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Food for a Winter's Night
As the winds howl and the snow swirls, comfort
your friends with this civilized supper
Recipes created for Canadian Health by Steve Pitt
Nutritional analysis by Susie Langley, RD
1. In a medium-size saucepan, mix pomegranate juice, molasses, juice from 1 blood orange, stock and 2 rosemary sprigs. Simmer over medium heat until fluid is reduced by half.
2. Wash hens inside and out under cold running water. Remove giblets and reserve. Pat hens dry.
3. Place birds in a large resealable plastic bag. Add half the stock-pomegranate reduction to bag and reserve the rest, refrigerated. Marinate hens 1 hour in refrigerator, flipping bag over every 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 4250 F (2200C).
5. Toss chopped onion, carrot and celery in a bowl until evenly mixed. Line bottom of a roasting pan with vegetable mixture. Add reserved giblets. Season with salt and pepper. Time saver Skip chopping and add a whole carrot, half an unpeeled onion, cut side down, and a large stalk of celery to pan.
6. Remove marinated hens from bag and discard bag. Sprinkle cavities with salt and pepper and insert a rosemary sprig. Place each bird breast up on 2 rosemary sprigs on top of vegetable mixture. Sprinkle skin with salt and pepper. Place 2 rosemary sprigs on each hen, tucked lengthwise between leg and breast.
7. Roast hens 15 minutes or until skin turns golden brown. Reduce heat to 3250F (1600C). Place a thin slice of blood orange on either side of each hen’s breast. Roast for 40 minutes more or until hen legs “wiggle” easily.
8. Remove birds to a platter, remove rosemary sprigs and orange slices and cover hens with aluminum foil to keep warm while sauce is made.
9. Pour off all fat from roasting pan and add reserved half of stock and pomegranate reduction. Place pan on medium heat and gently loosen all browned bits and gel from pan. Strain veggie sauce through a fine sieve into a wide bowl. Stir in pomegranate seeds and keep warm.
10. Cut each hen in half with strong kitchen scissors or poultry shears. Place 1 portion, skin side up, on each of 4 pre-warmed plates and drizzle a little pomegranate sauce over each. Add a serving of polenta (recipe follows) and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Serve remaining sauce at the table.
Makes 4 servings
[Per serving 600 calories, 29 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 200 mg cholesterol, 3 g fibre, 28 g protein, 610 mg sodium; excellent source of potassium, protein and vitamin A]
Polenta
2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
4 oz (125 g) red onion, finely diced
6 oz (180 g) celery, finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp (5 mL) dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste
16-oz (454-g) tube of precooked polenta, cut into 1/4-inch (5-mm) cubes
1. Heat oil over medium-high in an all-metal, ovenproof pan.
2. Add onion and stir 30 seconds.
3. Add celery and red pepper, stirring with onions 30 seconds.
4. Sprinkle in sage, salt and pepper and stir until well mixed.
5. Add polenta, stirring gently until cubes are well coated with mixture.
6. Place polenta in oven with hens for last 35 to 40 minutes of cooking.
Makes 4 servings
[Per serving 200 calories, 8 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fibre, 4 g protein, 350 mg sodium; good source of soluble fibre]
A Fowl for Foul Weather The flesh of a Cornish hen is tender and absorbs flavours easily without needing lengthy marinating. Many cooks allow half a hen per person, but if you’re not counting calories or you have big eaters at your table, you can serve one bird per guest, as the hen has a high bone-to-meat ratio. You can purchase pomegranate molasses in Middle Eastern supermarkets, but you can make a decent substitute by adding 2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar to 1 cup (250 mL) pomegranate juice and simmering over a low heat until fluid volume reduces by two-thirds. —Steve Pitt |
Antioxidant Grenade The leathery bomb-shaped pomegranate (a.k.a. Chinese apple, granada, grenade) is esteemed for its fragrant, translucent, juicy and slightly crunchy seeds, which have a sweet-and-sour, berry-like flavour. The striking ruby-red seeds make a dramatic accent for salads and desserts. With its powerful antioxidant properties, pomegranate juice may inhibit the progression of prostate cancer and protect against the buildup of plaque deposits in artery walls. This fruit is rich in potassium—for healthy blood pressure—and pomegranate extract is believed to have antiviral properties. —Susie Langley |
1. Peel squash and cut into 1-inch cubes. Reserve seeds for garnish.
Timesaver: Use peeled and cut squash available
in supermarkets.
2. In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium-high and add onion, ginger, nutmeg, sugar and curry powder. Add salt and cook 5 minutes or until onion turns light brown.
3. Add squash and stir until all pieces are evenly covered with the curry-onion mixture. Cook until squash softens slightly, then stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add stock.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until cubes are easily pierced with a fork.
5. Purée in a food processor or right in pot with a hand-held blender. For a smoother texture, strain through a fine sieve. Serve hot with a sprinkling of roasted seeds.
Seeds
3 oz (90 g) squash seeds
1 tsp (5 mL) peanut oil
Pinch each salt, finely ground cumin and cayenne pepper
1. Preheat oven to 4250F (2200C)
2. Rinse seeds under warm water and rub gently to remove pith. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. In a small bowl, mix seeds, oil, salt, cumin and cayenne until seeds are evenly coated.
4. Spread evenly on a baking sheet in one layer.
5. Toast seeds about 10 minutes, or until they turn light brown.
Makes 6 servings
[Per serving 220 calories, 8 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 4 g fibre, 8 g protein, 336 mg sodium; excellent source of vitamin A]
Seeds of Construction If you don’t want to assemble your garnish from the wet seeds of a fresh squash, or if you’re using precut squash from the supermarket, buy some raw, hulled pumpkin seeds from a bulk food store. These taste just as good, and they make a nutritious snack in their own right. —S.P. |
Not so Mellow Yellow Turmeric, a bitter root in the ginger family, gives curry powder its bright yellow colour. Curcumin, its active ingredient, is receiving attention because of its strong antioxidant properties, which researchers believe may be as powerful as those of vitamins C and E. Long used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent, turmeric is being investigated as a possible factor in the low rate of Alzheimer’s disease in India, where it is widely consumed in curry dishes. —S.L. |
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat evaporated milk to just below boiling point.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in raspberry jam.
3. Add chocolate and whisk gently, allowing it to melt for 2 minutes, then whisk mixture until smooth.
4. Strain through a fine sieve.
Assembly
1. Have 4 chilled glasses or bowls ready. Add 1 tsp (5 mL) jam tobottom of each.
2. Have a large bowl of hot water on hand in which to dip an ice cream scoop or large spoon before taking each scoop of yogurt from carton.
3. Place 4 oz (125 mL) frozen yogurt in each glass or bowl.
4. Sprinkle yogurt with 1 oz (30 g) fresh raspberries.
5. Pour chocolate-raspberry sauce over berries and yogurt. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
[Per serving 430 calories, 13 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 70 mg cholesterol, 5 g fibre, 13 g protein, 91 mg sodium; good source of calcium]
Going Over to the Dark Side Going over to the dark side It is said that Montezuma imbibed 50 pitchers of cocoa a day to stay healthy, while Casanova consumed chocolate as an aphrodisiac. And this blessed bean may be good for your heart. Dark chocolate products and natural cocoa are rich in antioxidants, especially the flavonol epicatechin and compounds known as proanthocyanins. These have anti-clotting properties and hence may promote cardiovascular health. Natural cocoa, which is abundant in dark chocolate, has been found to have a greater antioxidant capacity than green tea or red wine. And ounce for ounce, chocolate shows more antioxidant activity than many fruits and veggies! Look for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. The dark type has twice the antioxidant content of milk chocolate. But bear in mind: moderation is the key! —S.L. |
Speed is of the Essence Quick assembly is important for this simple but elegant dessert, but if you have your ingredients and dishes ready to go, you can put together 4 desserts in less than 2 minutes. I like to use oversized martini glasses (somehow they speak to me!) to show off the colours, but this dessert is just as yummy in a plain bowl. For a little more decadence and flavour, I add 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam to the bottom of each glass. —S.P. |
