My husband is the real chef in the family, with a gift for just picking up random ingredients from the store and then inventing some kind of delicious restaurant caliber meal off the top of his head. I’m not bad in the kitchen, but I do require step by step instructions, even if I do riff off of them every once in a while. Tonight, however, I managed to make a delicious meal (curried tilapia and collard greens) and I figured I’d share it with you all, not least of all because the recipe comes from a brilliant website called No Take Out, that is dedicated to promoting more home cooked, healthy, family style meals.
They’ve got lots of great recipes (a new one every day!) and a good percentage of them are vegetarian. The preparation is always simple and the results have never been less than delicious. Plus the most brilliant thing about them is that they give you step by step instructions to make the complete meal, from “walk in the door and put a kettle of water on to boil,” to “here you have a few minutes, go set the table and put the bread on.” Which is super helpful, as timing the various dishes is one of my weak spots when planning a meal. If you actually do what they say, you’ll end up with a perfectly timed, healthy flavorful meal. They even make wine and dessert suggestions.
Which is never a bad thing.
recipe below:
Here it is, from start to finish. Super cute, super easy, super delicious. You can even sign up for their mailing list and get the menu of the day sent right to your inbox!
Shopping List
2 shallots
1 bunch collard greens
4 large russet potatoes
1 bunch chives
1/4 cup currants
1 pint heavy, non ultra-pasteurized cream
4 good-sized Tilapia fillets
Dry white wine (Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc)
Pantry Items
Curry powder
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves
Red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Unsalted butter
Tools
Chef’s knife
Large saucepan
Measuring cups and spoons
Mixing bowls
Nonstick fry pan
Paring knife
Small saucepan
Spatula
Tongs
Vegetable Peeler
Wooden spoons
Suggestions
Wine: Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc (whatever you used to cook the fish…)
Dessert: Yogurt topped with honey and walnuts
Game Plan:
When you walk in the door
Refrigerate the fish fillets
Get out Pantry Items
Get out Tools
Assemble the ingredients
Put a small pan or a kettle of water on to boil
Open the wine and refrigerate it
Prep
Peel and dice the shallots.
Rinse the collard greens. Coarsely chop them.
Peel the potatoes and cut each into 8 equal pieces.
Peel and thinly slice the garlic.
Rinse and pat dry the chives.
Put the currants in a heat-proof bowl.
Start Cooking
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and just cover with water. Add 2 tsps. salt, stir and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes, partially covered, for 12 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, pour boiling water over the currants and let them plump for 15 minutes.
Set the table now.
Put 6 tbsps. oil in the small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring once in awhile until it turns pale gold, about 10 minutes. Don’t let it get too brown.
Check the potatoes – they should be firm in the center but getting soft. Add the collards, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes, checking once in awhile and stirring.
Check the garlic.
Now you’ve got a minute – pour yourself a glass of wine and check your email.
Melt 1 tbsp. butter in the nonstick fry pan over medium heat.
Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Add the fish fillets to the pan in one layer.
Pour 1/4 cup wine around them, season with salt and pepper and cover the fry pan. Cook for about 7 minutes until the fillets are opaque.
If the garlic is golden – it probably is – remove it from the heat and stir in 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes.
Drain the currants and pat them dry.
When the fish is cooked, transfer it to a platter.
Add 1 cup cream and the currants to the pan. Stir, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the cream for about 3 minutes.
Stir in ½ to 1 tsp. curry powder, and taste the cream. Adjust the seasoning.
Check the potatoes and collards, they must be done by now.
Remove them from the heat and put in a bowl. Pour the garlic and hot pepper oil over them, toss, season with salt and pepper, and take to the table.
Mince the chives.
Put a fillet on each of four plates. Cover each fillet with sauce and sprinkle with chives.
Dinner is ready. Take the plates and wine to the table!
Wow that was fast, let’s eat!
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