Cooking Method: Roasting

Mushroom Smash Burger on Brioche Rolls by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

admit to being very taken with the ‘smash burger’ rage – I really, really enjoy them. And that led me to think about a vegetarian version. So, I used baby portabella mushrooms and oven-roasted them flattened between weighted-down sheet pans. I built the rest of the burger/sandwich with grilled onions, turkey bacon, sliced tomatoes, arugula, muenster cheese and a dollop of prepared Sir Kensington’s Vegan Sauce - it’s a little bit mustardy and a little bit tomato-y, but any creamy salad dressing would work. And don’t forget to butter and grill/toast the rolls, you want that toasted-bread crunch with each bite.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Italian -Style by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

Can roasted Brussels Sprouts truly be festive? Sure. Why Not? Especially if they are beautifully roasted and deliciously seasoned. The secrets to good roasting are high heat (400 degrees F) to promote deep browning and caramelization and a heavy-duty sheet pan or large cast iron skillet to promote even cooking without scorching.

This recipe glazes the cooked sprouts with a reduced balsamic vinegar, fennel seed, orange juice and orange rind sauce to give the sprouts an Italian flair. And adding diced and crispy-cooked pancetta to the finished dish would not be amiss here either. Finally, garnish your dish of roasted brussels sprouts with a few tablespoons of toasted pignoli (pine nuts). Buon Natale!

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Wrap with Romesco Sauce by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

I remember when the cauliflower craze entered our consciousness and our kitchens. I first put it on a catering menu, 7+ years ago, at the New England Aquarium when I was the Executive Chef—I made a ‘Riced’ Cauliflower Risotto with Vegan Cashew Cream. I recall that it was well received! And now nearly eight years later it is still a culinary player. In this recipe, the head of cauliflower is trimmed into florets, seasoned, roasted and wrapped in flatbread, annointed with a traditional Spanish and almond roasted pepper sauce (Romesco sauce): it’s cauliflower-to-go!

Roasted Salmon with Gochujang Peanut Dressing by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

Here’s another way to use that delicious gochujang peanut dressing from the recent ‘Korean Rice Bowl’recipe. I oven-roasted salmon with a swath of gochujang dressing on top. And I served it with coleslaw and kimchi and the freshest snap peas, which are finally (!) available in the farmer’s markets.

Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Burrata & Hazelnut Sauce by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

YUM. BURRATA.
Burrata is a soft, mozzarella-like cheese enclosing a pocket of fresh cream that delivers its goodness when sliced open. It takes these simple roasted asparagus to another place.…maybe to a sun-kissed piazza in Apulia? Just slice open the room temperature burrata on top of the still-warm roasted asparagus and the cream filling will spill forth coating the asparagus. Again, YUM. I added an herb sauce with parsley, vinegar, olive oil and toasted hazelnuts. My thinking is as follows: the burrata dresses the asparagus and the herb sauce dresses the burrata. Everybody’s happy.

Caramelized Onions, Roasted Carrots & Hummus with ‘Everything Spice’ By Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

I just love a toasted and buttered ‘Everything Spice’ bagel. It’s a ‘spiced-up’ sesame bagel. So, imagine how excited I was to discover that Foodie’s carries Morton & Bassett ‘Everything Sprinkle’ in our spice aisle. M&B’s blend is sesame, poppy and caraway seeds with onion and garlic. And that’s how this quick and flavorful recipe was created; the spice was at-hand and created a spark!

It’s an easy recipe: Roast some carrots and caramelize a few onions, spread out a layer of hummus, add a drizzle of pomegranate molasses (or balsamic glaze) and a liberal sprinkling of ‘Everything Spice’. And serve with toasted pita chips or crackers.