THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9501310054
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: By BETTY DOUGLASS, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
YOU'VE MASTERED the osso buco, the coq au vin, the beef Wellington. Your main-course repertoire would impress the boss and please the most finicky family member.
But what about those accompaniments? Is everyone weary of green beans from a freezer box, naked mashed potatoes, tomatoes on beds of lettuce?
Then it's time to expand your circle of side dishes.
A little ingenuity here can perk up meals the way accessories turn a little black dress into a wardrobe.
Side dishes should complement the entree but still add variety. Aim for different textures, ingredients and colors.
Don't feel locked into the meat-and-potatoes syndrome. With today's emphasis on eating more fruits and vegetables, you can upstage the familiar. Consider Baked Cauliflower With Feta Cheese and Tomato Sauce, Stir-Fried Collards With Apple and Balsamic Vinegar, or Risotto With Many Mushrooms.
And never underestimate the value of presentation.
``One of my pet peeves is taking potentially beautiful food to the table in a nondescript baking dish or otherwise utilitarian cooking vessel,'' says Elaine Corn, in her book ``Now You're Cooking: Everything a Beginner Needs To Know To Start Cooking Today'' (Harlow and Ratner, 1994).
``If you have cooked an item in something interesting that also happens to be ovenproof, by all means bring it to the table. Otherwise, switch to an elegant platter, a piece of Mediterranean crockery, an Oriental plate - anything but the sticky, hot, and boring baking dish the food cooked in.''
So, forever banish bland from the dinner table. With the recipes inside you can stir-fry, saute or microwave quick, healthful side dishes. We've even included suggestions for main courses. MEMO: Betty Douglass is a free-lance food writer and home economist in
Portsmouth. All recipes in this article have been kitchen-tested by the
author.
ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
TAMARA VONINSKI/Staff
Once you've mastered main courses, jazz up your plate with
adventurous side dishes such as Barley, Corn, Red Pepper and Green
Onion Pilaf.
by CNB