Day 1: Shrimp (Prawns) with Pesto Pasta
Total time: 25 minutes
Served warm to bring out the flavors, the pesto works amazingly well with the shrimp, and the, more traditional, pasta. If you have to clean the shrimp add 10 - 15 minutes. You can use raw or cooked shrimp for this as the flavor is in the sauce rather than a marinade.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) large shrimp (prawns), cleaned
- 2 tbs pesto
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs olive oil
- Olive oil for coating pan
- spaghetti, 3.5oz (100gr) a circle about 1" (2.5cm) in diameter
- 1/3 cup pesto
- 1 tbs good olive oil or truffle oil
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain.
- Clean shrimp if needed, if not just rinse and let drain.
- Mix 2 tbs pesto, lemon and oil. Add shrimp and toss to coat.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until raw shrimp curl and turn opaque or cooked shrimp are heated through.
- To finish:
- Mix 1/3 cup pesto and oil.
- Add to pasta and toss well to coat.
- Arrange nicely on a platter or large plate.
- Lay the shrimp on top of the pasta and spoon any remaining sauce from the pan over the top.
- Serve.
Day 2: Roasted Cornish Hens with Lemon and Herbs
Total time: 65 minutes
Small, perfectly roasted hens make an elegant presentation and are perfect individual servings (with maybe a snack leftover). Lemon and herbs under the skin infuse lots of flavors.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cornish game hens or poussin (little chickens)
- 1 tbs fresh thyme substitute 2 tsp dried
- 1 tbs fresh rosemary substitute 1 tbs dried
- 3 tbs lemon
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
Instructions:
- Wash hens and pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix 1 tbs oil with 1 tbs lemon juice and the herbs.
- Gently loosen the skin on the hens. Divide half of the herb mixture and put under the skin.
- Tie legs close and bend wings around and under the back - so it looks like they are lying there with their arms akimbo. It keeps them from flapping and gives the hen something to rest on. Lay them on a rack in a shallow baking pan.
- Add remaining 2 tbs lemon juice, 2 tbs olive, salt to the remaining half of the herb mixture.
- Spread half on hens.
- Put hens into 400F (200C) oven. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes.
- Combine wine with remaining herb / oil mixture and use as a
basting sauce. Baste every 15 minutes with sauce and pan juices until done. Poultry is done with an internal temperature of 165F (74C). I recommend a meat thermometer
- Remove hens, cover with foil to keep warm and let rest 5 - 10 minutes for the juices to sink back into the meat. Resting is important to keep any meat from being dry.
Day 3: Pissalidière
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
In the traditional Pissalidière, there are lots and lots of very slow-cooked onions, anchovies and wrinkly oil-cured black olives - with pits. If you really hate anchovies, leave them off; if you're undecided, this may convince you to like them. The feta is not traditional, but my addition. And I prefer to use pitted olives. I also sped up the cooking of the onions, but, I think, with no appreciable loss of flavor.
Ingredients:
- Crust: You can use a purchased crust - but it won't save any time...
- 2/3 cup warm water, 105 - 115F, hotter will kill the yeast
- 1 pkg (2 tsp) active dry yeast fast acting if you can get it
- 1/2 tsp sugar - you need this to 'feed' the yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt - you need this to 'control' the yeast
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 cups flour
- Topping:
- 2 - 3 large red onions (24oz, 720gr)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 tsp dried savory
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves (laurel)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 12 - 15 anchovy filets, drained one small tin (2oz, 60gr) of anchovies in oil or brine - if oil, drain well, if brine, rinse and drain
- 20 - 25 black, dry-cured olives these are normally dry-packed and wrinkly, get pitted if possible
- 4 - 5 oz (150gr) feta cheese buy a chunk and cut it into small cubes, 1/4" (.6cm)
- Truffle oil optional
Instructions:
- Crust:
- Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and let sit a few minutes to 'proof' - start to look foamy to prove that the yeast is still alive.
- If you have a mixer with a dough hook put the yeast and all remaining ingredients in mixer bowl. Blend with dough hook attachment until well mixed then kneed for an additional 3 minutes.
- Put in a warm place (75F, 24C) to rise, if possible.
- If making by hand put yeast in large bowl along with all of the rest of the ingredients minus 1/2 cup flour.
- Stir to combine.
- Put remaining flour on work surface, add dough and kneed until smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes. As remaining flour is incorporated dough will become less sticky.
- Put in warm place to rise.
- After dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes, punch down.
- Lightly butter a pizza pan or large baking sheet.
- Roll dough out with a rolling pin as best you can. Then put on pan and stretch it to fit, patting it out with your fingers. If it keeps springing back wait a few minutes. Try not to put any holes in the crust. You are now ready to assemble.
- Topping:
- Slice onions about 1/4" (.6cm) thick.
- Heat butter and oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until they become soft, stirring frequently.
- Add herbs and stock, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until very soft.
- Uncover, turn heat up to medium-high and continue cooking until volume of onions has reduced by half and liquid has evaporated.
- Reduce heat if they start to cook too hard and/or brown. We are not caramelizing these. Cooking time should be about 45 minutes, total.
- When done, turn off heat, remove bay leaves and keep warm if not using immediately.
- To assemble:
- Spread onions evenly over crust.
- Arrange whole anchovies on top of onions.
- Top with whole olives and feta cubes.
- Bake at 450F (225C) for 20 - 25 minutes, until crust is golden brown.
- Remove from oven, drizzle with truffle oil if you have it, slice and serve.
Day 4: Pork Chops with White Wine and Capers
Total time: 35 minutes
Boneless pork chops, quickly browned then simmered in a white wine caper sauce.
Ingredients:
- 2 - 3 boneless pork chops, 12oz (360gr) total weight
- 3 tbs flour
- 3 tbs capers
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef broth
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
Instructions:
- Spread flour on a plate. Dip both sides of pork chops in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each.
- Finely chop the garlic. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds.
- Add stock, white wine and capers, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.
- Uncover, increase heat and simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
- Remove and serve.
Day 5:
Stuffed Peppers, Italian Style
Total time: 40 minutes
I originally did this with a tiny pasta called Frog's Eyes (Acini di'Pepe), but I can't get it here so have substituted couscous. You can use the pasta if you have it or even Vermicelli, but it will take a few minutes longer in the skillet.
Ingredients:
- 6oz ground beef (180gr mince)
- 1 medium onion
- 2 ribs celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1
tsp dried basil
- 1/3 cup (2oz, 60gr) couscous
- 15oz (450gr) whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup red wine or beef stock
- 2 - 3 nicely shaped bell peppers
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded mozzarella or other shredded cheese
Instructions:
- Put a large pot of water on high heat and bring to a boil.
- Cut peppers in half the long way (try to find the best flat sides before cutting so that they will lay nicely) and remove stem end and seeds.
- When water is boiling drop peppers in and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove (use tongs) and put into a baking dish that will just hold them (if possible).
- Finely chop onion, celery and garlic.
- In nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add paprika, fennel and chili powder and sauté 1 minute.
- Add garlic, celery and onion and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes.
- Add beef and sauté until cooked through breaking it up as it cooks.
- Drain tomatoes, reserving 2 tbs of juice. Chop and add to pan.
- Add reserved 2 tbs tomato juice, herbs, couscous and 1/3 cup red wine to skillet. Stir well.
- Turn heat to low, cover and simmer until couscous is done, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding more wine if necessary.
- When ready spoon mixture into the pepper halves. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400F (200C).
- Remove foil and top with cheese.
- Bake, uncovered for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.
Day 6: Baked Chicken Breasts with Mustard Crust
Total time: 40 minutes
The key to giving these a crispy crust is to drizzle them with olive oil after breading, before baking. You could also spray them with olive oil or other cooking spray if you have it. The crust keeps the chicken moist and the mustard adds an unexpected hint of savory sharpness.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1 more tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- In small bowl mix mustard, oil, tarragon and garlic.
- Spread on a plate or flattish bowl.
- Put bread crumbs on another plate.
- Roll chicken breasts in mustard mixture to coat thoroughly.
- Then roll in crumbs.
- Brush a baking sheet with a bit of oil and place breasts on
- Drizzle with remaining 1 tbs olive oil.
- Bake at 400F (200C) for 30 minutes or until topping is light brown and chicken is done (test if not sure, see techniques).
- Remove and serve.
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