Celebrity recipes:
Aunt Didi’s Carne Guisada
Adapted from Eva Longoria’s “Eva’s Kitchen.” The classic Tex-Mex stew is rich and delicious without the hours of simmering that most stews require. Serve with Mexican rice, refried beans and warm tortillas to soak up every drop of the flavorful sauce. For a thicker gravy, see the VARIATION below. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds beef sirloin, trimmed of all visible fat, then cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium white onion, cut in half, then into thin slices
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into slices
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
1 cup water
Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet (preferably larger than 12 inches), or wok over medium heat until the oil shimmers; swirl to evenly coat. Add the meat and cook for about 6 minutes, turning the pieces as needed, until the meat is browned in spots but still a little red in the middle.
Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper, stirring to combine, then stir in the cumin, salt, pepper, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low; cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Serve hot.
Variation: For a thicker gravy, after cooking use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving bowl. Combine 1 tablespoon flour with 1/4 cup water and stir until smooth. Whisk this slurry into the gravy and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Pour the gravy over the meat and vegetables, and serve.
Per serving: 510 calories, 49g protein, 9g carbohydrates, 29g fat, 11g saturated fat, 95mg cholesterol, 940mg sodium, 2g dietary fiber, 3g sugar
Savory Rice Bowl
Gwyneth Paltrow first had a version of this at a Japanese monastery during a silent retreat. She thought the retreat was an interesting experience but the savory rice bowl was the best part. She came home and re-created it. Adapted from “My Father’s Daughter.” Makes 4.
Ingredients
1 cup short-grain brown rice
6 cups water
Regular or low-sodium soy sauce, for serving
Toasted sesame oil, for serving
Sesame and seaweed rice condiment (available at Asian markets), for serving
Finely chopped scallions, for serving
Finely chopped kimchi, for serving
Finely shredded nori, for serving
Directions
Rinse the brown rice, if desired.
Combine the rice with 5 cups of water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low; stir, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Ideally, the rice should have a porridgelike consistency.
Uncover; if you still see a fair amount of liquid in the saucepan, cook for 15 to 30 minutes. Alternatively, if the rice seems dry, add as much of the remaining 1 cup of water as needed; cook for 15 to 30 minutes (on low or medium-low heat) to achieve a porridgelike consistency.
To serve, divide the rice among individual bowls. Top with dashes of the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, and with sprinkles of the sesame-seaweed condiment, scallions, kimchi and nori.
Per serving (with low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, kimchi and scallions): 210 calories, 4g protein, 41g carbohydrates, 5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 3g dietary fiber, 1g sugar
Brussels Sprouts Saute
Adapted from “If It Makes You Healthy,” by Sheryl Crow and Chuck White. For best results, use sprouts from the farmers market. With the addition of the cauliflower, Sheryl Crow say this is definitely a “feel good” dish. It takes about 40 minutes, start to finish. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
One-quarter head (about 7 1/2 ounces) cauliflower, separated into bite-size florets (1 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons canola oil, preferably expeller-pressed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
9 ounces Brussels sprouts (see headnote)
1/3 cup currants or raisins
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see NOTE)
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use nonstick cooking oil spray to lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
Place the cauliflower in a mixing bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the oil and with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to coat evenly. Spread the cauliflower on the baking sheet; roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned and softened.
Rinse the Brussels sprouts, then discard any discolored outer leaves. Detach enough remaining leaves to yield 2 cups.
Heat the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the Brussels sprout leaves, roasted cauliflower, currants or raisins and toasted pine nuts; cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in the wine, and cook for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat; add the butter and parsley, stirring until the butter melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl.
NOTE: Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium or medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the skillet often until the seeds are fragrant and have darkened. Let cool before using.
Per serving: 180 calories, 5g protein, 12g carbohydrates, 14g fat, 3g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 95mg sodium, 4g dietary fiber, 3g sugar
