Child’s Play: How a Young Cook Makes a Perfect Meal for Meatless Monday

And so, another generation of passionate, creative cooks.

Recently I spent some memorable time with one of my grand daughters. She cooked almost an entire dinner for herself and siblings as I watched. I encouraged her to use her judgment about flavors and amounts. She was thoughtful, asked questions and was unafraid to follow her senses and taste buds rather than someone else's recipe.

At each step of the way she got off the stool she needed to reach the pan so she could write down what she did.

In the end: Rice and Beans with Roasted Brussels Sprouts for 4.

First, I must say, she knew to wash her hands before cooking. She also used disposable gloves when she tossed the Brussels sprouts in olive oil.

I watched her pour olive oil into the pan and toss a bit of chopped onion in to see if it sizzled because I had told her that's when the oil was hot enough for the rest.

She added chopped onions and made a decision about how much was enough. About 1/4 cup.

I told her how to rinse the beans, and why, and watched her do it.

She added the beans and some crushed tomatoes and when she said she didn't think it was tomatoey enough I encouraged her to add more. And she did.

She wondered about spices. I suggested either chili powder or cumin and she asked "why not both?"

Indeed. I told her to add both, starting with 1/2 teaspoon each.

When she tasted she said it needed more chili powder. And added some. And salt. To her taste.

As the beans cooked, she cut the Brussels sprouts, placed them on a baking tray, tossed them with olive oil, sprinkled them with salt and placed them in the oven.

The only thing I cooked was the rice. 

Everyone gobbled up this magnificent feast. The perfect meal for a meatless Monday or whenever you have yen for a scrumptious vegetarian dinner.

I left smiling. Still am.

 

RICE AND BEANS 

1 cup brown rice

1-3/4 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1-1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt to taste

Place the rice and water in a saucepan over high heat. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 35 minutes or until the grains are tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. While the rice is cooking, pour the olive oil into a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Spoon the rice onto plates; top with some of the rice and beans. 

Makes 4 servings

Comforting Pasta Amatriciana

When you feel let down or sad you need to do something special to help cheer yourself up.

Some people shop, some go to a spa for a facial, some exercise like crazy (when my brother was going through a divorce he ran super marathons -- 110 miles!)

To say that the election of 2016 was a disappointment for me is a huge understatement. 

I need cheering up, and my favorite coping mechanism is: eating. Mostly potatoes. So one night I had two baked potatoes for dinner.

But now I need real, actual food, a regular dinner entree. Something more substantial and also comforting. 

Pasta! 

With red sauce. AND smokey with (I use Jack's Gourmet Facon) bacon and (I used Jack's Gourmet Sweet Italian Beef Sausage) sausage. And a little gentle (chili pepper) heat.

Bucatini Amatriciana!

Yum.

Celebration-worthy.

Kosher Pasta Amatriciana

• 4 ounces kosher beef or lamb bacon, chopped
• 3 ounces kosher Italian style sausage, diced
• 2 ounces olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 3 pounds tomatoes, chopped (or use canned tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound cooked bucatini

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over low-medium heat until lightly crispy. Add the sausage and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the meats are browned. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour the olive oil into the pan. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic, cook briefly, then add the tomatoes, parsley and red pepper. Return the bacon and sausage to the sauce. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Pour over the pasta, toss and serve. 

 Makes 4 servings

Chicken Fried Steak

Several years ago my daughter Gillian and I drove from Chicago through some of the border states on our way back home to Connecticut.

We had a grand old time that included a (tasting) tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.

We also heard Grandpa Jones sing at the Grand Ole' Opry in Nashville.

One of the most astonishing things we witnessed were the thousands of people Christmas shopping in July in the malls in Gatlinburg (with motel accommodations priced at $39/night so you could shop till you dropped for more than one day).

Slowly we made our way through the magnificent Great Smoky Mountains. That was truly glorious.

And, last but not least, we saw -- everywhere we looked -- a lot of people eating chicken fried steak.

For breakfast!

Chicken fried steak for breakfast!

I love understanding local cuisine and sometimes even trying it. Somehow chicken fried steak smothered with gravy and accompanied by mashed potatoes and biscuits for breakfast seemed a bit much.

But that didn't stop me from trying it at home.

For dinner, of course.

Chicken fried steak, made properly (in the border states), is made with round steak. I substituted skirt steak. Anyone who has eaten skirt steak understands it can be tough, but you can pound it to make it more tender.

Or, you can use rib steak, but I think that's a waste for this particular recipe because, really, this kind of dish is about the fried, not the fabulous beef. If you do use rib steak though, be sure to slice it thin.

We didn't mind the chewiness of the skirt steak. Like fried veal or chicken cutlet, the outside is crispy and the inside moist and flavorful. The gravy is an indulgence.

Glad I tried it, but I wouldn't serve this for breakfast!

Chicken Fried Steak

• 2 pounds skirt steak, approximately
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• 2 large eggs plus 2 teaspoons water, beaten together
• vegetable oil
• use 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for gravy
• 1-1/3 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup soy or rice milk (or more chicken stock)

Preheat the oven to warm. Cut the meat into smaller portions and set aside. In a dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, cayenne pepper and salt and whisk the ingredients to blend them thoroughly. In a bowl, beat the egg and water together until well combined. Remove 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour and set it aside separately. Press each portion of meat in the seasoned flour, coating the surface completely. Coat the meat portions with the egg, then coat again with more of the seasoned flour. Heat about 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot enough to make a bread crumb sizzle immediately. Fry the meat portions a few at a time, leaving plenty of space in the pan, for about 3 minutes per side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels and continue with the remaining meat. As the portions are cooked, place them on a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. When all the meat is cooked, discard all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the reserved seasoned flour and whisk into the fat, cooking over low-medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the stock and whisk until a smooth, thickened sauce has formed. Pour in the milk and whisk into the sauce. Remove the steaks to plates and serve covered with some of the gravy.

Makes 4 servings

Mom’s Fried Chicken Wings

MOM’S FRIED CHICKEN

• 12 chicken wings, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• shortening or vegetable oil

Rinse the chicken pieces and set them aside. In a large dish, mix the flour with the paprika, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Coat the chicken pieces with the seasoned flour. Place them on a cake rack to air dry for 25-30 minutes. Heat the shortening or vegetable oil in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat (should be about 1/2-inch) to 365 degrees (a bread crumb will sizzle quickly when you add it to the pan). Add a few chicken pieces at a time (adding too many will make the cooking oil too cool) and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Makes 12

Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange-Balsamic Sauce

Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange-Balsamic Sauce

To me, chicken is the “basic black dress” of food. Because, like a basic black dress, you can do all sorts of things with it.

You can dress chicken up or play it down. Make it humble or fancy. Cook it plain or add all sorts of stuff, like stuffing, fruits or vegetables. Make it mild or with lots of seasonings.

Chicken is so basic it goes with lots and lots of herbs, spices, condiments and other flavorings. It’s good with gravy or without. It looks different and tastes different depending on all these variables.

So, the other day I made a very simple recipe using chicken breasts and figs.

Fresh figs are in the stores for a really short time, every summer and into the fall. And if you’re like me, and like figs, now is the time to buy and use them. I knew they’d be perfect with chicken.

After I bought the figs I poached some, used some for salad and then roasted chicken breasts and added some figs to the pan for the last several minutes. I had some fresh thyme too, so I included that, sweetened the dish up with a little orange juice and gave it a little tang with some Balsamic vinegar.

Look how dark and rich this dish looks! Lots of rich, tangy-sweet sauce, perfect for steamed rice, cooked noodles or polenta.

I still have a few fresh figs left. Think I might grill them. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Baked Chicken with Fig-Orange-Balsamic Sauce

• 4 large chicken breast halves (bone-in) or whole legs

• Vegetable oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/3 cup orange juice

• 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 8 large fresh figs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken. Rub the skin with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Place the chicken in a roasting or baking pan. Immediately reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees and roast for 15 minutes (you preheat to 400 degrees to give the chicken an immediate blast of high heat, but it needs to cook at 350 degrees after that). While the chicken is cooking, mix the chicken stock, orange juice, Balsamic vinegar, orange peel and thyme leaves in a small bowl. After the 15 minutes are up, pour the sauce over the chicken. Continue to roast the chicken for another 10 minutes. Baste and roast for another 10 minutes. Place the figs in the pan. Baste with the pan fluids. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and figs from the pan and keep them warm. Place the pan over high heat to boil the pan juices for 2-3 minutes until thickened slightly. Serve the chicken with pan fluids and roasted figs.

Makes 4 servings

Braised Chicken with Dates

When I think about comfort foods I’m no different than most people. I’ll go for Macaroni and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes and Chocolate Pudding just like the next guy.

But my list also includes Chicken Fricassee. My mother made Chicken Fricassee with chicken wings, gizzards and necks. She included potatoes and little meatballs, lots of onions and sometimes mushrooms. She loaded it up with paprika, covered it and cooked it slowly for hours until there was a rich, russet gravy and chicken soft-as-you-know-what. 

That was good.

When my mother was much older and not well, I would make some for her and bring it to her house in a kind of comforting culinary role reversal. She loved Chicken Fricassee too.

This dish was such a regular when I was a child that when I became a Mom and my kids were young, I made it too. 

They hated it. Made fun of it. Wouldn’t eat it.

I still don’t get it.

But, it wasn’t something I made because what’s the point? If your family doesn’t like something you don’t cook it for dinner.

I did however, continue to make braised chicken. Which is actually, for most purposes except the strictest definition, the same as fricassee. My daughters did eat many of the newer versions. And one day Gillian actually called me out on it and said she knew it was fricassee only with different spices and no meatballs.

This is one of the recipes that proved to be a big winner. Call it Braised Chicken with Dates if the word fricassee is not a word you want to use in your house.

Braised Chicken with Dates

• 1 cut up broiler-fryer chicken

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 12 whole dates, preferably medjool

Rinse and dry the chicken and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken a few pieces at a time until they are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a dish and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger an cook briefly. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the onions on top. Sprinkle with the cumin, cayenne and nutmeg. Pour in the chicken broth. Stir the liquid, cover the pan and turn the heat to low-medium. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the dates and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Dieting for the doctor's appointment Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange-Agave-Soy Marinade

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange-Agave-Soy Marinade

 Does anyone else diet for a couple of weeks before going to the doctor for a regular, annual-type checkup?

You know, so that the doctor doesn’t either yell at you or because you want him/her to be impressed that you aren’t overweight or too overweight?

I used to laugh at my husband because I would notice how is eating habits changed about 3-4 weeks before his doctor appointment. He didn’t actually say anything. It was sort of stealth dieting. But I caught on a few years ago and I started teasing him about it.

Until one of my daughters recently pointed out out that I do it too.

I confess. She was right.

Neither Ed nor I weigh too much for our age (according to the charts which I must say seem a lot more liberal than the ones they used to use). It’s just those couple or six extra pounds that seem to creep up on you during the year. 

That are so much more difficult to lose as you get older. Even when you work out 2-3 times a week like I do.

But there is that doctor’s appointment in a couple of weeks. So here comes the dieting, no longer a secret.

It’s really really difficult to diet when you are in my business — food writing — and you have to think about food all the time and test out recipes too, like for the article I just sent in for ice cream sundaes and sauce. Fortunately my next article includes recipes for fish salad and ceviche, which can be low low calorie as well as delicious.

In the mean time I can tell you that it is possible to eat good food that is easy to prepare, doesn’t take too much time to cook and still tastes very good. Like grilled fish, grilled turkey or chicken breasts. Try this recipe, even if you aren’t watching your weight. If you use an outdoor grill, preheat it to hot but cook the chicken over medium heat or indirect heat.

Btw, I am aware that agave, which was once highly touted as a low-glycemic ingredient is not any better than corn syrup or honey. So use any of these.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Orange-Agave-Soy Marinade

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon agave syrup or honey

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh orange peel

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

• 2 scallions, finely chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or use 1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper), optional

• 4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts

Combine the soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil, agave syrup, orange peel, ginger, scallions, garlic and hot pepper sauce in a deep dish. Immerse the chicken in the marinade, refrigerate and let rest for 1-4 hours, turning the breasts occasionally during that time if possible. Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill the breasts for 5-8 minutes per side, depending on thickness, turning the pieces occasionally, or until cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Grilled “Korean Style” Chicken

Barbecue for Father’s Day: Ribs and Chicken

For years and years on Father’s Day our family, my brothers, parents and I, went to an extended family barbecue (called a “cookout”) at my Aunt Min’s house. All the cousins were there so it was a generally raucous event. My Uncle Herb made hot dogs and hamburgers.

I didn’t like it. I wanted to be with my father and and not everyone else’s. It wasn’t as if we never saw the cousins. There were always plenty of other occasions during the year.

Besides, I wanted my Mom’s delicious food. Uncle Herb was a nice guy and all but he tended to overcook everything so the hot dogs were shriveled and the burgers were like hardened play dough.

So one year I got really brave and told my mother I didn’t want to go.

Wow — she agreed! It was like a miracle. She loved the family thing (it was her family, not my Dad’s) so I was really surprised. Maybe she was looking for an excuse not to go? Maybe all the little, noisy kids were too much for her? Maybe the traffic was a hassle?

In any event, after that our family went solo with our own cookout and that’s the tradition I follow with my own children. It’s raucous enough just with us! 

We change the menu from year to year, but it’s always something on the grill plus a few veggie and grain salads and maybe potato salad.

I just bought some beautiful beef ribs for Sunday. And some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Here’s the recipe I’m going to use (it’s for the chicken, but you can use the same marinade for the beef ribs).

Grilled “Korean Style” Chicken

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup agave or honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 thick scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 large skinless and boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional

Combine the soy sauce, agave, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sesame seed oil, garlic, scallions, ginger and black pepper in a dish large enough to hold the chicken breasts. Mix the ingredients well. Immerse the chicken and turn them a few times to coat all surfaces. Marinate for 2-3 hours, turning the meat from time to time. Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill the breasts, brushing occasionally with the marinade, for about 8 minutes, turning once or twice, or until the breasts are cooked through. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds if desired. Makes 4 servings 

Tagged: Father's Day, Grilled Chicken, Korean Barbecue Sauce

What to cook when it's just me for dinner

My husband won’t be home for dinner tonight so it’s just me. So this can be a delicious night of something that only I like to eat. Or it can be a night of picking tidbits from the fridge and thinking I am eating nothing but actually consuming millions of calories.

My husband Ed likes almost everything I cook, so looking for something he doesn’t like but that I do is nearly impossible. I am not complaining here. His good humor about dinner is a blessing.

But cooking for one shouldn’t be a lonely, burdensome deal. Better for it to be a guilty pleasure of sorts.

Maybe I’ll make meatloaf. Ed hates meatloaf. He always hated it and keeps telling us the story about how his grandmother made meatloaf for him and hid it under the spaghetti, which he did like, so that when he got to the bottom of the pile of pasta, there it was, a slab of beef he had to eat because his grandmother was watching.

His aunt Alice, who was also at the house on occasion would say “Ma, you know Eddie doesn’t like meatloaf!” To which grandma would insist that Eddie did.

When Ed and I were married he made me promise never to make meatloaf. He’s one of the only men I know who really doesn’t like it despite what his grandmother said.

So, because I can’t think of anything else he hates, I guess I’ll make meatloaf because I love it. Especially the next day, cold, on a sandwich with ketchup.

I hate ketchup. But that’s another story for another day.

Meatloaf

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup bottled chili sauce, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, tomato sauce and water and let soak until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the beef, veal, turkey, egg, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt and pepper and the cooled vegetables. Mix gently but thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly. Place the mixture in a loaf pan (or shape the mixture into a large oval and place it in a roasting pan). Bake for 30 minutes. Top with the chili sauce, if desired and bake for another 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings

Snapper in Coconut Curry

When I was a kid I thought fish was a white rectangle that came from a box in the freezer. My mother didn’t like fish except for salmon, so we didn’t eat it much. My Dad went fishing once or twice a summer and my grandmother would cook some delicious mackerel or bluefish that day. But that was it. That boxed fish tasted like it looked — like a piece of white painted wallboard.

I eventually learned to love fish, fresh fish, later in life. White fish, blue fish, mild fish, strong fish. (This one has a little star! Say, what a lot of fish there are! (thanks Dr. Seuss)).

And although I will sometimes grill or broil a fillet simply, with a brushing of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and some bread crumbs, I prefer to cook fish with sauces, salsas, relishes, compound butters and interesting seasonings so that my husband, who says he likes fish but is really more on my mother’s side of the ledger fishwise, will eat it more readily.

Yesterday I bought snapper and made this spicy preparation that combines tomatoes, ginger, chili peppers and curry powder, balanced with rich, vaguely sweet coconut milk. Absolutely first rate delicious and incredibly easy to cook. And you can see for yourself that it looks good on the plate, so it’s suitable for company. You can make it with any mild, white fleshed fish.

Snapper in Coconut Curry

• 2 pounds snapper or other mild, white fleshed fish

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 scallions, chopped

• 2-4 dried red chili peppers

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• 1-1/2 cups coconut milk

• 1 medium tomato, chopped

• salt to taste

Cut the fillets into smaller pieces and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the scallions, chili peppers, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes to soften the vegetables. Sprinkle in the curry powder, stir and pour in the coconut milk. Add the tomato, bring to a simmer and cook for 8-9 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste. Add the fish, spoon to sauce on top and cook for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through. Nice served over rice.

Makes 4 servings