Sesame bok choy, yellow peppers and onions

I don't remember where I got this recipe. It must have been from Chicago Tribune.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 6 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 heads baby bok choy, each cut in 2-inch pieces
2 yellow bell peppers, cored, ribbed, cut in strips
1 red onion, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro


Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add bok choy; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and onion; stir-fry 2 more minutes. Add soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper to taste; cook, tossing to coat vegetables. Transfer to a platter; garnish with cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving: 181 calories, 30% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 23 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein, 1,218 mg sodium, 10 g fiber

Pork Stir-Fry

I bought about two kilos of ground pork a few weeks ago and still had about half a kilo in the freezer. I didn't want to make Arroz a la Cubana again so I was trolling the internet for ground pork recipes and found this at the Whole Foods website. I did not have all the ingredients on hand, such as lettuce and cilantro so I made my own version of the recipe and served this with rice. I wasn't too sure how it would taste, but my family loved it, so it's now been added to our family favorites.

Serves 4

Try this Chinese pork and veggie stir-fry spooned onto crisp lettuce leaves and topped with fresh cilantro and green onions.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground pork
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms (I used shiitake mushrooms)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dry sherry (I used rice wine)
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, plus more for dipping
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 cup mung bean sprouts (optional)
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped (I used basil)
12 leaves iceberg lettuce
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Method

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pork, salt and pepper and stir-fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and red onion and stir-fry until just softened, about 2 minutes. Add sherry, soy sauce and chili sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Add peppers, carrots, sprouts and celery and stir-fry until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pork mixture to a large platter. Arrange cilantro, lettuce and green onions alongside pork and serve with extra chili sauce on the side, if you like.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 11oz/317g-wt.): 390 calories (250 from fat), 28g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 80mg cholesterol, 660mg sodium, 11g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 23g protein

Catalan Chickpeas with Sausage

I was ready to make Fabada, but it turns out I used up all the meat in the freezer so I had to make something quick for dinner where I could use the Italian sausage. I found this recipe from Martha Rose Shulman.

1 pound chickpeas, soaked in 2 quarts water for 6 hours or overnight and drained
1 bay leaf
Salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 1/2 pound fresh mild Italian sausage, sliced or crumbled
2 tablespoons diced cured ham, such as prosciutto
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 14-ounce can, lightly drained
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground pepper

Combine the chickpeas with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large soup pot or Dutch, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and skim off any foam. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste, and simmer for another hour, until tender. Drain over a bowl and retain 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside.

*Advance preparation: You can cook the beans up to 3 days before doing the next step. Keep in the refrigerator.

While the beans are cooking, heat a large, heavy casserole over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook, stirring, until the sausage has browned lightly and rendered its fat. Remove from the heat, remove the sausage from the pan and pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add the olive oil to the pan, heat for a moment, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, and add the garlic, sausage, ham, and green pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and green pepper are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, pepper, and salt to taste, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add the chickpeas and the 2 cups of their liquid that you set aside. Bring back to a simmer, stir together, turn the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans are very tender and the broth fantastically fragrant. Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

*Advance preparation: You can make this right through to the end a couple of days before you wish to serve it. Time will only improve it.

Keeping time / Leftovers
The dish will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator. With pasta, this becomes a scrumptious Pasta e Fagiole. It’s also great with couscous.

Apple Custard Tart

Years ago, while visiting my sister in New York, she enrolled me in Nick Malgieri's Techniques of Pastry classes at what was then known as Peter Kump's New York Cooking School (it is now called the Institute of Culinary Education). The classes were held for three Saturdays and I would ride the bus to West 23rd Street for the five-hour classes. We learned the best methods for creating doughs by hand or machine and making filling for luscious tarts and pies and pâte à choux desserts, including éclairs, profiteroles, Paris-Brest, and cream puffs. This was one of my favorites.


1 10-inch pate sucree (sorry Nick, but I bought 9-inch pie crust. Too lazy to make one!)

1 Golden delicious apple
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy)
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Roll the dough into a 14-inch disk and line a 10-inch tart pan with it. Chill the dough several hours or overnight.

2. Peel, core, halve and slice the apple into 1/8-inch thick pieces, arrange on pastry, overlapping. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

3. In the meantime, combine cream, eggs, sugar, Calvados or vanilla. Beat by hand until well blended; strain and reserve.

4. Bake tart at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until apples and crust are cooked through. Open oven; pour custard cream over, being careful not to let it overflow. Return tart to oven for 5-10 minutes, or until custard is set but not colored or puffed.

For other fruit and custard tarts, omit Calvados.

Roasted Potatoes

This sounds like a good snack.

Cut up potatoes with skin on, toss with salt and olive oil and shove them under the broiler at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes. Yukon gold are best.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Recipe from Faye Hess

1 whole chicken, skin removed and chopped into pieces

1 large onion, chopped into large pieces

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1 large eggplant, cut into chunks

4 tomatoes, chopped into small pieces

1 can chickpeas

1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I use yeast-free vegetable stock cubes + hot water)

1 tsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more, if you prefer things a little spicier)

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tsp ground coriander

salt to taste

1. Mix all the dry spices in a bowl and split into 2 portions.2. Marinate the chicken with salt, about 1tbsp of the minced garlic and 1 portion of the mixed spices. Leave the chicken to marinate as you chop and prepare the rest of the ingredients.

3. Heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot. Once hot, fry the chicken pieces until almost cooked through. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside.

4. After removing chicken, do not clean pot. Use the same pot to fry the garlic, onions and ginger till onions are slightly translucent.

5. Add the tomatoes, broth and the other portion of the spices. Bring to boil.

6. Add the eggplant and salt to taste.

7. When the eggplant is half-cooked, add in the chicken pieces.

8. Simmer to reduce the liquid to get to a stew-like consistency.

9. While simmering, open can of chickpeas, drain, rinse well, then drain.

10. Add in the chickpeas, and allow the stew to simmer for another 5-10minutes.

Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce

Bok choy and mushrooms are two of our favorite foods and oyster sauce is a one item we always have in our pantry so this recipe from Mark Bittman is perfect.

Photo and recipe from New York Times.

OYSTER sauce, the gooey brown condiment often used as the only seasoning for steamed greens in many Chinese restaurants, can taste pretty good. Admittedly this isn’t the most nuanced way to cook Chinese-like food at home, but buying the right stuff really helps.

The idea is to avoid oyster sauce made entirely with artificial ingredients. Look for one that contains at least a hint of oysters (“oyster extract” is common) and no MSG.

Decent oyster sauce can lend a strong, briny taste to almost anything, especially greens like steamed bok choy or gai lan (Chinese broccoli). I’m partial to adding mushrooms, especially with bok choy, whose stems become creamy when cooked long enough. For flavor’s sake, I’d also rather stir-fry than steam.

Here, I’ve paired both dried and fresh shiitakes; I cook the dried along with the bok choy (and garlic, of course) while crisping the fresh separately and serving them as a garnish.

Nothing is wasted: I use the mushroom soaking liquid to give the bok choy a flavor boost. Still, what really pulls this together is the oyster sauce, added at the end of cooking. It’s a not-so-secret ingredient that turns a simple dish into something more.

Time: About 20 minutes

1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds bok choy, trimmed

1/4 cup peanut oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic (optional)

1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced

1/2 to 3/4 cup commercial oyster sauce.

1. Soak shiitakes in one cup of very hot water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Trim mushrooms and chop. Separate leaves and stems of bok choy; cut stems into 2-inch lengths and slice leaves into ribbons.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, add bok choy stems, garlic if you are using it, reconstituted mushrooms, and about 1/4 cup reserved mushroom water. Cook, stirring frequently, until stems are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil; sauté fresh shiitake mushrooms over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until they begin to brown and crisp on edges.

4. In large skillet or wok, add bok choy leaves and oyster sauce and toss gently to combine; continue cooking until greens wilt, about 2 more minutes. Serve immediately, topped with crisp mushrooms.

Yield: 4 servings.

Tuscan White Beans with Sausage and Sage

PHOTO CREDIT: Luca Trovato Tuscan White Beans with Sausage and Sage As hearty as chili and with flavors of old-world Italy, this classic never gets old. Prepare this easy recipe for the family ‑- the perfect dish for lunch or dinner! Serving: 6 1 pound dried cannellini or great northern beans, washed and soaked overnight 2 quarts fresh water 2 medium onions, 1 cut in half and the other chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped sage 1 bay leaf 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed and crumbled 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 1 celery, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes, drained Read more: http://food.ivillage.com/recipefinder/display/0,,813gcc5k,00.html#ixzz0U9hZaJQg Drain the beans. Combine the drained beans with water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, reduce the heat to low and add the halved onion, 2 of the minced garlic cloves, half the sage and the bay leaf. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and cover. Allow to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are very tender. Drain over a bowl and measure out 2 1/2 cups of the broth. Discard the halved onion and bay leaf. While the beans are cooking, heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage. Stir until the sausage has browned lightly, about 7 to 11 minutes. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, the remaining sage, reserved beans and reserved broth, and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning as desired with salt and pepper. Serve hot with passed grated Parmesan cheese and country bread. Source: Rori Trovato

Toasted Barley Soup with Swedish Meatballs

Usually for Sunday dinner, we either have left-overs or I make soup. Last Sunday, we had minestrone. Last night, we had this soup. I was surfing the net and stumbled upon this recipe and thought this was perfect as we had frozen Swedish meatballs and barley.

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup quick-cooking barley

2 1/4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

1 1/2 cups diced carrots

1 1/2 cups diced zucchini

1/2 pound frozen, cooked Swedish meatballs

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill

2 1/4 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1. In a large saucepan over medium-low, heat the oil. Add the barley and stir until it is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the broth, carrots, zucchini, meatballs, dill and water. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover the pot and cook over medium-low until the barley is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Season with salt and pepper. Serve each bowl of soup topped with a tablespoon of sour cream.

Chunky Two-Bean and Beef Chili

Chili is one of my favourite foods.

Photo and recipe from Cooking Light.

Best Chili/Stew. Nothing hits the spot on a blustery cold day like a pot of hot chili. This recipe is a favorite because we love the chunks of meat, subtle spicy heat from the jalapeño peppers, and depth of flavor from the red wine. Reduce the ground red pepper by half if you prefer a milder version. --Recipe by Krista Ackerbloom Montgomery (March 2005)

Yield

6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño pepper
• 2/3 cup cabernet sauvignon or dry red wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can hot chili beans
• Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

Preparation

Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle beef with salt. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef.

Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño; sauté 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return beef to pan. Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients except sour cream; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Garnish with sour cream, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

390 (26% from fat)

Fat:

11.4g (sat 3.2g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

31.3g

Carbohydrate:

37.5g

Fiber:

10.1g

Cholesterol:

71mg

Iron:

5mg

Sodium:

825mg

Calcium:

94mg

Chicken and Barley Stew

I love barley and will try this recipe soon.

Photo and recipe from Cooking Light

Frozen chopped onion makes this dish even quicker to prepare. If you use them, add with the frozen mixed vegetables.

Yield:

4 servings (serving size: about 1 3/4 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
• 3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 3/4 cups chopped onion
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Bring barley and broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

While barley cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add mixed vegetables; sauté 2 minutes. Add vegetable mixture, chicken, salt, thyme, and pepper to barley mixture; simmer 4 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

356 (19% from fat)

Fat:

7.5g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 3.3g)

Protein:

22.7g

Carbohydrate:

50.7g

Fiber:

12.1g

Cholesterol:

31mg

Iron:

3.1mg

Sodium:

763mg

Calcium:

54mg

Soy-Glazed Salmon with Noodles

Here's what we had for dinner last night; another recipe from Real Simple. I didn't have salmon so I used a combination of tilapia and sole. I actually didn't have time to make the glaze, but my husband liked the dish anyway. Also, instead of cooking the beans separately, I baked them with the fish. (I used frozen beans. )

4 servings
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

1/2 lb green beans, sliced in half lengthwise
1 lb soba noodles or whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger, plus 2 tablespoons thinly sliced ginger
2 tablespoons rice wine, sherry, or white wine
4 6-oz salmon fillets, skin removed
3 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 4ooF. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.

2. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.

3. Meanwhile, in a baking dish, combine 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce, the garlic, grated ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the wine.

4. Rinse the salmon and pat it dry with paper towels. Add it to the baking dish and turn to coat. Scatter the sliced ginger and scallions over the top. Cover with foil and bake until the fish is the same color throughout and flakes easily, about 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1 tablespoon wine, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

6. Divide the drained noodles and beans among individual plates, top each with a salmon fillet and drizzle with the glaze.

Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti

I bought two bottles of pasta sauce that were on sale and I had frozen spinach that's been sitting on the freezer, so this recipe from Real Simple's Meals Made Easy was perfect. I probably won't cook this regularly though given the very high sodium content. Must be from all the cheese.

Photo and recipe from Real Simple.

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 20m
Total Time: 45m

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano (optional)
• 1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan
• 1 15-ounce container ricotta (I used cottage cheese, which is cheaper)
  
• 1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove liquid
• 1 cup grated mozzarella

Directions

1. Cook the ziti according to the package instructions. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. In a large pot, over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the beef, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until no trace of pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. Add the garlic and oregano (if using) and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pasta sauce and heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan, ricotta, and spinach and toss again.
5. Spread the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or individual ramekins and sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake until the mozzarella melts, about 15 minutes.
   

Quick Tips:

If you prefer, substitute Italian sausage for the ground beef and chopped broccoli for the spinach.

To freeze: Assemble - but do not bake - the casserole. Cover tightly with two layers of aluminum foil. Store for up to 3 months.

To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or thaw partially in the microwave. Cover and heat in a 350F over for 1 hour. Uncover and heat until the mozzarella melts, about 10 minutes more.

Don't allow your baking dish to be taken hostage by a frozen casserole. Before placing food in the dish, line it with several layers of foil. After freezing, lift the foil and food from the dish and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. When you are ready to thaw the food, remove the plastic wrap and foil and return the icy block to its dish.

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving
• Calories 1165.23Calories From Fat 36

• Calcium 672.94mg
• Carbohydrate 117.18g
• Cholesterol 176.15mg
• Fat 46.43g
• Fiber 7.12g
• Iron 9.95mg
• Protein 70.1mg
• Sat Fat 21.31g
• Sodium 1628.12mg

Asparagus with Soy Dressing

Here's an easy recipe from Real Simple's Meals Made Easy.

1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large bunch asparagus, trimmed*
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2-1/2 tablespoons rice wine, sherry or white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

Pour about 2 inches of water into a large saucepan. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus, cover, and cook until tender, 3-7 minutes. (The time will vary depending on the size of the stalks.) Drain and transfer to a platter. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, over medium heat, bring the remaining ingredients plus 2 tablespoons water to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Spoon the dressing over the asparagus; cover and refrigerate any leftover dressing to use on another night. **

* If the asparagus spears are on the thick side, halve them lengthwise. This reduces the cooking time considerably and ensures that the end result will be perfectly tender.

** Drizzle the leftover dressing over any green vegetables you stumble across at the farmers' market or in the produce aisle (such as broccoli, green beans, or broccolini).

Fresh Ideas: Vegetables

Here are a couple of fresh ideas for cooking vegetables from Williams-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen: Main Dishes cookbook:

Savory Broccoli Saute

Saute broccoli florets in olive oil over medium heat until softened, letting them sizzle and brown. Add chopped green olives, capers, lemon zest, dried red pepper flakes, and garlic. Saute until broccoli is golden and flavors melded.

Roast Brussel Sprouts

Peel away outer layer of leaves and cut Brussel sprouts in half. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced fresh oregano or thyme. Put in a baking dish and roast, turning occasionally, until golden and fork-tender.

Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon

I like this dish, from Bon Appetit, which we had for dinner last night.

Braised chicken gets Moroccan flavor from spices, green olives, and lemon.

Recipe by the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen
Photograph by Lisa Hubbard

4 servings

* Prep: 25 minutes
* Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients

* 2 Meyer lemons or regular lemons
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, pressed
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 1 4 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
* 1/2 cup green olives

Preparation

Cut 1 lemon into 8 wedges. Squeeze enough juice from second lemon to measure 2 tablespoons; set wedges and juice aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring mixture to a boil. Sprinkle chicken with and pepper; add to skillet. Add lemon wedges. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Add olives and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to skillet. Increase heat to high; boil uncovered to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over chicken.

Nutritional Information
One serving contains the following:
Calories (kcal) 431.6
%Calories from Fat 30.2
Fat (g) 14.5
Saturated Fat (g) 2.8
Cholesterol (mg) 171.2
Carbohydrates (g) 8.7
Dietary Fiber (g) 2.3
Total Sugars (g) 3.2
Net Carbs (g) 6.4
Protein (g) 64.4

Quick Beef Bourguignonne

Here's a quick version of Beef Bourguignonne (I wonder what the original spelling of this dish is!) from Real Simple.

By using a secret weapon - canned mushroom soup - you can omit complex seasonings and leapfrog over the hours-long reduction process.


Serves 4
Hands-on Time: 20m
Total Time: 20m

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 1/4 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
* kosher salt and pepper
* 1 10-ounce package sliced mushrooms
* 1 16-ounce package frozen pearl onions
* 2 cups red wine
* 1 10.75-ounce can Campbell’s Golden Mushroom soup
* 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Season the steak with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the steak to a bowl and set aside.

2. Add the mushrooms and onions to the pan and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Stir in the soup and 1/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Add the steak and juices from the bowl and simmer, 2 minutes.

4. Divide into individual bowls and sprinkle with the parsley, if using.

Tip

Beef Bourguignonne's flavor improves with time. Make it 1 or 2 days ahead of time, then cover and refrigerate it.

Nutritional Information

Calories 525; Calories From Fat 22%; Fat 13g; Sat Fat 3g; Cholesterol 91mg; Sodium 922mg; Carbohydrate 42g; Fiber 7g; Sugar 3g; Protein 34g

Boeuf Bourguignon

Here's Mark Bittman's recipe for Beef Stew with Bacon, Red Wine, and Mushrooms, more popularly known as Boeuf Bourguignon.

Like coq au vin, this is a slow recipe that takes careful attention to a couple of ingredients: the bacon must be good slab bacon, nice and smoky and not too lean, and the wine should be fruity and worthy of drinking (there are Burgundies and American Pinot Noirs that meet this requirement and cost around ten bucks a bottle).

By all means, make this a day or two in advance if you like, then refrigerate and skim the fat if that's your preference. Reheating will take only about 15 minutes.

New potatoes, roasted in olive oil or butter, are terrific alongside this stew, but so is crusty bread. Round out things with a steamed vegetable or salad.

TOTAL TIME
2 hours

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1/4 pound good slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch cubes
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
* 3 or 4 thyme sprigs
* 3 bay leaves
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
* 1 cup good red wine, preferably pinot noir
* 12 small white (button) mushrooms, trimmed and cut in half or quarters
* 12 pearl onions, peeled (frozen are O.K.), optional
* Stock or water if necessary

Preparation

1.
Put oil in a Dutch oven or casserole that can later be covered; turn heat to medium. Add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crisp and has given up most of its fat, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, add meat, and turn heat to medium-high. Cook, turning cubes as they brown and sprinkling them with salt and pepper, until meat is brown and crisp all over, at least 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
2.
Turn heat to medium, and add onions, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and parsley, with more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add wine, and let it bubble for a minute, then return meat to pan.
3.
Cover and adjust heat so mixture simmers gently for about an hour, then add mushrooms, onions and bacon. Re-cover, and cook until tender, adding a little more liquid if mixture threatens to dry out. Depending on meat, dish could be done in as little as 30 minutes more, or three times as long. Taste and adjust seasoning, then garnish and serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before reheating.

YIELD
4 servings

* Originally published with THE MINIMALIST; Tough Made Tender: Braising Chuck
* By Mark Bittman, March 16, 2005

String Beans With Ginger and Garlic

I bought a bag of string beans the other day, but was able to use half. The other half went bad after a few days. (That's one reason why I prefer to buy frozen vegetables.) If only I found this recipe from New York Times earlier.

TOTAL TIME
20 minutes

Ingredients

* Salt
* 2 1/2 pounds string beans (French-style slim haricots verts work especially well), trimmed
* 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger (about 6 inches ginger root, peeled)
* 4 medium-size garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Working in two batches, boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 4 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking, lift out immediately when cool and drain on towels. (Recipe can be made to this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)
2.
When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add half the beans, half the ginger and half the garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining oil, beans, ginger and garlic. Serve.

YIELD
10 servings

* Originally published with A Little Snap, to Take The Meal Beyond Tan
* By JULIA MOSKIN, November 15, 2006

Blueberries

We got some locally-grown blueberries from the grocery yesterday. They taste so good that we've been eating them since yesterday. I also made some blueberry pancakes for breakfast this morning. My son prefers his blueberries as is - not in pancakes, muffins or cakes. Noted.

I came across a new word a few weeks ago that's been recently added to the dictionary. Locavores are people who prefer to eat locally grown/produced food. Nakaka-loka!

Braised Bok Choy

At lunch with my brother-in-law last week-end, he served bok choy as a side dish. My son wanted to have the dish again, so here's a similar version of my brother-in-law's recipe. I was surprised at how large these locally-grown bok choy leaves are that I bought at the fruit and vegetable store near our place. Usually, the bok choy I see at the groceries, which probably came from China, are small.

* 1 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
* 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
* 3/4 pound to 1 pound bok choy or baby bok choy, washed and trimmed
* 1/4 cup vegetable broth
* 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
* 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
* 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1. Heat the canola oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add grated ginger and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until ginger perfumes the oil.
2. Add bok choy (if you are using regular bok choy, you can cut it into chunks if you like) to the skillet. Stir fry until the bok choy becomes bright green, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove bok choy to a serving plate.
4. Add broth, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar to the pan. Cook another 2 minutes or so to allow flavors to meld.
5. Pour over bok choy. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Japanese Udon Stew

My son loves Japanese food, especially noodles, so he was happy to have this for dinner the other night. And whenever we have noodles (or any Japanese meal for that matter), he insists on using chopsticks. No spoon and fork for my little guy. I got this recipe from Vegetarian Times Low-Fat and Fast Asian cookbook.

The Japanese love their stews and soups with more noodles than vegetables. But if you prefer more vegetables, reduce the amount of noodles to eight ounces.

12 oz (340g) fresh udon or flat, medium wide dried wheat noodles
1 teaspoon each canola and sesame oil
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots, cut into 1/8-inch coins
1/2 medium daikon radish, peeled and sliced (3/4 cup)
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced (1 cup)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons mirin or other sweet wine
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4-5 medium-large fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into slivers (1 cup)
4 oz (113g) firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 sheet nori, toasted and cut into thin strips

Cook the noodles until almost tender; drain in a colander.

While the noodles cook, heat the oils in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, daikon, and sweet potato. Stir to coat them with the oil, then cook for 2 minutes.

Add the broth, mirin, and soy sauce. Heat to a simmer and cook until the potato is almost tender, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and tofu and simmer for 5 minutes or more. Add the noodles and scallions and cook until the noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. Serve the stew in large soup bowls, ladling some of the broth over each serving. Scatter the nori over the top of the stew.

Stir-fried Tofu With Mushrooms

My husband brought home a couple of roasted quarter chicken left-overs from their team building activity so we are having that for lunch and I will prepare this as a side dish as I have left-over tofu and mushrooms from the Udon Stew I made the other night. I would normally freeze the tofu, but I don't really like the texture of tofu once it's frozen.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes

3/4 pound firm tofu
1 cup dried black or shiitake mushrooms, or fresh mushrooms
1 cup canned bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons oil

Remove the tofu from the package and drain. Cut the tofu lengthwise through the middle, so that you have two equal pieces about 1-inch thick. Cut into large cubes.
If using dried black or shiitake mushrooms, reconstitute by soaking in warm water for 20 minutes or until they have softened. Squeeze to remove excess liquid and thinly slice. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe with a damp cloth and slice.
Rinse the bamboo shoots in warm running water and drain. In a small bowl, mix together the dark soy, oyster sauce, sugar, and Chinese rice wine or dry sherry and set aside.

Heat the wok. When the wok is ready, add the oil. Add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms and stir until they are heated through. Add the tofu and the dark soy/oyster sauce/sugar/sherry mixture. Stir-fry until the ingredients are heated through. Serve hot.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

I made tuna salad filling the other night based on this recipe. I had all the ingredients on hand except for cottage cheese, dill and parsley. I also added 4 hard boiled eggs.

Here's my version of the recipe:

1 (6 ounce) can of tuna fish (if packed in water, drain it)
2-3 Tablespoons of mayonnaise
1 celery stalk, chopped finely
1 Tablespoon of capers
Juice of half of a lemon
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
4 hard boiled eggs

Place the 4 eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Crack and peel each egg, place in a medium mixing bowl.Add the mayonnaise and mash with a fork. Don't overdo it, you want the egg mixture to have some texture. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Serve on toast, either open faced, or in a regular sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. For a low carb option, serve on sliced lettuce.

Chicken Simmered in Soy and Star Anise

I notice that star anise and cinnamon are usually used together in recipes. And since I have both ingredients in the pantry, I should try this recipe from Donna Hay's New Food Fast


Servings: 2

1/3 cup (2 3/4 fl oz) soy sauce
1/4 cup (2 fl oz) Chinese cooking wine or sherry
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 chicken breast fillets
1 bunch bok choy or Chinese greens, trimmed and halved

1. Place the soy sauce, cooking wine or sherry, oyster sauce, star anise, cinnamon stick and sugar in a frying pan over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Add the greens to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or until tender.
3. Place chicken and greens on serving plates and spoon over pan juices as sauce. Serve with steamed rice.

Chicken Marbella

Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. This was the first main-course dish offered at their shop. It was named for a city in Spain. The original called for four chickens. Overnight marination is essential to develop the flavour.

2 tbsp each: extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar
6 pitted prunes, halved
6 large green olives, pitted, halved
3 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 small bay leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 chicken (about 3 lb/1-1/4 kg), quartered
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp chopped parsley

In large bowl, stir together oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, garlic, capers, bay leaves, oregano, salt and pepper. Add chicken.

Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Arrange chicken in single layer in large, shallow baking pan. Spoon oil mixture over it evenly. Sprinkle with sugar. Pour wine around chicken pieces. Bake in preheated 350F oven, basting occasionally with pan juices, until juices run clear, about 1 hour.

Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to serving platter. Discard bay leaves. Drizzle with pan juices. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Asian Greens & Spring Vegetables

Here's a delicious vegetable dish from Moosewood Restaurant's New Classics: 350 Recipes for Homestyle Favorites and Everyday Feasts.

This light and elegant side dish with a mild sesame-ginger dressing can be made with almost any type of greens, including bok choy, spinach, or Swiss chard. Use either snow peas or halved asparagus spears, depending upon what is available and looks most fresh and tender.

6 oz. snow peas or 8 asparagus spears
4 cups sliced bok choy, or 6 cups rinsed and steamed fresh spinach leaves
1 cup carrot matchsticks*
1/2 cup daikon matchsticks*

Dressing
3 Tbs. dark sesame oil
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated fresh gingerroot
1/3 cup scallions, sliced on an extreme diagonal
1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds**
Lemon wedges

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil on high heat. Remove the strings from the snow peas, if using, and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. (Or, for asparagus, snap off the tough stem ends, cut the spears in half on the diagonal, rinse, and simmer until tender about 7 minutes.) Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Blanch the bok choy in the same water for 2 to 3 minutes (blanch spinach for 1 minute), then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and ginger root. Toss the bok choy or spinach with half of the dressing and spread on a serving platter. Toss the rest of the vegetables with the remaining dressing and arrange them on top of the greens. Sprinkle with the scallions and sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature, decorated with a few lemon wedges.

*If you prefer, use 1 cup of grated carrots and 1/2 cup grated daikon.

**Toast sesame seeds on an unoiled baking tray at 350 F for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and golden.

Farfalle with Many Mushrooms

My husband and I love mushrooms and while I always keep a bag of dried shiitake mushrooms, I also like to use fresh mushrooms so this recipe from The One-Dish Vegetarian is a welcome addition to our dinner menu.

I like to use a variety of fresh mushrooms in this sauce and I make up the combination as I shop at the market. The very flavorful shiitake mushrooms are always included, and then I buy what other types I can find. Occasionally, chanterelles and morels find their way into the mix, but usually the combination is made up of shiitake, cremini, oyster, portobello and cultivated white mushrooms. Feel free to experiment with what is available to you. Farfalle are lovely bow tie-shaped pasta, but you can substitute shells, tubes, wagon wheels, or spirals.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 lbs mixed mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and sliced
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but very good)
1 large handful of Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
1 lb farfalle
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place a large pot of water (6 quarts) on high heat to boil for the pasta.

While the water is heating, heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan or skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over high heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms start to turn brown around the edges. Toss them occasionally with a metal spatula.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, lower the heat to medium, and add the garlic, red pepper flakes, parsley, and wine. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the farfalle, or other pasta. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tasting for doneness at 7 or 8 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Scoop out the pasta and place directly into the mushroom sauce. Let some of the cooking water transfer along with the pasta.

Turn heat to high under the saute pan or skillet and toss pasta with the sauce. At this point you can add a tablespoon or two of butter to the sauce if you wish. Serve in pasta bowls, accompanied by freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Leftover Pasta

Our freezer is bursting with leftovers so instead of going to the grocery this week-end, I decided to create a dish from whatever food we had on hand.

Cooked pasta (a combination of fusilli and radiator pasta)
Leftover Farfalle with Many Mushrooms
Leftover Italian-Style Grilled Eggplant
Cooked sliced ham
Pasta sauce
Diced Tomatoes
Chicken kielbasa, sliced in strips
Bacon, cut in small pieces
1/4 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 6 minutes or until onion is lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in basil and oregano, pasta sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; partially cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant. chicken kielbasa and pasta.

Spoon pasta mixture into a 8x8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 12 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Italian-Styled Grilled Eggplant

I borrowed this lovely book by Williams-Sonoma called Starters:New Healthy Kitchen, where the recipes are grouped by the color of the vegetable and fruit used in the dish. We are encouraged to eat a rainbow of foods at each meal and this is a unique way of presenting recipes.

Photo and recipe from Williams-Sonoma.

Rich in antioxidants that protect the brain and memory, blue and purple fruits and vegetables are easily incorporated into daily cooking, as you’ll discover with these grilled eggplant. Serve them alongside other grilled vegetables as part of an antipasto platter.

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 globe eggplants
1½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. fresh thyme
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

Build a hot fire in a grill or preheat a gas grill to 400°F. Rub the grill grate with 1 tsp. of the olive oil.

Cut the eggplants lengthwise into slices 1⁄2 inch thick. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn and grill until golden brown and crisp on the other side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the eggplant to a platter and set aside.
Put the remaining olive oil in a shallow baking dish and add the parsley, thyme, vinegar and garlic. Add the warm eggplant slices and let stand for 1 hour, then turn and let stand for 1 hour more. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.

Adapted from New Healthy Kitchen Series, Starters, by Georgeanne Brennan (Simon & Schuster, 2006).

Spring Barley Risotto

High temperatures - and bereft of an air conditioner or a fan at home - saw us spending the afternoon at the library yesterday and I went home with a bundle of food magazines.

One of the recipes I am eager to try is this recipe from Body+Soul. I have some asparagus and peas in the freezer - and a bottle of wine in the chiller - but I will have to buy barley this week-end. I can also use the fresh mint I have on our deck, which I think is not faring too well. And I thought I was slowly getting a green thumb. I guess not!

Photo and recipe from Body+Soul.

A healthier alternative to the more traditional arborio risotto rice, barley adds iron and fiber to this dish.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup pearled barley
2 leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
14 1/2 ounces vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut on bias into 2-inch pieces
1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves, plus small leaves for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add barley and leeks; cook until beginning to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water; bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer until liquid absorbs, about 10 minutes.
2. Add broth and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until barley is tender and creamy, about 10 minutes. Add asparagus; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas until heated through. Add Parmesan and mint; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with mint leaves.

Parmesan Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary

Here's a very simple recipe I tried a few nights ago from Real Simple!

Photo and recipe from Real Simple

Makes 4 servings
Hands-on Time: 0hr 15m
Total Time: 0hr 30m
This recipe is: One Pot, Kid Friendly, Quick & Easy

12 ounces (3 cups) orecchiette pasta
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
kosher salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

2. Shred the chicken, using a fork or your fingers, while the pasta cooks. Discard the skin and bones.

3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the water. Return the pasta to the pot.

4. Add the reserved pasta water, chicken, rosemary, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pot. Stir over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

5. Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.


Tip

Using water from the pasta pot is a classic cook's trick. Starchy and salted, it makes a light, flavorful sauce when tossed with cheese and herbs.

Munggo Guisado

I like munggo, but my husband doesn't. I still have some lentils left so I will try this recipe from 80 Breakfasts with lentils.

240 grams munggo
4 cups of water
4 – 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 small (native…well, to here at least) tomatoes, chopped
200 grams (approximately, I used ½ of the fish) boneless tinapang (smoked) bangus (milkfish), broken into pieces
1 cup malunggay (moringa) leaves
canola oil
salt / patis (fish sauce)


Clean the munggo by dunking the beans in a bowl of tap water and skimming off the “floaters”.
Place munggo in a pot with the 4 cups of water and cook on low heat until soft around an hour, more or less).
Once beans are done, start with your guisa (sauté).
Heat some oil in a large pan (large enough to fit all your cooked and softened munggo).
Sauté garlic, onions, and tomatoes until slightly soft.
Add tinapang bangus, toss, and heat through.
Add cooked munggo and stir.
After you have given it a moment for the flavors to blend, add salt or patis to taste.
Add malunggay leaves, give it a few stirs (they’ll cook fast), and you’re done.

Kari Ayam (Chicken Curry)

Here's a recipe from Mark Bittman's "The Best Recipes in the World".

This curry is great with white rice, but even better with the Malaysian coconut rice, Nasi Lemak. You can make this curry a day in advance - keep it covered in the refrigerator overnight and warm it gently over low heat before serving.

One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 shallots, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
1 chicken, 3-4 lbs, cut into serving pieces, or 2-1/2-3 lbs chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
Salt to taste
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
2 whole cloves
3 tablespoons curry powder
1-1/2 cups coconut milk

Combine the ginger, shallots and garlic in a food processor or blender and puree to a coarse paste. Set aside

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, season the chicken with salt, add it, skin side down, and brown well, rotating and turning the pieces as necessary, 10-15 minutes.

When the chicken has browned, transfer it to a plate and add the shallot-ginger-garlic paste to the pan. Cook, stirring, until lightly colored and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, and curry powder and cook for a minute more, then return the chicken to the skillet and season well with salt.

Add the coconut milk to the pan, scraping with a wooden spoon to incorporate any solids into the sauce. Lower the heat so the coconut milk is simmering gently and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (you may want to remove the breast meat from the sauce after 20 minutes and warm it through just before serving - this will keep it from overcooking). Remove the whole spices from the pan and serve warm with Nasi Lemak or plain jasmine rice.

Quinoa and Mushroom Skillet

I was diagnosed with anemia a few years ago and I probably still am anemic, but iron tablets don't quite agree with me so I've been looking for foods that are rich in iron. Quinoa happens to be one of them. I bought some cremini mushrooms today so I can try this recipe from Vegetarian Times' Fast & Easy cookbook.

Quinoa might be considered a “superfood” for its superb protein content, but it’s the unique nutty flavor of the tiny grain that wins cooks over. Try serving this accompanied by a salad of green and white cabbage with sliced apples, tossed in a ranch-style dressing.

* 2 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 medium-sized red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
* 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
* 2 cups vegetable stock
* 10 to 12 oz. cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in quinoa, and cook, stirring often, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Pour in stock.
3. Stir in mushrooms, cover and cook 15 minutes, or until stock is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper; serve hot.

Quinoa Primavera with Chicken, Spring Peas and Asparagus

Here's another recipe from Whole Foods.

Roasted or rotisserie chicken works perfectly in this recipe. Any leftover quinoa primavera can be chilled and tossed with vinaigrette to make a lively salad.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 pound (about 1/2 bunch) asparagus, woody ends snapped off and discarded, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup fresh peas or frozen petite peas, thawed
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 cup thinly sliced baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Method

Rinse quinoa under cold running water and drain. Combine water and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until quinoa is tender and all the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and asparagus. Cook, stirring often, until asparagus is tender and bright green, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and peas and continue cooking for another minute. Stir in chicken and cooked quinoa. Add the spinach and stir until it wilts, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Nutrition: Per serving (about 11oz/325g-wt.): 310 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 370mg sodium, 39g total carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 20g protein

Spinach and Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Here's a recipe from Whole Foods.

Serves 4 to 6

Dried porcini mushrooms are particularly tasty since their flavor is concentrated. Simply plump them up in a bit of hot water before using, which yields a terrific mushroom broth for the recipe, too.
Ingredients

1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup Marsala wine
1/3 pound Canadian bacon, diced
2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/3 cup shredded aged Gruyère cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Method

Soak dried mushrooms in 1 cup very hot water for 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid in a bowl. Chop mushrooms and set aside in a second bowl.

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring continuously, coating the rice with butter, for 3 minutes. Next, add Marsala and continue stirring until the liquid is completely absorbed, about 1 minute.

Stir in bacon, mushrooms and reserved mushroom liquid. Continue stirring until liquid has been absorbed. Continue by adding the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until all the liquid has been absorbed. The mixture should get creamier as you stir, and the total cooking time should be about 30 minutes. When the rice is cooked (it will be tender but still al dente), turn off the heat, stir in the spinach and cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 9oz/243g-wt.): 270 calories (110 from fat), 12g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 40mg cholesterol, 940mg sodium, 25g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 14g protein

Bread Pudding

I tried this recipe from All Recipes. I added some chocolate chips instead of raisins and I didn't have enough sugar, which was a blessing, since I didn't want the pudding too sweet.

Ingredients:
6 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk (I used only 1-1/2 cups milk or 1 can 370-ml milk; I prefer a drier kind of pudding)
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Beef Korma

This recipe came from a classmate in grade school and high school. He was one of the naughtiest boys in our class. Now, he's a professor in our school's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. I've had this recipe for some time, but could not find lemongrass until recently. (I kept a few stalks and hope to grow some in a container garden.) I served this with naan bread, which my son loved.

1 kilo beef, cut into cubes
1 beef broth cube
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups thick coconut milk
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water

Marinade for beef:
1/4 cup lemongrass, finely chopped
1/4 cup garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup ginger, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1-1/2 tablespoons turmeric, finely chopped
1/4 cup calamansi (lime) juice
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

In a large bowl, combine marinade ingredients with meat and mix well to coat meat evenly. Cover bowl with cling wrap. Marinate beef in refrigerator for 2 hours or more.

In a large pan, heat oil. Add beef and other ingredients, except coconut milk. Add water. Simmer for 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Add coconut milk and let it stand until sauce thickens and tends to cling to meat.

Spaghetti with Onions - 2 versions

I tried this tonight. The sauce was not as thick as it says it should be. I used whole wheat spaghetti and I wonder if that made a difference. I've been trying recipes from Moosewood Restaurant's Low-Fat Favorites all week.

We modified this recipe from Ed Giobbi, who found it in a very old Italian cookbook. Just as he says, it's a winner.

The pasta is only partially cooked when you add it to the sauce, so as it finishes cooking, it releases the rest of its starch, creating a sauce so thick and unctuous you'd swear it had cheese in it - a bit of kitchen wizardry at work!

4 large onions
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground fennel (optional)
1 lb spaghetti (about 453 grams)
1 cup skim milk
1 cup canned tomatoes, crushed or coarsely chopped (8-0z can)
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste

Slice off the ends of the onions. Cut each onion in half lengthwise and remove the peel. Slice each half lengthwise into strips.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

While the water heats, pour the oil into a large skillet or wide soup pot and add the onions and fennel, if using. Saute, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.

Ease the spaghetti into the boiling water, stir and cover. Cook the spaghetti for just 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the milk and tomatoes to the onions. The milk will curdle, but don't worry. Cover and gently simmer.

When the spaghetti has cooked exactly 5 minutes, drain it and add it immediately to the onion mixture. Simmer the spaghetti in the sauce for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce is smooth. Drizzle it in a little more milk if the sauce becomes too stiff. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

This other version, called Spaghetti with Caramelized Onions comes from The One-Dish Vegetarian cookbook.

You come home in the evening, tired unto exhaustion. No one has shopped for dinner. The weather is foul - rain, sleet, snow - there is no question of going out. You pull out the spaghetti pot, fill it with water, put it on the stove. The pantry has some onions, not much else. You slice the onions and saute them slowly while you chat with your family, read the mail, whatever. An hour later you boil the spaghetti and toss it with the sauce. You've created magic! A delicious dinner out of nothing much.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 large onions (about 1-1/2 lbs), sliced very thin
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons salt
1 pound spaghetti
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Place a large pot of water (6 quarts) on high heat to boil for the pasta.
2. In a large saute pan or skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions, turn the heat to very low, and cook the onions, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the onions have turned golden brown. Be careful not to let the onions burn. They should cook very slowly and evenly, so adjust the heat accordingly.
3. Add salt and plenty of black pepper to the caramelized onions. Because of their sweetness they should be fairly heavily seasoned.
4. Add the wine and raise the heat to high; simmer until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the parsley, stir, and turn off the heat.
5. Add salt to boiling pasta water then add the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain the spaghetti and add to the saute pan with the caramelized onions. Turn on the heat under the pan and toss the spaghetti with the sauce.
6. Serve at once in pasta bowls and serve the cheese separately.

Variations:
Add 1/2 cup heavy cream after you have added and simmered the wine. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Stir in 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or toasted pine nuts just before serving.

An onion can make people cry, but there's no vegetable that can make people laugh. - Anonymous

Minestrone Genoa

Here's a light version of minestrone from Moosewood Restaurant's Low-Fat Favorites. We had this with pita bread.

The variations on minestrone are almost infinite. The hills around Genoa are covered with fragrant herbs, and minestrone there is usually spiked with pesto, a trick we have adopted for this quick-cooking rendition. You could add to or replace some of the vegetables listed here - zucchini, turnips, and spinach or other greens are all fine additions or substitutions.

Serves 4-6
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Simmering time: 20-25 minutes

6 cups basic vegetable stock
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
2 cups cubed peeled potatoes
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup cut green beans, in 2-inch pieces (about 6 ounces)
3 cups cooked cannellini or white kidney beans (two 15-oz cans, rinsed and drained)
1 cup prepared pesto
Salt and ground pepper to taste

In a soup pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and green beans and simmer for 10-12 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the cannellini and pesto and heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Variation: Add 2 or 3 bay leaves to the simmering vegetables and remove them before serving the soup.

Note: If you have leftover minestrone, consider serving it the Italian way, called riballita, "reboiled". Soak thick slices of stale bread in the soup until the bread nearly dissolves. The soup should be almost thick enough to hold up a spoon. Gently reheat it on the stove or bake it in a baking dish, sprinkled with a little grated cheese.

Yummy Pork Chops

I wasn't sure how this would turn out, but my family loved it. I served it with Asian Salad (store-bought) and Herb Rice (recipe follows). The recipe was taken from Anna Casale's Long Life Cookbook - Delectable Recipes for Two.

The onion, lemon, brown sugar, and ketchup form a mahogany glaze for these succulent chops.

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 pork rib chops, each 1/2-inch thick (1 lb total weight), well trimmed of fat
1 small yellow onion (5 oz), peeled and sliced into paper-thin rounds
1 lemon (4 oz), ends removed, sliced into 8 thin rounds
2 teaspoons ketchup
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons water

1. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Lightly brown chops on both sides, about 1 minute on each side; transfer to a platter. Remove skillet from heat, discard any pan drippings, and wipe pan out with paper towel.
2. In same skillet, arrange pork chops in a single layer. Arrange onion slices over chops in an overlapping pattern. Place 2 slices of lemon on top of each chop, spoon 1/2 teaspoon of ketchup over each chop, and sprinkle 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar over each. Add 2 tablespoons water to bottom of pan.
3. Cover pan and cook chops over low heat until cooking liquid forms a glaze, about 15 minutes. Continue cooking, covered, basting frequently, until chops are extremely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes. If glaze gets extremely thick while basting, stir in another tablespoon of water.
4. Transfer chops to a platter with a spatula, and spoon glaze from bottom of pan over each. Serve immediately.

Herb Rice

Yes, another rice recipe. This time, it's from Anna Casale's The Long Life Cookbook - Delectable Recipes for Two. What attracted me to this recipe is its use of fresh basil and fresh mint, two of the herbs I'm growing on our balcony.

I did not follow the recipe as I didn't have scallions nor celery. I cooked rice the usual way and added the fresh herbs at the end. I didn't even use salt and pepper. The rice was flavorful and went well with the Yummy Pork Chops (previous recipe).

Adding the fresh herbs after the rice is cooked will guarantee a delicate flavor. I recommend you make this dish only if and when fresh herbs are available.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery, strings removed
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1-1/3 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1. In a heavy 2-1/2 quart nonstick saucepan, heat oil over low heat. Add scallions and celery and cook, covered, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until slightly softened but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add rice and stir until opaque and well coated with vegetable mixture. Add broth, turn heat to high, and bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring once or twice. Cover pan with a tight-fitting lid, turn heat to low, and simmer undisturbed for 25 minutes. At this point, the liquid should be completely absorbed into the cooked rice. If it isn't cover pan and continue to cook for an additional minute or two.
2. Remove pan from heat and stir in basil, mint, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pan and let rice rest for 5 minutes before serving so that all the flavors meld together. Transfer to bowl and serve immediately.