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Menu Plan for the week of June 21, 2013: Friday's Recipes

Tomato, Caper and Herb Salad
Grilled Trout, Stuffed with Lemon and Thyme
Barley with Chives
Sautéed Chard with Feta and Olives

Cooking time:  35 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

   We're celebrating herbs with this dinner.... And summer. You can use any whole fish in place of the trout.

Tomato, Caper and Herb Salad

Total time: 10 minutes 
    Salad at its simplest: a few fresh ingredients tossed with vinegar and oil and served on fresh lettuce leaves.

 Ingredients:

• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 12 Greek or other olives
• 1 tbs capers
• 2 tbs fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbs fresh thyme
• 2 tbs fresh chives
• 1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs good olive oil
• 2 tbs shredded Parmesan
• 10 - 12 nice lettuce leaves

 Instructions:

• Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
• Pit olives, if needed, and cut in half. 
• Snip herbs. 
• Put tomatoes, herbs, olives and capers in a bowl. 
• Add vinegar, oil and stir well to mix.
• Shred or shave Parmesan
• Arrange lettuce leaves on 2 plates.
• Spoon salad into the center.
• Top with Parmesan and serve.

Grilled Trout with Lemon Thyme and Lemon

Total time: 25 minutes  
    If you have a basket for the fish it will hold them together nicely.  If not, tie them with kitchen string.  

 Ingredients:

• 2 whole trout - or whole fish of your choice, cleaned
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch lemon thyme - if you have it or can get it, regular thyme if not.  Substitute 1 tbs dried

 Instructions:

• Slice lemon. 
• Put lemon slices and thyme inside the fish - as much as you can stuff in. 
• Either put fish in grill basket or tie securely and use a grill mat.
• Cook on barbecue grill over medium heat about 7 minutes per side or until done, turning once.  Can also be baked or cooked under the broiler. Times will vary according to the size and thickness of the fish.  When done the flesh should be opaque. 

Note: I skinned each fish and took out the back bone, lemons and thyme before serving but it also makes a nice presentation served whole.

Barley with Chives

Total time: 20 minutes 
   Barley is not just for soup!  It's a hearty, nutritious grain; easy to cook and flavorful.  I get the quick-cooking barley which takes about 15 minutes.  Cooked in chicken stock and finished with a bit of oil and fresh herbs, it's chewy texture is a fun change from rice or pasta.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (2.8oz, 80gr) quick-cooking barley
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock (or more, depending on type of barley)
• 3 tbs fresh, snipped chives
• 1 tbs fresh, snipped basil
• 1 tbs good olive oil

 Instructions:

• Cook barley in stock until done, stirring occasionally. If all stock is not absorbed, drain. 
• Stir in olive oil, herbs and serve.

Sautéed Chard with Feta and Olives

Total time: 20 minutes
   Chard, or Swiss Chard, is a slightly bitter green, reminiscent of spinach.  Mine is 'Rainbow Chard', thus all the colors.  We added feta and Greek olives for a Mediterranean flavor.

 Ingredients:

• 7oz (210gr) chard or Swiss chard
• 1/2 large onion
• 1.5oz (45gr) feta cheese
• 1/4 cup Greek olives   about 10 olives
• 1 tbs ketchup
• 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbs fresh oregano
• 2 tsp olive oil

 Instructions:

• Wash the chard and trim any bad bits. 
• Stack the leaves together and fold over, the long way.  Slice into thin strips, about 1/2" (1cm) using both leaves and stems.
•  Roughly chop onion.
• Snip oregano leaves.
• Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. 
• Add the chard stems and stir-fry over medium heat 3 minutes, then add the leaves.   Stir and turn until the leaves wilt and it all fits into the skillet. 
• Add the ketchup, vinegar and stir well to combine. 
• Reduce heat to low and cook until chard is tender, another 4 - 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• To finish: 
• Crumble feta or cut into small cubes. 
• Slice olives. 
• Remove chard from heat, stir in feta, oregano and olives. Serve.

Cooking Schedule: 35 minutes for menu Assemble all ingredients and utensils Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, scissors, small bowl, grater, small saucepan, lid, large skillet, lid, barbecue grill, baskets and/or mat Snip all herbs - not thyme for fish Cut tomatoes Pit, cut olives Mix tomatoes, capers, olives, herbs, oil, vinegar Shred Parmesan Light/turn on barbecue grill Slice lemon Prepare fish, stuff with lemon, thyme Put fish in basket or tie securely Prepare chard: clean, trim, roll, slice Crumble feta Chop onion

Sauté onion Start to cook barley Prepare lettuce leaves Arrange lettuce on plates, spoon salad in center Add chard stems to onion, sauté Sprinkle Parmesan on salad Add chard leaves to skillet, stir until they fit Add ketchup, vinegar, oregano, stir Cover skillet, remove from heat Start to cook fish Serve salad    Interrupt salad to turn fish, check barley Done?   Check chard, put back on heat if needed Remove fish Finish barley Finish chard Serve

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