Lundi: Recipes

It's getting on to that time again; the holidays are right around the corner.  So much so in fact that my jaw dropped when I noticed Thanksgiving is two weeks from Thursday.  Holy buckets!

With the holidays comes holiday cooking and for most of us that means obligations away from home as well as closer to it.  There will be pot lucks at work, expectations of side dishes at family dinners, parties and what not that will require you not only to make something tasty, but give it legs as they say.  Then too it seems like everyone is watching their waist/health so throwing marshmallows on sweet potatoes and calling it a casserole just isn’t going to work these days. 

Here’s a recipe that fits all the bills: it’s easy and quick, keeps and travels well, is quite health conscious and features winter veggies.  It’s even red, white and green so it looks perfect at a Christmas buffet.  Sounds too good to be true, I know, but check it out.

3 pounds trimmed green beans

2 to 3 pounds fennel bulbs

2 heads of radicchio (also known as red chicory) halved, cored and sliced

1 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

6 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Cook the green beans as you normally would, either in boiling salted water or steamed in the microwave.  Drain and put in a large mixing bowl.

Trim off the lacey tops of the fennel bulbs and cut away any bruised areas.  Cut the bulbs into quarters lengthwise.  Add the fennel and radicchio to the beans.  If you are preparing this recipe a day ahead, stop here, cover the bowl and pop it into the frig until just before you want to take it with you.

Pour in the olive oil and toss to coat.  Add the vinegar and repeat.  Add three cups of the cheese, salt and pepper to taste and toss one last time.  Before serving, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.  Bon appetite ~

Header: My Eldest Daughter Suzanne with Milk and a Book by Carl Larsson c 1904