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Menu Plan for Fall I: Week 10, Friday

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 Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, whisk, medium bowl, parchment/wax paper, scissors, 2 ramekins, deep baking dish, small saucepan, pot and colander for pasta, medium nonstick skillet, medium saucepan with steamer basket and lid, blender Turn oven on, 400F (200C) Put water on high heat for pasta Thaw spinach Butter, line ramekins Whisk egg Stir in cheese, nutmeg Squeeze spinach dry Add to egg, stir well to combine Spoon into ramekins Put ramekins in baking dish, add hot water, bake Open, drain tomatoes  reserve juice for soup Purée tomatoes Put tomatoes in small saucepan, add basil, heat Mince garlic

Slice shallots, sauté Cut salmon Clean cauliflower, steam Squeeze lemon Remove spinach when done, unmold Spoon tomato sauce around spinach Turn cauliflower off, let sit Add wine to shallots, turn off, let sit Cook pasta Serve Spinach Timbales Done? Reheat shallots / wine, reduce Remove cauliflower Sauté garlic, basil Add mustard, crumbs, cauliflower, stir to coat, heat Drain pasta Add crème fraiche to wine, heat Add salmon, lemon to skillet, heat Combine pasta, salmon sauce Top pasta with remaining salmon Finish cauliflower Serve

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