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Menu Plan for the week of Oct. 11, 2013: Friday's Recipes

Butternut Squash with Walnuts and Cheese 
Smoked Salmon Kedgeree
Hungarian Style Broccoli

Cooking time:  30 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     You could easily get by with 4oz (120gr) of salmon in the Kedgeree - but we are extremely fond of smoked fish.....  I used Brie with the Butternut - and the rest on Sunday. Add 10 minutes on to your cooking time to do Saturday's prep work - or do it in the morning. Menu instruction are for using purchased smoked salmon.

Butternut Squash with Walnuts, Cheese      Preparation and cooking time: 20 minutes
   This is a simple starter that showcases the flavors of fall. Add the sage leaves at the end to just make them crisp.  Use a pungent, soft or semi-soft cheese; it will melt slightly when add to the hot squash.  

10oz (300gr) butternut squash  2 - 3 cups large chunks
1/2 cup (1.5oz, 45gr) walnuts
10 - 12 fresh sage leaves  substitute 1 tbs dried
2oz (60gr) strong, semi-soft cheese  Brie, Camembert
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp butter

Slice butternut squash thickly, (.5", 1.25cm) then cut into large pieces.  Heat butter and oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add walnuts and squash and sauté 10 - 15 minutes, until squash is nicely browned.  Snip the sage leaves into large pieces and add for the last 2 - 3 minutes. Divide and put onto two plates.  Cut cheese into cubes and arrange on top. 

Smoked Salmon Kedgeree                                       Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
   Kedgeree was, traditionally, made with smoked haddock and served as a part of a large breakfast.  We smoked the salmon, using a kettle grill, for about 20 minutes.  You could use purchased smoked salmon, if you prefer, but it should be hot-smoked, American-style rather than the wet-smoked, Scotch or Irish style.  Gravlax would not work.

1/2 cup Basmati rice
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
8oz (240gr) smoked salmon or see below
2 eggs, hard boiled
1 onion
3 tsp butter
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbs Greek or plain yogurt, or milk or cream
2 tbs snipped fresh parsley    substitute 1 tbs dried
1 tbs lemon juice

Melt 1 tsp butter in small saucepan over medium heat.  Add rice and sauté, stirring for 2 - 3 minutes.  Add stock, cover and cook for length of time on package. 
Hard boil eggs.  
Thinly slice onion.  Heat remaining 2 tsp of butter and 2 tsp olive oil in large nonstick skillet.  Add onions and sauté until tender and transparent. 
To assemble:  Peel eggs and cut into eighths.  Cut salmon into large pieces.  When onions are ready add rice to skillet along with yogurt, lemon and parsley.  Mix well.  Add salmon and eggs to rice and, mixing gently, heat through.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Smoked Salmon

8oz (240gr) salmon filets,  one or two, depending on size
1 tbs dill weed
1 tsp course salt
wood chips

Sprinkle salmon with dill weed, then salt.
If using charcoal: Put some charcoal in the barbecue, off to one side and light it.  If you are using small, commercial wood chips, put them in water to soak. When the coals are glowing, add the fish - either in a basket or on a grill mat of some sort, to the other side - in other words, not over the coals.  Throw some wood chips on the coals and cover.  Check it halfway through and add more wood chips if it has stopped smoking. It's done when the fish flakes easily with a fork, 15 - 20 minutes.
To use a gas grill:   Only light one side of the grill.  Wrap the soaked wood chips loosely in foil.  Poke a few holes in the foil and place on the grill.  Keep the fish off of direct heat and the grill cover closed and vented or propped open an inch or so. 

Hungarian Style Broccoli                                      Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
    I don't remember where I found this or why it's considered Hungarian... I've been making it forever; it's simple and delicious.

1/2 head broccoli  
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbs butter
1/8 tsp salt

Cut broccoli into bite size florets and stems.  Put in a steamer basket in a saucepan with an inch of water in the bottom.  Put on medium heat and steam for 10 - 15 minutes or until done.  Remove broccoli and cover with the pan lid to keep warm.  In same pan melt the butter.  Add breadcrumbs, salt and sauté, stirring, until crumbs are golden, 2 - 3 minutes.  Sprinkle over broccoli and serve.

Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, scissors, 2 small saucepans, lids, medium saucepan with steamer basket and lid, medium nonstick skillet, large nonstick skillet Do ahead for Sat:    Trim beef, cut into chunks, put in dish to marinate    Slice carrot, onion, celery, add to beef    Add herbs, spices, wine to beef, cover, refrigerate Hard cook eggs Peel squash, clean, cut Wrap what you don't use and refrigerate Slice, cut squash for starter Sauté squash, walnuts Cut broccoli Mind the eggs Cut the cheese Snip parsley, sage Turn squash, nuts

Open salmon, cut into chunks Slice onion, sauté Cool eggs when done, peel Start to cook rice Start to cook broccoli Add sage to squash Turn onions off, leave in skillet When squash is browned nicely, remove to 2 plates Add cheese and serve, enjoy! Done? Turn rice off when done Remove broccoli to bowl, cover Reheat onions, add salmon, heat Melt butter for broccoli Add rice, yogurt, lemon and parsley to skillet, stir Add crumbs to butter, stir Cut eggs, add to rice, mix gently Arrange Kedgeree on platter Finish broccoli Serve

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