LIGHTEN UP WITH SHRIMP

 

Lighten up with Shrimp

           The arrival of daylight-saving time always suggests that spring may not be too far away.  Even though the temperatures at night are still miserly and our snowbank refuses to budge to give room for winter aconite and snowdrops.

          Shrimp are one of the easiest and most versatile seafoods to prepare requiring minimal cooking. Unless you are allergic to shellfish, shrimp is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is exceptionally high in iodine. It is low in calories, only 84 per 3 oz. of shrimp. However, individuals sensitive to dietary cholesterol need to avoid eating large amounts of this delicious food, since shrimp contain more cholesterol than many fish. But for most, shrimp can be enjoyed in many forms. The trick is not to overcook them. Precooked shrimp are also readily available and are useful for some purposes. Recently I have discovered that shrimp pair well with kale, especially with a little tart flavoring in the dish. 

                              Ginger, kale and shrimp soup.

1)    Peel, devein and slice in half 12 large raw shrimp. Set aside. Stem, wash and tear in 2 inch pieces curly kale to make 3 cups.

2)    In a large pot sauté 1 chopped medium onion in 1 tblsp. grapeseed oil for 4 minutes, Stir in 1 chopped garlic clove for an additional minute.

3)    Add 4-5 cups water, 1 tblsp. fish sauce, 1 tsp. salt and 1- 14 oz. undrained can of diced tomatoes.

4)    Bring to boil and add the kale in batches. When kale is wilted reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes.

5)    Stir in ¼ tsp. pepper, 1 ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger and the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp become opaque, 1-2 minutes.

6)    Remove from heat and allow flavors to blend 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with sprinkled chopped chives or parsley (optional).

The following dish is just really a combination of compatible tasty ingredients, but with a more classic name it becomes a mélange. This recipe uses pre-cooked shrimp, but can be made equally well by first sautéing the shrimp with the garlic and setting the shrimp aside until the last step.

                   Shrimp, artichoke and kale mélange.

1)    Sauté 1 large thinly sliced shallot in 1 tblsp. olive oil for 3 minutes, add 1 chopped clove of garlic and 1 cup of kale leaves torn in 2 inch pieces and cook until wilted.

2)    Stir in 1 tblsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 tblsp. soy sauce, ½ seeded red pepper cut in thin strips and ¼ cup chicken broth. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat with stirring.

3)    Add 1 can drained artichoke hearts (not marinated) cut in half and cook with stirring for 2 minutes.

4)    Stir in ½ lb. pre-cooked shrimp, reheat and toss with 2-3 oz. crumbled feta cheese. Serve over rice or pasta.

We all love fish tacos since they became popular several years ago. Here is a simple and quick no-cook shrimp taco recipe, if you don’t count quick crisping of the small Taqueria or other corn tortillas before they are filled.

                                      Shrimp tacos.

          Plan on 2 regular small or 3 Taqueria tortillas per person. Briefly crisp the tortillas in a lightly oiled hot skillet on both sides, cooking less than a minute on each side. Use pre-cooked shrimp for this recipe.

1)    For the topping sauce, mix: 1 tblsp. catsup, 1 tsp. sharp horseradish, 2 tblsp. sour cream, 1 tblsp. ‘hot salsa’.

2)    For each taco, layer: 2-3 or more shrimp depending on size, some shredded pepperoncini (according to taste), top with the sauce and enjoy.

3)    Serve with a colorful array of sliced cucumbers and radishes (optional).

Yesterday brough to our yard a very confused robin, for his beak was not a match for the frozen ground. Today there were two very frisky chipmunks chasing around the snow bank, exuberant in escaping their winter burrow. Spring is definitely on the way!

(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)

 

 

 

THRIFTY PORK ROASTS

 

Thrifty Pork Roasts

           Roasted meat is one of the easiest dishes to prepare, since the oven and time do most of the work. Unless you are partial to standing rib roast, most roasts are a thrifty source of meat and provide the basis for more than one meal.

Time is usually the limiting factor as we are busy at work or just attending to many outside appointments and activities. However, most of us are more housebound these days even while working remotely, so your dinner may roast quietly while you process papers on the computer. And your co-workers won’t be able to smell those delicious and appetizing odors wafting from your kitchen while you make your presentation at a zoom conference.

Roast chicken, probably the most thrifty multi-meal source, was thus chosen for  this column’s logo, but a pork-but roast comes close second. Like most inexpensive cuts of meat, it requires long cooking, but once you place it in the oven, it takes care of itself for hours. It also has the advantage, that a Dutch oven is large enough to allow inclusion of carrots and potatoes in the same pot, thus cooking the entire meal in one pot.

                                            Pork-but roast with vegetables

Select a 4.5 lean pork-but, wipe it and rub overall with salt and pepper. Insert slivers from 2 large cloves of garlic in slits in the roast. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1)    Heat a Dutch oven on stovetop and sear the meat for 2-3 minutes on all sides.

2)    Slice 2 large onions. Slip some onion slices under the roast and layer the rest on top. Pour 1 cup water plus 1 tblsp. apple cider vinegar in the bottom of the pot and ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce on top of the roast.

3)    Cover tightly with the lid and place in the oven to bake for 3 ½ hours.

4)     Peel and cut 2 large potatoes and 3 carrots in 2 inch pieces. After 3 ½ hours, add the vegetables to the pot, cover and continue to bake for an additional hour.

5)    Remove from oven and place roast on a serving dish surrounded with the vegetables. Cut against the grain and remove extra fat before serving. Serve with the rich sauce from the bottom of the pan.

Unless you have a large family, there will be enough leftovers for another reheated meal. The meat is also tender enough to shred with a fork for sandwiches or other dishes combined with rice or pasta. Part of my pork-but roast resulted in the following farfalle (bow-tie noodle) pie.

                                                               Farfalle pie

Cook ½ lb. farfalle in salted water for 12 minutes and drain.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1)    In a bowl mix 2 cups cut shredded cooked pork-but with ½ cup flavorful spaghetti sauce.

2)    In another bowl blend 1 ½ cups cottage cheese with 1 egg, ½ tsp. salt, ½  tsp. oregano, 2 tbslp. chopped parsley (optional), ¼ cup parmesan cheese.

3)    Spray a 10 inch pie plate with baking spray and spread with 2-3 tablespoons spaghetti sauce.

4)    Spread out ½ of the cooked pasta in the plate, cover with the meat sauce and then spread the rest on the pasta on top. Cover all with the cottage cheese blend and sprinkle with another ¼ cup parmesan cheese.

5)    Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before cutting in wedges to serve.

Our cold February had been conducive to slow roasts that warm the house and yield satisfying hearty meals. These and hearty raisin oatmeal cookies are bound to get us to spring once more.

(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)

 

 

 

PUFF PASTRY: SAVORY AND SWEET

 

Puff Pastry: Savory and Sweet

             We all love the welcoming fragrance of freshly baked goods wafting from the kitchen whether it comes from cookies, bread or pastry. Less welcome is the effort required for preparing the dough, especially for pastry. However, like pie pastry, puff pastry is now available in stores. It usually comes frozen in sheets or small cups ready for filling. I recently discovered unfrozen puff pastry as rolled sheets in the deli case, which brought me to experiment with some new ways for using this delectable resource.

          The fresh puff pastry reminded me of a savory strudel recipe I had made some years ago.  Puff pastry seemed a worthy replacement for this savory strudel, an excellent dish to serve for lunch or a light supper with a salad. 

 

                   Smoked Turkey, Mushroom and Cabbage Strudel

          Note: this would be equally good made with ham or slivers of stir-fried pork.

This recipe is for filling of one 10x13 inch sheet of fresh puff pastry dough or 2 sheets of the frozen 9x9 inch pastry. Prepare all diced ingredients before making the filling. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1)    Slice 3 oz. fresh shitake and 3 oz. button mushrooms. Chop 1 medium onion, coarsely shred 2-3 cups cabbage, mince 2 garlic cloves and cube 4-5 oz. thickly sliced smoked turkey.

2)    In a small bowl mix: 4 tablespoons dry Marsala wine or sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, ½ teaspoon wine vinegar.

3)    Heat 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic for 3 minutes, stir in the cabbage and mushrooms and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook until vegetables are just wilted (about 3 minutes). Uncover and stir fry until liquid is absorbed.

4)    Add turkey to the pan and stir in the Marsala mix. Cook with tossing until all ingredients are coated with the thickening mix (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

5)    Roll out the fresh pastry (or the thawed-out sheets) on wax paper, and layer the filling along one long side of the pastry leaving 2 inches at the ends and fold them over the filling. Roll the rest jelly roll style and place on a greased pan with the sealed side down. Brush with an egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water. Score the pastry top down to the filling to mark 4 equal sections.

6)     Bake at 450 degrees for 15-17 minutes until puffed and browned. Serve warm. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave without loss of flavor.

My husband is rather fond of sweet breakfasts, which led to the following recipe for flaky Danish made with puff pastry. Danish pastries are usually filled with some combination of cream cheese and jam. Since we live in Maine and I had frozen Maine blueberries in the freezer, this is the combination that evolved in our kitchen.

                              Puff Pastry Danish with Blueberries.

Thaw one sheet of frozen puff pastry. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1)    In a small bowl beat together: 6 oz. soft cream cheese, scant ¼ cup sugar, 1 large egg yolk, 2 tablespoons flour and ½ teaspoon lemon flavoring.

2)    In a cup beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water for the glaze

3)    Open the puff pastry on a lightly floured board and roll with a rolling pin to a 12 inch square. Cut the pastry in 9 four inch squares and place the squares on a parchment lined pan.

4)    Top each square with 1 tablespoon of the filling on the diagonal. Slightly press 1 teaspoon frozen blueberries in the filling.

5)    Bring 2 together corners opposite the filling and firmly seal with the yolk mix. Brush the tops with the remaining yolk mix.

6)    Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes until slightly browned.

Inspecting the finished product, we did not wait for breakfast. Afternoon tea with freshly baked blueberry Danish was not to be missed on a snowy winter afternoon!

   (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)