Patti Labelle's Lite Cuisine Read online

  Patti’s Pointers: The secret to tender meat loaf is handling the meat very little. That’s why it’s added at the very end here, after all the other ingredients have been combined. The slightly crunchy crust takes this dish over the rainbow. To get the most out of this delicious crust, I like to bake the loaf on an open baking sheet rather than in the traditional lo af pan or casserole dish.

  Per Serving: 180 calories, 19 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 100 mg cholesterol, less than 1 g dietary fiber, 570 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 3 lean meats or ½ carbohydrate choice

  Sooo Good Swiss Steak

  Makes 4 servings

  1 pound lean boneless beef round steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 6 pieces

  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  1 large onion, thinly sliced

  ½ cup sliced celery

  ½ cup baby carrots, sliced into coins

  1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

  One 14.5-ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

  One 12-ounce jar beef gravy

  1 tablespoon cornstarch

  ¼ cup water

  Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until smoking hot. Sprinkle the beef with the pepper. Add to the pan and cook until browned all over, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the beef to a plate.

  Drain any excess fat from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes.

  Put the meat and juices over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the thyme. Pour the tomatoes and gravy over the top. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

  Remove the meat to a platter or plates. Skim any excess fat from the gravy in the pan (there may not be much if your beef was well trimmed). in a cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Stir into the gravy in the pan and increase the heat to medium. Cook until thickened and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon over the beef before serving.

  Patti’s Pointers: If you’re starting out with frozen beef, be safe and thaw it in the refrigerator instead of on your countertop. You’ll reduce the risk of contamination and give the ice crystals time to be reabsorbed into the meat, creating moister beef. Thaw the beef on a tray in your refrigerator to catch any drips. For each pound of steak, allow about 3 to 5 hours thawing time.

  Per Serving: 260 calories, 31 g protein, 17 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 780 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 3 very lean meats, 1 vegetable, or 1 carbohydrate choice

  Melt-in-Your-Mouth Roast Tenderloin

  Let me say this from the start: This dish is pricey. (A whole tenderloin runs from about $40 to $80!) That’s why, at my house, it’s strictly a special-occasion meal. But when you’ve got something truly wonderful to celebrate—a marriage, a graduation, the birth of a baby—this dish screams special.

  Makes 14 servings

  ¼ cup olive oil

  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  1 teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  1 whole beef tenderloin (4 to 5 pounds), trimmed of fat

  Place the beef in a large baking dish or roasting pan (about 4-quart size).

  In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the beef, thoroughly rubbing it into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for more flavor.

  Remove the beef from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature, covered, about 1 hour before roasting.

  Preheat the oven to 450°F.

  Pat the beef dry and set it on a rack in a large roasting pan. Tuck under the thin end if it is much thinner than the thick end. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 135°F for medium-rare, 20 to 30 minutes. (Check the temperature often, as it climbs quickly and it would be a crime to overcook a nice—expensive!—piece of meat like this.)

  Remove the roast to a platter and let it stand 10 minutes before cutting into ½-inch-thick slices.

  Celebrating a truly special occasion—my cousin Hazel’s fiftieth birthday—with friends and family.

  Option: This tastes divine with low-fat Italian vinaigrette. Or to make a simple sauce from the pan drippings, skim the fat (if any) from the drippings in the roasting pan. Add 1½ cups dry red wine or low-sodium beef broth, any leftover marinade, and any juices that accumulate on the platter as the roast rests. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan until the liquid is reduced by about half. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper (and about 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary and/or parsley if you have any leftover). Serve with the roast.

  If you have leftovers for a few days, slice them thinly, toss with Italian vinaigrette, and serve with your favorite greens for a roast beef salad.

  Per Serving: 320 calories, 38 g protein, 0 g carbohydrate, 17 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 0 g dietary fiber, 260 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 5 medium-fat meats or 0 carbohydrate choices

  Lamb Chops LaBelle

  Singing at Laura’s wedding—after she agreed to wear the pumps! (Photo by Roosevelt Sharpe)

  When my sister-friend and coauthor, Laura Randolph Lancaster, got married a few years ago, she served lamb chops at her wedding reception. Now, I’m not a fan of hotel food (that’s putting it mildly; I usually hate it), but I have to give whoever cooked these lamb chops their props. They were off-the-hook delicious. They were so good, in fact, that when I went home I started working on my own recipe for Lamb Chops LaBelle. It took me more than a few times to get the recipe just right, especially since I wanted to do the chops lite and right. Lite is a big deal to Laura; several people she is close to have diabetes. She is always bugging me about what I’m eating, if I’m exercising, whether I’m taking my medicine and checking my sugar. I won’t lie: Sometimes the child gets on my last good nerve with all her questions. So on her wedding day I decided it was my turn to get on her nerves. (Don’t roll your eyes; turnabout is fair play.) I knew that Laura was planning to wear a pair of pumps that had—and I am being very generous here—a two-inch heel at best. If I’m lying, I’m flying. The first time she showed them to me, I had a fit.

  “No you’re not wearing those old lady shoes when you get married,” I told her. “I don’t know any grandmothers who would be caught dead wearing those things in church on Sunday morning, let alone walking down the aisle in them on their wedding night.”

  Laura tried to win my sympathy. “Pat, be reasonable. I’m going to be on my feet all night long. Don’t you want me to be comfortable?”

  I don’t know why she thought I was going to let the subject drop. Of all people, she knows that I’m the same way about pumps as I am about pans. They have to be right. No half-stepping. Not long after that conversation I called my friend the super talented designer Donna Karan, and you know what I asked for: a pair of her fabulous pumps. In Laura’s size. In the exact shade of her wedding dress. I have to say Miss Donna outdid herself. The shoes—a pair of white satin mules—were dazzling. Sexy. To-die-for gorgeous. Best of all, the heels were five inches!

  The morning of Laura’s wedding I took them out of my suitcase and handed them to her. “Here,” I said in my best I-am-not-playing-with-you voice. “You’re wearing these.”

  Long pause. “Pat, they’re absolutely beautiful but I can’t wear them. The heel is too high. We’ve been all through this.”

  Longer pause. “You want me to sing, right?” I said.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I want you to wear these pumps.”

  Both of us got what we wanted, although Laura knew I would have sung at her wedding even if s
he had worn the grandmother pumps. The wedding was as beautiful as the shoes. And I got the inspiration for a luscious lamb chop recipe out of the deal to boot.

  Makes 4 servings

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

  1 garlic clove, minced

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  8 lamb loin chops (about 4 ounces each), trimmed of fat

  In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the chops and shake to coat completely. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours for more flavor.

  Preheat the oven to 500°F.

  Heat a cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until smoking hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chops from the marinade and place in the pan. Immediately transfer the pan to the oven. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F for medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. The center should still be slightly pink.

  Patti’s Pointers: If your kitchen has good ventilation, you can brown these chops completely on the stove top instead of finishing them in the oven. But you’ll get a lot less smoke if you pop them in the oven. Or you could preheat the pan in the oven and skip preheating on the stove top. But I find that the direct heat of the stove top heats the pan quicker and makes it hotter, giving you a better sear on the meat. When shopping for your lamb chops, for fat-and flavor-conscious cooking, look for the words “loin” or “leg.” These cuts tend to be the leanest and the tastiest.

  Per Serving: 430 calories, 34 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 31 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 135 mg cholesterol, 0 g dietary fiber, 260 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 5 medium-fat meats, 3 fats, or 0 carbohydrate choices

  Burnin’ Beef Stroganoff

  When shopping for beef, here’s what you have to remember: The leanest cuts have the words “round” or “loin” in them. Eye of round, top round, sirloin, and tenderloin are some examples. Besides being lean, tenderloin really lives up to its name—for my money it’s the tenderest cut you can buy. Cooked whole, like the recipe on page 88, it makes a drop-dead dramatic entree for company dinners. And it makes this dish virtually melt in your mouth.

  Makes 6 servings

  12 ounces no-yolk egg noodles

  1 teaspoon reduced-calorie margarine

  12 ounces beef tenderloin, trimmed of fat and cut into strips or bite-size pieces

  1 onion, halved and sliced

  One 14½-ounce can fat-free beef broth, divided

  4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

  1 teaspoon paprika

  ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  ¼ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  ⅓ cup reduced-fat sour cream

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or ½ teaspoon dried

  Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, leaving out any butter or salt. Drain and set aside.

  Melt 1 teaspoon of the margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate, leaving the juices in the pan.

  Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

  Raise the heat to medium-high, add half of the broth, and cook 10 minutes more.

  Add the mushrooms, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.

  Stir in the beef, remaining half of the broth, sour cream, and tarragon. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

  Toss the noodles with about ¼ cup of the beef sauce to moisten. Serve the beef mixture over the noodles.

  Patti’s Pointers: When choosing beef, look for meat with a cherry-red color. And if you see lots of liquid in the package, leave it right there in the meat case. That usually means it’s been frozen and thawed. And, if you don’t want to pay $10 or $12 per pound for beef tenderloin, go for extra-lean stew beef instead. It’s often cut from the very lean top round and only costs about $3.50 per pound. If you can find Angus beef, grab it. It will be even more tender because it comes from a younger animal.

  Per Serving: 350 calories, 18 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 290 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 2 lean meats, 3 starches, 1 fat, or 3 carbohydrate choices

  Down-Home Pork Chops in Guilt-Free Gravy

  Comfort food at its finest. Need I say more?

  Makes 4 servings

  4 boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 4 ounces each)

  2 cups chopped onions

  1 garlic clove, minced

  1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth

  1 teaspoon seasoning salt, such as Lawry’s

  ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper

  2 tablespoons cornstarch

  ⅓ cup fat-free half-and-half

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

  Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until smoking hot.

  Add the chops and cook until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate.

  Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and garlic to the skillet. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes.

  Stir in the broth, seasoning salt, and pepper. Return the chops to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, cover, cook until the chops register 160°F on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear, 10 to 12 minutes.

  Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the half-and-half. Pour into the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens, 2 to 3 minutes more.

  Per Serving: 180 calories, 22 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 1 g dietary fiber, 420 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 3 lean meats, 1 vegetable, or ½ carbohydrate choice

  Patti’s Potato and Ham Frittata

  On those days when the clock says it’s time for dinner but your taste buds say it’s time for breakfast, this dish will hit the spot.

  Makes 4 servings

  ¼ cup chopped red pepper

  ¼ cup chopped green onions

  2 cups frozen hash-brown potatoes

  ½ cup chopped cooked ham

  1½ cups fat-free egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

  2 tablespoons fat-free half-and-half

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper

  ¼ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

  ⅓ Coat an ovenproof skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the red pepper and green onions and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover, and cook 10 minutes more, stirring often.

  Stir in the ham and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, tarragon or parsley, half-and-half, salt, and white or black pepper. Set aside.

  Preheat the broiler. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally to let the uncooked egg reach the bottom of the pan. Cook until the bottom is set and the top is still somewhat loose, 5 to 8 minutes.

  Sprinkle with the cheese and run the skillet under the broiler until puffy and the cheese is lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

  Option: Use whatever ham you like in this dish: Chopped ham steak, chopped canned ham, or even reduced-fat breakfast sausage all work well. If using breakfast sausage, cook it in the same pan you plan to use for the frittata.

  Per Serving: 240 calories, 22 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 2.5 g s
aturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 520 mg sodium

  Diet Exchanges: 3 medium-fat meats, 1½ starches, or 1½ carbohydrate choices

  Righteous Rump Roast

  My aunt Hattie Mae makes a rump roast that is out of this world. I don’t know what she does to it but the meat just melts in your mouth. Melt-in-your-mouth delicious is just what I was going for here. And if I do say so myself, I think Aunt Hattie would be proud.

  Makes 12 servings

  1 teaspoon paprika

  1½ teaspoons salt

  ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  One 4-pound lean rump roast, trimmed

  ½ cup fat-free beef broth

  10 small whole white boiler onions, peeled

  4 celery ribs, chopped

  1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

  Two 8-ounce cans reduced-sodium tomato sauce

  ¾ cups reduced-fat sour cream

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  Mix the paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder on waxed paper or a cutting board. Roll the roast in the seasoning and rub into the meat to coat completely.