Recipes Discovered – Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons, divided
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 scallions, greens included, rinsed, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4 cups leftover cooked brown rice
• 3/4 cup finely diced pepper
• 3/4 cup cooked, shelled edamame
• 3/4 cup carrot, diced
• 6 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 to 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions:

Heat 1 teaspoon of canola oil in a wok or large skillet until very hot. Add the garlic, scallions and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened and aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice, pepper, edamame, carrot, and tofu and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Make a 3-inch well in the center of the rice mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of canola oil, then add the eggs and cook until nearly fully scrambled. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture, then add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil and incorporate thoroughly. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 1/4 cups chicken stock, or more depending on thickness of soup
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup rice
• 3/4 pound sausage, cut into 1/4-inch
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely. In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with just enough chicken stock to make it smooth, about 1 cup. Puree until smooth and set aside.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 2 1/4 cups of the stock (or amount of liquid suggested on package) and 1/2 cup of the chopped onions to a simmer. Stir in the rice, cover, and cook over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove the rice from the pan and cool.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 3 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Stir in the rice and continue to cook for 10 minutes. More chicken stock can be added if the soup is too thick at this point. Remove from the heat, and reason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve.

Serves 6 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 to 6 cloves)
• 2 cups white basmati rice
• 5 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup licorice-flavored liqueur (recommended: Pernod)
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked lobster meat
• 1 pound kielbasa, sliced 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell peppers and cook over medium heat for 5 more minutes. Lower the heat, add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the rice, chicken stock, saffron, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. After 15 minutes, stir the rice gently with a wooden spoon, and return it to the over to bake uncovered for 10 to 15 more minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.

Transfer the paella back to the stove top and add the licorice-flavored liqueur. Cook the paella over medium heat for 1 minute, until the liqueur is absorbed by the rice. Turn off the heat and add the lobster, kielbasa, and peas and stir gently. Cover the paella, and allow it to steam for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve hot.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I made several changes to this recipe:

• Cut down the olive oil to 2 tablespoons
• Used risotto rice in place of basmati rice
• Used canned chicken stock (low sodium)
• Cut down the salt and pepper to a half teaspoon of each
• Omitted the liquor
• Substituted shrimp for lobster
• Used turkey polish kielbasa
• I cooked the dish entirely on the stove top. After the liquid came to a boil, I covered it, turned the heat to low, and simmered for 15 minutes. I then uncovered the pot and let cook for another 5 minutes, until the liquid was absorbed. Then I added the shrimp, kielbasa, and peas, covered the pot again, and turned off the heat.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten