In Vancouver, you can purchased all ingredients at Fujiya Japanese food store (912 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC). The organic packaged mushrooms are also available at T & T Asian supermarket (various locations).

RECIPE: Saba Soboro (Flaked Mackerel) with Scrambled Egg, Nori (toasted seaweed) and Green Onion

February 17, 2014February 17, 2014Fish, RecipesLeave a Comment

My Saba Soboro Donburi (leftovers next day assembled at home) – Itadakimasu!

I had the most wonderful time cooking with my “Twin” Green Apron and her husband Shin; they welcomed us to their house for a family style dinner and I spent the entire afternoon learning from Shin how to prepare Mackerel three ways.

This simple and delicious Japanese dish is served with rice, scrambled egg, chopped green onion and toasted nori (Japanese dried packaged seaweed); the combination of flavors and texture is perfect! Shin-san adapted this recipe from “Gochisosama ga Kikitakute” by Harumi Kurihara (English version is Harumi’s Japanese home Cooking); she is one of the best known cookery writers in Japan. Enjoy (OO)!

Ingredients: (serves 4)

Saba Fillet (2-3 slices), 1 medium carrot (finely diced), 1 medium onion (finely diced), 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil (2 if necessary), 4 Tablespoon Japanese soy sauce, 2 Tablespoon Sake, 2 Tablespoon Mirin, 1/2 Tablespoon Miso (brown), 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger.

For serving: Japanese Rice, 3 eggs, green onions (green part only – thinly sliced) and Japanese dried toasted seaweed (shredded)

Preparation:

– Check and remove any visible bones from the mackerel fillet.

– Using a spoon, scoop the fish meat from the skin from head to tail, pulling away from the skin. Set fish meat aside.

– Peel the carrot and onion, chop into very fine pieces, and grate (or chop) the ginger finely.

– Prepare sauce: Mix soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar in measuring cup, set aside.

– Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat, add ginger and mackerel, let them brown lightly. When fish meat starts to flake, add onion and carrot, sautéed for 2 to 3 minutes.

Saba, onion, carrot and sauce cooked together until very liquid is left.

– Stir in sauce and mix well with ingredients. At Medium low simmer, slowly cook until there is very little liquid left in the pan. Stir occasionally to keep ingredients from burning.

– While fish is cooking; prepare scramble eggs (seasoning not required), green onion (thinly sliced) and toasted seaweed (cut in small pieces).

Scrambled eggs, Toasted Seaweed and Saba Soboro – ready to assemble!

To serve: On fluffy Japanese rice, add scrambled egg on top, sprinkle with green onion and toasted seaweed then you’re ready to go! It’s best served as family style (see picture on left) and everyone can assemble their own “donburi” to taste.

Notes:

Mackerel are now readily available at Asian supermarkets or local fish store. In Vancouver, you can find mackerel at H-Mart (various locations), or Seafood City (http://www.seafoodcitygi.com/) at Granville Island. All Japanese “staples” can be purchased at Fujiya (912 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC).

Mackerel usually comes in whole, you can ask fishmonger to fillet them. For the more adventurous home cooks, you can fillet them at home; there are many instructional videos available through Youtube.

– The ratio of mackerel meat to vegetables can be adjusted according to your own preference.

– We had a carrot salad (recipe will be posted) as side dish; when I had my leftovers, I prepared a seaweed and wild greens salad on the side.

my “original” donburi at Shin and Twin’s.

RECIPE: Coquilles St-Jacques (Gratinéed Scallops)

January 22, 2014Recipes, SeafoodLeave a Comment

This past weekend my friends hosted a “French Feast New Year’s Party”; I was invited to join my friend Jo in her kitchen as her “sous chef’ to prepare dinner for 18 people! She found the recipe for this wonderful Jacques Pepin’s classic French recipe from Saveur online; we prepared this dish as an appetizer, with help from others for plating and serving. It was excellent team work; for a while it felt as if we were working in a restaurant kitchen…enjoy (OO).

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

8 oz button mushrooms (minced), 3 small shallots (minced), 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons parsley (minced), 1 Tablespoon minced tarragon (plus 6 whole leaves to garnish), kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; 3/4 cup dry vermouth, 1 bay leaf, 6 large sea scallops, 2 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2/3 cup grated Gruyere, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation:

– To prepare the duxelles:

Heat mushrooms, 4 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, and 2/3 of the shallots in a saucepan over medium heat, cook until mixture forms a loose paste, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Stir parsley and minced tarragon into mixture, season with kosher salt and pepper; set aside.

Bring remaining shallots, vermouth, bay leaf, salt and 3/4 cup of water to boil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add scallops and lightly poach until barely tender, less than 2 minutes. Remove scallops from cooking liquid and set aside.

– To prepare the sauce:

Continue to boil cooking liquid until reduced to 1/2 cup (it takes approximately 10 minutes), strain the liquid.

Heat remaining butter in a different sauce pan over medium heat; add flour, cook until smooth (approximately 2 minutes).

Whisk in reduced cooking liquid and cream; cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Add cheese, juice, salt and pepper.

– To assemble the dish:

Heat broiler to high, place rack at the top.

Dividing the mushroom mixture among the dishes.

Place 6 shallow gratin dishes on baking sheet, divide mushroom mixture evenly.

Place scallop over mushroom mixture; divide sauce over scallops.

Broil until browned on top, about 3 minutes, garnish each with tarragon leaf.

Notes:

– We used 2 scallops per serving, we were unable to find sea scallops and luckily found these wonderful frozen ones from Hokkaido (**They are sashimi grade, purchased from Golden Summit Frozen Seafood in Richmond, BC).

– The mushroom duxelle can be prepared one day ahead (we did and store in tightly sealed container).

– I’ve broken down the steps according to how we prepared the dish; we have used a lighter cream instead of heavy cream.

Here’s the original link:

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Classic-Gratineed-Scallops

If you follow the link, you’ll be able to find 150 classic recipes from around the world, featured in Saveur’s special 150th issue.

RECIPE: Poached Sea Bass with Tomato and Saffron Broth

January 17, 2014January 23, 2014Fish, Recipes3 Comments

I love the combination of tomatoes and saffron; this recipe is adapted from the January 2014 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine which emphasized on healthy eating and offered many new fish recipes. I have made slight modifications: I used sea bass instead of cod, added organic chicken broth and onions for more flavour, and increased the quantity of the poaching liquid. The fish was served with wild rice blend which was so flavourful when eaten together with the sauce; for a moment, it felt as if I was having a “fish only – deconstructed” paella…Enjoy (OO)!

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

1 to 2 Tablespoon olive oil, 3 to 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 medium onion, sliced, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 28 oz can organic whole peeled tomatoes, drained; 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/2 cup low sodium organic chicken stock (store-bought or homemade), 2-3 bay leaves, pinch of saffron threads, 4 4 to 5 ounce sea bass (fish size approximate), white pepper, kosher salt and black pepper to taste, chopped parsley as garnish (optional)

Preparation:

– Heat oil in dutch oven (or pot with lid) over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and crushed pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until fragrant (garlic should not take on any colour), about 3 minutes. Do not burn!

– Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you add them, wine, bay leaves, saffron and chicken stock (or water).

– Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors meld, 25 – 30 minutes, season with kosher salt and pepper.

– Reduce heat to medium low, pat dry the sea bass with paper towel, season with salt and white pepper; place in poaching liquid. Cover and cook at a bare simmer until sea bass is opaque throughout and begin to flake, 8 – 10 minutes (*Note – thicker pieces will take longer to cook).

– Gently transfer sea bass to shallow bowl and spoon poaching liquid over, serve on bed of wild rice.

Notes:

– The original recipe uses cod; other suggestions – black bass or flounder fillets.

– Saffron can be overpowering; adjust accordingly. For Non-meat eaters (pescatarians), omit the low-sodium chicken broth and use water instead. As always, adjust the seasoning according to your dietary needs and taste.

– I cooked the wild rice separately, we prefer either Nuworld Wholesome Wild Rice Blend (Costco or Price Smart) or Lundberg Wild Blend (Choices, East West Market (on Main Street) in Vancouver, BC or Whole Foods (various locations)).

RECIPE: Zucchini Ribbons

January 14, 2014January 14, 2014Recipes, VegetarianLeave a Comment

A simple and easy way to prepare zucchini; instead of pasta, I recently served this with Tomato glazed meatloaves (see other recipe posting).

Ingredients (Serves 4)

4 medium size zucchini, kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

– Using a vegetable peeler, from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice the zucchini into ribbons.

– Place ribbons in a covered microwave safe dish

– Nuked them high for two minutes

– Drained the excess liquid (if any), and toss with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Notes: An old fashion vegetable peeler or mandoline works. To turn zucchini into “spaghetti” style noodles, you will need a spiral slicer. Enjoy the zucchini ribbons raw as a salad! Enjoy (OO).

RECIPE: Tomato glazed “meatloaves” with zucchini “noodles” and garlic mashed potatoes

January 14, 2014March 2, 2014Meat, RecipesLeave a Comment

The recipe is adapted from Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen’s “Tomato glazed meatloaves with brown butter mashed potatoes“; I’ve changed things up a bit by mixing different meats for the meatballs, and served them with zucchini “noodles”; I’ve also doubled the quantity of the glaze. The results? A wholesome and hearty meal…a bit nostalgic..a perfect Sunday evening dinner.

Ingredients:

Glaze: 6 teaspoons olive oil, 1/2 cup tomato paste, 4 Tablespoons cider vinegar, 3 teaspoons honey, 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard, kosher salt to taste (**I’ve doubled most of the ingredients from the original recipe, we love sauce!)

Meatballs:

2 slices sandwich bread (I’ve used approximately 2 ounces of organic bread crumbs), 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 medium onion (finely chopped), 1 medium stalk celery (finely chopped), 1 medium carrot (peeled and finely chopped), olive oil (for cooking), 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for vegetables, freshly ground black pepper, 1 pound extra lean ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound ground veal, 1 to 2 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 cup milk (I’ve used almond milk), 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, 2 large eggs

Preparation:

To make the glaze: Combine glaze ingredients in a small saucepan, let it simmer and whisk constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, set aside.

To make the meatballs:

– Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

– Tear the bread into chunks then blend it, in a food processor, into breadcrumbs. Place breadcrumbs into large bowl.

– Add onion, garlic, celery and carrot to the food processor, pulse it until they are finely chopped.

– Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once skillet is hot, coat the bottom with olive oil, heat for a minute then add the finely chopped vegetables. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring frequently until they begin to brown (not burn), about 10 to 15 minutes.

– Add the cooked vegetables to large bowl with bread crumbs, then add the remaining ingredients. Hand mix the ingredients together, then form the mixture into twelve 3-inch meatballs, each will weigh about 4 ounces.

– Space the meatballs in a baking dish so they are not touching. Drizzle or brush each meatball with a teaspoon or so of the tomato glaze.

– Bake the meatballs until cooked through, for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. By using an instant thermometer inserted into the centre of the meatball, a cooked meatball will register 160 to 165 degrees.

– Adjust the oven temperature to 400 degrees and let the meatballs “brown” for approximately 5 minutes

– To serve: Serve with remaining glaze on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and zucchini “noodles” on the side.

***Ms. Deb Perelman served the meatballs with her brown butter mashed potatoes; I’ve made my own version with way less butter, almond milk (instead of buttermilk) and added garlic. Recipe for the simple zucchini noodles posted separately.

Notes: Always remember to cook ground meats thoroughly! I opted to “brown” the meatballs for an extra 5 minutes and it was a perfect finish. Adjust the breadcrumbs and quantity of milk according to need, the meatloaf mixture should feel “moist”, not runny; adjust the seasoning according to your taste and dietary needs. Enjoy!

RECIPE: Wild Salmon with Red Pepper and Hazelnut Salsa

December 25, 2013December 26, 2013Fish, Recipes1 Comment

I made this dish for our Christmas Eve Dinner gathering; I adapted the recipe from one of my recent cookbook purchases, Ottolenghi The Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. I have modified the original recipe slightly according to my own taste and dietary needs (see notes). I love this recipe, the flavours worked wonderfully together!

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 spring (wild/organic) salmon fillets (200 g each), 2 Tablespoon olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. For the red pepper and hazelnut salsa: 2 red bell peppers, 6 Tablespoon (90 ml) olive oil, 2 Tablespoon (15g) hazelnuts, 1/2 ounce (15g) chopped chives, 1 clove of garlic (crushed), grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 Tablespoon cider vinegar, agave syrup*, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. (*syrup not part of original recipe).

Preparation:

– To make the salsa: Pre-heat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Quarter the peppers and remove the seeds. Toss with 2 Tablespoon of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Put them on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes, until they are cooked through and slightly charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to cool. Keep any of the roasting juices.

– Roast the hazelnuts on a separate baking sheet for 10 minutes, until lightly colored (you can do this while the peppers are in the oven). Allow them to cool down, rub with your hands to remove the skins. Chop the coarsely. (Note: Hazelnuts can be toasted on frying pan; if you can find roasted hazelnuts, skip roasting step).

– When the peppers are cool, peel them and cut into 1/4 inch (5 mm) dice. Mix with the hazelnuts, combine with 4 Tablespoon olive oil, and the rest of the salsa ingredients. Add kosher salt, ground pepper and agave syrup (just a little if you find the flavours to be too “tart”) to taste.

– Have a baking sheet lined with parchment paper ready. Brush salmon fillets with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

– Heat grill pan (one with ridges to get the grill marks; must be pretty hot), put salmon fillets (two at a time, no overcrowding and easier to handle) skin side up on the hot grill and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then carefully flip over and cook the skin side for approximately 2 minutes. Using a fish slicer (tongs work also), carefully but briskly remove the fillets from the pan and place them, skin side down, on the lined baking sheet. Be careful not to break the fish or scrape off the nice char marks!

– Finish cooking the salmon in the oven, slow bake at 250 F for 10 minutes, or until the fish are just done and very light pink inside. Serve warm, with a generous spoonful of salsa on top.

Notes:

– Salmon fillets: stay with wild salmon! I used wild spring salmon for this recipe. Ask your fish monger to portion them for even cooking (for the adventurous and skilled home chefs, you can prepare yourself!), check fillets and remove bones.

– I used Meyer lemon (a cross between lemon and either mandarin/orange); it has a very tangy flavour and worked just as well. I found the roasted hazelnuts at the Vancouver Farmer’s Market (certified organic from Poplar Grove Arbour, Agassiz). Agave syrup is not one of the ingredients in the original recipe, I used very little to sweeten the salsa; as for the olive oil, I’ve used less oil to cook the peppers and fish.

– If you are serving this for a dinner party, the grilling of salmon fillets can be done an hour ahead (which I did); complete the final step when you are about to serve dinner.

DECEMBER 18th RADIO SHOW RECAP

December 19, 2013January 22, 2014For Your InformationLeave a Comment

Hello everyone, thank you very much for tuning in yesterday!

Here are the links to the information which I mentioned on Ms. Deborah Moore’s “Modern Deborah” on AM 1470; this is just a quick recap, actual postings will follow soon! If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me at goldenapron@gmail.com.

Bellingham:

Shari’s Diner (Old fashion diner near Bellis Fair, surprisingly great tasting marionberry pie! Other pies available)

http://www.sharis.com/restaurant-locations/washington/greater-seattle-area/bellingham/bellingham.html

Seattle:

Pike Place Chowder (Downtown Seattle: at Pike Place Market or Pacific Place Mall)

http://www.pikeplacechowder.com/

Fran’s Chocolates (Also available in Vancouver at Gourmet Warehouse, limited selection)

https://www.franschocolates.com/

Piroshky Piroshky (Russian Bakery at Pike Place Market)

http://www.piroshkybakery.com/

Toulous Petit Seattle (Queen Anne District, great brunch – )

http://toulousepetit.com/

Vancouver: (shopping information; resources)

Armando’s Meat Shop (Granville Island – for duck legs to make confit, should call ahead for check availability and reserve)

http://www.armandosmeats.com/

Gourmet Warehouse (Gourmet food stores on East Hastings and Clark, food lovers heaven! Fran’s chocolates (from Seattle) and Bellagio Hot Chocolate available)

http://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca/

Fujiya (Japanese food (grocery and delicatessen (cooked food, sushi) on Clark Drive, Vancouver)

http://www.fujiya.ca/

RECIPE: Cranberry Compote with Riesling, Pears and Apple

December 16, 2013December 16, 2013RecipesLeave a Comment

Instead of using figs or berries, I decided to make a cranberries and pears compote to go with the duck confit (see recipe) and make it more “Christmas” like. I was searching and found this Williams Sonoma recipe; I’ve added my personal touches – one Granny Smith apple to the recipe, used agave syrup instead of brown sugar, and omitted star anise (original calls for 2 pods). This compote will work nicely with traditional roast turkey.

Ingredients: (Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups)

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 Anjou pears (peeled, cored and diced), 1 Granny Smith apple (peeled, cored and diced), 1 pound cranberries (fresh or defrosted frozen), 2 cups Riesling, 1/2 cup agave or maple syrup (**original recipe uses brown sugar) plus more to taste, pinch of cayenne pepper, 4 thin strips of lemon peel, 1 cinnamon stick and 4 cloves (tied in cheesecloth to make spice packet)

Preparation:

In a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter.

– Add the pears and apple to cook, stirring occasionally, until they are starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

– Add the cranberries, wine, the agave syrup, cayenne, lemon peel and spice packet and bring to a simmer.

– Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the compote has thickened and the cranberries have begun to burst, 15 to 20 minutes.

– Remove the pan from the heat. Remove and discard the spice packet.

– Taste the compote and add more syrup to sweeten if desired.

– Serve warm, cold or at room temperature. Can be made ahead of time.

Note: I’ve chosen a nice German Riesling for the recipe. Remember to pick something which is not expensive but drinkable!

I prefer to cook the cranberries longer to achieve a different texture.

RECIPE: Roasted Cauliflower and Cremini Mushrooms with garlic and rosemary

December 15, 2013Recipes, Vegetarian1 Comment

This is an idea and recipe which I’ve adapted loosely from the December 2013 issue of Fine Cooking; instead of cooking the vegetables in a skillet, I opted to roast everything together and served as a side dish with our roast prime rib dinner; I will try the slow saute method next time.

Ingredients: (serves 4 to 6)

1 Tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Pure Maple syrup, 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (more to taste), kosher, salt, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 Head of cauliflower (medium), 1/2 pound of Cremini mushrooms (trimmed, halved if small, quartered if large – approximately 3 cups), 8 large cloves of garlic (peeled and halved lengthwise), 3 rosemary sprigs, 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (optional).

Preparation:

– Pre-heat oven to 350 F, lined roasting pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

– Prepare the cauliflower and mushrooms; for the cauliflower, cut off the stems and leaves (discard); Cut the cauliflower into half, then slice florets and stalks into bite size, cut the florets so they have a flat side.

– Combine red wine vinegar, maple syrup and lemon juice in a small bowl, set aside.

– Toss cauliflower, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil, season with kosher salt and pepper. Spread evenly on baking dish.

– Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and golden brown.

– Remove from oven and gently stir in vinegar mixture and butter (optional). Discard the rosemary sprigs and season to taste with more lemon juice and salt (if necessary). Serve immediately.

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