Glorious One-Pot Meals (5 page)
Read Glorious One-Pot Meals Online
Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell
Since all Glorious One-Pot Meals can be altered at will, the food counts given may or may not reflect the actual meal you create at home.
Cajun Fish
In America, we’re accustomed to eating sweet potatoes candied with maple syrup and brown sugar, or even topped with marshmallows, for a supersweet Thanksgiving side dish. But
savory
sweet potatoes are another experience entirely. Sweet potatoes with Creole seasoning are fabulous, and with this recipe they’re very easy to make.
Any Cajun or Creole seasoning mix from the grocery will do, or make your own by mixing equal parts paprika, salt, and a dash of cayenne. Be careful with the cayenne, as a little goes a long way.
Beets make a delicious red substitute for tomatoes if you can’t find good fresh ones for this dish. If you prefer white potatoes, feel free to substitute a large baking potato for the sweet potato. Frozen green beans are a quick solution when you want something green to toss into a pot meal. Simply shake some beans into the pot, reseal the bag, and keep it in the freezer. A single bag can often last for quite a few meals.
SERVES 2
Olive or canola oil spray
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
½ to ¾ pound white fish fillets (catfish, sole, cod, halibut, etc.)
Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen cut green beans
4 small plum tomatoes, quartered
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive or canola oil.
Scatter the onion in the pot. Lay the fish over the onion. Sprinkle liberally with Cajun seasoning, according to taste. Remember that the spices will intensify during infusion cooking, so you may want to sprinkle lightly if you are concerned about the heat.
Layer the potato, garlic, green beans, and tomatoes, adding more seasoning as desired. Pack in as many vegetables as possible, but make sure the lid fits tightly.
Cover and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
This is a great light summer meal! Adding a thin coating of olive oil on top of the fish will result in a less-dense fillet. For an even richer flavor, place several pats of butter on the fish.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
½ to ¾ pound salmon fillet
1 teaspoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground white or black pepper
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ lemon, thinly sliced
5 to 7 whole fresh dill sprigs
5 or 6 red potatoes, thickly sliced
2 large carrots, cut into long strips
½ medium zucchini, cut into sticks
1 celery stalk, sliced
½ medium cucumber, cut into sticks
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Scatter the scallions in the pot. Set the salmon on top of the scallions, skin side down if not skinned, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, followed by the garlic.
Top the fillets with the lemon slices and half the dill sprigs. Scatter the potatoes around the fish. Add the carrots, zucchini, celery, and cucumber. Tuck more dill sprigs into crevices and lightly season again with salt and pepper.
Cover and bake for about 43 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Vary this meal and go Italian instead with sun-dried tomato and garlic in olive oil instead of the peanut oil mixture. Or use any other type of flavored oil in this recipe.
SERVES 2
Olive oil spray
¾ cup quinoa
1 cup water, broth (chicken or vegetable), white wine, or any mixture
½ to ¾ pound fish steaks (halibut, salmon, tuna, etc.)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
¼ head cauliflower, cut into medium florets (about 2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, halved horizontally and cut into half moons
Sea salt
6 to 8 cremini or other mushrooms, sliced
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.
Pour in the quinoa and liquid. Stir to coat the grains and make an even layer. Add the fish.
In a small bowl, mix the peanut oil, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes, cilantro, and ginger. Drizzle half of this mixture over the fish. Scatter the cauliflower and zucchini over the fish. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle on the rest of the peanut oil mixture. Drop in the mushrooms.
Cover and bake for about 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Not quite a soup, New England fish chowder is known for its succulent large chunks of seafood and vegetables coated in a thin, milky broth. Traditionally this is made with cod; however, tilapia, flounder, or any other white fish will work fine. You can even use fillets directly from the freezer without defrosting them first. The fish will break into pieces as it cooks, or you can break it up while serving. Add any type of fresh or frozen seafood, such as crab or shrimp, or eight ounces of corn kernels for an even heartier meal.
The type of milk used will affect how thick the broth is. Choose skim, 2 percent, whole, soy, rice, almond, or even heavy cream to suit your preference.
To quickly remove the stems of chard (and other leafy greens like kale), hold the sides of the leaves together in one hand and use the other to rip the stem from the bottom of the leaf. Chard stems can be bitter. By chopping the stems finely and placing them on the bottom of the pot, they will have the opportunity to brown slightly and lose most of their bitterness.
SERVES 2
Canola oil spray
4 Swiss chard leaves, red or green
2 medium red potatoes, halved and sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ to ¾ pound white fish fillets (cod, flounder, tilapia, etc.)
14 ounces clams, shelled (fresh, frozen, or canned)
3 or 4 mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.
Separate the chard leaves and stems. (See headnote.) Mince the stems especially fine and spread across the bottom of the pot. Coarsely chop the leaves and reserve.
Scatter the potatoes in the pot and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top of the potatoes.
Drain the clams, reserving the liquid. (Frozen clams will not need to be drained.) Add the clams to the pot and top with the mushrooms.
In a small bowl, combine the milk, Old Bay Seasoning, the liquid from the clams, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the pot.
Pack in the chard leaves until the pot is full but the lid will still fit tightly. Cover and bake for 35 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
