Travel Around The World With 3 One-pot Recipes from Morocco, Thailand, and Britain

One-pot meals are a guaranteed hit each and every time. They’re easy to make—just add all the ingredients in a pot and let cook. And, they’re comforting. But if you’re tired of making the usual home-cooked menudo or adobo, why not spice up your menu with dishes like shepherd’s pie from Britain, Moroccan chicken, and curry from Thailand. Take inspiration from this mix of international flavors and you’ll never run out of ideas for wonderful one-pot meals your family will enjoy.

 

Morroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon

This North African inspired chicken stew is traditionally slow cooked in a tagine, an earthenware pot with a cone-shaped cover, over charcoal. (The dish itself can also be called tagine.) Chef Nancy Dizon-Edralin uses skinless chicken breast in this recipe to keep it healthy, but you can opt to use boneless, skinless chicken thigh or whole chicken cutlets instead.

Serves 6 to 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 lemons, sliced round
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup pitted green olives, washed and drained
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Heat a Dutch oven or sauté pan and add olive oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Sear chicken on both sides until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. In the same pan, sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, lemon slices, and chicken stock. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the chicken.

3. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add olives and lemon juice. Adjust salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot with couscous.

 

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

While a traditional British shepherd’s pie uses beef or lamb with a mashed potato crust, this dish is also the perfect vehicle for your leftovers, whether chicken, pork or fish. This recipe uses sweet potato instead of regular potatoes for extra flavor and added nutrition.

Serves 6 to 8

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 kilo ground beef
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup whole corn kernels
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Place a sauté pan on medium-high heat and add oil. Cook onions and carrots for 4 to 5 minutes then add garlic.

3. Add ground beef and cook until browned. Sprinkle flour on the meat and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Add corn and peas to the mixture then cover and simmer for 8 to 12 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

5. Transfer beef mixture to a baking dish. Top with a thick layer of sweet potato mash (recipe below). Spread evenly with a rubber spatula.

6. Place baking dish in the preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or just until the sweet potatoes begin to brown. Do not overcook. Serve hot.

 

SWEET POTATO MASH:

• 1/2 kilo sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt?
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix until smooth and set aside.

 

 

Yellow Vegetable Curry

A Thai or Indian-style curry is a great way to add flavor to your vegetables. But to avoid a soggy veggie stew, blanch the vegetables first by briefly boiling them, then plunging them in ice water to stop the cooking. Blanching ensures the vegetables stay bright and tender-crisp.

Serves 6 to 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced onions
• 2 tablespoons grated ginger
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced potatoes
• 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 red chili, optional
• 2 to 3 cans coconut milk
• kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup green beans, cut 2 inches
• 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 eggplant, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat a large saucepan to medium heat and add olive oil. Cook garlic, onions, ginger, carrots, and potatoes until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add curry powder, coriander, cumin, kaffir lime leaves, red chili (optional), coconut milk, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Add green beans, then reduce heat and continue cooking for 4 to 7 minutes.

4. Add red bell pepper, broccoli, eggplant, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Do not overcook the vegetables. Serve hot with rice.

 

A longer version of this article first appeared in FOOD Magazine, Issue 2, 2015

Recipes by Nancy Dizon-Edralin

Photos by Paulo Valenzuela

Styling by Pixie Rodrigo Sevilla