Egg Linguini with Avocado Sauce
Baked Salmon with Sesame-Soy Glaze
Basmati Rice with Mushrooms
Mangetout (Snow Peas) with Sesame Seeds
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We're having Egg 'Linguini' for a first course, with a creamy avocado sauce, for spring. Pasta without the flour! As long as we're toasting sesame seeds for the salmon, might as well toss some on the snow peas. The snow peas are prepped, then cooked just before serving.
Egg Linguini with Avocado Sauce
Total time: 30 minutes
A spring update on the 'Egg Noodles with Prosciutto', these noodles are dressed with a light, warm avocado sauce. Garnish with a few cherry tomatoes to add color.
Ingredients:
- Noodles:
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/4 tsp flour
- 4 1/2 tsp milk
- 1 tsp oil
- Sauce:
- 1 avocado
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
- Garnish, optional
- 2 - 4 cherry tomatoes
Instructions:
- Sauce:
- Cut avocado and remove pit (see techniques).
- Scoop it out of the shell and put it into a blender.
- Add chicken stock, lemon juice and purée until smooth.
- Pour it into a small saucepan and gently heat until just warm.
- Stir in yogurt, keep barely warm until needed.
- Noodles:
- Put eggs in medium bowl and whisk well.
- Add flour, a little at a time, sprinkling it across the eggs, and whisking well after each addition. Try to avoid lumps.
- Add the milk and whisk well.
- Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet or omelet pan, 7 - 8" (20cm) in diameter, over medium heat.
- Add 1/3rd of the egg mixture, tilting pan to cover well. Let cook, undisturbed for 1 - 2 minutes, until cooked through and top is dry.
- With a spatula, carefully turn and cook on the other side for 30 seconds.
- Remove to a plate. Do not keep warm.
- Repeat twice more.
- When eggs are done, and cooled slightly, roll each up like a cigar and slice 1/4" (.6cm) strips.
- Divide strips in half. Arrange on plates, spoon sauce over, garnish and serve.
Soy Glazed Baked Salmon
Total time: 25 minutes
This is a simple glaze that thickens and clears as it bakes. The slightly hot, slightly salty flavor pairs well with sweet salmon.
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets, 6oz each (180gr each)
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) soy sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch (maizena, corn flour)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbs sherry
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Put soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic and sherry in small bowl and whisk well.
- Put the salmon, skin side down, on a baking sheet.
- Spoon half of the glaze over the salmon.
- Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on thickness. Salmon will be done when it flakes easily, slightly pink in the center is fine.
- When salmon is almost done (or done) spoon the rest of the glaze over and bake for 2 - 3 minutes longer.
- Remove, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
- To toast sesame seeds:
- Put them into a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Toss or stir them about in the pan until lightly golden, 2 - 4 minutes.
Note: For easy clean up cover pan with foil first. This is especially nice if you are using fillets with the skin on. You can carefully lift the salmon off the skin to serve, leaving the skin on the foil. Then wrap the whole mess up and toss.
Basmati Rice with Mushrooms
Total time: 20 minutes
Sautéed onions and mushrooms perk up fragrant Basmati rice for a lovely side dish. Make with vegetable stock or water for a vegetarian version.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) Basmati rice
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 2oz (60gr) mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat 1 tsp butter in a small skillet.
- Add rice and sauté, stirring for 2 - 3 minutes.
- Add stock and herbs, cover and cook rice for length of time on package.
- While rice cooks:
- Chop onion, mushrooms and mince garlic.
- Heat remaining 1 tsp of butter and oil in small skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until everything is light brown, about 10 minutes longer.
- When rice is done, combine with mushroom/onion, fluff with a fork and serve.
Sautéed Snow Peas (mangetout, pea pods) with Sesame Seeds
Total time: 10 minutes
Another of those fleeting spring vegetables. They cook quickly and are more versatile than 'just for stir-fries'. If they are small, leave them whole. If they are large (2", 5cm) cut in half or thirds, at an angle.
Ingredients:
- 4oz (120gr) snow peas, mangetout
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Trim pea pods by snipping off the stem end.
- Heat butter and oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add pea pods and soy sauce and sauté 3 - 5 minutes, depending on size, stirring frequently.
- Taste, when they are done to your liking, remove, sprinkle with sesame seeds, soy sauce and serve.
- To toast sesame seeds:
- Put them into a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Toss or stir them about in the pan until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
2 small saucepans / lids, medium skillet, small
bowl,
medium bowl, whisk, small skillet or omelet
pan,
blender, baking sheet
Chop onions, mushrooms
Mince garlic
Trim, slice snow peas
Whisk together glaze for salmon
Toast sesame seeds, divide
Turn oven on 400F (200C)
Whisk eggs, flour, milk
Cut avocado, remove pit
Scoop into blender, add stock, lemon, purée
Pour into saucepan, cover, gently warm
Whisk eggs again to recombine
Make first 'omelet'
Sauté rice
Turn omelet |
Add stock, herbs to rice, cover, cook
Remove 1st omelet, start 2nd
Spoon half the glaze over salmon, bake
Turn 2nd
omelet
Remove 2nd omelet, start 3rd
Mind the avocado sauce
Turn 3rd omelet
Remove 3rd omelet, allow all to cool slightly
Sauté onion (in omelet pan)
Cut omelets into noodles, arrange on plates
Add mushrooms to onions, turn heat to low
Turn heat under rice to low or off
Spoon sauce over linguini, garnish, serve
Done?
Check rice, if done add to mushrooms
Spoon remaining glaze over salmon
Sauté snow peas
Spoon mushroom rice into serving bowl
Remove salmon, sprinkle with sesame seeds
Finish snow peas
Serve |