Meals to make and save
Pork loin among recipe options to make, then store
Each January, we like to offer readers a week’s worth of opportunity to start the new year off eating right, and eating well. This time, there’s a bonus: Each meal can be made in advance, then refrigerated or frozen.
The dishes are excerpted
You Have It Made: from Delicious, Healthy, Do-Ahead Meals,
the new cookbook by The Washington Post’s Nourish columnist, Ellie Krieger. Because of their ease and flexibility of preparation, they qualify for the ranks of our Make It, Freeze It, Take It options, searchable online in The Post’s Recipe Finder. Try them all; the next time you want to give someone the gift of a homemade meal, you’ll find that any one of these can fill the bill.
As Ellie recommends in her book, you’ll need heavyduty aluminum foil, plastic wrap, freezer-safe zip-top bags and a permanent marker (for the all-important labeling of your make-ahead meals). Go forth, healthfully. Greek Mixed Greens Pie
With Phyllo Crust
8 servings
Reminiscent of spanakopita, the Greek spinach pie, this is a good and easy starter recipe for those who haven’t worked with phyllo dough.
MAKE AHEAD: The unbaked pie can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; add 10 minutes to the baking time. It can be chilled in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 3 months; reheat by placing it in the oven during the time it preheats to 375 degrees; once it reaches temperature, bake for 45 minutes. The baked pie can be cooled completely, then refrigerated for up to 4 days; reheat uncovered in the oven as it preheats to 350 degrees. Once it reaches temperature, bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Ingredients 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for the baking dish 6 thick/large scallions, white and light-green parts, trimmed and
chopped (1/2 cup) Three 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, kale and/or collard greens, defrosted and squeezed dry (preferably a
mix) 7 ounces (1 1/3 cups) crumbled
feta cheese 8 ounces (1 cup) low-fat cot
tage cheese 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh
dill 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper 18 sheets (about 8 ounces) phyllo dough, at a cool room tem
perature
Steps
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the scallions and cook, stirring, until they have softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl along with the greens, feta, cottage cheese, twothirds of the eggs, the dill, parsley, salt and pepper; stir until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Brush one 9-by-13-inch casserole dish (or two 8-inch square casserole dishes) with oil. As needed, cut the stack of phyllo sheets to fit the large dish if making one pie or in quarters to fit the small dishes if making two pies. Cover the phyllo with a damp paper towel and keep it covered as much as possible as you work.
Fit 1 sheet of phyllo in the baking dish; brush the dough lightly with some of the remaining oil. Continue to brush and layer until you have 8 sheets in the pan. Top with the mixed-greens filling (or half of it if you are making two pies), spreading the mixture evenly. Then brush and layer the top with the remaining 10 layers of phyllo, brushing with oil as before. If making 2 pies, repeat the process.
Brush the top lightly with the remaining egg, then score the top of the pie with a sharp knife (being careful not to cut all the way down to the filling) into 8 sections for the large pie or 4 sections each for the smaller pies. The dish may be frozen at this point.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the top is flaky and golden brown.
Nutrition | Per serving: 360 calories, 16 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 22 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar Cajun Shrimp in Foil Packets
8 servings
Open one of these packets and you’ll find a celebration of aroma, color and flavor: andouille sausage, Cajun/Creole seasoning, zucchini, corn and fresh bell peppers. Don’t be afraid to be bold with the spices.
MAKE AHEAD: The uncooked packets can be refrigerated for up to 1 day in advance or frozen in zip-top bags for up to 2 months; add 5 minutes to the baking time if refrigerated and about 25 minutes if frozen.
Ingredients 2 tablespoons salt-free Cajun or Creole seasoning blend
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper 2 1/4 pounds peeled and deveined large (26-30 count)
shrimp 2 cooked andouille sausage links (6 ounces total), cut into thin
rounds 1 pound (about 2 medium) zuc
chini, cut into thin rounds 2 large red bell peppers, seeded
and cut into thin strips 3 cups frozen/defrosted corn
kernels 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf pars
ley 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 1 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio 1/3 cup olive oil
Steps
Combine the Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl, then add the shrimp and toss to coat.
Lay out 8 large (10-by-18inch) pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a flat surface.
Divide the andouille sausage, zucchini, bell pep- pers and corn among the foil pieces, placing the vegetables in the center of each. Top each with shrimp (6 or 7); sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the basil. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons of the wine and about 2 teaspoons of the oil. Fold each piece of the foil to form a packet, sealing tightly and leaving a little room inside for air to circulate in the packet.
If baking right away, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Arrange the packets on one or two baking sheets; bake for about 13 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through and the vegetables are crisp-tender.
To serve, open the packets slowly, being careful to avoid the hot steam. Transfer the shrimp, vegetables and sauce that has accumulated to individual bowls or rimmed plates.
Nutrition | Per serving: 360 calories, 32 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 220 mg cholesterol, 440 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar
Jerk Pork Loin With Mango Cucumber
Salsa
6 servings
This jerk-marinated pork has lots of island flavor and just enough heat, which is offset by the cool, fruity salsa served alongside it. The makeahead idea here is that you can marinate the pork in the refrigerator for a couple of days or in the freezer for months, so all you need to do when you want it is defrost, if frozen, and pop it in the oven. Any leftover cooked meat also can be reheated or served at room temperature as part of a cold plate or in sandwiches.
You’ll need a thermometer for monitoring the meat, and a roasting pan with a rack.
MAKE AHEAD: The pork needs to be marinated in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. The cooked, sliced pork can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or wrapped well and frozen for up to 3 months; defrost in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours. The salsa can be refrigerated (without the cilantro) for up to 3 days in advance. Ingredients For the pork 1 small onion, coarsely
chopped 1/3 cup distilled
white vinegar
3 tablespoons canola or other neutrally flavored oil 8 cloves garlic, coarsely
chopped 1 medium jalapeno pepper, stemmed but not seeded, then
coarsely chopped 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon freshly grated
nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper One 2-pound boneless pork loin (not a tenderloin)
1 bay leaf
For the salsa 1 cup finely diced fresh mango 1 cup finely diced seedless
cucumber 3 tablespoons minced red onion 11/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more as needed 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more as
needed 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
leaves
Steps
For the pork: Combine the onion, vinegar, oil, garlic, jalapeño, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper in a food processor; puree until smooth.
Place the meat in a large (1gallon) zip-top bag. Add the marinade and bay leaf, toss to coat, and seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (and up to 2 days).
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drain the liquid from the zip-top bag, holding in any marinade solids but discarding the bay leaf. Transfer the pork to a rack seated in a roasting pan; rub the marinade solids all over the pork. Roast for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork registers 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (medium-rare), or for about 1 hour to register 160 degrees (medium).
Meanwhile, make the salsa: Combine the mango, cucumber, red onion, lime juice, the 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a medium bowl, stirring to incorporate. (At this point, the salsa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in advance.)
Just before serving, stir in the cilantro; taste, and add lime juice and/or salt, as needed. The yield is 2 to 2 1/4 cups.
Allow the roasted pork loin to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with the salsa.
Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful analysis.