Cooking for Two
The song “Tea for two and two for tea” from the musical “No, No, Nannette” conjures
a delightfully romantic picture. One can just imagine Doris Day, Ella
Fitzgerald or Tony Bennet singing with a smile:“No friends or relations, On weekend vacations”. However, unless
these two had an invisible cook stashed away somewhere, they had to eat, and
someone had to cook.
The first performance of this musical
was in 1925. It was a time when the concept of ‘take-out’ had not arrived and
such solutions common in today’s pragmatic world unknown. Yet, even today
cooking for two is not uncommon. Whether you are young or the family has grown
and dispersed, many of us routinely cook for two or even one. Which requires
some forethought and planning in order not to waste time and food.
Most recipes are designed for 4 to 6 persons at the
table. Simple arithmetic can halve the ingredients for many dishes. But the recipe size need not be reduced for
dishes that are even improved on reheating, stored in the refrigerator and
served cold the second day. Others can be even frozen for later use of home
cooked food. Also, using a couple of perishable ingredients in different
recipes in the same week is a very important trick in not wasting ingredients
when cooking on a reduced scale.
Tabbouleh salad is a delightful summer time treat
made with bulgur wheat and fresh salad items.
It keeps well refrigerated and can be eaten for several days and serves
for an easy lunch, as well as a side to grilled meats.
Tabbouleh
Salad
Pour 2 cups boiling water over 1 cup bulgur wheat
and let stand 30 minutes. Drain well and mix with: ¼ cup light olive oil, ½ cup
lemon juice, 2 tsp. white wine vinegar, 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Toss
thoroughly with: 1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, thinly sliced 4 green
onions with tops, 1 diced medium English cucumber, 2 tblsp. chopped mint, 2
diced medium tomatoes or 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and ½ diced red pepper.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. (4-6 servings).
Summer Corn Chowder
Scrub and dice 2 medium unpeeled red potatoes and 1
large carrot. In a 3 qt. pot, slowly crisp 2 slices of bacon, remove to paper
towels and pour off the remaining fat. In the same pot sauté 1 chopped medium onion
and 1 chopped celery stalk for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups chicken broth and
bring to boil. Add the diced potatoes, carrot, ¼ cup finely chopped Italian
parsley, and ½ tsp. oregano. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, add ½ cup
fresh or frozen peas and ¼ cup diced red pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, add 1 ½
cups corn kernels and ¼ tsp. pepper. When soup comes to boil, stir in ¾ cup
half-and-half and heat, but do not boil. Serve with crumbled bacon on top. Can
be refrigerated and gently reheated the following day. (2-4 servings).
Zucchini,
Pepper, Sesame and Feta Mélange
Slice 1 eight inch firm zucchini in ¼ inch slices
and cut ½ seeded red pepper in ¾ inch pieces. Heat 1 tblsp. olive oil with ½
tblsp. butter on medium high heat and sauté 1 medium chopped onion with the
zucchini and pepper for 3 minutes, stir in 2 chopped cloves of garlic and after
1 minute stir in: 1 tblsp. light soy sauce, 1 tblsp. sundried tomato paste and
1 tblsp. toasted sesame seeds. Heat for 1-2 minutes, toss with ½ cup crumbled
feta cheese and serve warm or at room temperature. (2-3 servings).
Desert in August is likely to feature
peaches. Sliced fresh peaches with a tablespoon of Maine blueberry jam and a
scoop of vanilla ice cream make an exceptional summer desert for one, two or even
more persons. And if you want to gild the lily, soak the peaches in some brandy
mixed with lemon juice for a half an hour before serving.
“Tea for two and two for
tea”, you
can make it as romantic or as pragmatic as the occasion demands.
(I. Winicov
Harrington lives in coastal Maine 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)
