Menu Plan for the week of July 19, 2013: Tuesday's Recipes
Pasta with Tomato, Avocado, Mozzarella and Sausages
Sweet Corn
Cooking time: 25 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
The sweet corn is optional - but if you happen to pass by a farm stand on the way home....
Pasta with Tomato, Avocado, Mozzarella and Sausages
Total time: 25 minutes
This was inspired by a Tomato, Avocado and Mozzarella salad I saw in a Williams-Sonoma cook book. I am always looking for light summer meals, so I added pasta, some chives, basil and a light vinaigrette. To round it out we grilled sausages, sliced them and added them to the pasta. You could also use ham or smoked turkey.
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) sausages
- 1/2 package (ball) mozzarella
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado
- 3 tbs fresh, snipped basil (1/4 cup), leave small leaves whole
- 2 tbs fresh, snipped chives
- 1 cup (2.8oz, 80gr) pasta, farfalle
- 1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Cook sausages on barbecue grill for 8 - 12 minutes or until done OR pan fry for same amount of time, until done.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Slice mozzarella into thin slices then in cut in half.
- Cut avocado in half then each half in slices.
- Cut sausages into 1 inch slices.
- Add tomato, mozzarella, sausage and chives to pasta and toss lightly.
- In a bowl whisk the oil, a little at a time, into the vinegars.
- Add to pasta, tossing to combine.
- Arrange avocado slices around the edge of the pasts and top with basil leaves - tearing the larger ones in half. Serve.
Note: You can put the pasta into a salad bowl, then arrange the avocado, or mound it in the center of a large platter, avocado slices around the edge.
Sweet Corn
Total time: 15 minutes
Nothing says summer like corn on the cob. We've tried roasting it and boiling it... and if I ever find a method that is better than plain old steaming I'll add it to the recipes....
Ingredients:
- 4 - 6 ears sweet corn, go down to the garden and pick - or to your local farm stand
- Butter
- salt
- pepper
Instructions:
- Shuck corn.
- Bring an inch of water to boil in a large kettle with a steamer rack.
- Add corn, cover and steam 4 - 5 minutes (depends on how much corn you put in) or until done.
- Take 1 ear, slather with butter, salt and pepper. Eat. Repeat. Happy summer!
Cooking schedule: 25 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
small bowl, pot for pasta, colander, barbecue grill or
skillet, large bowl for salad, tongs (for tossing),
large pot with steamer basket for corn
Light/turn on barbecue grill if using
Put water on high heat for pasta
Heat water for corn
Shuck corn
Slice tomatoes,
cut mozzarella
Start to cook pasta
|
Snip herbs
Start to cook sausages
Whisk oil and vinegars
Cut, slice avocado
Steam corn
Mind the sausages
When pasta is done, drain, rinse, put into serving bowl
Remove sausages, slice
Add sausages, chives, tomatoes, mozzarella to pasta
Add vinegar/oil and toss to combine
Add basil and avocado
Remove corn and serve |