DIY Network

Canned Food Cuisine Learn how to make canned food an event at the lunch or dinner table. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-120

Canned foods tend to get a bad rap and most people think fresh is better than preserved. Guest Karen Bussen, DIY's Cooking Made Easy contributor, joins host Stephanie Lydecker to dispel this myth.

Canned foods can actually be extremely useful in the kitchen. Karen shares two great recipes that incorporate a few canned basics.

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Southwestern Bean Soup With Salsa and Sour Cream

Southwestern Bean Soup with Salsa and Sour Cream

Ingredients:

one 15 oz. can black beans and their liquid
one 15 oz. can pinto beans and their liquid
one 15 oz. can pink beans and their liquid
1 cup canned vegetable stock
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 2 tsp. garlic powder)
juice of 1 lime
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbs. olive oil
6 Tbs. salsa (spicy or mild--your preference0
6 Tbs. sour cream
handful fresh cilantro leaves
large sauce pan
wooden spoon
ladle
salt and pepper

FYI: Pink Beans have beautiful pink color and are of medium size. They are similar to pinto beans but are smaller and rounder. They have a refined texture and delicate flavor and are often used to make chili and refried beans. They are available in dried form year round in most stores.

Preparation:

Add two tablespoons olive oil to a large sauce pan and heat. Then add one medium onion and two cloves of chopped garlic and sauté for two to three minutes. Add the remaining ingredients--one 15 ounce can black beans with their liquid, one 15 ounce can pinto beans with their liquid, one 15 ounce can of pink beans with their liquid, one cup of vegetable stock, 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, the juice of one lime, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. You can add salt and pepper to taste at this point, but remember that canned beans already have salt, so you might just need a pinch.

Let this simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once it is cooked, all you need to do is plat it in a nice soup bowl and garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream and a tablespoon of salsa. If you like, you can add a few fresh cilantro leaves. If you like thinner soup, simmer for an additional ten minutes until more of the liquid reduces.

Note: This is such an easy dish and it makes great leftovers. It is perfect with a hearty roll or crispy corn chips.

Serves: 4-6

Slow Roasted Salmon With Vegetables

Slow Roasted Salmon with Vegetables

Ingredients:

two 6-8 oz. salmon fillets
2 scallions, chopped
2 cups white wine
1 cup of chicken stock or water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 can sweet corn kernels, drained of liquid
1/2 can sweet green peas, drained of liquid
1/2 can water chestnuts, drained and quartered

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the salmon filets in cold water and pat them dry. To make clean-up easy, you just need to line a roasting pan with foil, and then place the salmon filets next to each other.

Add half of the liquid from the recipe into the pan--the soy cause, chicken stock, and wine and top with chopped scallions. The liquid will help cook the salmon and keep it moist. Roast the salmon in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. It should be fairly opaque and light in color when it is done. The other half of the liquid goes into sauté pan on the stove top. In the pan add the canned corn, peas and water chestnuts. Then, simply pour the sauce and vegetables over the salmon and serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Serves: 2

GUESTS :

Karen Bussen
Author, Simple Stunning Weddings
E-mail: Karen@karenbussen.com
Website: www.karenbussen.com