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Menu Plan for Summer I: Week 8, Saturday
Links:
Daily Recipes:
Tomato, Mozzarella and Avocado Salad
Smoked, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Pesto Potato Salad
Green Bean with Bacon and Shallots
Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We added an avocado to the traditional Caprese Salad for a simple first course, and purchased pesto for an easy potato salad.... Summer cooking should be easy! But, if you have lots of basil, the recipe for home-made pesto is included.
Tomato, Mozzarella and Avocado Salad
Total time: 10 minutes
The traditional Caprese Salad is just garden ripened tomatoes with Mozzarella de Bufala. We added an avocado for a salad with the colors of the Italian flag... Fresh mozzarella comes in a round, ball shape, packed in liquid, usually in a bag. Save any leftover cheese in the liquid, in a small bowl.
Ingredients:
- 4oz (120gr) Mozzarella di Bufala if you can get it
- 1 - 2 garden ripe tomatoes
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 large handful fresh basil
- salad olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar, optional
Instructions:
- Select 2 lovely, large dinner plates.
- Slice mozzarella and tomatoes.
- Cut the avocado, remove pit and cut into slices.
- Tear large basil leaves in half, leave small ones whole.
- Arrange tomato, avocado and mozzarella slices artfully on the plates.
- Add basil leaves.
- Serve, with oil and vinegar (optional) 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.....
Smoked, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Total time: 40 minutes
The pork is lightly smoked, using a regular grill (either charcoal or gas) rather than a proper smoker. The pink color is a result of the smoking.
Ingredients:
- 14oz (420gr) pork tenderloin
- 1 tbs chopped capers
- 1 tbs chopped dry-cured Greek olives
- 1 tbs whole grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- Basting Sauce:
- 2 tbs molasses
- 1 tbs soy
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
- wood chips we used apple See Barbecue Grills for more info
- Weber-type kettle barbecue with charcoal or Gas Grill
Instructions:
- Put wood chips in water to soak.
- Charcoal grill: Put some charcoal in the barbecue, off to one side and light it.
- Gas grill: Only light one side of the grill. Wrap the soaked wood chips loosely in foil. Poke a few holes in the foil and place on the grill. Cook pork over indirect heat with the grill cover closed and vented or propped open an inch or so.
- The pork: Carefully slice the pork tenderloin in half the long way, almost all the way through. Leave about 1/3" (1cm).
- Open it flat, like a book.
- Spread the mustard on 1 side.
- Sprinkle the paprika, olives and capers on the mustard.
- Close the pork and tie securely with kitchen string.
- Mix the basting sauce
- Smoke for 30 minutes.
- Baste once when you put it on the grill, once when you open the grill after 15 minutes to add wood chips and once when you take it off.
- Remove pork and let rest 5 minutes.
- Remove string, slice and serve.
Note: You could also roast in the oven for 25 minutes, 400F (200C).
Pesto Potato Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
Pesto is not just for pasta! A spoonful in this or that adds a depth of summery basil flavor. Or use a lot, for this creamy potato salad. As usual, we try to keep the calories and fat down by using yogurt rather than mayonnaise.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium potatoes, about 20oz (300gr)
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90gr) pesto
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90gr) Greek or plain yogurt
Instructions:
- Slice potatoes for salad.
- Cook in boiling, salted water, partially covered, until done, 10 - 12 minutes.
- When done, drain and put into serving dish.
- Mix pesto and yogurt. Add to potatoes and stir gently to coat. Serve.
Homemade Pesto Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups basil, leaves only, lightly packed - meaning somewhere between crushing it into the measuring cup and dropping it in lightly
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, to measure cut in small cubes
- 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts if you have some
- 3/4 - 1 cup good olive oil - enough to get the consistency you want for the sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions:
- Put everything but the oil in a blender.
- Add 1/2 cup oil and blend. Add more oil as needed. It really depends on how tightly you packed the basil. I used 1 cup of oil. It will keep about a week in the refrigerator, up to 9 months in the freezer.
Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots
Total time: 30 minutes
Using bacon and onion or shallots to flavor green beans goes back to my childhood. My mother would 'cook up a mess of beans', with lots of bacon and onion to flavor them, then finish the whole lot off with heavy cream. It was wonderful.... I try for the flavor without quite so much artery clogging fat!
Ingredients:
- 2 strips bacon (2oz, 60gr)
- 2 medium shallots
- 6oz (180gr) green beans
Instructions:
- Top and tail beans... cut off the ends.
- Cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths (4cm).
- Chop shallots.
- Sauté bacon in a small frying pan.
- When bacon is crisp remove and crumble.
- Drain all but 1 tbs fat from pan.
- Add shallots and sauté until transparent.
- Add beans, 1/4 cup of water, turn heat to low, cover and simmer until done - about 15 minutes. If beans dry out add a little more water.
- When done transfer to serving bowl (there should be little or no liquid left - if there is just pour it off).
- Add crumbled bacon and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Remove bacon, sauté shallots |
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