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Menu Plan for Winter II: Week 4, Day 1
Pasta with Mediterranean Meat Sauce
Glazed Tarragon Carrots
Cooking time: 35 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
If you have leftover ham use it in place of the ground beef in the pasta. It's a non-traditional pasta sauce with the flavors of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean.
Pasta with Mediterranean Meat Sauce
Total time: 35 minutes
Sherry and paprika from Spain; olives from Italy, Spain and Greece; feta from Greece; red peppers from France; capers and tomatoes from everywhere... An International dish! If you have ham left from the holidays use that rather than the ground beef - if you like....
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) ground beef (mince) or ham
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) sherry
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) beef broth / stock
- 15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/3 cup green and black olives, mixed
- 2 tbs capers
- 3oz (90gr) feta
- 4oz (120gr) linguini or other long pasta
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain.
- Roughly chop the pepper and onion.
- Mince the garlic.
- Roughly chop tomatoes, reserving all juices.
- Heat 1 tbs oil in nonstick skillet. Add the paprika, onion, pepper, garlic, and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the beef and sauté, breaking it up as it browns.
- Add the tomatoes, juices, sherry, stock and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered until the sauce reduces and thickens, about 20 minutes.
- Pit and roughly chop the olives.
- Cube the feta.
- Stir the olives and capers into the sauce and simmer another minute.
- Remove sauce from heat and gently stir in feta.
- Spoon over pasta and serve.
Glazed Tarragon Carrots
Total time: 25 minutes
Roll-cutting gives interesting looking pieces with lots of surface to be coated with this lovely sweet-sour, tarragon glaze. I came up with this recipe in the spring with my fresh tarragon, but it's just as good now, with the dried.
Ingredients:
- 2 - 3 carrots
- 1 tbs fresh snipped tarragon substitute 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 tbs honey
- 1 tbs white wine tarragon vinegar
- 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Peel carrots and roll cut - that is cut the end off of the carrot at an angle, roll carrot 1/4 turn and cut next piece about 3/4 inch away at an angle, roll 1/4 and cut next piece, etc.
- Put carrots in small sauté pan, add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer 15 - 20 minutes, until done. Stir occasionally.
- If they dry out add a bit more water. If they don't, uncover and cook off pan juices to finish. They should be just nicely glazed. Not tricky - just pay a bit of attention.
Cooking schedule: 35 minutes |
Reduce heat, simmer |
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