SUMMER PREVIEW - IN MARCH?

Summer Preview

            Last week’s unseasonable weather was enough to confuse not only the squirrels, robins, doves, our resident turkeys and woodpeckers, but also the human residents of our and other Maine properties. Amazing crocuses and mini daffodils were blooming in front of the house. The sudden urge to go outdoors and tend to all the spring garden chores at once became irresistible. Our irises got cleaned and weeded, the herb bed got it’s annual thorough haircut and our straggly clematis regained a more orderly shape.

            Since all this, as any gardener will tell you, takes time - I was sore put to discover on my calendar a commitment for cooking for a local potluck supper in the midst of all this activity. Normal March weather could have solved the dilemma with a savory stew in a crock- pot, but it did not sound appetizing with temperatures approaching 80 degrees. So, I rummaged for some warm weather recipes that could be quickly made with ingredients currently plentiful in stores. Since our grill still was tucked away in the back of our basement, I adapted a summer grilling recipe for chicken thighs to the broiler and since the featured “vegetable of the week” was broccoli, it was transformed into the base for a hearty salad.

                                                Tangy chicken thighs

            This recipe is ample for a small crowd, but it can easily be halved for a family and the cold leftovers would taste good on or in a salad.

            Combine in a bowl: 2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. chili powder (hot if you like it), 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. roasted ground cumin, 1 tsp. powdered ginger, few shakes of cayenne pepper (optional). Trim 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs and cut in half or thirds. Sprinkle with the spice mix on both sides and place on a sided baking pan coated with cooking spray. This amount of chicken will need two large pans and the process will need to be repeated twice. Broil chicken, one pan at a time for 5 minutes, turn the chicken over and broil for another 5 minutes.

            In the meantime stir together in a small bowl 5 Tblsp. honey, 1 Tblsp. soy sauce, 2 Tblsp. cider vinegar, 2 tsp. water. Combine the chicken on one pan and baste with the honey-vinegar mixture and return to the broiler for 1 minute, take out of the oven, turn the chicken pieces and baste the other side. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and broil for an additional minute. Serve hot or cold.

                                    Broccoli-grape tomato-feta salad

            Rinse a large broccoli crown and steam for 2 minutes. Allow to cool and separate the florets. In a large bowl combine 5 to 6 cups of broccoli florets with ¾ basket of halved grape tomatoes. In a small bowl stir together: 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 3 Tblsp. seasoned rice vinegar, 1 tsp. soy sauce, 1 Tblsp. chopped capers, 1 finely chopped shallot, 2 tsp. dried oregano and 1 Tblsp. olive oil. Toss broccoli mixture with dressing and toss again with 1 cup crumbled feta cheese. Allow the flavors to blend for a couple of hours in the refrigerator and serve cold or at room temperature.

This morning as rain washes over the swelling buds on the cherry tree just outside my window, I don’t want to contemplate what will happen to them when the temperature goes back to March normal and drops in the teens at night. I only hope that as a true Maine grown cherry, it will know how to survive. Maybe I won’t put my crock-pot in summer storage yet.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

Healthy Pleasures

            A few warm days here in Midcoast Maine have us thinking optimistically about spring. It means shedding our bulky sweaters only to discover that some of the bulk accumulated during winter does not shed as easily.  Time to think of paring down some of the substantial meals we have enjoyed all winter with the excuse of having to stay warm against the wind and the snow.

            In case we have missed all the imprecations to healthy eating habits from nutritionists and everyone in the health field, we are reminded to do so once more by the current National Nutrition Month.  The upcoming community forum entitled “Get your Plate in Shape” on March 29^th at the Second Congregational Church in Newcastle inspired me to look at some of my favorite recipes with a healthy eating goal in mind.

            Fish has been touted as one of our healthy meal choices not only because of the lean quality of protein, but also as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Living in Maine, fresh fish is one of the local pleasures in food with haddock, hake and salmon in plentiful supply and halibut and cod available as well. And yet, any nutritionist will tell you that deep frying a fish in batter, tasty as it may sound, is not a healthy choice. The lean choice of broiling fish may be healthier, but lacks much in taste appeal unless you baste the fish with a bit of butter or soy sauce.

            One of my favorite healthy fish recipes has evolved from an old recipe by Craig Clairborne, from days long ago when he wrote for the NY Times. The age of the original recipe can be dated from the fact that flounder then was about 50 cents a pound and he had no qualms in using a half a cup of butter in the recipe. Here is my slimmed down version for haddock or hake.

                                    Piquant haddock or hake

            Cut 1 lb of fish in 4 pieces. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with butter flavored baking spray, sprinkle with 1-2 Tblsp. of dry bread crumbs and lay the fish on top in a single layer. In a small bowl mix together: 1 Tblsp. wine vinegar, 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tblsp. lemon juice, 2 Tblsp. melted butter or olive oil, ½ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, dash of Tabasco, ¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth. Pour this over the fish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in a 450 degree oven about 15 minutes, basting the fish with the liquid once during that time.

            Discussions of healthy eating always include vegetables, oats and nuts. This may be my excuse for even considering cookies in a healthy diet. However, the recipe below contains all those ingredients (and more) and the cookies passed the palatability test with flying colors by my graduate students, who regularly demolished a plate of them at seminars many years ago.

                                    Oatmeal-carrot-raisin and nut chews

            This makes about 5 dozen cookies, so the recipe can be halved.

Beat 2 room temperature sticks of butter with 1 cup brown sugar (packed) until fluffy, then beat in 2 eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla. In another bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. cloves, ½ tsp. salt. Add this to the butter mixture and blend. Stir in 2 ½ cups uncooked oatmeal, 2 cups shredded carrots, ¾ cup raisins, ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop cookie mixture with a teaspoon on parchment lined baking sheets and bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool and store in a tight container.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)