This is the time for Lenten fare

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Frank Kourt

February 22, 2012

The Food Dude

By Frank Kourt The Food Dude The Richmond Register Wed Feb 22, 2012, 10:00 AM EST

RICHMOND — As of Wednesday, the season of Lent begins for Roman Catholics, and continues until April 7.

The Catholic tradition holds that consumption of meat or fowl is forbidden on Fridays during Lent, part of the tradition of fasting and denial that has traditionally marked the season.

This is a considerably relaxed version of fasting that many of us old timers who were raised in the Catholic faith knew in out Baby Boomer youth.

Back in those days, meat was verboten every Friday. We often turned to fish to replace meat on Fridays, and I can well remember my dad bringing home takeout breaded haddock and French fries from the local seafood store at the end of each work week.

Our Friday night meal never varied, but though we kids didn’t realize it at the time, there was a wide variety of choices we could have had.

Things have relaxed considerably since that time, and now the only required meatless Fridays are those that fall during the 40 or so days during Lent.

Whether you’re Catholic or not, a few meatless meals can be a good idea from a health perspective, since most experts are in agreement that too much meat is not such a good thing.

Besides, a few meatless meals increases our culinary repertoire, and makes us realize that a meal doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around meat to be both tasty and satisfying.

So, in the spirit of the season, her are a few of my favorite meatless dishes that just might inspire you to go with veggies or fish once in awhile!

Shirred Eggs in

Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms (or use one large can, drained)

2 T butter

1 can condensed cream of celery or mushroom soup

1/4 can milk

2 T finely chopped celery

1 tsp. dried parsley

6 eggs

Salt & pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

2 T melted butter

Preparation:

Sauté the mushrooms in the butter in a saucepan until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the soup, milk, parsley and the celery. Simmer, stirring, for about five minutes. Pour the sauce into a shallow ovenproof casserole. Carefully break in the eggs, spacing them equally apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a generous amount of Parmesan, Dribble melted butter over all. Place in a 350-degree oven and bake until the egg whites are set and the cheese is lightly browned. Serves 6.

Potatoes and caviar

Ingredients:

2 baked potatoes

8 oz. caviar

Sour cream

Preparation:

Bake the potatoes and cut in half, lengthwise. Loosen some of the pulp in each half potato, being careful to leave the skins intact, then blend in about 2 oz. of sour cream with the pulp in each half. Spoon about 2 oz. of caviar atop each half potato and serve hot.

Pasta Primavera

Remember, you can use whatever you have on hand. Even a cucumber can be diced and added!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, minced

5 broccoli florets

1 summer squash, cubed

1 zucchini, cubed

1 large green or red sweet pepper, chopped

1 cup of green beans, diced

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan or Romano

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 lb. cooked shrimp (optional)

Preparation:

In a large fry pan heat the oil. Add all vegetables and spices and sauté until they start to become limp, (about 5 minutes). Add cheese, cream and shrimp and simmer until thick (about three more minutes) Pour over 1 lb. of your favorite pasta that has been cooked al dente and toss well.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

2 green peppers thinly sliced

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 medium onions, peeled, thinly sliced

1 1/2 lb. eggplant, thinly sliced

Olive oil

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 eggs

2 T water

1 lb. mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

1 large jar of prepared meatless pasta sauce

garlic salt

oregano

basil

Preparation:

Sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a little olive oil until the peppers and onions are limp. Set aside. Mix the eggs and water and beat gently. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs, coating both sides. Sauté the eggplant slices in olive oil until lightly browned on both sides and make a layer on the bottom of a large ovenproof casserole. Top each slice with a small piece of cheese, top that with the sautéed vegetable and spoon a layer of the pasta sauce on top of that. Lightly sprinkle garlic salt, oregano and basil atop the sauce. Add another layers of sautéed eggplant and so-on until you end up with a layer to pasta sauce. Sprinkle this with a generous amount of the Parmesan and bake, uncovered in a 325-degree oven for one hour.

Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

1 cup dry white wine

1 lb. grated Swiss cheese

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dry mustard

French bread, broken into bite-sized pieces

Preparation:

On the stove, pour wine into the pot and heat until it begins to bubble. Mix the cheese, cornstarch and mustard and drop into the wine, a handful at a time, stirring constantly. Pour in the Worcestershire and continue heating until all the cheese is melted and smooth. Place over the sterno flame and keep warm, dipping slices of bread into the cheese sauce.

Bouillabaisse

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 leek, diced

3/4 tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 cup bottled clam juice

1 cup dry vermouth

1/4 tsp. saffron

1T dried parsley

1 one pound lobster or 1 lb. lobster tails, cut into pieces

12 mussels in their shells, scrubbed and de-bearded*

12 medium-sized uncooked shrimp, shelled and de-veined

12 raw sea scallops or 24 bay scallops

1/2 lb. red snapped, cup into bite-sized chunks

1/2 lb. haddock, cut into bite-sized pieces

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a large pot, sauté the celery, onion, garlic, leek, thyme, and bay leaves for about five minutes, until the onion becomes translucent. Add tomatoes, wine, clam juice, parsley and additional spices. Simmer for about 15 minutes more. Add seafood and simmer another 15 minutes.

*To de-beard, just tear out the black thread-like strings seen between the shells.

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This is the time for Lenten fare

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