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veal chops
Veal Chops Duxelles

potatoes herbs
Potatoes a la Two Fat Ladies

butternut shallots
Sautéed Butternut Squash with Shallots 

Menu Plan for the week of Sept. 20, 2013: Day 2 Recipes

Veal Chops Duxelles
Potatoes a la Two Fat Ladies with Fresh Herbs
Sautéed Butternut Squash with Shallots

Cooking time:  75 minutes for menu      Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     The potatoes will be for 2 meals. The chops can be cooked on the barbecue if you prefer. The potatoes take awhile to cook so take a break before starting the rest of the dinner.

Veal Chops Duxelles                                                 Preparation and cooking time:  35 minutes
   Fall is the perfect time to make the classic Duxelles or minced mushrooms sauce. With shallots, a bit of wine and tomato, this is also excellent to serve with chicken breasts.

2 veal chops, about 1" (2.5 cm) thick
1 tsp olive oil
Duxelles Sauce
4 - 5 shallots, depending on slice, about 3/4 cup total
6oz (180gr) mushrooms, wild or not, try for something flavorful
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef stock
1 tbs tomato paste
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbs white wine or water  

For the sauce:  Finely chop the shallots and mushrooms.  Heat the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until bubbly.  Add shallots, mushrooms and sauté, until golden brown, 6 - 8 minutes.  Add the white wine and scrape up any brown bits.  Cook until wine is almost completely reduced, about 1 tbs left.  Add beef stock, tomato paste and herbs.  Stir well, bring to a simmer.  Dissolve cornstarch in wine.  Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until thickened.  (You may not need all of it.)  Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. 
For the chops:  In nonstick skillet large enough to hold both chops heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add chops and brown, about 3 minutes per side.  Cover pan, remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes, until done to your preference, 2 - 3 minutes more for pink in the center.   Remove chops to a small platter, spoon half the sauce over and serve.

Potatoes a la Two Fat Ladies with Fresh Herbs      Preparation and cooking time:  75 minutes
   
This is something I watched "The Two Fat Ladies" do on their cooking show.  Perfect for late summer, flavored with lots of fresh herbs and garlic. You can modify the herbs to suit your taste, just use lots!

4 medium potatoes, (24oz, 720gr) 
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 tbs chopped fresh basil
2 tbs chopped fresh oregano or rosemary  substitute 2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tbs chopped fresh thyme or sage
4 - 5 cloves garlic
2 - 3 tbs good olive oil
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock

With a sharp knife thinly slice the potatoes.  Put slices in a large bowl of cool water and set aside.
Chop or snip herbs.  Finely chop garlic and mix together with chopped herbs. 
Remove potatoes from water, lay out on kitchen (paper) towels and pat dry.  Drizzle a bit of the oil in a glass baking dish, just large enough to hold ingredients.  Make a layer of potatoes, sprinkle with a bit of the herb/garlic mixture and drizzle with a little oil.  Repeat 4 more times.  Pour the stock over all, cover with foil and bake at 400F (200C) for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking another 30 minutes.  Top potatoes should start to brown and get crisp.  Remove from oven and serve.

Note:  I use a scissors to snip the herbs first and use the flat of a large knife to smash the garlic. Then combine the herbs and garlic and chop finely, using a large knife in a 'rocking' motion.

Sautéed Butternut Squash with Shallots      Preparation and cooking time:  25 minutes
     Butternut squash and shallots, simply fried until golden and tender.  

12oz (360gr) butternut squash  2 - 3 cups small chunks
3 medium shallots
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp olive oil

Slice butternut squash, (.5", 1.25cm) then cut into bite-size cubes.  Peel and vertically slice shallots into quarters.  Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add squash, shallots, paprika and sauté 15 - 20 minutes, until squash is nicely browned.  Serve.

Note:  To clean butternut squash first peel it, using a potato/vegetable peeler.  If it's large (typically) cut it in half between the 'neck' and 'bowl' ends.  Then cut those in half the 'long' way.  Scoop the seeds out of the round end and discard.  I use the neck end for uniform pieces and the bowl end for soups and smaller pieces.

Cooking Schedule: 75 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
scissors, baking dish, large nonstick skillet for chops,
2 medium skillets

Turn oven on, 400F (200C)
Thinly slice potatoes, put in water
Snip herbs, smash garlic
Finely chop herbs, garlic
Drain potatoes, pat dry
Assemble potato dish
Cover potatoes, bake
    20 minute break while potatoes get a start
Clean all shallots
Chop shallots for duxelles
Slice shallots for butternut
Clean, chop mushrooms

Uncover potatoes
Sauté shallots, mushrooms
Peel butternut squash
Add wine to shallot/mushroom, reduce
Cut butternut squash, wrap and refrigerate unused
Sauté butternut, shallots, paprika
Add stock, tomato, herbs to mushrooms
Dissolve cornstarch in water, thicken Duxelles
Cover Duxelles, keep warm
     Pause a minute while stuff cooks
Heat skillet for chops
Sauté chops
Turn chops
Cover chops to finish
Put chops on plates, add Duxelles sauce
Remove potatoes
Serve all

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