Protean Protein

Winter may be over, but I struggled with seasonality quite a bit this past season. Long-time readers may recall that I usually spend this time of year complaining about how I'm totally over winter vegetables and how I couldn't possibly think of another way to use them. But this year something strange happened: there were no winter vegetables! There's been a rabid heatwave over the last several months here on the east coast, whih led to a lack of winter produce. Winter vegetables typically get their distinctively sweet flavors by growing in frigid temperatures, which in turn develop their natural sugars. Carrots, beets, celeriac, winter squash, parsnips, and black kale are among some of my favorite winter veggies not to be found at the farmers market this winter. How did I cope without winter veggies? By eating lots of meat.

Without seasonal veggies as a default side dish to lighten my many meats, I began to play with alternatives. After tearing through pantry staples and the usual starchy suspects (rice, mashed potatoes, pasta, orzo, couscous) I turned to the much lauded and much healthier "ancient grains". The category (actually a misnomer since many are in fact not actual grains) includes kamut, barley, oats, millet, farro and one of my favorites, quinoa. What's important about these is that while they're not all necessarily grains, they are indeed ancient, which is to say that they have not been genetically modified in any way since they were first cultivated thousands of years ago. Much of our modern day grains have had their structure (their nutrient balance, essentially) altered over the years for a variety of reasons. What quinoa, for example, can offer is a complete protein profile, that is to say it has a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

If you're looking to get a variety of nutrients (including iron) or to reign in a portion control issue, quinoa is the perfect foil. Because it has a slightly higher fat content compared to other grains (but is not a fatty food) and because it's so high in protein, eating just a small amount of it will help you feel full, while giving you a day's worth of protein with just a one-cup serving (it's a great choice for vegetarians or for a meatless meal). So whether you eat it alone, mixed with a few vegetables, or as a side dish, you'll end up satisfied while eating less. Nutritional benefits aside, quinoa is also quick cooking (who doesn't love that?) and delicious. I like to cook mine in stock instead of water for a little added flavor, and if I do happen to have vegetables on hand, will fold in some sauteed spinach and thinly sliced leeks (both finally available at the farmers market). Quinoa's great at absorbing flavors, so I love to serve it alongside a roast with plenty of sauce (it's pictured above alongside an oven-roasted chicken leg) or as a salad (unlike other grains it drinks up dressing). This warm recipe has leeks and overwintered spinach, but any of your favorite veggies will work. 

Quinoa with Spinach and Leeks 

1½ cups quinoa 
3 cups low-sodium chicken, vegetable or beef stock
½ tsp kosher salt
4 cups spinach, roughly chopped
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, very finely minced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine quinoa, salt, and stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook 10-12 minutes until all of the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat garlic, leeks and olive oil over low heat in a large non-stick skillet, about 30 seconds. Add spinach (in batches if necessary) and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until wilted. Fold in cooked quinoa until well combined. Serve and enjoy!


-Laura

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

It's Easy Being Green

It's been a while since I've become obsessed with an ingredient, but the time has come yet again for me to use something a hundred different ways. There's nothing I like better than a multi-tasking ingredient that can be kept in the fridge or pantry and used in a variety of different applications. My current obsession is spinach, which does double duty not only as a multi-tasker, but earns bonus points for being incredibly good for you. There's a reason Popeye ate his spinach by the canful, although it's rumored iron content has been inflated over the years. It certainly has more iron than the average vegetable, but isn't really brimming with it. Spinach is actually super rich in vitamins like A and C, and a really great source of antioxidants. The less it's cooked the more its health benefits are preserved, so if it's cooked, steaming or quick boiling are the way to go in order to preserve as many nutrients as possible.

I always go organic when buying spinach (which is in season in spring and fall) since it's been rated as one of the most pesticide contaminated produce products out there. This weekend I decided to use some baby spinach in a pasta dish from Great Food Fast that I'd been dying to make for the past few months. It's a spinach pasta dish that manages to be a really easy and delicious one pot meal with two types of cheese and minimal effort. The dish fuses spinach with pine nuts and Parmesan, two of it's favorite partners in crime, and throws in a big spoonful of ricotta for good measure. A few glugs of good olive oil rounds out the last of the ingredients. The nutty aftertaste of the spinach plays really well with the pine nuts and the sweetness of the ricotta. The Parmesan is perfect for adding a bit of saltiness and depth to the dish, and the fruitiness of the olive oil brings it all together and really helps it glisten.

The whole dish was done in less than 10 minutes and was absolutely delicious. I did change the recipe a bit, for example, I used tagiatelle instead of penne (which I find hard to pierce with the fork), and I also used more olive oil than the recipe's 2 tablespoons (there was no other liquid called for). I also reserved a bit of the pasta water and added it to create more of a sauce and for a bit of added moisture. It was perfect because the ricotta melted into the warm liquid but still stuck nicely to the pasta once mixed in on the plate. Here's the recipe as I adapted it:

Spinach Tagliatelle with Spinach, Ricotta and Pine Nuts

1/2 pound spinach tagliatele
3 cups spinach
1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted in the oven until just browned)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 heaping Tbsp ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reserved pasta water

1. Cook tagliatele in a large pot of salted, boiling water according to package directions. Add spinach to pot during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to pot.

2. Add olive oil to pot and mix well. Add pasta water a few drops at a time until the pasta looks moist, like it's covered in a thin sauce and stir to combine.

3. Plate pasta and spinach and top with ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and pine nuts. Enjoy!

-Laura

Dueling Dishes

I'm still not always quite sure what leads to the dishes I make. Sometimes I become so infatuated with an ingredient that I just have to figure out a way to use it. Sometimes I want to learn how to do something new, and still other times I just need to use leftover ingredients before they die a sad death in my crisper. This past Friday a few cups of baby spinach and a very sad looking package of bacon were about to kick the bucket when I decided I should take them out of their misery and use them in a dish. I thought about possible dishes throughout the work day and finally settled upon creamed spinach. After some careful thought I figured I couldn't just eat a big tub of high-cholesterol creamed spinach and bacon for dinner (or could I?), so I decided to use a little bit of leftover spaghetti and make a lighter cheese sauce with lightly wilted spinach and crispy bacon.

I was able to get home a bit early that day (is there anything better than walking home in the springtime sunshine?), so for the first time in a long time I was able to put on comfy pants and curl up on the couch to catch up on some late afternoon tv before starting dinner. I sat down with my pen and paper in hand to create a rough outline of the ingredients my pasta dish might entail. Imagine my surprise when after crossing all my t's and dotting all my i's, I turned on the Food Network to find Rachel Ray making my dinner. It wasn't exactly the same, since hers was elbow macaroni with a light cheese sauce and a lot more spinach, but she even used the half cream sauce/half chicken broth method I intended to use. I normally don't watch her program (I'm still a bit scarred from her 'authentic' Spanish dish episode) but I watched the episode through to the end just to see how it turned out.

It ended up not resembling what I envisioned for my dish at all. Her sauce was a lot thicker (and more plentiful) than mine, and because she used a whole 2 bunches of full sized spinach, it looked more like a green mac and cheese (which is what she called it). I was looking for something that was like a light cream sauce with fresh tasting and lightly wilted spinach and a nice crunch from the bacon. I ended up getting exactly what I hoped for by rendering out the bacon in a pan and setting it aside to drain on a paper towel once crispy. I then created the roux for the cream sauce right it the drippings (hey, I said it was light, not healthy) by adding a bit of butter and flour, then thickening it with chicken stock and cream before adding the cheese. I tossed the spinach in with the spaghetti during the last minute of cooking so it would wilt but stay a nice, bright green (Ray added hers to the cream sauce to cook). I also separated out 1 cup of the pasta water just in case I wanted to thin out my sauce later. After draining the pasta/spinach mixture I added it to the sauce and mixed in the bacon, reserving a few bits to top off the dish. It was exactly what I hoped for, and super easy and quick to put together. Here's what I came up with:

Spaghetti in Light Cheese Sauce with Spinach and Bacon

2 servings of spaghetti (I used wheat)
3 bacon strips, roughly chopped
2 cups baby spinach
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup stock (I used chicken)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper

1. Cook pasta in plenty of salted water.

2. Meanwhile, render bacon in a large pan (you'll be adding everything here later). With a slotted spoon, remove crisped bacon to a paper towel covered plate to drain.

3. Reduce heat to low and add butter. When it's melted, add in the flour and stir to combine with a whisk. Cook the roux until slightly browned. Slowly whisk in the broth, followed by the milk. Stir over low heat until thickened, add the cheese and season with salt and pepper.

4. Add spinach to pasta water about 2 minutes before the pasta is done. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta/spinach mixture.

5. Add the drained pasta, spinach and bacon to the sauce, stirring to combine. If the sauce looks too thick, add some pasta water 1/4 cup at a time. Plate and serve topped with a few reserved bacon pieces. Enjoy!

-Laura

Sooner Rather Than Seder

Despite not being Jewish, when I was in college I went to a Passover seder almost every year. Most of my friends were Jewish, so it was my good fortune that instead of going home every year they stayed in the city and allowed a goy interloper like myself to join in on their feasting. The other side of that story is of course that when you're the most culinarily inclined person in a group of friends, you tend to be responsible for most of the cooking. That's no matter, since nothing makes me happier than cooking for other people, and taking the lead on a meal usually means you get to choose what gets made and how. Not everyone in attendance wanted traditional fare, not to mention vegetarians and vegans were also often participating. So, things like brisket were sometimes out, but we managed to suit each meal to those that were attending.

We really liked to keep some traditions going while experimenting with other things, like roasting a few Cornish game hens as a main course, while starting the evening off with apples and honey, and ending it with a baked kugel. As I thought about making a few Passover inspired dishes this week, I was reminded of how we'd mixed the old with the new all those years ago. It occurred to me that I could easily make a non-traditional dish with a few ingredients from traditional Passover meals. I decided to create a really lovely salad by deconstructing some of my those traditional dishes, starting (appropriately enough) with charoset, a popular seder starter. Charoset is a fruit and nut spread of apples, almonds or walnuts and sweet red wine, spread over matzo. I figured a lot of those elements would make great well balanced toppings for a spinach salad (my version of bitter herbs), so I went with some nice red apples and walnuts.

The only thing left to figure out was the dressing, which was the most obvious way to work in the red wine. As a bonus, I worked in some honey to echo the apples and honey dish I had back in the day. The salad turned out great, due in large part to the fact that I already knew all of the flavors would meld together well. The spinach was a perfect mellow base for the sweetness of the red apples, red wine and honey, all of which contrasted really nicely with the vinegar, salt and pepper. The walnuts added a nice dose of nuttiness, while some thinly sliced shallots I added at the last minute brought everything together and added a nice savory element to the mix. I'm normally not one to enjoy a green salad, but this one was so good I made myself two additional bowls. Whether or not you're celebrating Passover, I'd definitely recommend starting a meal off with this delicious salad. It's really quick and easy, not to mention every single component is good for you--and how often does that happen?

Spinach, Apple and Walnut Salad With Red Wine-Honey Vinaigrette

Salad
4 cups raw baby spinach, rinsed and dried
1 firm red apple, thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts
1 shallot, thinly sliced into half moons

Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp red wine (a sweeter wine is best)
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
good quality extra virgin olive oil, the fruitier the better (about 3 Tbsp)

1. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a bowl.

2. Whisk together all of the vinaigrette ingredients except for the oil. Slowly stream in oil until dressing comes together. Pour over the salad. Toss to combine. Enjoy!

-Laura

Rescue Me

This weekend I executed a rescue mission. Unlike my last mission, where I feigned injury to get a friend out of an unfortunate first date, this mission involved saving food from an ugly and untimely demise. You see, despite my best attempts at overeating in the days before moving from my old apartment to my new one, there were still plenty of ingredients left in my fridge and freezer. Chicken, ground beef, frozen veggies and several expensive condiments were left stranded on the east side, just days from seeing the inside of the new tenants garbage can. Inspired by the action stars of my childhood (which all appear to be popular again), I set forth to rescue my food and veggies and cart them to my new home across town. While we're semi on topic, why were people always stranded or held captive in the jungle in the 80's? And why are they all involved in politics now? What's next, Senator Jean-Claude Van Damme?

Anyway, back to the food. My mission ended with a plop on the sofa after a few pulled muscles and a cab ride I couldn't afford. But, my new fridge (and I do mean new--no more 1970's appliances here!) was now stocked, as was my freezer. I was finally able to plan a few meals for the week ahead...or at least that's what I should have done. Instead, I went to a big fabulous Oscar party and schmoozed, while only occasionally leaving the snack table to see who'd won. So it's no surprise that as I awoke the next morning, it occurred to me that I'd probably be spending a fair amount of time standing in front of the fridge figuring out the night's dinner. Having not yet made my morning coffee, I stood with one foot on the other, in my pj's, staring at the contents of my fridge. Cold, tired, and terribly under caffeinated, I reached in with both hands, grabbing the two closest ingredients: chicken and spinach.

It was only after I'd gotten to work (and two cups of coffee into my day) that it occurred to me...I've never actually used those two ingredients in tandem. Throwing ideas around with Alyssa, my fellow home cook, it was suggested that I roll the chicken breast around the spinach, a method I'd never tried. A quick recipe search gave me a few ideas for the spinach stuffing, which included mushrooms (already about to die in my crisper), almonds, and the Spanish contribution to the recipe, chorizo (I had to sneak in pimentón and pork products somehow). I ended up veering from all of the recipes I'd found, but I did borrow the idea of using a compound butter to keep the thin chicken breast moist as it roasted in the oven. The dish turned out great, and I even made a quick pan sauce while the chicken rested. So in the end, despite all of the exhaustion and strained muscles, the rescue mission was worth the effort. Now if I could only find someone to rescue me from all these dishes... Chuck? Arnold? Anyone?

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken with Chorizo

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 1/2 cups frozen spinach, thawed, excess liquid drained
2 cups mushrooms, chopped (I used shiitake and oyster, but anything will do)
1/2 cup chorizo, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tbsp butter

Compound Butter
4 Tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flake
2 tsp parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all of the ingredients of the compound butter until well incorporated.

2. Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter mixture in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender. Add the chorizo and sauté another minute. In a small bowl, set aside a tablespoon of the mushroom and chorizo mixture.

3. Add spinach to skillet and cook until warmed through. Set aside.

4. Take half of the remaining butter mixture and spread onto one side of each chicken breast. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the spinach filling onto each piece of chicken (buttered side) and roll to close. Place on a baking tray and top each rolled piece of chicken with the remaining butter mixture. Cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

5. Meanwhile, warm the mushroom and chorizo mixture that was set aside in a skillet. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by 1/3. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter until combined.

6. Plate the chicken and drizzle with wine butter sauce. Enjoy!

-Laura