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Main Course Menu Plan: Week 7 Summer I
Day 1: Grilled Barbecued Tuna
Total time: 30 minutes
If you get sushi-grade tuna you will definitely want to have this rare (it has to be graded to a higher standard so it is okay to eat raw). Regular tuna we normally have medium. We cook a 1 inch (2.5cm) thick piece for 10 minutes on hot charcoal, indirect heat, cover closed.
Ingredients:
- 2 tuna steaks, 6oz (180gr) each
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs orange marmalade
- 2 tbs ketchup
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients for sauce and spoon over tuna. Allow to marinate for 10 - 15 minutes.
- To cook: Place on barbecue and spoon any remaining sauce on top.
- Cook, with the cover partially or fully closed, without turning, for 8 - 15 minutes, depending on how you want it done. Could also be roasted, 400F (200C) for about the same amount of time.
Note: A grill basket, skillet or mat makes working with fish easier.
Day 2: Lamb and Vegetable Kebabs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
Total time: 45 minutes
It does look nice to have the meat and vegetable on the same skewers - and you can do that if you partially pre-cook the vegetables. I prefer to do it all on the grill, and, as the different foods have different cooking times, arranging them on the skewers accordingly. Serve on a bed of Summer Couscous, Minted Sauce on the side.
Ingredients:
- lamb shoulder, 14oz (420gr) (or pork or beef), cut into 1 1/2" (3.75cm) pieces
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 medium zucchini (courgette)
- 8 - 12 mushrooms, large enough to be skewered
- 8 large cherry tomatoes
- 6 - 8 skewers
- Marinade:
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs red wine vinegar
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs sherry
- 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
- Soak wooden skewers.
- In large, deep bowl whisk together all ingredients for marinade.
- Cut meat and add to the marinade; let marinate for 20 - 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
- Clean peppers and cut into 1 1/2 " (3.75cm) squares, refrigerate unused halves.
- Peel and cut onion into 8 wedges.
- Cut zucchini into thick slices, about an 3/4 inch (2cm).
- Clean mushrooms.
- Add all vegetables to bowl with meat/marinade and stir to coat.
- Cooking:
- Thread meat, mushrooms and tomatoes on 2 - 3 skewers, alternating.
- Thread peppers, onions and zucchini on 2 - 3 skewers, alternating.
- Cook vegetable skewers on barbecue grill over direct heat for 10 - 15 minutes, turning once.
- When vegetables start to brown move to indirect heat and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes.
- When you move the vegetable skewers, start to cook meat skewers over direct heat.
- Cook until meat is done to your liking. We cooked ours for about 8 minutes, turning once.
- Remove and serve on a bed of Summer Couscous.
- Could also be cooked under the broiler (grill) for 12 - 15 minutes, or until done
Yogurt Dipping Sauce Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (3oz (90gr) Greek or plain yogurt
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp snipped fresh mint leaves (spearmint) if you don't have any, you could use 1 tsp dried mint or leave it out
- 2 tsp fresh snipped chives
- 1 tsp fresh snipped tarragon
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with kebabs.
Day 3: Turkey and Green Bean Pasta Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
I used Heirloom Tomatoes in the salad, the yellow and red Ananas.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups (4.2oz, 125gr) pasta, fusilli, rigatoni
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 10oz (300gr) turkey cutlets or turkey breast
- 6oz (180gr) green beans
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 - 2 tomatoes
- 2 tbs snipped fresh basil
- Vinaigrette:
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 1/2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, rinse lightly in cold water.
- Top and tail beans. Cut into 1" lengths (2.5cm).
- Thinly slice red onion.
- Cut turkey into bite-size pieces.
- Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add green beans and red onion, stir-fry 2 - 3 minutes, until just crisp-tender.
- Remove to a large bowl.
- Add turkey, stir-fry until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Remove and add to beans. Stir all to help cool a bit.
- Cut tomato into large chunks.
- Snip basil.
- Make vinaigrette:
- Put all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
- To finish:
- Add a bit of vinaigrette to turkey, beans, onions, stir to combine.
- Add pasta, tomatoes, herbs and a bit more of the vinaigrette, stir gently and taste.
- Add more vinaigrette as desired. (I used it all.) Serve.
Day 4: Grilled Tarragon Chicken Breasts
Total time: 30 minutes
Tarragon is a great herb for chicken, and a classic pairing in French cuisine. When basting with a marinade, stop about 5 minutes before taking the meat off the heat, and turn the meat a final time to make certain the marinade is cooked.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 tbs snipped fresh chives substitute 1 tsp dried
- 2 tbs snipped fresh tarragon substitute 2 tsp dried
- 2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs honey
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients except chicken, whisking well.
- Pour over chicken and let marinate 10 - 15 minutes.
- Cook on barbecue grill for 8 - 12 minutes per side or until done (test - take a peak), basting with marinade.
- OR sauté in nonstick skillet for 8 - 10 minutes per side until nicely browned and done, basting with marinade. Serve.
Day 5: Salad with Sausage, Potatoes and Chevre
Total time: 35 minutes
The warm potatoes and sausages melt the creamy goat cheese, coating the lettuce with a flavorful dressing. Use any flavor sausage you like; I used pork with olives.
Ingredients:
- 4 - 6 sausages, 10oz total weight (300gr)
- 2/3 carton chevre, 3.5oz (110gr) (goat cheese - this is a soft cheese that comes in a little 4-sided pyramid shaped carton; my 'brand' is Chevraux, I think in the U.S. it's Chavrie
- 2 medium potatoes (10oz, 300gr)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- Lettuce - enough for a main meal salad for 2
- large handful of fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbs fresh, snipped chives
- Pepper
- Vinaigrette:
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs white wine tarragon vinegar
- 4 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and coat with the olive oil.
- Either cook in a pan on the barbecue if you are using it or put on a baking sheet in a 400F oven for 25 minutes.
- Cook sausages - either on the barbecue grill or in a frying pan on the cook top.
- Tear lettuce and put in a large bowl.
- Snip chives.
- Tear large basil leaves, leave small ones whole.
- Add herbs to lettuce
- Vinaigrette:
- Mince garlic.
- Combine garlic, lemon juice, mustard and vinegar in bowl and whisk well.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil whisking constantly so that the dressing emulsifies (gets thick).
- To finish:
- Add 1/4 of the vinaigrette to lettuce and toss to combine using tongs (or salad utensils).
- When sausages are done cut into bite size pieces and add to lettuce - they will be warm.
- When potatoes are done add to salad - again, warm is okay - not necessary, but okay.
- Add the chevre to the salad with a spoon - just in small chunks.
- Add about 1/3rd more of the dressing and toss well. As you toss the salad you will see the residual warmth from the sausage and potatoes combined with the dressing cause the chevre to coat the lettuce leaves, making a very creamy salad.
- Add more dressing as you like, using all of it or reserving some to be added at table. Fresh pepper is also nice..... serve.
Day 6: Chicken and Grilled Pepper Pasta Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
Grilled chicken and grilled or sautéed vegetables put a new twist on the old 'macaroni' or pasta salads of my childhood. Serve the chicken cut in chunks, mixed with the salad (my choice) or sliced and served on top (mon mari's choice).
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- Marinade:
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbs red wine vinegar
- 3 tbs olive oil
- Salad:
- 1/2 green pepper
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1 red onion
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 carrot
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 medium tomato
- 2 tbs fresh, snipped basil
- 2 tbs fresh snipped chives
- 1 1/4 cups (4.2oz, 125gr) pasta, penne, fusilli
- Creamy Yogurt Dressing:
- 4oz (120gr) Greek or plain yogurt
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs mayonnaise
- 2 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Pasta:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain, rinse in cold water, drain well and put into large pasta bowl.
- Chicken:
- In small bowl whisk together Worcestershire, vinegar and oil.
- Put chicken breasts in glass baking dish and pour marinade over. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
- Cook on barbecue grill for 8 - 12 minutes per side or until done (test - take a peak), basting when you turn them with any leftover marinade.
- OR sauté in nonstick skillet for 8 - 10 minutes per side until nicely browned and done, basting with marinade.
- When done, remove and slice.
- Vegetables:
- Slice peppers into long strips, then cut strips in half.
- Slice onion.
- Toss onion and pepper with oil and cook in grill pan on barbecue for 10 minutes, until crisp tender.
- Or sauté briefly over high heat until starting to brown but still crisp.
- Remove from heat and put into pasta bowl.
- The rest:
- Slice the carrot into paper thin strips using the vegetable peeler (hold onto to carrot and slice one half down to a thin stick. Holding on to the 'stick' slice the other half. Eat the stick).
- Slice celery thinly, at an angle to get pretty slices.
- Cut tomato into chunks.
- Snip herbs.
- Creamy Yogurt Dressing:
- Put yogurt, mustard, lemon and mayo into a bowl and whisk together.
- Add the olive oil, 1 tbs at a time, and whisk.
- To Finish:
- Put vegetables and herbs into bowl with pasta.
- Add dressing and mix well. Add chicken slices and toss gently to combine.... Or not. Serve.
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