Feta and Greek Olive Mini Frittatas
Grilled Tuna with Lemon and Herbs
Couscous Feta Pilaf
Asparagus with Garlic Chips
Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
There is a bit of feta in both the Frittatas and the Couscous; that should finish it off from last week. Get the best grade of tuna you can for this. And share the garlic chips with a friend....
Greek Olive and Feta Mini Frittatas
Total time: 25 minutes
These are delicious warm or cold, right from the fridge. If you choose not to have them all for a first course, refrigerate them for breakfast tomorrow. I often make a double batch to just to have on hand. They'll keep for several days in the fridge.
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1.5oz (45gr) feta, cubed or crumbled
- 18 Greek dry-cured black olives
- 1 tbs snipped fresh oregano
- 1 tbs snipped chives
- 1 tsp olive oil or cooking spray if needed
- more olives for garnish
Instructions:
- Oil or spray a nonstick muffin (tartlet) pan - one that holds 6, or use a silicone pan (which should not need any oil).
- Cut or crumble feta, divide evenly and place in muffin cups.
- Cut olives in half and place on feta.
- Snip herbs and divide between cups.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well.
- Using a ladle or spoon divide eggs evenly between the muffin cups.
- Bake at 400F (200C) for 14 - 17 minutes or until set.
- Frittatas will puff up considerably and then fall when removed from oven. Allow to cool 5 - 10 minutes before removing from pan - they will start to come away from the sides of the pan as they fall making them easier to get out. Serve, garnished with a few more olives, warm or at room temperature.
Grilled Tuna with Lemon
Total time: 30 minutes
If you get sushi-grade tuna you will definitely want to have this rare (it has to be graded to a higher standard so it is okay to eat raw). Regular tuna we normally have medium. Well done tends to make it rather dry. This is a simple preparation, finished with a bit of sea salt.
Ingredients:
- 2 tuna steaks, 6oz each (180gr each)
- Marinade:
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) white wine
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs fresh tarragon, snipped substitute 1 tsp dried
- sea salt
Instructions:
- Put tuna in a dish with deep sides.
- Mix all ingredients for marinade, pour over fish and let marinate for 10 - 20 minutes, no longer.
- Remove from marinade and cook on barbecue grill for 4 - 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness) for regular tuna, 2 - 3 minutes for ahi. - or until done to your liking.
- Remove and serve.
- Can also be cooked under broiler or sautéed in nonstick pan for roughly the same amount of time.
Note: A grill basket, skillet or mat makes working with fish easier.
Couscous Feta Pilaf
Total time: 15 minutes
The best thing about couscous (besides the taste) is that it requires no cooking - just hot stock. Then add anything that suits your fancy!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) couscous
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) chicken broth
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 6 olives, any type
- 1oz (30gr) feta
- 1 tbs snipped chives
- 1 tbs snipped basil
- 2 tsp good olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat chicken broth to a boil.
- Put couscous in a medium bowl.
- When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it.
- Snip herbs.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- Pit olives if needed, then cut in half.
- Crumble feta.
- When couscous is ready, uncover, add remaining ingredients, including olive oil, fluff gently with a fork to combine and serve.
Note: The easiest way to pit olives is to lay them on a cutting board or counter, put the blade of a large knife flat on top and whack the flat blade with the heel of your palm. The olive will split, and you can remove the pit.
This is also the easiest way to peel garlic.
Baked Asparagus with Garlic Chips
Total time: 25 minutes
We eat a lot of garlic. If you don't want the extra garlic just drizzle some melted butter, a
sprinkle of thyme and a little lemon juice over the cooked asparagus.
Ingredients:
- 10oz (300gr) fresh asparagus - more if you truly love it
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
Instructions:
- Snap off ends of asparagus. If white use vegetable peeler and peel bottom half of stalk.
- Put a drizzle of oil on a baking sheet - one with a lip all around. I use a pizza pan. Roll the asparagus in oil (use your fingers!).
- Sprinkle with a little salt (sea salt is nice) and put in 400F (200C) oven, tips facing the oven door.
- Check after 12 minutes, cooking times depend on thickness. When done, put on a serving dish, drizzle with garlic oil and sprinkle with garlic chips.
- For garlic chips:
- Slice garlic as thinly as you can.
- Put olive oil in a small frying pan and, over medium heat, fry garlic chips until brown and very crisp, about 10 minutes. Mind them so they don't burn.
- Remove chips and drain on paper towels. Keep oil warm until needed.
Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
scissors, medium bowl, whisk, muffin pan, baking
dish
(for marinating), small bowl, medium bowl, lid
or
foil, baking tray, small skillet, barbecue grill
Turn on/light barbecue grill if using
Turn oven on, 400F (200C)
Snip all herbs
Oil/butter muffin pan if needed
Crumble feta, divide between muffin cups
Pit, cut olives, add to feta
Add herbs to feta
Whisk eggs, divide between cups
Bake frittatas
Trim asparagus, roll in oil on tray, set aside
Make marinade for tuna, pour over tuna
|
Slice garlic, sauté in oil
Slice tomatoes, olives for couscous
Pause while frittatas finish
Heat stock for couscous
Put couscous in bowl
Remove frittatas
Roast asparagus
Mind the garlic chips, remove when browned
Keep oil warm
Pour stock over couscous, cover
Serve Mini Frittatas
Done?
Start to cook tuna
Mind the asparagus, remove when done
Finish couscous
Turn tuna
Finish asparagus
Remove tuna, serve |