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Menu Plan for the week of Oct. 25, 2013:  Saturday's Recipes

Savoy Cabbage, Walnuts and Mushrooms
Braised Lamb with Chickpeas and Butternut Squash
Rosemary Braised Potatoes

Cooking time:  70 minutes for menu (30 min. break)    Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

      The salad  uses Savoy or green cabbage.  It is loosely packed with dark green outer leaves and cooks much faster than the traditional pale green cabbage we use for summer cole slaws (aka: white cabbage). We'll put the rest of the chickpeas and tomatoes in the soup tomorrow.

Savoy Cabbage, Walnuts and Mushrooms      Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
    With the walnuts and mushrooms, this in an autumn salad. Serve warm or room temperature, with or without a bit of cheese. If you don't have truffle oil, use a bit of sesame or walnut oil.

4oz (120gr) Savoy or green cabbage    about 1/3 head
1/4 cup walnuts    about 10
1 red onion
4oz (120gr) mushrooms
1 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp butter
2 tsp truffle oil   optional
Camembert, for garnish   optional

Cut onion into quarters, then slice.  Trim and slice mushrooms.  Cut a slice off the cabbage, cut the slice into thirds, then slice thinly.
Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet.  Add onion and sauté over medium-high heat until starting to brown.  Reduce heat, add mushrooms, walnuts and let cook until nicely browned, about 10 more minutes.  Increase heat, add cabbage, soy sauce and vinegar and stir-fry until cabbage wilts. Drizzle with truffle oil (optional) and serve - with a wedge of Camembert if you have it.

Braised Lamb, Chickpeas, Butternut Squash     Preparation, cooking time: 75 minutes
     This is meant to be like a tagine - which is the name of both the method/type of cooking and the conical-shaped dish they are made in.  This should be thick and chunky, with little visible liquid remaining.

12oz (360gr) boneless lamb, shoulder or leg, pieces or lamb ribs 20oz (600gr)
3/4 cup (6oz, 180gr) chickpeas
1 1/2 cups (7oz, 210gr) cubed butternut squash
14 - 16 Greek olives  (1.5oz, 45gr)
3 shallots
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1/3 (3oz, 90ml) cup white wine
1 cup (8oz, 240gr) chopped tomato 
3 bay leaves
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp paprika

Slice shallots; mince garlic.  Drain and rinse chickpeas.  Pit olives if needed and roughly chop.  Cut lamb into large pieces and trim excess fat.
Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid.  Add lamb and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.   Add the shallots, garlic, paprika, sauté until tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.  Return the lamb to the pot, add herbs, olives, wine, tomato, chickpeas and squash.  Cover, turn heat to low and braise for 60 minutes.   When done, spoon meat and vegetables onto a platter and serve.

Rosemary Braised Potatoes                            Preparation and cooking time:  40 minutes
   An Italian winter classic: potatoes braised in white wine with rosemary and just a bit of tomato added at the end to add interest to both the flavor and the color.

10oz (300gr) potatoes, about 2 medium
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp rosemary
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) white wine
2 tsp tomato paste
3 tbs chicken stock

Scrub and slice potatoes thickly, 1/4" (.5 cm). Peel and slice garlic as thinly as possible.  In a medium saucepan, sauté potatoes and garlic in olive oil until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.  Add wine, rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until wine is almost absorbed, 15 - 20 minutes.  Mix the stock and tomato together and stir in. Simmer until thick and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes longer.

Cooking Schedule: 70 minutes for menu Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, medium saucepan, medium skillet, deep skillet or Dutch oven with lid Heat oil in Dutch oven Add lamb, brown Slice shallots Mince garlic Turn lamb Open, drain tomatoes Chop 1 cup, reserve rest for later Open, drain, rinse chickpeas, save extra Remove lamb Add shallots, garlic, paprika, sauté Clean, cut butternut squash Pit olives, chop Return lamb to pan

Add all remaining ingredients, reduce heat, braise    Once certain it's simmering - take a 20 minute break...    Break over.... Mind the lamb - give it a gentle stir if needed Slice potatoes Slice garlic Sauté potatoes, garlic Slice onion, sauté Trim, slice mushrooms Stir potatoes Trim, slice cabbage Add wine, rosemary to potatoes, simmer Reduce heat under onion, add mushroom, walnuts      Pause while stuff cooks Add cabbage, soy sauce, vinegar, stir-fry Add stock, tomato, to potatoes, stir, simmer Drizzle cabbage with truffle oil, serve Done?  Serve lamb, vegetables, potatoes

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By Katie Zeller

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