Cheeky and leeky (or hot fish and heavenly veggies)

Recipes: Broiled rockfish with Paul's spice, Braised leeks, Roasted reds

 

Remember when we talked about Paul Prudhomme and his spicy, delicious, and not-always-so-healthy food? There's a spice mix  that's used in his Cajun Chicken and Dumplings, an amazing dish that's rich enough to add pounds and contribute to clogged arteries. Nevertheless, I love this spice mix and keep a jar of it made up in my kitchen to use on chicken, pork, and  fish. It's fabulous on just about any kind of fish.

Here's the spice mix:

Paul's Spice

• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon file powder (optional)

Mix all together in a small bowl. Store in a covered jar. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Here's an easy dinner for two I made recently. Wayne loved it, and he's sure glad I'm back on my feet. Yes, I'm back on my feet, and back in the kitchen cooking! I'm still in a cast, but it's a walking cast so things are definitely looking up.

Roasted Reds

 

Start the potatoes first, as they take the longest (about 50 minutes total). Turn the oven on to 400 degrees to heat. Then wash 6 small red potatoes and cut them in half. Put them in a small saucepan with about an inch of water and bring the water to a boil. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Mix them up carefully with a large spoon to distribute the oil and spices, then spread them out on a small cookie sheet or roasting pan in one layer. Put them in the oven for 40 minutes, stirring them a bit and turning the heat down to 350 degrees after 30 minutes.

 

Braised Leeks

 

I don't usually think of serving leeks, and I don't know why not. These are absolutely delicious - tender and sweet. I know you'll love them as much as I do.

• 4 large leeks, about 1 1/2 inch in diameter
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper

Cut off the roots of the leeks and strip off any withered leaves. Line them all up and cut off enough of the dark green ends to make them 6 inches long. Then cut each leek in half lengthwise and carefully wash them under running water, paying special attention to the green parts. Sand often hides in leeks, so be sure you wash them well.

Lay the leeks in an ovenproof skillet that will fit the leeks laid flat in one or two layers. Pour the broth over and dot with the butter cut in pieces. Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat and boil gently for 15 minutes.

Transfer the leeks and juices, in the same skillet or in another baking dish if your skillet isn't ovenproof, to the 350 degree oven. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes or until much of the broth has cooked away. Salt and pepper to taste before serving.

 

When the potatoes and leeks are cooked, take them out of the oven and let them cool a bit for the few minutes it takes to cook the fish.
 

Rockfish with Paul's Spice

 

I used rockfish, or rock cod, because it's a species that's native to the U.S. West Coast, where I live, and I particularly like to cook and eat wild local fish. You can use whatever fish you like, that's available where you live. Two medium filets are perfect for two people.

 

Turn your stove's broiler on to High.

 

Rockfish ready to broil

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a broiler-proof pan that will hold the fish in one layer. When the butter is melted, flop the pieces of fish over a few times in it, so butter gets on both sides. Then get out your jar of Paul's Spice and shake it. Distribute a teaspoon-full of the spice evenly over each piece of fish, just on the side that's up.

Slide the fish under the broiler and broil it on the up side (no turning) for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pieces. Thin pieces get 4 minutes, pieces that are about 3/4 of an inch thick get 6 minutes. The only bad thing you can do to fish is overcook it, so err on the side of cooking it a bit less.

 

Take the fish out, turn off the boiler and you're done. Plate the fish, leeks, and potatoes with a wedge of fresh lemon and dig in. Buon appetito!

The payoff



This entire meal is gluten-free.

Leeks contain flavonoids and folates that decrease the risk of hypertension and protect your heart and blood vessels. Leeks also contain strong antioxidants that fight free radicals in your body and decrease inflammation. All good stuff!

Rockfish are lean, nutrient-dense sources of protein.

 

Cabbage is sexy (or life is filled with surprises)

Recipe: Braised cabbage with sausages and roasted potatoes

Watching the Winter Olympics has made me think of cabbage. Cabbage probably originated in some part of Russia. It's one of the coldest-weather vegetables in the world. It has also been called The World's Healthiest Food, but is it sexy? Well, think about it.

Cooked cabbage, in this case braised cabbage, is soft and silky. When you eat it, it warms you all the way through and makes you feel loved. It has been known to contain a chemical that boosts DNA repair in cells, resulting in beautiful skin and healthy organs. You can't deny it - that's sexy.

Obviously now you can't wait to make and eat some cabbage. Here's an easy dish I made for Wayne and me on a recent rainy night. It took a little more than an hour to make and most of that time was spent braising in the oven. We built a fire in the fireplace and played a game of dominoes while it cooked. Unfortunately W beat me. Drat. At least dinner was good.

Braised Cabbage with Sausages and Roasted Potatoes

• A small green cabbage, or half of a large one. Cut the head in quarters and cut out the cores. Then cut the quarters (or one of the halves if it's a big one) into rough chunks.
• Half of a mild to hot chili pepper, chopped fine. (optional)
• 1 bay leaf
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme plus another 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/2 cup chicken stock plus an extra 1/4 cup
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• 6 small red potatoes, or a couple of large ones cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 good uncooked sausages. I used boudin blanc (rice sausages) in the photo.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pack the chunks of cabbage and the chopped peppers into a Dutch oven or another deep baking dish. Insert the bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon thyme into the chunks.  Pour in the chicken stock and the wine, and cut pieces of the butter and strew them over the top.

Heat the pot on the stove until the liquid is simmering. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot, and put it in the oven for 45 minutes.

At the same time, roast the potatoes. Toss them in a baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the rest of the thyme and put them in the oven next to the cabbage pot.

When the cabbage and the potatoes have roasted for 45 minutes, take them out of the oven. Put the potatoes into the pot with the cabbage and gently mix them in. If the pot seems a bit dry, add a little chicken stock. Put the sausages on top of it all and put the cover back on. Put the pot back into the oven and roast for another 20 minutes.

It's done! Cut the sausages in pieces and spoon the whole thing into big soup bowls. Serve with various mustards.

Buon appetito!

The Payoff

Cabbage, as mentioned above, boosts DNA repair in cells. For this reason it is thought to minimize the risks of cancer. It is also a good source of Vitamin C (for colds and flu), Vitamin K (good strong blood), and fiber (general body function). Very sexy too.

Braised cabbage with sausages and roasted potatoes is gluten-free.

 

Power cooking (or truth and immunity)

Recipes: Pork chops and coleslaw, Cheesy polenta with roasted winter vegetables

Happy New Year! The start of a new year is the perfect time to take a look at how we eat. I'll bet you over-indulged over the holidays. I know I did, and here in the U.S. we have the added juggernaut of Thanksgiving which is pretty much devoted to eating till you burst. It just goes on from there until mid-January - parties, dinners, candy, cheese and crackers, drinks. Fun, but at the end of it you feel awful. Your clothes don't fit and you're exhausted.

If it started and ended there, it might not be so bad. The truth is, many of us don't make smart choices when it comes to food all year 'round. As a result we get to the holidays with already too much weight and too little energy. We need a pick-me-up and that doesn't mean another cocktail. It means we need to eat better food.

"The surest way to escape the Western diet is simply to depart the realms it rules, the supermarket, the convenience store, and the fast-food outlet. It is hard to eat badly from the farmers' market, from a CSA (community supported agriculture) box...or from your garden."  
Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food.


Easy to say "shop at farmers' markets", if your city's farmers' markets don't operate in winter. Easy to say "grow your own", if it's currently minus 7 degrees F outside and snow covers the ground. Nothing's going to grow in that. If that's your situation, you can locate the indoor market with the best, freshest, most nearly organic goods possible in your area and buy good food there, all the while planning what you're going to plant in the spring and finding out when your farmers' market will open.

We're lucky here in northern California and you may be in your area too. Our farmers' markets operate year 'round, and we can grow many vegetables through the winter. I grow in pots, so I can control the watering and feeding (that's part of my winter garden pictured above - cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts). These plants are easy to grow if you have a spot that gets some sun, and where the temperature doesn't actually dip below 32 degrees F for more than a few hours at a time. When it does, you can throw a towel over the plants and they do just fine. Nothing in the world is as good as fresh picked vegetables. They have a taste that's so good, it's hard to describe.

Well, enough talk. Let's do some cooking. Here are two dinners I've made recently that feature winter vegetables. Try them and see what you think.

Pork Chops with Coleslaw

• 2 medium boneless pork loin chops, not too fatty but not too lean either,about 1 inch thick
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 medium green cabbage
• 1/2 small onion, sliced very thin
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (light mayo is fine)
• For edible plate garnishes: a couple slices of avocado, a spoon or two of applesauce, a couple slices of persimmon, or a couple slices of ripe pear. Pork is wonderful with fruit.

Season chops on both sides with salt and pepper and let them sit on a plate for about 30 minutes, while you make the slaw.

Cut your cabbage half in half, and cut out and discard the core. Slice the rest crosswise into narrow strands and put them in a large bowl. Add the sliced onion and a little salt and toss.

Make a vinaigrette in a separate small bowl. Mix the vinegar, salt, pepper, and paprika, and then whisk in the mayonnaise with a fork. If you prefer a non-mayo coleslaw, you can substitute an equal amount of extra virgin olive oil for the mayo.

Toss the cabbage mixture with the vinaigrette and set aside in a serving bowl until the chops are done.

Heat a cast iron or non-stick frying pan with one teaspoon of olive oil. When it is hot, put the chops in and turn the flame to medium. Cook for 4 minutes (5 minutes if your chops are thicker than an inch). Turn the chops and cook for another 4 minutes (again 5 if the chops are very thick). Put the chops on a dish and let them sit for 10 minutes so the juices can re-arrange themselves and the chop can finish cooking.

Plate the dinner, pour the wine or beer, and enjoy!

Vitals: 

The latest research shows fats are better for you than originally thought. It's really sugar that's the culprit in much of what fats used to be blamed for. So pork with a little fat is not a bad thing. The key is portion size and moderation.
Cabbage: Along with many other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, red cabbage, cabbage contains antioxidants called isthiocyanates, which help keep the immune system working properly...essential in winter cold and flu season!

Cheesy Polenta with Roasted Winter Vegetables

Adapted from a recipe in Eating Well in Season.

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-1/2 inch chunks.
• 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, ends cut and outside leaves stripped. Leave whole, but cut an X into the end of large sprouts. (or substitute another vegetable, like cauliflower florets)
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granules (not garlic salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Toss all the above together in a bowl. Spread on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast, stirring once, until tender and browned in spots, about 25 to 30 minutes.

• 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup cornmeal (I use the coarser cornmeal marked "polenta")
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or a pinch of dried rosemary
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

While the vegetables are roasting, combine broth and water in a small saucepan with a lid. Bring it to a boil.

Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, rosemary, and a little freshly ground pepper until smooth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring now and then, until it is very thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.

Sir in the cheese and remove the polenta from the heat.

Pour three or four large spoons of polenta into each dish, and top with the roasted vegetables. A green salad, a kale salad, or some quickly sauteed sausages makes this a complete meal.

Vitals:

This dish is a wonderful vegetarian entree if you use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth.
Butternut squash is an excellent source of beta carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, a nutrient that helps keep your immune system strong. Again, excellent for winter cold and flu season. Go Immune System!