New England boiled dinner

 

            A cold-weather one-pot meal.

Makes 12 servings

Beef

• 1 fresh beef brisket (about 4½ pounds)
• 12 cups water

Bouquet garni

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon leaf thyme, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Vegetables

• 1 small rutabaga (about 1 pound), pared and cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 8 small red-skinned potatoes (about 1¼ pounds), remove ½-inch strip of skin from around center
• 2 large parsnips (about ¾ pound), pared and cut into 1-inch-thick slices
• 6 medium-size carrots, pared and cut into in half lengthwise, cut crosswise into 3-inch lengths
• 1 bunch small beets (about 1½ pounds), trim greens, leaving 2 inches
• 1 small head Savoy cabbage or green cabbage (about 1½ pounds), cut into wedges
• 8 small onions, peeled

Horseradish sauce with walnuts

• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons bottled horseradish, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• ¼ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Prepare beef, trim excess fat from beef, leaving ¼-inch layer ; place beef and water in large Dutch oven.
2. Prepare bouquet garni, tie peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf, thyme and mustard seeds in cheesecloth bag ; add to pot.
3. Bring to boiling, lower heat, cover and simmer 2½ hours.
4. While beef is cooking, prepare vegetables.
5. Add rutabaga, beef and simmer 10 minutes.
6. Add onions, simmer another 10 minutes.
7. Add potatoes, parsnips and carrots, simmer another 25 minutes.
8. While vegetables are cooking prepare horseradish sauce, beat cream in medium-size bowl until soft peaks form ; fold in sour cream, horseradish, parsley, walnuts, salt and pepper and refrigerate until serving.
9. After potatoes and other vegetables have simmered, add cabbage to beef ; simmer until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.
10. Remove beef and vegetables to serving platter ; slice brisket.
11. Serve with hot broth and horseradish sauce.

BON APPÉTIT

Lobster stew with vegetables

 

Makes 4 servings

• 8 ounces potatoes, pared and cut into ½-inch dice (1¼ cup)
• 2 carrots, pared and cut into 1½ x ¼-inch strips
• 6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
• 1 leek, well washed, tough green removed, cut into ½-inch dice
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into ½-inch thick slices or chunks (about 1½ pound lobsters)
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or ¼ teaspoon dried
• Pinch of ground hot red pepper
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives

1. Cook potatoes in large pot of lightly salted water for 3 minutes ; add carrots and green beans and cook 4 minutes.
2. Add leek, cook 30 seconds, drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.
3. Combine heavy cream and white wine in large skillet ; bring to boiling.
4. Reduce heat, simmer 4 minutes ; add potatoes, carrot, green beans, leek, lobster, peas, tarragon and ground red pepper.
5. Return to simmer for 4 minutes until lobster is heated through and sauce coats lobster and vegetables ; stir in chives and serve.

BON APPÉTIT

Baked stuffed clams (Low-calorie)(Low-sodium)

 

          Serve as hors d'oeuvres with drinks, or an appetizer or first course. 

Makes 4 appetizer servings

• 16 littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1 slice bacon, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 medium-size sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon plain bread crumbs

1. Place clams in single layer in large Dutch oven or saucepot with a little water in bottom and cover ; heat clams over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes until they just begin to open, remove from heat. (Discard any unopened shells)
2. When cool enough to handle, hold clams over bowl and, with knife, pry clams open ; scrape out clam meat and chop, reserving clam liquor.
3. Reserve 16 clam shell halves ; preheat broiler.
4. Cook bacon in medium-size saucepan over medium heat until browned and crisp, stirring occasionally ; with slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper toweling to drain.
5. Cook pepper, onion and thyme in drippings in saucepan for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally ; remove from heat and cool slightly.
6. Stir in chopped clams, 2 tablespoons reserved clam liquor, bread crumbs and bacon.
7. Divided clam mixture equally among reserved clam shells ; arrange stuffed clams on rack in broiler pan.
8. Broil 4 inches from heat in preheated broiler for 3 to 5 minutes until browned and heated through ; serve hot.

BON APPÉTIT

Updated tuna noodle casserole

 

Makes 8 servings

• 1 package (12 ounces) wide egg noodles
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 12 butter crackers, crumbled (½ cup)
• 1 medium-size onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small sweet redpepper, cored, seeded and cut into squares
• 1 small sweet green pepper, cored, seeded and cut into squares
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups milk
• 1 cup cubed extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1 large can (12½ ounces) tuna in water, drained and flaked
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain ; combine noodles with 1 tablespoon butter in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish until noodles are coated and spread evenly in baking dish.
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in medium-size saucepan ; combine 1 tablespoon butter with crumbs in small bowl for topping.
4. Add onion, celery, red and green peppers and mushrooms to butter in saucepan ; sauté 10 minutes until tender.
5. Stir in flour until well-combined ; cook, stirring, 1 minute.
6. Stir in milk until smooth ; bring mixture to boiling, stirring.
7. Lower heat ; simmer, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes.
8. Stir in cheese cubes, tuna, dill and salt ; spoon over noodles.
9. Sprinkle crumb topping lightly over casserole.
10. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until heated through and bubbly ; serve hot.

BON APPÉTIT

California tuna salad (Low-calorie)(Low-cholesterol)

 

          An old favorite spruced up with avocado, sweet red pepper and water chestnuts. Serve chill over shredded lettuce for a light lunch or summer supper, or use as a sandwich filling. Try with cooked cubes of freh tuna or shrimp.

Makes 4 servings

• ½ teaspoon grated lime rind
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon liquid red-pepper seasoning
• 1 ripe avocado (about 12 ounces)
• 2 cans (6½ ounces each) tuna pack in water, drained
• 1 sweet red pepper, roasted, cored, seeded, peeled and cut into ½-inch squares or hlaf of a 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers 
• Click here "How to prepare roasted pepper"

• ½ of 8-ounce can water chestnuts, cut into cubes (½ cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

1. Whisk together lime rind and juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt and red-pepper seasoning in medium-size bowl until blended.
2. Pit and peel avocado, cube ; add to dressing, toss to prevent discoloring.
3. Flake tuna into bowl with avocado and dressing ; add red pepper, water chestnuts and cilantro to tuna, toss to combine.
4. Serve chilled.

BON APPÉTIT

Trout with miso sauce and mushrooms

 

          The fillets are crunchy with cracker crumbs and sauced with a mushroom cream accented with miso and rice wine vinegar. Try with flounder or perch.

Makes 4 servings

• 1 egg
• ¼ cup cracker crumbs, such as saltines
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 4 trout fillets (about 1¼ pounds), skinned
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1½ cups sliced mushrooms
• ¼ cup chicken broth or water
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons miso or soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar

1. Beat egg in shallow pie plate ; stir together crumbs, sesame seeds and pepper on piece of waxed paper.
2. Dip fish in egg, then crumb mixture to coat evenly and place on clean waxed paper.
3. Heat butter and oil in medium-size skillet over medium heat ; add fillets and cook 6 minutes until fish flakes easily when tested with fork, turning halfway through cooking.
4. Transfer to serving plate and cover with aluminium foil to keep warm.
5. Add mushrooms to skillet, sauté over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until lightly colored ; reduce heat to low.
6. Stir in chicken broth, cream, vinegar, miso and sugar ; bring to boiling.
7. Boil, stirring, 1 minute ; spoon sauce evenly over fish.

BON APPÉTIT

Swordfish with orange-ginger marinade (Low-calorie)(Low-cholesterol)

 

          Try the marinade with chicken or pork, and you can substitute mackerel or cod for the swordfish. This dish also works well on the barbecue.

Makes 4 servings

• 2 swordfish steaks (8 ounces each)

Orange-ginger marinade

• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 
• 1 teaspoon ginger juice
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• Pinch of ground cardamom
• Pinch ground hot red pepper

1. For the marinade, boil orange juice in small saucepan over high heat until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes ; remove from heat.
2. Stir oil, ginger juice, sugar, cardamom and red pepper into orange juice in saucepan ; let cool slightly.
3. Transfer to shallow dish ; place fish in marinade and refrigerate 2 hours, turning fish occasionally.
4. Preheat broiler ; spray broiler-pan rack with nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray.
5. Place fish on rack ; spoon half the marinade over fish.
6. Broil fish 6 inches from heat for 4 minutes until fish has darkened ; turn fish over, spoon remaining marinade over fish and broil 4 minutes longer until fish easily flakes when tested with a fork.

Note : To make ginger juice, pare 3-inch piece of fresh ginger and grate into bowl. Squeeze grated pulp, extracting as much juice as possible. Discard pulp. 

BON APPÉTIT