Emily's Hot Dish

I’m always excited when asparagus arrives in the grocery stores and farmers market stalls in the spring. When I was a kid I thought that I hated asparagus, but I discovered a few years ago that asparagus is DELICIOUS and I just didn’t like the way my parents prepared it: boiled and served plain. Yeesh.

Fortunately, it’s easy to make delicious asparagus in about the same time that boiling it takes, and the end result will be both tastier and more nutritious – cooking vegetables in water leeches out vitamins. 

You will need:
  •1-2 bunches of asparagus
  •2 tablespoons butter
  •1 tablespoon olive oil
  •1-2 shallots, minced
  •1 tablespoon lemon juice
  •1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
  •1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1-2 tablespoons capers, drained

Begin by washing your asparagus, then snapping off the tough ends. Chop or snap each spear into 2” pieces.

In a skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter and heat the olive oil. When the fat is hot but not smoking, add the shallot and soften for about 1 minute.

Add the asparagus to the pan and stir. Cook over medium-high heat until the asparagus bright green and tender-crisp. Add the lemon juice and the mustard and stir. Cook for about 30 more seconds, then add the dill or capers and stir again. Serve immediately. 

To veganize, replace the butter with olive oil. 

These mashed potatoes are everything that a mashed potato should be: fluffy, smooth, creamy, and starchy with a slight tang and buttery richness. I started making them several years ago for a Cook's Illustrated Thanksgiving (this is a traditional Thanksgiving where all the food is made from Cook's Illustrated recipes) and now it’s the only way we ever have mashed potatoes. The recipe is easily scalable so you can make a lot or just enough for two. It reheats well, so I always make enough for leftovers. If you’re making a large and complex meal, you can easily make this ahead and keep it warm in a crock-pot. 

You will need: 
  ● 1 pound potatoes
  ● ⅓ cup buttermilk
  ● 3 T butter
  ● salt

Specialty cookware: 
  ● standing mixer with paddle attachment
  ●potato ricer

The best potatoes for this are Yukon Gold. If you can't find those, another medium-starch potato will be fine. Avoid high-starch potatoes like Russets (traditional "baking potato" potatoes).

Begin by placing a large pot of salted water on the stove. Do not boil the water yet. First, peel and dice the potatoes into 1" pieces. Place the potatoes into the cold water and turn the heat to high. 

While the potatoes are boiling, melt the butter. When it is melted, slowly whisk in the buttermilk. It's ok if the cold buttermilk causes the butter to harden into little bits. Set this mixture aside. 

Boil the potatoes until they are cooked through, about 18 minutes. You will know the potatoes are done when they break apart when a paring knife is inserted. Drain the potatoes in a colander. 

Place your potato ricer over the bowl of your stand mixer. Fill the ricer with cooked potato pieces, then press them through. Repeat until all the potato pieces have been riced. 

Pour the buttermilk/butter mixture over the riced potatoes. Fit your mixer with the paddle attachment and mix the potatoes and dairy until homogenous and fluffy. Serve piping hot. 

Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. It has a subtle, slightly nutty flavor and really does well in the oven. Because it’s fairly neutral, it’s easy to pair with other flavors. Here I’m tossing it with smoked paprika, but you could just as easily use curry powder, garam masala, minced garlic, or really any spice that you want. I buy my smoked paprika from World Spice Merchants. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, you can buy it online. It tastes quite different from normal (Hungarian) paprika. It has a lovely smoky flavor that has depth and interest. Try using it on deviled eggs or dusted on top of creamy soup! 

You will need:
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Begin by cutting the cauliflower into bite-size pieces. The easiest way to do this is to turn the head upside down and cut each floret off the stem, then cut each floret into smaller pieces. 

Place all the pieces of cauliflower in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Use your hands to toss the cauliflower so that each piece is coated in oil. 

Sprinkle the smoked paprika over the cauliflower. Use your hands and toss so that each floret is coated in paprika. 

Spread the cauliflower into a single layer on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake in a 375° oven for 30 minutes or until tender.