A grain, a vegetable, a skillet

When vegetables pile up in my refrigerator, it sometimes feels like a CSA basket that needs to be dealt with before next week’s delivery arrives. It can be a result of impulse buying at the market or the bits and pieces left over from various recipe tests; usually it’s a bit of both. So last week I cleaned out the refrigerator. I cooked up some grains and decided to use just a skillet or a wok for the vegetables. I made two great discoveries while coming up with these simple and delicious vegetarian skillet suppers. One is that a wok should not be limited to Asian stir-fries. A well-seasoned carbon steel wok makes a great natural nonstick pan that you can get hot enough to obtain a wonderful seared flavor when you cook vegetables, no matter what the seasonings. The other thing I discovered is that the cooking water drained off from cooked barley or brown rice can be added to cooked vegetables the way pasta cooking water is sometimes used to moisten and add texture to an accompaniment. The starch in the nutrient-dense water enriches the vegetables like a sauce. Just add more water than the usual proportion that you’d use – say a quart for a cup of brown rice or barley, and drain the grains through a strainer set over a bowl when they’re tender. Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts and Red Beans With Lemon and Mustard You can cook this beautiful, lemony skillet dinner in a well-seasoned wok or a heavy nonstick pan. You’ll get the best seared flavor in a wok. Serve with quinoa. 1 medium cauliflower 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup water, stock or drained cooking liquid from the accompanying grain (optional) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3/4 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 can red beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill Suggested grain for serving: quinoa (1/2 to 3/4 cup per person) Optional: Lemon-flavored olive oil for drizzling 1. Quarter and core the cauliflower, then slice thin so that it falls apart into small, thin pieces. Whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and water or stock in a small bowl and set aside. 2. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a well-seasoned wok or in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the cauliflower and brussels sprouts and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are seared and beginning to soften. Add salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring or tossing (as you would a stir-fry), for another 5 minutes, or until the cauliflower and the brussels sprouts are just tender and flavorful. 3. Add the beans, dill and lemon-mustard mixture and stir together for another minute or two. Taste, adjust seasonings, and remove from the heat. Serve with quinoa or another grain of your choice. If desired, add a drizzle of lemon-flavored olive oil to each serving. Yield: 4 servings. Advance preparation: This is best served right away, but you could make the dish through Step 2, remove from the heat and let sit for up to an hour, then reheat and proceed with Step 3. Nutritional information per serving, with the quinoa: 348 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 52 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 322 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 16 grams protein. Nutritional information per serving, without the quinoa: 237 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 32 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 315 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 12 grams protein.