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Menu Plan for Spring II: Week 10, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Asparagus with Quail Eggs
Pasta with Shrimp, Avocado and Olives
Sautéed Spinach
Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
You can use the cute little quail eggs or regular eggs. If you use quail eggs, hard boil the rest for snacks (5 minutes) and salads. I couldn't decide what kind of sauce to use for the pasta, so I just used lemon and oil... It was exactly right! We'll use more fresh lemon tomorrow for the asparagus.
Asparagus with Quail Eggs
Total time: 20 minutes
Asparagus is one of two foods (the other is bacon) that etiquette says one should eat with ones fingers, rather than a knife and fork. For this, dip the tips in the egg yolk.... A fork will be needed for the rest of the eggs, however... And the rest of the quail eggs? Hard boil them for snacks (5 minutes)
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) asparagus, 12 thin or 8 large spears
- 6 quail eggs substitute 2 chicken eggs
- 2 tsp olive oil or butter
- Vinaigrette:
- 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tsp tarragon wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
- 3 tbs good olive oil
Instructions:
- Snap off ends of asparagus. If your asparagus is very thick or if it’s white, use vegetable peeler and peel the bottom half of stalk.
- Put into a skillet big enough to hold them without cutting, add water to cover bottom by 1/4 inch, cover and bring to boil.
- Lower heat and cook just until done, 6 - 10 minutes, longer for white, adding a bit of water as needed.
- Remove and keep warm.
- Heat oil or butter in skillet over medium heat.
- Add eggs and fry until the whites are set. They are meant to be 'sunny-side up' - which is: whites set, yolks runny..... or cook them however you like them.
- Drizzle a bit of vinaigrette on half of a plate.
- Lay asparagus out nicely on top.
- Put three quail eggs (or 1 chicken egg) on the other half of the plate.
- Salt & pepper eggs if you like and serve, any remaining vinaigrette on the side.
- Vinaigrette:
- Whisk mustard and vinegar.
- Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly.
- Add tarragon, whisk well.
Tip: If using quail eggs crack them and put them into 2 small bowls, 3 eggs each, to make frying them easier. They'll be ready to slide into the hot pan. The shells are a bit tougher then chicken eggs so it requires a bit more effort.
Shrimp, Avocado and Olive Pasta
Total time: 25 minutes
This is a simple pasta dish. Without a proper 'sauce' all of the individual tastes come through clearly, creating a symphony of well-balanced, fresh, savory flavors.
Ingredients:
- 10oz (300gr) cleaned shrimp
- 4 green garlic, sliced, app 1/2 cup, (1.5oz, 45gr) substitute 4 green onion and 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup Greek olives (1.5oz, 45gr, 12 - 15 olives)
- 1/3 cup green olives (1.5oz, 45gr, 12 - 15 olives)
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (3oz, 90gr)
- 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbs capers
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 avocado (6oz, 180gr)
- 1 tbs fresh basil
- 1 1/4 cup pasta - (4.2oz, 120gr)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- Trim and thickly slice green garlic, using as much green top as possible or slice green onion and mince garlic.
- Slice olives in half or thirds.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Snip basil.
- Remove avocado from shell and cut into large cubes.
- Heat 1 tbs oil in a large, nonstick skillet.
- Add green garlic (or onion and garlic) and sauté briefly.
- Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through (they will turn opaque).
- Add remaining 1 tbs oil, lemon juice, capers, olives, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes just start to get soft.
- Add pasta, stir well to combine and heat through.
- Add avocado, basil and serve.
Sautéed Spinach
Total time: 10 minutes
This is quickly done and best if done at the last minute. A sprinkling of lemon juice and sea salt is all that's needed to let the spinach shine. The leaves should be barely wilted.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) fresh spinach
- 2 tsp dried chives or 1 tbs fresh
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp good olive oil
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- salt - sea salt is nice, and pepper
Instructions:
- Wash and stem spinach if needed. Drain in a colander. If you don't feel you need to wash it - do it anyway. We want a little bit of water on the leaves - what ever is left after draining well - and shake them around a bit, too.
- Cut big spinach leaves into strips.
- Snip chives if using fresh.
- Heat 1 tsp oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet.
- Add spinach and herbs. Quickly stir-fry, 1 or 2 minutes. The spinach should just start to wilt.
- Remove and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes |
Remove asparagus from heat |
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