Savoir freeze - vegetarian convenience cookery; includes recipes

Vegetarian Times, Nov, 1995 by Steven Petusevsky

Picture this: You've had a hard day of work, you're tired and it's finally time to go home. Unfortunately, you've still got to prepare dinner.

As the chef of a busy restaurant, I know how hard it can be to get something quick and healthful on the table - especially when you're exhausted. Sometimes feeding my own kids is more challenging than running a 300-seat restaurant that serves 1,000 meals a day.

What do I do when my family stares hungrily at me from the dinner table? I simply pull portions of make-ahead casseroles and skillet dishes from the freezer and reheat them. Frozen portions also are a convenient way to take lunch to the office, provided a microwave, oven or stove is available.

Lasagna is the mother of all frozen convenience foods, but when served too often it loses its appeal. There are many wonderful casserole and one-skillet dishes that are simple to prepare, offer variety and great flavor, and best of all, stand up well to freezing and reheating.

The following selection of casseroles and skillet dishes reflects a diversity of bold, ethnic and regional flavors. They also take advantage of winter's many varieties of root vegetables, hearty produce (such as cabbage and eggplant) and several kinds of hard squash that all freeze well.

Remember that when you prepare the ingredients that will make up your casserole or skillet dish, several rules apply to protect the flavor and texture of your future dinner.

* Pasta, whole grains, legumes and vegetables should all be slightly undercooked to compensate for the freezing and reheating processes.

* The intensity of seasonings can change during freezing, so season lightly as you can always adjust the flavor during reheating.

* Fats react poorly to the freezing process so use them sparingly. Dairy-based fats can congeal, leaving an unappetizing appearance after thawing, and oil can cause the dish to look cloudy.

* Dishes heat best without drying out when they contain some sauce or liquid.

I always use microwave-safe or aluminium ovenproof containers for freezing. Pack your containers nearly full to prevent ice crystals from forming, but allow some space at the top of the container for expansion. Always freeze as quickly as possible. You may want to lower the temperature of the freezer when you know that you're going to cook for the week ahead. Use a tight-fitting lid or wrap first with plastic, then cover with foil.

Unless the "Chef's Surprise" is on your menu that evening, take the time to label all of your work. I suggest freezing your casserole and skillet dish portions for no more than three months. After all, how can you wait any longer to consume all that wonderful food you have spent the weekend cooking?

Tandoori-Style

Chickpeas

Snow-white steamed cauliflower tops this colorful stew that is scented with the aromatic spices of India.

2 tsp. canola oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup chopped red pepper 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. minced ginger 1 Tbs. curry powder 16-oz. can low-sodium stewed tomatoes 16-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed 3/4 cup water or tomato juice 1/2 of a 10-oz. box frozen spinach, thawed 2 cups chopped cauliflower 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

30

MINUTES

OR LESS

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add onion, peppers, garlic and ginger; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add curry powder; saute 3 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes and chickpeas; bring to a boil, stirring. Add water slowly and spinach, stirring. Place cauliflower on top of stew. Cover; simmer 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender. Season with salt and cayenne. Makes 6 servings. PER SERVING: 160 CAL.; 7G PROT.; 3G FAT; 30G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 543MG SOD.; 8G FIBER. VEGAN

Barley, Shiitake

and Spinach Pilaf

In this warming and filling dish, substitute other mushroom varieties (such as brown and portobello) for the shiitakes if you wish.

1 cup pearled barley 3 cups water or vegetable stock 1 Tbs. canola oil 2 Tbs. dark sesame oil 1 cup diced onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, sliced (see glossary) 8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced 2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves 1 Tbs. sesame seeds 1 Tbs. low-sodium tamari (see glossary) 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Add barley and water to medium saucepan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat 1 hour, or until tender.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add oils; saute onions, stirring occasionally, until brown, 5 to 7 minutes. (Add a sprinkling of water to prevent sticking if necessary.) Add garlic, and shiitake and white mushrooms; saute 3 minutes more. Add spinach, barley and sesame seeds; saute 3 to 5 minutes, or until barley is heated through and spinach is wilted. Season with tamari and cayenne pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Variation: Add 8 oz. diced firm tofu after adding mushrooms. PER SERVING: 240 CAL.; 10G PROT.; 4G FAT; 44G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 815MG SOD.; 11G FIBER. VEGAN

Eggplant Manicotti

Extra ricotta filling from this easy recipe makes a great sandwich spread and pasta sauce.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves 1 cup loosely packed parsley 1/2 cup loosely packed spinach 1 Tbs. lightly toasted pine nuts (see glossary) 1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese 2 cloves garlic 1/4 tsp. black pepper