Last week I wanted to revive Recipe Matchmaker, a series I used to host on the DailyExpertNews Cooking’s Instagram, in which I matched followers with recipes from our database based on their very specific requests.
So many of you signed up with cooking questions big and small; below I have only addressed a small part of it. If I haven’t reached yours, fear not! I’ll do this again, and I’ve pocketed a few requests (like cooking for kids!) for an upcoming newsletter.
Roasted vegetables with verve
“My roasted veggies are tired of always being accompanied by hummus. Vegan matches would be preferred. — Steffi
“Broccoli and cauliflower… beyond trees and clouds with cheese sauce.” — Ann
Stephanie and Ann should try Yewande Komolafe’s roasted vegetables with cashew romesco. Romesco with smoky red pepper is nice and spicy, delicious as a dipping sauce or to pour over lightly browned cauliflower and broccoli florets. Or combine roasted veggies—cruciferous or not—with a vegan dressing of nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, lemon juice, and olive oil, and serve it over your favorite grains à la this savory bowl from Ali Slagle.
Meat and potatoes, hold the meat
Several of you signed up to express different desires for heaviness and cordiality. For Mattie, who just wants “meat and potatoes, but in a vegetarian way,” I couldn’t think of a better option than Samantha Seneviratne’s Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, which swaps lentils and mushrooms for the meat, keeps the traditional peas and carrots, and tops all with a nicely browned layer of creamy mashed potatoes.
For Cora, who is specifically looking for a main dish to pair with a potato side, look no further than Ali’s portobello “steak” au poivre, which would be delicious with some fancy, aromatic and ready-to-eat. ready beans for protein.
A box-checking savory breakfast
Last week’s breakfast newsletter inspired a number of follow-up requests. Meg needs a hearty eggless breakfast for her partner; Melissa and Kanika need a savory make-ahead option; Anna needs the same, but without oats; and Rene prefers a savory porridge with a lot of texture.
All five should start their day with Hetty McKinnon’s butternut squash congee. It’s eggless (but a soft-boiled egg on top would be delicious), easy to make ahead of time and reheat (and even better a day later), oat-free, and it has nubby rice, soft squash, and crunchy bits when you garnish with chilli crunchy. (Add extra crunch with store-bought fried shallots as a garnish, if you have them.)
Be sure to read to the end for a little quick Recipe Matchmaker!
