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Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 1, Saturday
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Daily Recipes:
Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce
Paupiettes (Provençal Veal Rolls)
Potato Gratin with Caramelized Shallots
Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Leek
Cooking time: 80 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
Both the potatoes and the veal rolls can be done ahead and reheated, making this perfect for entertaining or relaxing. You could substitute thin turkey cutlets or thinly sliced beef for the veal.
Gnocchi with Mushroom Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
Gnocchi, boiled first, then fried, gets a wonderful, crunchy exterior. Here they are finished with a savory mushroom sauce.
Ingredients:
- 20 - 24 fresh gnocchi 1/3 of a 10oz (300gr) package of fresh gnocchi
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 1 shallot
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) sherry
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) beef stock
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbs water optional
- 4 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Gnocchi:
- Heat water in a medium pot for gnocchi.
- When boiling, add the gnocchi and cook just until they all float, 1 - 2 minutes. Drain.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add gnocchi and sauté until light brown, stirring and turning occasionally, 12 - 15 minutes.
- Mushroom Sauce:
- Roughly chop shallot.
- Trim and roughly chop mushrooms.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in a medium skillet. Add shallots and sauté until tender.
- Add Worcestershire, mushrooms, and sauté until mushrooms start to brown.
- Add tomato paste, beef stock, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
- For a thicker sauce: dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into sauce.
- To finish:
- Arrange gnocchi on small plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.
Paupiettes (Provençal Veal Rolls)
Total time: 70 minutes
Thinly sliced veal or beef, rolled around a variety of stuffings are found all around the Mediterranean. These, with dry-cured ham and olives, are typical of Provençal. The meat should be between 1/16th and 1/4th inch thick (.4cm). It's best if you can have the butcher slice it. Or buy veal scallops and pound them thinner if needed.
Ingredients:
- 4 thin slices veal, app: 3 1/2 X 6 X 1/16th inches (8 X 15 X .4cm), about 8oz (250gr) total weight
- 2 slices Prosciutto, cut in half to fit the veal
- 1/4 cup black, dry-cured or Greek olives
- 1.5 - 2oz (45gr) spinach leaves
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) white wine
- 2 tsp cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 1 tbs water
Instructions:
- Roughly chop the olives.
- Lay the veal slices flat. Pound to make thinner if needed.
- Lay 1 slice of Prosciutto on top of each slice of veal.
- Put a layer of spinach leaves on top of the Prosciutto.
- Divide the olives and place on half of each parcel. They'll spread themselves out as you roll.
- Starting from the narrow end (where the olives are) roll the parcels up, keeping them as tight as reasonable.
- Tie securely with kitchen string.
- Heat oil in small, heavy pot or skillet. Add the veal rolls and brown lightly on all sides.
- Pour in the wine, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- To finish: Dissolve cornstarch in water.
- Remove veal rolls to a small platter and carefully remove string.
- Increase heat under sauce. Add cornstarch, stirring until clear and thickened. Spoon over rolls and serve.
Note: I didn't have kitchen string and discovered unflavored dental floss works great.
Individual Potato Gratin with Caramelized Shallots
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
The sweet, caramelized shallots under the bubbling, golden cheese is wonderful. If you don't normally have milk on hand you can substitute chicken stock, or half cream (or crème fraiche) and half water.
Ingredients:
- 3 large shallots, sliced
- 1 tbs butter
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 medium potatoes, 10oz total (300gr)
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese, any flavor (I used Emmenthal)
Instructions:
- Shallots:
- Heat butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until they start to get transparent and tender, about 5 minutes.
- Turn heat up and cook, stirring, until they start to get brown, about 5 minutes longer.
- Turn heat to medium low, add sugar and stir until sugar is melted and evenly distributed.
- Let cook over medium low heat until very brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Gratin:
- With a sharp knife thinly slice the potatoes.
- Shred cheese if needed.
- In individual baking dishes (mine are 5" in diameter and 1" deep (10cm by 2.5cm) layer the potatoes neatly.
- Divide the milk and pour over the potatoes.
- Divide the shallots and spread on top.
- Divide the cheese and sprinkle evenly over both dishes.
- Cover with foil and bake at 400F (200C) for 35 minutes.
- Remove foil and continue baking another 15 minutes, until cheese starts to brown.
- Remove from oven and serve.
Note: Put the dishes on a baking tray, for ease of handling and because they will probably cook over - saves oven clean-up. I use one large sheet of foil and loosely cover both of them with it.
Note 2: You can bake this in one, larger baking dish. Try not to layer the potatoes deeper than 1" (2.5cm). Increase covered baking time by 10 minutes.
Sautéed Sliced Brussels Sprouts with Leeks
Total time: 10 minutes
I'm learning that these little green 'cabbages' are very versatile, and the key to good sprouts is not overcooking. Shredding, followed by a quick sauté is perfect.
Ingredients:
- 12 - 15 medium Brussels sprouts
- 1/2 medium leek
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
- sea salt
Instructions:
- Slice off stem end of sprouts and remove any wilted or damaged leaves.
- Thinly slice the sprouts, cutting the larger ones in half first.
- Trim the leek, cut in half the long way. Thinly slice half of the leek, reserving the rest for another use.
- Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and sprouts.
- Sauté until they start to develop brown spots but are still crisp tender, about 7 minutes, stirring often.
- Stir in vinegar, remove, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 80 minutes for menu |
Trim, slice Brussels sprouts, 1/2 leek |
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