Recipes for Medical Students and Residents

I’m going to periodically add some recipes to the blog that meet my “pizza rule” i.e. if it takes longer to cook than it does to order a pizza it’s not going to work… http://wellnessrounds.org/cooking-for-yourself-in-medical-school-and-residency/

WHOLE WHEAT SHELLS WITH ASPARAGUS, PEAS, FETA AND MINT

This is a great vegetarian dish and would make enough for a lot of call nights!.  The recipe calls for garlic oil (which I’ve never heard of).  I’d skip it or, if you really want to add a little garlic taste, mash up a couple of cloves in some olive oil (like 2 tblsp) before you start and let it sit while everything else is cooking.  You can drizzle the olive oil over the pasta at the end.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10964?utm_source=Vegetarian&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=vege174

GRILLED FISH WITH FRESH PEA SAUCE AND PEA AND TOMATO RELISH

Here’s the original url for this recipe which is delicious (but a little fussy and violates the pizza rule)

http://www.foodista.com/recipe/4V8PPYZF/grilled-fish-with-fresh-pea-sauce-and-pea-and-tomato-relish

Here’s the resident friendly version:

GRILLED FISH WITH FRESH PEA SAUCE AND PEA AND TOMATO RELISH  (PIZZA RULE VERSION)

2 servings

• 2 filets of the freshest white fish in the store (Tilapia, snapper, etc)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil  (cut to 1 tablespoon or use Pam to save calories)
• 1 package frozen peas
• 1 cup chicken stock  (buy the 4 packs of one cup each)
• 1 shallot (if you can’t find one, use part of the red onion)
• 2 cloves of garlic (don’t cheat on fresh garlic)
• Salt and pepper

• 2  Italian Roma tomatoes
• ½  minced red onions
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives  (buy in bulk at Whole Foods – use Nicoise or herbed olives of Provence – can buy small jar, too)
• 2 tablespoons chiffonade of basil  (chiffonade = finely sliced.  Don’t cheat on the fresh basil, either)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil  (cut to one table spoon if you are watching calories)
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes cut into 6ths or 8ths

Start with the base of the sauce

• Saute the shallot (or onion) in the olive oil
• Add the garlic until you smell it (more and it will burn = bitter)
• Pour in the chicken stock
• Bring to a boil
• Add the potatoes – drop the heat to a simmer and cook until just fork tender (~8-10 min)
• Pour in the frozen peas – cook for 3 minutes
• Take the potatoes out and save

Take out a third of the peas with a slotted spoon and put in a bowl to use later

• Put everything else (minus the peas and potatoes you took out) into a blender until smooth.  (If you don’t own a blender, this is a critical tool for residents so go out and get one!  Smoothies are a key food item for medical students and residents and blenders are cheap!)

Make the relish

• Cut up the tomatoes, olives, basil, red onion
• Add to the peas you saved from above
• Add the olive oil

“Grill” the fish

• Use a grill pan or non-stick sauté pan (another important piece of resident equipment)
• Put olive oil in the pan (Pam if you are watching calories)
• Cook 3-4 minutes per side

Assemble the dish

• Pour the sauce into a bowl
• Put the fish on top
• Arrange the pieces of potato around the edges
• Put the relish on the fish

A variation (if you like Mexican flavors)

• Use tomatoes, corn, cilantro, jalepeno and onion for the relish
• Use frozen corn instead of peas

MLB’S EASY MEXICAN SOUP

8 servings

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 carrots, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 8 cups (two containers) chicken broth
• 1 roasted chicken (bought already cooked), skin removed and meat broken up into small pieces
• 10 oz frozen corn
• 1 can pinto beans
• chopped cilantro
• 2 avocados
• pico de gallo (buy at the store)*

Saute vegetables in olive oil until they are soft

Add chicken broth, bring to a boil

Lower heat to simmer and cook 10-15 min (until vegetables are mostly cooked)

Add chicken, corn and pinto beans

Cook another 5 minutes on simmer

Garnish bowls with chopped avocado (1/4^th per serving), cilantro and pico de gallo

Optional:  Add cooked rice and/or shredded cheese

* to make pico de gallo (if you can’t find it ready made)  combine 3 diced tomatoes, 1 diced onion, chopped cilantro, one diced (fine) jalapeno, salt and lime juice.  This is a great dip for chips or to put on grilled fish or chicken, too.