Tuna and Feta Tarts
|
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu
Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
If the puff pastry you have has not been frozen, cut your squares out of half and freeze the other half. We'll be using it again. If it has already been frozen, make the Parmesan Crisps to have with the Risotto (or whenever). The Veal is a slight variation on the traditional Veal Marsala. If you can't get sunchokes you can substitute carrots and fix the same way.
Tuna and Feta Tarts Time: 20 minutes
The feta I used for these is Greek: little cubes that come in a glass jar covered in olive oil. They will not melt like other cheese, but stay whole and get lightly browned. I garnished the tarts with sliced avocado, but that is optional. This is an easy, assembly only dish - then baked for 12 minutes.
3 oz (90gr) canned tuna
2 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
2 tbs black olive tapenade (or green)
3 oz (90gr) feta cubes (or other feta cheese)
1/2 sheet puff pastry
small, ripe avocado, sliced optional
Thaw the puff pastry, if needed. Lay out puff pastry and cut two 4 inch squares (10 cm). Lay pastry on baking sheet. With a knife lightly score a line around the edge of each pastry, about 1/3" (.75 cm) from the edge. Do not cut through the pastry! (A butter knife works best.) Divide the Greek yogurt and spread within the scored lines. Open and drain the tuna. Divide evenly and spread on the yogurt. Add tapenade. Divide the feta and sprinkle on top. (I used 6 - 7 cubes per tart.) Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400F (200C) for 12 - 15 minutes, until sides of pastry have puffed around middle and are golden brown. Remove and serve. Garnish with sliced avocado if desired.
Note: To use up the leftover puff pastry:
Parmesan Crisps Time: 15 minutes plus 5 earlier
Easy to make and a great way to use up the leftover bits of puff pastry. You could also make them sweet: brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar; serve for dessert with coffee. I have no idea how long they will keep...we ate them all!
puff pastry sheet, roughly 10 X 6 (25 X 15cm)
1 - 2 tsp olive oil
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese I used the stuff in the can rather than fresh for this
Cut a rectangle of puff pastry. Lightly drizzle 1 - 2 tsp olive oil over the pastry. Sprinkle 2 tbs of Parmesan evenly over the top. Make a mental note (or mark it) of where the middle of the pastry is. Starting at the short ends, roll the puff pastry to the middle until the two rolls meet. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until used. It should be chilled at least an hour and can be made 2 days ahead. Remove from fridge and slice 1/4" thick (.6cm). Lay on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 8 - 12 minutes, until pastry is golden and cheese is a bit darker. Remove and serve immediately or allow to cool and store in airtight container.
Veal with Parsley and Marsala Time: 15 minutes
The tender veal scallops cook quickly and are finished with a silky wine sauce. If you can't get Marsala you can use Madeira, a sweet (cream) sherry, or any, slightly sweet fortified wine. Chicken breasts, pounded thin, or turkey scallops would make good substitutes. Both would need a bit more cooking. Unlike the traditional Veal Marsala, this has lots or parsley, no tomato and is not thickened.
12 oz (350gr) veal cutlets, thinly sliced - scallops
1/2 cup Marsala, (4oz. 125ml) you can substitute Madeira if you have some on hand
1/4 cup beef broth, (2oz, 60ml) substitute chicken or a 1/2 tsp beef base
1 tbs dried parsley or 2 tbs fresh
1 tbs olive oil
In large, nonstick skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Add veal and quickly brown on both sides, about one minute each. Remove to an oven proof serving platter. Keep veal in a warm oven (125F, 75C) while finishing sauce. Add the Marsala, beef stock and parsley to the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Let sauce cook rapidly until reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over veal and serve.
Rosemary Braised Potatoes Time: 40 minutes
An Italian winter classic: potatoes braised in white wine with rosemary and just a bit of tomato added at the end to add interest to both the flavor and the color.
10 - 12 oz potatoes, about 2 medium
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp rosemary
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) white wine
2 tsp tomato paste
3 tbs chicken stock
Scrub and slice potatoes thickly, 1/4" (.5 cm). Peel and slice garlic as thinly as possible. In a medium saucepan, sauté potatoes and garlic in olive oil until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add wine, rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until wine is almost absorbed, 15 - 20 minutes. Mix the stock and tomato together and stir in. Simmer until thick and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes longer.
Braised Sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes) Time: 30 minutes
Braising can add a lot of flavor to vegetables as well as meats, usually with little or no added fat. I added Herbes de Provence to these but almost any herb will work: thyme, basil, marjoram, rosemary.
2 - 3 Jerusalem artichokes aka sunchokes
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
1 tsp Herbes de Provence or marjoram
Peel sunchokes using a vegetable peeler. Cut into sticks about 1/2" (1cm) square by 2 " (5cm) long (or however long the sunchoke is). Put into a small skillet or medium saucepan. Add stock and herbs, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and partially uncover. Simmer until tender and most of the stock is gone, 15 - 20 minutes. Remove, drain if necessary and serve.
top of page
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Put sunchokes, herbs and stock in pan |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
Our Weekly Menu Planner Service gives you healthy, gourmet dinners, carefully planned to eliminate waste and insure a wide variety of seasonal, wholesome foods each week.
All text and images are copyright © 2005 - 2007 Kathleen Lerum Zeller.
All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated
