Glorious One-Pot Meals (10 page)
Read Glorious One-Pot Meals Online
Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell
My young children won’t eat the scallions in this recipe, so I leave them whole and remove them before serving. But I’m nonetheless pleased to know I’ve added another flavor to their taste memory that will increase the spectrum of their eating preferences and habits over a lifetime.
The mildest types of fish—and thus more acceptable to non-fish or picky eaters—are the flat white fish: flounder, sole, even haddock or tilapia. This is one time when it is okay if the pieces of fish overlap or are even frozen together.
It is rare for me to use butter in a recipe, but in this particular case I think it gives the fish a smoother mouth experience, which might be less offensive for difficult or timid eaters. You certainly can use olive oil, or just skip it altogether.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
1 medium russet potato, cut into small cubes
Sea salt
½ to ¾ pound fish fillets
3 to 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon butter, slivered
1 thick lemon slice, or ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 to 6 mushrooms, thickly sliced, optional
2 whole scallions, optional
2 cups baby carrots, sliced into thirds
¼ head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets (about 2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Spread the potato evenly in the pot and season lightly with salt. Add the fish fillets. Sprinkle with the garlic, add salt to taste, and dot with the butter.
Squeeze the lemon over the fish and add the optional mushrooms. Lay the scallions, if using, atop the fish. Add the carrots and cauliflower, and season lightly with salt.
Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Throughout the 1980s, my family vacationed in Cozumel, off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. This recipe was one of our favorite local dishes prepared by the descendants of the Mayan Indians. Corn, peppers, and limes are all native to the New World and were likely cultivated by the ancient Mayans much as they are today. Spice up this dish with red pepper flakes or chopped chiles. Try a white, flaky fish such as cod, flounder, or sole. Or try a slightly meatier white fish like Oreo Dory, tilapia, mahi mahi, or snapper. Either fresh or frozen fish fillets work fine. This recipe is also wonderful with seafood such as shrimp or with thin slices of flank steak or pork.
SERVES 2
Canola oil spray
½ medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
¾ cup quinoa
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable) or water
½ to ¾ pound fish fillets
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon, sliced in ¼-inch rounds
½ lime, sliced in ¼-inch rounds
½ medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch slices
½ medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch slices
½ medium yellow or orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch slices
10 to 14 ounces corn, fresh, frozen, or canned (drained)
4 to 6 small tomatoes, sliced
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.
Scatter the onion over the bottom of the pot.
Add the quinoa and pour in the liquid, then stir to settle the grains evenly. Add the fish and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Alternate the lemons and limes in a single layer on top of the fish. Top with the bell pepper slices and lightly season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle on the corn. Layer the tomato slices on top and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Cover and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Cioppino (Seafood Stew)
Cioppino, or fisherman’s stew, had its origins in San Francisco by way of Italy, but all Mediterranean countries have similar fish stews. Make this version your own with your favorite treats from the sea.
Traditionally, this dish is not very soupy; for more broth, do not drain the can of tomatoes.
I prefer to avoid precooked seafood for Glorious One-Pot Meals. If your frozen shrimp is pink, it’s precooked. While using precooked seafood certainly won’t ruin your meal (it’s difficult to fail with a Glorious One-Pot Meal!), raw seafood results in a stronger flavor and will be more tender after cooking.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
1 cup rotini (corkscrew pasta)
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ pound (10 to 12) shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ pound bay or sea scallops
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ medium onion, diced
3 to 5 garlic cloves, sliced or crushed
½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch slices
½ yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch slices
½ zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch slices
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, or 3 to 4 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Scatter the pasta in the pot. Add ⅓ cup of water and the olive oil. Stir gently to coat the noodles and distribute evenly.
Spread the shrimp and scallops in a layer on top of the pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Scatter the onion and garlic over the seafood, followed by layers of bell peppers and zucchini.
Arrange the tomatoes in a layer on top of the zucchini.
Scatter the celery and the fennel on top, and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.