Gassenheimer - Dinner in minutes: memorable meals for busy cooks

Copyright 1993, 1995 by Linda Gassenheimer

All rights reserved

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South,
New York, New York 10003.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gassenheimer, Linda.
Dinner in minutes: memorable meals for busy cooks /
Linda Gassenheimer
p. cm.
Originally published: 1993
Includes index.
ISBN 0-395-97181-0
1. Dinners and dining. 2. Quick and easy cookery. I. Title.
TX737.G332 1995
641.5'55dc20 95-10743

Printed and bound in Canada by
Best Book Manufacturers, Inc.

Designed by Eugenie Seidenberg Delaney
Illustrations by Kari Alberg

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Harold, whose patience and enthusiastic
love of good food encouraged me to create these recipes

W HILE WORKING on this book, I realized that Dinner in Minutes has always been part of my life. How else could I feed my active family, enjoy my work and still have time to play? My sons and their friends' love and critical reviews of my cooking have made creating these meals enjoyable. James, John, Charles and Cami have been active advisors.

The book would not have been written without my husband, Harold, who waited for his dinner, helped clean up after it and spent many hours editing both the flavor and the text.

Dinner in Minutes began in the Miami Herald with the help of Food Editor Felicia Gressette. She encouraged me to write for her and to create my column when I had just arrived from London. She has become a great friend and inspiration.

Judith Weber, my literary agent, introduced me to the exciting world of cookbook authors here in the United States. What would I have done without her expert guidance and perseverance!

Finding a perfect job when arriving back on these shores after 20 years in Europe was a wonderful stroke of good luck. Elizabeth Gardner Adams and her husband, Maurice, proprietors of Gardner's Markets, gave me the opportunity to work in the retail food business. Along the way, they supported my writing and became delightful friends.

Fred Tasker, wine columnist for the Miami Herald, adds to my readers' enjoyment with his witty and wise suggestions for my column. I appreciate his contribution to this book.

Rux Martin came to Florida for a visit, and our friendship began. She's a delight to know and a tireless editor.

Publicists Lisa and Lou Ekus coined the word creativity. Their generous advice and encouragement have been of immeasurable help.

And to all my readers throughout the country who have written and called over the years, a very big thank you. You have helped shape my ideas and made the solitary task of writing a two-way street.

"W HAT'S FOR DINNER ?" That's the main question on my mind as the light changes and I am still in the same spot in traffic where I have been for the past 10 minutes. It's 5:15 at the end of a long day, and I have to pick up one child at track practice and the other is waiting at home. This book is for all the busy cooks who have ever agonized over the same question and who love good food but have limited time to prepare it.

After 25 years of juggling my crowded schedule with that of my family, I have developed a style of cooking that pleases us all. Going out to dinner on a regular basis or bringing home takeout wasn't an option in my family. With three hungry boys involved in sports, the amount of food would have broken the bank and might not have been good for us, even if we could have afforded it. Quick, healthful meals at home were what we needed.

This book began as a series of columns in the Miami Herald. Over the years, readers have responded with plenty of praise, suggestions, questions, occasional criticisms and, always, requests for more recipes. In writing this book, my goal was to offer my favorite fresh, tasty, low-fat meals for a family of four that can be made in about 45 minutes or less, from start to finish.

In my home, dinner preparation encompasses the time I turn on the light in my kitchen until the moment the plates are brought to the table. It also includes the telephone ringing and various members of my family wanting to discuss their day's activities with meimmediately. Of course, some people work faster than others in the kitchen, so a few of the dinners may take a bit longer at first, but all are doable at the end of the day on a tight timetable.

Dinner in Minutes doesn't mean broiled chicken every night. A week of menus in my house can include Thai shrimp, Italian pasta and bean soup, Mexican enchiladas, French veal in Madeira sauce and American barbecued pork. While living in London, I was fascinated by the wonderful selection of international restaurants. Tandoori chicken with fragrant Indian breads, Middle Eastern dishes and spicy Chinese food seemed everyday fare. When we moved to Miami, exciting new flavors exploded on my palate. Cumin and cilantro combined with hot peppers, fish right out of the sea and tropical fruits and vegetables opened a whole new world of cooking for me. Exciting as these cuisines are, they don't have to take all day to prepare.

F AST COOKING starts with smart shopping. Food shopping is as important in my schedule as preparing dinner. Running to several stores to find just the right vegetable or spice can be inconvenient. Most of the ingredients in this book can be found in one market. In some casesfor Thai and Vietnamese dinners in particularspecial ingredients give a dish its distinctive ethnic flavor. Although your local supermarket may not carry these products, you can still make the recipes, since I have given substitutes for hard-to-find items. In each case, the recipe will be delicious, if not absolutely authentic.

I was surprised to find that most readers identify my "Dinner in Minutes" column as the one with the shopping list. One woman told me that the list saves her both time and money, since she buys only what she needs. By using the "Staples" section of the list, she no longer fills her cabinets with extraneous items. For many of the dinners here, you will already have most of the ingredients and need buy only a few fresh items. To help you plan your pantry, I have included a separate section listing the staples used in the book (see ).

As Executive Director of Gardner's Markets, a chain of specialty food stores in Miami, I field a lot of questions about buying food. "How many carrots (or onions or mushrooms) do I need for a cup?" "Your fresh tomatoes aren't ripe; can I use canned?" To anticipate problems like these, I have listed the ingredients in my shopping lists according to how much you will need or what you can substitute. In some cases, the list calls for a larger quantity than in the recipe, because that is how the food is sold.

E VERYONE SEEMS to have his or her own tricks for getting dinner on the table fast. Working in an efficient kitchen with clear countertops is important to me. The size doesn't matter. My English kitchen was about as large as a small pantry, and I still managed to prepare meals for 40 in it.

Everything in my kitchen has its spot and needs to be in it when I'm cooking. I don't want to stop and hunt for my potato peeler or garlic press. Knowing exactly where everything is means I can concentrate on making the meal. It also helps to have equipment within easy reach. Several important utensils in my kitchen hang from a pot rack. Other smaller items are divided among small jars or pitchers. One near my stove is filled with cooking spoons, forks and spatulas. A pottery crock on my work top has peelers and zesters, while another is filled with measuring spoons. If you prefer to have everything put away in drawers, make sure each drawer is designated for a certain type of utensil.