Food Matters Part 11

Pot of chickpeas DESSERT.

Blueberry sorbet Thursday BREAKFAST.

Fruit salad

Whole grain toast LUNCH.

Hummus with Pita and Greens SNACK.

Peach smoothie DINNER.

Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce

Baby artichoke salad with Parmesan DESSERT.

No-bake raspberry tarts Friday BREAKFAST.

Fruit salad

Swiss-Style Muesli LUNCH.

Quick Vegetable Fried Grain SNACK.

Baked Pita Triangles with Hummus DINNER.

Herb-stuffed acorn squash

Baby spinach with hazelnuts and dried cranberries

White beans with olive oil and Med Mix DESSERT.

Plum sorbet

Coconut and Nut Chews Sat.u.r.day BREAKFAST.

More-Vegetable-Than-Egg Frittata

Hybrid Quick Bread LUNCH.

Chile Mixed Rice SNACK.

Baked Pita Triangles with white bean spread DINNER.

Savory Vegetable and Grain Torta

Endive salad with red and yellow peppers DESSERT.

Brown Rice Pudding with dried cherries Sunday BRUNCH.

Celery root and apple pancakes

Hybrid Quick Bread SNACK.

Crudites with Bagna Cauda Bagna Cauda DINNER.

Ca.s.soulet with Lots of Vegetables

Arugula salad with shaved Parmesan cheese DESSERT.

Apricot and cherry crisp

The Basics There are a number of basic recipes that no cook can really do without, but in the world of sane eating, a few of these are absolutely essential: You must be able to make a pot of beans, a bowl of cooked grains, a simple steamed vegetable, a salad. This chapter will show you how. If you're a beginning cook, these are true basics; if you're a veteran, there are some twists that might be new to you.

This chapter also includes salsas, drizzles, and spice blends, with enough variations so that you can change the flavor profile of just about anything you cook without much effort. Once you have your pantry set up, it's easy to create basic flavor combinations that can make even the simplest food-lettuce leaves, steamed broccoli, boiled grains, cut up (or grated) raw veggies-taste not only delicious but novel. Most of these can be made once and then used whenever you need them, weeks or even months later.

Beyond the staples are some building blocks that you'll use over and over: tomato sauce, in a few different guises, none of which take more than a half hour or so; the new cla.s.sic, roasted garlic, and the old standby, roasted peppers; stocks, long considered the backbone of fine cuisine and still useful in many contemporary dishes; a nearly whole-grain quick bread (45 minutes, start to finish, no kidding), and a revolutionary whole grain yeasted loaf that takes some time to ferment but almost no work and fits in perfectly with the Food Matters style of eating.

Boiled or Steamed Vegetables, As You Like 'Em

Makes: 4 servings .

Time: 10 to 30 minutes Time: 10 to 30 minutes

Preparing vegetables shouldn't be a big deal, and in the Food Matters kitchen, all stages of doneness have their place. This all-purpose recipe allows you to control their texture, no matter what type of vegetable you cook or how tender you want it.

Barely cooked vegetables are perfect for fresh-tasting salads, or if you want to reheat them in stir-fries or on the grill, where they'll soften up a bit more. Crisp-tender vegetables can be brought directly to the table or plunged into a bowl of ice water to capture their perfect texture; they can be reheated, too. Soft-cooked vegetables can provide instant pleasure, especially when pureed or mashed (I love them on a thick piece of whole wheat toast).

Two Technical Notes: To rig a steamer, fit a steaming basket in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and add water so that the basket sits above it. If you don't have a basket, use two ovenproof plates: put the first one facedown in the pot and the second faceup. Fill the pot with enough water to submerge the plate on the bottom; use the top plate to hold the food.

If you're cooking thick-stemmed greens like bok choy, kale, collards, or even broccoli, consider separating the stems from the leaves (or florets in the case of broccoli), and toss the stems into the pot a couple of minutes before the greens so everything reaches about the same degree of doneness.

SaltAbout 2 pounds of virtually any vegetable (including greens), peeled, stemmed, seeded, and/or chopped as neededFreshly squeezed lemon juice or olive oil, as you likeFreshly ground black pepperChopped fresh herbs or ground seasonings (optional)

1 Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it, or rig a steamer as described in the note. If you want to "shock" the vegetables to capture doneness at a precise moment, fill a large bowl (or a clean sink) with ice water. Try bending or breaking whatever it is you're planning to cook: the more pliable the pieces are, the more quickly they will become tender. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it, or rig a steamer as described in the note. If you want to "shock" the vegetables to capture doneness at a precise moment, fill a large bowl (or a clean sink) with ice water. Try bending or breaking whatever it is you're planning to cook: the more pliable the pieces are, the more quickly they will become tender.

2 When the water boils, add the vegetables to the pot or steamer. Check tender greens in less than a minute; root vegetables (which are usually best completely tender) will take 10 minutes or more. Everything else is somewhere in between. Every so often while the vegetables are cooking, use tongs to grab a piece out and test it. (With experience, you'll do this less frequently.) Remember that unless you shock them in ice water, the vegetables will continue to cook, and become more tender even when they're off the heat. When the water boils, add the vegetables to the pot or steamer. Check tender greens in less than a minute; root vegetables (which are usually best completely tender) will take 10 minutes or more. Everything else is somewhere in between. Every so often while the vegetables are cooking, use tongs to grab a piece out and test it. (With experience, you'll do this less frequently.) Remember that unless you shock them in ice water, the vegetables will continue to cook, and become more tender even when they're off the heat.

3 When the vegetables are cooked as you like them, drain and serve, drizzled with lemon juice, oil, b.u.t.ter, more salt and pepper, or whatever. Or plunge the drained vegetables immediately into the ice, drain again, and set aside to use later. When the vegetables are cooked as you like them, drain and serve, drizzled with lemon juice, oil, b.u.t.ter, more salt and pepper, or whatever. Or plunge the drained vegetables immediately into the ice, drain again, and set aside to use later.

Sauteed Vegetables: You can boil or steam the vegetables first, then saute them; or cook them, starting raw, directly in the oil. Put a film of olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When it's hot, add the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally and checking for doneness as described in Step 1. (The only difference is that you'll be fishing test pieces out of a skillet, not out of a pot of boiling water.) Precooked vegetables are ready as soon as they're rewarmed; tender greens will take 5 to 10 minutes; and cubed root vegetables up to half an hour. When they're ready, taste and adjust seasoning (add fresh herbs or spices and lemon juice if you want), stir, and serve hot or at room temperature. You can boil or steam the vegetables first, then saute them; or cook them, starting raw, directly in the oil. Put a film of olive oil in the bottom of a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When it's hot, add the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally and checking for doneness as described in Step 1. (The only difference is that you'll be fishing test pieces out of a skillet, not out of a pot of boiling water.) Precooked vegetables are ready as soon as they're rewarmed; tender greens will take 5 to 10 minutes; and cubed root vegetables up to half an hour. When they're ready, taste and adjust seasoning (add fresh herbs or spices and lemon juice if you want), stir, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Vegetables: Heat the oven to 425F. Put the vegetables, alone or in combination (even greens work here), in a large roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with at least 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and start roasting. Check tender vegetables in 10 minutes, st.u.r.dier ones in 15. Whenever you check, turn or stir as necessary to promote even cooking. Total time will be between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on the size and type of vegetable. When the vegetables are ready, taste and adjust seasoning (add fresh herbs or spices and lemon juice if you want), toss, and serve hot or at room temperature. Heat the oven to 425F. Put the vegetables, alone or in combination (even greens work here), in a large roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet and toss them with at least 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and start roasting. Check tender vegetables in 10 minutes, st.u.r.dier ones in 15. Whenever you check, turn or stir as necessary to promote even cooking. Total time will be between 15 and 45 minutes, depending on the size and type of vegetable. When the vegetables are ready, taste and adjust seasoning (add fresh herbs or spices and lemon juice if you want), toss, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Grilled or Broiled Vegetables: Even st.u.r.dy greens like radicchio and romaine work here; just quarter or halve them, leaving the root ends intact. Heat a broiler or grill and move the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Put the vegetables in a large bowl, toss them with at least 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the fire is hot, put them on the grill or in a pan under the broiler. Start checking tender vegetables in a minute or two; st.u.r.dier vegetables in 10. Turn and move them around as necessary to promote even cooking. Total time will be between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on the size and type of vegetable. When the vegetables are ready, sprinkle with more salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, herbs, or spices. Even st.u.r.dy greens like radicchio and romaine work here; just quarter or halve them, leaving the root ends intact. Heat a broiler or grill and move the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Put the vegetables in a large bowl, toss them with at least 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the fire is hot, put them on the grill or in a pan under the broiler. Start checking tender vegetables in a minute or two; st.u.r.dier vegetables in 10. Turn and move them around as necessary to promote even cooking. Total time will be between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on the size and type of vegetable. When the vegetables are ready, sprinkle with more salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon, herbs, or spices.

Nicely Dressed Salad Greens (or Anything Else)

Makes: 4 servings .

Time: 10 minutes Time: 10 minutes

All you need to make an excellent dressing are a flavorful oil, a little vinegar or lemon juice, some salt and pepper, and a bowl. Don't think of this as only a treatment for salad, it's also for sliced raw or grilled vegetables, plain cooked grains, beans, greens, or other veggies-or all of the above. The technique remains the same.