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Main Course Menu Plan: Week 1 Winter I
Day 1: Pan-Fried Salmon with Gnocchi
Total time: 25 minutes
This could be made with any firm fish, but we like salmon, and it's always reasonably priced where we live. Frying the gnocchi makes them light as feathers.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) salmon filets
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) Greek or plain yogurt
- 3 tbs sherry
- 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tsp dried dill weed
- 3 tbs freshly grated Parmesan
- 7oz (210gr) fresh gnocchi
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Gnocchi: Boil gnocchi in rapidly boiling, salted water just until it floats. Drain.
- Heat oil in a medium skillet, large enough to hold the gnocchi in a single layer. Add gnocchi and brown lightly on both sides, about 10 minutes.
- Salmon: Cut salmon filets into 2 or 3 large pieces.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cumin, paprika and sauté 30 seconds.
- Add salmon pieces and brown lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat, cover and cook until salmon is done, about 10 minutes longer. It will be opaque and flake easily when done.
- Remove salmon to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Add stock, sherry, dill and mustard to skillet, stirring to get up the brown bits.
- When simmering, remove from heat and stir in yogurt and 1 tbs Parmesan.
- To serve: Divide gnocchi on to 2 plates.
- Top with salmon, spoon sauce over, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and serve.
Day 2: Paupiettes (Provençal Veal Rolls)
Total time: 70 minutes
Thinly sliced veal or beef, rolled around a variety of stuffings are found all around the Mediterranean. These, with dry-cured ham and olives, are typical of Provençal. The meat should be between 1/16th and 1/4th inch thick (.4cm). It's best if you can have the butcher slice it. Or buy veal scallops and pound them thinner if needed.
Ingredients:
- 4 thin slices veal, app: 3 1/2 X 6 X 1/16th inches (8 X 15 X .4cm), about 8oz (250gr) total weight
- 2 slices Prosciutto, cut in half to fit the veal
- 1/4 cup black, dry-cured or Greek olives
- 1.5 - 2oz (45gr) spinach leaves
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) white wine
- 2 tsp cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 1 tbs water
Instructions:
- Roughly chop the olives.
- Lay the veal slices flat. Pound to make thinner if needed.
- Lay 1 slice of Prosciutto on top of each slice of veal.
- Put a layer of spinach leaves on top of the Prosciutto.
- Divide the olives and place on half of each parcel. They'll spread themselves out as you roll.
- Starting from the narrow end (where the olives are) roll the parcels up, keeping them as tight as reasonable.
- Tie securely with kitchen string.
- Heat oil in small, heavy pot or skillet. Add the veal rolls and brown lightly on all sides.
- Pour in the wine, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- To finish: Dissolve cornstarch in water.
- Remove veal rolls to a small platter and carefully remove string.
- Increase heat under sauce. Add cornstarch, stirring until clear and thickened. Spoon over rolls and serve.
Note: I didn't have kitchen string and discovered unflavored dental floss works great.
Day 3: Beef and Spinach Risotto
Total time: 30 minutes
This is slightly different in that it uses beef broth and ground beef - making it not only quick but economical.
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) dry, white wine
- 2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) beef broth
- 1/2 medium leek
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese - freshly grated (about 2oz, 60gr)
- Condimenti
- 1/2 medium leek
- 6oz (180gr) ground beef (mince)
- 4oz (120gr) spinach
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 tsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat beef broth and keep hot over low heat.
- Trim, rinse leek. Thinly slice leek, including light green part.
- In medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add leek and sauté until transparent.
- Add rice and sauté stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of broth, stir.
- When broth is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before the last 1/3 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more broth is needed add it 1/6 cup at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed.
- At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold its shape on a plate.
- Stir in the Parmesan and condimenti, pour into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately.
- It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be very stiff.
- Condimenti
- Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add leek and sauté until tender.
- Add beef and sauté until browned and cooked through.
- Roughly chop tomatoes and add to beef along with the spinach.
- Reduce heat, cover and let cook for 5 - 10 minutes. Keep warm until needed.
Note: It is not necessary to stir constantly, just often and somewhat vigorously.
Day 4: Moroccan Chicken Stew
Total time: 45 minutes
This is a simple tagine, or stew with the flavors of a North African souk. Add harissa or other hot sauce to taste. If you can't find a small - medium sweet potato, skip the white potato and use 1 large sweet potato.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 medium onion
- 1 small green pepper
- 1 medium potato
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tbs minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup green olives
- 1/3 cup almonds
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken broth
- 2 tsp cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Cut chicken into 2" (4cm) pieces.
- Slice onion.
- Cut carrot and pepper into sticks.
- Mince garlic and ginger.
- Cut white and sweet potato into large chunks.
- Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add paprika, cumin, cinnamon, onion, pepper, carrot and sauté until onion is tender, about 7 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, chicken and lightly brown.
- Add chicken stock, both potatoes, cover and simmer until vegetables are done, 25 - 30 minutes. Pierce vegetables with a fork or sharp knife to check.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water.
- Uncover saucepan, increase heat and add cornstarch, stirring until sauce is thickened.
- Stir in olives, almonds and serve.
Day 5: Tuna Tetrazzini
Total time: 40 minutes
An easy variation on the traditional, made with turkey, this has a shorter baking time and less fussy 'assembly'.
Ingredients:
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup green olives
- 9oz (270gr) canned tuna, drained, broken apart
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tbs flour
- 2/3 cup (5oz, 150ml) milk
- 2/3 cup (5oz, 150ml) chicken stock
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) dry sherry
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90gr) Greek or plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese
- 4oz (120gr) spaghetti make a circle with thumb & index finger, app 1" (2.5 cm) in diameter
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain.
- While pasta cooks: Trim and slice mushrooms.
- Roughly chop onion, mince garlic.
- Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender.
- Add mushrooms, garlic and sauté until vegetables start to brown.
- Roughly chop olives.
- Add drained tuna, olives to skillet, stir to combine and remove from heat.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan.
- Add floor and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, until hot and thick.
- Add stock, sherry, and heat until just starting to bubble, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in yogurt and remove from heat.
- To finish: Add 1/2 of the sauce to drained pasta, mix well to coat and put in baking dish, making a bit of a 'well' in the center.
- Add remaining sauce to tuna / vegetable mixture, stir well and spoon onto the pasta, leaving an inch (2.5cm) border around the edge.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake until hot and bubbly, 10 - 15 minutes.
- Serve
Day 6: Pork Chops with Rosemary
Total time: 30 minutes
Browned quickly, then braised for a bit in white wine and rosemary, these come together quickly but are wonderfully tender. If your chops are quite thick you may want to increase cooking time by 5 - 8 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 2 - 4 pork chops, depending on size, 12oz (360gr) total
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) white wine
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90gr) Greek yogurt, or plain or sour cream
Instructions:
- In nonstick skillet large enough to hold the chops heat 1 tbs oil over medium-high heat. Add chops and sauté about 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
- Add wine, stock, rosemary and dry mustard, cover reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. or longer
- To finish: Uncover and increase heat.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water in small bowl or measuring cup.
- Remove pork chops to small platter or plate and cover with the lid.
- Add cornstarch mixture to skillet and cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove from heat, stir in yogurt. Pour over chops and serve.