Glorious One-Pot Meals (16 page)
Read Glorious One-Pot Meals Online
Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell
Summer is tomato time; be sure to try the new heirloom varieties. In winter, I usually find that Roma, or plum, tomatoes are the most flavorful. Oil-cured olives will add other notes, but use water-packed olives if you’re looking to cut back on fat.
Make a quick broth with part of a bouillon cube. Purchase bouillon from health food stores for versions lower in sodium and other preservatives.
An easy way to trim exactly the right amount from the bottom of an asparagus stalk is simply to grab an end in each hand and bend until it snaps. It will break at the point where the stalk becomes less woody.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
1 shallot, or ½ small yellow onion, chopped
½ cup couscous
½ cup broth (preferably beef) or water
½ to ¾ pound boneless lamb, cubed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ cup pitted olives, halved
2 medium tomatoes, sliced ¾ inch thick
10 to 15 asparagus stalks, trimmed, or 2 handfuls spinach, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Scatter the shallot in the pot. Pour in the couscous and add the broth. Stir to make an even layer.
Put the lamb on the couscous and lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the oregano, parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Add a layer of olives.
Lay the tomatoes on top followed by the asparagus.
Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
For me, this flavor is reminiscent of the south of France, along the Côte d’Azur with its crystalline blue waters. Of course, fresh herbs would be fantastic here if you have them. If using fresh herbs, use one tablespoon of each.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup whole wheat couscous
½ cup broth (beef or vegetable) or water
½ to ¾ pound boneless beef tenderloin, trimmed well
¼ cup red wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups fresh or frozen pearl onions
4 plum tomatoes, quartered
½ head broccoli, cut into florets (about 2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Scatter half the garlic in the pot. Pour in the couscous and liquid. Stir to distribute the couscous in an even layer. Add the steak and sprinkle with the rest of the garlic.
In a small bowl, mix the wine, olive oil, lemon juice, marjoram, and thyme. Pour half of the mixture over the steak. Drop in the onions and arrange the tomato quarters skin side down.
Fill the rest of the pot with broccoli and pour the remaining wine 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.
I always keep jars of organic marinara sauce in my pantry for convenient Glorious One-Pot Meal options, including this easy version of pasta with meatballs.
Use whatever type of ground meat you prefer: beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or even soy or other meat substitutes. Make a quantity of meatballs in advance and freeze them individually on cookie sheets. Then drop the frozen balls into a plastic storage container and keep in the freezer for spur-of-the-moment Glorious One-Pot Meals.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
2 cups rotini or fusilli
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ to ¾ pound ground meat
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
One 12-ounce jar marinara sauce
2 carrots, sliced into coins
½ medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into
½-inch slices
½ yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
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 ⅔ cup water and olive oil and stir to make an even layer.
In a medium bowl, mix the ground meat with the egg, bread crumbs, salt, and parsley. Shape the mixture into balls, about 2 tablespoons each, and drop into the pot. Cover with half of the marinara sauce.
Layer in the carrots, zucchini, and bell pepper; then lightly season with salt. Pour the rest of the marinara sauce over all.
Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
All of the ingredients in this festive meal can be found in your pantry or freezer, making it a convenient wintertime treat. However, try to break up a frozen block of ground meat before adding it to the pot.
There’s no need to defrost a package of frozen spinach. Let it sit on the counter to soften while preparing other ingredients. Cut it into chunks using a sharp knife, then stir the chunks into the meat mixture. Fresh spinach can be chopped slightly and mixed with the meat, or kept whole and layered on top.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
2 cups pasta (penne, farfalle, etc.)
One 14-ounce can tomatoes
1 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon olive oil
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
One 10-ounce package frozen spinach, or 2 large handfuls fresh
½ to ¾ pound ground beef or turkey
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.
Drain the liquid from the tomatoes into a measuring cup. If necessary, add enough water to make ⅔ cup liquid. Reserve the tomatoes.
Add one-third of the garlic, a little salt and pepper, and the olive oil to the tomato liquid. Pour the liquid into the pot and stir to make the pasta an even layer.
Mix the tomatoes with the rest of the garlic, the onion, basil and oregano, spinach, and ground meat in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drop forkfuls of the tomato-meat mixture evenly over the pasta without mixing together.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Quinoa (pronounced
KEEN-wah)
has a light, nutty flavor with a wonderful texture that makes it fun to eat. Quinoa is the only grain that is a complete protein. It was the staple food of the Incas in Peru, who called it “the Mother grain.” Find it near the rice or in the bulk food section of a health food store or your grocer’s natural foods aisle. Store it in an airtight jar.
