^TM

ONE DISH MEALS

Flavorful Single-Dish Meals from the World’s Premier Culinary College

Reviewed by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

Most of us are likely to equate a “one dish meal” with casserole, the deep, round ceramic container widely popular in the 1950’s. But, in ONE DISH MEALS: Flavorful Single-Dish Meals from the World’s Premier Culinary College (Lebhar-Friedman; September 2006; $35.00/Hardcover; ISBN: 0-86730-908-3), chef-instructors at The Culinary Institute of America remind us that satisfying one dish meals can be made in a wide variety of vessels – the sauté pan, paella pan, Dutch oven, clay pot, wok, and irreplaceable stock pot, to name a few.

One Dish Meals are not just simple to make, they are simple to serve. And I like the fact there are fewer pots and pans to wash up afterwards.

Imagine making gourmet meals like they learn to make in culinary school all in one bowl or pot.

Sound easy and delicious?

It is.

Especially if you serve it on paper plates.

Filled with more than 100 color photographs, ONE DISH MEALS brings international fare and down-home comfort foods together, offering a diverse collection of recipes from America, Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean.

A sampling of the 150 classic and contemporary recipes includes…

Bolivian Beef Stew
Paella
Vegetarian Moussaka
Macaroni and Cheese
Bibimbap
Eggplant Parmesan
Prosciutto-Wrapped Hake

Written by experts from “the world’s premier culinary college,” the recipes are easy to follow and often accompanied by a tip or suggestion that makes preparing the dish even easier. Complementing chapters on soups, braises, and pastas, the 224-page book contains a “Light Fare” chapter, designed for sultry summer weather and lighter appetites. Recipes in this section include Greek Bread Salad, Niçoise-Style Tuna, Barbecued Chicken Pizza, Grilled Focaccia Sandwich, and Saigon Subs. 

While some meals take a bit longer to prepare, they are all a breeze to clean – a fact that makes ONE DISH MEALS perfect for every day, every season, and everybody!

About The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent, not-for-profit college offering bachelor's and associate's degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts. A network of more than 37,000 alumni in foodservice and hospitality has helped the CIA earn its reputation as the world's premier culinary college. In addition to ONE DISH MEALS, CIA is the author of the best-selling cookbooks Gourmet Meals in Minutes, Breakfasts & Brunches, The Book of Soups, and Grilling.

###

Recipe from ONE DISH MEALS

Bibimbap

Contrasting temperatures and textures make this dish an adventure. Freshly fried eggs and marinated strips of steak are served on a bed of cool, crisp vegetables, all set atop a mound of hot steamed rice.

Makes 4 servings

Beef Marinade:
1/4 cup Korean soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup minced scallions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 teaspoons ground toasted sesame seeds
Few drops dark sesame oil, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

1 pound beef skirt steak, cut into strips
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil, as needed
2 cups steamed medium-grain rice
2 cups iceberg lettuce chiffonade
1 cup julienned or grated red radish
1 cup julienned or grated daikon
1 cup julienned or grated carrot
1 cup julienned or grated seedless cucumber
4 shiso leaves, cut into fine shreds
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper paste (gochujang), or as needed

Combine the soy sauce and sugar in a bowl. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds. Add the sesame oil and pepper to taste. Add the skirt steak and toss until evenly coated. Cover, refrigerate, and let the steak marinate for at least 1 and up to 8 hours.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the beef strips to the hot oil and stir-fry until the beef is cooked, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Divide the rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top the rice with the lettuce. Toss together the radish, daikon, carrot, cucumber, and shiso leaves. Divide the vegetables evenly among the bowls. Top the vegetables with the skirt steak and season each serving with a few drops of sesame oil.

Wipe out the wok and return it to the burner. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok and heat over medium heat until the oil ripples. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the hot oil, and fry until the whites are set and the yolk is hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Top each serving with a fried egg and serve at once, accompanied by the Korean red pepper paste.

Shiso Leaves:
Shiso leaves, sometimes known as perillo, come from an herb related to both basil and mint. In fact, it is similar in flavor to those herbs, although most would agree that shiso leaves have a more complex flavor than either herb.

Green shiso leaves are typically used in salads, stir-fries, or in tempura. Red shiso leaves are used to flavor and color Japan’s famous pickled plums, umeboshi. If you can’t find shiso leaves, you can use either basil or mint, or both.

Madelyn Miller is a food and travel writer who would honestly rather eat than cook. Read her stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com, www.chocolateatlas.com

She often gives cookbooks as gifts, hoping people will invite her over to taste the fruit of their labors.

Back to TravelLady Magazine