Fish Stew

Posted on March 4, 2009 by kitchenbelle

m

“I would even bring this in for lunch tomorrow.” 

There it is, folks, in the words of my husband who 98% of the time prefers a plain old deli sandwich to leftovers for lunch.  That’s how much he (we) enjoyed this!

This stew has just about all of the positive qualities you would seek in a weeknight supper. 

  1. Really  easy
  2. Really quick (easy doesn’t always = quick)
  3. Really healthy
  4. Really low in calories (healthy doesn’t always = low cal)
  5. Really fresh
  6. Really delicious

(Wow–that is a lot of reallys. )

Also, I think what we really (uh-oh, there is another one) liked about this dish is that it strays from how we typically eat fish.  In the spirit of Lent I have had my eye out for some good fish recipes, and since we eat a fair amount of baked fish I wanted to try something a little different.  This recipe hit the mark.  It is flavorful, light, and has a pleasantly surprising kick to it. 

A couple of recipe notes: In our freezer I had some corn shaved from the cob that had  just been waiting for a purpose.  What a special touch of flavor and freshness it added to this meal!  If you happen to have some fresh corn (or other veggies for that matter–mushrooms or peas would work well) toss them in!  Secondly, I replaced the water (originally called for in the recipe) with chicken broth.  Though it adds a few more calories and a tad of sodium, in my opinion the flavor boost is definitely worth it.

I served this with grilled slices of bread for dipping.  Really YUM.

Fish Stew:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 large leek (or 2 celery stalks), chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1.5 cups corn
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1  14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, not drained
  • 2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
  • 1 pound white fish of your choice, cut into chunks (I used dover sole–any white fish would work well)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • cayenne pepper and kosher salt, to taste

Heat the oil in a dutch oven (I used my Le Creuset) over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft.  Add leek (or celery) and chili powder.  Cook until tender.

Stir in the worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes (with juice), 2 cups of broth and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add the corn and fish.  Cook for 3 minutes or until the fish is done.

Season with salt and cayenne until you’ve reached your desired flavor.  Stir in parsley.

Adapted from Easy Fish Stew from Cooking Light found here on Recipezaar.

Filed under: corn, fish, Main Dish, soup | 2 Comments »

Vegetarian Tortilla Pie

Posted on August 12, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 

I wanted to make something light yet satisfying for dinner.  When I came across this recipe, it beckoned.  My photo (above) does not do it justice.  Here it looks like a sad pancake, however in reality, it was very crisp and tasty!  It is so quick and easy–a perfect weeknight dish.  You could even use different types of beans or fillings to your liking.  Get creative! Give it a try!   

Some notes on the recipe: 

(1) I modified this recipe by using the below ingredients (plus four additional tortillas) to create two pies.  It worked out well and there was plenty of filling, however, if you’d prefer a single hardier pie, stick with the recipe as it is below.

(2) I added avocado, which was not listed in the original recipe, as I always like to include as many fresh items in a meal as possible.  I think doing so really boosts the flavor and satisfaction you get while eating the meal.  This worked out well.

(3) I don’t always enjoy the taste of cilantro.  I often find it to be too strong and prominant a flavor.   To me, it overpowers and sometimes masks the other flavors in a given dish.*  I recently learned that I am not alone in my dislike for the herb.  Did you know there is an entire website/club devoted to cilantro-haters!?  This is zealous group!  But I digress… The point is I wanted to include a fresh herb other than cilantro, so I used chives.  I love chives!  They are so neat and easy to rinse and chop.  And they provide a subtle fresh flavor.

(4) Using low fat cheese would make this a low fat meal.  It’s as simple as that.

(5) I used low carb wheat wraps in place of flour tortillas.  I actually enjoy the chewiness of them.  However, if I were to make this for guests I would likely use traditional flour or corn tortillas.

Vegetarian Tortilla Pie:

  • 1 jar of salsa
  • 1  8 oz. jar/can tomato sauce
  • 1  15 oz. can black beans
  • 1  15 oz. can corn
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup fresh chives, chopped
  • 4  ten inch tortillas
  • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick olive oil spray.  In a small bowl mix salsa and tomato sauce.  In another bowl, mix corn, black beans, avocado, and chopped chives.  Place one tortilla on the cookie sheet and spread 1/3 of the salsa mixture on it.  Then top with  1/3 of bean mixture and then 1/3 of the shredded cheese.  Layer like this twice more ending with a tortilla.  Bake the pie for 12 minutes, or when heated through and cheese has melted.  Let sit five minutes before cutting and serving.

*One exception, however, is my cousin’s famous guacamole.  When she told me she uses cilantro I was shocked.  Her guacamole is fresh and delicious and the cilantro flavor is by no means overpowering! 
 
 

Filed under: black beans, corn | 1 Comment »

Easy Vegetarian Chili

Posted on August 11, 2008 by kitchenbelle

 

Our diets have been lacking fiber lately and I wanted to do something about it. (If only ice cream and chocolate were high in fiber I’d be all set!)  What better way to quench a fiber drought than with a nice hardy bowl of chili!  This recipe is filling and delicious and contains very little fat.  I doubled the below recipe in order to fill a huge pot, so I will likely eat a bowl of it for lunch every day this week.  I love how it can be easily reheated in single servings and it gets even tastier as it sits in the fridge!

——————-

Note: I received a reader request for some gluten-free recipes.  I have some research to do on this subject, but in the meantime, I am almost sure this recipe is gluten-free.  I will update this post when I have additional information.

***Update:  This recipe is gluten free.***

——————-

Vegetarian Chili:

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic. minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1  28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1  15 oz. can kidney beans
  • 1  15 oz. can chickpeas
  • 1  15 oz. can black beans
  • 1  15 oz. can cannellini beans
  • 1  15 oz. can corn
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • a pinch of shredded Monteray Jack cheese for garnish

Rinse and drain beans in a colander.  Spray pot with cooking spray.  Saute onion, garlic, and pepper until soft.  Add remaining ingredients.  Bring mixture to a boil then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour.  Garnish individual servings with cheese.

Recipe adapted from Ellie Deaner’s wonderful cookbook “So Easy So Delicious” available for purchase here.

Filed under: cannellini beans, chickpeas, chili, corn, gluten free, Main Dish, tomato | 1 Comment »

« Previous Page