By Estella Tullgren | Photographed by Deb Peterson
It always seems that, after the holidays, I crave recipes that require less fuss and muss. I do love all the little details in planning special meals, but then I find myself turning to the recipes that are less labor intensive. February and March are cold months, so I love those one pot dishes: stews, chilis and soups. I would like to share some of my favorite vegetable dishes. The Mushroom Ratatouille is one of my favorites and I can honestly make a meal of it—just add some crusty bread. I loooove the Southwest Pork Tenderloin, and the Peach Chutney compliments the dish very well. Hope you will enjoy all these recipes.
SOUTHWEST PORK TENDERLOIN
WITH PEACH CHUTNEY AND CINNAMON COUSCOUS
Serves 4
I usually double the recipe for the Peach Chutney just because I love having a bite of chutney with each bite of pork! I think you will too. Depending on how spicy you like your food, you can kick this up a notch by adding more jalapeno to the chutney or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the seasoning for the pork medallions.
1 whole pork tenderloin (about a pound)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
Cut pork into medallions about 3/4 inch thick. Combine salt, pepper, cumin powder and chili powder, and rub over the medallions. Grill or broil, turning once, about 8-10 minutes.
PEACH CHUTNEY
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 minced garlic clove
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 16-ounce can peach slices, drained and cut into thirds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Lightly oil skillet and sauté pepper, garlic, onion and jalapeno for 2-3 minutes. Stir until the veggies are wilted. Stir in peach slices, brown sugar and vinegar. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let stand at room temp (up to 2 hours), or cover and refrigerate until serving, and then bring back to room temp.
CINNAMON COUSCOUS
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups couscous
Bring water, cinnamon, salt and butter to boil. Stir in couscous, cover and let rest until all water is absorbed—about 10 minutes. Serve 2-3 pork medallions with a portion of chutney and couscous.
SQUASH-VEGETABLE BAKE
Serves 4-6
My dear friend, Sue Judkins, always jokes around about only following recipes that use one bowl. This one fits the bill and is a recipe she shared with me as long as 20 years ago. We have it regularly at our house. Increase the amount of vegetables and use a larger baking dish for larger groups.
Layer the following in a greased casserole dish:
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 large red onion, cut into thin slices
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin rings
2 tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
slices of bacon—cut in half and lay on top of tomatoes
sliced Monterey Jack cheese
Butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer everything in above order except cheese. Bake until veggies are tender and bacon is done to your preference. Layer cheese in single layer on top of bacon and continue baking until cheese is melted—maybe another 5 minutes. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.
MUSHROOM RATATOUILLE
Serves 10-12
This recipe is a very hearty vegetable dish. It pairs well with chicken or pork.
2 medium green bell peppers, 1/4-inch thick slices
2 medium zucchini, 1/2-inch thick slices
1 pound small mushrooms, halved
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup canola oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Using a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil and sauté peppers, onion and garlic—about 5 minutes. Remove to large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat. Add zucchini, turning frequently and sauté for 10 minutes. Remove to same bowl. Add remaining oil to skillet and heat. Add mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Cut tomatoes into large pieces. Add to mushrooms along with sautéed veggies and spices. Stir gently to combine. Simmer covered for 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
APRICOT GLAZED CARROTS
Serves 6-8
This dish shows up frequently during special dinners—don’t overcook your carrots…better to be a little on the crunchy side rather than soft.
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal slices
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup apricot preserves|
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
fresh parsley for garnish
Cook carrots until tender—about 20 minutes. Drain. Melt butter and stir in apricot preserves until well blended. Add nutmeg, salt, orange zest and lemon juice. Toss carrots with mixture until well coated. Garnish with a little chopped parsley.
M! Feb/Mar 2012
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