Putting Out the Pumpkin

Throughout my childhood, the word curry made everyone in the house shudder.  This innocent spice blend was ostracized from my Irish/English/German household.  I think there was a dish that my Irish grandmother made in which she used curry and my mother warned us about it, as in, "Watch out!  Nana always puts curry in her..." 

To this day, curry will evoke an "ewww" from most of the bunch, except for my adventurous foodie sister and me.  She's the one who turned me on to it after she discovered an affinity for Indian cuisine.  Following her lead, I began trying some Indian dishes and realized what I had been missing all these years.  Curry!  

According to McCormick's New Spice Cookbook, curry powder is a blend of 15 or more ground spices.  It originated in India, where people mix their own spices for different curries.  The golden color results from turmeric, but a blend may also contain ginger, fenugreek, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, and pepper, as well as other spices.  It can be mild or spicy - dominate a dish or simply enhance it - depending on how heavy your hand is.  It imparts an earthy flavor and pungent aroma. 

In this recipe for Curried Pumpkin Soup, curry provides a warm undertone for the sweet pumpkin.   This soup is ideal for a crisp fall day, and the perceived richness of it belies the fact that it is good for you.  You can use regular evaporated milk, but I used fat-free with great results.  You'll notice that I included mushrooms in this recipe and that's because I made this soup for ME!   Now maybe you'll make it for YOU - except the curry haters, and I see you grimacing!

Curry pumps up the flavor of this satisfying pumpkin soup.

Curried Pumpkin Soup
(Southern Living - 1996 Annual Recipes)

2 T butter or margarine
1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 C chopped onion
2 T all-purpose flour
1 T curry powder
3 C chicken broth
2 C canned pumpkin
1 T honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
Garnishes:  sour cream, chopped fresh chives

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan; add mushrooms and onion, and cook until tender, stirring often.
2. Stir in flour and curry powder; gradually add chicken broth, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. 
3. Stir in pumpkin and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in milk, and cook, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated.  Garnish, if desired.  I like chives.

Notes:  I used low-sodium chicken broth and found I needed to add more salt, so taste and see.

Yield:  6 1/2 cups.

All Hail the Return of the Shrimp

Hubmeister is finally eating shrimp again after an unfortunate pad thai experience at a local restaurant in March.  He and Son of Hubmeister both ordered the same shrimp dish and only the older Meister got sick, so I can't totally blame the restaurant (but he does!). 

This pukefest happened the night before coaching a morning game in Orlando, then driving back to Tampa, flying to Atlanta and shuttling to Athens to see Daughtress in a play - all in the same day.  It was the worst timing imaginable, not that food poisoning ever comes at a good time, but traveling with the remnants of bad Thai food in your gut literally blows.  I guess I'd hold a grudge against shrimp, too.  I've held a grudge against bourbon since my college days.

For the shrimp homecoming celebration last night I made a shrimp and asparagus dish out of my trusty low-fat Good Morning America Cut the Calories Cookbook.  Hubmeister bought me this book years ago - the copyright is 2000 - because my food hero Sara Moulton graces the cover.  I didn't start using it until we moved back to Florida and I weighed myself.  It turns out I was having too much fun living in Georgia, making and scarfing down biscuits and fig cake, to be concerned with the tightening of my clothes and the widening of my butt.

I attribute this cookbook with much of my dieting success.  When you love to cook, it's hard to sacrifice all the wonderful fat that makes everything taste so good, but this book showed me that you can still be creative and make tasty meals with lower calorie ingredients.  Sara, who co-edited the book, chose the best low-calorie, low-fat recipes submitted by more than a thousand "Good Morning America" viewers. 

Among the 120 recipes selected is the one below for Shrimp and Asparagus Casserole.  It's a really fast one to whip up - the speediness of preparing shrimp always a big plus - and I especially like the sherry, which brings out the sweetness of the shrimp.  I didn't have mushrooms and the gang here hates them anyway, but what I lacked in mushrooms I made up for with shrimp.  A half-pound?  Come on. 

I served this light and easy meal over fragrant basmati rice.

Pretty impressive for 184 calories a serving

Shrimp and Asparagus Casserole
(Good Morning America Cut the Calories Cookbook)

1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 T unsalted butter
1/2 pound medium-size mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 C coarsely chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium-large onion)
1 T cornstarch
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (I used freshly grated)
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper (or black, who cares?)
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C skim milk
1/4 C dry sherry (buy real sherry, NOT cooking sherry)
1/2 pound shelled and deveined large raw shrimp, halved lengthwise (or don't bother halving them)
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Bring a large pan of water to boil over high heat.  Add asparagus and cook uncovered four minutes.  Drain asparagus, plunge into ice water, and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat.  Add mushrooms and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until limp but not brown - about five minutes. 
3. Blend in cornstarch, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, then mix in milk and sherry and, stirring constantly, bring quickly to a boil.  Adjust heat so mixture bubbles, and cook, stirring all the while, until thickened - about three minutes. 
4. Add shrimp and cook uncovered just until shrimp turn pink - about two minutes.  Meanwhile, drain asparagus well, then add to shrimp mixture.
5. Turn shrimp mixture into ungreased one-quart casserole and scatter Parmesan evenly on top.
6. Bake uncovered until bubbly and lightly golden - about 10 minutes.  Serve at once.

Notes:  Serves three or four.  Buy whole nutmeg and grate on a microplane.  It's the only way I use nutmeg anymore.  Pick up a bottle of sherry in the wine section of your grocery store for under $10.  Put a splash in creamy soups, seafood and chicken dishes.

Try an Asian Noodle Bowl

 

Lucky enough to have a chill in the air?  This will warm you.



The featured recipe in this post reminds me of a Vietnamese noodle bowl, but cookbook author Sheila Lukins says it is inspired by the noodle soups of Indonesia.  This dish is basically an aromatic fish and noodle soup.  It uses cod and tons of chicken stock, fresh ginger, garlic, cilantro and shallots. 

I had a package of frozen cod and was looking for a creative use for it.  My recent library visit resulted in the book Ten, which is a compilation by Lukins of 32 different foods we are presumed to love.  She provides 10 recipes for each, and each recipe she considers a "10."    Are you following this?  What a convoluted idea for a cookbook! 

Anyway, emerging from the chapter on fish is a recipe for Ginger-Lime Cod in a Bowl.  The heavenly aroma will have everyone in the house asking, "What's for dinner?"  Be forewarned, this dish dirties lots of pots and pans and involves loads of chopping - a great meal if you have a sous chef handy (or child labor).  It's also ideal for dieters.  If you aren't concerned about calories, serve with a loaf of crusty bread.

Ginger-Lime Cod in a Bowl
(Ten by Sheila Lukins)

For the fish:
2 C chicken broth, preferably homemade
4 sprigs cilantro, lightly crushed
4 large sprigs flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, sliced and crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 pounds cod fillet, cut crosswise into six 4-ounce pieces (try to keep the pieces similarly sized by trimming off the thin area on the bottom of each piece)

For the serving broth:
2 T. olive oil
2 medium-size shallots, minced
2 T. minced garlic
2 T. minced fresh ginger
6 C chicken broth, preferably homemade
2 cinnamon sticks (each 3 inches long)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

For finishing the dish:
12 ounces angel-hair pasta
1 head broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into small florets
2 ripe tomatoes, each seeded and cut into 8 pieces
4 scallions (white bulbs and 3 inches green), thinly sliced on the diagonal, for garnish
6 lime slices, for garnish
4 T. thinly sliced fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

1.  Prepare the fish:  Combine 2 cups of chicken broth, cilantro, parsley, garlic, ginger, salt, and 2 cups water in a large skillet.  Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer, add the fish, and simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 7 minutes.  Using a slotted spatula, gently transfer the fish to a plate; set it aside.  Discard the cooking broth and seasonings.

2.  Prepare the serving broth:  Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger, and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the broth and the cinnamon sticks, partially cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Season the broth with salt and pepper.  Let it steep, covered, for 15 minutes.  Then strain the broth into another saucepan and set it aside until serving time.

3.  About 15 minutes before serving time, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the package directions  Drain, and set it aside.

4.  While the pasta is cooking, bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the broccoli florets, and blanch them lightly, 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain the broccoli and set it aside.

5.  To serve, reheat the serving broth.  Arrange the cod, pasta, tomatoes, and broccoli in a pinwheel fashion in each of six shallow soup or pasta bowls.  Top each serving with a cup of the hot broth, and sprinkle the scallions on top.  Place a lime slice in the center of each bowl, garnish each with the basil, and serve immediately.

Notes:  I didn't have any scallions, but I think they would add a nice crunch.  Be sure to season well with salt and pepper or this dish will be bland.

Fabulous Fish Tacos



Both tacos are only 405 calories. 

Say goodbye to summer with this low-calorie favorite from Ellie Krieger's cookbook, The Food You Crave.  In case you are unfamiliar with Ellie, she hosts "Healthy Appetite," a show which previously ran on Food Network and now can be seen on Cooking Channel.  A registered dietitian with a master's degree in nutrition, she has a knack for making boring "diet" food taste pretty great. 

I recently made her recipe for fish tacos.  I love fish tacos but they usually are not low in calories, thanks to many restaurants and taco stands frying the fish.   Ellie marinates the fish in fresh lime juice and a touch of olive oil, then quickly grills it.  You never miss the fry.  She then adds a chipotle cream to spice it up and tops it off with corn kernels, shredded cabbage and cilantro.  Corn tortillas are the vessel of choice, since they are extremely low in calories, sodium and fat.

While the last few recipes I've posted are loaded with fat and calories, this is one you won't feel guilty about eating, and it's ready in a snap.  I picked up some tilapia, an ear of fresh corn, and a bag of angel-hair shredded cabbage, and it was off to the kitchen.  Ole!

Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream
(The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger)

For the fish
2 T. olive oil
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound white, flaky fish fillets (tilapia, mahi-mahi or halibut)

For the chipotle cream
1/2 C plain nonfat yogurt or 1/3 C Greek-style nonfat yogurt
2 T. mayonnaise
2 tsp. finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce

For the tacos
Eight 6-inch corn tortillas
1 1/2 C shredded green cabbage or lettuce
1/2 C cooked corn kernels
1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

To make the fish, in a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.  Pour over the fish and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.  To make the chipotle cream, if using regular yogurt, put it into a strainer lined with a paper towel set over a bowl to drain and thicken for 30 minutes.  Preheat a grill or nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.

Remove the fish from the marinade and grill until cooked through, about three minutes per side.  Set the fish aside on a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine the drained or Greek-style yogurt, the mayonnaise and chipotle.

To prepare the tacos, heat the tortillas on the grill or grill pan for 30 seconds on each side.

Flake the fish with a fork.  Spread each tortilla with one tablespoon of the chipotle cream.  Top with fish, cabbage, corn and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Notes:  I have been using the leftover chipotle cream on sandwiches and it adds lots of flavor and heat to otherwise uninspired turkey sandwiches.  If you don't like spicy foods, use less chipotle in the cream.  Greek yogurt is superior to regular yogurt.  Buy it and you won't need to mess with the strainer.  You can use frozen corn but fresh tastes best, and I simply saute it in butter-flavored cooking spray.

What I'm Learning From Cooking Channel

I had a eureka moment last week while I was plopped in front of the TV for my Cooking Channel marathon.  Although I am reserving judgment of the new programs until I have seen them a few times, "Chuck's Day Off" shows promise.  
 
Late one evening, I caught myself looking up from my computer to watch Chuck in action.  Set in his restaurant kitchen, Chuck moves fast, as does the pace of the show.  In this episode, he was making dinner for a few firemen who saved his restaurant from incineration.  Unfortunately, I missed that story because I didn't start paying attention until he started cooking a standing rib roast encased in salt and potatoes I actually make - oven fries.

 

Oven fries are a less fattening alternative to french fries and are good when you are trying to cut calories but you crave a spud.  They also make less of a greasy mess, and since I am the cook and the maid around here, I can appreciate that. 

So why does this photo show both oven-fried and deep-fried potatoes?  I must be a glutton for greasy punishment, that's why.  No, my skinny kid likes them better submerged in fat, and he needs the calories.

I have seen several TV chefs prepare oven fries, but I don't recall as part of the prep the instructions to soak them in cold water and to keep rinsing them until the water runs clear, ridding the potatoes of starch.  Turns out this step is crucial to crisping the fries.  That was my big beef with oven fries - sometimes they were boring slabs of textureless potato. 

I followed Chuck's method and what a difference a soak makes!  Perhaps you already knew this trick, but if not, you might want to give it a try.  These were the best oven fries I have ever made.

Crispy Oven Fries
(Thanks to Chuck Hughes)

4 large russet potatoes, cut into steak fry thickness
3 to 4 T olive oil
Pinch of sea or kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Dash of smoked paprika
Dash of steak spice seasoning

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Cut potatoes into thick slices.  Place in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
2. Drain the potatoes and then repeat the process of soaking and draining until the water in the bowl is clear.   Just keep running water over them; it's a fast process.
3. Drain potatoes and pat dry with paper towel.  Drying them is important.
4. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Do not overlap potatoes.  Use two sheets if necessary.  If you use two sheets, rotate them on the shelves of your oven halfway through the cooking time.
5. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.  Use your (clean) hands to mix it all up.
6. Bake 40 minutes or until golden and crispy.
7. Sprinkle with additional seasonings.  Chuck suggests steak spice.

Do You Know the Mango Muffin Man?

When we moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in the late '60s, my Northeastern family was introduced to the mango.  Migrating from Maryland, we had never seen, let alone tasted, a mango.  In South Florida, however, this oblong fruit was weighing down trees all over the neighborhood. 

                                         

My first fruity memory was my mother warning that mangos could cause an allergic reaction in people sensitive to the peel.  Of course, being the neurotic child I was, when I tasted a mango I immediately imagined I felt sick, started scratching, and swore off mangos for life.  Although still neurotic, I can proudly say that I have conquered my fear of fruit.  Yeesh! 

Mom was right, though.  A quick mango search reveals that the peel contains urushiol, the chemical in poison ivy and poison sumac, which can cause contact dermatitis in some people.   Okay... itchy, but not life threatening.  

I think the first time I considered eating a mango again was when I received one in a bag of produce from a fruit-and-vegetable coop to which I belonged in Georgia.   Among the many benefits of being in the coop was never knowing what the haul would contain.  Every two weeks I would receive two brown grocery bags full of fresh fruits and vegetables from the state farmers' market.  The contents depended on which neighbor was buying that week.  Somebody in the group liked mangos, which led me to the brave new world of mango experimentation.  What a breakthrough.  It only took 32 years.

Mangos are a bit awkward to cut up due to their oblong, fibrous stone, which is located in an off-center spot in the fruit.  Other than that, they are easy to manage.   I take off the peel with a vegetable peeler - and I live to tell about it.

                                This mango muffin has a crispy, sugary top.

Although I don't like them enough to buy them to eat out of hand, I do enjoy them mixed in salsas and baked goods.  Below is a recipe for my favorite muffins, incorporating mango and cardamom.  Cardamom is a warm, aromatic spice native to India and is often used in Indian cooking; since the mango is the national fruit of India, it's not surprising that these two flavors were combined, achieving delectable results.  A refreshing change from the usual banana or blueberry muffin fare, this Cooking Light recipe is also figure friendly - if you pace yourself.

  

                               The yellow chunks are mango explosions.                     

Mango Cardamom Muffins
(Cooking Light Annual Recipes, 2001)

2 C all-purpose flour
2/3 C sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1  C chopped mango
3/4 C low-fat buttermilk
1/4 C butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray
2 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Combine first six ingredients.
2. Stir mango into dry ingredients.  Make a well in the center.
3. Combine buttermilk, butter, vanilla and egg; add to the dry ingredients.  Mix just until moistened.
4. Grease muffin cups, and spoon in batter.  Sprinkle tops with 2 tablespoons of sugar.
5. Bake 23 minutes, or until muffins spring back in the center.  Remove from pan and cool on rack.

Makes 9 muffins.
.

Granola Momma

Early-Morning Granola
(Cooking Light, November 2006)

3 C uncooked regular oats
1 C wheat germ
1/2 C chopped pecans
1/2 C sliced almonds
1/3 C sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon ( I use more)
1/4 C honey
1/4 C maple syrup
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. vegetable oil
1 C raisins
1 C dried fruit of your choice (apples, apricots, cherries, whatever)

Don't let the list of ingredients overwhelm you.  It's worth the effort to make your own granola. 

I guess I started making this in 2006 because I noted on the page ripped from Cooking Light that this was my Christmas gift giveaway that year.  Probably not as much fun to receive as cookies or cake, but it's less of a gut bomb. 

Once you have the stuff on hand, you will be more inclined to make this, so buy everything in bulk.  It only takes an hour from start to finish, and that includes cleanup.  It is great with yogurt, mixed with cereal, or on ice cream, but Cooking Light probably would frown upon your using it as a nightly sundae topper.   

Let's get started.

First, get out all your ingredients.  You see mine above.  They are just a mixture of generic, mostly store-brand items, which are perfectly fine.  For a while I used  pure maple syrup until I realized that the taste was the same if I used  Aunt Maple's from Aldi.  Honey is honey, coconut is coconut, sugar is sugar...you see where I am going with this.  Buy the cheap store brands when making granola.

Oops!  My top photo doesn't include wheat germ.  Can't forget that.  It is full of folic acid and Vitamin E, which helps maintain vitality and cardiovascular health (at least that's what the jar says).  We all can use a little vitality, can't we?  You'll get a full cup of it in this recipe.

Once you've emptied the pantry, get out a huge bowl and throw in the oats, cinnamon, nuts of your choosing, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, and if you like, toss some coconut in there, too.  I do.  This is a forgiving recipe.  You can play with it. 

Next, in a small saucepan, slowly dissolve the brown sugar, oil, maple syrup and honey.  It takes about five minutes and looks like this when ready:

Pour that on top of the oat mixture and mix well.  You want everything covered with sticky goodness.  Dump the contents of the bowl onto an aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan/cookie sheet.  I spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.  Put the pan in a preheated 350-degree oven and toss the granola with a metal spatula every five minutes until it's all nicely toasted.  This takes about 30 minutes.   Remember to babysit it because burnt nuts will ruin everything.  Nobody wants their nuts scorched. :)
 

When the oat mixture is golden brown, remove it from the oven and let it cool.  Then add your favorite dried fruits.  In this batch I used dried cherries, craisins, and an assortment of raisins.  Mix gently and place in an air-tight container.  It stays fresh for weeks - well, maybe not fresh, but it stays good for a long time.
 

Keep in mind this is a low-fat recipe, thanks to the reduced amount of oil.  If you look at other granola recipes you will see that they use about 1/4 cup of oil.  I believe this is what produces those clumps we all love.   This lightened version does not produce lots of clumps, but it also won't give you lots of clumps where you don't want them, as in clumpy rumpy.

Notes:  Sometimes I add a touch of vanilla or almond extract to the honey/syrup/sugar mixture.  It adds a little variety.