1 Cup dry bulgar wheat
1 1/2 Cups boiling water
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 Cup olive oil
2 medium cloves of garlic, crushed
black pepper to taste
4 scallions, finely minced, whites and greens
1 packed cup minced parsley
10 to 15 fresh mint leaves, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced.
Optional:
1/2 Cup cooked chick peas
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 small cucumber, seeded and minced
Makes 6-8 servings
1. Combine wheat and boiling water in a medium-large bowl. Let stand until wheat is tender (20-30 minutes).
2. Stir in salt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until about 30 minutes before serving.
3. Add everything else and mix well.
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Fluffy Passover Walnut Cake
This recipe is from Jennie Grossinger's Art of Jewish Cooking. My mother has made it every Passover for as long as I can remember.
The trick to Passover cooking is that you can't use anything with yeast or baking soda or baking powder or traditional flour - nothing that would make food rise. Instead, you have to use some permutation of matzo, the flat, cracker-like Passover bread.
This is to commemorate that, according to the Passover story, when the Jewish slaves finally got permission to leave Egypt, they had to leave in a hurry, before Pharaoh changed his mind. (Which, of course, he did, but that's later in the story.) So they had no time to let their bread rise.
In memory of this haste, today Jews spend every Passover on time-consuming work-arounds to get cakes to rise without yeast or baking powder. This particular work-around uses egg whites, stiffly beaten, to make the cake light and fluffy. It works remarkably well. But you have to be quiet when the cake is in the oven - it falls easily. And until recently, it was a pain to get out of the pan.
But then I found this great tip from King Arthur Flour: Just before you pour the batter into the pan, use a pastry brush to paint the pan with melted shortening, then coat it with granulated sugar. Once you're done baking it, wait 5- 10 minutes, cut off any cake lapping over the center tube, then turn the pan upside-down to drop the cake out. If it doesn't drop out, put it back in the cooling-but-still-warm oven for 10 minutes and try again.
When served with fresh-whipped cream and strawberries, this cake can't be beaten. (Well, technically, I suppose it is beaten, what with the six eggs whipped into fluff and all. But you know what I mean.)
Ingredients:
3/4 Cups matzo meal
3/4 Cups potato starch (can't find potato starch? Don't panic. Use more matzo meal.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1 Cup orange juice
1 1/2 ground walnuts
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind (my mom just chops it.)
Mix the matzo meal, potato starch and salt together.
Beat the egg yolks until thick - the beater should leave tracks for a brief time in them.
Gradually add the sugar, beating until the egg yolks are lemon colored.
Add the matzo meal mixture alternately with the orange juice. I find it works well to use the orange juice to wet down the dry powder - this cuts down on the white dust that might otherwise coat your kitchen.
Fold in the walnuts and lemon rind.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. A food processor does this beautifully and quickly. But a hand held mixer is more fun - you can see it make peaks.
Fold the egg whites gently into the batter until they're fully mixed. But be careful so you don't lose the air bubbles - that's what will make your cake light.
Put the batter into a non-stick bundt pan painted with melted shortening and coated with granulated sugar.
Bake at 325 degrees for an hour until browned, the cake shrinks away from the sides of the pan and your fingers don't leave a dent when you gently press down. Cool on a cake rack for 10 minutes, then turn it upside-down on your serving plate to get it out of the pan. Serves 6-8.
The trick to Passover cooking is that you can't use anything with yeast or baking soda or baking powder or traditional flour - nothing that would make food rise. Instead, you have to use some permutation of matzo, the flat, cracker-like Passover bread.
This is to commemorate that, according to the Passover story, when the Jewish slaves finally got permission to leave Egypt, they had to leave in a hurry, before Pharaoh changed his mind. (Which, of course, he did, but that's later in the story.) So they had no time to let their bread rise.
In memory of this haste, today Jews spend every Passover on time-consuming work-arounds to get cakes to rise without yeast or baking powder. This particular work-around uses egg whites, stiffly beaten, to make the cake light and fluffy. It works remarkably well. But you have to be quiet when the cake is in the oven - it falls easily. And until recently, it was a pain to get out of the pan.
But then I found this great tip from King Arthur Flour: Just before you pour the batter into the pan, use a pastry brush to paint the pan with melted shortening, then coat it with granulated sugar. Once you're done baking it, wait 5- 10 minutes, cut off any cake lapping over the center tube, then turn the pan upside-down to drop the cake out. If it doesn't drop out, put it back in the cooling-but-still-warm oven for 10 minutes and try again.
When served with fresh-whipped cream and strawberries, this cake can't be beaten. (Well, technically, I suppose it is beaten, what with the six eggs whipped into fluff and all. But you know what I mean.)
Ingredients:
3/4 Cups matzo meal
3/4 Cups potato starch (can't find potato starch? Don't panic. Use more matzo meal.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 3/4 Cups sugar
1 Cup orange juice
1 1/2 ground walnuts
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind (my mom just chops it.)
Mix the matzo meal, potato starch and salt together.
Beat the egg yolks until thick - the beater should leave tracks for a brief time in them.
Gradually add the sugar, beating until the egg yolks are lemon colored.
Add the matzo meal mixture alternately with the orange juice. I find it works well to use the orange juice to wet down the dry powder - this cuts down on the white dust that might otherwise coat your kitchen.
Fold in the walnuts and lemon rind.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. A food processor does this beautifully and quickly. But a hand held mixer is more fun - you can see it make peaks.
Fold the egg whites gently into the batter until they're fully mixed. But be careful so you don't lose the air bubbles - that's what will make your cake light.
Put the batter into a non-stick bundt pan painted with melted shortening and coated with granulated sugar.
Bake at 325 degrees for an hour until browned, the cake shrinks away from the sides of the pan and your fingers don't leave a dent when you gently press down. Cool on a cake rack for 10 minutes, then turn it upside-down on your serving plate to get it out of the pan. Serves 6-8.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Chai Spiced Truffles
These chai spiced chocolate truffles are perfect for Valentine’s Day. They are dark and dense orbs, made using good quality 70 percent dark chocolate infused with cream and the gorgeous sweet spices ordinarily used in chai, including ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
They can be made in advance, then refrigerated, leaving you more time to spend with your loved one.
They are perfect eaten after dinner and with a little dessert wine or just nibbled slowly all by themselves.
They don’t just have to be for your partner, either. Valentine’s Day is fast becoming a time to appreciate everyone you love — father, mother, siblings and friends.
Chai Spice Chocolate Truffles
Start to finish: 2 hours 25 minutes (25 minutes active)
Makes 48 truffles
8 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground dry ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Set the chocolate in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium, combine the cream and butter.
Heat until the butter melts and the cream starts to bubble.
Be careful not to burn the cream.
Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate, whisking to melt the chocolate until you have a smooth mixture.
Add the cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and sugar.
Mix well, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
To make the truffles, place the cocoa powder in a bowl to one side.
Using a melon baller or small cookie scoop dipped in hot water, scoop out a little of the firm chocolate mixture and shape into a ball.
To coat, roll around in the bowl of cocoa powder until well covered.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe from Meera Sodha for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per truffle: 50 calories; 40 calories from fat (80 percent of total calories); 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 0 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; and 1 g protein.
They can be made in advance, then refrigerated, leaving you more time to spend with your loved one.
They are perfect eaten after dinner and with a little dessert wine or just nibbled slowly all by themselves.
They don’t just have to be for your partner, either. Valentine’s Day is fast becoming a time to appreciate everyone you love — father, mother, siblings and friends.
Chai Spice Chocolate Truffles
Start to finish: 2 hours 25 minutes (25 minutes active)
Makes 48 truffles
8 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground dry ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Set the chocolate in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium, combine the cream and butter.
Heat until the butter melts and the cream starts to bubble.
Be careful not to burn the cream.
Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate, whisking to melt the chocolate until you have a smooth mixture.
Add the cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and sugar.
Mix well, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
To make the truffles, place the cocoa powder in a bowl to one side.
Using a melon baller or small cookie scoop dipped in hot water, scoop out a little of the firm chocolate mixture and shape into a ball.
To coat, roll around in the bowl of cocoa powder until well covered.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe from Meera Sodha for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per truffle: 50 calories; 40 calories from fat (80 percent of total calories); 4 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 0 mg sodium; 3 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 2 g sugar; and 1 g protein.
Mexican Chocolate Chip Brownies
These brownies are on the fudgier side. The kick from the spices — cayenne, cinnamon and ancho chili powder — is at first subtle, then more pronounced, then fades. All of which means, of course, that you must go back and have another bite. And another.
Don’t be tempted to substitute regular chili powder or chili spice blend. These spice mixes have additional spices in them. They may work wonderfully in a beefy chili, but won’t bring anything to the party here, and will in fact confuse things.
Buy pure ancho chili powder for this recipe, which is made from the ancho pepper. It has a mild, slightly smoky and somewhat fruity flavor. And be sure to keep it on hand to use for spicing up all kinds of Mexican dishes.
It is no accident that this recipe makes a large pan. Valentine’s Day may be meant for couples, but these brownies are meant for sharing.
Mexican Chocolate Chip Brownies
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 24
3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter
13/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low, melt 2 cups of the chocolate chips with the butter, stirring frequently.
As soon as the mixture is smooth remove it from the heat.
Stir in the sugar and vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
While the chocolate is melting, in a medium bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cayenne and ancho chili powder.
After beating the eggs into the chocolate mixture, stir in the flour mixture until well blended.
Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted at the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Cut into 24 squares.
Recipe from Katie Workman for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories; 120 calories from fat (52 percent of total calories); 13 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 50 mg cholesterol; 115 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 22 g sugar; and 3 g protein.
Don’t be tempted to substitute regular chili powder or chili spice blend. These spice mixes have additional spices in them. They may work wonderfully in a beefy chili, but won’t bring anything to the party here, and will in fact confuse things.
Buy pure ancho chili powder for this recipe, which is made from the ancho pepper. It has a mild, slightly smoky and somewhat fruity flavor. And be sure to keep it on hand to use for spicing up all kinds of Mexican dishes.
It is no accident that this recipe makes a large pan. Valentine’s Day may be meant for couples, but these brownies are meant for sharing.
Mexican Chocolate Chip Brownies
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 24
3 cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter
13/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low, melt 2 cups of the chocolate chips with the butter, stirring frequently.
As soon as the mixture is smooth remove it from the heat.
Stir in the sugar and vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
While the chocolate is melting, in a medium bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cayenne and ancho chili powder.
After beating the eggs into the chocolate mixture, stir in the flour mixture until well blended.
Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted at the center comes out clean.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Cut into 24 squares.
Recipe from Katie Workman for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories; 120 calories from fat (52 percent of total calories); 13 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 50 mg cholesterol; 115 mg sodium; 31 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 22 g sugar; and 3 g protein.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Eggless Challah!
Sephardic Challah With Whole Spices
Save
Add to a collection
Sabra Krock for The New York Times
Ingredients
- ½ cup/75 grams raisins, dark or golden or a combination (optional)
- 4 tablespoons/40 grams sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon/10 grams caraway or coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon/10 grams anise, cumin or poppy seeds
- 1 envelope/7 grams active dry yeast
- 5 cups/600 grams bread flour, more for dusting work surface
- 2 ½ tablespoons/30milliliters/30 grams extra-virgin olive oil, more for oiling bowl and pans
- 2 to 4 tablespoons/30 to 60 grams honey (depending on how sweet you like your challah)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature (optional)
- 1 tablespoon/16 grams kosher salt
- Cornmeal, for dusting
- 2 egg yolks
Preparation
- If using, cover raisins in 2 cups/500 milliliters warm water and let plump for 30 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- In a skillet, toast 1 tablespoon sesame, the caraway and the anise or other seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
- In a small bowl, combine yeast with 2 tablespoons warm water (you can use the soaking water from the raisins if handy). Let stand until thoroughly moistened, about 5 minutes.
- In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour with olive oil, honey, eggs (if using) and warm water (3/4 cup/180 milliliters if using eggs; 1 1/2 cups/360 milliliters if not).
- Mix at low speed until a very soft dough forms. If it is stiff, add warm water a tablespoon at a time. Add salt, yeast mixture and toasted seeds and mix at medium-low speed until the dough is supple and smooth, 10 minutes. Mix in raisins. Using oiled hands, transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free spot until the dough is doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Lightly oil 2 small cookie sheets and dust them with cornmeal. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and press to deflate. Cut the dough in half and let rest for 5 minutes. Roll each piece into an 18-inch-long rope and let rest for 5 minutes longer, then roll each rope into a 32-inch rope. Take 1 of the ropes and, starting from 1 end, form the dough into a coil; tuck the ends under the completed coil. Repeat with the remaining rope.
- Transfer each coil to a baking sheet and cover each loaf with a large inverted bowl. Let stand for 1 hour, until the loaves have nearly doubled in bulk. (The risen loaves can be frozen, wrapped, for up to 2 weeks; top and bake just before serving.)
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the egg wash over the loaves and let stand uncovered for 30 minutes. Brush with the egg wash once more and sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Bake the loaves side-by-side in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, until they're golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer the loaves to racks and let cool before serving or slicing.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Cinnamon and Ancho Chile Chocolate Bark
From Spices Inc.
We love testing recipes that have that 'sweet heat' - they start out sweet then finish with an unexpected, subtle warm heat. Sweet chocolate, warm cinnamon and smokey Ancho hit the perfect combination. Add tart cranberries, cashews and pistachios and this treat will be the hit of the party! This is a recipe that also makes a great holiday gift!!
Ancho chiles are fruity, sweet, slightly smokey flavor with undertones of plum, raisin, tobacco and a slightly earthy bitterness. We used a good amount, 1 Tablespoon, but you can start with less and add more to your desired level of flavor.
Use high quality chocolate, it really does make a difference. Try to find nuts that are roasted, but not salted. Shelled pistachios will save time as well. There are several ways to melt chocolate, we used a double boiler. Click here for help and tips for melting chocolate.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Ancho Chile Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Star Anise
3/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon Powder
2/3 cup pistachios, shelled and chopped
2/3 cup cashews, chopped
12 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (omit if the nuts are salted)
Directions:
In a small bowl, add Ancho Chile Powder, Ground Star Anise, Ground Cloves and Ceylon Cinnamon Powder, mix to combine.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the nuts, cranberries and salt on the baking sheet.
Slowly melt 3/4 of the chocolate, remove from heat.
Add the remaining chocolate and coconut oil to the warm, melted chocolate.
Stir until chocolate and coconut oil are melted and combined
Add the ground spices and stir to combine.
Pour the chocolate onto the pan over the nuts and cranberries in an even layer. Use a spatula to spread the cocolate if needed.
Let cool to room temperature and move the baking pan to the refrigerator for 45 minutes until chocolate is set.
Break into large pieces and serve.
Remaining bark can be stored in the refrigerator.
Serves: 8
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories 429.1
Protein 6.6 g
Carbs 32.9 g
Fat 31.2 g
Sat Fat 15.5 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Fiber 5.9 g
Sodium 140.8 mg
Sugars 18.7 g
We love testing recipes that have that 'sweet heat' - they start out sweet then finish with an unexpected, subtle warm heat. Sweet chocolate, warm cinnamon and smokey Ancho hit the perfect combination. Add tart cranberries, cashews and pistachios and this treat will be the hit of the party! This is a recipe that also makes a great holiday gift!!
Ancho chiles are fruity, sweet, slightly smokey flavor with undertones of plum, raisin, tobacco and a slightly earthy bitterness. We used a good amount, 1 Tablespoon, but you can start with less and add more to your desired level of flavor.
Use high quality chocolate, it really does make a difference. Try to find nuts that are roasted, but not salted. Shelled pistachios will save time as well. There are several ways to melt chocolate, we used a double boiler. Click here for help and tips for melting chocolate.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Ancho Chile Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Star Anise
3/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon Ceylon Cinnamon Powder
2/3 cup pistachios, shelled and chopped
2/3 cup cashews, chopped
12 ounces dark, bittersweet chocolate, cut into pieces
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (omit if the nuts are salted)
Directions:
In a small bowl, add Ancho Chile Powder, Ground Star Anise, Ground Cloves and Ceylon Cinnamon Powder, mix to combine.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the nuts, cranberries and salt on the baking sheet.
Slowly melt 3/4 of the chocolate, remove from heat.
Add the remaining chocolate and coconut oil to the warm, melted chocolate.
Stir until chocolate and coconut oil are melted and combined
Add the ground spices and stir to combine.
Pour the chocolate onto the pan over the nuts and cranberries in an even layer. Use a spatula to spread the cocolate if needed.
Let cool to room temperature and move the baking pan to the refrigerator for 45 minutes until chocolate is set.
Break into large pieces and serve.
Remaining bark can be stored in the refrigerator.
Serves: 8
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories 429.1
Protein 6.6 g
Carbs 32.9 g
Fat 31.2 g
Sat Fat 15.5 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Fiber 5.9 g
Sodium 140.8 mg
Sugars 18.7 g
Cioppino - a lovely seafood stew
From the Press Enterprise, Dec. 20, 2015
Classic holiday dishes usually are fattier, sweeter and heavier than our normal fare, so when a traditional dish actually is healthy without any tweaks, that’s something to celebrate!
So if cioppino isn’t somewhere on your holiday menu, let’s change that.
Cioppino is a tomato-based fish stew that relies on simple and healthy ingredients for flavor.
It’s the ultimate guilt-free comfort food.
Cioppino is incredibly versatile. You can make it as simple or fancy as you like depending on the seafood you use. Anything from the fishmonger’s best catch to frozen seafood mixes will work.
And a mix of fish and seafood each week is one of the best health moves we can make for our brain and heart health.
My cioppino version is super quick. The result is a light-and-lovely tomato broth that satisfies without weighing you down, which is the perfect foil for those belt-loosening meals that dot the holiday landscape.
The recipe takes just minutes to prepare, making it perfect for entertaining (spend more time with your guests!) and weeknight post-work dining alike.
You even could make the broth the night before, then simply heat it up and add the seafood moments before serving. That means you get a company-worthy dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.
Fresh fennel and orange zest are the secrets to great flavor. That hint of licorice plus that slightly sweet aromatic orange zest work magic together in the acidic tomato sauce.
And remember, any cioppino recipe really is a template, ready for you to personalize and make your own.
Once you make one cioppino this holiday season, I’ll bet you will be enjoying fish stews throughout the year.
Quick Cioppino
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced (a mandoline is best)
Kosher salt
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
11/2 cups dry white wine
11/2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 cup chicken stock (or more fish stock)
1/2 to 1 cup water
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, finely chopped and with juices
2 bay leaves
1 pound cod (or other white fish), cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound uncooked, shelled shrimp
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium, heat the olive oil.
Add the onion, fennel and a generous pinch of salt.
Cook until tender, about 12 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme and orange zest, then cook, stirring until very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine and let bubble for 3 minutes, stirring.
Add the stock, 1/2 cup of water, tomatoes and bay leaves, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Taste, adjust seasoning, then add an additional 1/2 cup of water if too thick.
Add the cod and shrimp, then cover and cook just until the fish and shrimp are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Uncover, stir in the lemon juice, then top with parsley to serve.
Nutritional information per serving: 270 calories; 60 calories from fat (22 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 125 mg cholesterol; 910 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6 g sugar; and 27 g protein.
Classic holiday dishes usually are fattier, sweeter and heavier than our normal fare, so when a traditional dish actually is healthy without any tweaks, that’s something to celebrate!
So if cioppino isn’t somewhere on your holiday menu, let’s change that.
Cioppino is a tomato-based fish stew that relies on simple and healthy ingredients for flavor.
It’s the ultimate guilt-free comfort food.
Cioppino is incredibly versatile. You can make it as simple or fancy as you like depending on the seafood you use. Anything from the fishmonger’s best catch to frozen seafood mixes will work.
And a mix of fish and seafood each week is one of the best health moves we can make for our brain and heart health.
My cioppino version is super quick. The result is a light-and-lovely tomato broth that satisfies without weighing you down, which is the perfect foil for those belt-loosening meals that dot the holiday landscape.
The recipe takes just minutes to prepare, making it perfect for entertaining (spend more time with your guests!) and weeknight post-work dining alike.
You even could make the broth the night before, then simply heat it up and add the seafood moments before serving. That means you get a company-worthy dinner on the table in under 15 minutes.
Fresh fennel and orange zest are the secrets to great flavor. That hint of licorice plus that slightly sweet aromatic orange zest work magic together in the acidic tomato sauce.
And remember, any cioppino recipe really is a template, ready for you to personalize and make your own.
Once you make one cioppino this holiday season, I’ll bet you will be enjoying fish stews throughout the year.
Quick Cioppino
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced (a mandoline is best)
Kosher salt
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
11/2 cups dry white wine
11/2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 cup chicken stock (or more fish stock)
1/2 to 1 cup water
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, finely chopped and with juices
2 bay leaves
1 pound cod (or other white fish), cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound uncooked, shelled shrimp
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium, heat the olive oil.
Add the onion, fennel and a generous pinch of salt.
Cook until tender, about 12 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, oregano, thyme and orange zest, then cook, stirring until very fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Increase the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the wine and let bubble for 3 minutes, stirring.
Add the stock, 1/2 cup of water, tomatoes and bay leaves, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Taste, adjust seasoning, then add an additional 1/2 cup of water if too thick.
Add the cod and shrimp, then cover and cook just until the fish and shrimp are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Uncover, stir in the lemon juice, then top with parsley to serve.
Nutritional information per serving: 270 calories; 60 calories from fat (22 percent of total calories); 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 125 mg cholesterol; 910 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6 g sugar; and 27 g protein.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)