When it comes to time constraints, you are probably like everyone else. It seems that all the recent inventions–computers, cellular phones and faxes–that have become a part of your daily lives only load more burdens onto the day. And let’s not even talk about the commute to and from the office.
Whether you’re the kind who orchestrates complicated dinner parties every weekend or who barely cares to cook, the daily grind of coming home from work and racing the clock to prepare a quick homemade meal can be daunting.
A fresh meal in 30 minutes? What about in 20? And without the likes of Hamburger Helper?
What’s a food lover to do?
Utilizing a handful of fresh ingredients and a few simple cooking techniques, it is possible to prepare recipes that are not only fast but delicious.
Our following game plan for getting delicious meals on the table in a hurry offers a three-prong recipe approach to everyday cooking.
The recipe called Now & Later is designed to be cooked on the weekend; this is a big recipe–enough to serve 12. It can function as dinner on the night it’s prepared, with enough stored in the freezer for two future meals.
The 30-Minute Recipe is just that–preparation of the recipe takes a half-hour or less. Even at that speed, with creative twists and turns it is often special enough for a dinner party.
The last recipe–called Fast 5–is even quicker. It has just five ingredients, not counting salt and pepper, and can be on the table in 20 minutes or less. For example, in the orecchiette pasta with broccoli, the broccoli is cut up fine and cooked at the same time as the pasta. The broccoli becomes the main ingredient in the sauce when sauteed with the three remaining ingredients–olive oil, garlic and red chili flakes. The pasta, named “little ears” because of its cupped shape, adheres to the sauce perfectly. The recipe derives from orecchiette con cima di Rapa, a specialty of Apulia, a region in Italy. The traditional version features broccoli rabe (also called rapini), a bitter, delicately flowered cousin of broccoli. Although broccoli rabe has a wonderfully pungent bite, you can use regular broccoli in this southern Italian comfort food.
In the 30-Minute Recipe, canned chickpeas elevate smoked trout salad to a satisfying main course. The smoky, melt-in-your-mouth trout is offset by complex flavors and textures–briny olives, crisp romaine, sweet red onions, nutty chickpeas and a citrusy cilantro dressing.
Roasted corn-chipotle chowder, the Now & Later recipe, also makes a hearty one-course meal. Roasted bell peppers and a touch of fiery chipotle chilies team up for an earthy backdrop to the sweet corn. Serve it with warm tortillas and a fresh green salad to remind you of summer in the chill weeks ahead.
In addition, we’ve included tips, ideas and suggestions for preparing your kitchen and pantry to battle the clock. Just because you don’t have a lot of time to cook doesn’t mean you have to compromise your taste buds.
FREEZING & DEFROSTING
Use airtight rigid containers, plastic freezer bags or freezer wraps, such as heavy-duty foil or freezer paper, to freeze foods. Remember to “burp” all lids and tightly seal, removing all air from bags.
The colder the food is to start, the faster it will freeze and the better it will maintain its original quality.
Follow the “first in, first out” policy. Use a permanent marker to write the date on the food when you freeze it. (Use masking tape to write on reusable containers.) Place the new food under food already in the freezer and use the older foods first.
Freezing prepared foods
Lasagna, casseroles, soups and stews can be easily frozen and stored for several weeks to months in airtight containers. Remove the food from the oven or stove and allow it to cool.
Casseroles: If the food is in a casserole dish or if the amount is small, allow it to cool at room temperature 30-45 minutes before freezing. Otherwise, cool the food in the refrigerator.
Soups and stews: Ideally, freeze soup bases (the soup before the addition of all the liquid) rather than finished soups. Store the soup base or finished soup in small portions in airtight containers for up to six months.
Finished cream soups, chowders or bisques cannot be frozen, but the bases of these soups, before milk or cream is added, can be frozen. Add milk or cream when reheating the soup. (Reheat gently over low heat to avoid curdling.)
Soups with a potato base often become grainy after defrosting. For best results, make the soup base and add the potato puree when reheating the soup.
Soups with beans, such as pinto or navy, freeze well for three to six months.
For best results, freeze the meat and vegetables from stews separately in airtight containers. Combine them when reheating, adding liquid as needed.
Cool soups and stews quickly by transferring them to tall-sided containers and placing the containers into an ice bath in the sink.
Once cooked foods are cool, transfer soups and stews to rigid airtight containers and freeze; place plastic/freezer wrap onto casseroles or lasagna, followed by heavy-duty foil. (This prevents foil from sticking to food when it’s defrosted.)
Rice and potatoes: Leftover rice freezes well in an airtight container for up to one year. Frozen rice may be reheated without thawing.
Baked potatoes freeze well. Once cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and heavy-duty foil. Fried potatoes and potato gratins may be frozen for up to three months.
Defrosting prepared foods
Allow one to three days to completely defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator.
To refresh defrosted prepared foods, add fresh herbs, grated cheese or bread crumbs to a dish before reheating it.
Freezing unprepared foods
Unprepared foods that may be frozen include:
Poultry: Remove chicken from its market wrapping. Rinse the bird and dry it well. Double-wrap the bird with plastic wrap, then heavy-duty foil or freezer bag. Freeze three to six months.
Meat: Remove meat from its market wrapping. Pat dry with a paper towel. Wrap meat in airtight freezer wrap and/or freezer bags in recipe-size portions to allow for even freezing. Wrap each piece individually to prevent pieces from sticking to one another.
Seafood: Whole, cleaned and dressed fish may be frozen in a freezer bag with enough water to completely surround the fish. Carefully remove all the air from the bag, seal tightly and freeze. Shellfish should be placed in an airtight freezer bag before freezing.
Fruits and vegetables: Most fruit turns mushy in the freezer except for blueberries, raspberries and cranberries, which freeze well. Spread berries in one layer on a baking sheet and freeze 15-30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight freezer bag and return to freezer.
Blanch vegetables prior to freezing to set their color and retain their texture: Boil a gallon of unsalted water for every pound of vegetables. Immerse the vegetables in the water using a mesh basket or blanching basket. Plunge vegetables into an ice bath to cool. Remove vegetables and spread onto paper towels to dry.
Portion the vegetables into airtight plastic freezer bags, remove all air and freeze.
Dairy: Semi-firm to firm cheeses (such as Cheddar, Swiss, provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan) generally freeze well. Cut the cheese into small portions and wrap very tightly before placing in the freezer.
Unsalted butter may be frozen for nine to 12 months; margarine for five months.
Milk, cream and eggs do not freeze well.
Fresh herbs: There is some debate as to whether herbs should be blanched before freezing. If blanching, use hearty herbs that are still on the stalk for best results.
Wash delicate herbs such as basil, dill, chives and tarragon. Pat them dry on paper towels and freeze in small portions in airtight freezer bags. Frozen herbs will darken and become limp when thawed, so add them directly to food you are cooking.
Thawing unprepared foods
Thaw all unprepared foods in the refrigerator. If necessary, run frozen food under cold water or use a microwave oven.
Cold water: Keep the frozen food wrapped and place it either in the sink or in a deep container. Allow cold water to run over the product until thawed. Defrosting time will vary.
Microwave oven: Do not defrost any foil-wrapped food in the microwave. For foods wrapped in plastic wrap, follow microwave manufacturer’s instructions for defrosting.
— San Francisco Chronicle
STAPLES FOR EASY COOKING
The following cupboard items will help you prepare fresh meals quickly. Keep these stocked in your pantry and refrigerator–and use the checklist to shop when you run low.
DRIED HERBS AND SPICES
Bay leaves
Cardamom pods
Ground red pepper
Ground or whole coriander seeds
Ground or whole cumin seeds
Ground or whole nutmeg
Oregano leaves
Ground paprika
Black peppercorns
Crushed red pepper flakes
Rosemary
Saffron
Kosher salt
Thyme
Ground turmeric
SPIRITS AND VINEGARS
Brandy or Cognac
Port
Sherry
Vermouth
Balsamic vinegar
Rice wine vinegar
White wine vinegar
Red wine
Dry white wine
AROMATICS
Garlic
Red onions
White onions
Shallots
MISCELLANEOUS
Anchovies
Chicken broth, low-sodium if possible
Capers
Mango chutney
Canned coconut milk
All-purpose flour
Orange marmalade
Nicoise or kalamata olives
Oyster sauce
Canned chipotle peppers
Soy sauce
Sugar
Canned tomatoes
Canned tuna, packed in olive oil
OILS
Olive oil
Asian sesame oil
Vegetable oil
GRAINS
Instant couscous
Dry pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, orzo, fettuccine
LEGUMES
Canned beans
Canned chickpeas
Dried lentils
THE 30 MINUTE RECIPE
SMOKED TROUT SALAD WITH CHICKPEAS, OLIVES AND CREAMY CILANTRO DRESSING
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Dressing:
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon each: fresh lemon juice, white-wine vinegar, minced cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash ground red pepper
Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce
1/3 to 1/2 pound smoked trout, flaked into bite-size pieces, see note
1 cup dry-cured olives, pitted
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1. Mix together yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, cilantro, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
2. Trim romaine lettuce. Discard stem ends. Slice remaining inner leaves into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Wash; pat dry. Place in large bowl with trout, olives, chickpeas and onion.
3. Whisk olive oil into vinegar mixture; adjust seasoning. Pour over salad; toss.
Note: Smoked trout is available at Whole Foods, Treasure Island and other specialty markets. Smoked salmon or whitefish is a good substitute.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 475 Fat ……….. 38 g Saturated fat .. 6 g
% calories from fat .. 70 Cholesterol .. 30 mg Sodium …. 1,670 mg
Carbohydrates …… 21 g Protein ……. 16 g Fiber ………. 6 g
NOW & LATER
ROASTED CORN-CHIPOTLE CHOWDER
Preparation time 35 minutes
Cooking time 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield 12 servings
If you plan to freeze part of this chowder, do not add the mashed potato and cream until just before serving. Heat the defrosted soup for 5 minutes with the mashed potato and cream. Serve this chowder with warm tortillas or corn bread and a green salad.
5 ears fresh corn, husked
2 red bell peppers
3 large russet potatoes, peeled
6 slices bacon, cut in small dice, optional
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth
2 canned chipotle chilies, removed from their sauce, seeded, finely diced, see note
2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cups whipping cream
1. Roast corn on grill, in heavy cast-iron pan over low heat, or directly over a gas burner, turning until all kernels take on a smoky hue, about 5 minutes. Cut kernels from cobs, reserving 2 cobs.
2. Roast bell peppers on grill or under broiler, turning as skin blackens on each side, about 8 minutes total. Place roasted peppers in a plastic bag; seal and allow them to steam while you prepare other ingredients.
3. Dice 2 of the potatoes; set aside. Quarter remaining potato; cover with water in small saucepan. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Mash coarsely with fork; set aside.
4. Fry bacon, if using, in large heavy stockpot until almost crunchy, about 5 minutes. Drain off bacon grease. Melt butter in pan. Add onion; saute until translucent, 7-10 minutes. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes.
5. Deglaze pan with broth. Add reserved corn cobs, diced potatoes, mashed potato, chipotle chilies and tomatoes. Heat to boil; season with salt and pepper. Reduce to simmer; cook until potato pieces are tender, about 25 minutes.
6. While soup is cooking, remove loosened skin from peppers. Discard seeds and membrane; cut flesh into small dice.
7. Remove cobs from soup; add corn kernels, roasted red pepper and cream. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust for seasoning.
Note You usually can find canned chipotle chilies in the Mexican food aisle in supermarkets. Remove peppers from their sauce; slice them in half. Scrape off seeds; mince into a pulp. Any remaining peppers, when kept in sauce and tightly wrapped, will keep well in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Nutrition information per serving
Calories ………… 235 Fat ……….. 15 g Saturated fat .. 9 g
% calories from fat .. 57 Cholesterol .. 50 mg Sodium …… 710 mg
Carbohydrates …… 20 g Protein …….. 6 g Fiber …….. 2.5 g
FAST 5
ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH BROCCOLI
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
Yield 4 servings
Orecchiette pasta, which translates to “little ears” (so called because of its cupped shape), is becoming more widely available in grocery stores. Its chewy texture contrasts well with the softness of the broccoli, and the cups pick up the sauce perfectly. If you can’t find orecchiette, substitute fusilli.
1 pound orecchiette or other dried pasta
2 pounds trimmed broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil plus additional as needed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese
Toasted pine nuts, optional
1. Heat salted water to boil in large stockpot over high heat. (Make sure there is plenty of water, because pasta and broccoli will cook together.) Add pasta; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add broccoli; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and broccoli is very tender, about 4 minutes. Remove; reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and broccoli very well.
2. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook over low heat until garlic just begins to release its aroma, about 1 minute; do not let brown.
3. Return pasta and broccoli to stockpot. Add garlic-olive oil mixture and reserved pasta water. Stir over low heat until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta with drizzle of olive oil. Garnish with cheese and pine nuts.
Nutrition information per serving
Calories ………… 555 Fat ……….. 16 g Saturated fat .. 2.2 g
% calories from fat .. 25 Cholesterol … 0 mg Sodium ……… 65 mg
Carbohydrates …… 87 g Protein ……. 19 g Fiber ……….. 10 g
