Category Archives: Side Dish

My friend Emma grew up in Panama.  She made these during a luncheon, and I was so impressed with how simple and quick they were to make.  The secret is to use ripe plantains that have turned mostly black on the outside.  The inside will look like a yellow banana.  When they are ripe and sweet, the sugar will quickly caramelize in the pan.

by Emma, Elizabeth’s friend

Ripe plantains (1 plantains serves about 2 people)
Olive or Vegetable Oil
Salt

Peel plantains and thinly slice on a diagonal. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Drop in plantains in a single layer.  Fry until browned, then flip.  Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.  Serve warm.

This rice pilaf is a good complement to shish kabobs.

by Pat Savoie

2              cups  long-grain rice — uncooked
1               tsp butter
1/2          cup  vermicelli — uncooked
3              cups  chicken or veggie broth
1              onion
2              stalks of celery
1/2          green or red bell pepper
1/2          teaspoon  salt
1/2          teaspoon  pepper
1              tablespoon  butter
1/4          cup  almond — sliced
1/2          cup  golden raisins
1/2          cup dried cranberries

Combine rice and water to cover in a large bowl.  Scrub rice with hands: drain.  Repeat procedure 4 times or until water is no longer cloudy.  Soak rice in water to cover 3 hours: drain.  (soaking and scrubbing rice creates fluffy, non-sticky rice)

Melt butter in a saucepan and add pasta.  Saute 5 minutes or until golden.

Add rice: cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.  Stir in broth, salt and pepper: bring to boil.  Cover, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes.  Spoon into a serving dish.  Drizzle with almond butter.

Almond-Raisin Butter:  Melt butter in a skillet: Add almonds, cook, stirring constantly 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in raisins:  Remove from heat.

*If you would like to cook the rice in the microwave, combine the rice, noodles, and broth in a microwave rice cooker and cook.  Saute the vegetables while this is cooking.

* Use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.

What child doesn’t like macaroni & cheese?  I grew up with both this “Sunday” version and the everyday Kraft version.  I still love to make this dish using the old- fashion long macaroni stick noodles that you have to break apart.  My vegetarian children enjoy it as a main dish. –Pat Savoie

by Granny–Dolores Borel

12           ounces  macaroni — all are approximation
1/2         stick  butter
1/2         pound  cheddar cheese
1              egg
1             can  evaporated milk
1/2        cup  milk

Optional:
2             cups Panko bread crumbs
3             Tbsp butter, melted

Take the long macaroni and break into pieces about 2 inches long or use the short macaroni.  Cook until tender in salted water.  Drain.  Butter a large baking dish and layer macaroni, cheese, macaroni, cheese.  Mix together egg, evaporated milk and milk.  Add salt to taste. Pour over macaroni.  Dot with butter.  Bake 325 for about 1 hour.

Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs (2 cups) and melted butter (3 Tbsp) mixed together over the top to prevent the cheese and noodles from drying out while cooking.

This was a great hit at Mom’s dinner party as a side dish served with stuffed pork loin.

By Elizabeth Savoie Dronet from the book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madsion

1         Pound  Shallots

1        Tablespoon  Butter
1        Tablespoon Olive Oil
1         Bay Leaf
2        Sprigs  Thyme — fresh (1/2 tsp dried)
2        Teaspoons  Sugar
Salt and Pepper
1/2           Cup  White Wine

Drop shallots into boiling water 2 minutes.  Cool.  Peel.  Pull apart at natural division lines.

On medium heat brown shallots in skillet with butter, olive oil, sugar, bay leaf and thyme for 10-15 minutes.

Add  salt and pepper and white wine.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover for 15 minutes or until tender.  Stir occasionally and add a little water the pan looks dry.  Uncover and reduce to syrup.  Serve warm.