Indian Keema with Peas, with a full menu

We had guests to dinner last weekend, and needed a menu where most everything could be done ahead of time.  This worked out really well!  We started with home-made baked tortilla chips, guacamole, and store-bought hummus.  (The generic brand at Hy-Vee is good enough that I don't bother to make it from scratch anymore.)  The main course was Indian Keema with Peas, served over brown rice (I highly recommend short-grain brown rice--tastier than long-grain), with a side dish of a cucumber and fennel in yogurt.  Dessert was fruit dipped in chocolate and hazelnuts.  It was a nice combination of tastes and textures.  Here are the three recipes not linked above:

Indian Keema with Peas

adapted from Craig Claiborne's Gourmet Diet (Times Books, 1980)

4 servings

1 t. minced garlic

1 T. chopped fresh ginger

3/4 c. chopped onion

2 t. vegetable oil

1 T. curry powder

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground turmeric

1/4 t. ground coriander seeds

1/4 t. ground cumin

1 lb. ground lamb (beef could also be used)

1 c. chopped fresh or canned tomatoes

1 T. lime juice

1 t. sugar

freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 t. crushed hot red pepper flakes

1 c. peas, defrosted if using frozen

Approximate how much garlic, ginger and onion will yield the given amounts.  Using the food processor, first mince the garlic, add in the ginger, and then the onions.  Add the oil and blend to a fine purée.

Sauté the mixture in a skillet and cook, stirring often, until the mixture almost starts to brown.  Add the curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander and cumin and stir to blend.

Add the meat and cook, breaking up any lumps.  When the meat is no longer pink, pour off any accumulated oil, then add the tomatoes, lime juice and sugar.  Add a generous grinding of pepper and the hot red pepper.  Cover closely and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the peas and continue cooking until the peas are tender, about 5 minutes.

Serve with rice, brown or white.  

CUCUMBERS AND FENNEL WITH YOGURT

adapted from Craig Claiborne's Gourmet Diet

5 servings

1 large cucumber, about 1-1/2 lbs.

1/2 small fennel bulb

2 cups plain yogurt (I use non-fat)

1/2 cup finely chopped onion or scallions

1 t. finely chopped garlic

2 T. white vinegar

1-1/2 T. sugar

1 T. olive oil

2 T. finely chopped fresh dill (or 1-1/2 t. dried)

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half length-wise, and scrape out the seeds.

Cut the cucumbers until thin, half-moon slices--about 4 cups.

Trim the fennel bulb and cut it in half.  Cut one half crosswise into thin slices--about 1 cup. 

Combine the sliced cucumbers and fennel with the rest of the ingredients, blending well.  Chill for an hour or longer.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT DIPPED FRUIT

adapted from a loose recipe, source unknown

serves 4

4 ounces semisweet chocolate (bar or chips)

4 cups whole strawberries, with stems, washed and patted dry

16 dried apricots

2 ounces hazelnuts, finely chopped (other nuts would be fine also)

Set out a cookie sheet with a piece of waxed or parchment paper.

Chop the chocolate in large pieces (if using a bar) and heat until melted.  (I do this in a microwave.)  Set the bowl with melted chocolate in a pan of just-boiled water, so that it doesn't harden while working.

Pick up one piece of fruit at a time and dip it into the melted chocolate, coating about half of each piece of fruit.  Then immediately dip the tip in the chopped hazelnuts.  Place the dipped fruit on the waxed paper, and continue with the rest of the fruit.

Let the dipped fruit stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes, to let the chocolate harden.  This can be done a couple of hours ahead of time.  If the kitchen is warm, I bring the tray into the basement to keep it cool.

I haven't tried this with other fruit, but it could be nice--maybe pineapple, clementines, or cherries.

I had some friends over for dinner tonight, and this dish was a big hit.  It's a good dish when having guests, as most everything can be done ahead of time.  The last step is cooking the fish in the stew, which only takes 5-8 minutes, so it can be done just before you want to sit down to eat.  It also makes a full meal when served with bread and a salad.

Spicy Red Fish Stew

serves 6-8

adapted from http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Red-Fish-Stew-109491

(I have incorporated a number of suggestions from the comments on the recipe.)

I've changed colors in the list of ingredients to indicate what is worked on together in the different stages of preparation. I tried to do this with spacing, but didn't work in the blog app.

• 3 large roasted red peppers from a jar, chopped--I used the contents of a 12-oz jar, minus 1/2 cup, which I put in the freezer. (Or you can roast your own*)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 12 shallots, chopped (or 6 shallots and a small red onion) (If you blanch the shallots first for 2-3 minutes, the skins will slip off.)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 3  14.5 ounce cans chopped tomatoes in juice (include one can of fire-roasted)
• 1 cup white wine
• juice of a half-lemon (peel lemon before juicing—need 1 t. peel, below)
• 2 stalks celery, diced small 
• 2 carrots, diced small (about 1/4") 
• 3/4 t. dried crushed red pepper (or 1 T. chili pepper sauce)
• 3/4 t. cumin

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

• 2 pounds halibut or cod fillets (or other white fish), cut into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces (if serving 6, 1 lb. 12 oz is fine)

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots/onion and garlic and sauté until onions are very soft, about 6 minutes. 

Stir in peppers, tomatoes with juice, wine, lemon juice, garlic, celery, carrots, crushed red pepper and cumin. 

Bring to a boil, and then simmer 10-15 minutes (or until carrots are soft--could take longer) to blend flavors.  (If making ahead, stop here and do rest just before serving.)

Stir in cilantro and lemon peel. 

Add fish; simmer until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls and serve.  Have Sriracha sauce available on the table.

Makes a meal, served with bread and a salad.

* If using fresh red peppers: Set broiler on high. Line sheet pan with foil and put on rack on second shelf. Broil about 2 minutes on each side. Take peppers out and put them in a paper bag for about 15 minutes. Peel, seed, and chop peppers.  (If the peel doesn't just slide off, rub it with the edge of a knife.)

Super simple supper

As part of our newly deepened commitment to a heart-healthy diet, and with an interest in losing weight, David and I have been following the Flat Belly Diet for about two months now, with good results.  This diet was formulated by the editors of Prevention magazine.  It's been effective for us, and pretty easy to stay with.  We've both lost weight, and are eager to see cholesterol counts on our next blood tests.  Anyway, here's one of the meals from the book that is really simple to put together and very tasty.  I generally have 2-cup portions of cut-up chicken in the freezer, which makes this even quicker.

ZESTY CHICKEN FIESTA 

makes 4 servings

2 cups cooked chicken breast chunks (10-12 ounces)

1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice

1 T. chili powder

1 cup chopped avocado or guacamole (I use Wholly Guacamole)

1/4 cup fat-free sour cream 

In a nonstick skillet, combine the chicken, beans, tomatoes, and chili powder.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Divide into four servings and top each with 1/4 cup of the avocado and 1 T. of the sour cream.

Can be served over a half-cup of brown rice or with a couple of warmed up corn tortillas.

A Rosemary Cocktail

David and I went to an excellent Japanese restaurant a while back, and we treated ourselves to a cocktail to start the meal.  I tried their rosemary gimlet, and really enjoyed it.  I searched for a recipe online, and found one on David Lebovitz's food blog.  I've tweaked it a bit, cutting back on the amount of rosemary syrup.  I grow rosemary in a pot outdoors in the summer, and have had success bringing the pot indoors over the winter, so I have a ready source of fresh rosemary. But if I didn't, for this drink I'd splurge and buy some in the grocery store.

ROSEMARY GIMLET

adapted from http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2015/11/rosemary-gimlet-gin-cocktail-recipe/

Rosemary Syrup—make in advance, with time to cool down

(enough for about 5 drinks; will keep in fridge for several weeks)

     1/4 cup  sugar 

     1/4 cup  water 

     1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

To make the syrup, heat the water, sugar and chopped rosemary leaves in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Once cool, strain the rosemary syrup into a jar, and refrigerate until ready to use.

The Gimlet

(instructions for 2 servings, as that's what I usually make, and what fits easily in a cocktail shaker)

3 oz. gin

1.5 oz. fresh lime juice

1 oz. rosemary syrup

Measure the gin, lime juice and rosemary syrup into a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker halfway with ice, preferably slightly crushed, cover, and shake the cocktail mixture about thirty seconds. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. If you don't have a cocktail shaker, you can put a pile of crushed ice in a quart-size measuring cup, pour the mixture over the ice, stir it around for a while, and then strain off the cocktail. (I inherited a cocktail shaker from my parents, and love using it for this drink.)

Heart-healthy desserts

David recently had a couple of stents put in a major artery, so we are now paying extra attention to eating heart-healthy foods.  One change we're making is to cut out desserts constituted largely from butter and white flour.  We're not big dessert people--never have it with everyday meals--but I enjoy baking, and look forward to occasions that give me a chance to do it.  While planning a meal for a couple of friends who are coming over on Sunday, I remembered a couple of apple desserts that would still fit in the new regime.  Even if you don't need to cut back on rich desserts, either of these is nice after a meal that's on the heavy side.

One other thing before the two recipes:  As we adjust our eating habits, we've needed to weigh some foods.  The old postal scale I was using was difficult to use and not very accurate.  I broke down and bought a new scale, and am delighted with it.  Much easier to use, and it's good for anything from a 1/2 ounce to 11 pounds.  It took me a while to sort out options on Amazon, so if you're interested in one and just want to piggyback on my search, I bought this one.

APPLE MERINGUE

from Simply Light Cooking (1992)

makes 4 servings (140 calories per serving)

1 lb. Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples, cored, pared, and sliced

2 T. honey

1 T. water

1 t. grated lemon peel, divided

2 t. lemon juice

1/2 t. cornstarch

4 egg whites (at room temperature)

dash cream of tartar

2 T. sugar

Note:  You can prepare the apples (step 2) well in advance, and then do the meringue closer to serving time.

1.     Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

2.     In a large nonstick frying pan, combine apples, honey, water, lemon juice, and 1/2 t. lemon peel and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the cornstarch and cook until mixture thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

3.     Spray a 2-quart casserole (or other baking dish large enough to spread out the apples) with nonstick cooking spray and arrange apple mixture in it; set aside.

4.     In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy.  Gradually beat in the sugar, 1/2 t. at a time.  Add remaining lemon peel and continue beating until the whites are stiff but not dry.

5.     Spread beaten whites over the apple mixture.  Place baking dish in the middle of the oven.  Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and bake for 20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden.

DUTCH APPLE PANCAKE

from The Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook (1998)

makes 2 pancakes; serves 4 (282 calories per serving)

4 Golden Delicious apples, cored, pared, and cut into 1/4" thick slices

3 T. honey or maple syrup

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 eggs and 2 egg whites (or substitute 6 egg whites)

1/2 c. nonfat milk

1 T. canola oil

1 t. vanilla extract

1 T. grated orange zest

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 T. confectioners sugar

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

I've done the recipe in three stages:

            In late morning:  prepare the apples (steps 2 and 3)

            A little before guests arrive: beat the wet ingredients only in step 4; measure out the flour but don't add

            Just before sitting down to dinner:  Add the flour to the batter, assemble the dessert, and put it in the oven.

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Coat two 9" pie pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2.     Coat a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat.  Add the apple slices and cook, stirring and tossing every 2-3 minutes, until they have softened slightly and are browned in spots, about 10 minutes.

3.     Add the honey or syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and the honey coats them in a syrupy glaze, about 5 minutes.

4.     In a bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites, milk, oil, vanilla, and orange zest until blended.  Add the all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour and beat until completely smooth.

5.     Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.  It's important to put the batter into the pans before the apples--otherwise the pancake won't puff as much. Top each pan with an equal amount of the apple slices.

6.     Bake until golden brown and puffed, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and dust with the confectioners' sugar.  Cut each pancake in  half and serve immediately--best served right out of the oven.  Pass the lemon wedges at the table.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

I needed to bake something for a study group the other day, and was glad to have the excuse to make this cake.  I enjoy most anything with cranberries, and I'm always happy with a cake recipe that doesn't involve frosting--nothing against frosting, just not my favorite thing to make.  This cake is beautiful as well as delicious.  You can see a photo here--not the recipe I used, but comes out looking the same.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

12 servings

from Cooking Light, November 2009

Topping:

cooking spray

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

2 T. butter

6 oz fresh or frozen, thawed, cranberries

Cake

1-1/2 c. all purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 c. granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large egg yolks

1 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. skim milk (other milk also fine)

2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350.

To prepare topping, generously butter a 9" round cake pan.  (If you have one with a slider, that will help get the cake out after it's baked.)  Heat brown sugar and 2 T. butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook 2 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.  Pour sugar mixture into prepared cake pan, tilting pan to coat bottom evenly.  Arrange cranberries evenly over sugar mixture.

To prepare cake, in a smaller bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir with a whisk.  In a larger bowl, beat sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until well blended and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Beat the egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form, using clean, dry beaters.  Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.  Spoon the batter over the cranberries, spreading evenly.  Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Cool in pan 15 minutes on wire rack.  Place a serving plate upside down on top of cake, and invert the cake pan onto the plate.  Let stand 5 minutes and remove the pan.  You can serve this warm, or wait until later.  Last year, I made the cake a day before serving.  I left it in the pan until ready to serve.