Edamame Salad

© Nick Young 2011

This is a pretty quick & easy salad to put together, I hope you like it!

1 lb shelled edamame
2 ozs sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 large red bell pepper
4 spring onions
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sambal olek (chili garlic sauce)

Boil the edamame in salted water for about three minutes and cool. Lightly toast the sliced almonds and cool. Chop the spring onions, red pepper and herbs. Mix the sesame oil, vinegar, soy and chili sauce.

Once cooled, mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate once more before serving.

Enjoy!

Red Beans & Rice

© Nick Young

Traditional red beans and rice recipes use ham hocks and bacon grease for a lot of the flavor. Obviously I could not use any of that but I think this vegetarian version turned out pretty tasty.

I didn't refer to any of the conventional recipes, I just put together the ingredients I thought would work well for a vegetarian take this southern staple.


1 lb dried red kidney beans
2 cubes Knorr vegetable bouillion
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 chopped red onion
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic

Soak and cook the beans according to package instructions. After about an hour of cooking, add the bouillon cubes and half the onion to the beans and continue to simmer. As the beans and liquid start to thicken add the salt, paprika, garlic and red pepper flakes.

Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Once the beans have thickened, serve over the rice and garnish with some raw onion and chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Baked Mac & Cheese

© Nick Young 2011

This is an easy dish to prepare as you just mix all the ingredients together and bake. To make it a little spicier add some red pepper flakes.


8 ozs elbow macaroni

8 ozs italian blend grated cheese
4-6 ozs Gruyere cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tps salt
2 tps paprika
2 tps chili powder

Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF. Mix all the together in a baking dish that has a lid, or can be covered.

Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid, or cover, stir and bake for a further 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

My book...

It's not food related, but I thought you might be interested in my new book!

Windows & Walls by Photographs  by Nick Young | Make Your Own Book

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

© Nick Young 2011

This is a pretty quick and easy vegetable salad. It's tasty, with a good crunch to it, and will keep well in the fridge for several days.

If you wish, you can blanch the broccoli first but I prefer it raw.

2 large heads of broccoli
2 tomatos
1/2 a red onion
1/2 a cup of raisins
4 ozs grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & black pepper to taste

Roughly chop the broccoli, including the stalks. Finely dice the onion and tomato. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

Enjoy!

Sweet Onion Tart

© NickYoung

Having a background in traditional (ie: meat filled!) cooking I find I that have a hard translating my knowledge to vegetarian cooking. For instance, I've been racking my brain trying to think of a veggie pie or tart.

In the near future I plan to try a veggie pot pie.

However, in the meantime I came up with this sweet onion tart recipe, I hope you enjoy it!

1 sheet puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm, or other brand)
2 medium yellow onion
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup red wine
6 ozs Gruyere cheese (I used Jarlsberg)
2 ozs Dijon mustard (approx.)
1 clove of garlic
A splash of olive oil

Thinly slice the onion and sauté in the olive oil with the garlic. Add the sugar and red/white wine and reduce the liquid is all gone and the onions have caramelized.

Lay out the puff pastry onto a greased cookie and thinly smear with the mustard. Spread the caramelized onions over the muster and top with the cheese. Pinch over the edges and place into a 375ºF oven.

The tart is done when the cheese is lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash

© Nick Young

This is a great side dish that can be served with all sorts of things.

1 butternut squash
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 small red onion
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Peel, de-seed and cut the butternut squash into chunks. Peel the garlic but leave whole. Cut the red onion into six to eight pieces, cutting down from the root helps keep the onion pieces intact while cooking.

Toss everything together in a bowl with a generous splash of olive oil and season.

Roast in a 400ºF oven until tender and it gains a little color, around 30 minutes.

Enjoy!