Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell

Glorious One-Pot Meals (12 page)

Scallops and Sweet Potatoes

The sweet potatoes soften in the broth to emerge creamy and bursting with flavor. Even though this exciting meal doesn’t contain chile peppers, ginger adds considerable zing. Be careful not to overdo the black pepper as it will intensify during cooking.

Chanterelle or hedgehog wild mushrooms heighten the flavor in this dish, but shiitake or button mushrooms will taste good in a pinch.

To make julienne sticks, cut the potato into thin disks. Stack the disks and cut into thin sticks lengthwise.
SERVES 2

Canola oil spray

small sweet potato or yam, julienned

2 or 3 shallots, or ¼ medium onion, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 to 7 mushrooms, preferably wild

½ to ¾ pound sea or bay scallops, fresh or frozen

4 to 7 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, or ½ teaspoon ground

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

⅓ cup broth (chicken or vegetable)

2 cups fresh or frozen green beans, cut in 2-inch lengths, or broccoli florets (about 2 cups)

Juice of ¼ lemon (about 1 teaspoon)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.

Scatter the sweet potato in the pot.

Sprinkle on the shallots and lightly season with salt and pepper. Scatter on the mushrooms.

Arrange the scallops on top and lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the garlic, ginger, and chives and pour the broth over all.

Add the green beans and drizzle with lemon juice.

Cover and bake for 40 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

Scallops with Red and Yellow Peppers

I love the rich, decadent sensation of scallops in my mouth, but you can make this recipe with any kind of seafood, fish, or poultry For a south-of-the-border kick, add a tablespoon of tequila to the sauce mixture and sprinkle with a tablespoon of chopped cilantro before adding the spinach.

Be sure to liberally coat the inside of the lid with oil so that the spinach will not dry out and stick.
SERVES 2

Olive oil spray

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium potato, peeled or not, thinly sliced

½ to ¾ pound sea or bay scallops

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

½ yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

¼ cup white wine

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup broth (chicken or vegetable) or water

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.

Sprinkle half the garlic in the pot. Arrange the potato slices in an overlapping pattern.

Place the scallops on the potatoes and lightly season with salt and pepper. Scatter on the bell peppers.

In a small bowl, mix the wine, vinegar, honey, broth, red pepper flakes, and the rest of the garlic. Pour over all.

Fill up the rest of the pot with spinach.

Cover and bake for 35 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Masala with Rice

Traditional masala spices are dry-roasted, which releases the aroma. Masala also calls for pureeing the onions and tomatoes together in a blender with the yogurt mixture. Here I offer a simplified masala, designed to be quick and easy. Of course, you may always vary any recipe to suit your own preferences.

You can purchase masala spice mix in a specialty food store, or you can make your own. Combine ¼ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon curry powder, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, ⅛ teaspoon turmeric, and ⅛ teaspoon cayenne. Keep leftover mix tightly covered in a dark cabinet.

Substituting soy yogurt or light coconut milk is fine. Coconut milk used to get a bad rap for being high in saturated fat, but now we know it has the good kind of saturated fat.

Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory herb, thought to be good for diseases that cause internal swelling, such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and arthritis.
SERVES 2

Canola oil spray

¼ medium onion, chopped

1 cup basmati rice

¾ pound fresh or frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

¼ cup plain yogurt (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)

One 14-ounce can coconut milk (regular or light)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced into thin rings

¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon masala spice mix (see headnote)

½ yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares

2 cups fresh or frozen cut green beans

One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, or 3 medium tomatoes, diced

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.

Scatter the onion in the pot.

Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the pot and with the back of the spoon smooth the rice in an even layer over the onion.

Add the shrimp in a layer and sprinkle with garlic.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, coconut milk, cilantro, scallions, and lemon juice with the masala spice mix. Pour half of the mixture over the shrimp.

Add the bell pepper, green beans, and tomatoes. Pour the rest of the yogurt mixture over all.

Cover, place the pot on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow, and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

Mojo Shrimp

The flavors here remind me of Jamaica, luring me in with the sweet citrus and then kicking it up with the chile peppers.
SERVES 2

Olive oil spray

1 medium sweet potato, cut into julienne strips

½ to ¾ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon allspice

4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ teaspoon sea salt