Creamy Courgette (Zucchini) Soup
|
Cooking time: 35 minutes
for menu Cooking schedule: see below for menu instructions |
It's a simple soup with few ingredients. It's also the last of our zucchini (I think/hope). I made the pasta with half scallops and half large shrimp. Sea scallops are very expensive here and the smaller ones not available. Feel free to use either or any combination of the two.
Courgette (Zucchini) Soup Time: 30 minutes
Courgette sounds nicer and why not the French word rather than the Italian? This is a simple recipe, but delicious. You could chop some olives to sprinkle on top, snip fresh chives or even a dab of pesto on top of the crème fraiche! Don't peel the zucchini, it's healthier and gives the soup a nice color!
2 cups chopped zucchini - about 1 - 8" (20cm) long
1 medium onion
1 - 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tbs butter
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tbs (1 oz, 30 ml) crème fraiche or Greek yogurt for garnish
Chop onion and zucchini. In medium saucepan sauté onion in butter until transparent. Add zucchini, thyme and just enough chicken stock to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Puree solids, adding enough of the stock to get the consistency for the soup that you like - we like it thick. Serve, either hot or cold, with a dollop of crème fraiche in the center (draw a knife through it to make fancy patterns if you are feeling creative) and snipped chives or freshly ground pepper.
Pasta with Scallops and Shrimp (Prawns) Time: 25 minutes
I actually used a 9oz (250gr) package for fresh basil tagliatelle for this, but divided it in half after cooking, refrigerating half (or a little less) for mon mari's lunch the next day. By sautéing the shrimp and scallops in garlic butter they get a robust flavor offset by the creamy cheese sauce... If you don't normally have milk on hand use part chicken stock and part white wine- different sauce, equally good!
scallops, 6oz (180gr) sea or bay I had 8 large sea scallops
shrimp, 6oz cleaned (180 gr prawns, cleaned)
1 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken stock or fish stock if you have it
1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded Gruyère cheese
2 tbs dry sherry
2 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena)
2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 (1 oz) freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup bite-size pasta, penne, farfalle
Cook pasta according to package directions. While it cooks: Heat stock and milk to boiling in small saucepan. Dissolve cornstarch in sherry and add to saucepan, stirring and cooking until sauce has thickened. Reduce heat to low and gradually add the shredded cheese, stirring constantly. Stir in the parsley. Turn off heat, and cover saucepan to keep warm until needed. Clean shrimp if they need it. Mince garlic. Heat butter and oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add paprika and sauté briefly. Add garlic and sauté until golden and tender, 5 - 7 minutes. Turn heat up to medium and add scallops and shrimp. Sauté until shrimp start to curl and both start to turn opaque, turning once. This should not take longer than 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm. When pasta is done, drain well and return to cooking pan. Add sauce and toss well to coat. Put pasta in a bowl if serving immediately or a baking dish just large enough to hold everything if not. Arrange scallops and shrimp on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Either serve immediately or put into a warm oven (250F, 120C) for up to 15 minutes to keep hot.
Green Beans with Garlic and Rosemary Time: 25 minutes
One doesn't often think of rosemary with beans but it's a lovely combination especially with the garlic chips.
6oz (180gr) green beans
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
Peel garlic and slice as thinly as possible. Top and tail beans. Cut in 1 1/2" (4 cm) lengths or leave long if small - nicer presentation. Put in a small saucepan or skillet with stock, put on medium heat and bring to a boil. Turn down to low and simmer until done, about 10 minutes. Drain beans and put into serving bowl. Heat oil in same pan. Add garlic slices and sauté. When garlic is just starting to color add rosemary. Continue to sauté until garlic is light brown - careful not to let it or the rosemary burn. Return beans to pan and stir to coat and reheat if necessary. Put back into serving bowl and serve.
top of page
Cooking schedule: 35 minutes for menu
|
Add shrimp and scallops, sauté
|
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
