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Menu Plan for Fall I: Week 13, Saturday

Stuffed Mushrooms
Braised Pork with Leeks
Braised Potatoes and Carrots

Cooking time: 90 minutes for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

        Braising is somewhat of a discretionary endeavor: allow it to fit your schedule.  The pork is delicious after an hour but will be even more tender after 2 or 3.  With a tight-fitting lid it can be left unattended with no worries. The rest of the dinner takes 35 minutes. The leftover pork will be used in the risotto Sunday.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Total time: 20 minutes
   Use white button or brown cremini for this.  If you want to use the larger portabella (not available here) you will probably only want to do 2 or 4, depending on size.  

 Ingredients:

• 8 large mushrooms, (1 1/2 " diameter, 4cm) 12 medium, 16 small...
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5 tbs shredded cheese
• 3 tbs Greek yogurt, crème fraiche, or sour cream
• 1 tbs breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tbs Parmesan, optional
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) tomato sauce

 Instructions:

• Clean mushrooms, removing stems. 
• Finely chop the shallots and mince garlic.
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add mushroom caps and sauté until light brown, 3 - 4 minutes, turning once. 
• Remove and place on a baking sheet - with a lip so they don't slide off. 
• Add garlic and shallots to pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
• In small bowl mix yogurt, shredded cheese, herbs and crumbs. 
• Add shallots and garlic and mix well. 
• Spoon mixture into mushroom caps, dividing evenly. 
• Sprinkle with Parmesan.  Bake in 375F (180C) oven for 10 minutes, until they are light brown. 
• To finish: Heat tomato sauce in a small saucepan just until warm. 
• When mushrooms are done remove from oven. 
• Spoon some tomato sauce onto the bottom of 2 small plates. Divide the mushrooms and arrange on sauce.  Serve.  

Note:  If liquid accumulates in the caps before stuffing, stir it into the shallot mixture.

Braised Pork with Leeks

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
       Braising does wonderful things to a pork roast: keeping it moist and making it very tender.   This is served with a White Wine and Leek Sauce.  There will be enough pork left for another meal...

 Ingredients:

• 24oz (720gr) pork loin roast
• 3 medium leeks
• 1 tbs oil
• 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) white wine
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water

 Instructions:

• Clean and trim leeks, discarding the dark green tops, using the light green.
• Cut in half the long way and thinly slice.  Rinse well if sandy.
• Heat oil in heavy pot or Dutch oven.  Add leeks and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Remove to a plate and set aside.  Add pork and brown on all sides.
• Add 1/4 cup of white wine and stir up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Return leeks to pot and add remaining wine, stock and thyme.
• Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a slow simmer and braise for at least 70 minutes, or up to 3 hours
• To finish: 
• Remove pork and let rest.
• Increase heat under leeks.
• Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into leeks until thickened and clear.
• Slice some of the pork and arrange on a small platter.
• Spoon some Leek Sauce over and serve, remaining Leek Sauce on the side.

Potatoes and Carrots with Bay Leaves

Total time: 35 minutes
   The potatoes and carrots are cooked together in stock with bay leaves.  They will absorb most of the stock, giving them a deep flavor and light glaze. 

 Ingredients: 

• 2 carrots, cut into large sticks
• 2 potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 2 bay (laurel) leaves
• enough chicken stock to just cover vegetables

 Instructions:

• Put everything into a saucepan and bring to a boil. 
• Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are done and chicken stock has been absorbed.  If there is any stock left, pour it off or use it in elsewhere. 
• Remove bay leaves and serve.

Cooking Schedule: 90 minutes Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, small bowl, medium skillet, baking sheet, small saucepan, heavy pot or Dutch oven, medium saucepan Clean, trim, slice leeks Sauté leeks Wait for leeks Remove leeks Brown pork Add wine to pot, deglaze Return leeks to pot, add wine, stock, thyme Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, braise       Take a break for as long as you like 35 minutes before serving Turn oven on, 375F (180C) Peel, cut carrots Wash, cut potatoes

Put carrots, potatoes, stock, bay in pan, cook Clean, trim mushrooms, sauté Clean, slice shallots Remove mushrooms, place on baking sheet Sauté shallots, garlic Mix yogurt, cheese, herbs, crumbs Add shallot/garlic, mix Stuff mushrooms, bake Heat tomato sauce Dissolve cornstarch in water      Check everything, fuss if you like Remove mushrooms Spoon sauce on plates, add mushrooms, serve Done? Remove pork Increase heat under leeks Drain potatoes/carrots if needed Stir cornstarch, add to leek sauce Stir until thickened and clear Slice pork, arrange on platter, serve

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Need help planning dinner?  Do you have a garden?   A CSA for fresh veggies?

Try our Weekly Menu Plans: Healthy Gourmet Dinners;  Quick, Easy Recipes.
Each week carefully planned to reduce waste and use a lots of fresh, seasonal veggies. 

By Katie Zeller

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