Homemade Fast Food

"Mise en place" is the french term for "putting in place."
Setting up all your pre-measured ingredients helps you stay
organized in the kitchen (and feels like a cooking show!)

Make ahead meals is the topic for our March cooking workshop here at The Hub. Soups, stews, pies and baked dishes work well to make ahead in large batches, and freeze for later use. Our workshop utilizes a set of core ingredients to build 3 dishes that differ in flavor, texture and presentation. Participants helped prepare the dishes, then packaged them up for freezing at home. Spending a few hours cooking ahead allows for convenient "fast food" meals, without sacrificing quality, nutrition and taste.

From a big pot of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) a batch of brown rice, plus a few other basic ingredients like fresh spinach, vegetable stock and canned tomatoes, we made Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie, Chickpea Spinach Soup and Chana Masala (served with Brown Rice). Each of these affordable dishes can serve as a complete meal, and they all taste great. 

Homemade vegetable broth is simple to make with veggie scraps
and lend rich flavor to soups and other dishes. photo credit: Ayana Brown

You could do something similar with another type of bean or meat, and different grain and vegetable choices. Another approach is to make several pans of one dish, such as enchiladas or lasagna, and freeze enough for several meals. 


Some things to consider for Make Ahead Freezer Meals:

·       Suitability There are a few items that don’t freeze well: lettuce, cucumbers, bean sprouts, raw potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Egg based sauces like mayonnaise will separate and curdle when thawed. And many dairy products such as cream, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese will sometimes go watery when thawed. However sour cream or cottage cheese in a dish that will be baked is usually fine.

·      Appeal. Will you want to eat this meal again? If you didn’t like the food the first time, you probably still won’t like it a few weeks later.

·       Timing. Make sure you set aside enough time to prepare the food, let it cool, and package it for the freezer. A few hours (or less) are all you need for most meals. Some people like to make a day out of it, and cook several different dishes, for a variety of choices.

photo credit: Ayana Brown

·      Space. How much space do you have in your freezer? This will determine how much food you can make ahead and store, and what kind of packaging you choose.
·       Containers.

Ziploc-type plastic bags bags Make sure and get out as much air as possible, and seal it tightly to avoid any spills or freezer burn (double bag for extra protection).  

Aluminum Foil Baking Pans or your own baking dishes. Look for these at dollar stores where you can often get a 3 pack for $1.

Plastic Tupperware or other plastic containers with sealed lids. These work well for soups. They can take up a lot of room in the freezer so consider space when using them.

photo credit: Ayana Brown

·      Serving Size. Unless you are freezing large portions for a family meal (for example, a lasagna or a pan of enchiladas), small serving sizes are usually easier to thaw and reheat.

·     Ease of Reheating. Choose meals that are easy to defrost and reheat. Pans that can go directly in the oven are perfect. For soups, let it thaw a bit in the container, then you can transfer it to a pot to heat up.

·       Label. Make sure to label and date all meals in the freezer. Place older frozen foods towards the front of the freezer so you are more likely to see them and eat them. Another idea is to make a list of all frozen meals and place this list on the outside of the freezer so you always know exactly what you have without having to search.

Chana Masala

This is a simplified take on a well-loved Indian dish. This version is adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Good and Cheap. Serve with brown rice and a tossed salad. Make extra, and freeze a batch for a quick, delicious meal.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons cumin seeds (not ground)
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh, hot green chili pepper, minced
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or less)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika (regular or smoked)
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 cups canned tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, juiced (optional)

Measure out all the dry spices except the cumin seeds and put them in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the cumin seed and stir for about 5 seconds. Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, paprika and garam masala. Cook onion mixture with spiced for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.

*you can make beans in a slow-cooker these days. No presoaking** just cover them 2 to 3 inches of water and cook them 3 hours on high (or 8 hours on low.

**many people recommend soaking beans first, and disposing of the soaking water before cooking, to make beans easier to digest, causing less gas. Others say it is not necessary. Try both and see what works for you!

Basic Grilled or Roasted Chicken Breast

(Twice as Nice: 25 Chicken Breast Recipes for Today and Later, by Sandra Liu)

However you cook the chicken, start by salting and peppering some split fryer breasts, bone in and skin on. Then proceed as follows.

Gas Grill

Heat the grill to high, then put the chicken on oiled racks, with the thickest part towards the center of the grill. Cover and cook for 7 minutes. Turn the chicken, keeping the thickest part to the center, and reduce the heat one notch. Repeat two or three more times, always keeping the thickest part towards the center of the grill and reducing the heat one notch each time. It should take about 25 to 30 minutes total, depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Test for doneness; if it’s not done, return it to the grill and cook it for another 5 minutes, then test again. Repeat until it’s completely done.

If using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grill them for about 15 minutes total, turning them two or three times. Check for doneness. If not done, return them to the grill and cook another 3 minutes. Repeat as necessary.

Charcoal Grill

Prepare the coals, and put an oiled grill 4 to 6 inches above the coals. When the coals are medium hot, put the chicken on the grill. Cover and cook, turning every 5 minutes, until done, about 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the size. Test for doneness; if it’s not done, return it to the grill and cook it for another 5 minutes, then test again. Repeat until it’s completely done.

If using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grill them for about 15 minutes total, turning them two or three times. Check for doneness. If not done, return them to the grill and cook another 3 minutes. Repeat as necessary.

Oven

Preheat the oven to 350, and place a rack in the middle of the oven. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a roasting pan, without crowding, skin side up. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size. Turn on the broiler and broil about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown with a few charred parts. Check for doneness. If the chicken is not done, reduce the heat back to 350 and cook the chicken another 5 minutes. Check again for doneness, and repeat until it is completely done.

If using boneless, skinless chicken, preheat the broiler and broil the meat about 5 minutes per side. Test for doneness. If necessary, return to the oven, retesting every 3 minutes until thoroughly done.

Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165. If you have a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat, but be sure it does not touch the bone. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, poke the meat with a knife at the thickest part. The meat should be opaque and no longer pink.

What do you do with the cooked chicken breasts, however you cook them? Start by carefully cutting the meat off the bone, trying to get as much as possible off in one big chunk. Set aside the bones; we’ll get back to them in a minute. Slice the meat crosswise. If you’re going to eat the chicken immediately, you might want to leave the skin on the chicken and slice it too. If you’re going to be saving the chicken and using it later, go ahead and pull the skin off and eat it right away. It’s much better when it’s freshly cooked.