Eggplant Bolognese
I was in the mood for spaghetti, but not traditional spaghetti with Prego sauce. This caught my eye and I had a portion of the ingredients on hand. This was very quick and simple to assemble - especially if you mise en plase all the ingredients ahead of time. Then while the sauce is undergoing it's final simmer, you start the water, boil the noodles and set the table. I even had time to do the dishes! This made a lot, but I wanted the leftovers. Very tasty and hearty.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup sauce, about 3/4 cup pasta, and 2 teaspoons basil)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 pound ground sirloin
8 cups chopped eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste1/2 cup red wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
10 ounce uncooked whole-wheat fettuccine1 tablespoon kosher salt
Preparation
1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and beef; cook 10 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble beef. Add eggplant, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 20 minutes or until eggplant is very tender, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes as necessary. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and red wine vinegar.
Chicken, Mushroom & Wild Rice Casserole (Eating Well, Oct 2010)
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| Photo from eatingwell.com |
The Husband was super awesome and made this for us last week. He was less than thrilled with the prep (“putzy”) and end result (“disappointing”). I thought it tasted good, the earthiness of the mushrooms highlighted with the aroma of sherry. The Husband elaborated in that a casserole is by definition easy to throw together and inexpensive. This was neither – utilizing sherry, leeks, 1 ½ lbs of mushrooms, 2 pounds of chicken and parmesan cheese. I countered with there was no quintessential “cream of mushroom soup” - which he despises. I did substitute 1lb of chicken breasts with 1 lb of chicken thighs. It’s just going into a casserole after all. This made a 9x13 pan so plenty of leftovers or great for a crowd.
Chicken, Mushroom & Wild Rice Casserole
From EatingWell: September/October 2010
In Minnesota, chicken, mushrooms and wild rice are often bound together in a casserole with cream of mushroom soup. We forgo the sodium-rich canned soup and make a light, creamy sauce that gets depth of flavor from dry sherry and Parmesan cheese. If you already have cooked chicken, use 4 cups and skip Step 2.
8 servings
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks, chopped and rinsed
• 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup dry sherry (see Note)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups frozen French-cut green beans
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (I skipped - I think those little crunchy onions would have been good)
Preparation
1. Combine water and rice in a small heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, place chicken in a large skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board and let cool.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until their liquid has been released and has evaporated, 12 to 14 minutes. Add sherry, increase heat to high and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Add milk; bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Stir in Parmesan, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
5. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Spread the rice in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken, then green beans. Pour the sauce over the top and spread evenly. Sprinkle with almonds.
6. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the almonds are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes from Eating Well
• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 5; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month (defrost in the refrigerator for 2 days before baking). Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then bake at 350°F for about 1 hour.
• Note: Sherry is a type of fortified wine originally from southern Spain. “Cooking sherry” sold in many supermarkets can be high in sodium. Instead, get dry sherry that’s sold with other fortified wines at your wine or liquor store.
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