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By David Tanis, The New York Times
It’s trite, but it’s true: After the excesses of the holiday season, January is the time to venture into more moderate territory. It’s just as well, but it needn’t feel restrictive. And something festive isn’t out of the question, either.
When I’m cooking light, I tend to rely on some Asian pantry ingredients, which can enhance flavor in lean preparations. I add miso to a soup, for instance. Ginger and garlic bolster a fish dish, and toasted sesame oil finds its way into cookies.
To start, I wanted a simple vegetable soup, one that could be prepared quickly. When I make vegetable soups, I really want to taste the vegetables. Some cooks want to add canned chicken stock or shelf-stable vegetable stock. Not necessary. The fact is, when leeks and carrots are simmered in lightly salted water, the result is a lovely flavorful vegetable broth. Then, the vegetables and broth are puréed together. A little miso is stirred in just before serving to add depth, and a final squeeze of lime gives brightness.
Fish is a great choice for a meal on the light side. My fishmonger had halibut, but any firm, white-fleshed fish, such as sea bass or grouper, can be baked with great results. In this case, the fish is a tasty, neutral backdrop for a zesty, savory topping of stir-fried mushrooms. Lightness is achieved without sacrificing flavor. The method is as follows: Slice your mushrooms and sauté in butter or oil, finishing with chopped ginger, garlic and a splash of soy sauce. Spoon the mushrooms over the fish and bake it in a casserole dish.
As it cooks, the fish will exude some delicious ginger-scented juices. Be sure to baste the fish with this liquid during cooking and just before serving. Any type of mushroom will work, but shiitake are especially nice, or you could use wild chanterelles if they’re available. Serve with steamed rice, perhaps some wilted spinach.
When the winter citrus season is in full swing, it’s always a joy to celebrate the arrival of tart-sweet seedless Satsuma mandarins. For me, a bowl of these beauties, with leaves attached, is a perfect dessert. But, because the rest of the meal is commendably lean, I thought a few small, not-too-sweet triple-sesame tea cakes would be OK.
Have another small glass of wine, too. We must ease into moderation slowly.
Recipe: Carrot-Leek Soup With Miso
This light, simple vegetable soup is very quick to put together. A little miso is stirred in just before serving to add depth, and a final squeeze of lime gives brightness.
By David Tanis
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups peeled, cubed carrots (from about 6 medium carrots)
- 2 medium leeks, white part only, chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- 8 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons yellow or white miso
- 1 small lime
- Thinly sliced chives, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. When the butter starts to sizzle, add carrots and leeks. Season generously with salt and pepper, and stir to coat well. Sauté for a minute or 2, then add water (or broth, if using). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. As soup simmers, taste and add salt as needed. Cook until carrots are soft, about 15 minutes.
2. Once the soup is cooled, reserve 2 cups liquid, then purée the remaining contents of the pot in a blender. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender in the pot.) Use reserved liquid to adjust the purée’s thickness, adding just enough so the consistency is that of a thin milkshake.
3. To serve, heat soup and whisk in miso. Divide among 4 bowls. Grate a little lime zest over each bowl. Quarter the lime and add a good squeeze of lime juice into each bowl. Scatter with chives, if using.
Recipe: Baked Fish With Mushrooms and Ginger
A firm, white-fleshed fish like halibut, bass or grouper makes a neutral backdrop for a zesty, savory topping of stir-fried mushroom. Any type of mushroom will work, but shiitake are especially nice. Serve with steamed rice.
By David Tanis
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 firm, white-fleshed fish fillets, such as halibut, bass or grouper (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed
- 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut in thin slices
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- Thinly slivered scallions, for garnish
- A few cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lay the fillets in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When oil looks wavy, add mushrooms and sauté until they take on a little color, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Add the soy sauce and ginger to the mushrooms, and stir well. Spoon mushrooms evenly over fish fillets.
3. Bake, uncovered, until the fillets flake easily when probed with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer fish to individual dishes or a serving platter. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro sprigs. Be sure to spoon any gingery pan juices over each serving.
Recipe: Triple-Sesame Tea Cakes
Sometimes just a few cookies are what you want for dessert, accompanied, when in season, by a bowl of mandarins or tangerines. These sesame cookies aren’t too sweet, and citrus fruit, eaten out of hand, makes a refreshing end to a meal.
By David Tanis
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup/185 grams unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup/150 grams sugar
- 1/2 cup/120 grams tahini or sesame paste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of fine salt
- Sesame seeds, for coating
Preparation
1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Add butter, sugar, tahini and sesame oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with hand-held beaters and a mixing bowl). Beat well at medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer running, slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix at low speed until well combined.
3. Pour sesame seeds into a small bowl. Using your hands, pull out a walnut-size piece of dough, then roll it into a ball. Press into the sesame seeds, then place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
4. Bake until golden but not too dark, about 20 minutes. Cool before transferring to a platter or cookie tin.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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