February 2010

Originally made to accompany Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew with Chillies and Polenta Triangles.

Here, sautéed polenta triangles add another dimension to a southwestern-style stew.

This savory side is perfect paired with corned beef or as a hearty vegetarian entree. To serve 8 or 10, simply double the recipe and bake it in a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish instead. It's filling and satisfying enough to help you budget bully a single corned beef brisket into serving a big crowd. Gratin defined.

One-pot meals are low maintenance, easy to clean up, and offer lots of great flavors in one vessel. You can make something stewy on top of the stove, or layer everything in a handsome baking dish and use the oven. Here, haddock or cod is roasted with tomatoes, onions, and potatoes tossed with olive oil, oregano, and herbs. Before you cook it, marinate the fish in the herbs. While that sits, layer yellow potatoes, a chopped Spanish onion, and tomatoes in the baking dish. Roast until fork tender.

This recipe uses leftovers from the White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew for a quick frittata. Like omelets, Italian frittatas are made in a skillet with lots of eggs. You can have simple or elaborate fillings. Here, the filling is the bean and chard mixture. Toss a handful of grated cheese into the pan, using whatever you have on hand - cheddar, Gruyere, or pepper Jack. Add a green salad and you have two virtuous meals.

This vegetarian stew is similar to an Italian winter minestrone. It starts with carrots, onions, and celery, which are sauteed in olive oil over low heat for a long time. Tomatoes, white beans, and two bunches of Swiss chard go into the stew. That much chard may seem bulky but it wilts and quickly cooks down, lending the stew its robust flavor and lots of vitamins and fiber.

Tartines are essentially French open-face sandwiches. In this nibble, crunchy toasts are topped with roasted Spanish piquillo peppers and rich, savory sardines. A few drops of spicy sriracha sauce give this sophisticated starter a bit of heat.

What to Drink:

With the tartines, pour a refreshing Albariño, a white wine from Spain. We like the Carballal 2008 "Sete Cepas" from Rías Baixas ($15). The wine's mineral notes are balanced beautifully by stone-fruit flavors.
 

We asked our Whole Story blog readers to submit their best Parmigiano Reggiano recipes. Here's the winner, from Barbara E., who baked grated Parmigiano Reggiano with chopped almonds into round crisps and then dipped them in melted chocolate for an incredible sweet-savory combo made from just five ingredients. This innovative recipe can be served as an appetizer or dessert with a glass of red wine or prosecco.

Sandra sent Whole Foods a recipe for her family's tabbouleh which uses quinoa instead of the traditional bulgur for a gluten-free version. She notes "We are of Lebanese-descent, and my mother found out that she had Celiac Decease about 10 years ago. This tabbouleh recipe is preferred by all of us to the bulgur wheat variety! Pretty strong endorsement from a Lebanese family!" This flavorful salad can stand alone as a vegetarian main dish, thanks to quinoa's protein content, or be served as a side dish or sandwich filling.

Hempseeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Sweet, nutty, chewy and dense, this snack satisfies that afternoon craving for sweets. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.