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“See” Food Diet – Lenten Special

It’s a corny joke, but true:  I see food, I want to eat it.  That’s my diet! But on this Ash Wednesday, “Sea” food is the primary protein for our menus.

Last week’s E-Blast provided me a chance to share some insights about humility through the lens of food.  I know people who love food, like myself, have to approach food with a great sense of humility – especially since today’s Ash Wednesday “feast” begins a period of fasting and abstinence.  In fact, the entire 40-day season, leading up to the celebration of Easter, is filled with opportunities to grow in humility – through prayers, fasting, and abstinence.

(Some people give up caffeine for Lent. They complain that it almost feels like a spiritual "death"!)

On Fridays in particular, the day of the week that we recall the suffering Jesus endured on Good Friday, we commemorate our compassion with Him by making little sacrifices, such as not eating meat (abstaining) and fasting (i.e., having less food than normal).  There are several links to help develop a better understanding of the importance of this discipline that not only helps the body, but more importantly the spirit.

(Lenten décor at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Hot Springs, Ar.)

So this month’s dinner inspiration is all about Lent-friendly meals.  Now today (Ash Wednesday) and Fridays of Lent are days of fasting and abstinence.  But that doesn’t mean family’s can’t “celebrate” a family meal together.  And even though you’re technically fasting and abstaining, nowhere does it say you also must endure a flavorless meal.You just shouldn’t eat it in abundance as you would any other day.

Consider these recipes as part of your own Lenten “See” food diet.  When you see your dish, you will automatically think of God’s goodness!  These recipes are Lent Kosher, but so delicious to the eyes and palate that you may wonder if it’s okay to eat this during Lent.  Admittedly, these recipes are quite delicious, but you’re also not going out of your way to make them. And I’m glad to say these recipes follow the letter of the law (and the spirit of the law if as long as you don’t overeat) of our Lenten season.

To see the recipes and ingredients to the WONDERFUL dishes below, CREATE AN ACCOUNT for FREE on the Grace Before Meals website to have ACCESS TO ALL RECIPES and other exclusive information. And be sure to subscribe to Fr. Leo’s “Food for the Body, Food for the Soul” weekly email blast. Go here and register now.

First menu:  Seafood Stew

(Beautifully steamed mussels.)

Ingredients:  Serves 4
1 “bag” of mussels, debearded and cleaned
½ pound salmon fillet, cut into ¼ inch cubes
¼ pound scallops, cut into ¼ inch cubes (if large scallops)
12-15 medium-sized shrimp, deveined and shells removed
6 oz. can tomato paste
2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 cups white wine
1 cup water
½ lime, cut into 2-3 rings
2 bay leaves
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbs fresh parsley, minced
1 -2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp pepper

(Bouillabaisse.)

Instructions:  Boil pasta according to instructions.  When cooked al dente, drain water, drizzle some olive oil, divide among the different serving bowls, and set aside.  In a large pan or pot, heat olive oil and sauté pepper flakes and garlic.  Add the mussels (get ready for a little sizzle action), white wine, water, and tomato paste.  Stir together until the liquids begin to simmer.    Add the lime, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.  As soon as mussels begin to open up, add the rest of the seafood and gently stir all together, making sure the seafood is almost completely submerged in the broth.  When shrimp turns pinkish white, the dish is finished cooking.  To serve, ladle broth over the pasta.  Distribute the seafood into each bowl.

(Seafood boil over some fresh pasta with a touch of cream added to the broth to create a nice richness and color.)

During a recent gathering for priests I made this same dish, but I also shaved a little parmesan cheese on top.  I know I broke an Italian culinary “rule” by adding cheese to seafood.  But the salty and creamy cheese provided a nice complement to the briny flavors of the broth.  I also served sautéed, grilled broccoli rabe and some crusty bread.  It was a delicious Lent-approved meal.  It was easy to make, with very little stress, but still quite flavorful.  The penitential aspect of this dish is that you’ll want to eat more, but will need to exercise moderation!

Lemon Pepper Crusted Sea Bass

Clearly named properly. Look at that lemon!

Serves 2
Oven-safe frying pan/skillet
2 Sea Bass, scaled, gutted and fins removed
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 Tbs black pepper
4 lemon wedges
1 Tbs rosemary

Imagine how good it tastes!

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Score the fish 2-3 times on both sides.  Season with salt and pepper inside the cavity and on the fish.  In the cavity of the fish, place lemons, garlic, and rosemary.  Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the fish.  Heat oven-safe pan over high heat.  Be sure to heat the pan until sufficiently hot.  You can test by sprinkling some water on it so that the water beads, dances, and quickly evaporates.  When sufficiently heated, carefully place the fish, searing one side for about 1-2 minutes.  Then carefully flip the fish to the other side, and transfer the entire pan to the oven for 10-12 minutes.  To test if the fish is cooked, try pulling one of the fins off the fish.  If the fin comes out completely without resistance, the fish is perfectly cooked.  Use HEAT-RESISTANT potholders and remove the pan from the oven.  Let the pan cool before transferring to your plate.  Obviously you’ll want to learn how to fillet a fish, which is why I’ve included a link to help you make a simple fish dish into deliciously beautiful art!

I’d serve this with a simple risotto or some of the potatoes I suggested last month.  A few greens of your choice will make this a great dish for your Lenten Friday meal.

Dish # 3:  Bruschetta topped with caramelized onions, apples and blue cheese

Finally, here’s a Lenten-friendly dish vegans may think is a bit decadent.  But again, it’s perfectly acceptable for Lent.  So move over cheese pizza, this veggie-inspired recipe can transform our minds and remind us that non-meat recipes can be more than a side dish.

This simple plate is definitely healthy and surprisingly simple to prepare.

Healthy and simple= good choice

Serves 4
8 pieces of ciabatta bread, lightly brushed with olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, diced into 1/8-inch cubes
2 Tbs olive oil (one Tbs for the bread and 1 Tbs for sauté)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Blue cheese crumbles

(Prepping the entire meal. The Asparagus is simply dressed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.)

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly brush bread with olive oil.  Place bread in oven for only 2-4 minutes until golden brown.  Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onions until translucent.  Add the apples and gently fold into the onions.  When bread is golden brown, place two pieces on each plate.  Top off with some of the onion and apple combination.  Spoon on some fresh blue cheese crumbles.  Serve with a side of oven-grilled asparagus and viola, a vegetarian’s delight!

Father in Heaven, food is Your gift.  During this season of Lent, we abstain from certain foods as a way to help us hunger for truth.  Even with delicious food eaten with moderation, help our families develop greater faith and trust.  Remind us at every meal that You feed us with the food of everlasting life!  Amen.

Do you have any Lenten Friendly recipes?  Give these recipes a try and let us know what you think!  Your critique and comments are so helpful to our movement, and they truly encourage families to do something different and bring inspiration to your family meal!  If you have a recipe that you’d like to share, please post your comments below.

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Any submissions may be used in future Grace Before Meals publications.