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Main Course Menu Plan: Week 3 Spring II
Day 1: Pan-Fried Salmon with Lemon and Capers
Total time: 15 minutes
Lemon and capers combine to add lots of flavor to this simple preparation. Quickly seared, they can finish cooking over low heat while you enjoy your starter.
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets, 12oz total, (360gr)
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbs capers
- 1 tbs chives, fresh or dried
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp butter
- White Wine and Dill Sauce:
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) white wine
- 1 tsp fresh or dried dill weed (leaves - not seeds)
- 1 tsp fresh or dried chives
- 2 tsp cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbs water
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) plain or Greek yogurt
Instructions:
- Slice lemon, 4 - 6 slices, remove pips.
- Heat butter and oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add salmon, skin-side up, and sauté 5 minutes, until it starts to brown.
- Turn skin side down. Lay the sliced lemon on top of the salmon and sprinkle with capers and chives.
- Turn the heat to low, cover and let finish cooking, 5 - 10 minutes, depending on thickness.
- When done, using a spatula, slide the filets off of the skin.
- To serve: Spoon some Dill Sauce on each plate or a small platter.
- Lay salmon on top.
- Spoon capers and lemon slices on salmon.
- White Wine and Dill Sauce:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat bring wine and stock to a boil.
- Mix cornstarch in water and stir into simmering stock. Cook until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in herbs and yogurt.
- Cover and keep warm until serving.
Day 2: Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Ham, Spinach and Cheese
Total time: 40 minutes
These are easy to make: slice a pocket, fill and tie. They're baked with a drizzle of olive oil to make a crunchy crust. I snipped the string in a few places to make it easier to remove but left it on when serving: they looked nicer! Get breasts that are on the large side.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1.5oz (45gr) Gruyère or other hard cheese, sliced
- 2 slices Prosciutto (about 2oz, 60gr)
- 6 - 8 small spinach leaves
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
- 2 tbs Parmesan, grated
- 1 tsp plus 1 tbs olive oil
- kitchen string
Instructions:
- With a sharp knife make a long slit in the edge of the chicken breast - cutting horizontally and being careful not to cut through the other side. Make the cut on the 'straight' edge of the breast. You should have a pocket the shape of the breast with 1/2 inch of 'uncut' chicken around 3 sides.
- Slice the Prosciutto and cheese to fit inside.
- Arrange 2 or 3 layers of Prosciutto and 1 or 2 of cheese in the 'pocket'.
- Put the spinach on top of the cheese.
- Wrap the entire breast with kitchen string to hold it together - and keep as much cheese inside as possible.
- Lightly whisk egg and put into a shallow bowl or deep plate.
- Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan and put on to another plate.
- Lightly oil the center of a baking sheet, a large enough place for both breasts with an inch or 2 in between.
- Dip the tied breasts into the egg, coating all sides, then into the crumbs, coating all sides (use your fingers).
- Lay on the oiled sheet.
- Drizzle the tops with the rest of the oil and bake, 400F (200C) for 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the chicken done.
- Remove, snip the string in a few places, and serve.
Day 3: Salad with Spinach, Ham, Avocado and Pasta
Total time: 25 minutes
This is a Spinach Salad rather than a Pasta Salad. There is just a bit of pasta added for texture and to finish the meal. Use a thick slice of ham, either Prosciutto-type, or regular deli-ham.
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) ham, cooked
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) cherry tomatoes
- 6oz (180gr) fresh spinach
- 1 tbs fresh snipped chives substitute 1 tbs dried and add to dressing
- 1 tbs fresh marjoram or oregano leaves substitute 1 tsp dried and add to dressing
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese (cheddar, colby, whatever)
- 3/4 cup (2.5oz, 75gr) bite-size pasta
- White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
- 1 - 2 tbs Greek yogurt optional
- 4 - 5 tbs good olive oil, for salads
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Prepare salad:
- Make Vinaigrette.
- Slice ham into large strips. Sauté the ham if you like, set aside.
- Wash spinach if needed and drain / spin dry. Sort through the spinach, discarding any damaged leaves, cutting the large leaves in half.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Cut avocado, slice it thickly, then cut into chunks.
- Snip/strip herbs if using fresh.
- When pasta is done, drain but don't shake every last bit of water off.
- To assemble salad:
- Put spinach into a large bowl.
- Add hot, drained pasta and toss lightly to combine. (Tongs work best.)
- Add half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
- Add the ham, avocado, herbs and tomatoes, toss lightly.
- Taste and adjust vinaigrette, adding more if you like.
- Sprinkle with cheese and serve, any remaining vinaigrette on the side.
- White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Place mustard, vinegar and yogurt, if using, in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Slow add olive oil, whisking constantly, to combine. It should be thick and emulsified when finished.
Note: If you have any Prosciutto lurking in the fridge, add that to the salad as well.
Day 4: Chicken with Broccoli and Olives
Total time: 30 minutes
This is a colorful dish full of Mediterranean flavors: capers, olives, peppers, lemon and garlic. It's made like a stir-fry, leaving the vegetables with a bit of crunch.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1/2 head of broccoli or one small head
- 1 small yellow bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup olives, black or green
- 1 tbs capers
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 3 tbs white wine or 3 tbs chicken stock plus 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Slice onion about 1/8" thick (.3cm).
- Cut pepper in half the short way and then into slices, 1/4" thick (.6cm).
- Mince garlic.
- Cut broccoli into bite size florets and stems.
- Cut chicken in half, the short way.
- Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet. Add onions, pepper, broccoli, and sauté 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté another 2 minutes.
- Remove vegetables to a bowl or platter and cover.
- Add chicken to skillet and sauté 6 - 8 minutes per side, or until done.
- Pit olives if needed and cut in half.
- Return vegetables to skillet, add olives, capers, marjoram and wine or stock/lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer another 7 - 8 minutes to blend flavors.
- Arrange attractively on a small platter and serve.
Day 5: Pork Tenderloin with Mustard and White Wine Sauce
Total time: 35 minutes
Pork and mustard go well together. It makes a lovely, quick, mid-week dinner, yet 'gourmet' enough for unexpected guests! If the tenderloin has a lot of ‘silver’, trim it with a sharp knife before slicing.
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin, 14oz (420gr)
- 1 small or 1/2 medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
- 2 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 3 tbs chicken stock
Instructions:
- Thinly slice the onion and finely chop the garlic.
- Sauté onion and garlic in oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Slice the tenderloin into 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick slices.
- Brush 1 tbs mustard on one side of pork.
- When onion starts to brown, move it to the sides of the pan and sauté pork medallions mustard-side down for 5 minutes.
- Brush remaining mustard on top and turn.
- Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add thyme, stock and white wine to pan, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
- Dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock.
- Uncover, increase heat, add cornstarch and stir until sauce is thickened.
- Remove pork to small platter, spoon sauce over and serve.
Day 6: Stir-fried Turkey with Spring Vegetables
Total time: 25 minutes
This cooks quickly, as most stir-fries do, allowing the bright green, spring vegetables to retain their color. I use Brown rice but substitute Basmati if you prefer. Add other spring vegetables if you have them.
Ingredients:
- 10oz (300gr) turkey cutlets or tenderloin or you can use chicken
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 rib celery optional, not on list
- 6oz (180gr) asparagus green or white... or a bit of each
- 4oz (120gr) snow peas (mangetout)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
- 1 tbs sherry (optional)
- 1 tbs cornstarch (Maizena, corn flour) dissolved in
- 1 tbs soy sauce plus 1 tbs water
- Brown Rice:
- 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) brown rice, quick-cooking
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock or whatever your rice calls for
Instructions:
- Cook rice according to package instructions.
- Thinly slice onion.
- Mince garlic.
- Snap off the ends of the asparagus then roll cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) lengths.
- Trim snow peas, cut large ones in half or thirds.
- Cut the turkey into bite-size pieces.
- Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion to skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic and stir-fry another 2 minutes.
- Remove onion/garlic from pan and set aside. Add sesame oil to pan and heat.
- Add turkey and stir-fry 3 - 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove and put with onions.
- Add asparagus to skillet and stir-fry 3 minutes.
- Add snow peas to skillet and stir-fry 1 - 2 minutes longer.
- Return everything to the skillet. Add chicken stock, sherry and bring to a boil.
- Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce and water. Add cornstarch mixture to pan and stir until thickened.
- Add more soy sauce if desired, according to taste.
- Serve over Brown Rice.
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