Printer Friendly Version - Battling ‘Dinner Block’ With New Rules

I can’t remember what we eat. It’s September, and life has begun to fall back into a routine, but my brain is lagging far behind. This happens to me once or twice a year, usually when the seasons change.

I’ll be considering a grocery list or trying to think about dinner, and I cannot for the life of me think of anything I normally cook. For a person who owns an outsized collection of cookbooks and magazines and who consumes a vast amount of food-related media, this “dinner block” is especially annoying and borderline ridiculous.

That said, as executive chef of a household containing a seafood-averse omnivore, a pescatarian, a person of extremely selective tastes (seriously, have you ever met someone who doesn’t like grilled cheese???), and two people undergoing the mercurial day-to-day preferences of toddlerhood, perhaps I ought to cut myself some slack.

Currently I feel like a short-order cook, making two to three different dinners each evening, though some are as simple as almond butter on toast. But I think the time is nigh when my family can finally be served the same thing for dinner. Maybe soon we can even eat it all together, at the same time, at the table. I’ll rejoice in the freedom from high chairs and quartered grapes, but then again, what in the world will I make to please everyone?

In past years, I have made lists to try to jog my memory when I come up blank on dinner. I’ve even categorized these by warm and cold weather in order to sidestep seasonally-induced cooking amnesia. This year, however, the double whammy of summer to autumn and this new stage of family life has me reeling. I’ve poured over my recipe files, cookbooks, lists of go-to dinners, and even party menus from years past in search of inspiration. So many fun, delicious recipes turned up, but so few that lend themselves to a normal Tuesday evening in my current situation. The ones that showed potential had a few common traits in their favor, which I have compiled below in my new Rules For Dinner.

Must be a single-dish situation, ie. a soup, curry, salad, or similar. One side item may be added or required, such as a grain, sauce, or additional vegetable.
Must allow for advance preparation of most ingredients. I will dice that butternut squash in relative peace and solitude the night before I plan to cook it, thank you.
Must include at least one ingredient for each person to eat, even if that means picking out said favored ingredient from a less desired sauce, broth, etc.
Preferably vegetarian, fish or animal proteins can be added from the side if applicable. (Sometimes this is the one thing cooked separately!)
God help you all if I hear any complaining.

TThere have been several misses so far on this journey: naps not taken, resulting in meals uncooked, an unwelcome youth resistance movement rising up in the face of raw vegetables, and the lentil curry disaster, which destroyed wall paint, clothing, and maternal optimism. But we are here to talk about the successes, so I offer you two recipes that fit the bill at my house.

The first was a salad of sorts, hearty enough to count as dinner and lovely for lunch on the second day. Farro, kale, and butternut squash are dressed with a light tahini vinaigrette and serve as a vehicle for what everyone is really there for: the crispy, salted chickpeas. These are delicious on their own, too, so I usually double up on the chickpeas and keep some extra for snacking. The raw kale hasn’t made the cut with my children so far, so I serve the salad with kale on one side of the bowl to be mixed in by those who partake. This segregation has the unintended bonus of looking rather pretty, so I chalk that up to a win. Sweet potatoes also work beautifully here, and I imagine carrots could stand in successfully as well, so use what you’ve got on hand.

The second recipe is basically a mashed potato sandwich, a revelatory discovery adapted from Priya Krishna’s fantastic cookbook Indian-ish. I’ve made a few adjustments to her delicious mixture of potatoes and vegetables served on a buttered, griddled bun, dialing down the spice and cooking the raw onions suggested as garnish. Canned tomatoes replace fresh in my version, and a cilantro chutney served on the side can add heat for those who enjoy it. I knew I would love this recipe (Irish-American girl + potato sandwich!), and I was pleased to discover my kids ate it, too. A little bit of cheese mixed into the toddler portions helped coax them to try it the first time around. Buttery toasted buns make an enticing canvas for new foods for people of all ages.

If you do try these recipes, please drop me a line and let me know what you think! As always, I’m eager to hear what you would like to read about in this space. Tired of reading about kid food? Looking for inspiration around a particular ingredient? More wine or cocktail content? Reach out to apronstringsCT@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

3/4 c. farro, cooked according to package directions
2 to 3 c. diced butternut squash
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried with a clean kitchen towel
4 T. olive oil
2 t. curry powder
2 t. kosher salt
1 bunch kale

Line two sheet pans with foil. Add squash, 2 T. olive oil, curry powder, and 1 t. salt to one pan and mix to coat. Add chickpeas, 2 T. olive oil, and 1 t. salt to the other pan and mix to combine. Bake both pans 20-25 minutes, until squash is tender and chickpeas are crispy and browned.

Prepare the kale by cutting out tough ribs and slicing or tearing into bite-sized pieces. Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Toss 2/3 of dressing with kale in a large bowl. (If you have 20-30 minutes to allow kale mixture to sit, the kale softens a bit and the flavors meld. I have also skipped this step with no problems.)

In another bowl, combine farro and squash with remaining dressing. Add to kale and toss to combine, or push kale to one side of serving bowl and pile farro mixture next to it. Top with crispy chickpeas to serve.

· I frequently roast 2 cans of chickpeas because they’re so popular in my house. Just add some extra olive oil to the sheet pan and salt to taste.

· Diced sweet potato may be substituted for butternut squash. Add 5 or so minutes to cooking time if using sweet potato.

· Squash and chickpeas may be roasted on the same pan! I prefer to do mine separately- the moisture from the squash prevents the chickpeas from getting as crispy as I like.

2 medium russet potatoes, boiled and cooled
2 c. cauliflower florets
1 c. frozen peas
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, diced
¾ t. ground turmeric
1 T. ground cumin
¼ t. asafoetida (optional but very good)
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 ½ t. kosher salt, plus more if needed
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
6 hamburger buns or potato rolls
Salted butter, for bun-buttering
Lime wedges for serving
Cilantro chutney for serving

Peel the potatoes, put them in a bowl and use the potato masher or a fork to mash them (don’t worry if there are still a few small lumps). Set aside.

In a small pot, combine the cauliflower, peas and 3 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high, cover and cook until the cauliflower is soft and fork-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Thoroughly drain, then return the vegetables to the pot and use a potato masher or fork to lightly mash them (they should still be chunky, just more incorporated). Set aside.

In a medium pan over medium-high heat, bring the oil and onion to a simmer. Cook 6-10 minutes until onion softens and begins to brown. Add the turmeric and stir to combine. Add cumin, asafoetida, and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes have started to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add 2 tablespoons water and simmer for about 4 minutes, using a fork to mash the tomatoes into a chunky sauce as they cook.

Add the mashed potatoes, the cauliflower-pea mixture, the salt and 1/4 cup water. Increase the heat to medium-low and cook until the mixture starts to resemble a thick stew, 5 to 7 minutes. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if it’s looking too dry. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Stir in the cilantro, turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Split each bun in half and butter each side. Warm the pan you used for the bhaji over high heat and toast the buns in the pan, buttered-side down, until golden brown, about 1 minute.

Evenly portion the potato bhaji on each bun half (like an open-faced sandwich) and serve with lime and chutney.

2 c. cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
1 c. mint leaves, packed
½ c. shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 t. cumin seeds or 1 t. ground cumin
4 small green chiles or 2 jalapeños
1 lemon, juiced
2 t. kosher salt
2 t. sugar
½ cup water

Add all the ingredients to blender and puree to a smooth consistency. Add extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if needed. Correct for salt according to taste. Keep refrigerated in a glass jar.

Kitchen notes: Coconut can be omitted or replaced with plain unsweetened yogurt. Reduce water by half to make this adjustment.

Jillian Simms, the Apron Strings food columnist and feature writer for Shore Publishing can be reached at apronstringsct@gmail.com.

This is a salad of sorts, hearty enough to count as dinner and lovely for lunch on the second day. Farro, kale, and butternut squash are dressed with a light tahini vinaigrette and serve as a vehicle for what everyone is really there for, the crispy, salted chickpeas. Photo courtesy of Jillian Simms

This is basically a mashed potato sandwich, a revelatory discovery adapted from Priya Krishna’s fantastic cookbook Indian-ish. I’ve made a few adjustments to her delicious mixture of potatoes and vegetables served on a buttered, griddled bun, dialing down the spice and cooking the raw onions suggested as garnish. Photo courtesy of Jillian Simms