Day 1: Pan-Seared Tuna with Capers
Total time: 15 minutes
This is best with good sushi-grade tuna that is quickly seared on both sides and cool or just barely warm in the center. If you get regular tuna you will need to cook it until it is closer to medium - well. Ask your fish monger (I love that word)... or the guy behind the counter.
Ingredients:
- 2 tuna steaks, 6oz each (180gr)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs capers
- 3 tbs chopped olives - kalamata or Greek black (or green if that is what you have)
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) cup white wine
Instructions
- Mince garlic.
- Chop olives.
- Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add garlic, fennel seeds and sauté 1 minute. Remove and reserve.
- Add tuna and sauté 3 - 5 minutes per side (depending on thickness - 3 minutes if 1 inch (2.5 cm), 5 minutes if 2 inch (5 cm)) for medium-rare, longer if you want them more done.
- Remove and cover with a lid or foil to keep warm.
- Return fennel and garlic to pan and add rest of ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes.
- Pour over tuna and serve.
Day 2: Pan-Fried Lamb Chops with Garlic
Total time: 10 minutes
Simple. Sprinkle some seasonings on some chops and fry. You can substitute Pork Chops, if you prefer, just cook a bit longer, although even pork can be faintly pink inside...
Ingredients:
- 4 - 6 lamb chops, depending on size and hunger
- 3/4 - 1 tsp paprika
- 3/4 - 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Sprinkle paprika, salt and garlic powder on lamb chops.
- Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
- Add chops and sauté 2 - 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness of chop and desired doneness.
- Make a slit and peak if not certain.
- Remove and serve.
Day 3: Potato Soup
Total time: 60 minutes
A soup with as many variations as there are cooks: some like it puréed, some thicken it with flour; some like it thick, some thin; some use carrots, some wouldn't think of it. This is mine.... at least, today's version.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium potatoes
- 4 medium carrots
- 3 ribs celery
- 1 onion
- 1 tbs butter
- 6oz (180gr) ham, preferably dry-cured, such as Prosciutto
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Herbes de Provence
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups milk, cream, or a combination
Instructions:
- Roughly chop onion.
- Peel carrots. Slice by cutting in half the long way (in 2 or mores sections) then into half circles.
- Peel and slice potatoes to a similar size.
- Slice celery, cutting the wide end in half lengthwise.
- Cut ham into small pieces.
- Melt butter in small soup pot or large saucepan. Add onion and sauté until it starts to get tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add celery and sauté 5 minutes longer.
- Add ham and sauté briefly.
- Add carrots, potatoes, herbs and water.
- Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, 30 - 40 minutes.
- To finish: remove bay leaves.
- Add milk and heat through. Serve.
Note: You could substitute cream for some or all of the milk for a richer soup.
Day 4: Turkey with Sherry and Prosciutto
Total time: 25 minutes
Any cut of turkey breast will work for this. Or you could use chicken breast. Amontillado is a semi-dry sherry, between 'fino' and 'cream'. Use any sherry you have on hand.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) turkey cutlets or turkey breast
- 4 slices Prosciutto or Iberian ham (3oz, 90gr)
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) Amontillado or dry sherry
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) pasta penne, fusilli)
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Cut turkey into bite-size pieces.
- Clean and slice mushrooms.
- Slice ham into bite-size pieces.
- Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Add mushrooms, ham and sauté 5 minutes.
- Add turkey and sauté 5 minutes longer.
- Add stock, sherry, rosemary, sugar, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
- Uncover, stir in cornstarch mixture to thicken.
- Serve over pasta.
Day 5:
Meatballs in Tomato Ricotta Sauce, Cannellini, Pasta
Total time: 30 minutes
Almost a skillet dinner - the meatballs are cooked in the sauce but the pasta is cooked separately. The ricotta is stirred into the sauce making it creamy - if a bit pale.
Ingredients:
- Meatballs:
- 8oz (240gr) ground beef
- 2 tbs dry bread crumbs
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs ketchup
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Sauce:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes
- 1 3/4 cup (15oz, 450gr) white beans
- 1 tbs paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120gr) ricotta
- 1 1/4 cup (4.1oz, 120gr) bite-size pasta
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meatballs:
- In medium bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and oregano. Mix well.
- Add beef and mix well, hands work best, kneading it like bread dough.
- Form into small meatballs, about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter.
- Sauce:
- Roughly chop onion.
- Mince garlic.
- Open tomatoes, roughly chop, reserving all sauce.
- Rinse beans if needed, drain.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add oil, paprika, chili powder and sauté briefly.
- Add onion, garlic and sauté until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, juices and stir to combine.
- When simmering, add the meatballs, being careful that they don't touch.
- Cover, reduce heat and continue to simmer until done, stirring and turning the meatballs once or twice, about 10 minutes.
- To finish:
- Add ricotta, stirring well to combine.
- Add beans, cover and heat through.
- Add pasta, stir well and serve.
Day 6: Chicken and Ricotta Enchiladas
Total time: 35 minutes
Using ricotta (app. 135 calories per 100 grams v 400 for cheddar) makes a lighter enchilada with a luscious, creamy center. With a bit of sharply-flavored Parmesan on top you won't notice that it's 'lighter'.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1
onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 4oz, 120gr, green chiles or something hotter if your prefer
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 cup ricotta (8oz, 240gr)
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, (2oz, 60gr)
- 1 - 2
jars hot or mild taco or enchilada sauce 8 - 10oz each (300ml)
- 4 corn or wheat tortillas
Instructions:
- Cut the chicken into large bite-size pieces.
- Chop the onion and celery.
- Drain chiles. Chop chiles if whole.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in medium nonstick skillet.
- Add onion, celery and sauté until onion is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and sauté until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from heat. Add green chilis and ricotta and mix well.
- Brush the remaining 1 tsp oil in a baking dish large enough to hold the 4 enchiladas.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat. Warm one tortilla in the skillet for 15 - 20 seconds.
- Spoon one fourth of the chicken / ricotta mixture onto the tortilla and roll up.
- Place seam side down in the oiled baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining three tortillas.
- Pour taco sauce over the top - how much depends on your taste. I use 1 jar now and the rest as additional sauce at the table.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake at 400F (200C) for 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is bubbly.
- Remove foil for the last 5 minutes to brown the cheese if you like.
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