by Rebecca Ets-Hokin
Friday evenings are a wonderful time for Shabbat. Fridays are often more casual and lighter workdays. Children have a little homework break after school. Families can take the time to relax and linger over a delicious meal. We have recently instated the no-bickering rule, instilling détente when the candles are lighted.
The rest of the week’s dinner hours aren’t so idyllic. The working adults are tired and preoccupied, the children ravenous and dreading their homework and chores. Gideon, our adolescent son, is a finely tuned machine that without its 6 o’clock refueling becomes an irrational monster. We bring him back from the dark side by feeding him no later than 6:15.
Given all this, weekday evening dinners need to be prepared quickly (20 to 45 minutes). They also need to be lowfat, meat-free and pleasing to selective palates. We almost always have a green salad or a green vegetable like broccoli or spinach, usually boiled or sautéed. The following recipes, although not terribly inspirational, are our weeknight staples.
Joe’s Super Fast Pasta
Serves 6-8
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic through the press
4 cups cherry tomatoes
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sugar
8 oz. frozen meatless meatballs
1 lb. pasta (we prefer spaghetti)
4 Tbs. grated Parmesan
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar. Continue cooking, and as the tomatoes soften, mash them slightly with the back of a spoon. Stir in the frozen “meatballs,” and simmer the sauce 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well, and add the pasta to the simmering sauce. Toss the pasta with the sauce and the Parmesan. Serve warm.
Gideon’s Purée of White Bean Soup
Serves 6-8
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 (14 oz.) cans white beans, drained
4 cup vegetable stock
Heat the olive oil in a deep soup pot. Sauté the onion, carrot and the celery for a minute to coat with the olive oil. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Once the vegetables are soft, add the drained beans and simmer a few more minutes to heat the beans through. Purée the soup with a food mill, blender or food processor. You may add additional water or stock if the soup is too thick.
Violet’s Roasted Winter Squash
Serves 6
3 small squash, like delicata, cut in half
2 Tbs. walnut oil
1 Tbs. coarse sea salt
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle the walnut oil and the sea salt over the inside of the squash. Place the squash, skin side down in an oven safe baking dish. Roast the squash in a preheated 425-degree oven for 35 minutes or until soft. Serve warm.
Rebecca Ets-Hokin is a certified culinary professional. Visit her Web site at www.GoRebecca.com. She can be reached at Rebecca@GoRebecca.com.
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California