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Menu Plan for Spring II: Week 13, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Salad with Avocado, Feta and Tomatoes
Shrimp with Pimiento Sauce on Herbed Orzo
Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots
Cooking time: 30 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
We'll be using the Pimiento Sauce on the Shrimp tonight and the Patatas Bravas tomorrow night. As all we are cooking in the grill is the shrimp, it's optional - a skillet works as well.
Salad with Avocado, Feta and Tomatoes
Total time: 10 minutes
Another simple salad to start: a ripe avocado, a few greens, some cherry tomatoes and cubed (or crumbled) feta. Imagine eating this in the terrace with a nice glass of chilled rosé.
Ingredients:
- greens for 2 small salads
- 1 ripe avocado
- 3oz (100gr) cherry tomatoes about 1/2 cup before slicing
- 2oz (60gr) feta
- 1/4 cup Greek olives or any olives you fancy
- Tarragon Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbs salad olive oil
- 1 tsp tarragon white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried tarragon or fresh if you have it
Instructions:
- Tarragon Vinaigrette
- In small bowl whisk vinegar, mustard and lemon juice.
- Slowly whisk in olive oil. When incorporated add herbs and whisk to combine.
- Salad
- Wash and spin dry greens.
- Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
- Cut feta into cubes if needed.
- Pit olives if needed, cut in half.
- Cut the avocado, remove pit and cut into cubes.
- Put greens, tomatoes, olives and feta into a bowl.
- Add 2 - 3 tbs vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.
- Add avocado and adjust dressing to your taste. Stir gently.
- Arrange on two dinner plates and serve, any remaining dressing on the side.
Grilled Shrimp (Prawns) with Pimiento Sauce On Herbed Orzo
Total time: 30 minutes
Add a bit of time if you have to clean the shrimp. The Orzo is made 'risotto-style' for added creaminess. The shrimp could also be quickly sautéed. The Pimiento Sauce is enough for 2 dishes.
Ingredients:
- 10oz (300gr) cleaned large shrimp (prawns)
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice - fresh is best
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Pimiento Sauce:
- 4oz (120gr) pimento pimiento (pimento) or roasted red peppers
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) tomato sauce
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
- Red pepper flakes, if you want more heat
- Herbed Orzo:
- 1/2 cup (4.5oz, 130gr)orzo
- 1 1/4 cups (12oz, 360ml) chicken stock
- 1 tbs snipped fresh chives substitute 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbs snipped fresh basil substitute 1 tsp dried
Instructions
- Clean shrimp if needed, if not just rinse and let drain.
- Mix garlic, paprika, lemon juice and oil in a bowl, whisking well to combine.
- Add shrimp and toss to coat.
- To cook on barbecue grill: either put shrimp on skewers or cook in perforated grill pan with a little olive oil.
- To cook on stove top: add a little olive oil to a large frying pan and sauté over medium-high heat
- Either method: cook for 3-5 minutes - until shrimp curl and turn opaque. When done, remove from heat.
- Pimiento Sauce:
- Finely chop shallot and garlic.
- Heat oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add chili powder, shallot and garlic and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients for sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Purée with blender or immersion blender. Save half or a bit less of the sauce for another use.
- Herbed Orzo:
- Put orzo and stock in small pan and bring to simmer on medium heat.
- Turn heat to medium - low, and simmer until done, stirring occasionally, 15 - 20 minutes.
- All stock should be absorbed, if not, drain. Add a bit of water if it gets too dry.
- Snip herbs and stir into orzo. (Add dried herbs at the beginning of cooking)
- Remove from heat.
- To Serve:
- Divide the orzo between 2 plates, arranging nicely.
- Spoon 2 - 3 tbs of sauce onto each mound of orzo.
- Arrange the shrimp on the sauce. Drizzle the shrimp with a bit more sauce and serve.
Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots
Total time: 30 minutes
Using bacon and onion or shallots to flavor green beans goes back to my childhood. My mother would 'cook up a mess of beans', with lots of bacon and onion to flavor them, then finish the whole lot off with heavy cream. It was wonderful.... I try for the flavor without quite so much artery clogging fat!
Ingredients:
- 2 strips bacon (2oz, 60gr)
- 2 medium shallots
- 6oz (180gr) green beans
Instructions:
- Top and tail beans... cut off the ends.
- Cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths (4cm).
- Chop shallots.
- Sauté bacon in a small frying pan.
- When bacon is crisp remove and crumble.
- Drain all but 1 tbs fat from pan.
- Add shallots and sauté until transparent.
- Add beans, 1/4 cup of water, turn heat to low, cover and simmer until done - about 15 minutes. If beans dry out add a little more water.
- When done transfer to serving bowl (there should be little or no liquid left - if there is just pour it off).
- Add crumbled bacon and serve.
Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes |
Pit olives, cut |
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