When we gather together

Pot roast, easy Monday beans, taco night, and unstuffed cabbage rolls

I met a friend from New York in Harvard Square this week, one of those February days that have noticeably more sunlight and, despite the ice on the ground, warmth enough to leave a winter coat unzipped. I picked up flowers for a local friend and, leaving the shop, looked up to see Le’s Vietnamese Restaurant.

More than a decade ago, on a summery September evening, my fellow Nieman fellow, San, gathered all of us there for a meal. He wanted to share the food of his homeland as we got to know one another. The table was long, the restaurant noisy, the friendships new.

San was arrested in Hanoi in June of last year, and has been detained ever since, because he wrote Facebook posts criticizing the government. This week he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. You can read more about his case here.

There was a lingering can of pumpkin in the cupboard this week, and pie crust in the freezer. Pumpkin pie in February may not be seasonal, but there were no complaints.

Another of my Nieman friends was also on my mind this week. With spring approaching I needed to make Brett Anderson’s pot roast, an annual tradition each winter in our house. I double the carrots and celery and skip the parsnip and rutabaga, and we sop up that wonderfully tangy sauce with mashed potatoes or fresh bread. Chris made it for my birthday dinner before Jamie was born, and I remember inhaling leftovers in the hospital soon after the birth.

I’ve spent too much time reminiscing in this note today, and not enough time talking about the food. But it reminds me that, despite the demands of feeding a family, putting food on the table is also about the memories and relationships we build around the meal and the flavors. Hold everyone close. Hold yourself close. Feed your soul and build strength to do your best. And raise a glass to San, for his brave belief in free speech and that he may be released soon and in good health.

Brett Anderson’s Pot Roast

Gluten free, Dairy free option

• 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 3 tablespoons canola oil

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

• 2 medium red onions, cut into quarters

• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 12 to 16 pieces, about a pound

• 8 cremini mushrooms, halved

• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

• 1 head garlic, top cut off to expose cloves

• ¾ cup tomato paste

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 sprigs rosemary

• 1½ cups red wine, preferably cabernet

• 4 cups beef broth

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season meat generously with salt and pepper. On the stove top, heat oil in a large Dutch oven, or other heavy roasting pan with a lid, over medium-high heat. Sear the meat until a dark crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove meat to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the pan. Melt the butter and add the whole head of garlic and vegetables, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables start to color, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it darkens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, rosemary and wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a thick gravy consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Return meat to the pot. Add broth, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours 20 minutes.

Let roast sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Remove meat to a cutting board to slice. Discard bay leaves and rosemary stems. Squeeze any garlic cloves remaining in their skins into the stew and discard the skins. Serve slices of meat in shallow bowls along with the vegetables and a generous amount of cooking liquid ladled over top.

From New York Times Cooking.

Monday Beans

Gluten free, Dairy free option

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 cups cooked rice

• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

• 1/2 cup salsa

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 bunch romaine, quartered lengthwise through the core

• 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese or dairy free cheese

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add corn and onion; cook and stir 4-5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Add beans, rice, green chiles, salsa and cilantro; heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve over romaine wedges. Sprinkle with cheese.

Adapted from Taste of Home.

Tuesday Taco Night

Gluten free, Dairy free option

• Ground turkey

• Taco seasoning, gluten free

• Taco shells, gluten free

• Avocado

• Beans

• Diced tomato

• Shredded lettuce

• Leftovers from Monday Beans

Cook turkey and taco seasoning according to seasoning directions. Warm up leftover Monday beans. Serve all together.

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Gluten free, Dairy free option

• 2 pounds ground beef

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce, divided

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed

• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 cups cooked rice (I used leftovers from Monday beans)

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/3 cup raisins

• 1 medium head cabbage (2 pounds), shredded

• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese and/or dairy free cheese

• Coarsely ground pepper, optional

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in 1 can tomato sauce and next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in rice, lemon juice, and raisins; remove from heat.

In a separate skillet, saute the cabbage in batches until slightly browned and caramelized. Alternatively, roast cabbage wedges in the oven until nicely browned and then shred. (I didn’t do this… the recipe I followed just used the cabbage raw, but we thought this would be an improvement. The caramelization would add a nice depth.)

Layer a third of the cabbage in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. (I separated a third of the dish out with a sheet of tinfoil to make one side dairy free and the other not.) Top with half the meat mixture. Repeat layers; top with remaining cabbage. Pour remaining tomato sauce over top.

Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle with coarsely ground pepper.