Glorious One-Pot Meals (25 page)
Read Glorious One-Pot Meals Online
Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell
Feel free to experiment with cheeses besides Parmesan. Try mozzarella, feta, or provolone—each makes a completely different meal.
Fresh wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle or shiitake, add a complex, earthy flavor, but dried mushrooms work well, too, and may be easier to find. I like to keep dried wild mushrooms in my pantry for spur-of-the-moment dishes. Sometimes I place them in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit for fifteen minutes to soften, then drain and use. Other times I simply chop the dried mushrooms and throw them into the pot for a chewier version that adds another texture to the meal.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
3 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups rotini, fusilli, penne, or other short pasta
⅓ cup sherry
⅓ cup broth (vegetable or chicken) or water
One 14-ounce can artichokes packed in water, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
3 cups sliced fresh wild mushrooms, or 1½ cups dried
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Sprinkle the garlic in the pot, then scatter in the onion.
Pour in the pasta, sherry, and liquid. Stir gently to coat the noodles and spread them evenly. Arrange the artichokes in a layer. Sprinkle with thyme and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Add the tomatoes. If desired, shower with Parmesan. Top with the mushrooms.
Cover and bake for about 35 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Tofu is like a sponge and will absorb whatever flavors you give it if you squeeze it dry first. I often sandwich the block of tofu between several layers of paper towels and then set the Dutch oven on top to press out as much liquid as possible. If you’re not into tofu, substitute eight ounces of ricotta cheese.
Using freshly grated nutmeg is always a treat. I keep a few whole nutmegs in a jar and simply run one across a Microplane grater. Save the rest of the nut in a jar so it will be fresh and aromatic the next time you want it. A whole nutmeg can last a year or longer.
Try to break a block of frozen spinach into pieces before adding it to the pot, and realize that it will add some liquid as it melts. Let the pot sit for a few minutes with the lid off before serving to allow the polenta to absorb any extra liquid.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
½ cup dry polenta
1½ cups broth (vegetable or chicken) or water
6 to 10 ounces extra-firm or firm tofu, drained and pressed (see headnote)
3 to 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or
pecorino Romano cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated or in
chunks
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon drained capers
8 ounces pitted black olives, sliced
One 10-ounce package frozen spinach, or 2 large handfuls fresh
4 to 8 mushrooms, fresh or dried, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Pour the polenta and the liquid into the pot and stir to spread the polenta evenly.
In a medium mixing bowl, crumble the tofu into chunks (it should resemble ricotta cheese) and stir together with the cheeses. Add the garlic, basil, capers, and olives and mix lightly. If using fresh spinach, fold it into the mixture. If the spinach is a frozen block, chop it into large pieces and set them in the pot next so the other ingredients can be piled around the chunks. Then spoon half of the tofu mixture into the pot.
Scatter the mushrooms and top with the rest of the tofu mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
A vegetarian dish brimming with Indian flavors, this recipe reminds me of a meal I ate in a London restaurant after enjoying a rip-roaring rock musical in Soho. I hope you have as much fun eating this one as I did that night!
For an even healthier meal, use parboiled and precooked brown rice (labeled “instant”) with the same amount of liquid.
SERVES 2
Canola oil spray
2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ medium onion, halved and sliced
1 fresh jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable broth
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 carrots, sliced into coins
1 parsnip, sliced into coins
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch slices
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.
Scatter the garlic, onion, and chile in the pot.
Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear, then add to the pot.
In a measuring cup, stir together the broth, garam masala, turmeric, and cumin. Pour two-thirds of the broth over the rice. Stir the rice to coat the grains and spread them evenly.
Add the carrots, parsnip, cauliflower, zucchini, and peas in layers in this order. Pour the rest of the broth-spice mixture over all.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
While my mother wouldn’t be caught dead serving jarred marinara sauce, I’ve found quality organic brands speed up prep time and taste as good as homemade. Sometimes I’ll doctor the sauce with fresh tomatoes, zucchini, or green peppers from the garden. Or I’ll add roasted green chiles (available frozen, canned, or fresh in the fall) or red pepper flakes for a flavor boost.
If using a nondairy cheese, be aware that brands containing casein retain more of the creaminess associated with real cheese than those without. While the presence of casein shouldn’t affect most lactose-intolerant people, it is an animal product and could cause those allergic to dairy to have a reaction.
Instead of using prepared marinara sauce, you could stir the herbs directly into a can of crushed tomatoes and pour this mixture over the layers of eggplant.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
1 cup elbow macaroni
3 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried basil, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 to 12 ounces prepared marinara sauce
1 small eggplant, peeled or not, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
8 to 10 ounces mozzarella and/or provolone cheeses, shredded or sliced
4 or 5 cremini mushrooms, sliced
Spinach, artichoke hearts, black olives, or other veggies, optional
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Bread crumbs, optional