More on food in the time of Coronavirus

Just a reminder that onions and garlic, which you can stock up on, are antibiotics for the lungs. And honey is antibiotic for the throat. Antibiotics do not necessarily kill viruses; they kill bacteria which are not the same thing at all. But they can help keep you clean and pure so your immune system is fighting ready.  

Oysters and red meat provide significant amounts of zinc as do pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils and beans. I say this because zinc is suspected to slow or thwart this particular virus from getting down into the lungs. So rice and beans with onions and garlic should be on your plate sometime. 

Another nutritional stalwart that stores, as long as you have a fridge, is peanut butter. It is high in protein, has fiber and provides potassium--which can be hard to find in foods. For those of you who have it on hand and want to do more than slather it on bread with jelly, here's a traditional Chinese recipe perfect for kids. 

Peanut Butter Noodles

You serve this at room temperature. Don't worry if you don't have snow peas. And if you don't have fresh chives, just mince some red onion.

Serves 6-8

1 lb fresh Chinese egg noodles (sold refrigerated, often near produce)

2 tbsp olive or corn or canola oil (don’t use fruity olive oil)

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1” fresh ginger root, peeled and minced or grated finely

1 tbsp rice vinegar or wine vinegar if you don’t have any

 ¼ cup soy sauce (heavier is better but not mandatory)

1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

½ cup Chinese sesame oil

1/8 tsp hot chili paste or Tabasco or habanero sauce

1 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

1 cup chopped fresh chives (the thick Chinese chive works best)

¼ lb fresh snow peas, cleaned

Cook fresh noodles in boiling water according to package instructions or for two minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.  Mix olive or other oil into the noodles to keep them from sticking and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, blend garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili. Stir in peanut butter and keep stirring to make a smooth sauce.

Put the noodles in a large serving bowl and pour the sauce over them. Use a fork to blend. Mix in chopped chives (you may have to use your hands). Sprinkle sesame seeds all over the top. Optionally, if you like chili, you can now sprinkle some red pepper flakes on.

To garnish with snow peas, line the edge of the bowl by placing one snow pea upright next to another.  You can also chop the snow peas and mix them into the noodles. Serve at room temperature.

In the pasta post two back you will find easy going pantry stock deliciousness with cacio e pepe and Venetian spaghetti with onions. Here are a few more pantry proud recipes to get you through.
Corn Chowder

This is another two can feast. If you have fish or shucked shellfish, throw it in to make fish chowder.

Serves 6

2 tbsp butter or ghee
1 lg onion, peeled and diced
1 Serrano or other hot chili, seeded and diced OR 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp dried sage
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground chipotle pepper
1 tsp cracked or freshly ground black pepper
3 cups corn kernels (here's where the can comes in)
3 celery stalks, cleaned and diced
2 cups water
3 medium potatoes (any color), peeled and cubed

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp. diced pimento (these come in jars)

2 cups vegetable broth

12 oz. evaporated milk (not sweetened)

4 oz heavy cream

Melt butter in a medium soup pot or casserole. Add onion and chili pepper, sage and oregano. Sauté over medium heat until onions are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in coriander, chipotle pepper, black pepper and celery. Continue to sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Puree one cup of corn with 1 tbsp vegetable broth and add to the pot, stirring to blend. Add potatoes, salt and the rest of the vegetable broth. Blend ingredients, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups corn kernels and pimentos. Add two cups of water. Continue to simmer covered on medium low heat for 5-8 minutes. (You don’t have to be exact.) Taste for salt and adjust to preference. Stir in evaporated milk and heavy cream. Cook over medium low heat uncovered until the soup is warmed thoroughly. Do not bring to a boil once the milk and cream have been included. Stir once to blend all flavors. Ladle into soup bowls.

Migas

This is lovely leftovers, a traditional Spanish way to creatively serve yesterday's bread today. Morcilla is a smoked meat for which you can substitute chorizo or pancetta or leftover bits of ham.

Serves 4

1 medium loaf of stale white bread (around 2-3 days old)

Extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, crushed with the skin on

1/2 lb (skimpy) morcilla, chorizo or pancetta, cubed

4 shallots or 1 sm onion, finely chopped

2 tsp smoked paprika

A small bunch of parsley, chopped

3 tbsp white raisins, soaked (either overnight or 2-3 hours before) in sherry (or water)

2 tbsp hazelnuts, toasted and crushed

1 tbsp (heaping) pine nuts, toasted

8 eggs

Salt and black pepper

Remove the bread's crust and cut it into 2cm cubes. Sprinkle with water to get it slightly damp. Put it aside in a plastic container or bowl with a damp tea towel over it until needed. The idea is to keep it moist.

Put a sauté pan on a medium to low heat and pour in 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil. When it is warm, add the garlic. When the garlic is halfway to caramelized, add all the meat and cook 2 minutes. The meat should release fat. Add the bread, stay on low heat and keep tossing it 4-5 minutes. After 2 minutes, add the shallots and season with the smoked paprika. Add the chopped parsley, raisins, hazelnuts and pine nuts and blend. The bread should not turn into croutons; it should be crispy on the outside but still moist and chewy on the inside. Using a slotted spoon, divide the pan mixture on four plates.

In the same pan, fry the eggs, making sure they’re crispy on the outside (with a skirt) and runny in the middle. Place on top of the bread mixture. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.

 
Spicy lemon lentils

The acid in citrus fruit is so strong it can kill bacteria rapidly. Ergo ceviche. Grapefruit seed extract is also sold in pharmacies as a way to keep your stomach safe from turista. So this side dish offers you citrus help plus zinc and protein filled lentils. And it's light in case you can't get out to exercise. Best of all, if any is leftover, add chopped carrots and celery plus a cup or two of vegetable broth to make tasty lentil soup.

serves 6

2 cups brown lentils, picked over
1 small cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter or ghee
2 lg onions, diced
2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 tsp ground Cayenne
4 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1 lemon, grated
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 sm medium hot chili, minced (or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes)
salt and black pepper

garnish: 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, chopped

Put lentils, cinnamon stick and cloves in a large saucepan and cover lentils with water 1" over the top of them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Drain and remove cinnamon stick and cloves.

In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the oil. Add onions and sauté for 10 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add ginger, cayenne, garlic, lemon zest and chili. Sauté another 5 minutes. Fold in the lentils and lemon juice. Carefully stir once to blend. Heat just until the lentils are hot. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Stir in the chopped cilantro.

Moroccan chickpea soup
You might as well enjoy something very tasty to lift your spirits. This is from my chickpea collection, aka what to do with a can of chickpeas.        

Serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil

1 med red onion, peeled and diced

¼ tsp caraway seed

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp fresh ground or cracked black pepper

½ tsp ground cumin

4 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp chopped tomatoes in their juices

1 tbsp tomato paste

juice of ½ lemon

pinch of saffron

2 sm potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup when done)

1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

¼ cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped

1/8- ¼ tsp salt to taste

Heat oil in a medium casserole or soup pot over medium high heat. Add onion and caraway seed and sauté five minutes until onion is soft.  Add garlic and all spices and continue to sauté 30 seconds. Add broth, stir in tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, lemon juice and saffron. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes, chickpeas and parsley.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in salt. Serve hot with lemon wedges and, optionally, a dollop of harissa, Tunisian chili sauce, or similar.
Moros y Cristianos

Here's today's beans with rice dish. It's name encapsulates Spanish history: first how the Christians liberated Andalusia from the darker skinned Moors of North Africa, and then how the newly liberated Spanish brought their food with them to the New World. This dish is common in Cuba. I included the recipe in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking.

Serves 6-8

1 cup dried black beans

1½ cups long-grain rice

3 tbsp olive oil

1 lg onion, peeled and diced

1 lg green bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

½ tsp salt (or more to your taste)

½ tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper

2 tbsp vinegar (red wine, Jerez or white)

1 tbsp (heaping) tomato paste

2¼ cups vegetable broth 

Optional garnish: freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Put the beans in a medium saucepan with 2¼ cups of water. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand covered for one hour. Drain and rinse beans.  Put back in saucepan with another 2¼ cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain.

Rinse rice with cold water until water runs clear. Drain.

 In a medium casserole or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and green pepper and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper and vinegar. Sauté 30-40 seconds and add tomato paste. Blend ingredients and sauté one minute.  Add black beans and blend. Cook one more minute.

Add rice and stir to blend. Add broth, blending.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until rice is fully cooked and all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.Taste for salt and add ¼ tsp if you’d like more.

Drizzle with good quality olive oil and optionally garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves to serve.