PRE-THANKSGIVING TURKEY WITH RED LENTILS

November 7, 2014 · Edible DC

An autumn meal that’s hearty, healthy, packed with vitamins, protein, and fiber

by Giacomo Abrusci, special to Edible DC: @giacDC on Twitter

We’re heading into turkey season, so I picked up Ayrshire Farms frozen turkey wings from theArcadia Mobile Market the other day and made something so simple — and delicious. First, I partially defrosted my turkey wings in a warm water bath then threw them in a stock pot with some chopped carrots, celery, ginger, onions, a habanero pepper, some dried oregano from my garden, and salt. I filled the pot with water then left it to simmer over medium heat for two or three hours while I was doing chores, drinking wine, and checking my Facebook. When the meat was falling off the bone, I strained out the broth, skimmed off any fat, removed the bones and skin and returned the liquid and meat to the stock pot. Reducing the heat to low, I then added a cup and a half of red lentils — add some more water* if the stock is getting low — and let that simmer for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. A little garnish and that’s it — fabulous for a blustery fall day!

* Editor’s note: we love this recipe and had some conversation about it over the Edible DC water cooler — our publisher Susan would add some white wine with the lentils, to add a bright punch of acidity, while our editor Kristen would add some red wine, for a warm earthy note. Either way, it’s all delicious!

pickled green tomatoes

In case your stressing about what to do with your end-of-season harvest: 1.) pick the last green tomatoes 2.) wash 3.) slice and salt 4.) stack 24 hours 5.) vinegar 24 hours 6.) drain and pack with hot pepper, garlic, and basil.

Save your pickle juice…

Well, not indefinitely but it’s you’ve ever stopped at one of the Kiwanis chicken stands on the way to Rehoboth you’d know exactly what I’m talking about.  Hands down my favorite BBQ chicken on the east coast.  Once, in 2006, it even managed to convert a vegetarian.  For $6 or $7 you get half a roasted bird, a couple pickles (bread and butter), chips and a bun.  Secret to the bird?  They brine/soak/marinate the whole chickens in left-over pickle juice over night before their salted, peppered, and slow roasted over the grill.  TRY THIS AT HOME. 

great 3 ingredient smoothies

(Image by Sarah Flotard)

These are some great 3 ingredient smoothies from buzzfeed!  http://www.buzzfeed.com/jessseinfeld/8-easy-3-ingredient-smoothies

minced pork and legume salad

This was a random creation I don't even know how to describe so you'll just have to read it.  All I have to say is a couple people were over and they went for seconds, thirds and FOURTHS.  So yummy and protein PACKED! Get one can of black beans, one of navy beans and two of chick peas, throw them in a pasta strainer and rinse really well.  Let that completely drain then throw it in a big bowl.  Next get a container of ground pork. Sautee it in a pan (if its super lean you might have to add some oil) with salt and pepper (more salt than you would normally think and probably double the black pepper you would normally use). Chop and mix it and when it's completely cooked throw it on top of the beans.  Drain out any fat from the pork pan then chop an onion, 2-3 jalapenos, some ginger, and 2 carrots.  Sautee that in the same pan.  When it's done add to the mix. Then in the same pan throw in two containers of quartered white mushrooms (or that quantity of your favorite mushrooms), about 1/2 a cup of vinegar, and some salt. Cook till they're all tender then throw in the mix. Then SUPER finely chop like 4-5 stalks of celery and throw that on top, raw. Last, toss one huge handful of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, juice from 2-3 limes, drizzle good quality olive oil and [preferably sea] salt over the top of everything and serve. 

The key is to cook everything separate and add everything as DRY as possible so its a very loose mixable protein and vegetable filled salad.

coconut curry cauliflower

Fantastic for a dreary winter day.  Sautee some green chili, an onion, chopped carrots, and chopped celery. Add a bit of salt or a tablespoon of fish sauce (your choice).  When that's all tender add a whole cauliflower, separated in pieces, two tablespoons of Jamaican curry powder, and a cup or so of water.  Stir then reduce the heat to medium, cover and let simmer.  Once the cauliflower is tender, add a can of coconut milk. If you want this more as a side, let that cook down to your preferred consistency OR if you'd like a chunky soup add another cup or two of water and bring to a boil (just recheck for salt).  Dress with thyme if you have it and enjoy!

quinoa cookies

Y'all know I love my quinoa and holy frijoles, these cookies are fantastic.  A coworker just brought me this gluten free and vegan delight. See her ingredients above then she said: 1.) 350 degrees 2.) milk + flax to sit then add oil + sugar + vanilla 3.) flours + spices (powders) 4.) flakes + apricots + almonds (chunks) 5.) bake for 10-12 minutes

summer shrimp and beans

Another great high protein low carb dish.  Brown some garlic (some hot pepper too if you like) then drop in your shelled and deveined shrimp. Cover and lower the heat.  When they're just about done, uncover and throw in a few ripe quartered tomatoes.  In the mean time drain and rinse a can of white cannellini beans, toss with some olive oil and sea salt.  When the shrimp are fully cooked, remove them from the pan, plate them with your beans, let the sauce reduce a bit more, drizzle the remainder of the sauce and serve.  Packs a ton more flavor than you think and such a healthy way to end your day.

low carb, high protein, nutrient rich stir-fry

Lately, when I leave the gym after work and don't have immediate happy hour or dinner plans, I try not to pig out on something that will ruin whatever I accomplished in my workout.  So, depending on what my fitness goals are I often times aim for low carb, high protein, nutrient rich meals.  If I'm in a rush an easy go-to meal you can put together in 15-20 minutes goes just like this:  In a large pan coated with olive oil  sautee garlic, onion and chili pepper then quickly brown a pack of ground pork or turkey.  Instead of plain salt I like to use a combination of fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice- but if you're concerned with gluten or are watching your sodium intake just sprinkle table salt sparingly and squeeze a lime or two.  Once that's almost fully cooked drop in a bag of frozen vegetables.  Pictured here was a bag of broccoli and some corn. Cover and let simmer till the vegetables are fully cooked. Last, push everything to the side of the pan and drop in an egg or two, let it almost fully cook and break it up to mix with the rest.  That's it. Plate and serve.  If you have some fresh cilantro and crushed peanuts add that otherwise dig right in- leftovers pack perfectly for lunch the next day.

easiest "stuffed" zucchini ever

This is so easy, you can prep it way in advance and it basically cooks itself.  Get your zucchini, wash and cut them in half.  Place them on an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet or baking pan, season with some olive oil, salt and pepper then spoon on your favorite Italian-style dip or tapanade.  A few spoons of pesto, an olive tapanade from Harris Teeter or even an artichoke bruschetta topping. Make your own or buy it already made.  Toss it in the oven at 275-300 for 15-20 minutes or until the zucchini are tender with your fork.  Serve warm or room temperature.  An awesome vegan, gluten & dairy free and light carb dish! 

tuna citrus salad

Possibly the most refreshing salad you'll ever have.  Prepare some lettuce in your bowl with chopped cucumber, half a peeled and sliced orange and half a peeled and sliced grapefruit.  Add a few bean sprouts or wheat grass and then lay a sliced seared tuna steak. For the dressing mix one part lemon juice one part orange juice, some olive oil, a sprinkle of garlic powder and salt and cracked pepper to taste.

For the tuna, season with salt and pepper and sear for 45seconds to a minute on each side in a hot pan drizzled with canola oil. Set aside so it cools a bit to room temperature, slice and serve.

A perfect summer lunch but look to this now- a February meal packed with lean protein with lots of fresh ingredients that will keeping you balanced and healthy.  Beach season is around the corner!

fried hot peppers and potatoes

I know I've written about this before but it's just so great.  Get some hot peppers, wash and cut them in half removing the stems (leave the seeds if you want it extra hot), drop them in an inch or two of hot frying oil and fry them till they're soft and start to crisp.  Remove them with a slotted spoon or fork, set them on some paper towels to let the remaining oil drain .  Now drop sliced potatoes into that same [now seasoned] hot oil, let them fry till they start to turn golden brown, mix with the hot peppers and you're done.  I will make an entire meal out of this dish but it's also a perfect side for almost anything.  Steaks, roasts, rotisserie chicken... I can't wait to have this with my turkey on Thanksgiving.

yellow rice and seafood.

Seafood and yellow rice- 25 minute total cheat recipe that 100% of the ingredients can be hiding in your freezer or cupboard.  Prep a standard yellow saffron rice, if you want even get the already seasoned dry rice, get your water to boil and just when you drop in the rice (for 4 people), throw in two cups of frozen chopped mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, onion), and 3-4 cups of cut frozen mixed seafood (scallops, shrimp, calamari), add butter or oil as directed on whatever rice  you choose, let that come to another full boil (covered), then shut off the heat and let that steam itself for 15-20 minutes.  If the rice is still watery, turn the heat back on and simmer uncovered for a few minutes and if it's to dry and slightly crunchy, simmer gently uncovered and add water 3/4 of a cup at a time till its perfect. Add some chopped parsley and you're DONE.

cavatelli with minced chicken, peppers, mushroom and tomato

This is a great pasta dish (pasta alternatives listed at the bottom) if you're looking for some lean protein and fresh vegetables.  Heat some olive oil and caramelize half an onion some garlic then add some hot pepper flakes.  To that, add two chopped green peppers, 4-5 diced plum tomatoes, a handful of chopped mushrooms and a pack of ground chicken  (I prefer to cut my own chicken breast in cubes then mince through a food processor-that way I know exactly whats in my ground meat).  Season with some salt and stir occasionally till the chicken is fully cooked and the peppers are tender.  Mix with cavatelli or your favorite pasta, add fresh parsley and your done!  If you're being anti-pasta for diet or gluten reasons try over brown rice, quinoa or even over a bed of fresh baby spinach. 

mixed seafood with kimchi

This is a variation of something I had in Korea over the summer.  Its a hearty, yummy dish and you can make it as spicy as you like.  In a large pan with a bit of canola oil, quickly sautee about a cup of chopped kimchi,  a tablespoon of crushed or chopped garlic, and a chili pepper or two.  Once that starts to cook and the garlic browns add two diced potatoes, a small can of crushed tomatoes (and that same can's worth of water), and let it gently simmer.  Season with a bit of fish sauce (if you don't have fish sauce you can substitute with soy sauce) and after the potatoes soften and the sauce reduces (15-20 minutes) add a bag of frozen mixed seafood (I usually get the squid/mussel/shrimp mix)- let that cook for about another 5 minutes then serve with some white rice, chopped scallions and chili paste on the side.  Goes great with edamame or pickled green beans for appetizer and a plain spinach salad on the side. Quick and easy way to bring some flavors of the Yellow Sea into your home. 

broccoli rabe and sausage

My mouth is watering just thinking about the bitter greens with the savory sweet sausage.  YUM! Wash your broccoli rabe (2-3 bunches), with a small knife trim the tips of the stems and slightly split them where they're thickest (just so they cook evenly). Then boil (or steam) with a touch of salt.  When they're tender drain and set aside. In a large pan or a wok, throw in 4-5 links of chopped sausage and garlic and simply cook that over medium to low heat till it's all golden brown.  Mix the sausage with the broccoli and VOILA, just drizzle a bit of raw olive oil over the top and serve with cracked red pepper. This can work as a side or a full meal on its own!

stuffed cherry tomatoes

Fantastic for appetizers and you can make them the night before. Wash a pint or two of cherry tomatoes, cut the tops off and with a small melon baller scoop out the inside.  You might need to ruin one or two till you figure out the trick.  Set the tomatoes aside and in a food processor make your own concoction of a chunky cheesy pesto.  If you need inspiration for a start, throw in some fresh basil (at least a fistful of leaves), one cup of parmiggiano, black pepper and half a cup of olive oil.  Start pulsing slowly and add ingredients a little at a time till you have an evenly distributed, loose but still tacky mixture you can spoon in the tomato cavity.  Taste your mixture as you go along till you get the combination you're really looking for and if you want to complicate this even more throw in some roasted peppers or balsamic vinegar. Spoon the mixture in your tomatoes and keep cool till your ready to serve.  I did these for my birthday this year and they made AWESOME garnish for bloody mary's the morning after.

boquerones, marinated white anchovies

don't cringe just cause you hear the word anchovy.  These taste nothing like what you're used to finding in a can and are honestly some of the most delicate and delicious savory snacks you may ever come across. Some of you may know these as boquerones and you'll find them at almost every tapas bar in Barcelona. Making them really isn't that difficult, just salting, cleaning and marinating the fish but at this point you can find them at Whole Foods, Dean & Deluca and a couple other specialty or international stores. Think of these to add to your spread next time you have people over for drinks and appetizers.

this stuffing may kill you...

 

...but it'll sure be a good time.  Little late for Thanksgiving recipes but this is what we did:  Bacon, sausage and salami, all chopped in bite size pieces and cooked to perfection, then add chopped asparagus (the thicker kind), and mix in enough eggs till they're "swimming."  Spoon this into your turkey and toss the bird in the oven. The mixture will expand in the cavity and will come out PERFECT (or don't bother with the bird and just make the world's unhealthiest omelet).

palm heart ceviche

Delicious recipe that anyone will love- but even better if you have vegans or or people with gluten issues coming over and you want to please everyone.  Get two cans of palm hearts*-  the ones labeled as tips and ends are fine (they're cheaper too) since you'll be chopping them into bite-sized pieces anyway.  Put them in a container with the juice of 4-6 limes (depending how juicy), one lemon cut in thin slices, two jalapeños, half a red onion very thinly sliced, and salt and pepper to taste.  Let this marinate in the fridge for at least an hour but you can do this well in advance.  Serve the palm heart/onion/jalapeño mixture chilled with only a bit of the marinade (don't let everything be swimming in juice), chopped fresh cilantro, a few wedges of avocado, and if you like with a 1/4 ear of boiled corn.  Any left over juices can get sopped-up with bread, added to a meat or fish marinade or used in a salad dressing.

*Costa Rica has great sustainable palm heart production so aim for that when shopping.