Recipe Review from 2/25/13

Another busy week what with bookgroup, an extra yoga class to sub, and a trip to the Cities for the Nephew's first birthday.  I needed quick dishes that would have leftovers and this line up certainly worked. 


[Trout] with Olive and Red Pepper Couscous  (Ckng Lght March 2013)
I want a do-over on this recipe!  I forgot to buy some Israeli couscous when I was at the Co-op and just assumed my standard grocery store would have it.  Not this time.  Which was okaaay...because I did have some regular couscous I needed to use up anyway.  But I'm not fond of regular couscous see, which was why it was languishing in my cupboard.

Then halfway through the meal I realized I completely forgot the olives!  How could I have forgotten the olives!  Drat and bother.

Otherwise, this was a good and quick dish.  We subbed Lake Trout for the halibut (any white fish will do, really) and I baked the asparagus along with the trout.  I adjusted the cooking times accordingly (my trout took about 25 minutes in the oven); the couscous about 5 on the stove. 

Photo from CookingLight.com

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
• 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless halibut fillets
• 4 teaspoons torn fresh oregano
• 2 lemons, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add bell pepper and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add couscous; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in olives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Sprinkle halibut evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add fillets to pan; cook 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat; turn fillets over. Arrange torn oregano and lemon slices evenly over fillets. Place pan in oven. Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve fish with couscous.

Mary Drennen, Cooking Light
MARCH 2013


Chicken BLT Salad  (modified, Ckng Lght Jan/Feb 2013)  GF if sub an alternative for the panko
I modified this somewhat substantially, and I'm noting my modifications below.  Click on the link in the title (above) if you want to see the recipe as published.  

First thing I did was pop my bacon into the oven to bake while I took the hounds out for a walk.  I dropped the 'homemade' dressing with the fresh dill and chives - really, I live in Northern MN.  I am NOT paying $3.00/pkg for fresh herbs this time of year.  However, I did have some blue cheese dressing in fridge that needed to be used up.  Perfect.  Add the crumbled blue cheese over all and wah-la!  Yum.  

My complaint with this recipe was in the chicken prep - my panko coating did not want to brown.  It was crispy, but crispy white.  A bit unappealing in the visual department. 

Photo from cookinglight.com

• 1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk, divided
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten 
• 3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 6 wedges
• 2 cups chopped plum tomato 
• 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese (1/2 cup)
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 
• blue cheese dressing; homemade or store bought

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk and egg white in a shallow dish. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg white mixture; dredge in panko. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken. Cook 4 minutes; turn over. Bake at 425° for 14 minutes or until done. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; slice crosswise.
4. Skipped Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mayonnaise, dill, chives, and vinegar. Place garlic on a cutting board; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Chop until a paste forms, scraping with the flat side of knife to mash. Add garlic to dressing.
5. Place 1 lettuce wedge on each of 6 plates. Top each serving with chicken, 1/3 cup tomato, and 2 1/2 tablespoons dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled bacon.

Mary Drennen, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2013

Coconut-Spiked Pumpkin Soup with Cumin and Ginger  (The Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson)  Vegetarian, GF if watching stock ingredients
I really liked this dish.  The Husband thought the "Indian" flavors were a bit strong for his tastes.  We did use butternut squash - down to the last two gourds from last years garden.  We are starting to freeze some because they are going soft.

This soup blended up so velvety smooth, and when heated, the nuances of the ginger and cumin were a treat for the nose and tongue.  Seriously good.  We prefer a slightly thicker soup, so I dropped on cup of broth and increased squash by one cup (reflected below). 

1 onion
1 cup (about 2 carrots) carrots peeled and chopped
 2 stalks celery, chopped
 4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp minced gingerroot
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 cups (1 qt) vegetable broth 
7 cups peeled  and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash 

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp lime juice
1 cup coconut milk

My usual disclaimer - the author prefers to saute the base veggies before slow cooking.  I am a chop and plop person.   Which I did - chop and plop up through squash. Cook on high for about 4 hours, low for 6-8.  Combine cayenne pepper and lime juice add to cooker, add coconut milk.  Let cook another 15 minutes or so.  Using and immersion blender (or carefully transferring to a upright blender in batches) blend until smooth.