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Menu Plan for Fall II: Week 2, Friday
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Daily Recipes:
Goat Cheese and Tapenade Pastries
Smoked Salmon with Lemon and Herbs
Barley with Mushroom Cream
Roasted Acorn Squash Slices
Cooking time: 50 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
Well be using some of the Tapenade tonight, and the rest tomorrow night. The same with the Puff Pastry, although we'll make the Palmiers tonight. The goat cheese we'll be finishing on Sunday.
Goat Cheese and Tapenade Pastry
Total time: 45 minutes
Sweet onions, tangy goat goat cheese and salty tapenade... Pour a glass of something fruity.
Ingredients:
- 3oz (90gr) goat cheese You don't want the creamy kind in the carton for this but a proper goat cheese: log-shaped and wrapped in paper. It will have a thin, whitish, rind that is edible.
- 1 onion
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tbs tapenade
- 1/2 sheet puff pastry
Instructions:
- Thaw the puff pastry, if needed.
- Roughly chop the onion.
- Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until transparent and tender, about 7 minutes.
- Turn heat up and cook, stirring, until they start to get brown, about 5 minutes longer.
- Turn heat to medium low, add sugar and stir until sugar is melted and evenly distributed.
- Let cook over medium low heat until very brown, 10 - 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
- Cut goat cheese into 1/4" (.6cm) slices.
- Lay out puff pastry and cut two squares or circles, 4 - 5 inches (10 - 12cm) each.
- Lay the cut pastry on a baking sheet and, with a table knife, score a line around the edge of each pastry, about 1/3" (1cm) from the edge.
- Divide the caramelized onions between the two, spreading to the scored lines.
- Lay the goat cheese on top, cutting smaller slices, to roughly cover the onions.
- Spread tapenade on top of the goat cheese, dividing evenly.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400F (200C) for 12 - 15 minutes, until sides of pastry have puffed around middle and are golden brown.
- Remove and serve.
With leftover puff pastry......
Parmesan Crisps (Palmiers)
Time: 15 minutes plus 5 earlier
Easy to make and a great way to use up the leftover bits of puff pastry. I ignored the fact that my pastry was actually a semi-circle and sliced the crisps from the 'straight' edge. I was able to use almost all of it....
Ingredients:
- puff pastry sheet, roughly 10 X 6 (25 X 15cm)
- 1 - 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Cut a rectangle of puff pastry.
- Lightly drizzle 1 - 2 tsp olive oil over the pastry.
- Sprinkle 2 tbs of Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Make a mental note (or mark it) of where the middle of the pastry is. Starting at the short ends, roll the puff pastry to the middle until the two rolls meet.
- Wrap in cling film and refrigerate until used. It should be chilled at least an hour and can be made 2 days ahead.
- To Bake: Remove from fridge and slice 1/4" thick (.6cm).
- Lay on a baking sheet and bake, 400F (200C) for 8 - 12 minutes, until pastry is golden and cheese is a bit darker.
- Remove and serve immediately or allow to cool and store in airtight container.
Salmon with Lemon and Herbs, Lightly Smoked
Total time: 15 minutes
This is a cross between smoking and grilling. The wood chips are optional, but we like the added flavor, especially for salmon. As always, with fish, cook until it just flakes easily, being careful not to let it on too long. You could also roast the salmon, 400F (200C) oven. If you do, add 1/2 tsp soy sauce to the lemon/herb mixture.
Ingredients:
- 2 salmon fillets, 6oz (180gr) each
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme leaves substitute 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbs snipped fresh parsley substitute 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp kosher, sea or rock salt
- wood chips for smoking - apple is nice See Barbecue Grills for more info
Instructions:
- In small bowl whisk together lemon and oil, it should get thick.
- Add herbs.
- Spread marinade evenly over salmon and allow to marinate 10 - 15 minutes.
- Grilling without smoking:
- Put salmon in a grill basket if using barbecue grill or on mesh grill pan or use a grill mat.
- Cook over indirect heat for 10 - 15 minutes depending on thickness. You might need to cover the grill for 5 minutes or so.
- Oven:
- Put on baking sheet and roast in 400F (200C) oven for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Smoking:
- Soak a small handful of wood chips in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Charcoal: Put some charcoal in the barbecue, off to one side and light it.
- When the coals are glowing, add the salmon, either in a basket or on a grill mat, to the other side - in other words, not over the coals.
- Throw the wood chips on the coals and cover. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes
- Gas grill: Only light one side of the grill.
- Wrap the soaked wood chips loosely in foil. Poke a few holes in the foil and place on the grill.
- Keep the fish off of direct heat and the grill cover closed and vented or propped open an inch or so. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes.
In all cases, fish should flake easily but not be dry. Slightly pink in the center is perfect. Remove from heat and serve, sliding it off the skin if needed.
Barley with Mushroom Cream
Total time: 25 minutes
Sautéed mushrooms and onions give a woodsy note to the barley. The Greek Yogurt gives it a creamy finish. I use quick-cooking barley, which takes about 15 minutes, and cooked it in beef stock for a more robust flavor.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) quick-cooking barley- 1 1/3 cup (13oz, 390ml) beef stock (or more, depending on type of barley)
- 3oz (90gr) mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 2 tsp oil
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef stock
- 3 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
Instructions:
- Cook barley in stock until done, stirring occasionally. If all stock is not absorbed, drain.
- Roughly chop onion.
- Trim and slice mushrooms.
- Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and stir.
- Dissolve cornstarch in beef stock and add to skillet, stirring until bubbling and thick.
- Remove from heat and stir in yogurt.
- Keep warm until barley is done.
- When barley is done, stir into mushroom sauce. Serve.
Roasted Acorn Squash Slices
Total time: 45 minutes
Roasting winter squashes concentrates their natural sweetness and all you need to finish is a bit of salt and pepper.... or you can smear on butter.
Ingredients:
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to finish
Instructions:
- Cut squash in half, through stem and blossom ends, and scoop out seeds.
- Then cut in 1" (2.5cm) slices the short way.
- Mix rosemary and olive oil. Toss squash slices in oil.
- Lay squash on a baking sheet and bake at 400F (200C) for 25 minutes. Turn slices and bake another 8 - 10 minutes, until fork tender.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
Cooking schedule: 50 minutes |
Spread sautéed onions on pastries |
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