Turkey with White Beans in Tomato Sauce

This is one-pot type of meal I made at least once a week when my kids were young. It is easy to prepare and makes a great winter lunch or dinner. I would whip up large batches and when the kids came home with friends I served it over hot rice. Very occasionally when there was some leftover I did freeze it; it freezes well and is just as delicious defrosted; and could be quickly reheated in the microwave. The short cooking time leaves the turkey pieces chunky and not stringy. The white beans I used were frozen [pre-cooked] but you can use canned or make your own from scratch.

[Preparation time: 10 min + cooking time approximately 30-45 minutes]

Servings: 4 portions – easily doubled or tripled

Ingredients:                                                 

·       250 grams turkey breast (cubed)

·       1½ cups white (cannoli) beans – frozen or canned [pre-cooked]

·        1½ cups canned crushed tomatoes

·        ~1 Tablespoon sugar (optional-depends on the taste of the sauce)

·        2-3 Tablespoons Canola oil

·        1 small or medium onion – diced

·        4-5 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)

·        1 Tablespoon paprika

·        ¼ teaspoon of hot paprika [optional]

·       1½ to 2 cups of water

·       Salt and pepper to taste

Main raw ingredients:
Canned Crushed Tomatoes (top right), White Cannoli Beans (top left),
(bottom) Onion, Garlic, Turkey Breast

Ingredients Prepared for Cooking:
Canned Crushed Tomatoes (top right), White Cannoli Beans (top left),
(left side - kosher salt, paprika, coarsely ground black pepper)
(bottom) Diced Onion, Chopped Garlic, Cubed Turkey Breast

Preparation:

·       In a medium sized pot add the oil, onion and garlic – Mix

·      Cook until the onion is soft – be careful not to burn the garlic

Oil, Onion, Garlic

·        Add the cubed turkey

·        Mix the cubed turkey into the onion and garlic

Add the Turkey Cubes

·        When the turkey starts losing its pink color and turns sort of white

Turkey Cubes turning White

Ø  THEN:

·        Add the beans and Mix

·        Add 1 Tablespoon of paprika – Mix and Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors meld

Turkey, Beans and Paprika 

·        Add the crushed tomatoes and mix it around until everything is coated

·        Stir this around and let the tomato mixture cook a bit

·        Taste the sauce

·        Add some or all of the sugar if the sauce seem too acidic

·        Add the water – a bit of salt and pepper

·        Mix everything around in the pot – partially cover the pot

Turkey and Beans before water cooks out 

·        Simmer on low heat until the mixture thickens (the excess water will evaporate)

·        Stir occasionally

·        The food is ready when the sauce has thickened.

Turkey and Beans - READY TO EAT!!!!
Notice the sauce has thickened!

Serving Suggestions:

ØServe over hot white rice, couscous, or mashed potatoes with a green salad.

ØYou can also bump it up a bit by adding cayenne pepper.

ØYou may want to chop some parsley or green scallions and sprinkle them over the food

Cooking tips:

Ø  Always keep frozen white beans, chickpeas, peas and green beans in the freezer, they are great when you want to whip up a quick stir-fry or soup, or for healthy side dishes.

Ø  When cooking beans or legumes in any recipe – I always add a bit more oil.

Sea Bass Fillet in a Parchment Pouch with Ginger, Broccoli and Cherry Tomatoes

We usually grill our fish outside but heavy rains caused me to look for an alternative cooking method for the fresh Sea Bass fillets. This led me to try the “en papillote” method [translated "wrapped in paper"], that I had seen so many times on popular cooking shows. 

Needless to say – the technique works, the fish was succulent and the vegetables were divine; the extra perk - easy to clean up and no lingering fish smell in the house. 

[Preparation time: 15 min + cooking time 15-20 minutes]

Servings: 4 portions – easily doubled

Pre-Heat Oven – to 200°C/400°F

Ingredients: 

·        4 Sea Bass fillets

·        8 cubes of frozen ginger and/or fresh ginger sliced matchstick thin

·        12 small broccoli florets – slightly blanched

·        16 cherry tomatoes, halved

·        2 stalks of scallions – sliced thinly

·        4 tablespoons of dry white wine

·        1 teaspoon kosher salt

·        Black pepper – finely ground

Ø     One large oven-sized pan with a rim

 Slivers of scallions (left), broccoli florets (center),
dry white wine (right corner), cherry tomatoes halved

Marinade, cherry tomatoes halved, Slivers of scallion, broccoli florets (top) 
Sea Bass fillets on parchment paper (bottom)  

Ingredients: 
Ø  Marinade
·        1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

·        ½ small red onion, finely chopped

·        Juice of 1 lemon

·        2 teaspoons olive oil

Preparation:

Ø  Marinade

·        In a large bowl, whisk together the juice of 1 lemon, the mustard, 

    ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch of finely ground pepper

·      Whisk in the olive oil – set aside

 Marinade mixture

 Preparation:

Ø  Assembling Parchment Pouches

·        On a work surface place your parchment paper. Fold to make a triangle, crease the fold.

·        Open the triangle – place ginger cubes and fresh ginger left of the fold

          Slivers of fresh ginger (left) -
frozen cubes of ginger (right)

     Ginger
[fresh slivers and frozen cubes]
placed to the right of the fold in the
parchment paper

·        Set the Sea Bass fillet, skin side down, on the ginger

·        Season with a light sprinkle of kosher salt

Sea Bass fillet placed on the ginger on the parchment paper 

·       Add the broccoli and tomatoes to the Marinade and toss to coat evenly
·        Mound vegetables onto the Sea Bass fillets, take care to evenly distribute the vegetables   (i.e.8 cherry tomatoes halves, 4 broccoli florets, per fillet)

·        Top with slivered scallions
·        Drizzle 1 tablespoon of white wine over each portion 
·        Sprinkle lightly with black pepper

Sea Bass fillet dressed with broccoli and tomatoes coated with marinade -
topped with slivered scallions

·        Fold the parchment over to make a triangle 
·    Crimp the edges into a half moon shape be sure to close the parchment pouches completely
   so steam cannot escape while baking

Folding parchment paper

Assembly line of Sea Bass fillets [individual portions]
waiting to be folded and crimped

One portion of Sea Bass in sealed parchment pouch

·        Carefully transfer parchment packets to a rimmed baking pan – 
    [you should be able to get four (4) portions on a single oven-sized pan]

·        Bake 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets at 200°C/400°F

v  Note: Never open the parchment packet to check on the fish

Filled parchment pouches on baking pan  

The parchment pouches may brown on the outside this will not affect the taste of the fish 

To Serve:

Carefully transfer each pouch to a plate – to open: gently rip the top of each parchment pouch

Succluent Sea Bass fillet with ginger, broccolli, cherry tomatoes and slivers of scallions 

 Optional: lemon wedges to serve; pan toast some silvered almonds and sprinkle over fish just before serving; substitute spinach for the broccoli  

Quick Tomato Soup with Rice and Quick Simple Homemade Croutons

[A quick apology to all my loyal readers for the rather long break; I hope you will continue to follow my food blog and look forward to your comments and e-mails.]

v v v

This is a truly fanstastic and simple recipe. This soup works as a quick light afternoon lunch and as a starter for a larger meal. It can also be served cold.
This soup is easy and simple to make, also very inexpensive.

This recipe is for 4 generous servings – just double or triple as needed.

[Preparation time: less than 10 minutes + cooking time 20 minutes]

Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients:                                                 

For the Soup:

·      4 cups of ready-made bottled tomato juice [any brand]
·    4-5 whole cloves of garlic smashed
·   1/3 cup of uncooked rice**
·   Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
·   Pinch of sugar
·   6-8 basil leaves thinly sliced (Chiffonade - see below)
 
Optional: Grated Pecorino Cheese, Olive Oil
 

Tomato juice; fresh basil; garlic cloves, rice

Preparation:
·    Add the tomato juice into a medium size pot with a cover
·    Add Whole smashed garlic
·    Add the Rice
·    Season with salt, pepper and don't forget a pinch of sugar
·    Cook about 10-15 minutes on medium flame stirring occassionally
  until the rice softens

Tomato juice; with garlic cloves, rice - in a pot

 **be careful not to use too much rice - or you will get tomato mush!


. . . While your soup is cooking
 Quick Simple Homemade Croutons
[make these croutons should be made while the soup is cooking]

[Preparation time: 5 minutes + cooking time 10 minutes]
Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients:

· 4 slices of bread – cubed
· 1/3 cup olive oil
· 4 cloves finely chopped garlic

Cubed bread; olive oil, chopped garlic 

Preparation:

· Add olive oil to a medium sized frying pan.
· Add the chopped garlic  

Olive oil and chopped garlic

 
· Add the bread cubes and begin to lightly fry – turning constantly.
·   Stir and mix a bit to coat the bread with the garlic.
 

Cubed bread added to garlic and olive oil

· The croutons are ready when they begin to brown all over.

Note: be careful not to burn the garlic.

To Serve:

·  Scoop a couple of generous ladles of tomato rice soup into a bowl.

·  Add some croutons.
·  Sprinkle with Chiffonade of Basil [see below].


Tomato Rice Soup with Croutons and Chiffonade of Basil

· Optional: sprinkle some grate pecorino cheese* and a splash of olive oil


Tomato Rice Soup with Croutons and Chiffonade of Basil
Grated Pecorino Cheese and a splash of olive oil





 

*We recommend Grated Pecorino Cheese, or Reggio Parmesan.



To Chiffonade of Basil - roll leaves and then thinly slice

Looking forward to hearing from you all soon. Capricorn!