Thyme for Cooking
Seasonal Weekly Menus & Shopping Lists
Healthy Food Fresh Ingredients Simple Recipes
Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 11, Saturday
Links:
Daily Recipes:
Carrot & Gruyère Timbales with Tomato Sauce
Braised Pork Loin with Red Wine and Olives
Mashed Potatoes with Leeks
Broccoli with Mustard Sauce
Cooking time: 90 minutes (30 min. break) for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
You can save and freeze the tomato sauce, (both from draining the tomatoes and any leftover, finished sauce - combine them) using next time you need it. Both the leftover pork and potatoes will be used in the Pie on Monday.
Carrot & Gruyère Timbales with Tomato Sauce
Total time: 45 minutes
Shredded carrots and Gruyère cheese combine to make an interesting timbale for a first course. The carrot retains a light crunch, and the sweetness pairs well with the slightly sharp cheese. A bit of tomato sauce is all that's needed to finish. Using drained canned tomatoes give the sauce a much fresher flavor than using regular tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) grated carrot about 2 medium
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tbs milk
- Tomato Sauce:
- 15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, drained
- 2 shallots
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbs red wine
Instructions:
- Butter two ramekins and line the bottoms with buttered waxed paper (makes getting them out much easier).
- Put a medium saucepan half full of water on medium-high heat.
- Grate carrot first, then cheese, using the fine holes of your trusty box grater. Keep them separate.
- When the water is boiling blanch the carrots for 30 seconds, drain and rinse with cold water.
- Using your hands gently squeeze them dry.
- Beat egg lightly.
- Add carrots, cheese, mustard, milk and mix well.
- Spoon into prepared ramekins.
- Put into a roasting pan with deep sides - I use a metal bread pan, and add hot water (hot tap water is fine) so that it comes half way up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 400F (200C) - they should be set - firm on top.
- Remove from oven and from hot water.
- Run a table knife around the sides to loosen.
- Put a small plate over top of ramekin and flip over.
- Remove ramekin, and paper from top (formerly bottom) of timbale.
- Turn timbale over. Spoon tomato sauce around half of timbale and serve.
- Tomato Sauce
- Finely chop shallots and garlic.
- Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes and add along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Purée (either with a blender or immersion blender) and serve on the side.
Braised Pork Loin with Red Wine and Olives
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Braising pork makes the meat incredibly tender; the red wine and olives give it a bit of Mediterranean flavor. This will serve four or be enough for two meals.
Ingredients:
- 24oz (720gr) pork loin roast
- 4 large shallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup dry-cured Greek olives, pitted
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh sage (about 6 leaves) substitute 1 tbs dried
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) red wine
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Slice shallots in quarters through the stem end.
- Roughly chop garlic.
- Heat oil in heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add shallots, garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add pork and brown on all sides.
- Add 1/4 cup of wine and stir up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Return shallots, garlic to pot and add remaining wine, herbs and tomato paste.
- Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a slow simmer and braise for 75 minutes.
- After 75 minutes add the olives.
- To finish:
- Remove pork and let rest.
- Remove and discard herbs
- Increase heat under shallots and olives.
- Add cornstarch and stir until thickened and clear.
- Slice some of the pork and arrange on a small platter. Spoon some Red Wine Sauce over and serve.
Mashed Potatoes with Leeks
Total time: 30 minutes
I always make enough to use in another meal - patties, or Shepherd's Pie, or something....
Ingredients:
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 leek
- 1 tbs butter
- 2 tbs milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions:
- The potatoes:
- Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks.
- Put potatoes in medium saucepan and add just enough water to cover.
- Add salt and cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- When boiling (and pay attention or they will boil over) reduce heat and take cover partially off.
- Continue cooking until done, 15 - 20 minutes. They should be very done, easily coming apart when poked with a fork.
- When done, drain and put back on the heat 10 seconds or so to evaporate any excess moisture.
- The leeks:
- Clean and thinly slice the leek.
- Heat butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. Sauté leeks until soft being careful not to let it brown.
- When tender add the milk. Cover and keep warm until ready to use in the potatoes.
- To finish:
- Mash potatoes with a potato masher (or fork if you don't have one).
- Add enough of the leek/milk mixture to get your desired consistency.
- If, after adding all of it, the potatoes are still too stiff, add a bit more milk.
Broccoli with Mustard Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
Like some other cruciferous vegetables (Brussels Sprouts) broccoli is best if not overcooked. The light, lemony mustard sauce will make this vegetable a favorite.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 head broccoli
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs Dijon mustard
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs chicken stock
Instructions:
- Cut broccoli into bite size florets and stems.
- Put in steamer basket in saucepan with an inch of water in bottom. Put on medium heat and steam for 10 - 15 minutes or just until done, careful not to overcook.
- Remove from pan and set aside, discarding water.
- In same pan heat oil. Mince garlic and add to pan.
- Sauté briefly, then add mustard, lemon and stock. Stir well to combine.
- Add broccoli and toss well to coat.
Cooking Schedule: 90 minutes for menu |
Chop shallots |
Share this:
----------------------
Get 7 Dinner Menus, Recipes, Shopping List each Thursday by e-mail: Subscribe
