Tortilla de Calabacín
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Cooking time: 60 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Tortilla de Calabacín (Spanish-Style Omelet with Zucchini) Time: 30 minutes
Zucchini is everywhere in late summer! If you don't have it in abundance or simply don't want it, you can substitute fried, sliced potatoes, sautéed onions or sliced tomatoes. Everything else stays the same. You can trim the rind off of the brie, or not. I didn't. It left interesting white strips on top of the omelet.
I don't turn this omelet because the brie gets rather runny ...which is why it's so good! You can use another, harder cheese - cheddar, Gruyère if you prefer.
1 small zucchini, (6 inches, 15cm)
1 tbs olive oil
3 oz (90gr) Brie
cheese
4 eggs
6 - 8 fresh sage leaves
olives for garnish if you have some on hand
Cut the zucchini in 1/8" (.3cm) thick slices. You want enough to cover the bottom of the pan in one, non-overlapping layer. Heat oil in medium, 8 - 9" (20cm) nonstick skillet or omelet pan (20cm) over medium heat. Add zucchini slices and sauté 5 minutes. Turn and sauté another 5 minutes. Whisk eggs. Pour half of the eggs over the zucchini. Let cook until almost set. Lay the sage leaves and the brie on top of the eggs and pour the rest of the eggs over the top. Cover and let cook. After about 5 minutes, lift cover and check. If center is not set get a cup with a tsp or so of water. Lift the edge of the omelet and pour the water under. Quickly replace the cover and let cook another 3 minutes. That should finish it off nicely. (if, for some unknown reason it doesn't, repeat the trick with the water - it creates steam to cook the top.) The top will not be brown. Slide it carefully onto a plate. Cut it into quarters. Arrange 2 quarters on each plate, garnish if you want, and serve.
Grilled Cornish Games Hens (Poussin, little chickens) Time: 60 minutes
with Lemon, Honey and Rosemary Glaze
The poussin that we get are very young chickens and weigh about 16oz (500gr) each. They are perfect individual servings (with maybe a snack leftover). If you get larger birds one may be enough, and, as they are cut in half to cook faster, serving will be easy. Or fix two and have cold chicken/game hen for lunch tomorrow! If you prefer to leave them whole add 10 minutes to the cooking time. When done they should have a lovely, dark gold glaze.
1 - 2 Cornish game hens or poussin (little chickens), depending on size.
3 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
2 tbs honey
2 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 more rosemary sprigs (optional - to be used as brushes)
Cut birds in half using poultry sheers or other heavy duty scissors. Rub with 1 tsp of the oil. Cook on barbecue grill over indirect heat (either charcoal or gas), covered, for 45 - 60 minutes, depending on size or until done. Poultry is done at 160 F (70C) on your meat thermometer and/or the juices run clear when pierced with knife. Chop rosemary. In a small bowl mix remaining oil, lemon, mustard, honey, rosemary and garlic. During last 30 minutes of cooking baste with sauce 2 or 3 times - using rosemary sprigs if you have them.... When done, remove and serve - don't forget finger bowls (it's messy) and bone bowls (to keep your plates tidy).
Or they can be baked in a shallow roasting pan in a 400F oven for 35 - 45 minutes, until done. If baking, start basting immediately.
Quinoa with Herbs Time: 20 minutes
I love the nutty flavor of quinoa, plus the fact that it's an 'almost perfect' food, and it's easy! It can be cooked a bit ahead, then removed from heat and let sit, covered for 10 - 20 minutes. When ready to serve, uncover, stir in the herbs and spoon into a pretty bowl.
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup chicken stock (or the amount of liquid your package recommends)
1 tbs snipped fresh chives
1 tbs snipped fresh basil
1 tbs snipped fresh parsley
Combine quinoa and stock in small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until done, about 15 minutes (or whatever your package says). Snip all herbs. When quinoa is done, uncover, stir in the herbs and serve.
Steamed Green Beans with Prosciutto and Garlic Chips Time: 20 minutes
I used the flat, Italian beans for this but any tender green bean will work. Leaving the beans whole and mounding the Prosciutto and garlic chips on top makes a stunning presentation, full of flavor.
6 oz (180gr) green beans, flat or round
2 slices Prosciutto, or other dry-cured ham, (2oz, 60gr)
2 - 4 cloves garlic 2 if large or 4 medium
2 tbs olive oil
Put an inch of water in the bottom of your steamer and bring to a boil, covered. Cut the stem end off of the beans, leave whole, with tail on (optional). Add beans to steamer when water is boiling. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Remove beans and plunge into a big bowl or sink full of cold water to preserve color. Remove and drain. Put beans on a baking sheet and into a warm oven, 220F (100C) to warm. Peel and slice the garlic cloves as thinly as you can (think potato chip/crisp). Roughly chop the Prosciutto. Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and fry until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes total. Add ham and sauté until starting to crisp, another 3 - 5 minutes. Remove beans from oven (they should have been in 10 - 20 minutes) and lay flat on a small platter. Spoon ham and garlic chips in the center, then drizzle the oil over all and serve.
Note: If you are baking the hens in the oven, put the beans in after you take the hens out, turn the oven off and let them warm for 8 - 10 minutes.
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Cooking Schedule: 60 minutes |
Prepare cold water for beans |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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