The most difficult thing about these simple, wholesome, economical one-pot recipes is deciding which one to make first. grab a pan; it’s stew season.
ONE-POT TIPS
– Meat stews taste better the day after they’re made. Refrigerate, then reheat. Fish stews are better eaten as soon as they’re ready.
– There’s no shame in using canned beans in stews, but dried beans that you’ve soaked overnight and par-cooked generally have a more homemade (and therefore better) texture.
– Do not over-salt or over-season your stews. The liquid in most one-pot meals reduces during cooking, which intensifies flavors and concentrates saltiness and spiciness. Taste frequently.
– Count non-edibles like bay leaves and herb stalks as they go in, so you can fish them out later.
– One-dish dinners are even better served in warmed bowls. Stick them in a 200-degree oven for a few minutes before serving; just be sure to warn your tablemates that the dishes are hot.
Savory White Bean Bake
Recipe by Tucker Shaw. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium parsnips, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 small onion, diced
8 new yellow potatoes, cut into eighths
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
2 tablespoons herbs de Provence
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon toasted fennel seeds
1 teaspoon dried mustard
Salt and pepper
2 cans (about 14 ounces each) cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan (optional)
Parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. In deep oven-proof skillet over medium heat, cook fennel, carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, potatoes and garlic in oil, stirring to coat. Add herbs, bay leaf, fennel seeds, mustard, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in beans and stock. Transfer skillet to oven and bake, uncovered, until carrots are soft, about 20 minutes. Check halfway through, adding another 1/4 cup of stock if necessary.
Remove skillet from oven and turn on broiler. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Taste beans and adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir together bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and sprinkle over beans. Place skillet under broiler and broil until browned, about 4 minutes. Snip parsley leaves over the top.
Irish Stew
Recipe by Tucker Shaw. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
2 1/4 pounds lamb shoulder, cubed
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 medium onion, sliced thick
2 large carrots, in chunks
2 medium russet potatoes, in chunks
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs parsley
1 cup white table wine
1 1/2 cup broth or water
Parsley leaves and lemon zest for garnish
Directions
Heat oven to 275. Season lamb cubes with salt. Place all ingredients except garnishes in large oven-safe covered pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover and place in oven. Cook 2-3 hours, or until lamb is tender. Add more water if necessary during cooking. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest.
Brazilian Fish Stew
From . Serves 8.
Ingredients
8 pieces (about 6 ounces each) skinless hake or Pacific cod fillet ( 1/2to 1 1/4 inches thick)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped bottled malagueta peppers or 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound jumbo shrimp in shell (16 to 20 per pound)
1 1/2 pound tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
2 yellow plantains, peeled and each cut diagonally into 8 pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Pat fish fillets dry and put in a bowl. Stir together lime juice, peppers, 1 tablespoon garlic, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, then pour over fish and toss to combine. Marinate, cover and chill 30 minutes. Add shrimp and chill at least 30 minutes but no longer than 1 1/2 hours more.
Put tomatoes in bottom of a wide 5- to 6-quart heavy pot. Top with onion and remaining tablespoon garlic, then sprinkle with bell peppers. Place plantains on top of vegetables. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Arrange fish in 1 layer on top of plantain. Sprinkle cilantro and parsley over fish, then arrange shrimp in 1 layer over herbs, reserving marinade. Pour oil and marinade evenly over mixture in pot.
Bring to a simmer, then cover pot. Adjust heat to gently simmer until vegetables are softened and have released liquid and fish is just cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Sausages with Salami and Lentils
From “The Kitchen Diaries,” by Nigel Slater. Serves 2 with seconds.
Ingredients
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
1 small salami (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed
3 bay leaves
1 1/4 cup crushed tomato
4-6 fresh hot or sweet Italian sausages
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
Directions
Peel the onions and cut each one in half from tip to root, then cut each half into 4 or 5 pieces. Warm the oil in a heavy-based casserole, add the onions and let them cook over a moderate heat until tender. Peel the garlic, slice it thinly and add it to the onions. Stir regularly.
Peel the thin skin from the salami, then cut the salami into fat matchsticks. Add this to the softening onions and leave for a couple of minutes, during which time the salami will darken slightly.
Start cooking the sausages in a nonstick pan. You want them to color on the outside — they will do most of their cooking once they are in the sauce. Tip the crushed tomato into the onions, add the washed lentils and stir in 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Remove the sausages from their pan and tuck them into the casserole with the bay leaves. Cover the pot and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Stir mustard into pot and season with black pepper.
