Packed Lunches, October 2020
Things I made for work lunches in October.
Week of 10/5/20:
Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Roasted Broccoli
My partner and I made mac 'n' cheese from scratch (béchamel with sharp cheddar and parmesan, broiled with breadcrumbs and extra cheese on top) and I roasted some broccoli to go on the side.
Picadillo
I followed this recipe, and after looking up pictures of different versions this one doesn't seem “minced” like the name of the dish implies, but it is really good! After reading the comments on the recipe I was cautious with the amounts of added stock; I ended up not adding any, because between the fat from the meat and the moisture from the vegetables I had quite enough to cook the potatoes.
Week of 10/12/20:
Barley and Orzo with Leeks & Feta, with Mustard-Roasted Parsnips, Kale, and Linguiça Sausage
The main dish here is my recreation of a workshop dinner I had at OAEC back in 2011; it was a rich, flavorful mix of barley, leeks, and feta. I tried it with both pearled barley and orzo this time because I wasn't sure how my partner would feel about the barley. I sauteed one large leek in olive oil with salt and black pepper, and kept it warm while I cooked 2 cups of barley and 1 cup of orzo (consecutively, using the same pot; not together). After both the barley and pasta were done and drained I sauteed everything together with about a tablespoon of butter and more black pepper. I let it cool down a bit and then mixed in the feta. Yum.
I used a rolling cut on the parsnips and sausage and cut the kale into thick ribbons, then tossed everything in the roasting pan with black pepper, salt, a few spoonfuls of my homemade whole-grain mustard, and a bit of olive oil. I also tucked a few purple sweet potatoes into the pan for lunch, while the oven was going. I like these dishes together.
Curried Apple-Chicken Wraps
I hadn't made these in a while; my partner remembered them out of nowhere and enthusiastically requested them for lunch. I saw a recipe for curried apple chicken wraps a few years ago, read the recipe, didn't like what I saw, and made up my own thing.
To make these: cut up some chicken thighs, ginger, and garlic; put over medium heat, cover, and cook until chicken is about halfway done; add spices (turmeric, garam masala, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt this time) and a chutney or marmalade (I used the two year old orange marmalade that has crystalized in the back of my fridge) and continue cooking, stirring occasionally; uncover, and cook off some of the liquid — you should get a nice sauce thanks to the sugar in the chutney/marmalade — adding corn starch if you want it glossy or you want it thicker; take off heat and let cool to room temp; while the chicken is cooking and cooling, cut apples into small pieces and toss with lemon juice, to prevent browning; when chicken is cooled, mix with the apple in a bowl with a few spoonfuls of plain greek yogurt; wrap in flour tortillas. Eat cold or at room temp.
Week of 10/19/20:
Pasta with Green Vegetables
A simple pasta. Broccoli, green beans, leek, and green bell pepper, with garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and butter for flavorings.
Karē Raisu with Fukujinzuke
This is modified from Just One Cookbook's version, either because I don't keep certain ingredients around or don't like them. I omitted the milk, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and mushrooms; more than doubled the amounts of potato, carrot, and apple so it wouldn't be so meat-heavy; used garam masala as the curry powder, vegetable Better Than Bouillon for the stock, and a package of hot Golden Curry for the roux; and replaced the red wine with a generous splash of blackstrap rum (I have in the past used a beer or hard cider, but I haven't hit the liquor store in a while).
My fukujinzuke isn't the most authentic thing, and this batch is kind of a bastardized mix of a few different tsukemono techniques — honestly, wanting it to be bright red was my driving factor here! I cut up a small daikon and a small beet, very briefly blanched them, and then marinated them in the fridge in a mix of vinegar, mirin, salt, soy sauce, and water. It tastes really good and is a nice contrast to the rich curry, and it looks great on the plate.
Week of 10/26/20:
Barley with Feta, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Marinated Lentils
Guess what, I wanted to have that barley and feta dish again. My green onion plants needed a trim so I used those instead of leeks. The sweet potatoes and lentils were supposed to be this dish, but I got lazy because I had guests, so I just roasted the sweet potatoes and threw all the flavorings into the marinated lentils. I also overcooked the lentils because I was talking instead of monitoring the pot, but someone has to eat them anyway.
Apple-Chicken Curry
I made this up a few years ago after seeing a recipe for an apple-chicken curry in a 1960's cookbook, and loving the idea, but feeling nauseous at the thought of a milk- or cream-based curry. I can do coconut milk, though.
To make: Chop up onion, garlic, ginger, and some chicken. Cook, covered, until mostly done. Add spices (a yellow curry powder, or b;end your own — this time I used turmeric, coriander, cardamom, cumin, and paprika; if using whole spices, add them first with the aromatics) and salt, stir to coat, and sautee a few more minutes. Add apple chopped into bite-sized chunks and a can or two of coconut milk/coconut cream (depending on how much you made and how much liquid you want). Cook gently until apple is soft enough for your tastes; adjust spices. Serve with white rice, and something as a counterpoint to the richness.
Side: Broccoli, green beans, and green bell pepper roasted with sesame