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Menu Plan for Summer I: Week 10, Friday

Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil
Pasta with Shrimp and Avocado Sauce
Sautéed Chard with Red Pepper

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

       We're using the rest of the red pepper in the Chard, which is served as a warm, side salad.  You can use any shape pasta you like for the Shrimp; I used fettuccini.

Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella and Basil, aka: Caprese salad

Total time: 5 minutes
    This is one of the simple, classic, Italian Summer Salads, and seen on menus all around the Mediterranean.  It's best served with the freshest mozzarella you can find... Which can be difficult if you don't live in Italy.  We try!

 Ingredients:

• 1 ball mozzarella de Bufala, 4oz (120gr) net weight
• 2 - 3 garden ripe tomatoes
• 1 large handful fresh basil
• Balsamic vinegar
• salad olive oil

 Instructions:

• Select 2 lovely, large dinner plates. 
• Slice the mozzarella into 6 or 8 slices - this depends on the shape of the mozzarella and the sharpness of your knife. 
• Slice tomatoes - you want 4 nice slices per person about 1/4 inch thick, so you will use 2 or 3 tomatoes depending.... 
• Tear large basil leaves in half, leave small ones whole. 
• Arrange tomato and mozzarella artfully on plates, toss basil leaves on top. 
• Serve, with oil and vinegar on the side to be added by each person to taste. 

Note: if you have nice cruets for the oil and vinegar use them.  If not small bowls with small spoons work fine - or, just put the bottles on the table...

Pasta with Shrimp (Prawn) and Avocado Sauce

Total time: 25 minutes
   The avocado makes a wonderful, creamy sauce for the pasta with only the 'good' fat. You can use heavy cream in place of the milk if you crave that richness, but I don't.  It really doesn't need it!  Grilling the shrimp adds another dimension to the dish, but you could just poach them quickly in a skillet in a 1/2 inch of water with a bit of lemon and pepper or use pre-cooked .

 Ingredients:

• 12oz (360gr) large shrimp (prawns)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs olive oil
• pasta, 4oz (120gr) dry fettuccini,  OR 1 1/4 cups dry bite size, such as farfalle
• 3 tbs salad olive oil
• 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) milk  - or cream if you like, milk is on the shopping list
• 2 tbs chopped fresh chives.

 Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and rinse lightly with cool water.
• Clean shrimp if necessary. If not, rinse and drain. 
• Mix chili powder, garlic, lemon and olive oil in a bowl. 
• Add shrimp and toss to coat.
• Cut avocado and remove pit (see techniques). Scoop it out of the shell and put it into your blender.
• Add chicken stock, vinegar and purée until smooth.
• Add oil and purée just until blended, then add milk and purée a few seconds more. 
• Cook shrimp in a grill pan on the barbecue grill over medium heat for 3 - 4 minutes, until they start to curl and turn opaque.  You could also sauté in a skillet in another tablespoon of olive oil.  Either way, when done remove.  It's not necessary to have them hot for this dish. 
• To finish: Put pasta into a large bowl and add avocado sauce, shrimp and chives.  Mix gently and serve.

Sautéed Chard with Red Pepper

Total time: 15 minutes
   Rainbow Chard, Red Pepper and Onion makes a colorful, flavorful side dish that is stir-fried quickly. 

 Ingredients:

• 6oz (180gr) chard    Swiss chard
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 onion
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Balsamic vinegar

 Instructions:

• Wash the chard and trim any bad bits. 
• Stack the leaves together and fold over, the long way.  Slice into thin strips, using both leaves and stems, but keeping the stems separate. 
• Roughly chop the pepper and onion.
• Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add the onion, pepper, and chard stems.  Stir-fry over medium heat until onion is transparent and vegetables start to get tender, about 8 minutes. 
• Add the chard leaves, oregano, and stir until the leaves soften and fit into the skillet.
•  Cook another 2 - 3 minutes. 
• Stir in vinegar, soy sauce, and serve.

Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, scissors, bowl, pasta bowl, whisk, pot for pasta, colander, large skillet, blender, barbecue grill/skillet Put water on high heat for pasta Chop pepper, onion Prepare chard, slice Tend to the shrimp if needed Snip chives Light/turn on barbecue grill if using Slice tomatoes, mozzarella, arrange on plates Fuss with basil, add to plates

Make avocado sauce Mix chili powder, garlic, lemon, add shrimp, stir Cook pasta Sauté onion. pepper, chard stems Cook the shrimp, remove, set aside Drain pasta, rinse, drain, put into serving bowl Add chard to onions, stir-fry Add avocado sauce to pasta, toss to coat Add shrimp, chives to pasta, finish Add vinegar, soy sauce to chard, finish Serve Caprese Salad, Balsamic, oil on the side     Relax, the rest of the diner is ready Serve the rest

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By Katie Zeller

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