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Menu Plan for Winter II: Week 11, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Lentil Salad with Mozzarella
Sautéed Sole with Capers
Lyonaise Potatoes
Sunchoke Gratin
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
When you open the Mozzarella, drain the liquid into a container, and store the rest of the mozzarella in it, covered, until tomorrow. Sole is a delicate fish that cooks in minutes. The Lyonaise are from the second (some would say first) gastronomic capital of France: Lyon.
Lentil Salad with Mozzarella
Total time: 40 minutes
For salads I use the tiny green French lentils 'du Puy'. You could use the larger brown lentils but not the pretty red ones. If you can't find Mozzarella di Bufala, regular cow's milk mozzarella will be fine. If you are having the Prosciutto sliced to order (rather than buying pre-packaged) it should be 'paper-thin'.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup lentils
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) water
- 1/2 onion
- 1 rib celery
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 slices Prosciutto, 2.5oz (75gr)
- 4 small slices of fresh mozzarella, 1/2 ball Di Bufala if possible
- 2 tbs olive oil - the good kind, for salads
- 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
- The lentils:
- Rinse and pick through lentils (in case quality control missed the odd stone).
- Put in a small sauce pan along with stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until done - about 20 minutes. Taste to determine when done properly.
- Drain any excess cooking liquid and set aside to cool slightly.
- The rest:
- Chop onion and celery.
- Mince garlic.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in a small skillet. Add paprika, onion, celery, garlic and sauté until tender.
- Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
- Slice 4 small slices off of the Mozzarella, reserving the rest.
- Slice the Prosciutto in half the long way.
- To finish:
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar and herbs in a bowl large enough to easily hold the lentils.
- Add the lentils and mix well.
- Add the onions, celery, garlic and stir.
- Divide the lentils and mound onto two serving plates.
- Lay 2 slices of mozzarella on either side and arrange the Prosciutto around the edge. Serve.
Sautéed Sole with Browned Butter and Capers
Total time: 10 minutes
Sole is a delicate fish with a mild flavor that pairs well with lemon and capers. It's normally served with the tail and bones intact: just skinned and cleaned but not filleted. They cook very fast and if you are not careful when you take them by the tail to turn them over the skeleton will come away in your hand. The flesh comes away easily with a fork to eat. Or, even better, buy them skinned and filleted.
Ingredients:
- 2 whole sole or 4 filets, 10oz (300gr) total ask your fishmonger to clean and skin them
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 4 tbs butter
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbs white wine
- 1 lemon, quartered
Instructions:
- Put the flour and paprika on a plate large enough for the fish to fit. Mix with a fork until combined.
- Over medium-high heat melt the butter in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold both fish.
- Rinse fish and pat dry.
- When butter is sizzling and just starting to color dip both sides of fish (hold it by the tail) in flour and add to pan.
- Sauté 1 - 2 minutes on each side depending on size of fish.
- When lightly browned and done remove to plates.
- Add capers, wine and lemon juice to skillet. Quickly stir, loosening and browned bits.
- Pour over each fish.
- Serve with 2 lemon quarters to squeeze over top.
Note 1: You can cook them slightly underdone, to this point, then put them on a platter, cover them loosely with foil and put in a 200F (100C) oven to keep warm.
Note 2: If you get sole filets, they will cook even faster. Use a long spatula to turn them carefully.
Potatoes Lyonaise
Total time: 40 minutes
These are incredibly easy and delicious, and pair well with flavorful fish and chicken. They absorb the chicken stock at the end, giving them a bit of a syrupy glaze.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp butter
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken stock
Instructions:
- Peel onion, cut in half and slice thinly.
- Peel and chop garlic.
- Sauté onion and garlic in medium nonstick skillet in 2 tsp butter until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
- Cut potatoes in quarters lengthwise, then slice thinly.
- Remove onions and garlic from pan.
- Add 2 tsp oil, potatoes and sauté until golden, turning often with spatula, about 20 minutes.
- When potatoes are golden, return onion and garlic to pan, add chicken stock, cover and simmer until stock is absorbed, 5 - 10 minutes. Serve.
Sunchoke Gratin
Total time: 30 minutes
These gnarly roots are delicious and easy to fix. Select sunchokes that are firm and with fewer rather than more knobby bits. There is no need to peel, but scrub well. Trim any big knobs if you like.
Ingredients:
- 3 - 4 Jerusalem artichokes aka sunchokes (8oz, 240gr)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
- 1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) Parmesan
Instructions:
- Trim and clean sunchokes.
- Leave whole and put into a steamer basket over hot water.
- Steam 15 minutes or until just tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Watch them - they go from barely done to over done quickly.
- When done remove and cut into 1/2" (1.25cm) slices.
- Lightly oil a small gratin dish.
- Layer the sunchoke slices in dish.
- Sprinkle with herbs and Parmesan.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top.
- Bake, 400F (200C) for 10 - 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Finish sunchoke gratin, bake |
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