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Menu Plan for Spring I: Week 1, Friday

Bean and Celery Salad
Roasted Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce
Macaroni and Cheese

Cooking time:  40 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

      We'll use the other half of the Red Pepper Sauce on Saturday.  Since the salad is a large serving of vegetables, I didn't do another for a side dish - and the Mac and Cheese is rather filling.  Add some sautéed spinach is you like.

Bean and Celery Salad

Total time: 15 minutes
    I originally made this salad with frozen Lima Beans, which are not available here.  Now I use flageolet, which may not be available where you live.  Use lima beans, white kidney beans (cannellini), smaller, navy beans or even edamame.... All drained, rinsed and drained again.

 Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup (15oz, 450gr) beans, rinsed
• 1 cup sliced celery, 2 - 3 ribs
• 1/3 cup sliced olives, any type
• Sherry Vinaigrette:
• 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1 1/2 tbs sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp dried chives
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 3 tbs good olive oil

 Instructions:

• Cook beans if using frozen.  Drain and rinse if using canned.
• Slice celery 1/4 inch thick (.65cm).  If very wide cut rib in half length-wise first. 
• Roughly chop olives.
• Put beans, celery, olives into a bowl, add vinaigrette, stir well to combine.
• Refrigerate until needed.
• Sherry Vinaigrette: 
• Whisk vinegar, mustard, and herbs. 
• Slowly whisk in oil until thick.

Roasted Salmon with Red Pepper Sauce

Total time: 25 minutes 
    The slightly spicy red pepper sauce is a nice contrast to the sweet salmon.  Save remaining Red Pepper Sauce for another use.

 Ingredients:

• 2 salmon fillets,  12oz (360gr) total weight
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup Red Pepper Sauce
• Red Pepper Sauce:
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbs white balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbs Greek yogurt

 Instructions:

• Red Pepper Sauce:
• Roughly chop pepper, onion and garlic. 
• Sauté pepper, onion, garlic and chili powder until vegetables are soft.
• Add chicken stock, vinegar, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Purée in blender with as little of the stock as possible.
• Pour sauce out of blender into a small bowl and stir in yogurt.
• Salmon:
• Put salmon on lightly oiled baking sheet. 
• Spoon some of the Red Pepper Sauce evenly over each salmon fillet.  You should use about 1/3 of the sauce.  
• Bake at 400 F for 15 - 17 minutes, until fish flakes easily.   Serve.

Note:  For easy clean up cover pan with foil first.  This is especially nice if you are using fillets with the skin on.  You can carefully lift the salmon off the skin to serve, leaving the skin on the foil.  Then wrap the whole mess up and toss. 

Macaroni and Cheese

Total time: 25 minutes
   In my youth, Mac and Cheese came from a box and was very yellow.  This is not a fancy, adult version made with 6 different cheeses - although you could.... Use any cheese you like, just make certain it's one that melts and doesn't turn to string. To find out more:  The Rules of Melting Cheese

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups (4oz, 120gr) pasta,  tubes, macaroni, curly macaroni
• Béchamel:
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 tbs plus 2 tsp flour
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups (12oz, 360ml) milk
• 3/4 cup (3oz, 90gr) shredded cheese,  Fontina, Cheddar, Gruyère, or a combination
• pepper

 Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Shred cheese.
• Béchamel: 
• In a medium saucepan heat the butter over low heat. 
• Add flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute. 
• Add a little (1/4 cup) of the milk and whisk to combine. 
• Turn heat up to medium and keep adding milk, a little at a time and whisking.  You should have added all of the milk in a minute or 2. 
• When all of the milk is in, bring to a boil (should almost be there), whisking. 
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese.  If the cheese cools down the Béchamel too much to melt, put it back over low heat, stirring until cheese has melted. 
• Do not boil or the cheese may seize - separate into a stringy ball and floating oil.
• To Finish:
• When pasta is done, drain and put into a large bowl. 
• Pour Béchamel over and stir until well combined. 
• Sprinkle with pepper and serve.  Or put into a baking dish and bake for 10 - 15 minutes....

Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, small saucepan, lid, blender, medium saucepan, baking dish, baking sheet, foil, pot and colander for pasta, small bowl, whisk, grater Turn oven on, 400F (200C), arrange 2 shelves Put water on high heat for pasta Chop onion, pepper Mince garlic Sauté onion, pepper, garlic, chili powder Open, drain, rinse beans  or cook if frozen Slice celery Chop olives Add stock, vinegar to pepper, cover, simmer Make vinaigrette Add vinaigrette to beans, celery, olives, set aside Prepare salmon; line baking sheet with foil if using

Purée red pepper sauce Add yogurt, stir well Remove 1/3 sauce, spoon onto salmon Refrigerate remaining sauce Shred cheese Start to cook pasta Melt butter for Béchamel sauce Whisk in flour Slowly add milk, whisking When hot and thick, stir in cheese When cheese melts, cover, set aside Bake salmon When pasta is done, drain, put into baking dish Add Béchamel to pasta, stir, pepper, cover Stir salad, divide, spoon onto 2 plates Bake pasta Done? Serve salmon, pasta

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