Category Archives: One Pot Meals

Cauliflower and Potatoes with Mustard Seeds

Nothing like starting the week with delicious and healthy cauliflower. If you follow my recipes- you know I make a lot of this cruciferous veggie and this one is especially easy and yummy….

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
10 to 12 curry leaves, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
1 cup cilantro, stems cut up and chopped and separated from the leaves
3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, chopped into 1 inch dice
1 cauliflower head, cut into small florets, about 1 inch
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat a large saucepan with the coconut oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Cook for 30 seconds on medium heat and add the onion, ginger and cilantro leaves. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook on medium heat, constantly stirring for 5 to 6 minutes or till golden brown. Add the cauliflower florets, turmeric, coriander powder, salt and cayenne pepper and sauté for another 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat down and cover for about 5 minutes or till the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked through. Turn heat down and check for seasonings. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

Shrimp and Mushroom Laksa

Popular in Singapore and Malaysia, this noodle dish is a labor of love. I have tried to make a bit easier but it is still a bit time consuming and requires quite a few ingredients- but it is so worth it. I would recommend this for a Sunday dinner!

1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned, deveined and shelled, shells reserved
1 medium yellow onion, cut in half
2 carrots, sliced in one inch pieces
Salt

In a large saucepan, add the reserved shells, onion, carrots and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer till reduced to about 5 cups, about 45 minutes. Strain and keep aside.

Marinate the shrimp in 1 to 2 teaspoons salt and keep aside.

Paste

2 large shallots, cut in quarters
3 green onions, trimmed and chopped
2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
¼ cup slivered almonds
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 large lemongrass stalks-bottom 7 inches only, outer layer removed, stalk cut into 1 inch length

Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
One 14 ½ ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 to 2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 pound Thai flat rice noodles, cooked according to package instructions
Juice of a lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 bunch Asian greens (I used yu choy, a leafy green), bok choy or spinach, about 4 cups

Heat a large saucepan with the peanut oil and add the puree and sauté on medium heat for 9 to 10 minutes, till the mixture is dark brown. Add the mushrooms and sauté another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the 5 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Add the honey, fish sauce, lime juice and soy sauce. Check for seasonings as the broth is simmering and add more soy, lime juice or honey as needed. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or till the shrimp are cooked but not over done.

Divide the noodles and greens in 4 to 6 bowls and top with the shrimp and hot broth. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Cauliflower Stew

Great winter stew with yummy cauliflower… delicious weeknight meal…

1 pound chicken thighs, cleaned and cut into bite sized pieces
Juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons salt

Add lemon juice, paprika, garlic, cilantro and salt in a blender. Blend till smooth. Take out and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Marinate for at least 2 to 3 hours.

1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower onto a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt. Mix well and roast for 30 to 40 minutes till the florets are golden brown but not over done. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
Salt
½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a medium saucepan and add the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomato sauce and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken and the marinade. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, bring to a boil and lower the heat and place the lid. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, till the chicken is cooked. Mix well and check for seasonings. Add salt and cilantro for garnish. Serve with a green salad.

Vegetable Lasagna

This is a great way to get some veggies into your kids. They may not notice all the greens while they enjoy the yummy noodles, cheese and sauce. Eliminate the pancetta if you want to keep it vegetarian. If not then it is great way to infuse some great flavor without adding a lot of meat.

9 to 12 lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup pancetta, chopped (eliminate if making vegetarian)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 10 ounces Shiitaki mushrooms, sliced
4 cups mixed greens (I used a combination of kale, green cabbage, red cabbage & Brussels sprouts), shredded
1 cup ricotta
2 garlic cloves, grated
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 cups fresh tomato sauce, preferable homemade

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the lasagna noodles until they are soft and pliable, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pasta and lay flat on a sheet tray to cool.

Add olive oil and pancetta to a large frying pan. Saute on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the greens and cook for another 5 minutes until they are wilted. Check for seasonings and turn heat off and let cool.

In a small bowl, add the ricotta, garlic, parsley, salt, egg, and ½ cup of cheese. Mix well and keep aside.

In the bottom of a 8 by 8 baking dish, add a half cup of sauce. Spread evenly. Arrange three to four noodles to completely cover the sauce. Spread ½ of the ricotta mixture over the pasta. Add ½ of the mushroom mixture and spread evenly. Repeat with noodles, sauce, ricotta and mixture. Finally add the last batch of noodles and cover with sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and all of mozzarella on top. Cover with foil. Place the lasagna on a baking sheet and bake in oven for an hour 15 minutes, removing the foil for the last 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Mushroom Pasta with Marsala Sauce

I’ll start off the New Year with a delicious mushroom pasta- my daughter loves, loves mushrooms- she sneaks away some as I am slicing them to prepare the dish… she loved this one…

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
10 ounces Cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken/mushroom or vegetable broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
½ pound farfalle, cooked al dente with ½ cup pasta water spared
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
½ cup parsley, chopped

Heat a large frying pan with butter and olive oil. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Cremini mushrooms and sauté on medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl. Add the Marsala wine and scrape off the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Take off heat and add the cream and mix well. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, cheese, mushrooms and parsley and cook over medium heat until pasta absorbs most of the liquid, about a minute or two. Adjust consistency with spare pasta water. Taste for seasonings and serve.

Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin- My Version

My take on Julia Child’s classic… try it…

2-3 pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skin removed
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup bacon, cut into a small dice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 (10 oz) packs of cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup cognac
2 cups red wine (pinot noir, zinfandel- any light red wine)
3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat a large Dutch oven with one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add the bacon bits and sauté on medium heat till the bits are golden brown. Take the bacon out and keep aside. Add the chicken pieces in two batches and brown on both side, sprinkling salt and pepper. Take the chicken pieces out and keep aside.
Reheat the pan and add one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat till they are golden brown- about 7 to 8 minutes. Take the mushrooms out and keep aside. Add the onions and garlic. Saute on medium high heat till the onions are soft and translucent- about 3-4 minutes. Add the fresh thyme and tomato paste. Saute for a minute and add the cognac. Scrape all the bits off the bottom and mix for 30 seconds and add the red wine and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil on high heat and add the chicken pieces. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cover with lid. Take out the two breast pieces after about 20 minutes and keep aside. Continue to cook the rest for another 30 minutes. Take out the chicken pieces with the breast pieces. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce to about 2½ cups. In the meantime add the flour and oil to a small bowl. Mix well and add to the simmering sauce, whisking it in to avoid lumps. Bring to a boil. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed. Add the mushrooms and chicken pieces. Top with the bacon bits and chopped parsley.
Serve on top of toasted baguette slices rubbed with fresh garlic. Serve with the same red wine you used for the sauce.

Roast Chicken with Orzo and Kale

This is a great, yummy, one pot meal to make through the week- doesn’t take very long but it tastes like you have spent hours cooking it!

5 to 6 chicken thighs with skin on
1 lemon, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons salt

Marinate the chicken thighs in an oven-proof pan with the lemon, dill, oregano, garlic and salt. Mix well with fingers and keep aside for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting. Preheat oven on 400 degrees. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the broiler on and broil the chicken pieces until they are golden brown. Take out of the oven and keep aside. It is okay if the chicken is not cooked through.

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups orzo
3 cups chicken broth plus more if necessary
5 ounces baby kale
Salt

Heat a saucepan with butter and oil. Add the orzo and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer and add the chicken pieces including the lemon pieces and let simmer for about ten minutes or till the pasta is cooked and the chicken is cooked through. Add the kale slowly till all is wilted. Add more broth if necessary. Take the lemon pieces out. Mix and check for seasonings. Serve warm.

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