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Menu Plan for Fall I: Week 10, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Spinach Timbales with Tomato Sauce
Smoked Salmon Pasta
Cauliflower Dijon
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We don't often use Crème Fraiche - a wee extravagance to go with the Smoked Salmon. Use yogurt if you prefer, or sour cream. The spinach Timbales are impressive and a snap to make with frozen spinach. Save any leftover tomato sauce to add to the soup on Sunday.
Spinach Timbales
Total time: 35 minutes
These go together quickly and make a lovely presentation when unmolded, especially onto a white plate, with the red tomato sauce. Puréed whole tomatoes have a fresher taste than commercial tomato sauce. Garnish with some olives or a bit of cheese, whatever is on hand.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) frozen spinach
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated is nice (a pinch is a very small amount; between 1/8th and 1/16th tsp.
- Tomato sauce:
- 2 cups (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes
- 1 tsp basil
Instructions:
- Thaw spinach - using hot water, microwave, heating on stove top, whatever.
- When thawed squeeze out all excess moisture (rinse with cool water first if too hot to handle).
- Butter 2 ramekins and line with buttered parchment or waxed paper (see techniques).
- Put the egg in a medium bowl and beat lightly with a whisk.
- Add cheese, mustard and nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Add spinach and stir well.
- Divide spinach evenly between the 2 ramekins.
- Put ramekins into a baking pan (I use a bread pan) with deep sides. Pour hot water into the pan coming half way up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until set; top will be firm.
- Remove from oven and carefully remove ramekins from hot water.
- Run a knife around edges of timbales and invert onto small plates.
- Remove paper.
- Spoon tomato sauce on the side and serve.
- Tomato Sauce:
- Open and drain tomatoes, reserving juice for another use.
- Purée in blender until smooth.
- Put into a small saucepan, add basil and heat.
Pasta with Smoked Salmon
Total time: 30 minutes
I use crème fraiche for this. You can substitute sour cream if you like - it will be a bit more tart; or heavy cream - it will be a bit higher in calories, or Greek yogurt.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 (4.2oz, 125gr) cups dried pasta
- 3 shallots
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 4 tbs white wine
- 3 tbs fresh lemon juice, about 1 small lemon
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 180gr) crème fraiche or Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp dill weed
- 6oz (180gr) smoked salmon, (the moist kind: Irish or Scottish)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
- Thinly slice shallots and sauté in oil until tender.
- Add wine and simmer until reduced by half.
- Stir in crème fraiche and heat through, do not boil.
- Slice salmon into strips.
- Add 3/4 of the salmon, dill and lemon juice to the crème fraiche.
- Heat through but do not let boil.
- Add pasta and toss well to combine.
- Put it into a serving bowl, garnish with reserved salmon and serve.
Cauliflower Dijon
Total time: 30 minutes
A light coating of bread crumbs, herbs and mustard flavors this cauliflower. For a sharper flavor use hot mustard.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 head cauliflower- enough for 2 persons
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tbs whole grain mustard or Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs bread crumbs
Instructions:
- Cut cauliflower into pieces, put into a steamer and steam over water for 15 - 20 minutes until fork-tender.
- Remove and drain water from pan.
- In same pan heat oil.
- Mince garlic.
- Add garlic and basil, sauté lightly.
- Add mustard and heat through.
- Add breadcrumbs and stir well.
- Add cauliflower and stir well to distribute crumb mixture. Serve.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Slice shallots, sauté |
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