Glorious One-Pot Meals (29 page)
Read Glorious One-Pot Meals Online
Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell
I couldn’t resist adding what is perhaps my favorite salad dressing to a Glorious One-Pot Meal. And, boy, was I glad I did, because besides the ease of using a prepared sauce, this was a vegetarian dinner that the whole family loved.
Frozen spinach works well in this recipe—just try to break the block into smaller chunks before adding to the pot. If the spinach has thawed, go ahead and squeeze out the water. If it is still frozen, don’t worry about it.
Find arame seaweed at Asian markets or health food stores.
SERVES 2
2 teaspoons sesame oil
⅓ cup dried arame seaweed, loosely packed
4 to 7 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into cubes (see page 168)
3 tablespoons Annie’s Sesame-Shiitake Vinaigrette (or other brand of sesame dressing)
1 cup sushi rice
8 to 10 shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 medium golden beet, cut into ¼-inch slices
2 cups chopped fresh spinach, or one 10-ounce package frozen
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Wipe the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with sesame oil.
Place the arame in a small bowl and add enough water to cover. Set aside.
Put the tofu in a medium bowl with the vinaigrette. Stir gently to coat the cubes.
Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear, then add to the pot. Pour in 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water and stir to make an even layer. Scatter the mushrooms in a layer. Cover with the beet slices. Top with the tofu, including any dressing in the bowl.
Strain and rinse the seaweed and scatter over the tofu. Finish with as much spinach as will fit in the pot.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
The Dutch discovered tempeh in Indonesia in the 1600s, but it has been used in Java for a thousand years. Tempeh is a fermented food made from partly cooked soybeans inoculated with spores of a friendly mold so that it transforms into a cheeselike product. It is firm with a slightly yeasty flavor until it soaks up whatever flavors you add, just as tofu does. Tempeh may be made with soybeans only or with soy and a grain such as rice, barley, or quinoa. Find it in the refrigerated section of the health food store, near the fresh tofu.
I’m not a fan of cilantro, but it is a traditional ingredient in some Asian cooking styles. Use it in this recipe or leave it out, whichever you prefer.
SERVES 2
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup white rice
Two 8-ounce packages tempeh, cut into bite-size cubes
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
1 cup fresh or canned cubed pineapple
½ large sweet onion, sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
½ green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Coat the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with sesame oil.
Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Pour the rice into the pot with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water. Stir to make an even layer.
Arrange the tempeh in a single layer on the rice. Drizzle with half of the teriyaki sauce. Scatter the pineapple, then the onion on top of the tempeh. Add the yellow and green bell pepper strips in a layer.
Place the tomatoes in any crevices and sprinkle with cilantro, if using.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
This recipe is 100 percent adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand. Try it with chicken pieces or strips, beef stew chunks, or turkey tenderloin (whole or in strips). I like to add some Brussels sprouts, yellow squash, any color bell pepper, or almost any vegetable found hiding in our fridge. After serving, be sure to scoop up all the sauce for maximum flavor.
The complex flavor of this marinade, with hints of sweet and spice, lends an Asian tang with a tinge of heat. Adjust the chili sauce to your desired level of hotness. You can also use chopped fresh or canned chiles or even a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
SERVES 2
2 teaspoons peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup white wine, sherry, or rice wine
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon Asian chili sauce or chili oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
6 to 8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1 x ½-inch slices (see page 168)
1 cup sushi rice
2 carrots, sliced into coins
¼ head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets (about 2 cups)
½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 cups snow peas
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Wipe the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with peanut oil.
In a medium bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, lime juice, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, wine, honey, chili sauce, parsley, and basil.
Add the tofu cubes to the marinade. Stir to coat well and set aside.
Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into the pot, add 1 cup water, and stir to make an even layer. Add the carrots and cauliflower in a layer.
Layer the tofu in the pot, leaving some marinade in the bowl. Add the bell pepper and snow peas and pour the remaining marinade on top.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Tempeh is a soy-based meat substitute. Find it in the refrigerated section, near the tofu, in health food stores. Not into tempeh? Try this with chicken, turkey, pork, shrimp, fish, or whatever you fancy!
In my opinion, low-sodium soy sauce tastes just as good as regular soy sauce. And feel free to substitute 3 tablespoons of a bottled teriyaki sauce for the soy/hoisin/peanut mixture.
Almost any vegetable tastes stupendous teriyaki-style. Try this recipe with broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bell peppers, zucchini, or any other vegetable you happen to have available.
SERVES 2
Canola oil spray or 2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 cup sushi rice
One 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into ½-inch strips
1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon crushed peanuts (or peanut oil)
¼ head red cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, sliced diagonally into thin ovals
5 to 10 mushrooms, thinly sliced
One 4-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained