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Healthy side dish ideas from local chef

De’Lish Cafe executive chef offers recipes for two of the Dayton restaurant’s popular items

HANDOUT A hummus plate is pictured here.

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By Duante Beddingfield, Contributing Writer 10:07 PM Thursday, February 9, 2012

If you’re watching your weight, are entertaining health-conscious guests or simply want to add something new to your bag of cooking tricks, here are two ideas for healthy side dishes from an award-winning local chef.

Anthony Head, executive chef at downtown Dayton’s De’Lish Cafe, helped to open restaurants around the area, including The Wine Loft, Fresco by Jenn DiSanto and Olive, an Urban Dive. The American Culinary Federation named him 2011’s Culinarian of the Year for the Miami Valley.

Chef Head offers his recipes for De’Lish’s popular tempura-battered asparagus fries, and their pita with spicy hummus.

“At De’Lish,” he said, “our asparagus fries are almost as popular as our Wind Down Wednesday Wings. Simple to make and full of flavor, they offer a less guilty alternative to everything potato.”

“And we offer a version of pita and hummus that’s a healthy but still satisfying alternative to cheese dip and chips … a couple thousand calories less fattening!”

Tempura-battered asparagus fries

Ingredients:

Jumbo asparagus (or whatever variety you can get your hands on)

Pre-sifted flour

Salt and pepper

Beer

One egg

Prep:

1. Trim the tough, fibrous parts of the asparagus from the bottom part of the stalk (usually about an inch or two up. Throw the tough bottom part out.

  2. Boil a pot of lightly salted water to blanch the asparagus.

3. Set up a bowl of ice water to shock the asparagus after blanching.

4. Season one cup of flour with your choice of savory or spicy ingredients, or just salt and pepper.

5. Open an ice cold beer, crack an egg and whisk them both into the flour to create a batter that coats. If it’s too runny, it won’t cling to the asparagus.

6. Preheat frying oil to 350 degrees.

Cook:

1. Partially cook asparagus in the pot of hot water for a minute or two, retaining tenderness, then immediately dunk in ice water bath to halt further cooking.

2. Shake off excess water, pat dry with a paper towel, then dip into premade batter, letting excess drip off before putting into hot oil.

3. Fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Serve. A side of spicy mustard or herb-seasoned mayonnaise complement well.

Pita with spicy hummus

Ingredients:

Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), preferably canned

Red pepper flakes

Ground cumin

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Cook: