Easy Shrimp and Spinach Curry

This recipe is gratefully based on one from my wife’s English cousin, Lindsey. While Lindsey’s version used salmon as protein, my spouse demanded her favorite, shrimp. Which actually makes a great point. This recipe is easily adapted to use any protein, such as chicken or beef, or none at all, such as tofu or lentils or mushrooms. Such flexibility is to be valued. I will proceed with the shrimp version.

Another few notes. A curry is a cooked dish that uses a combination of spices. You will see that I recommend a masala paste instead of dry curry powder. Either is fine, but I think the paste is a bit more pungent. If your masala or curry is too mild, you can always give it a kick with red cayenne pepper.

Then, regarding the tomatoes, I used three plum tomatoes, peeled, cooked down, and crushed. An easier route might be for you to use some canned, crushed tomatoes. But no one is being a snob here. The taste will ultimately be nearly identical, so please yourself.

Finally, you may use any rice that you like. I prefer brown rice for its greater fiber content. But be aware that brown rice takes over 45 minutes to prepare, so if you use it, get it started early.

In any case, enjoy! This is a healthy, fun, and quick recipe.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

½ large white onion, diced fine

Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped (dry ground ginger is an acceptable but poor alternative)

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

1 ½ Tbs. masala paste or curry powder

Red cayenne pepper to taste

3 plum tomatoes or equivalent – canned or otherwise

1 Tbs. tomato paste

1 cup coconut milk

Juice from half a lemon

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach, firmly packed

18 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed (cooked or raw – either works).

3 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and ginger and sauté until onion reduces. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add masala paste/curry powder and stir, cook for another minute.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste, stir well and cook till tomatoes soften and reduce. (Hint – if using fresh tomatoes, a potato masher can help convince them to break down). Cook the tomatoes down for a few moments till somewhat thickened. 

Add the coconut milk and stir well.

Add spinach and lemon juice. 

Cook until spinach is reduced (If shrimp is raw, add them now and cook for several minutes while spinach is being reduced).

Cook for another moment and stir well until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and heated. (If shrimp is pre-cooked, add them now – we only need to heat them).

Top with fresh chopped cilantro.

Add salt to taste.

Serve with the rice of your choice. Use chopsticks for that extra little challenge.

Buon appetito!

 

 

 

Quick and Tasty Guacamole

Guacamole, the well-known Mexican avocado dip, is so easy to make that you should never need buy it again. By using healthy ingredients, you can benefit from the terrific nutritional value of avocados while controlling for excess sodium and eliminating preservatives.

Like many such recipes, this one is a suggestion. It is delicious as is. But you should feel free to experiment - add, change, or delete ingredients or vary their measures.

Avocados are high in natural fiber, low in sugars, and contain a number of important nutrients like potassium, oleic acid, and folate. Since it is the major ingredient, your guacamole’s nutritional profile will be closely modeled by avocado.

One bit of advice – try to find tortilla chips which offer a good profile of low sodium and dietary fiber content. The overall nutritional value of your snack (chips and guacamole) will be very good.

Prep is about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

·         2 ripe avocados

·         1 ripe plum tomato, chopped

·         ¼ cup chopped red onion

·         Juice of one lime

·         1 clove fresh garlic, minced

·         1 tsp cumin powder

·         2 TBS medium salsa verde (green salsa) – less if you want lower heat

·         2 TBS fresh cilantro, washed, patted dry, and chopped

·         Salt to taste

·         Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Procedure

Slice avocados in half lengthwise. Remove pits and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a medium bowl. Use a fork to gently mash into a chunky consistency.

Add all remaining ingredients. Toss and fold lightly until well mixed.

Add salt and pepper to your taste. Let the guac rest for a few moments for flavors to mingle then break out the chips and dig in!

(PS: store in an airtight manner, in a sealed plastic container or in the bowl tightly covered with cellophane. Avocados tend to oxidize and turn brown which doesn’t affect the taste but is unsightly).

Southwestern Bean, Corn, and Avocado Salad

Black beans, corn, avocado, tomato, green onions, garlic, olive oil, lime juice. Hooked yet?

Summertime is great for a refreshing, healthy salad, but it’s certainly a welcome dish any time of year. Black beans provide high quality fiber, corn kicks in a good dose of vitamins and minerals, and avocado a creamy smoothness. The cumin, cilantro, and dressing of oil and lime juice give it an authentic southwestern tang.

But the main difference in this recipe which sets it apart from similar efforts is the sautéing of the corn. That lightens and sweetens the corn and helps balance the main ingredients.

While some unfortunate folks experience cilantro as tasting like soap, to the rest of us it’s a great southwestern kick, a great way to top off this salad.

Prep is about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Dressing

·         3 green onions, sliced thin

·         3 TBS lime juice (2 limes)

·         2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

·         ¼ tsp salt

·         ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

Salad

·         1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

·         12 oz. frozen yellow sweet corn kernels

·         15 oz. can black beans, salt-free, drained

·         1 plum tomato, chopped

·         1 avocado, halved and cut into ½” pieces

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 TBS cumin powder

·         2 TBS medium salsa verde (green salsa)

·         3 TBS cilantro, washed, patted dry, and chopped

·         Salt to taste

·         Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Procedure

Dressing

Place sliced green onion, lime juice, olive oil (2 TBS), salt and pepper in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and let stand.

Salad

Heat olive oil (1 TBS) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add corn and stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Sauté till corn is cooked, 5-6 minutes.

In a large bowl, place black beans, sautéed corn, chopped tomato, and avocado pieces. Add garlic, cumin, and salsa verde, toss well and allow to stand for several minutes to permit flavors to mingle.

Pour dressing into salad bowl, mix well. Top with chopped cilantro. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

Buon appetito!

Spinach, mushroom, and potato frittata

According to Il cucchiaio d'argento (The Silver Spoon), the authoritative Italian cookbook somewhat akin to our own The Joy of Cooking, the frittata is an egg dish which can contain, at one end of the spectrum, only eggs, salt, pepper, and “the oil needed to cook it.” Then a series of simple frittata recipes are presented, each containing a single extra ingredient, such as bell pepper, cheese, tuna, olives, or ham.

Americans, on the other hand, insist on a long list of ingredients and always call for milk to be beaten into the eggs. Not so in Italy. The American version is a bit fluffier, the Italian, more dense; a meal. This recipe will take a middle ground. In the Italian fashion, we will not add milk. But it is fun to add a number of ingredients. Ours will be interesting, nutritious, and filling. So here goes.

Ingredients

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

A pinch of hot red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. turmeric

1 medium potato, scrubbed, skin on, cut into thin slices

4 oz. portabella mushrooms, sliced thin

½ red onion, diced

½ sweet red pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves removed and minced

2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

6 eggs, mixed in a bowel to incorporate yolks. Don’t over-beat.

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Preheat oven broiler on low setting.

In a large skillet, heat the oil then add the pepper flakes, turmeric, and black pepper. Mix to incorporate, then add the potatoes and mushrooms, cover and cook until ingredients begin to reduce and soften. Add the onion and sweet red pepper and cook uncovered until reduced. Add garlic, stir, and cook for another few minutes. Add the spinach, cover, and cook for a few minutes till wilted. Uncover, sprinkle in the rosemary and stir the mixture.

Beat the eggs lightly in a separate bowl then add to pan. Stir the shredded parmesan into the pan and combine the mixture. Cook until eggs begin to stiffen. Move the frying pan into the oven under the broiler to finish cooking the top of the frittata. Keep a close eye and remove it before the eggs brown.

Remove frying pan from oven and let sit for a few minutes to allow the eggs to finish setting up.

Cut into pie segments and serve. Each diner may add salt and pepper to taste.

This is a meal. Buon appetito!

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

The finished dish.

The ingredients

Making the enchiladas

Preparing to bake

Your just reward!

To me, there are few things more satisfying than enchiladas. Good friends of ours, George and Frances, got us hooked. Frances is Hispanic and is a wonderful cook. The following recipe, I’m sure, does not rise to her level, but she is surely my inspiration. Thank you, Frances!

You can classify this recipe as hearty vegetarian, filling, tasty, and nutritious. The spice level is variable according to your taste – mild, medium, or hot using chipotle peppers (which also add a hint of smokiness). It is also relatively quick and easy, especially after you have done it once or twice. As a result, it has become a regular player in our culinary rotation.

The major ingredients are black beans and cheese, but you can use the opportunity to use up random vegetables that you might have in your crisper. Mushrooms have become a favorite because they add to the hearty nature of the dish. At times we have added chopped broccoli, leftover baby spinach, or even a chopped carrot.

Here is the overall process:

1.       Sauté a soffritto (vegetable base)

2.       Create filling mix (beans and cheese and soffritto)

3.       Fill the tortillas to make enchiladas

4.       Bake until thoroughly heated

5.       Eat and enjoy!

That’s it.

Ingredients

Soffritto:

3-4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

6-8 mushrooms sliced thin

½ large sweet red pepper, chopped

½ large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

One, two, or three canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped fine (corresponds to mild, medium, or hot)

A teaspoon or two of the adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers

Filling:

2 15.5 oz. cans black beans, drained

Juice of one small lime

½ of a 16-19 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce

2-3 tsp. ground cumin

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Enchiladas:

10-12 small corn tortillas

Remainder of Red Enchilada Sauce

1 more cup of the cheese for topping

Cilantro for garnish, washed, drained, and chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, covered, until mushrooms express their moisture and begin to reduce. Uncover, add the red pepper and onion and sauté until onions are caramelized. Add minced garlic, chopped chipotle peppers, and adobe sauce, stir and cook for another few minutes to blend flavors.

Use a spatula to scrape all of the soffritto into a large bowl. Add the drained beans, lime juice, enchilada sauce (half of a can), and cumin and mix well. Once the filling has cooled a bit, add the cheese and stir to mix.

Prepare an 8x12” baking dish by brushing a small amount of enchilada sauce across the sides and bottom.

On a plate, place a corn tortilla and heap a generous portion of filling across the tortilla from side to side. Fold up the ends and roll to form an enchilada and place it in the baking dish. The tortilla will often tear but worry not – just tuck it into the baking dish. As we add more enchiladas, we will tuck them up close to each other and they will tend to hold each other together.

Place 8-10 enchiladas in the baking dish, keeping them aligned to one side. This will leave a gap on the other side where you can place a couple more enchiladas. (See picture).

Evenly pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with another cup of evenly spread cheese and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

(Note - leftovers may be refrigerated for 3-4 days or divided into serving portions and frozen.)

Spicy Vegetarian Chili

Well, spicy is an option. But you can always crank back on the spicy ingredients (identified below) if you want it milder. But for many of us, spice is life. (In which case, you can carefully add more of those ingredients).

And this is a guilt-free chili, loaded with healthy legumes and vegetables and missing the usual meat. (Although there is nothing to keep you from using this as a base and adding browned ground beef or chicken). But try it this way at least once. You might be surprised how hearty and satisfying it is.

Once of the essential ingredients is the chipotle pepper. This adds a kick of spice and a smoky flavor. They can be found canned in the Mexican food section of your grocery store, usually packed in adobo sauce. Use a bit of this sauce as well as one of the peppers, chopped.

The recipe is very forgiving and you can modify it in many ways. It is prepared in a single pot (bonus) and consists of three basic steps:

1. Sauté a soffritto (base)
2. Add, crush, and thicken tomatoes
3. Incorporate vegetables and simmer to finish

Here goes.

Ingredients

Soffritto
4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 TBS ground cumin
½ tsp fresh chopped oregano or 1 tsp dried
2 TBS chili powder (less to reduce spice)
1 chipotle pepper, chopped, with some of its adobo sauce (less to reduce spice)
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, diced

Tomatoes
1 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes with juices

Vegetables
1 15.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained
1 15.5 oz. can black beans, drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels

Optional toppings
Fresh chopped cilantro
Chopped green onions
Grated Mexican cheese

Salt
Black pepper

Procedure

Pour the oil into a large pot and heat over medium setting.

Add cumin, oregano, chili powder, chipotle pepper and stir till blended. Heat until oil mixture is hot.

Add carrots and sauté for several minutes. Then add onion and red pepper and continue to cook till softened. Add garlic and cook for another few minutes, stirring frequently. Your soffritto is now complete.

Add the canned tomatoes with their juices. Cover pot and cook for several minutes till the tomatoes have softened. Uncover and mash the tomatoes thoroughly with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon. Continue to cook uncovered, stirring, until the tomato mixture begins to thicken. The tomato preparation stage is now complete.

Add the beans and corn and stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Serve in individual bowls with any of the optional toppings. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Buon appetitto! 

Thick Pasta Fagioli

This is an interesting twist on the Italian classic, Paste e Fagiloi, adapted from a recipe by Alexandra Lenz in her estimable cookbook “Fresh Italian Cooking for the New Generation.”

While the ingredients are similar to the Italian favorite, the treatment is different in that the beans are mashed, hence thickening the soup into a stew. Additionally, it removes the objections of those among us who dislike beans. They will never detect a bean in this recipe, only finding it smooth and thick and satisfying without the hint of a bean. This soup is delicious with either chickpeas or cannellini beans, both are tasty.

Further, while the classic soup often uses chicken broth, this version can optionally use water for a vegan meal with no loss of taste. The mashed beans are miraculous.

Part of the secret is the spices. While dried spices will do, use fresh if possible.

Buon appetito!

Ingredients:

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped (or ¾ tsp. dried)

3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves removed and chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juices

1 15.5 oz. can of chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained

5 cups water (or 4 cups broth and 1 cup water)

1 cup small whole wheat pasta (ditalini, miniature elbow, or other)

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped

Method:

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and sauté until softened and slightly browned. Add garlic and spices, salt and pepper, and cook 1 minute more.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, cook until thickened and reduced – 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the beans to the pot and mash the beans and tomato mixture well with a potato masher. Leave no recognizable beans!

Pour in the water (or water and broth) and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, reduce heat to maintain a low boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to ensure that pasta is cooked before serving.

Serve in individual bowls topped with the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.