Recipe Review from 5/11/2020

I love leftovers.  I love being able to make a pot of something on the weekend or a easy weeknight, and it's ready in the fridge for the rest of the week.   There's an immensely satisfying feeling of being able to come home from work, plop the bags down, and either have dinner on the table (compliments of the Husband) or dinner can be on the table in 15 minutes.  Leftovers are a wonderful thing.  

Just two notable recipes for this past week.  The salmon packets are a long standing go-to.  I'll have to see if I've posted the recipe in a past year.

Tucson Botanical Gardens photo from scifiwithpaprika (C) 2020

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Out (S) Lentil and Chorizo Stew
Sun (L) leftover stew (S) catfish court bouillon
Mon - leftover catfish stew
Tues - leftover lentil stew
Wed - leftover catfish stew
Thurs - salmon packets (repeat)
Fri - leftovers

Lunches - hummus and cheese sandwiches (me) lox on bagles (him)



Slow-Cooker Lentil and Chorizo Stew (modified from Cooks Country)
A great recipe that is so incredibly easy - chop, plop, walk away.  This had a little zing! to it, so if you aren't compatible with heat, maybe skip the cayenne.  One cup of lentils doesn't look like it's going to be nearly enough, but trust the quantities, it was perfect.  This would be good with corn bread, rustic bread, or even naan.  Recommended!

Serves 4-6

photo from cookscountry.com

4 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
8 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 cup dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
½ cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme  (I used 1 tsp dried thyme)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook until lentils are tender, 5 to 6 hours on high or 7 to 8 hours on low. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serve.

Cooks Country Recipe Tip: For the best results, use a dry-cured Spanish-style chorizo in this recipe. If Spanish-style chorizo is unavailable, you can substitute Portuguese linguiça sausage.



Catfish Court Bouillon (modified from Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations)
I liked the simplicity of this.  At first glance this seems like a complicated recipe with a huge ingredient dish, but it's really not complicated.   While the bacon was cooking, I prepped the onion, peppers, celery and garlic.  While those were browning I prepped the parsley, jalepeno and tomatoes.  Into the pot! Add everything else, bring to a boil and simmer.   Time to clean up and make the rice!   Catfish goes in, set the table, and wa-la!  Dinner is served and the kitchen is basically clean.

The flavors in this are wonderful - little bit of heat (and I do mean just a little), sweetness from the Trinity, catfish isn't overwhelmed by everything else, and the nutty rice (I used brown rice).   Leftovers were just as tasty as day of, maybe even a bit better after the flavors married.

Recommended.

Serves about 6 with rice (I had three meals for two)

4 strips of bacon, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green bell peppers
1 cups diced celery
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped parsely
1 tsp dried thyme
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 tbsp "Dry Roux Flour"  (flour that has been 'cooked' or 'baked' a head of time to a lovely golden brown or even dark brown color)
4 cups seafood or chicken broth 
2 bay leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce
2 lbs catfish fillets, cut into 1-2" cubes
4 cups cooked long-grain white rice
1 cup sliced green onion (I did 4 scallions)

My notes - I baked/cooked the 2 tbsp flour earlier in the day on the stove.  Kevin does have recipe where you bake something like 8 cups of flour for part of a day in the oven, but I only wanted enough for this recipe. 

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown bacon about 5 minutes.  Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel.   Reserve 1 tbsp of the bacon grease.

Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery to the Dutch oven and saute until browned.  Reduce the eat and add the garlic, parsley, thyme, jalapeno, and tomatoes.  Stir to incorporate and add the Dry Roux Flour and stock.  Stir the mixture and add the bay leaf, Creole seasoning, salt, pepper and hot sauce.  Cover, bring to a boil, and cook at a simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and add the catfish.  Cover and let stand for about 10 minutes. 

Serve with the rice.