A Succession of Dinners

So this is not about one specific recipe or meal. Rather, it is a series of dinners that came into being because they were fast, hot, healthy, and yummy. Granted, most dinners should fall into that category, (and every dinner should fall into at least one of those, if it doesn't, stop eating immediately) but I'm going to lump a few of the most recent together into one post. I'm not sure what to call it. Most of the titles I can think of have already been taken by cookbooks or shows on the Food Network. So how about:

• Dinners I Can Make Between BBC World News America and Asia Business Report
• Dinners I Can Make and Trust Mum to Microwave Appropriately
• Dinners I Can Make from the Fridge and Lower Pantry Shelves Because the Cat is Hogging the Stool and I Can't Reach the Top Ones
• We Aren't Going Shopping Until Tomorrow, our Fridge is Empty, and I'm Starving
• It's June and I'm Still Wearing Legwarmers and Double Sweatpants
• NO REALLY IT'S STILL FREEZING AND IF I DON'T EAT SOMETHING HOT IN THE NEXT TWENTY MINUTES I WILL ACTUALLY DIE OF HYPOTHERMIA AND DEPRESSION COMBINED

Yeah, let's go with the last one. Has a nice ring to it, no?

The first to be featured can be called "Dinner for Mum Whilst Beetle is in Norfolk" and was concocted so that she would have something happy and warm to eat when I was away in the oh so dangerous South with it's oh so fickle airports (I will never forget, Delta lady at Terminal B10, I will never forget.) and also so that she wouldn't die of a protein and/or vitamin deficiency in 48 hours.

CARROT AND WHITE BEAN STEW OVER BROWN RICE

The basic idea for this dinner and the next one is that Mum loves brown rice. (Ok, granted, that's not a BIG REVEAL or anything because pretty much anyone who has an ounce of taste loves brown rice because brown rice is awesome and also, brilliantly, really really good for you. BUT. If I make a huge pot of it and then go away for a little while, it will be gone when I come back. And last I checked, the cats weren't fans. They eat vegan barbecue sauce. They eat potatoes. But they don't eat brown rice.) ANYWAY.

I figured if I made a big batch of brown rice, then made a series of yummy, healthy things that could be poured over said rice, it would be easy, microwaveable, and nice to eat whilst she watches her way through two seasons of the Israeli (and original) version of Homeland.

I'm not going to insult your intelligence, dear reader, by telling you how to make brown rice. Suffice it to say that you can start it any old time you like, let it boil, simmer, etc. And then just reheat it when you're ready. The hard part (at least for me, maybe you have more self control than I do) is when you are tasting it to see if it's done, and the "tasting" turns into "standing in front of the stove because it's warmer than anywhere else in the house, 'tasting' your way through an entire pot of brown rice because no one is there to judge you and no one will ever know."

Like I said, maybe you have more self control than I do.

Also Brown Rice keeps in the fridge for a good long time (and this is even by my borderline fascist germaphobe standards.) So you can make a large amount and then use it in whatever you're making for the next week.

For the Carrot Stew itself you will need

• 7 large carrots, peeled, and chopped
• 1 can white beans (keep the liquid) 
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• Olive oil

In a medium size pot, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add carrots, thyme, and vegetable broth and let that cook for about 15 minutes, until the carrots are tender but not totally done. Add the beans in their liquid, more thyme, and let it cook for about 10 minutes more, adding broth or water if needed. 

This is one of those than you can make whatever consistency you like. If you want a more cassoulet-type dish, then let the liquid go, and keep it pretty thick. (You can also put it in the oven and bake it for a bit if you want to go all out, that's a great way to heat it up too.) If you'd rather have it more stew-like, then keep adding liquid until the carrots are totally done. 

Beetle Note: I am a huge proponent, as you know, of using bean liquid. I think it adds to the flavour, and it's thicker than water. If it skeeves you out and you don't want to use it, no worries. As my Dad used to say: You're entitled to your opinion. It's wrong, but you're entitled. Just substitute more broth or water instead.  

 

When you're ready, dish out the rice and ladle the stew on top. It will soak in and be all amazing and squishy and warm and perfect.

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A DINNER THAT DOES NOT HAVE PICTURES TO ACCOMPANY IT

or

LEFTOVERS MADE INTO AWESOMENESS

I'm giving you a picture of the potatoes from before. 

This dinner was made with leftovers from the Inaugural Porch Supper and the Stew above. It happened because I stole all the carrots that were left so I could make myself Carrot Parsnip Soup (oh whatever it's not that gross I must just had a temporary beta carotene deficiency or something shut up) which left a large pot of white beans, onions, and thyme. Delicious? Yes. Complete Meal? Not exactly. 

What I did, dear reader, was throw in the leftover Purple Potatoes and a couple of veggie sausages. And voila! What was a slightly anemic and naked looking veggie stew became 

WHITE BEAN, POTATO, AND SAUSAGE SOUP I KNOW I'M A GENIUS. 

As I said, I don't have pictures. I couldn't find my camera and my stomach took precedence over photo documentation. Won't happen again. I promise. You'll have to trust me when I say it was thick, delicious, and Mum ate the entire thing.

In case any of you were unclear as to how I feel about potatoes. 

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BROCCOLI SOUP WITH TOFU OVER BROWN RICE

Still using the brown rice (see above re: leftover shelf life) and wanting to use a.) the broccoli that had to be cooked that night or thrown away and b.) tofu instead of beans for a change, all it took was a lovely walk behind the house to decide that this would be dinner on Tuesday night. 

I should explain that Mum only likes tofu in two situations. 

1. Soup. 

2. In a salad with tomatoes

It really is a Sisyphean task at times.

So one saucepan, one bunch of broccoli, 2 cups of vegetable broth, and half a package of tofu later . . . 

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THIS was dinner last night, a recipe I'd found on the beyond amazing Recipes for Health blog at the New York Times. It's a spinach soup but for a change, made with Middle Eastern spices instead of traditional European.

The serving suggestion was cold, perfect for summer. 

Let me tell you about that. 

Do you KNOW how cold it was on Friday? And do you know how HARD it was raining? It was RIDICULOUS. To go shopping and run errands, dear reader, I actually dug out my winter boots and my down parka. I put the hood up, you guys. I was in the produce section of Market Basket in a down parka on with the hood up in the first week in June. New England weather gods, what is it going to take???

We were living in a Gothic Novel, dear reader. Rural Massachusetts was doing its very best impression of the Yorkshire Moors. And as night fell I fully expected the Hound of the Baskervilles, Lady Dedlock, Heathcliff, AND Pip to come knocking at any moment. (For the record, all except Heathcliff would have been most welcome; he would have gotten punched in the face, obvs.) 

Long story short, we had it hot. And we are having it again tonight because it is EPICALLY DELICIOUS. 

PUREED SPINACH SOUP WITH MIDDLE EASTERN SPICES

BEETLE NOTES

It is much prettier when Martha Rose Shulman makes it, but that didn't mean I didn't inhale this and go back for seconds. I am totally in love with the taste of this. It's AMAZING. I am fully intending to use Middle Eastern spice combos for the rest of the summer. This one has Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Allspice (nicely played, MRS), and Cardamom. I had a lot of spinach, so I doubled the spices plus my usual random spice enhancement. They take to the spinach so well, and especially after you let the whole thing simmer for a while the broth takes on the taste too. 

LOOK at the spices that go into this thing! NO WONDER IT'S AMAZING.

I am sure this is delicious cold. If the weather ever decides to warm up, I fully plan on serving it that way. 

I had it with tofu, which absorbs everything and thus was a good choice. Mum had it with veggie sausage [see above re: feelings on tofu] and literally the entire dinner was just both of us going this is amazing, this is fantastic, omg you have to make this all the time, I want this for my birthday dinner, Mum shut up I can't hear the television I know it's good let's stop talking about it now etc. etc. etc. 

I also took out the celery because I despise celery. Ugh. Overpowering useless garnish, table of one? 

Tonight, dear reader, is Sunday, which is fish night, so it's going to be served over Smoked Trout. And I just KNOW that the sweet earthiness of this is going to go PERFECTLY with the salty richness of the trout. There might actually be sardines involved, too. As a matter of fact, the only thing standing between me and that dinner is the finishing of this post so . . .