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Menu Plan for Fall I: Week 3, Friday
Links:
Daily Recipes:
Spinach Strudel with Carrot Tomato Sauce
Pesto Shrimp and Pasta
Roasted Butternut Squash
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We may be well into fall but I thought one more taste of summer would be nice. If you still have lots of basil you can make the pesto; if not, just get a small jar or container. The phyllo is really very easy to work with, if you remember to keep it covered. It dries out quickly. Refrigerate the rest as we'll be using it again over the next few weeks.
Spinach Strudel with Carrot Tomato Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
This is based on a recipe from Pru Leith's Cookery School book. We've eaten at her restaurant, Leith's, in London; wonderful food but we were happy to be on an expense account! Filo (phyllo) is in either the dairy or freezer section of the supermarket. If the filo is frozen remember to thaw earlier. Use a soft brush if possible.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) fresh or frozen spinach
- 2 sheets of filo dough
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- pinch nutmeg
- 2 tbs butter
- Carrot Tomato Sauce:
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 rib celery
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) tomato sauce
- 4 tbs Greek or plain yogurt (2oz, 60ml), crème fraiche or sour cream
Instructions:
- The Spinach: If fresh, take any thick stems off of the spinach. Rinse well with cold water - even if it doesn't need it, we want the water.
- Put the rinsed and drained, but not dry, spinach into a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it wilts.
- Remove, squeeze dry and roughly chop.
- If using frozen, thaw and squeeze dry.
- Put spinach, cheese, marjoram and nutmeg in a bowl and mix well, separating the squeezed spinach and fluffing it to combine with the cheese.
- The Strudels: Melt the butter.
- Remove 1 sheet of pastry and re-wrap the rest. It's important to keep filo covered at all times or it will dry out very quickly.
- Lay the sheet out flat and brush all over with melted butter, starting with the edges (they dry out fastest) and working in.
- Lay the second sheet on top and brush with butter all over.
- Spoon the spinach mixture about 2" (5cm) from the narrower edge. Roll the end over the top and continue rolling it up, like a jelly roll.
- Carefully lift or roll onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- Brush the top with the remaining butter and bake at 400F (200C) for 12 - 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
- When done, remove to a cutting board. Cut in large slices and serve, with Carrot Tomato Sauce on the side.
- Carrot Tomato Sauce:
- Roughly chop the carrot and celery.
- Cook in rapidly boiling water for 12 - 15 minutes, until tender. Drain.
- Put carrots, celery, basil and tomato sauce in a blender. Purée until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl, stir in yogurt and set aside until ready to use.
Shrimp (Prawns) with Pesto Pasta
Total time: 25 minutes
Served warm to bring out the flavors, the pesto works amazingly well with the shrimp, and the, more traditional, pasta. If you have to clean the shrimp add 10 - 15 minutes. You can use raw or cooked shrimp for this as the flavor is in the sauce rather than a marinade.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) large shrimp (prawns), cleaned
- 2 tbs pesto
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs olive oil
- Olive oil for coating pan
- spaghetti, 3.5oz (100gr) a circle about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 1 tbs good olive oil or truffle oil
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain.
- Clean shrimp if needed, if not just rinse and let drain.
- Mix 2 tbs pesto, lemon and oil. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until raw shrimp curl and turn opaque or cooked shrimp are heated through.
- To finish:
- Mix 1/3 cup pesto and oil.
- Add to pasta and toss well to coat.
- Arrange nicely on a platter or large plate.
- Lay the shrimp on top of the pasta and spoon any remaining sauce from the pan over the top.
- Serve.
Roasted Butternut Squash Slices with Rosemary
Total time: 35 minutes
Simple perfection. Slices of butternut squash, dipped in olive oil, sprinkled with rosemary and a bit of salt and roasted until they start to get crispy and caramelized.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 butternut squash, 12oz (360gr) I used the 'neck' to get nice half circles'
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- sprinkling of salt
Instructions:
- Cut squash into slices about 1/2" (1.25cm) thick.
- Mix oil, salt and rosemary in a bowl.
- Add squash and toss well to coat.
- Spread squash on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, 400F (200C).
- Turn once, bake for 10 minutes longer.
Note: To clean butternut squash first peel it, using a potato/vegetable peeler. If it's large (typically) cut it in half between the 'neck' and 'bowl' ends. Then cut those in half the 'long' way. Scoop the seeds out of the round end and discard. I use the neck end for uniform pieces and the bowl end for soups and smaller pieces.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Remove phyllo sheets, re-wrap the rest, refrigerate |
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