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THE LAND, JUNE 29, 2012
24 A
Real recipes for real people — and they’re even healthy Cookbook Corner By SARAH JOHNSON The Land Correspondent Wander through the cookbook aisle of a bookstore lately? It’s incredible how many cookbooks and diet books are being published these days. Some show you how to cook without carbs, fats, salt, gluten or sugar (sometimes without flavor, too). Others take you to exotic locales so you can see all the ingredients you can’t possibly find in your town. Some just promise eternal good health. So who do you trust? Surely not the blurbs that say “as seen on TV,” hmmm? Famous chefs are trustworthy, but can you cook their weird food? Do you really want to? My money is on folks who’ve been around a few years, learned what normal people like and don’t like, and are backed up by a whole lot of loyal readers. “The New American Heart Association Cookbook,” now in its fifth edition, fits that description to a T-bone. (Sorry.) It’s all about healthy, tasty food that anybody can prepare. It has sold 3 million copies over 35 years. ’Nuff said. With 600 recipes, including 150 new ones for the latest edition, there is no culinary obstacle you cannot overcome. My biggest obstacles tend to be in the area of inspiration, but with recipes like the ones following, you won’t have to wonder “what’s for dinner” anymore. ■ You don’t have to cook the rice separately for this next recipe; just add it during the last half hour of cooking time for perfect fluffiness. The dillweed is the secret ingredient that really makes the flavors pop. Slow-Cooker Dilled Chicken with Rice, Green Beans and Carrots 2 medium carrots 1 cup frozen green beans 1 medium rib of celery, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dillweed, crumbled 1/8 teaspoon cayenne or 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded
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The Johnson clan gives three out of four ‘yums’ to Tex-Mex Cucumber Salad 1 (10.75-ounce) can low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup (lowest sodium available) 1 cup water 2 cups uncooked instant brown rice In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, stir together the carrots, green beans, celery, onion, dillweed and pepper. Put the chicken on top. In a small bowl, whisk together the soup and water. Pour over the chicken. Cook, covered, on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the vegetables are tender. If using the low-heat setting, turn to high. Stir in the rice. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. ■ Poaching is my favorite method for cooking fish, because it doesn’t require any messy breading or scalding oil or even turning the oven on. Just season up some H20, plunk in your fish, and in a couple of minutes you have fish that’s perfectly cooked and flavorful with hardly any naughty things like fat or too much salt. Fish in Crazy Water even supplies an aromatic, vegetable-laden topping for your dining pleasure. Fish in Crazy Water 4 mild fish steaks or fillets, such as halibut (about 4 ounces each), rinsed and patted dry 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup white wine (regular or nonalcoholic) 1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth 1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped 2 Italian plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
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1 tablespoon capers, drained and crushed 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 medium garlic cloves, minced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley Sprinkle the fish with salt. In a large skillet, stir together the remaining ingredients except the parsley. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the fish, turning to coat. Increase the heat to medium high and return to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of fish, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the fish to plates. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the vegetables and capers over the fish. Sprinkle with the parsley. ■ I wanted to bring a unique topping to a run-ofthe-mill taco potluck, so I tried a batch of TexMex Cucumber Salad. The lime juice “cooks” the veggies a bit, making it similar to pico de gallo but with the fresh snap of cucumber. Three out of four “yums” from the Johnson gang; one of us won’t touch a cuke with a nuke. Tex-Mex Cucumber Salad 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced 1/3 cup picante sauce (lowest sodium available) 2 medium green onions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin preferred) 1 medium garlic clove, minced To seed cucumber easily, cut them in half lengthwise and run the tip of a teaspoon down the center. Put the ingredients in a small bowl, tossing to combine. Serve immediately for peak flavor. ■ Those gorgeous baby beets that’ll be springing up at farmer’s markets and supermarkets this summer are the perfect match for the sweet-and-sour syrupy goodness of Harvard Beets. Loaded with All the Beneficial Nutrients in the Universe (I exaggerate a tad), beets should be eaten often. Period. Harvard Beets 2 pounds fresh beets, stems trimmed to 1 to 2 inches, root ends left uncut, or 2 (15-ounce) cans nosalt-added beets, drained and diced Sauce: 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon salt If using fresh beets, put them in a large saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces the beets.
See COOKBOOK, pg. 25A