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Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 10, Day 3
Potato Soup
Apple Tarts
Cooking time: 60 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
Another simple, fairly quick soup for dinner. This makes enough for 2 meals - have some for lunch or freeze. If you prefer a very thick soup, add less water to cook in (should be enough to just cover everything) /or milk to finish.
Potato Soup
Total time: 60 minutes
A soup with as many variations as there are cooks: some like it puréed, some thicken it with flour; some like it thick, some thin; some use carrots, some wouldn't think of it. This is mine.... at least, today's version.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium potatoes
- 4 medium carrots
- 1/3 head cauliflower
- 3 ribs celery
- 1 1/2 onion
- 1 tbs butter
- 6oz (180gr) ham, preferably dry-cured, such as Prosciutto
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups milk, cream, or a combination
Instructions:
- Roughly chop onion.
- Peel carrots. Slice by cutting in half the long way (in 2 or mores sections) then into half circles.
- Peel and slice potatoes to a similar size.
- Slice celery, cutting the wide end in half lengthwise.
- Cut cauliflower into small pieces.
- Cut ham into small pieces.
- Melt butter in small soup pot or large saucepan. Add onion and sauté until it starts to get tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add celery and sauté 5 minutes longer.
- Add ham and sauté briefly.
- Add carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, herbs and water.
- Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 30 - 40 minutes.
- To finish: remove bay leaves.
- Add milk and heat through. Serve.
Note: You could substitute cream for some or all of the milk for a richer soup.
Apple Tart
Total time: 25 minutes
This is very simple, easy and yet, properly impressive. I sauté the apples lightly in butter to coat them and prevent browning as well as to start the cooking process so they soften sufficiently in the oven.... And because it adds a lovely flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 large cooking apple
- 1 tbs butter
- 4 tbs ricotta cheese
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 sheet puff pastry
Instructions:
- Cut 2 squares, rectangles or circles out of the puff pastry... whatever works best, shape is not important.
- Cut apple in quarters, through core.
- Slice out core, then thinly slice each quarter.
Heat butter in medium skillet, add apple slices and sauté over medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes, just until warmed through.- Lay puff pastry on baking sheet, either nonstick or lightly oiled.
- With a knife lightly score a line around the edge of each pastry, about 1/3" (.75 cm) from the edge. Do not cut through the pastry! (A butter knife works best.)
- Divide the ricotta spread within the scored lines.
- Arrange the apple slices on the ricotta.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 420F (210C) for 10 - 12 minutes, until sides of pastry have puffed around middle and are golden brown.
- Remove and serve.
Cooking Schedule:
60 minutes for menu |
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, simmer |
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