Ramen? Rather Not. College Cooking 101

I've been asked by my step-daughter and her roommates to pay particular attention to the cash-strapped, health conscious, college student -- the ones who just raided their homes for outdated colanders, cutting boards and cook pots to outfit apartment kitchens. Who would eat Ramen, but rather not. Who need recipes that are cheap, easy and good. I am assuming that although these are not vain women, food that will not necessitate buying another wardrobe or wearing a tent would be another key feature.

Here goes.

First we stocked her spice cabinet --- good salt, fresh pepper, cinnamon, curry, cumin and ground thyme a must -- and bought good knives and real wine glasses (don't worry, they're 21. And you can never learn too early that cheap wine tastes better out of a glass that sits in your hand in a satisfying manner.) She purchased penne and canned vodka sauce, Nutella, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and good tea (another treat that doesn't break the bank).

And now she wants to cook. And she's ready.

Rock this recipe, Boo.

Chicken Balsamic

Chicken thighs, 2 per person

balsamic vinegar

salt

garlic, peeled and sliced thin, or mushrooms if desired 

spray oil

Spray a skillet large enough to fit in all your chicken thighs. Spray generously with oil, or use about a tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat pan.

If using garlic, sprinkle in bottom of pan with a pinch of sea salt (the thick one) and let cook for a few minutes, or until golden. Flip and add chicken thighs. Cook 5 minutes more, until chicken thigh is browned, then flip chicken. 

Have the top of the pan at the ready. Sprinkle with balsamic (I use about 1/3 cup for 8 thighs for 3 people  and plenty of leftovers.) If using mushrooms, sprinkle over the top and cover fast. Steam will rise when the balsamic hits the pan and you want to capture it to steam the chicken -- this accounts for the moistness of the dish.

Cook until the chicken reaches at least 160 degrees, turning again to coat the chicken. The vinegar will form a nice thick glaze. (This will be about 5-10 more minutes, depending on how many thighs you've got in there. ( We didn't buy you a meat thermometer? Rats. Sorry. Christmas.)

In this picture it looks pretty brown. I assure you it is food alchemy to turn thighs to prize. I love to serve it on a chilly night with cauliflower puree and cranberry sauce. Those are not included in College Cooking 101, but go for it if you want to rock Riverside.

Astound your friends. Befuddle your enemies. Above all, eat good food.

Sante.

Big Shrimp

Onward blazing through our fridge of fish. I have to say, I rarely cook shrimp. I don't quite know why - it's easy and good and can really swing any way.

Take that back -- I kind of do know why. First off, I really don't love to peel it. The little shrimp legs get stuck under your fingernails. And then there's the procurement of the stuff. When we lived in Georgetown, bC, I used to walk down the canal to Cannon's Seafood, on 31th Street, where the shrimp tastes like it just jumped the net. All those shrimp needed was a swirl of melted butter in the skillet, toss in and cook until they turned pink. Now those were some shrimp.

But these shrimp, even though they were and plump and moist looking, were from the grocery. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) The sign read "wild caught" but didn't specify when. Good enough for a stir-fry, my 5-year-old declared, "Chinese!"

This is a clean out the fridge kind of dish, that can be personalized with whatever you have lying around. It's generally good to put in garlic and onion, but as I was trying to appeal to kids I left them out (I put them in the greens, which I ate with the stir fry instead of rice). You can also add those cute mini corns -- kids love them -- or bamboo shoots or water chestnuts, but I had none in the larder.

Shrimp Stir Fry

1 lb. shrimp, peeled
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 cup baby carrots, cut into quarters lengthwise
1 head of broccoli, cut up
Soy sauce (if gluten is an issue, choose wheat-free)

Heat large skillet or wok. Add oil, then saute ginger and garlic if desired. Add vegetables and stir, adding soy sauce to thin sauce to desired consistency. Cook about five minutes, until vegetables are tender or soft. depending on your taste. Add shrimp last, toss and cover. Steam until shrimp are pink and opaque.


Serve over rice (Basmati or Jasmine are especially nice). If you are catering to little ones (or big folks with food phobias), put whatever they won't love in a separate skillet. That way the veggie-vores (like me) can toss it all together.

Wilted Mixed Greens with Garlic

8 cups kale, shredded
8 cups swiss chard, shredded
1 head of garlic, separated and slivered
olive oil

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet. Add slivered garlic and stir. Cook until garlic is browned, about 3 minutes. Turn down heat and add greens, cover. Greens will steam and wilt; toss with oil and garlic and serve.

Enjoy!