Tidewater Kitchen - Family Meals: Pamela Meredith

Family Meals

Our family loves food, but it has to be good food ~ not processed, artificially flavored or filled with empty calories. We understand the power of food and its ability to heal. In our family, everyone seems to understand that what we are eating has a profound impact on our wellbeing. The nutritional value of foods is a frequent topic of conversation, and food that is full of potentially harmful toxins is never welcome at the table. However, healthful food does nothing for you if you are not eating it because it is flavorless, even if it is chock-full of micronutrients.

Food is something to be enjoyed not endured. Ideally, these dishes will both nourish the body and

delight the senses. These meals are made with real food made at home. And it’s friends and family gathered around the dinner table that really makes a house feel like home. 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 cup medium-diced carrots 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley 1 store-bought pie crust, rolled out, or you can make your own 1 egg mixed with 1 T. water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for about 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Separate the meat and discard the bones and skin. Dice the chicken into 3/4inch cubes. You will have 5 cups of chicken cut into bite-size pieces.

CHICKEN POT PIE

Serves 6-8 3 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on 3 T. good olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 cups chicken stock 8 T. unsalted butter 1 cup chopped yellow onions 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onions and carrots over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock mixture and simmer over low heat for one minute, stirring constantly, until thick. Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and the cream. Stir in the chicken, carrots, peas and parsley. Spoon into a pie pan or individual pie pans and place the dish on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil.

Unfold the pie crust on top of the chicken and vegetable mixture and cut the pastry to fit the dish. I like to crimp the edges with a fork. Use the fork to put three slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the stew is bubbly and hot. Serve hot.

ROASTED SALMON

1 (2- to 2-1/2 pound) skinless salmon fillet Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup good olive oil 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup minced fresh dill 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 °. Place the salmon fillet on a jelly

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roll pan or in an 8 x 8 glass baking dish and season generously with salt and pepper. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle the mixture evenly over the salmon. Let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the dill and parsley. Scatter the herb mixture over the salmon fillet, turning it so that both sides are generously coated with the green herbs.

Roast the salmon for 12 minutes, until almost cooked in the center at the thickest part. The center will be firm, with just a line of uncooked salmon in the very center. Cut into the thickest part with the sharp tip of a knife to see if it flakes away. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and allow the salmon to rest for 10 minutes. Cut the salmon crosswise into serving pieces and serve hot with lemon wedges. It’s also wonderful chilled the next day on a favorite bed of salad greens.

ROASTED POTATOES

5 potatoes, whatever your favorite is, peeled and cut 2 T. olive oil 3 garlic cloves, smashed Sea salt and pepper to taste Favorite seasonings, optional: rosemary, thyme, basil and oregano

Wash potatoes, then peel and cut into quarters.

Spread potatoes on jelly roll pan and drizzle with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Optional: Sprinkle your favorite dried herbs.

Roast at 425° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Serves 6 2-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus 2 T. olive oil 1/2 t. kosher salt 1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper 2 lemons cut in wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400°. If the stalks of the asparagus are thick, snap off the bottom of each. Lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3 T. unsalted butter 2 T. good olive oil 4 cloves garlic cloves smashed 1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined Pinch of salt and pepper 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves 1/2 lemon, zest grated 2 zested lemons and freshly squeezed juice 1/8 t. hot red pepper flakes, optional for heat

Add the linguine to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the

Roast until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with lemon wedges.

SHRIMP SCAMPI

3/4 pound linguine

Tidewater Kitchen butter and olive oil over mediumlow heat. Add the garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Be careful, as you don’t want the garlic to burn. Add the shrimp, a pinch of salt and the pepper, and sauté until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss to combine. When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well and serve.

MEATLOAF

1/4 cup unsalted butter 2 cups white onion, finely chopped 1 cup chopped green bell pepper

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1 t. salt 1 t. freshly ground pepper 2 pounds lean ground beef 2 large eggs, beaten to blend 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs 3/4 cup ketchup 2 t. Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 375°. Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add next 4 ingredients and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.

Combine meat, egg, breadcrumbs, ½ cup ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl. Blend in sautéed vegetables. Place the mixture in an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Spread the ketchup over the top of the meatloaf. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until it registers 190° with an instant-read thermometer.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Serves 6 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup whole milk 3 garlic cloves, smashed 5 Tablespoons (3/4 sick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.

Add the sour cream, milk, butter and garlic to the pot. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir over medium heat until heated through, adding more milk to thin if necessary.)

SHEPHERD’S PIE

Potato Topping: 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks 4 T. butter, half a stick

1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk Salt and pepper to taste Filling: 1 pound ground beef 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cups of frozen peas 2 T. flour 1/2 cup beef broth 1 T. tomato paste 1 T. Worcestershire sauce 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes in enough water to cover until fork tender. Drain, then add the butter, sour cream, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes with a hand masher or mixer until you reach your favorite mashed potato consistency. Set aside.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef along with the onions

and garlic. Drain any excess grease. To the same skillet, add 2 cups of frozen vegetables, then cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and peas, and stir to mix. Add the tomato paste, and stir to mix it in. Then add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding additional broth if necessary to prevent the meat from drying out. Remove from heat. Spread the meat mixture in an even layer in a 9×13 dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Top the meat with the mashed potatoes, making an even layer of potatoes and cheddar cheese on top. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set your casserole dish on the baking sheet in case anything bubbles over as the shepherd’s pie is cooking.

Place the dish in the oven and bake at 350°. Bake for 30 minutes until brown and bubbly. After baking, you can place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the potatoes more if necessary.

the potatoes more if necessary.

A longtime resident of Oxford, Pamela Meredith, formerly Denver’s NBC Channel 9 Children’s Chef, now teaches both adult and children’s cooking classes on the south shore of Massachusetts.

For more of Pam’s recipes, visit the Story Archive tab at tidewatertimes.com.

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