Releasing Some Steam

Well, folks, it seems I've slipped down a slippery slope. Not Britney or Lindsey style--I'm not partying hard or flashing anybody; I'm merely guilty of forgetting that I need to make at least one of my meals a relatively healthy one. I've always believed that indulging is okay, but when those little treats start to become routine...well, they become something else that's a little less special, don't they? And I must admit, for the past few months I've been taking indulgences to a level where nothing I ate felt special. It may have been delicious and enjoyable, but there was no feeling of reward, merit or prize. So, as I planned out a few meals for the coming weeks, it became clear that I'd have to forgo the fried chicken and decadent pasta dishes I love in favor of something that was still tasty, but perhaps less deep fried and carb-centric. A few articles I've read recently have agreed that people who eat fish more often when trying to eat healthy (or lose weight) than they do chicken or other lean meats, are more successful, lose more weight, and even have improved skin and less sluggishness.

So, I decided I'd just have to make sure I didn't fall back into bad habits and use some of my less healthy crutches for quick cooking dinners. While whole wheat pasta is great, and significantly better for you than regular white flour pasta, having it 3 times a week does not a healthy or flattering diet make (no matter how many delicious, fresh veggies I may throw in there). Obviously, somewhere along the way I lost my once innate ability to cook balanced meals throughout the week, alternating proteins and fitting in a veggie-only day whenever possible. To begin on a good note, I stopped by my fishmonger and picked up some lovely fish to bake in the oven and pair with some of my leftover spinach. Fish and greens make a really great combination, especially a mild fish like cod, monkfish or snapper, that don't bring much flavor to the party on their own and need a little pick-me-up. And thank goodness I now know after all these years of cooking, that healthy doesn't have to mean steamed and flavorless (I promise).

I've done citrus crusted fish in the past as a light dinner, but this time I just made a simple crust of panko bread crumbs, parsley, sage and olive oil. The real flavor came from slathering the fish in a mixture of Dijon mustard and honey, which I used to adhere the breadcrumb mixture to the top of the fish. It was a delicious sweet and sour preparation that also helps keep the fish moist as it bakes in the oven, and adds real depth of flavor. For the greens, I just barely wilted them in a pan with a few thinly sliced garlic cloves and hit them with two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for some acidic kick. It paired really well with the fish, and as the dish came together it almost felt like a deconstructed honey-mustard vinaigrette. I was surprisingly full afterward, but didn't have that gross feeling of being overstuffed (that I've recently been feeling all to often). There was plenty of flavor and plenty of food, and I felt really great afterward. It can't hurt that the whole thing was done from start to finish in 20 minutes, since the fish only took 10 minutes to bake and the spinach came together while it cooked. Here's the final recipe:

Panko-Crusted Fish with Balsamic Sauteed Spinach

1 pound fish fillets, cut into 4 portions (any hearty, flaky white fish like cod, monkfish, or snapper)
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/4 cup chopped parsley
5 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
3 cups packed spinach
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Heat oven to 450 F degrees. Combine mustard and honey in a small bowl and set aside. Combine 4 tablespoons olive oil, panko, sage and parsley in a bowl and set aside.

2. Season each fish fillet with salt and pepper and slather top of each piece with honey-mustard mixture. Top fish with breadcrumb mixture, pressing down lightly so it sticks.

3.Place fish on a parchment paper or lightly greased aluminum foil lined baking sheet and cook until opaque and just cooked through (10-15 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish).

4. Meanwhile, heat garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach before garlic starts to brown (you can do this in batches if it doesn't fit) and toss to coat in olive oil. Add balsamic vinegar and continue cooking until all of the spinach is half wilted but still has some volume.

5. Remove fish from oven and serve over spinach. Enjoy!

-Laura

Lazy Dinner

I'm still not sure how some dishes come together. There are some weeks filled with planning, trips to the farmers market and endless stops at the spice market. Food for the whole week is planned and my fridge is covered with layer upon layer of post-its and recipe ideas that I'll be testing Monday through Friday, trying to figure out exactly what to do to make them perfect. Other meals come about from surveying what I have in the fridge and flipping through a cookbook for inspiration (thanks for doing the real work Martha!). But after weeks of effort and meticulous meal planning, sometimes all I want to do to pull dinner together is throw a few things in a pot and pray that they work.

Last night's meal came together exactly in that way. I'd been craving a few truly random ingredients (anchovies, spaghetti, and buttered breadcrumbs), and wondered aloud if perhaps I could mold these cravings into something tasty and easy that might help me clean out my fridge and pantry before a big supermarket shopping trip later in the week. So, after some research I found a few recipes that contained such ingredients, including a baked pasta and one topped with buttered breadcrumbs. Then I noticed an olive-caper-anchovies sauce and thought that perhaps I could combine some of those ingredients with the breadcrumbs to make a crunchy and super simple sauce. I didn't have any olives, but I always have capers and anchovies in my fridge, so I decided to take a tip from another recipe and smash the anchovies and capers in my mortar and pestle. This created a paste that I could dissolve in some hot olive oil with shallots and garlic.

I decided to take all of those ingredients and create an anchovy-caper breadcrumb that I could quickly toss with some olive oil coated spaghetti. I added some red pepper flake for a little heat, which went really well with the anchovies, which mellow out when cooked and dissolved in the olive oil. The capers gave the crumble and nice tartness to cut through the slight sweetness of the other ingredients. It didn't even need any salt because of the salinity of all the other ingredients. It all came together super fast, in fact it was done before the pasta was done cooking. It satisfied all of my cravings and tasted great. Not to mention, it gave me another go-to lazy dinner dish for those days when I haven't planned anything at all but still want something tasty. And don't fear the anchovies, their flavor is greatly transformed, so much so that you wouldn't even identify them from the flavor of the final dish. Here's the final recipe.

Spaghetti with Anchovy-Caper Breadcrumbs

1/2 package dried spaghetti (enough for 2 people)
1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp drained anchovies (that's 3/4 of the contents of a 2 oz anchovy tin)
1 medium shallot (or small onion), diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
extra virgin olive oil

1. Cook pasta according to package directions in salted, boiling water. Meanwhile, mash anchovies and capers in a mortar and pestle (or on a plate with a fork) and set aside.

2. In a non-stick skillet, cook shallot and garlic in olive oil until soft. Mash with a fork or potato masher, then lower the heat and add the red pepper flakes along with anchovy-caper mixture, stirring often until incorporated, about 3 minutes.

3. Add breadcrumbs and increase heat to medium. Toss mixture often until breadcrumbs are toasted and browned. Add drained pasta and drizzle with more olive oil. Toss to coat and serve. Enjoy!

-Laura

Taking on The Minimalist

This weekend I had big plans to clean my apartment. I'd crank up the music, bust out my do-rag, and make sure everything shone like the top of the Chrysler building. This was of course the third weekend in a row that I'd tell myself that cute little story with no actual success whatsoever. Rain or shine, somehow the weekend came and went and my zeal to clean went right out my dirty windows. Since I was already wasting away on the sofa, I figured the least I could do was go through my recipe folder and convince myself that I'd cleaned something. And it's a good thing I did, because I came across recipes so old they were actually out of style--and I didn't even know that could happen.

The fortunate byproduct of all this was that I was able to rediscover some great recipes that were tucked away between an ancient recipe for chicken satay and Martha Stewart's ultimate birthday cakes (which is interesting since I don't bake). Among the excellent recipes that made the cut was an October 2007 recipe from Mark Bittman, The New York Times' Minimalist. Although rarely agree 100% with his paired down approach (particularly where Spanish food is concerned), I do often clip out his recipes and give them a go. This week I came across a pasta dish with chorizo, chick peas and bread crumbs, all wonderful ingredients. I was intrigued by the prospect of adding texture to pasta with breadcrumbs, in addition to the idea of chickpeas in pasta. I use both of those ingredients constantly, and never once considered using them in this way.

The final dish was good, but I thought it lacked a little something in the way of flavor. Maybe a little acid in the form of lemon juice or wine to cut through the flavors and elevate the dish, or even a bit of zest. It had nothing in the way of herbs and spices until the finishing of parsley, so maybe some fresh herbs could brighten up the flavor. It was definitely tasty, and I would use the garlic/breadcrumb technique again for sure, but I would have to figure out what that missing element was so I could be convinced to make it again. It certainly has potential, but I'd like to find a way to keep it from falling so flat. Here's the recipe, maybe someone else out there can figure out exactly what it's missing (and let me know!).


Pasta with Chickpeas, Chorizo and Breadcrumbs

Salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1/4 pound cooked Spanish chorizo or kielbasa, chopped (I used a bit of both)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
4 cups cooked chickpeas, with their liquid
1/2 pound pasta
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish.

1. Set a large pot of water to boil and salt it. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add chorizo; heat, stirring occasionally, until chorizo is lightly browned, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and then the garlic; cook until it colors lightly, then add bread crumbs. Toast, shaking skillet frequently, until bread crumbs turn golden brown, about 10 minutes; if necessary, add a little more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a bowl.

2. Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to skillet and, over medium heat, chickpeas and about 1 cup of their liquid. Cook pasta until it is nearly but not quite tender; drain, then add it to chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender; stir in chorizo, heat through, and taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Serve chickpea-pasta mixture in bowls, garnished with crisp bread crumbs and a sprinkling of parsley. Enjoy!

-Laura