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Menu Plan for Summer II: Week 1, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Ham and Chive Mini Frittatas
Lightly Smoked Cod
Couscous and Green Bean Salad
Cooking time: 35 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
The frittatas don't need much ham, so trim a bit off of the ham steaks that are for Thursday. We use wood chips a few times during the summer. A smoker is nice for the cod, but any grill will work.
Ham and Chive Mini Frittatas
Total time: 35 minutes
These Frittatas look like cupcakes but are actually fluffy eggs, mixed with small bits of anything savory. These have a bit of ham, some cheese and lots of fresh herbs. They can be served, hot, warm or cold and are great to do ahead for a party or, in summer, a picnic.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup diced ham, about 2oz (60gr)
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup (1.5oz, 45gr) shredded cheese
- 2 tbs snipped chives, fresh or dried
- butter or cooking spray
- 6 cherry tomatoes for garnish
Instructions:
- Cut ham into small pieces.
- *Butter or spray a nonstick muffin (tartlet) pan, one that holds 6. I know it sounds redundant to butter a nonstick pan but these will stick if you don't.
- Divide the cheese, ham and chives evenly between the cups.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well.
- Using a ladle or spoon divide mixture evenly between the cups.
- Bake at 400F (200C) for 12 - 15 minutes or until set.
- Remove from oven. Frittatas will puff up considerably and then fall a bit.
- Allow to cool 5 - 10 minutes before removing from pan; they will start to come away from the sides of the pan as they fall making them easier to get out.
- Serve with sliced cherry tomatoes, warm or at room temperature.
*Note: if your muffin pan is silicone you do not need to butter it.
Lightly Smoked Cod
Total time: 30 minutes
This is a cross between smoker cooking and grilling, and it flavored the cod perfectly: a light smoke and dill combination. It needed nothing else.
Ingredients:
- 1 - 2 filets of cod, or other thick, firm white fish, 12oz (360gr) total weight
- 2 tsp dill weed
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- wood chips for smoking - apple is nice See Barbecue Grills for more info
- Weber-type kettle barbecue with charcoal or Gas Grill
Instructions:
- If you are using small, commercial wood chips, put them in water to soak.
- Mix the soy sauce and the olive oil.
- Brush on the fish.
- Sprinkle the dill weed on top.
- Charcoal grill: Put some charcoal in the barbecue, off to one side and light it.
- When the coals are glowing, add the fish - either in a basket or on a grill mat of some sort, to the other side - in other words, not over the coals.
- Throw some wood chips on the coals and cover.
- Check it halfway through and add more wood chips if it has stopped smoking. It's done when if flakes easily with a fork. We left ours on for about 30 minutes.
- To use a gas grill: Only light one side of the grill.
- Wrap the soaked wood chips loosely in foil. Poke a few holes in the foil and place on the grill.
- Keep the fish off of direct heat and the grill cover closed and vented or propped open an inch or so.
- To use oven: The fish could also be baked, 400F (200C) for 15 to 20 minutes. It won't have the smoke flavor, of course, but the dill and soy sauce add a lovely flavor on their own.
Couscous, Spinach and Green Bean Salad
Total time: 15 minutes
Couscous is such a good base for all sorts of vegetables and a wonderful way to use up the bits left in the fridge. Mine tend to be non-traditional - more vegetables than couscous. Feel free to adjust...
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) couscous
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) chicken broth
- 4oz (120gr) green beans
- 2 tbs snipped chives
- 1 tomato
- 2oz (60gr) shredded fresh spinach
- 2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbs good olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
Instructions:
- Top and tail beans, cut into bite-size pieces.
- Put a medium saucepan 2/3rd's full of water on high heat.
- When boiling add beans and blanch for 3 minutes.
- Drain and immediately rinse with cold water.
- Heat chicken broth to boiling.
- Put couscous in a medium bowl.
- When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it.
- Snip chives.
- Roughly chop tomato.
- Shred spinach: put the spinach leaves together in one hand and snip with a scissors.
- Add vegetables and herbs to couscous and fluff with a fork.
- Put the vinegar, mustard and oil in a small bowl.
- Whisk well and stir into couscous. Serve.
Cooking Schedule: 35 minutes |
Add wood chips, partially cover grill |
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