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Main Course Menu Plan: Week 7 Fall I
Day 1: Shrimp (Prawns) in Garlic Butter over Pasta
Total time: 25 minutes
This is a variation on Scampi, Shrimp in Garlic Butter. The lemon juice and white wine extend the sauce without using quite so much butter and the Prosciutto is a sweet/salty counterpoint to the shrimp, balancing the flavors nicely. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan or not... You can use frozen, raw shrimp or pre-cooked for this.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) cleaned shrimp (prawns)
- 3 slices Prosciutto or other dry-cured ham, 2oz (60gr)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbs butter
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs white wine
- 4 tbs fresh snipped parsley substitute 2 tbs dried parsley
- 1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) freshly grated Parmesan optional
- 1 1/4 cups (4.1oz, 125gr) bite-size pasta
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions, just until al dente.
- While it cooks: Clean shrimp if they need it.
- Mince garlic and finely chop shallots.
- Roughly chop Prosciutto.
- Grate Parmesan.
- Snip parsley if using fresh.
- Heat butter and oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently, 5 - 7 minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic brown.
- Add ham and sauté 5 minutes longer, just until starting to get crisp.
- Stir in paprika.
- Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through (they'll turn opaque and curl).
- Add lemon juice, white wine and parsley; heat through.
- Add pasta and heat through, stirring.
- Spoon into a serving dish, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
Note: the photo was taken before I added the cheese - the shrimp and ham showed up better.....
Day 2: Beef Braised in Guinness
Total time: 80 minutes
A classic for St. Patrick's Day but a great cold-weather dish anytime. Slow braising makes the beef meltingly tender and the beer adds a robust flavor. Serve with 'Jacket Potatoes': potatoes baked in their skin and a staple in Ireland. This makes enough for 4 or 2 meals for 2.
Ingredients:
- 24oz (720gr) beef suitable for stewing or braising
- 1 large or 2 medium onions
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5 - 6 medium carrots
- 3 bay (laurel) leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) Guinness
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
- 1 tbs oil
- 4 tbs cornstarch (maizena, corn flour)
- 1 tbs paprika
Instructions:
- Cut beef into 1" (2.5 cm) cubes.
- Cut onion into quarters, then slice thinly.
- Mince or press garlic.
- Cut carrots in half the long way, then into 1" (2.5cm) pieces.
- Combine paprika and cornstarch in a plastic food bag.
- Add beef and toss to coat evenly.
- In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, large enough to hold everything easily, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add beef and brown on all sides.
- Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more.
- Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer at least an hour. If it starts to dry out, add more Guinness or beef stock.
- If you would like the sauce thicker, dissolve 1 tbs cornstarch in 2 tbs water and stir in as much as you need - a little at a time, cooking and checking, or it will get too thick.
- When ready to eat, remove bay leaves and serve.
Day 3: Chicken Mushroom Chowder
Total time: 35 minutes
I used chicken breasts, but thighs would work as well. Either way, used skinned chicken to save on fat and calories. Because everything is sautéed briefly this is a quick-cooking soup; because it's a chowder, it's very thick. Add more stock or milk if you prefer it thinner. This is enough for 2 meals or 4 persons.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 8oz (240gr) mushrooms an interesting, forest variety if possible
- 2 onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 - 5 carrots
- 3/4 cup (5oz, 150gr) basmati rice
- 2 tbs butter
- 2 tbs oil
- 4 tbs flour
- 4 - 5 cups (32 - 40oz, 960 - 1200ml) chicken stock, depending on how thick you like it... personal taste
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) milk
Instructions:
- Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Chop onion.
- Mince garlic.
- Clean and roughly chop mushrooms and carrots.
- In a large saucepan heat butter and oil over medium heat.
- Add chicken and sauté 2 minutes.
- Add onions and sauté 3 minutes.
- Add garlic, mushroom, carrot and rice and sauté 3 minutes.
- Add flour and sauté 30 seconds.
- Slowly stir in chicken broth, stirring constantly.
- Add thyme and rice.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is done.
- Uncover, stir in milk and heat through. Serve.
Day 4: Chicken and Mushroom Chowder 'Vesuvius'
Total time: 15 minutesIf one can put an egg on pizza, why not add one to soup? A poached egg nestled in the center of the chowder adds interest, flavor and a bit more protein to stretch the leftovers. Plus, it's delicious!
Ingredients:
- Chicken Mushroom Chowder
- chicken stock, optional
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbs vinegar, any flavor, it's to help keep the eggs shaped nicely
Instructions:
- Gently reheat soup. If it's too thick, thin with a bit of chicken stock
- While soup heats poach egg: Fill a large skillet with water. The water should be at least 1 1/2 inches deep, 2 inches (5 cm) would be better.
- Heat water over medium-high heat. Add vinegar.
- When water is softly boiling poach eggs: one at a time break egg into a small saucer. Swirl a spoon in the water where you will put the egg - off to one side. When water is swirling drop egg into center. With slotted spoon try to keep the white together.
- Do next egg.
- With regular spoon scoop some hot water over tops of eggs.
- Poach for 3 - 4 minutes or until white is set but yolk is still very soft.
- When eggs are almost done ladle soup into bowls. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon, drain briefly and gently add to soup. Serve.
Day 5: Honey Mustard Pork Chops
Total time: 35 minutes
Pork chops get fork-tender in no time when gently braised. I prefer thinner, boneless chops for this spicy/sweet honey mustard sauce. They stay tender and moist, and the reduced sauce makes this a lovely main course.
Ingredients:
- 2 - 4 boneless pork chops, 12oz (360gr) total weight
- 1 small onion
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
- 1 tbs whole grain mustard
- 1 tbs honey
- 1 tbs sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
Instructions:
- Chop onion.
- Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Add onions and sauté until tender.
- Move onions to the side and add pork chops. Brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total.
- Add remaining ingredients, cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Uncover, remove pork and keep warm.
- Stir sauce well and boil until it reduces by half, about 5 minutes.
- Spoon over pork and serve.
Day 6: Chicken Paprikas over Pasta
Total time: 35 minutes
A classic Hungarian dish, modified for a quick, mid-week dinner: fragrant with lots of sweet paprika, tomatoes and peppers and using quick-cooking chicken breasts rather than a whole chicken. You can add a few hotter peppers for more bite....
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 1 green or red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbs paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 can (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120gr) Greek or plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
- 1 1/4 cups (4.1oz, 125gr) pasta - farfalle, rigatoni, penne - or, to be more traditional, egg noodles.
Instructions:
- Cook pasta or noodles according to package directions.
- Open and drain tomatoes, reserving sauce for another use.
- Roughly chop pepper, onion and tomatoes.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch (2.5 cm) squares.
- In medium saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the paprika, chili powder, and sauté for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add the pepper, onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the stock and tomatoes, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened.
- Stir in yogurt.
- Spoon over pasta and serve.
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