Fix, Freeze, Feast - Kati Neville [47]
I grew up in a city where eating out meant visiting any one of a number of small, family-owned, ethnic restaurants. What a culinary adventure! I never tired of the Mediterranean food served in my favorite Greek restaurant. You’ll find feta cheese in the deli section of the grocery store, and phyllo pastry in the frozen-food section. —LT
SPANAKOPITA
MAKES 14–16 INDIVIDUAL PASTRIES
2½ POUNDS FRESH SPINACH, RINSED, WITH WATER STILL CLINGING TO LEAVES
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh dill (or 4 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
14–16 sheets phyllo dough
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 5 ounces)
Plastic wrap
2 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
ON HAND FOR BAKING
2 teaspoons melted butter for each pastry
1. Wilt spinach in a large stockpot over medium heat. Do not overcook. Drain and cool.
2. Using your hands, squeeze as much water from spinach as possible. Place spinach in a large bowl; stir in egg, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper.
3. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean work surface. Using a pastry brush, dab all over with melted butter; lay a second sheet on top. Cut the dough in half lengthwise.
4. Lay the two strips, with the narrow edges nearest you, on the work surface. Place ¼–1/3 cup spinach mixture at the bottom of each strip of dough. Top with 1 tablespoon feta.
5. Fold the dough flag style to form triangle-shaped packets: Fold the bottom-right corner to the left edge of the dough to form a triangle. Fold triangle along left edge of dough, then fold lower-left corner to the right edge of the dough. Seal any remaining top edge of dough to packet. The filling should be totally enclosed in the dough.
6. Wrap each pastry individually in plastic wrap. Divide evenly between the freezer bags.
7. Seal and freeze.
TO BAKE
1. Thaw pastries in the refrigerator or bake straight from the freezer.
2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
3. Remove as many pastries as desired from the freezer. Remove plastic wrap. Place pastries on a greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter. Bake 17 to 19 minutes if frozen, 14 to 16 minutes if thawed.
PHYLLO DOUGH
Phyllo can seem fussy but it’s really quite forgiving. Though the sheets are paper-thin and can tear, the pastry is easily patched. Because this recipe calls for two sheets to be stacked and the final product is folded over and over, any damage to the dough is concealed.
This can be served to complement a meal as a side dish, or over rice as an entrée. —LT
THAI RED CURRY WITH VEGETABLES
MAKES 3 SIDE DISHES, 4 SERVINGS EACH, OR 2 ENTRÉES, 4 SERVINGS EACH
2 (15-ounce) cans coconut milk
½ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 teaspoon honey
½ pound fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup sliced carrots (about 2 medium)
1 (15-ounce) can baby corn, drained
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
2 or 3 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled
1. Combine coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, curry paste, and honey in a medium saucepan; heat gently over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add carrots; cook, stirring, 5 minutes longer. Cool.
2. Divide cooled vegetable mixture evenly among the freezer bags. (Use 3 bags for side dish portions; 2 bags for entrée portions.) Divide corn and bamboo shoots evenly over vegetables.
3. Seal and freeze.
TO COOK ONE SIDE DISH OR ENTRÉE
1. Completely thaw one bag in the refrigerator.
2. Pour sauce and vegetables into a medium saucepan; warm over medium heat. Serve as a side dish or as an entrée over steamed rice.
HEAT WARNING
This dish is on the spicy side. The red curry paste supplies all the heat, so adjust that ingredient if you want less fire.
Many families find their holiday dinner table shared by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. This dish makes a satisfying vegetarian