Day 1: Red Sauced Shrimp
Total time: 10 minutes
This is one of those dishes that can be as hot or not as you like. The ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes add the heat but you could also add other hot sauce to taste.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) cleaned shrimp
- 1 tbs minced ginger, about 4 slices the size and thickness of an American quarter or 1 euro coin
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 - 6 green onions (scallions)
- 2 tbs sherry
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs ketchup
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs sesame or walnut oil
- 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I leave them out as it makes it too hot for me)
Instructions:
- Peel, slice and mince ginger.
- Mince garlic.
- Clean the green onions: slice off the root, remove 1 layer of skin. Slice into 1/2" (1.25cm) long pieces. OR chop onion.
- Dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock.
- Have everything else measured and ready.
- Heat oils in large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When very hot add ginger, garlic and onion (and red pepper flakes if using). Stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add shrimp and stir-fry for 1 - 2 minutes longer, until shrimp turn opaque and start to curl.
- Add sherry, ketchup and soy sauce. Stir to combine.
- Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine, then add it to the shrimp, stirring constantly.
- Sauce will quickly thicken and coat shrimp. Remove and serve immediately.
Day 2: Braised Lamb with Red Peppers
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
The red peppers and orange carrots combine for a very vibrant dish - both in color and flavor. You could substitute pork.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) boneless lamb, shoulder or leg meat
- 1/2 red pepper
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 medium onion
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 8 garlic cloves
- 15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, drained, no sauce
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Slice onion.
- Peel garlic, but leave whole.
- Cut pepper and carrots into matchsticks.
- Drain tomatoes, reserving juices for another use. Roughly chop tomatoes.
- Cut lamb into large pieces and trim excess fat.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid. Add onion, sauté until browned and starting to get crisp, remove.
- Add lamb and brown on all sides.
- Return the onions to the pot, add spices, pepper, carrots, garlic, wine and tomatoes.
- Cover, turn heat to low and braise for 60 minutes.
- When done, spoon meat and vegetables onto a platter and serve.
Day 3: White Chili
Total time: 45 minutes
It's not really white, just not red, like traditional chili. For that matter, it's not really chili either. It IS delicious, and chock-a-block with vitamins. The green chiles add heat, as does the Tabasco.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dried white beans cooked in water with 4 bay leaves and 4 cloves of garlic
- or 5 cups (45oz, 1350gr) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 - 8 cups chicken stock or bean cooking liquid and chicken base
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 green pepper
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 1/2 medium onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 ribs celery
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 4oz (120gr) green chiles - or something hotter
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- green Tabasco to taste
Instructions:
- To cook dried beans: Put beans in a large pot, cover with water and allow to soak for at least 5 hours.
- Drain and cover with fresh water. Bring beans to a boil over medium heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.
- Drain and cover with fresh water by 2 inches. Add bay leaves, whole, peeled garlic and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered until beans are tender, 60 - 90 minutes.
- Drain, reserving the cooking liquid; discarding bay leaves and garlic.
- The chili: Cut chicken into small pieces.
- Chop onion, peppers, celery.
- Mince garlic.
- Open and chop chiles.
- Heat oil in soup pot. Add chili powder, cumin, and sauté.
- Add onion, celery and peppers; sauté 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, chicken and sauté 5 minutes longer.
- Add oregano and 5 cups chicken stock.
- Purée 1 cup of beans with 1 cup chicken stock and stir into pot.
- Add remaining beans, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
- Add more chicken stock to suit your taste if desired, then add green chiles and simmer 10 minutes longer.
- Taste; add as much green Tabasco as you like and / or more chili powder, hot sauce. Serve.
Note: I used the bean cooking liquid with 2 tbs chicken base added in place of the chicken stock.
Day 4: Pork Lo Mein with Peanut Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
Stir-fries cook quickly and are very flexible when it comes to ingredients. I always try for a mix of colors, textures and flavors... And whatever is left in the fridge. Amounts are not precise, just try to keep it balanced.
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) lean pork, tenderloin or chops
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1/2 bell pepper, green or red
- 1/2 head broccoli, 6oz (180gr)
- 1 carrot
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 4oz (120gr) spaghetti - about 1 1/4" (3cm) diameter bunch (make a circle with thumb and index finger - you want it a little bigger than an American quarter, about the size of a 2 euro coin)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
- 2 tbs peanut butter
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs sherry (optional)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, 1oz (30gr) substitute almonds or peanuts
- 1 tbs cornstarch (Maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Thinly slice onion.
- Mince garlic.
- Mince ginger (peel first).
- Julienne the pepper and carrot.
- Trim and slice mushrooms.
- Cut broccoli into florets (with some stem).
- Cut the pork into large bite-size pieces.
- Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Remove onions/garlic from pan and set aside.
- Add sesame oil to pan and heat. Add pork and stir-fry 3 - 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove and put with onions.
- Add broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, pepper to skillet and stir-fry 5 minutes.
- Return pork, onions, garlic and ginger to pan. Add beef stock and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sherry, soy sauce and peanut butter.
- Uncover skillet and stir in peanut butter mixture and walnuts.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened.
- When pasta is done, drain and add to skillet. Toss to combine, tongs work best, or two forks. Serve.
- Add more soy sauce if desired, according to taste.
Day 5:
Meatballs in Red Wine Sauce over Pasta
Total time: 30 minutes
Think Boeuf Bourguignon without the time and effort.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup pasta, bite size
- The Meatballs
- 10oz (300gr) ground beef
- 2 tbs dried bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tbs red wine
- 1 tbs ketchup
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- The Sauce
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) red wine
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) beef stock
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain
- Meatballs: In large bowl lightly beat the egg with a fork.
- Add remaining ingredients, except beef, and mix well.
- Add beef and mix well, (use your hands and knead like bread dough).
- Form into meatballs, about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter.
- Sauce: Chop onion, mince garlic.
- In large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the paprika and sauté for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the wine, stock, tomato and bring to a simmer.
- Add the meatballs, being careful that they don't touch. Cover and continue to simmer until meatballs are done, stirring and turning the meatballs once or twice, about 15 minutes.
- Add dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened.
- To serve: Put pasta in large serving bowl, spoon meatballs over and serve.
Day 6: Chicken with Onions, Bay and Thyme
Total time: 35 minutes
We think of bay leaves as something that is used in tomato based dishes, but they have a wonderful flavor that marries well with thyme, and shines through in this simple dish.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 bay leaves (laurel)
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 2 tbs chicken stock
Instructions:
- Slice the onion and finely chop the garlic.
- Sauté onion in oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes.
- When onion starts to brown add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.
- Move onion and garlic to the sides of the pan, add chicken breasts, and sauté until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
- Stir in thyme, bay leaf, wine, stock and tomato paste.
- Cover, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done, about 15 minutes.
- Dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock.
- Uncover skillet, increase heat and remove bay leaves.
- Remove chicken to small platter.
- Add cornstarch to onions and stir until sauce is thickened.
- Spoon onions around chicken and serve.
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