Cream of Broccoli Soup, Bulghur Wheat & Greens, and Herbed Fish in a Packet

After a long, action-packed vacation to Oregon and a full week of frozen TJ's dinners while I anxiously awaited Mike to get back from his additional week at home, I decided to go "all out," so to speak and prepare an appetizer and a meal for the evening of Mike's return.

While we were in Oregon, Mike's mom bought us the Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites cookbook, so I decided I'd try three brand new recipes from there. This book's definitely a keeper.

Cream of Green Vegetable Soup with Broccoli
(ever-so-slightly adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites)

2 1/2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups diced potatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3 cups water
5 cups chopped broccoli (florets and stems)
a couple tablespoons chopped thyme
about 1/4 cup chopped basil
handful chopped parsley
2 cups buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, combine the onions, garlic, potatoes, celery & water. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli, thyme, basil and parsley and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender. Working in batches in a blender or food processor, puree the soup with the buttermilk. Return it to the soup pot. Add salt to taste, reheat, and serve.

Cook's Note: This soup was creamy, rich and very filling. We will definitely make it again, but I think I'll do a soup-and-salad or soup-and-sandwich dinner next time - we were full by the time we got halfway through the fish and bulgur greens.

Bulgur with Savory Greens
(from Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites)

2 1/2 cups chopped onions
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped (about 8 cups)
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups bulgur
2 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste

lemon wedges
fresh mint leaves
red wine or balsamic vinegar

In a large skillet, saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the greens and lemon juice, cover and cook until greens have just wilted. Stir in the bulgur. Add the water, cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, until the bulgur is tender and most of the water has been absorbed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice to taste. Drizzle with vinegar and serve garnished with lemon wedges and mint.

Herbed Fish in a Packet
(from Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites)

2 tuna fillets (next time we'll use salmon)
about 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tomato, thickly sliced
4 lemon slices
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 teaspoons capers

Rinse the fish fillets and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. For each fillet, fold a 12 x 15-inch piece of parchment paper in half to form a 12 x 7.5-inch rectangle and trim the corners to form a half heart shape, the way you would cut a large Valentine heart. Open the parchment on a flat working surface and place a fish fillet to one side of the center fold. Top the fillet with 1/2 the basil, 1/2 the thyme, sprinkle with salt and pepper and squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lemon.

Cover with a slice of tomato, 1 or 2 slices of lemon, a sprig of the fresh thyme, and 1/2 the capers. Fold the parchment over the fish and then, starting at one end and working you way around to the other end, carefully fold the cut edges twice to form a sealed packet.

Place the packets on an unoiled baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. The packets will become puffed and golden brown. Avoid the steam as you open the packet to check that the fish is cooked. When the fish flakes easily with a fork, open the packets and serve.