This simple dish is a great main or side dish. Choose the vegetables you like but, keep in mind that the tougher vegetables will have to cook longer before finishing off with adding in the couscous. I use golden couscous for this recipe. Couscous cooks up like instant rice. Has a 1:1 liquid to product ratio and overall is healthier for you and lower in carbohydrates then rice. I prefer cooking my couscous in a stock - be it vegetable stock or chicken stock in this case. I first saw this quick recipe made by Chef Jacques Pepin. Chef Pepin used mushrooms with the onions which I had to swap out due to allergies. I hope you try this easy dish - its tasty and versatile! This is great served with my Baked Salmon. Enjoy! Diane
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon butter 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion (1/2 cup), diced. 1/2 cup zucchini, diced 1 Cup tomatoes, cubed or 1 Cup sliced cherry tomatoes 1 Cup chicken broth or stock, divided 2 Cups loose packed fresh spinach, washed 1 Cup Golden Couscous salt & pepper, to taste *optional sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan Directions: Place butter and olive oil in a small dutch oven. Add in diced onion and zucchini. Let these vegetables cook down a good 5-7 minutes (this is the only time the vegetables will have a chance to truly cook down so, before proceeding on, make sure any vegetables you've added into this mixture are cooked.) Next add in your fresh spinach and cut tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of your broth or stock. Let this cook 3-4 minutes at a simmer. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in your couscous. Add in the remaining stock and bring to a boil, turn off heat Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork once your time is up and serve sprinkled with some grated Parmesan. Recipe adapted from: Jacques Pepin
0 Comments
Vegetable Lo Mein
Ingredients: 10 oz Lo Mein Noodles 1/2 head cabbage, shredded 1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips 1 large onion, cut into strips 3 large carrots, sliced 1-2 cups snow peas olive oil *to lightly coat cooked noodles and for wok. Sauce: (make triple this amount *to taste) 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or more, to taste) 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (or more or less, to taste) 1/2 teaspoon Red Hot Chili Oil (more or less, to taste Directions: Cook lo mein noodles, drain, drizzle with a touch of oil (set aside). In large non stick wok or pan, I placed half a head of shredded cabbage, one large red bell pepper, one large onion, 3 large carrots, 1-2 cups snow peas, stir fry on high in a light amount of oil, until cabbage has wilted. Make sauce (I triple the amount of sauce, 1/3 goes in with veggies, 1/3 gets tossed with noodles and 1/3 used if needed near end)... once all veggies are wilted, add noodles back in and stir to combine, serve hot. Recipe & Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home Why not save your Thanksgiving turkey carcass and make wonderful soup and stock? I had a nice 16 pound turkey carcass to place into my 6 Quart Slow Cooker, and rendered 5 pints of turkey & vegetable soup and 2 pints of turkey stock. I canned mine all in one 'canner load' - 7 wide mouth pints. Turned out amazing - I will post stock recipe too... Enjoy - Diane Turkey & Vegetable Soup *Pressure Canned Ingredients: 16 cups turkey stock* (see my stock recipe for slow cooker) 3 cups diced turkey 1-1/2 cups diced celery (about 2 stalks) 1-1/2 cups sliced carrots (about 3 medium) 1 cup diced onion (about 1 medium) Salt, optional Pepper, optional 4 (32 oz) quart or 8 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands HALF RECIPE: 8 cups turkey stock* 1-1/2 cups diced turkey 3/4 cup diced celery (about 1 stalk) 3/4 cup sliced carrots (about 2 medium) 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 medium) Salt, optional Pepper, optional 2 (32 oz) quart or 4 (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands Directions: COMBINE turkey stock, turkey, celery, carrots and onion in a large stockpot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. LADLE turkey and veggies into each jar until approx 1/2 to 3/4 full - you need to even out and eye the jars to split turkey and veggies between them all, finish by ladling stock from soup into hot jars leaving 1 inch head-space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims with vinegar. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight. PROCESS filled jars in a Pressure Canner at 11 pounds pressure 1 hour and 15 minutes for pints and 1 hour and 30 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. wash jars and store without rings in cool, dark place. Recipe By: Ball Blue Book of Preserving/ Chicken Soup Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home **remember to bring to a good boil for 10 mins before consumption, taste for any additional spices needed and add any noodles or rice at this time, since those cannot be canned Diane |