PARIS — I’ve collected bowls for years.
Big ones, little ones, and bowls shallow and deep. I use bowls not just for eating out of but for collecting keys and glasses, keeping bedside-table necessities wrangled, for storing rolls of twine and string in the kitchen, or just about anything else.
My mom collected bowls, too, and so did my grandmother. I blame my obsession on genetics.
When I moved to Paris more than eight years ago, I began what has turned into a far too large collection of cafe au lait bowls, some vintage and some not. My favorites are actually plain cornflower blue ones I bought at the grocery store for a couple of euros apiece. They’re a great size for soups and Texas chili, but I also put oatmeal and yogurt in them.
Then I discovered shallow bowls with sides of about 2 inches. A cross between a pasta bowl and a dinner plate, these bowls have become my go-to for just about everything that’s not a chunky bowl-centric meal, from salads and lentils to Asian food.
If given the choice, I will choose to eat out of a bowl over a plate every time. To me, bowls are just more comforting. They’re like the homemade quilts of dinnerware, perfect for snuggling up with when it’s cold outside.
Crispy chicken burrito bowl
1/3 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2)
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups Doritos crumbs (about 5 ounces)
3 tablespoons chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
4 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups black beans
2 cups corn
Lime-cilantro yogurt, recipe follows
Lime wedges, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a cookie sheet with foil (for easy clean-up).
Put the chicken breasts in a heavy-duty plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, pound them down until they’re even and flat (about 1/4 inch thick). Remove chicken from the bag and cut into 1-inch-wide strips, then into 2-inch pieces.
Place chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them.
Mix the Doritos crumbs, chile powder and cumin in a shallow bowl.
Put a few chicken pieces at a time into the Doritos-chile mixture, tossing to make sure they are well covered, then lay out on a cookie sheet. Work in batches until all are coated.
Bake for 13 minutes.
While the chicken’s cooking, warm the rice, beans and corn in separate saucepans, or in the microwave.
Take the chicken out of the oven and let it rest 3 or 4 minutes while you assemble the bowls. In each bowl, layer: 1 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup of black beans, 1/2 cup of corn. Now add 1/4 of the chicken. Drizzle some of the lime-cilantro yogurt on top, or serve on the side, along with lime wedges and chopped fresh cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving with lime-cilantro yogurt: 757 calories, 21 g fat, 115 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 29 mg cholesterol, 463 mg sodium, 17 g dietary fiber, 29 percent of calories from fat.
Lime-cilantro yogurt
11 ounces Greek yogurt
Handful of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lime (about a teaspoon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Put all of the ingredients in your food processor and puree. Taste and adjust for seasonings. This is best when refrigerated for a half-hour to an hour before serving.
Nutritional analysis per serving of lime-cilantro yogurt: 83 calories, 5 g fat, 6 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 5 mg cholesterol, 86 mg sodium, trace dietary fiber, 49 percent of calories from fat.
Asian tofu and veggie stir-fry
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
1 Thai chile
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons peanut oil
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes
4 to 6 heads baby bok choy, leaves separated and well rinsed
4 carrots, peeled and shredded with peeler
4 cups cooked brown rice
2 green onions, chopped
Lime wedges, for serving
Make the stir-fry sauce. Put the garlic, ginger, Thai chile, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey and lime juice in a blender or baby Cuisinart and blend. Set this aside.
Put the peanut oil in a wok or skillet and turn the heat to high. When the oil is hot, add the tofu and fry until browned on all sides. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Pour off the rest of the oil and add the bok choy and carrots to the wok along with about 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Stir-fry until the bok choy wilts, add the tofu, and the rest of the sauce. Toss and divide between two shallow bowls with 2 cups of cooked rice on the bottom. Garnish with chopped green onions and lime wedges.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 861 calories, 25 g fat, 142 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 2 mg cholesterol, 2,217 mg sodium, 14 g dietary fiber, 25 percent of calories from fat.
Makes 2 servings.
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