Focus
FOOD
one-Pot Recipes
Lighten the dishwasher load with these yummy meals.
Annabel Cohen
Special to the Jewish News
I is amazing how our busiest season of the
year — autumn — coincides with fall-
ing temperatures. For me, when the mer-
cury dips, its the spell of warm and hearty
food that lures. Here's where one-pot or -pan
cooking is the most appealing to my lifestyle.
I'm willing to take the preparation time I
need for best results, but the last thing I want
to do afterwards is wash a sink full of dishes.
By one-pot or one-dish, I don't mean cas-
seroles (though I cannot resist the occasional,
good, old-fashioned, tuna casserole with
crumbled potato chips on top). At times it's
nice to distinguish between ingredients on
your plate.
While hearty often translates into heavy or
fattening, these recipes are a bit healthier, due
to olive oil, whole-grain pastas and brown
rice. Additionally, where possible, we've added
more vegetables and diminished portion
sizes.
This type of "stealth health" is not about
doing without, but exchange and addition
— when possible, without sacrificing the
flavor and texture.
Crustless Chicken Pie
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
I Tbsp. minced garlic
4 pounds boneless and skinless chick-
en breasts, cut into 11/2-inch chunks
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth or stock
4 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced turnips
10 oz frozen chopped spinach,
thawed
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme (or 2 tsp.
dried)
6 cups good quality whole wheat
bread bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch
chunks
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup lowfat non-dairy creamer
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high
heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until
softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken,
wine and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and cook, stirring for another 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, turnips and spinach and
cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in the peas and
thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste
and Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a large baking
dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Add the breads, eggs and creamer to the
chicken mixture and stir well. Transfer to the
baking dish and bake for 60-90 minutes, until
the liquid is set and the pie is bubbly. Serve
immediately. Makes 8-12 servings.
Beef with Noodles and Shiitake
Mushrooms
1 pound fresh Shanghai noodles or
Chinese egg noodles
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mush-
rooms (or equivalent dried)
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped onions
2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger-
root
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. hot pepper sauce, such as
Tabasco
3 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
12 oz. steak or London broil,
trimmed, cut into thin, 2-inch-long
strips
1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry
sherry
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 cups shredded Napa or Chinese
cabbage
1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts,
drained
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup chopped scallions, garnish
Cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted
water until tender but still firm to bite, about
3 minutes. Drain well, toss with sesame oil
and divide among 6 to 8 large soup bowls. Set
aside.
Combine broth, onions, ginger and garlic
and pepper sauce in the pasta pot (no need
to clean) and bring to boil. Cover and reduce
heat to low.
Heat wok or large-diameter skillet over
high heat until drop of water evaporates on
contact. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then beef
(spread to cover the bottom of the pan).
Cook, without stirring 30 seconds. Turn the
beef over and stir-fry or saute for 30 seconds
more. Stir in rice wine and soy sauce. Transfer
to plate.
Add remaining oil to same wok (do not
clean) over high heat. Add mushrooms; stir-
fry 1 minute. Add cabbage, bamboo, water
chestnuts and sugar; stir-fry 1 minute. Stir
in beef and any accumulated juices. Stir-
1 minute. Top noodles with beef mixture.
Divide hot broth among bowls and sprinkle
with scallions. Serve soy sauce on the side.
Makes 8 servings.
Fish and New Potatoes
1 1/2 pound new potatoes, washed,
and cut into wedges
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp. minced garlic
sea salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
6 boneless and skinless fillet portions
(about 2 pounds total) from a firm-
fleshed fish, such as striped bass, red
snapper, tuna, salmon or mahi mahi
2 Tbsp. plain bread crumbs
2 cups fresh diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. prepared pesto
Preheat oven to 400F. Place the potato
wedges, oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper
in a large baking dish and toss well. Spread
as much as possible to make a single layer.
Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and
nestle the fish among the potatoes (the pota-
toes can be stacked atop one another at this
point). Season the fish with sea salt and pep-
per and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Roast
the fish and potatoes for another 15 minutes.
Combine the tomatoes, shallots and pesto
in a medium bowl and toss well. Season with
salt and pepper and set aside. Serve the fish
with potatoes on the side and the tomato
mixture spooned over. Makes 6 servings.
Vegetarian Eggplant Pastitsio
10 oz. white or whole wheat dried
pasta shape, such as macaroni,
tubetti or penne
ground paprika, garnish
Eggplant sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
11/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 /1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds),
peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
Cheese sauce:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. flour
2 cups lowfat milk
1 tsp. minced garlic
10 oz. good quality Greek or
Bulgarian feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water
until just al dente (do not overcook). Drain
well and set aside.
Make eggplant sauce: Heat oil in the pasta
pot (do not clean) over medium-high heat.
Add onions, garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon,
sugar and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently,
for 5 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and toma-
toes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover
and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 min-
utes more. Adjust salt and pepper to taste
(make the mixture slightly salty, since the
pasta is unseasoned).
Preheat oven to 425F.
Make cheese sauce: Heat oil in a large
saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in
the milk and flour and cook, whisking con-
stantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, garlic
and cloves and bring to a boil, whisking con-
stantly. Reduce heat to simmer and whisk in
the feta and salt and pepper to taste. Remove
from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in
the eggs. •
Add half the pasta to the eggplant sauce
and half into the cheese sauce.
Spray a large baking dish (9x13-inches
or equivalent) with nonstick cooking spray.
Transfer eggplant pasta to the pan and
spread evenly. Top with cheese sauce pasta
and spread evenly. Sprinkle with paprika
and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 6
servings.
Braised Veal Shank with Brown
Rice and Black Beans
3 cups uncooked brown rice
4 Tbsp. olive oil
6 medium veal shanks (about 21/2 - 3
pounds)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup flour
4 cups thin sliced onions
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. dried thyme, crumbled
2 cups red wine
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 cups beef stock or broth
1 can (about 14 1/ oz.) Italian
stewed tomatoes
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
1 can (about 15 oz.) cooked, black
beans, drained and rinsed
Cook rice in large pot, according to pack-
age instructions. Set aside.
In the same pot (do not clean) heat oil
over medium-high heat. Season meat with
salt and pepper. Place flour in a large plastic
bag. Add veal shanks, seal and shake well.
Add the veal to the hot oil and brown well
on all sides, using tongs to turn the meat.
Remove veal when browned (place it on
top of the rice for now) and add onions to
the pot. Sprinkle with sugar and thyme
and sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add
wine, vinegar and stock, bring to a boil.
Add tomatoes, garlic and red pepper and
stir well. Add the veal and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning
occasionally, for one hour. Uncover and
cook for 1 hour more. Adjust salt and
pepper to taste.
To serve, Remove the veal from the
pot, stir in the cooked rice and beans and
stir well. Lay the veal over the rice and
keep warm until ready to serve. To serve,
spoon the rice and beans on 6 plates and
top with the veal shank. Garnish with
basil. Makes 6 servings. I 1
November 8 • 2007
B31