Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Rut-busting recipes for freezer staples
I love the freezer, a totally unsexy but incredibly useful appliance. Mine is full of all kinds of treasures and foundations for so many meals: shrimp (preferably wild!); ground turkey; boneless, skinless chicken breasts; ice cream.
The freezer is a blessing (there are always dinner ingredients on hand) and a curse (the cooking ruts come fast and furious). And while I love a creative challenge, I sometimes find myself staring at bags of frozen broccoli at a total loss. If you, like me, are living this freezer-focused life — or if you’re just a hungry person looking for easy, affordable dishes — these five recipes are a great place to start.
Spicy skillet ground turkey and snap peas
Inspired by the bold and zesty flavors of a Thai larb, this easy skillet meal pairs nuggets of golden ground turkey with sugar snap peas and a mound of fresh herbs. The sauce, a combination of fish sauce, lime juice and red-pepper flakes, makes everything taste both bright and deep, while an optional sprinkling of chopped nuts adds richness and crunch. Serve over rice or rice noodles, or with flatbread.
By Melissa Clark Yield: 4 servings Total time: 35 minutes Ingredients:
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 lb ground turkey
• Salt, as needed
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes), more to taste
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (or coconut aminos or soy sauce), more to taste
• 1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup torn mint leaves, more for topping
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil, more for topping
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green parts saved for topping
• 1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 2 tbsp chopped roasted cashews or peanuts (optional)
Preparation:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and red onion slices to the skillet and cook until soft and deeply brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Crumble in the ground turkey and a pinch of salt, breaking up the meat. Cook until crisp and dark brown, about 8 minutes.
2. While the turkey is cooking, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, red-pepper flakes, torn mint leaves, cilantro and scallion whites and light green parts. Pour the sauce into the skillet and add the sugar snap peas. Toss until combined. Cover and let the snap peas steam until tender and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Taste and add more fish sauce, salt and lime juice as needed to make everything bright and savory. Stir in the chopped cashews or peanuts, if using. Top with more torn mint leaves, chopped cilantro and dark green scallion slices.
Broccoli-walnut pesto pasta
Pesto becomes more full-bodied with the addition of broccoli that’s blanched in the same pot as the pasta and fresher with the combination of mint and lemon. For a sauce that’s light and loose, use only the florets — not the stems. Raw walnuts have a welcome natural sweetness and nice crunch that complement the pesto, but you can leave them out or substitute sunflower seeds if you have a tree-nut allergy.
By Genevieve Ko Yield: 4 to 6 servings Total time: 25 minutes Ingredients:
• Kosher salt
• 4 cups broccoli florets (10 oz from 2 crowns)
• 1 lb cut pasta, such as medium shells
• 1 large garlic clove, smashed
• 2 packed cups fresh mint leaves (about 2 oz from one small bunch) • Black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced • Parmigiano-reggiano, for serving • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Preparation: 1.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1/4 cup salt, then add the broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer to a food processor; keep the water boiling.
2. Drop the pasta into the boiling
water and cook according to the package’s directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
3. Meanwhile, add the garlic to the broccoli and pulse, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add the mint, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth, then add the oil with the machine running.
4. Drain the pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pesto. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. If the mixture seems thick, fold in the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The mixture will thicken as it cools, so you want it to be saucy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Divide among serving dishes and top with lemon zest, then grate cheese over. Sprinkle with the walnuts, grind more black pepper on top, then drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Tip: The pasta with the pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Garnish with the lemon zest, cheese, walnuts, pepper and oil right before serving. Note that the pesto will oxidize after a day and darken into a khaki green. If packing for lunch, put the pasta in an airtight container and scatter the garnishes on top. If you want to keep the walnuts extra crunchy, you can keep them separate and sprinkling them on right before eating.
Sazón chicken breasts
This stovetop method of cooking chicken breasts in a sazón-heavy marinade produces juicy, fragrant, well-seasoned meat. It definitely stands up as a main course, but leftovers make for great additions to salads and tacos. The breasts benefit from an overnight marinade, which will make the meat juicier and more flavorful, but the dish can come together in 45 minutes if you’re short on time. This recipe also works great with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Because they’re often thinner and fattier, they may cook a little more quickly than breasts.
By Von Diaz Yield: 4 to 6 servings Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients:
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, from • 2 small oranges (preferably mandarin)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp homemade or storebought basic sazón seasoning
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb), trimmed of excess fat Preparation:
1. In a small food processor, combine the garlic, orange juice, olive oil, sazón, salt and pepper; pulse until it forms a creamy marinade. (Alternately, you can finely mince the garlic, then combine it with the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a fork.)
2. Pat the chicken breasts dry, then transfer them to a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade on top, close, shake,
then gently massage the seasoning into the meat. Let sit on the counter for at least 10 minutes. (Chicken can also be marinated overnight then set out to come to room temperature before cooking.)
3. Heat a large nonstick wok or deep skillet over medium-high. Add marinated chicken breasts, one by one, and pour over about half the marinade. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, flipping frequently with tongs and being careful not to let them get too dark too fast. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast, flipping often to ensure meat is cooked through. Thinner chicken breasts will take less time to cook, so monitor the color and texture of your meat as it cooks. Check doneness by pressing the center with your tongs. If the center is still squishy, continue to cook until meat has a bit of resistance (though not rock hard), and registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.
4. Let rest in the pan off-heat for a few minutes. Serve, pouring over any remaining pan juices if desired.
Coconut rice with shrimp and corn
This summery, one-pot dish has everything you need: fresh shrimp nestled in creamy coconut rice, with pops of summer corn and basil. Lime cuts through the richness and adds some bright tartness. To easily shave corn kernels off the cob, lay your cob flat on your cutting board. With a chef’s knife, lob off one side. Rotate the cob so that the flat side is on the cutting board and repeat, running around all four sides. Frozen wild shrimp is an excellent weeknight staple, as it thaws and cooks quickly. You can always keep it on hand and thaw just as much as you need, which ensures optimal freshness.
By Samantha Seneviratne Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 45 minutes Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely
chopped
• 2 tbsp peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
• 1 (14-oz) can full-fat coconut milk • 1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh (from 2 cobs) or frozen
• 1 lime, zested, then sliced into wedges
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
Preparation:
1. In a large, heavy pot, heat coconut oil over medium. Add the onion, ginger and jalapeño and season with the 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the rice and sauté for another minute. Then stir in the coconut milk and 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer but avoid scorching.
3. Stir in the shrimp and corn, cover again, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (Add more water by 1/2 cups throughout cooking as needed if the water has been absorbed, but the rice is still too firm.)
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime zest and basil; season to taste with salt. Serve immediately with lime wedges and topped with more basil.
Miso-mustard salmon
In this single-skillet recipe, miso and Dijon mustard create a one-two punch of salty and spicy to balance the sweetness of salmon and cabbage. Slather the mighty combination on the salmon fillets, sprinkle with sesame seeds for crunch, then roast on top of caramelized, crisp-tender cabbage. Serve with
steamed rice or sweet potatoes if you like, then use the remaining sauce to drizzle over everything. The thinned miso mustard is also great to have around as a salad dressing for crisp lettuces, or a sauce for roasted vegetables or tofu. It will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
By Ali Slagle
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup white miso
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Sriracha or sambal oelek (optional)
• 4 (6-oz) skin-on or skinless salmon fillets
• Salt
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (any color) • 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 lb green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces, leaves separated
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the miso, mustard and Sriracha (if using). Season the salmon all over lightly with salt, then set on a plate, skin side down. Coat the tops with about 2 tablespoons of the miso-mustard mixture (reserve the rest), then cover with the sesame seeds; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large, ovensafe skillet over medium-high. Add the cabbage and cook, undisturbed, until charred underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt, stir, then spread into an even layer.
3. Add the salmon on top of the cabbage, skin side down. Roast until the salmon is cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. (The salmon is done when a knife slides through it easily and the fish flakes, or when an instantread thermometer reaches 120 degrees.)
4. Meanwhile, thin the remaining miso-mustard mixture with about 2 tablespoons of water until pourable. Serve the salmon and cabbage with a drizzle of the miso-mustard dressing.