Food Maker, Chef, and Traveling Diner
My sister always says that I make really good salads and I always shrug my shoulders and say, “Whatever! It’s just a salad.” But sometimes a really good salad is hard to come by. Some are just too traditional, others just run of the mill—lacking …
This pasta was inspired by the Greek dish Spanakopita. Spanakopita is a phyllo dough pastry that has spinach and feta cheese in it. I love the flavors of this dish; it has herbs with a crunchy texture from the crisp phyllo. I didn’t …
Something about the versatility of polenta makes for crossing cultures and pops up in my dishes all the time. I love polenta. Its creamy nature of substantial delicious flavor always speaks to me, plus it’s very simple. This polenta was just hanging out in my pantry and one afternoon, I found it and decided that savory polenta pie sounded like a good idea for dinner with the family. You can do this with any base: vegetarian chile recipes, tamale pies, meaty cheesy Tex-Mex ideas, etc. It all works. Put it in a simple casserole dish, then cover it with polenta, and broil; it makes for a delicious substitute for pasta or rice. In this polenta pie, I used a combination of flavors that would satisfy for a meal that could be made ahead of time and then just heated up when needed. I hope you think about using polenta in one of your next meals.
Polenta Pie with Ground Beef, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach and Red beans
1 lb ground beef (or omit for vegetarian option and add extra vegetables)
2 large sweet potatoes, diced small
2 stalks celery, minced
½ large onion, minced
1 cup frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned
1 can unsalted red beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups vegetables broth or beef broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ large can diced tomatoes
1 tube polenta, cut into slices
½ cup parmesan cheese
Optional garnish (arugula on top for freshness)
In a large skillet, place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add onion, sweet potatoes and celery and sauté for about 5-8 minutes.
Add the ground beef to the pot and cook till meat has become completely browned, about 7-10 minutes. If there is excess grease in the pot, drain it over the sink carefully.
Add tomatoes and spinach, then cook 5 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes and broth and simmer for 20-25 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. At the last 10 minutes, add rinsed and drained red beans.
Once the sweet potatoes are soft and you’ve tasted for seasoning adjustments, place mixture in a 9×9 baking pan and cover the top of the mixture with the slices of polenta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and broil in the broiler for about 5-7 minutes till warmed and cheese is melted. This may be longer or shorter depending on your broiler power. If you don’t have a broiler, then use the oven at 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.
Scoop and enjoy
I love food. It’s something that always makes me happy, challenges me, enlightens my senses, creates a sense of joy, and never ceases to carry my interest for more. And as you can see, I’m happily immersed in it most of the time. Lately, my …
A delicious grocery and dining establishment, Follow Your Heart adorns the streets of Canoga Park on Sherman Way. Amongst the dollar stores, small antiques marts and other dining establishments is a valley landmark for Vegans and Vegetarians alike. A store unlike many, it’s a one-stop …
On New Year’s Eve, as young girl I would sit in front of the T.V. and watch Japanese television. I didn’t know what the heck was going on, but every year since I can remember when I was little, we watched this same show. I was in a dark house with beige pull-up blinds, curtains much older than I and avocado-colored carpet. The house always smelled of something sweet and something salty, with the freshness of amazing produce from the hands of a woman who couldn’t pick a bad piece of fruit or vegetable from the market if she tried, my Bachan (Grandma in Japanese).
Bachan would prepare something very simple to bring in the New Year and I’d sit with a hot cup of green tea and a steaming bowl of Soba in a simply flavored broth with spinach and kamaboko (pressed fish cake) and slurp up the New Year in style. At midnight we would say, “Happy New Year!” and within minutes, the phone would ring and my parents would be on the other line saying, “Happy New Year!” and telling me that they would see me in the afternoon for Oshogatsu (the New Year’s Celebration) and Osechi-ryori, which are traditional Japanese dishes for good luck in the new year. We would finish our soup and then make our way to bed knowing this year was already starting off on the right foot.
Year end soba is almost written into the rest of my life. It’s something I must eat at 12:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day and something I just can’t miss out on and need to feel right (AKA I’m addicted). I love these traditions and I hope to keep them the rest of my life.
Toshikoshi Soba
1 package (House Brand) Oden Soup Mix to 5 cups water (easy)
OR
4 cups homemade dashi (made from Kombu and/or Bonito flakes)
If you want to make dashi this recipe is very helpful. I use the same technique in making my dashi at home.
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon white sugar
8 slices red and white Kamaboko (Yamasa Brand)
1 cup spinach with stems, washed thoroughly
2 ½ bundles of Soba Noodles (Japanese Buckwheat noodles)
Green onion, minced
Place dashi in large pot.
Stir in soy sauce, mirin and white sugar bring to a simmer.
Add spinach to broth and stir until wilted.
Cook noodles according to the package directions, draining one minute earlier than stated on packaging.
When the broth comes to a boil, place cooked soba noodles in pot with broth, and finish cooking for 1 minute.
Ladle hot noodles and broth into bowls for serving and top with kamaboko and green onion. Enjoy!
Happy New Year!
Cheers
-Unrivaledkitch
Lets just make this quick and dirty. well not too dirty I made these with the absolute intention of making space in the fridge. I used to make “Fuji wraps” which is what my co workers would ask me for when Italian wasn’t cutting it …