Glorious One-Pot Meals (9 page)
Read Glorious One-Pot Meals Online
Authors: Elizabeth Yarnell
One of my friends once owned a place that served delectable organic small plates in a funky part of town. I had a melt-in-your-mouth soy-miso monkfish that was just to die for. I’ve tried to re-create the experience here. Because monkfish can be hard to find, I use flounder to make this at home, but feel free to use sole, tilapia, salmon, or any fish. For that matter, this would be delicious with chicken or pork tenderloin as well.
To make the dish spicier, double or triple the amount of black bean sauce. You can usually find black bean and garlic sauce in the Asian section of the grocery store.
SERVES 2
2½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup sushi rice
½ to ¾ pound fish fillets
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons miso paste
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon black bean and garlic sauce
1 large golden or red beet, peeled or not and sliced
2 shiitake mushrooms, halved and sliced
2 cups snow peas
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Wipe the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil.
Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add to the pot with 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water and stir until the rice settles into a smooth layer. Add the fish.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, miso paste, rice wine vinegar, black bean and garlic sauce, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of sesame oil. Stir until the miso is dissolved and the sesame oil is incorporated, then drizzle half of the mixture over the fish.
Arrange the beet slices in a layer on the fish, then scatter the mushrooms on top. Load in the snow peas and drizzle the rest of the soy mixture 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.
I keep individually wrapped boneless tuna steaks in the freezer just for meals like this. Just pull out the frozen steak and put it directly into the pot. There’s no need to thaw and it won’t add any cooking time. You can make this meal with salmon or halibut, but also with pork, turkey, or almost any kind of steak. It would also be great with shrimp or scallops for another kind of seafood dish.
To toast sesame seeds, simply scatter them on a sheet pan and place in the oven while it is preheating. Shake the pan once or twice after a few minutes and keep a close eye on the seeds, as they will burn quickly.
SERVES 2
4 teaspoons sesame oil
½ cup couscous
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon broth (chicken or vegetable) or water
Two 4-ounce tuna steaks
Zest and juice of ½ orange, or ¼ cup orange juice
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ head broccoli, cut into florets (about 2 cups)
1 small yellow squash, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Coat the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil.
Pour the couscous and liquid into the pot and stir to make a smooth layer.
Add the tuna steaks in a single layer (it is okay if they are partially or completely submerged) and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
In a small bowl, whisk the orange zest, orange juice, honey, soy sauce, remaining sesame oil, garlic, sesame seeds, and ginger until thoroughly combined. Pour half the mixture over the tuna.
Add the broccoli and squash and pour the rest of the 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.
The avocados in this recipe offer a cool, smooth counterpart to the spiciness of the fish and the rice. Even though they have been cooked with the rest of the meal, they maintain their shape and flavor delightfully. If you have space in your Dutch oven, try adding a handful of snow peas and sliced shiitake mushrooms to round out this Asian-inspired meal.
While using plain water will result in a wonderful meal, you can add more depth of flavor by substituting broth. The rice will completely absorb the liquid during cooking, and in the process the fish will take on a delicate, poached texture that is a treat to eat. If you live in a dry climate, you may want to add an extra 2 tablespoons of water.
SERVES 2
2½ teaspoons sesame oil or canola oil spray
1 cup jasmine rice
½ to ¾ pound salmon fillet or steak
2 carrots, julienned
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
⅛ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ head red cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
1 avocado, sliced
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Coat the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil or spray with canola oil.
Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into the pot. Add 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water and stir to make an even layer. Place the salmon in the pot and scatter the carrots on top of the fish.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining sesame oil, the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and lemon juice. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour half of the mixture into the pot.
Layer in the cabbage and top with the avocado.
Pour the rest of the soy sauce mixture over the top.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.
Garam masala is the basic mix of Indian spices. You can purchase it at ethnic or health food stores. Use your favorite chile pepper in this dish. Jalapeños work fine, as do Anaheim or other green chiles, or even red pepper flakes if that’s what you have in your cupboard.
For additional garnishing, use sprigs of fresh mint or cilantro. If your diet is dairy-free, try this recipe with plain soy yogurt.
SERVES 2
Canola oil spray
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 cup stemmed and shredded kale (see page 30)
½ to ¾ pound salmon fillet
1 lemon, halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain yogurt (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small chile pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ butternut squash, peeled or not and cubed (about 2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with canola oil.
Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into the pot. Add the broth and 2 tablespoons of water and stir to make an even layer.
Press the kale into the pot, mashing down until it fits below the halfway point.
Place the salmon on top of the kale. Squeeze the juice from one lemon half and drizzle over the fish. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger, garlic, chile pepper, garam masala, and turmeric, then pour the mixture over the salmon.
Toss in the butternut squash and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Cover and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Slice the other lemon half into wedges for garnish. Serve immediately.
