Thyme for Cooking
Seasonal Weekly Menus & Shopping Lists
Healthy Food Fresh Ingredients Simple Recipes
Menu Plan for Spring I: Week 10, Saturday
Links:
Daily Recipes:
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus / Caper Egg Salad
Barbecued Sirloin Steak
Roasted New Potatoes with Lemon and Green Garlic
Hot Spinach Salad
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
The steak is a simple classic. We like it rare, but cook it to your own taste. Our beef is not as tender as most in the U.S. so we serve it thinly sliced (Great flavor though). It's important to let any meat rest before slicing so the juices retreat from the surface back into the meat.
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Caper Egg Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
Asparagus that is a bit thicker than a pen is perfect, but any will work. Lay the spears at an angle on the Prosciutto to roll and place seam side down on the baking sheet. It you don't have a nonstick baking sheet, brush lightly with oil first.
Ingredients:
- 6 - 8 asparagus spears it depends on thickness
- 3 - 4 paper-thin slices Prosciutto
- 2 eggs, hard boiled
- 1 1/2 tbs capers
- 2 tbs mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
- The asparagus:
- Snap off stem ends of asparagus. If white, use vegetable peeler and peel bottom half of stalk.
- Heat water in a skillet large enough to hold the asparagus flat. The water should just be just deep enough to cover the asparagus.
- When it's boiling, add the asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes.
- Remove and rinse in cold water until cool.
- Cut Prosciutto in half the long way.
- Wrap each asparagus spear in a half-slice of Prosciutto, starting just below the tip.
- Lay the wrapped asparagus on a baking sheet, and bake, 400F (200C) until the Prosciutto starts to look crisp, 10 - 12 minutes.
- Remove.
- Garnish with egg salad and serve.
- The Egg Salad:
- Hard boil eggs.
- When eggs are cooked, cool and peel.
- Chop eggs and put into a small bowl.
- Add capers, mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar.
- Stir gently to combine.
Barbecued Sirloin Steak
Total time: 30 minutes
Get any steak suitable for your budget and for grilling. If you slice the steak, at an angle, even a tougher cut is delicious - and they usually have more flavor!
Ingredients:
- 16oz (480gr) sirloin or top round (suitable for grilling)
- 2 tbs ketchup
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Combine ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar, oil, garlic and oregano.
- Spoon on both sides if steak and allow to marinate for 15 - 30 minutes.
- Cook steak on barbecue grill over direct heat for 5 - 9 minutes per side - or until done - 140F (60C) for rare. Use thumb test, meat thermometer or, as last resort, by slicing into center and looking.
- When done, remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice at an angle about 1/2 inch thick (1.25cm) and serve.
- Note: Can be cooked under broiler - start with 7 minutes per side.
Roasted New Potatoes with Lemon and Green Garlic
Total time: 35 minutes
New potatoes are early, tiny, immature potatoes of any color, usually 1" (2.5cm) or less in diameter. They have a high moisture content, are very creamy and usually cooked whole. If you can't get new potatoes, use regular potatoes, cut into 4ths or 6ths.
Ingredients:
- 12 - 16 new potatoes, depending on size enough for two people
- 4 tsp olive oil, divided
- 2 green garlic substitute 2 green onions and 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbs fresh chives
- 2 tbs fresh lemon juice 1/2 lemon
Instructions:
- Leave new potatoes whole and unpeeled; just wash lightly.
- Toss with 2 tsp oil and put into a baking dish large enough for them to be in a single layer.
- Bake at 400F for 30 minutes.
- Stir half way through baking time. Could also be done on barbecue grill in a grill pan or basket.
- Just before potatoes are done: Trim and slice green garlic, using most of the green tops.
- Snip chives.
- Squeeze lemon.
- Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in a medium skillet.
- Add green garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add chives, lemon juice and potatoes. Stir / toss to combine and coat potatoes.
- Remove and serve.
Warm Spinach Salad
Total time: 10 minutes
This is a cross between a salad and a vegetable. I've added a bit of bacon to it but you can leave it out for a vegetarian version. Be careful to cook the spinach for a just a minute, only to wilt slightly.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) fresh spinach
- 2 slices bacon, 1oz (30gr)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbs good olive oil
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt - sea salt is nice, and pepper optional
Instructions:
- Cut bacon into matchsticks.
- Wash and stem spinach if needed. Drain in a colander. If you don't feel you need to wash it - do it anyway. We want a little bit of water on the leaves - what ever is left on the leaves after draining well.
- Cut any really large leaves.
- Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet.
- Add bacon and sauté until crisp.
- Add vinegar, thyme, sugar and heat through.
- Add spinach and quickly stir-fry, 1 minute. The spinach should just start to wilt.
- Remove, sprinkle with salt, pepper and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Snip herbs |
Share this:
----------------------
Get 7 Dinner Menus, Recipes, Shopping List each Thursday by e-mail: Subscribe
