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Menu Plan for Fall II: Week 4, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Warm Spinach Salad
Sautéed Sole with Lemon Butter
Carrot and Basmati Rice Gratin
Cooking time: 55 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We think of spinach as a spring crop but it also does well in the cool fall temperatures. The sole I get is cleaned but not boned. If yours is boned - lucky you. It will sauté even faster.
Warm Spinach Salad
Total time: 10 minutes
This is a cross between a salad and a vegetable. I've added a bit of bacon to it but you can leave it out for a vegetarian version. Be careful to cook the spinach for a just a minute, only to wilt slightly.
Ingredients:
- 6oz (180gr) fresh spinach
- 2 slices bacon, 1oz (30gr)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbs good olive oil
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt - sea salt is nice, and pepper optional
Instructions:
- Cut bacon into matchsticks.
- 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 on the leaves after draining well.
- Cut any really large leaves.
- Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet.
- Add bacon and sauté until crisp.
- Add vinegar, thyme, sugar and heat through.
- Add spinach and quickly stir-fry, 1 minute. The spinach should just start to wilt.
- Remove, sprinkle with salt, pepper and serve.
Sautéed Sole with Butter and Lemon
Total time: 10 minutes
Served whole, the delicate fish flakes easily off the skeleton, which, normally, remains intact for easy removal once you've eaten one side of the fish. Finished with a bit of butter and lemon for accent, it will simply melt in your mouth.
Ingredients:
- 2 whole sole, cleaned, about 12oz (360gr) total weight, or filets
- 1/3 cup flour
- salt & pepper
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 3 tbs butter
Instructions:
- Put the flour on a plate large enough for the fish to fit. Add salt & pepper to the flour and mix it together.
- Over medium-high heat melt half of the butter in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold both fish.
- Rinse fish and pat dry.
- When butter is sizzling 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. 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!
- When nicely browned and done remove to plates.
- Melt remaining butter in skillet and pour over each fish.
- Serve with 2 lemon quarters each, to squeeze over top.
- Note: If you get sole filets, they will cook even faster. Use a long spatula to turn them carefully.
Carrot and Rice Gratin
Total time: 55 minutes
This is somewhere between a soufflé and a pudding. The carrots retain their texture and add a slightly sweet flavor to the rice.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) Basmati rice
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbs chives, fresh or dried
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) Greek or plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese
- 1/2 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Cook rice in chicken stock.
- Peel carrots and shred using medium holes on the box shredder.
- Lightly whisk eggs.
- Add milk, yogurt and herbs, whisk to combine.
- When rice is done, stir in the carrots and let sit for a minute to cool slightly.
- Add the rice and carrots to the eggs along with half of the cheese. Stir well.
- Lightly oil a glass baking dish (1 qt, 1 litre).
- Spoon carrot-rice mixture into dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, 400F (200C) for 30 minutes.
- Remove and serve.
Cooking schedule: 55 minutes |
Add rice/carrot to egg mixture |
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