The Frugal Chef » Side Dish Recipes & Video

Plantain Cakes

Mary Ann — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 13:00:42 +0000

Plantains are easier and easier to get in the States. You will definitely find them at Hispanic and Asian grocery stores. They are great boiled, fried, baked and in cakes as I will show you here. Make sure the plantains are really ripe. This will render a sweeter end result.

This recipe will make 6 medium size cakes. We ate them as a side with grilled meat but they are also very nice for brunch. Enjoy!

6 large, very ripe – black – plantains
2 TBS butter – melted
1 egg
Flour

Cut the tips off of the plantains and place them into a pot of water. Bring them to a boil and reduce the heat. Cook them for about 20 minutes until very tender. Remove from pot and cool down completely.

Peel the cooked plantains and mash them. Add the melted butter and the egg. Mix until well incorporated.

Make 6 medium size patties. Place the flour on a plate and lightly coat both sides of the cakes.

Heat a large skillet with some butter and fry the cakes, flipping when one side has a nice, brown crust. Serve and enjoy!

Print the Plantain Cakes Recipe Here

Parsley Fingerling Potatoes

Mary Ann — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:50:39 +0000

Fingerling potatoes are so tender and tasty they always make a great side dish for any meal. This recipe is very easy to make, looks elegant and is loaded with flavor. All you need to do is the following:

Cook your potatoes until they are tender but not mushy – approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes carefully so as not to mash them.

Heat a large skillet with some butter.

Add the cooked potatoes, season them with salt and pepper and fry them until they start browning in places.

Add about 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley.

Toss the potatoes to coat well. Serve as a side with any meal you desire. Enjoy!

Print the Parsley Fingerling Potato Recipe Here

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Basil Aioli

Mary Ann — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 12:29:51 +0000

My friend Carmen-Daisy taught me this. The sweet potato is roasted in the oven and then served along side a delicious basil ailoli. Aioli is a homemade mayonnaise with garlic. In this recipe I went ahead and used store bought mayonnaise to speed up the process. I can promise you this will be a hit at your table!

Print the Sweet Potatoes with Basil Ailoli Recipe Here

Watermelon Salad

Mary Ann — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:11:03 +0000

Watermelon salad? Really? Really, really! It might seem odd to think of watermelon as something you might combine with onions and cheese but it is a winner! I promise! What’s more, watermelon is so incredibly cheap these days! So here we go:

In a large bowl mix together 4 cups largely diced watermelon, 1/2 small red onion finely sliced, 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese, 1/4 cup chopped mint and basil leaves. Carefully mix it all. Add the juice of a large lime and season generously with salt. That’s it! Bon appetit!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

Mary Ann — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:11:17 +0000

Quinoa is a common staple in the Andean region. It is considered a super food and is getting more and more common in the USA. I buy mine from Trader Joe’s – who happen to import it from Bolivia, where I grew up. We ate quinoa all the time as kids and I encourage you to try it out! Here is a nice and healthy recipe that I hope you will like!

Print the Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe Here

Spinach & Peach Salad with Candied Walnuts

Mary Ann — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:11:16 +0000

This salad is perfect for these hot days as it is very refreshing and satisfying as well. It is also very easy to make. You should have a great meal ready in 20 minutes.

You are going to need the following:
12 oz. baby spinach leaves
2 white peaches, peeled (1 1/2 cut into thin strips – reserve the other 1/2 for the dressing)
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 lime, juices
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
The remaining 1/2 white peach mashed

Place the walnuts and the granulated sugar in a large skillet.

Cook, on medium heat, shaking the pan until the sugar is melted and the walnuts are coated evenly. Be careful not to burn the nuts as they will burn very quickly. Keep a close eye on your pan. You should be done in 5 to 7 minutes. Cool completely.

Whisk together the lime juice with the oil and vinegar. Whisk in the sugar and the mashed peaches until you have a smooth dressing.

Place the spinach, onions and peaches in a bowl. Add the walnuts. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well. Serve sprinkled with crumbled blue cheese.

Print the Spinach & Peach with Candied Walnuts Recipe Here

Macaroni Salad

Mary Ann — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:11:34 +0000

I used to make this macaroni salad at the deli I owned by the hundreds of pounds! It was an all time favorite and continues to be at our home! Easy, affordable and plain delicious!

Print the Macaroni Salad Recipe Here

Brown Rice

Mary Ann — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:27:55 +0000

Cooking brown rice is easy. Here is a short video on how I cook mine. Although I used chicken stock, you can use water or vegetable stock to keep it completely vegetarian.

Print the Brown Rice Recipe Here

Cucumber & Red Onion Salad

Mary Ann — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:13:36 +0000

You will need:
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and finely sliced
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil, mixing constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add salt and mix well. Remove from heat and cool down completely.

Place the cucumbers and onions in a bowl. Cover with the cold vinegar. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve.

Print the Cucumber & Red Onion Salad Recipe Here

Spicy Baked Beans

Mary Ann — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:11:33 +0000

Baked beans are such a great side dish for barbecues! When I make them I generally start from absolute scratch by soaking my beans overnight. However, I sometimes just go the faster route and use canned beans. When I do use canned beans I make sure I drain them and rinse them off well. You can use navy, great Northern or white pea beans. I used canned great Northern beans for this recipe.

I made this recipe spicy by adding chipotle peppers into them but you do not have to! If you prefer not to eat spicy food simply omit the peppers. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeno peppers and come in many forms – powdered, in sauces, dried, etc. The one I use the most is the one that comes in ‘adobo’ sauce. Adobo sauce is made of tomato sauce, vinegar and spices. Naturally, the more peppers you use the spicier your food will be! You can find these in Latin American supermarkets or the Hispanic aisle in your supermarket. Most of them carry chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

This is what you will need for 6 servings of these beans:

4- 15 oz. great Northern, navy or white pea beans – drained and rinsed
6 bacon slices
1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 chipotle peppers, minced – if you would rather not make these spicy omit this ingredient!
1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce

Cook the bacon in a frying pan. Remove it when it is crispy and place it on paper towels to drain the grease. When cool enough to handle, tear them into small pieces. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

In a bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, apple cider, molasses, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, cider vinegar , 2 tablespoons bacon fat, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Mix well.

In a another bowl, combine the beans with the onion and the barbecue mixture. Place into an oven dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Stir the beans, cover, and bake for an extra 15 minutes. Serve!

Print the Spicy Baked Beans Recipe Here