Recipe Review from 2/15/2016

I guess I do have a couple of new recipes to talk about from the week previous.  While I was out of town, the Husband made a couple of noteworthy dishes that got us through the end of a very busy week.

Small meal plan:
Wed - Provincial Stew
Thur (yoga) Easy Miso Soup
Fri (yoga/Block)  leftovers
Sat (L) leftovers   (S)  poached cod

Provencal [Pork] Stew  (Ckgn Lght, 2009)
The Husband made this so I can't speak to ease of assembly or what substitutions he did other than pork for the beef.  Oh, and I want to say he added potatoes and leeks as well.   I can say, the pork turned out incredibly tender, so much so I actually thought it was beef.  This has lots of flavor, its nicely filling, and is delicious with a chunk of rustic bread to mop up all the juices. 

This was lunches for the remainder of the week - I think we got about five meals for two out of it.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes  (husband used pork shoulder roast)

photo from allrecipes.com

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges

8 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 bay leaves

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

3 cups (1-inch) slices zucchini (yellow summer squash)

2 cups (1-inch) slices carrots

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; dredge in flour. Add beef to pan; sauté 2 minutes, browning on all sides. Place beef in an electric slow cooker. Add onions and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Place onion mixture in cooker. Add broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, and tomatoes to cooker; top with zucchini and carrots. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until beef is tender. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.


Miso Soup  (The Kitchn website)
I am a very happy camper.  The Husband noticed I had some leftover miso in the fridge and he found a recipe that was waaayyyy easier than one I had posted earlier.  Honestly, the difference between sushi bar miso soup and his homemade miso soup was so subtle as to be moot.   Bottom line?  Delicious!

The directions look daunting, but don't be put off.  VERY simple.  

photo from The Kitchn website

For the dashi 
(or substitute 2 cups water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth):
2 cups water
2-inch piece kombu (dried black kelp)
1/2 cup loosely packed dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi), optional

For the miso soup:
4 ounces (1/4 block) silken or firm tofu
1 to 2 scallions
2 tablespoons red or white miso paste (he used red miso paste)

Makes 2 cups

1. Make the dashi: (See step-by-step instructions: How To Make Dashi): Combine the water and kombu in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Remove the kombu just as the water starts to come to a boil. Add the bonito flakes, if using, and let the water come to a rapid simmer. Simmer for about 1 minute, then remove the pan from heat and let the bonito steep for an additional 5 minutes. Strain the bonito from the dashi. Add additional water if necessary to make 2 cups. Alternatively, substitute 2 cups water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth. 
2. Prepare the tofu and scallions: Cut the tofu into very small cubes, 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch on each side. Slice the scallions very thinly.
3. Bring the broth to a rapid simmer: Pour the dashi or broth back into the saucepan and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Mix the miso with 1/2 cup hot broth: Place the miso in a small ramekin or measuring cup. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of the broth and pour it over the miso. Whisk with a dinner fork or whisk until the miso is entirely dissolved in the water and no lumps remain.
5. Pour the miso into the broth: Pour the dissolved miso into the simmering broth.
6. Add the tofu: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the tofu to the miso. Simmer just enough to warm the tofu, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not boil the miso once the tofu has been added.
7. Add the scallions: Just before serving, scatter the scallions over the top of the soup.
8. Serve in individual bowls: Pour the miso into individual bowls and serve. Miso is best when served fresh. It will settle a bit as it sits in the broth; whisk briefly with chopsticks or a spoon to mix the soup again.

• Recipe Notes:  Any type of miso can be used to make miso soup. Restaurants typically use red miso to make their miso soup.