Spanish Omelet

Last year's post:  Cold Sesame Noodles with Cucumber
Two Years Ago:   Empanadas with Chicken, Corn and Zucchini

Although most people in the United States think of omelets as breakfast food, the Spanish omelet (or Spanish tortilla, not to be confused with Mexican tortillas) is a happy hour or dinner entree.  This omelet is one of the most common tapas items, found all over Spain.  A Spanish omelet closely resembles a frittata because it's cooked in a pan and then cut into wedges to serve.  Although it's typically fried in a fair amount of olive oil, then flipped and fried on the other side, this recipe is a lighter and simpler version.  It uses only the fat from the chorizo, and there's no flipping involved - it bakes in the oven, which makes it puff up beautifully.  It makes an easy, fast and delicious dinner.

One of my good friends in college spent a year studying in Spain.  When she returned, she made a traditional Spanish omelet for her buddies so we could try it out.  She fried potato slices and onions in a lot of olive oil, then added the eggs and let the bottom cook until brown.  She put an inverted plate over the frying pan with her hand on top, flipped the pan over so the omelet was on the plate, then slid the omelet back into the pan to brown the other side.  Impressive, but a little scary unless you don't care about your kitchen, which we didn't because we were in a college apartment, after all.

Anyway, as I mentioned this recipe has chorizo in addition to the potatoes, which really revs up the flavor. Make sure you buy Spanish chorizo - not Mexican chorizo - and take the paper casing off before slicing. If you do happen to buy Mexican chorizo by mistake (or can't find Spanish chorizo), just cook it and crumble it like Italian sausage and use it that way.  It'll taste a little different but will still be very good.

Shallots (a mild onion) are added to a parsley salad that goes on top of the omelet when served.  The lemon, shallots and parsley lend bright and tart notes that balance the omelet beautifully.

A brief discussion about pans - this recipe calls for a 7 or 8" nonstick ovenproof pan (or a larger pan if you're going to double the recipe to serve four).  I bought a cast iron skillet a few years ago to make cornbread, and it works perfectly for this recipe.  If you don't have one, consider buying one - they're cheap and they last forever.  Properly seasoned and cared for, they become perfectly non-stick.  All you have to do after making something is to rinse the pan with hot water (not soap) and scrub with a brush, then dry thoroughly and wipe with a drop of cooking oil.  I had absolutely no issue with taking the entire omelet out of the pan in one piece.  (Just don't use cooking spray, it becomes gummy and sticky and hard to remove.)

Spanish omelets are traditionally served either warm or at room temperature, so they're very versatile for parties (cut in small pieces) or family members who come home at different times.

printable recipe
Spanish Omelet

Serves 2

1 red potato, about 3-4” in diameter, scrubbed and cut into chunks

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

4 ounces Spanish chorizo, paper casing removed and sliced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked

1 shallot, peeled and very finely sliced

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Put the potato chunks in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer until just cooked through but not falling apart, approximately 8 – 10 minutes.  Drain in a colander.  Beat the eggs with a fork in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.  Put the sliced shallot in a medium bowl with the lemon juice, some salt and pepper and the olive oil.  Stir and set aside for the shallots to soften while you make the omelet.

Heat a 7 or 8” nonstick (or cast iron) ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the chorizo slices and potatoes and cook until everything is lightly golden, 3-4 minutes.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Sprinkle the rosemary leaves into the pan, then immediately pour on the egg mixture.  Add the chorizo and potatoes on top, spreading out evenly.  Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the omelet is puffed and golden, about 8 – 10 minutes.

Remove the omelet from the pan and cut into pieces.  Add the parsley to the shallots and toss to coat.  Serve the omelet with some of the parsley salad on top.

The omelet may be served warm or at room temperature.

Cabbage and Spring Onion Tart

Last Year's Post:  Mushroom & Pea Risotto
Two Years Ago:   Sausage Rolls with Mustard Cheese Dipping Sauce

Before you turn up your nose at the idea of a cabbage tart, let me tell you that I'm not all that huge of a cabbage fan either.  It's just so cabbage-y.  But when cabbage is slowly cooked down it turns into something wonderful, both tender and sweet.  Paired with mild spring onions and nutty Gruyere cheese, it makes an excellent tart for a vegetarian lunch or dinner.  It somehow seemed appropriate for this time of year because the cabbage gives it a vaguely St. Patrick's Day feeling and the spring onions make it sound like spring.

If you're not familiar with spring onions, they're halfway in size between green onions and full-sized onions.  They're also called Mexican onions and have a relatively mild flavor.  If you can't find them, green onions or leeks would work just as well.  I just liked the idea of spring onions.

The recipe calls for blind-baking the crust, which means you bake it before filling it and baking it again.  That ensures the crust is golden and crisp.  Just be aware that the blind-baking and cooling of the crust will add an hour of prep before you fill and bake the tart.

OK, so this isn't the best picture in the world (the red thing in the upper left is my rolling pin) but I was trying to show a tip for how to neatly cut the extra edges off a tart crust by rolling over them with a rolling pin.

The original recipe from the New York Times called for 1/2 medium cabbage, shredded.  I was basically lazy and bought coleslaw mix that included a few shredded carrots which I figured only added to the nutrition.  I pawed through the bag and tossed out any really big pieces of cabbage before cooking and it worked great.

print

Cabbage and Spring Onion Tart

Serves 4-6

1 refrigerated or homemade pie crust dough

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped spring onion

1 pound shredded coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage)

Salt

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

2 egg yolks

2 whole eggs

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup milk

3 ounces Gruyere, grated

For the crust:

Preheat the oven to 400d.

Ease the dough into a 9” tart pan with removable bottom, pressing onto the bottom and fluted sides of the pan.  Place a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil in the tart pan, making sure to press it into the fluted edges of the dough.  Fill the foil-line crust with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice.  Make sure the weights cover the entire bottom of the crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then check to see if the crust is ready by pulling up one corner of the foil.  (If it sticks, put the crust back in the oven and check every two minutes until the foil doesn’t stick.)  Carefully remove the foil and weights and put the crust back in the oven for 10-15 minutes until light golden brown.  Remove and cool on a wire rack.

For the tart:

Preheat the oven to 350d.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onions.  Cook, stirring often until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add a generous pinch of salt and continue to cook 3 to 5 minutes until beginning to color.  Add cabbage and cook, stirring often, until cabbage wilts, about 5 minutes.  Add another pinch of salt and caraway seeds and continue to cook for another 10 minutes until cabbage is sweet, very tender and lightly colored.  Tasted, adjust salt, and add freshly ground pepper.  Remove from heat.

Beat the eggs and egg yolks together in a medium bowl.  Set the tart pan on a baking sheet.  Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the bottom of the crust with some of the beaten egg and place it in the oven for 5 minutes to seal the crust.

Add ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and milk to remaining eggs and whisk together. 

Spread the cabbage and onion in an even layer in the crust.  Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.  Slowly pour the egg custard over the filling until almost to the top of the crust (you may not need it all – do not overfill).  Place the tart, on baking sheet, in the oven and bake for 35 minutes until set and lightly browned.  Remove and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes befo

Baked Potatoes with Broccoli Cheese Sauce

Last Year's Post:  Chicken and Caramelized Broccoli Ramen
Two Years Ago:   Italian Tuna Sandwich (No Mayo)

Baked potatoes and broccoli are healthy, right?  Cheese sauce maybe not so much, but if you have this as a meal it's actually not too bad - just don't have it as a side dish to a big steak or something. It's a filling and very satisfying vegetarian meal on its own, or you could serve it with a salad on the side.   To me it's real comfort food.  Be sure to scrub the potatoes well so you can eat the skin as well as the flesh because there are a lot of nutrients right under the skin.

There are a couple of keys to making this recipe successfully although it's not at all hard.  First, don't under-bake your potatoes or they won't get that nice soft, fluffy texture. Second, grate your own cheese for the sauce because the pre-shredded packaged stuff at the store has an additive that keeps it from sticking together that also can cause clumping.  And third, use room-temperature milk because it helps eliminate lumps in the sauce.

I like to use fresh broccoli rather than frozen whenever possible.  If you cut the crown off the stem and then peel the stem before slicing, it's very edible - just cook the stem pieces a little longer than the florets.

The potatoes will take around an hour to bake, and you can cook the broccoli and make the sauce during that time which could qualify this as a weeknight meal if you have 60 minutes.  Otherwise you could bake the potatoes in advance and reheat them in the microwave while you make the sauce which would cut the time down a lot.  And if you have different family members coming home at different times, they can each reheat their potato and sauce whenever they show up so it works for a busy night too.

And if you have any broccoli cheese sauce left over (doubtful), just thin it out with more milk or chicken broth the next day, zap it in the microwave, and you've got broccoli cheese soup.  Maybe make a double batch of sauce...

print recipe

Baked Potatoes with Broccoli Cheese Sauce

Serves 4

Notes:    Cheese sauce is easy to make but also easy to mess up if you don't follow the directions exactly. Cheese should be freshly grated (the packaged, pre-grated cheese has an additive that keeps it from sticking together but can also make for clumping). Room temperature milk works best (zap it in the microwave to take off the chill). Be sure to take the pot off the heat and add the cheese very gradually, stirring well and allowing it to melt completely between additions.

Broccoli should be soft, not crisp-tender, if you plan to puree some or all into the sauce.

4 large russet (baking) potatoes 

3 cups fresh broccoli florets and peeled sliced stem pieces, divided (about one large crown)

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups milk, at room temperature

8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Adjust oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 425°F.

Prepare potatoes by washing, drying, and pricking with a fork. Lightly coat each potato with olive oil. Place potatoes directly on oven rack, allowing some space between each one. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until potatoes are tender all the way to the center when pierced with a knife or small skewer.

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place broccoli stem pieces in first for 30 seconds, then add broccoli florets and boil for an additional 3 minutes or until soft. Drain broccoli and set aside.

In the same pot that was used to cook the broccoli, prepare cheese sauce. Place over medium heat and melt butter. Use a whisk to stir in flour, whisking continuously until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk while slowly and gradually adding milk. Whisk until sauce is smooth and thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Add grated cheese, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until completely melted and smooth before adding more.  (Reserve a small handful of cheese for garnish if desired.)  Once all cheese has been incorporated and cheese sauce is smooth, stir in garlic salt, chili powder, and pepper to taste.

Stir half of the cooked broccoli into the cheese sauce. Use an immersion blender (or potato masher) to purée/mash the broccoli until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the remaining broccoli, reserving a few florets for garnish if desired. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Slice the top of each potato with a small knife, then gently squeeze to open it up.  Serve with broccoli cheese sauce and reserved broccoli florets and shredded cheese on top.

Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup (Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana)

Last Year's Post: Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Pad Thai

My mother and I are different in many ways, not the least of which is restaurant preferences.  I tend to favor small locally-owned places, and she likes upscale casual chain restaurants.  I've tried a couple of times do the alternating thing (this time your choice, next time my choice) with less than spectacular results.  After one particularly disastrous visit to a local Italian eatery where she kept looking at everything and everyone with deep suspicion, she finally remarked to me "Why would anyone go to any other Italian restaurant when everyone knows that Olive Garden is the best?"  And there you have it.  Since I love my mother and like to see her often, I spend a fair amount of time at Olive Garden for lunch and thus have discovered their Zuppa Toscana soup made with Italian sausage, potatoes and kale.

I fully understand the irony in the fact that I have a less than enthusiastic view of Olive Garden but am not above copycatting their recipe.  In my (weak) defense, there are a lot of copycat recipes out there for this soup.  To my dismay, I discovered the purported "real" recipe contains cream so in my (continued weak) defense, I decided to try to create a healthy version that was just as good.  And the combination of sausage, kale and potato is a classic Italian soup not exclusive to Olive Garden.  Have I rationalized enough yet?

There are three things that I changed:  I eliminated the optional bacon because I haven't noticed bacon in the restaurant version anyway, I substituted hot Italian turkey sausage for hot Italian pork sausage, and I substituted 2% milk for the cream.  The last substitution might seem the most drastic but I have a secret to make it seem just as rich - you puree a few of the cooked potato pieces and stir them back in the pot.  It's a great trick for making cream soups taste rich without cream because the starch in the potatoes thickens the soup, and it worked very well here.  The original restaurant soup is not thick like a cream soup but has a slight richness, which is almost perfectly duplicated here.

You may notice the recipe calls for browning the sausage and onion in a separate skillet, then placing them in the soup pot.  The reason is that the sausage gives off juice and fat, will create a film on the top of the finished soup.  If you don't care about it you can make everything in the same pot.  The whole house smelled wonderful while this was cooking.

 

At the point (above) where everything was simmering but before pureeing any potatoes or adding the kale and milk the soup looked great and smelled even better. Next time I may just eliminate the puree step and the milk, using more chicken stock in place of the water and milk and serve it just like this.  Can you imagine how pretty it would be after adding the bright green kale?  In the next pictures I added the potato puree, then the kale and milk.

Although the soup requires a fair amount of chopping, it was fun to make and even better to eat.  It would be absolutely perfect for a chilly, rainy fall day or a snowy winter one.  It makes a big pot of soup and it's healthy with all that kale.  What more could you want? Serve with grated parmesan and crusty bread for a complete and comforting meal.

Update one week later:  when we had this for the second time, The Lawyer volunteered that this may be the best soup he's ever had.

Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup

Serves 6-8

16-20 ounces spicy turkey Italian sausage 

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped

3-4 medium russet baking potatoes

4 garlic cloves, minced

32 ounces chicken broth

2 ½ cups water

1 ¼ cups of 2% milk

4 cups kale (about one bunch Tuscan kale), stemmed and cut into bite-sized ribbons

If the sausage is in the form of links, remove from casings.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add half of the olive oil.  Add the sausage and sauté until cooked through; breaking it up into crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  Remove from the skillet and add to a large soup pot.  In the same skillet, add the remaining olive oil and the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Remove and add to the soup pot. 

Scrub the potatoes well but do not peel.  Slice each potato lengthwise in half and then crosswise into ¼” pieces.  Add the potatoes, garlic, chicken broth and water to the soup pot and bring to a brisk simmer, then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. 

Scoop 1-2 ladles of potatoes and broth out of the soup pot, trying not to get any sausage (put any sausage pieces back in the pot).  Put the potatoes and broth in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  (If you use a blender, be sure to remove the center knob from the lid and cover with a towel to prevent a hot liquid blow-up.)  Pour the puree back into the soup pot and stir.

Add the milk and kale and simmer 15 minutes more, until the kale is tender. 

Lentil Salad with Bacon and Walnuts

Last Year's Post: Asian Roast Pork with Broccoli Slaw and Pasta
Two Years Ago:  Rustic Egg Tart

I never used to like lentils, probably because they looked suspiciously like the split peas in split pea soup which is an unfortunate muddy brown-green color and (in turn) looks a lot like baby food. Amazing how long the food traumas of our youth can stick with us past all rational thought, isn't it?  Once I realized that there are different types of lentils and they aren't all muddy-colored I decided to try them.  Happily, I discovered that they taste great as well as being good for you.  I then embarked on a lentil discovery mission that at one point involving five different types of lentils sitting in my pantry.  Even I admit that's probably overkill.  I discovered that big lentils end up mushy and muddy-colored, and red and yellow lentils end up mushy also although their color is better.  Small green or black lentils retain their shape when cooked and have a very pleasant firm texture while being tender at the same time.

So having come full circle, I now use the small French green lentils called "Lentils du Puy". You can find them in some natural food stores like Whole Foods and high-end grocery stores.  They may also be labeled as "French lentils" in the bulk aisle - just be sure they're dark green and small.

I was recently watching an "America's Test Kitchen" episode on lentil salads (which inspired me to make this recipe), and they confirmed that Lentils du Puy are the best because they hold their shape when cooked and have the best flavor.  They also demonstrated a very interesting technique for brining and oven-baking the lentils, which I'd never heard of.  Apparently brining the uncooked lentils helps make the skin more flexible so they don't burst, and oven-cooking is more gentle and again helps the lentils cook evenly to a creamy tenderness without bursting.  (If you're not familiar with America's Test Kitchen, they try as many as hundreds of variations of a recipe to develop the perfect technique.  They're even more obsessive than I am.)  Anyway, of course I had to try it.

The lentils didn't burst, but it took a long time to soak them and then bake in the oven. I found it took a full 70 minutes of baking before they were tender, which in my opinion isn't worth it.  I've simmered French lentils before without any issues so I decided to compromise for this recipe by calling for brining (which can be done in advance) and then simmering on the stovetop for just 20 minutes, as most other recipes call for.

The reason why I like lentil salads is because they're so versatile and good for you. You can serve them for lunch or dinner, at room temperature or warm or cold, and you can vary the ingredients to suit your taste.  I added cooked egg and avocado in addition to the bacon and walnuts with a little bell pepper for color, but you can add whatever you like.  For example, your favorite cheese could substitute for the egg or avocado.  Even with the tender lentils, the texture of the salad is surprisingly crunchy and very satisfying with the addition of the peppers, bacon and walnuts and the avocado (or cheese) adds creaminess.

For some reason this recipe seems very French to me, probably because of the French lentils and walnuts.  I can just see it served for a light spring or summer dinner with a bottle of very dry Rose wine and some warm crusty bread.

printable recipe

Lentil Salad with Bacon and Walnuts

Serves 4

1 cup French green lentils (lentils du Puy), uncooked

Salt

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

5 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 minced shallot

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Juice of half a lemon

1 avocado

3 hard-boiled eggs, cut into eighths

1 cup (loosely packed) baby spinach, chopped

3 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

2/3 cup red bell pepper (or assorted colors), finely chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt.  Cover with 4 cups warm water and let stand for one hour.  Drain well.  (Drained lentils can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before cooking.)

Place the lentils in a large saucepan over medium-high heat with 2 cups of water, the chicken broth, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon of salt.   Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.  Taste to be sure the lentils are properly cooked.  Drain well.

While the lentils are cooking, combine the olive oil and sherry vinegar with ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl, whisking to blend.  Add the shallots and thyme. 

Place the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit.  Using a small knife, score each half in a diamond pattern all the way down to (but not through) the shell.  Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh from the avocado shell into the bowl with the lemon juice.   Toss gently to coat the avocado pieces with juice so they won’t discolor.

When the lentils are still somewhat warm, place them in the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine.  Add the spinach, bell pepper and avocado and toss again.

Serve topped with eggs, bacon and walnuts.  May be served warm, room temperature, or cold.

Wild Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche

Last Year's Post:  Wild Mushroom & Wild Rice Chicken Soup
Two Years Ago:   Turnovers

Quiche is very versatile in terms of working well for brunch, lunch or dinner.  The only issue with quiche is getting it out of the dish neatly, even after it rests for a while. (And those of you who know me know I am ALL about neatness.) I have two suggestions for how to get around that issue.  The first is to make individual little quiches, which was my solution for years.  It does, however, require a little more work and some specialized pans that are available in gourmet kitchen stores.

Although I called that a solution, it's really more an avoidance of the original problem.  There is basically only one solution for neatly cutting a whole quiche - make it in advance and refrigerate it, then cut and reheat. If you've ever wondered how restaurants serve such nice neat slices, that's their secret. (The same thing works for pies and lasagna.)

Here's the difference between cutting a slice after the quiche rests for 30 minutes out of the oven (top) and the next day (bottom).

If you don't care whether your slices are perfect or you can't wait because your wild mushroom quiche smells that good or you really like the gooey cheesiness of it all, by all means dig in.  If you're having company for brunch and want it to look really pretty, make it in advance.  The other bonus is that you won't have to worry about any extra liquid in the dish.

OK, so enough about technique.  I chose this particular quiche because I really like the starring role the wild mushrooms play with nutty Gruyere cheese as the perfect complement.  They're left in chunks and browned until they're deeply flavorful and earthy, and there's lots of them.  I used oyster mushrooms, creminis, and shiitakes but you can use all of one or two types if you want.

After cleaning and trimming the stems, cut them into chunks and saute (the mushrooms shrink quite a bit as they lose their liquid). Sauteing until browned is the secret to great flavor.

The mushrooms have such deeply earthy flavor that the quiche makes a very satisfying dinner paired with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.  One other note - the recipe calls for a 9" deep dish pie pan, but a regular 9" pan will also work as long as your crust didn't slip down the side when it was first baked.  Just make sure the pan isn't full to the very top of the crust before baking or it may leak a bit as it bakes and puffs.

printable recipe

Wild Mushroom and Gruyere Quiche

Serves 6-8

 Note:  For the most perfect slices, bake the quiche a day in advance and refrigerate.  Cut slices and reheat.

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2/3 cups chopped shallot (about 3 medium)

12 to 14 ounces assorted wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, cremini)

1 homemade or refrigerated pie crust

3 large eggs

2/3 cup half and half

1/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 ½ cups (packed) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 5 ounces), divided

Wipe mushrooms with a clean damp cloth to remove dirt.  Remove shiitake stems completely and slice the ends off the stems of other mushrooms.  Cut mushrooms in half or quarters depending on their size and shape to create pieces of ½ - ¾” in size. 

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shallots; sauté until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms have released their liquid, are tender and beginning to brown, about 9-10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 450d.  Press the pie crust firmly onto the bottom and sides of a 9” deep-dish glass pie plate.  Bake until light golden brown, pressing on sides of crust with back of spoon if crust begins to slide down sides of dish, about 12-13 minutes.  Remove to cool slightly.  Reduce oven temperature to 325d.

Whisk eggs, half and half, milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and thyme in a large bowl to blen.  Stir in 1 cup of grated Gruyere.  Place the sautéed mushrooms in the pie crust and pour the filling over the mushrooms.  Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese over the top.

Bake until the quiche is puffed, golden brown, and just set in the center, about 45 minutes.  Cool 30 minutes before serving.

Halibut Provencale

Last Year's Post:  Greek Shrimp and Orzo
Two Years Ago:   Double Chocolate Biscotti with Walnuts

I recently read a very interesting interview with Michael Pollan, a best-selling author who writes about food (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food).  I think of him sort of as a foodie anthropologist - he writes about our relationships with food and how they're evolved over time.  Anyway, he was interviewed as part of a PR tour for his most recent book "Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation".  The most interesting part of the interview for me was his concept of mindful cooking.  I had heard of mindful eating - the concept of paying attention to what you are eating and stop doing anything else at the same time - but not as it applies to cooking.

Here's a short excerpt from the interview:
I have always cooked, it’s not like I just learned how to cook, but I've always approached it with a great deal of impatience, and always kind of fought against it. Learning to be in the kitchen and not try to be multitasking, aside from conversation or listening to the radio, has been a great gift. I mean I approach it with a very different spirit. One of the most important life lessons of this book is “When chopping onions, just chop onions.” ..... Slow down and you’ll enjoy it more and you’ll squeeze more out of the experience. 
(Reprinted with permission. You can read the entire interview here.)

If you pay attention while you're prepping and cooking, you can learn some pretty interesting things about smell, taste, texture and the transformations that cooking can cause.  For example, this recipe includes fennel.  If you haven't worked with it much, it's an interesting lesson in how to cut it up, what it smells like (licorice), what it tastes like raw (crunchy, with a slight anise flavor), and what it tastes like cooked (mild and sweet).  Be sure to smell and taste as you go, and you'll find all kinds of new foods that you like.  This is a great approach to take with kids also. (Not to smell and taste kids before cooking them, but to include kids in the food smelling, tasting and prepping process.)

Anyway, this is a great light and healthy recipe for baked halibut from Provence that includes tomatoes, fennel, white wine, olives and plenty of herbs.  The mild, sweet fish is complemented beautifully by the Mediterranean flavors and stays very moist because it's covered in sauce while it bakes.  You could also use sea bass. tilapia, cod or any other mild white fish if you prefer.

Here's how to prepare the fennel - start by cutting off the long skinny stems and fronds and just use the bulb.

Cut the bulb in half and cut out the solid core by making diagonal cuts.

Slice and chop the fennel (be sure to smell and taste the raw fennel so you can compare it later to the taste and texture when cooked).

The fennel, onion and garlic are sauteed, then tomatoes are added and cooked briefly before adding the herbs.

Half the tomato mixture goes into the baking dish, then the halibut and the remaining sauce are added.  Isn't halibut pretty?

After baking, a breadcrumb/olive topping is added and browned briefly.

It's an easy, foolproof and very healthy dish.

printable recipe

Halibut Provencale

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped

1 ½ cups chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt, divided

4 cups diced tomatoes with juice

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 (5-6 oz) halibut fillets

1 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or French herb blend

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450d.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.  Add fennel, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt; sauté 8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in diced tomatoes and juices; cook 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in fresh basil and parsley.

Spoon half of tomato mixture into a baking dish large enough to hold the fish fillets in a single layer.  Place fillets over tomato mixture.  Pour wine into dish; sprinkle fillets with ¼ teaspoon salt.  Spoon remaining tomato mixture over fillets.  Bake at 450d for 15 minutes.  While the fish bakes, combine the breadcrumbs, olives, herbes de Provence, 1 teaspoon oil, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.  When 15 minutes have elapsed, remove the fish from oven; preheat broiler.

Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the fillets.  Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned, watching closely so the topping doesn't burn.  Serve immediately.