Asparagus with Quail Eggs
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Cooking time: 45 minutes for menu
Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Quail eggs are little and fun, but, if you can't get them or choose not to use them, regular chicken eggs will be just as good. We use a bit more or the Mascarpone here and the rest will be used next Friday for a tart. Snow peas are also known as sugar snap peas, pea pods and mangetout. We'll cook them at the last minute to keep them crisp.
Asparagus with Quail Eggs 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)
6oz (200gr) asparagus, 12 thin or 8 large spears ( if you still have asparagus left, use it Monday)
6 quail eggs (or 2 chicken eggs)
2 tsp olive oil or butter
Vinaigrette
Snap off ends of asparagus. If your asparagus is very thick or 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, 8 - 12 minutes, longer for white, adding a bit of water as needed. Remove and keep warm. Heat oil or butter in a nonstick 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) on the other half of the plate. Salt & pepper eggs if you like and serve, any remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Vinaigrette
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
2 tsp tarragon wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
3 tbs olive oil, the good stuff
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.
Chicken with Mascarpone and Shallots Time: 45 minutes
I occasionally find a chicken recipe that leans more toward the decadent than the healthy and reserve it for a Saturday dinner (rather than a Monday). This is loosely based on a recipe I saw years ago in Cooking Light magazine.
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
3 tbs Dijon-style mustard
2 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
2 tbs white wine
1 tsp dried thyme
2 slice Prosciutto (1.5 oz, 45gr)
6 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried parsley
2 bay leaves (laurel)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mascarpone
2 tsp cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbs chicken stock
Mix mustard, vinegar, wine and thyme. Put chicken breasts in a small dish or larger zip-lock bag. Add mustard mixture and allow to marinade for at least 10 minutes, but up to an hour. Peel shallots and garlic, leave whole. Slice the Prosciutto. Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Add Prosciutto, shallots and garlic. Sauté over medium heat until all is slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade and add to skillet. Reserve marinade. Sauté the chicken 5 minutes per side. (They won't really brown, but it starts them cooking.) Add the reserved marinade, parsley, bay and chicken stock. Stir to combine, cover, reduce heat slightly and simmer for 20 minutes.
To finish: Remove chicken, shallots and garlic to a small platter and keep warm. Remove and discard bay leaves. Dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock. Stir cornstarch into stock to thicken. When hot and bubbling again, turn off heat and add mascarpone, stirring well. Spoon sauce over chicken and shallots, serve.
Roasted New Potatoes with Chives Time: 35 minutes
New potatoes are early, tiny, immature potatoes of any color, usually 1" (2.5cm) or less in diameter. They have a high moisture content, are very creamy and usually cooked whole. If you can't get new potatoes, use regular potatoes, cut into 4ths or 6ths.
12 - 18 new potatoes, depending on size enough for two people
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
1 tbs fresh chives, snipped
salt and pepper
Leave potatoes whole and unpeeled. Just wash lightly. Toss with oil, lightly salt and put into a baking dish large enough for them to be in a single layer. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes. Stir half way through baking time. Remove from oil and put into a small dish. Add butter and chives, toss to coat and serve.
Sautéed Snow Peas (mangetout, pea pods, sugar snap peas) Time:10 minutes
Another of those fleeting spring vegetables. Some say they are best eaten while standing in the garden and pulling them off the vine. This is second best.
snow peas - enough for two, 4oz (125gr)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Clean pea pods - snip off the stem end... Tough one. Heat butter and oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pea pods and sauté 5 - 10 minutes, depending on size, stirring frequently. Taste, when they are done to your liking, remove, add salt and pepper and serve
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Cooking Schedule: 45 minutes |
Cover and simmer |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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