Real Simple's "A Month of New Easy Dinners" (October 2013 issue): Seared Fish...

I've taken on the challenge--yes, challenge--of making a "month of new easy dinners" featured in Real Simple's October 2013 issue. Why a "challenge" you ask? Well, the likelihood that I will cook five times a week is slim to none, for starters. In fact, I know very well I won't. So, this means I'll be cooking "most" of the dinners, but I am going to try to plan according to the weekly menus they propose.

Already I've messed with Week One. I'm skipping the "Barbecue chicken sandwich with sautéed corn, edamame, and pickles" largely because a) I can't eat whole kernel corn and b) I'm trying to stay away from too many carbs (read: bread). So, that leaves for week one:

Seared Fish with Tomatoes and Garlicky Escarole
Lamb Chops and Parsnip Puree with Coriander Brown Butter
Crunchy Dinner Salad with Prosciutto, Apple and Hazelnuts
Cheese Ravioli with Kale Pesto and Roasted Carrots

So I began "Week One" yesterday with:

"Seared Fish with Tomatoes and Garlicky Escarole"

While the recipe will be available online next month, I won't violate copyright and will just give you the basics here:

tomatoes, red onion, lemon juice, escarole, garlic, fish (I used cod), olive oil, s & p

Basically, you make a pseudo-checca sauce with braised escarole instead of basil. It is easy, healthy, and delicious. My biggest discovery is that I will absolutely need to either overcome my fear of Teflon or figure out the best way to keep fish (particularly cod, halibut, etc) from sticking in my favorite skillet (which, is not non-stick--so, it is "stick" I suppose). If you have tips or ideas--please leave them in the comments section.

Substitutions/Changes: I used SHALLOTS instead of red onion (of course)

Tip: Escarole, like spinach, kale, and other greens, really reduces to nothing when you sauté or braise it, so make sure you have plenty. The recipe calls for 10 cups of torn escarole--they mean it.

Save a little skillet angst, this was a wonderful recipe that I will make again! 4 STARS

Comments

Winter Farmers Market: Sautéed Scallops and Herbed Rice

Somerville, MA is a great city. I love living here, and this year's new Winter Farmer's Market just added to my joy. It runs between now and March, and it has been inspiring to see people trudging out in the cold, ice and snow, to the Armory (yes, the market is inside). This past Saturday, I stocked up on locally grown leeks and potatoes, grabbed some hot Italian sausage from Stillman's , and then ventured upstairs to buy some FRESH FISH from Jordan Brothers Seafood. Yes, that's right: haddock from Gloucester, and scallops from Maine. Not frozen--fresh. When she showed me the scallops I might have cried, just a little. Oh, and I picked up a baguette, brioche, and potato bread. Scallops don't require a lot of fuss, but are easy to overcook. I pulled out my San Juan Classics Cookbook (San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, not Puerto Rico) and went straight to the shellfish section where I found a recipe for "Sautéed Prawns or Scallops" from Thibert...

Quinoa Pilaf with Artichokes, Leeks and Sugar Snap Peas

More Quinoa! This was healthy, easy, and, "a way I actually *like* quinoa" as reported by my husband. The recipe is here , and I made the following notes: stir the quinoa in the oil and leeks for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth definitely use low-sodium chicken broth---quinoa absorbs salt very well and I found that the regular chicken broth was too salty. If you are using homemade stock or veggie broth, you are probably fine. I will add the snap peas last next time (with the artichoke hearts). I like my peas to retain their "snap." This is really a terrific meal for summer or to bring to a potluck.

Cookbook Review: Heidi Swanson's Near & Far

Swanson's narrative is one of privilege, it is true. A lot of the reviews at Goodreads have mentioned this, with varying degrees of annoyance. The book, however, does not pretend. The minute you touch the embossed hard cover and look at the photos, you know that this is a chichi cookbook, not Betty Crocker's Cookbook or The Joy of Cooking . The subtitle does not lie: "Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel." And traveled she has: India, Japan, Morocco, France, and Italy. The photos of the destinations are sometimes so artsy as to feel contrived, but they anchor each section in its own ethos. I haven't yet made any of the recipes, but I am inspired. As a committed omnivore, vegetarian recipes rarely inspire me, but I find her approach to flavors intriguing. If you are someone who likes hunting down interesting ingredients, you will likely enjoy this book. She isn't writing for someone who does not know anything about ethnic foods, so you will not find explana...

THE LADY OF SHALLOTS

Search This Blog