Lentil Salad with Mozzarella
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Cooking time: 45 minutes for menu plus 5 minutes earlier Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
This is likely the last of our 'barbecue' dinners. We may still use the grill for cooking meat occasionally over the next few weeks but true 'summer cooking' is at an end. To serve the kebabs, mound couscous in the center of a large platter, remove vegetables from skewers and arrange around couscous. Lay beef skewers on top. Put the Yogurt Sauce into 2 individual bowls, if you have them.
Lentil Salad with Mozzarella Time: 40 minutes
For salads I use the tiny green French lentils 'du Puy'. You could use the larger brown lentils but not the pretty red ones. If you can't find Mozzarella di Bufala, regular cow's milk mozzarella will be fine. If you are having the Prosciutto sliced to order (rather than buying pre-packaged) it should be 'paper-thin'.
1/3 cup lentils
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup water
2 slices Prosciutto, 1.5 - 2 oz (50gr)
1 mozzarella Di Bufala
1 tomato
2 tbs olive oil - the good kind, for salads
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
handful fresh basil leaves
Rinse and pick through lentils (in case quality control missed the odd stone). Put in a small sauce pan along with stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until done - about 20 minutes. Taste to determine when done properly. Drain any excess cooking liquid and set aside to cool. Just before serving mix oil and vinegar in bowl large enough to hold lentils. Add lentils and mix well. Roughly chop tomato and add to lentils. Slice mozzarella and arrange on one side of each plate. Divide lentil salad and place next to mozzarella slices. Slice Prosciutto and arrange on top of lentils and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve.
Spicy Beef Kebabs Time: 45 minutes
These are best if prepared earlier in the day and allowed to soak up the flavors - plus it makes dinner a breeze! By doing the meat and some of the vegetables separately you can cook the skewers for different times: allowing the onion to get done to your liking without overcooking the beef.
12oz (350gr) beef loin or sirloin, cut into 1 1/2" (3.75cm) cubes
1 red bell pepper - reserve 2 - 3 'squares' for couscous - the equivalent of 1/4 cup
1 red or sweet onion
1 small - medium zucchini (courgette) 8" (20cm) , reserve the equivalent of 1/4 cup for couscous
6 - 8 mushrooms, large enough to be skewered
6 - 8 large cherry tomatoes
4 - 6 skewers if wood soak in water while preparing the rest
Marinade
3 tbs olive oil
3 tbs ketchup
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs chili powder
1 tbs paprika
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
Hot pepper sauce or red pepper flakes - optional too hot for me ;)
In small bowl whisk together all ingredients for marinade. Pour over meat and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Clean pepper and cut into 1 1/2 " (3.75cm) squares. Add to meat and toss to coat. Peel and cut onion into 8 wedges. Add to marinade. Cut zucchini in half the long way and then into pieces 3/4 inch (2cm) wide. Add to marinade. Clean mushrooms, removing stems. Add to marinade. Toss all vegetables and meat to coat evenly.
When ready to cook, remove meat from marinade, reserving marinade. Thread meat, tomatoes and mushrooms onto 2 or 3 skewers, alternating. Thread onions, peppers and zucchini on the remaining 2 - 3 skewers, alternating. Start to cook the vegetable only skewers first, over indirect heat with the cover closed. After about 7 minutes, lift cover and turn vegetables, moving over direct heat. Add beef skewers over direct heat. Baste all skewers with reserved marinade. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes, or until beef is done to your liking, turning and basting again halfway through cooking time. Vegetables should be crisp-tender. Remove and serve over a bed of Summer Couscous. Could also be cooked under the broiler (grill) for 12 - 15 minutes, or until done.
Yogurt Dipping Sauce Time: 5 minutes
You could use Greek Yogurt, in which case draining would not be necessary.
1 cup (7 - 8oz, 225ml) plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs snipped fresh mint leaves (spearmint)
1 tbs fresh snipped chives
Drain yogurt: line a strainer with several layers of paper towels. Note: if you have a 'fine mesh' strainer, lining is not necessary. Spoon yogurt into center and let drain for 30 minutes. Using a spatula, scoop/scrape yogurt into a bowl. Mince garlic. In small bowl mix all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with kebabs.
Summer Couscous Time: 15 minutes
Couscous is not a grain but a tiny semolina 'pasta'. What is normally available is a pre-cooked product to which we just add boiling water or stock... making it very quick, perfect for summer, or early fall, cooking
1/2 cup couscous
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped zucchini (courgette)
2 tbs snipped chives
5 - 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp olive oil - the good stuff
Heat chicken broth to a boil. Chop pepper and courgette, snip chives and halve tomatoes. Put couscous, pepper and courgette in a medium bowl. When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it. Uncover, add chives, tomatoes and oil to couscous, fluff gently with a fork to combine and serve.
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Cooking Schedule: 45 minutes |
Prepare vegetable skewers |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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