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Main Course Menu Plan: Week 12 Fall II
Day 1: Shrimp with Feta and Greek Olives
Total time: 25 minutes
Shrimp with a Greek flavor: with tomatoes, dry or salt-cured black olives and finished with Feta cheese. The feta I get is sheep's milk (brebis - traditional) and comes in 7oz (200gr) blocks. Add it at the end so it stays in chunks, rather then melting into the sauce.
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) shrimp
- 3 medium shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes
- 1/2 cup black dry-cured (Greek) olives
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 3oz (90gr) feta
- 4oz (120gr) spaghetti
Instructions:
- Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
- Clean shrimp if needed.
- Chop shallots and mince garlic.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes longer.
- Open tomatoes, drain, reserving juices. Roughly chop tomatoes.
- Add herbs and tomatoes with all juices to skillet. Simmer, over medium heat, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add shrimp and cook until shrimp curl and turn opaque.
- Pit olives if needed, and cut in half.
- Cube feta.
- Add olives to skillet and heat through.
- To finish: Put drained pasta in a large bowl. Spoon some of the sauce over the pasta and toss to coat.
- Spoon the rest of the sauce and shrimp on top of the pasta, sprinkle with feta cubes and serve.
Day 2: Braised Loin of Pork with Mustard Onion Sauce
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
I use a small loin roast, 1 1/2 lbs and it cooked to the correct temperature in just over an hour. The bay leaves, mustard and wine add a lovely, slightly pungent flavor to both the pork and the Onion Sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 pork loin roast, 24oz (720gr)
- 2 onions
- 4 bay (laurel) leaves
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) of white wine
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbs water
Instructions:
- Slice onions, thickly.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.
- Move onions to the side and add pork. Brown on one side 5 minutes, then turn and brown the other.
- Stir the onions. Add bay leaves, wine, stock and mustard, turn heat to low, cover and braise for 1 hour.
- Take temperature, it should be 145F (62C). If not done, continue braising, checking temperature every 5 minutes.
- Remove pork and keep warm.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water.
- Increase heat under sauce. Add cornstarch and stir until thickened.
- Slice pork, spoon onions around and serve.
Day 3: Creamy Veal and Leek Risotto
Total time: 30 minutes
Risotto at it's most Italian: with veal and Prosciutto as well as the Parmesan. Use true Parmigiano Reggiano if you can find it. Use the white and pale green part of the leeks.
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/2 medium leek about 1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) dry, white wine
- 2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) chicken stock
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
- Condimenti
- 3 slices Prosciutto, 2oz (60gr)
- 5oz (150gr) veal scallops
- 1 1/2 medium leeks
- 1 carrot
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/4 cup cream, Greek yogurt or milk I use yogurt
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- Clean leeks and roughly chop amount for rice, reserving remainder for Condimenti.
- In medium sauce pan heat butter over medium-high heat.
- Add leek and sauté until tender.
- Add rice and sauté, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir. (No need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.)
- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before adding the last 1/3 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth, but fully cooked.
- If more stock is needed add it 1/8 cup at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed.
- At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold it's shape on a plate.
- Add the Parmesan, condimenti, stir well, pour into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately.
- Condimenti:
- Chop the Prosciutto.
- Slice the veal scallops into bite-size strips.
- Slice the leeks.
- Peel carrot; cut in quarters the long way, then in slices.
- While risotto is cooking, heat oil in medium skillet.
- Add carrots, leeks and sauté until tender, 7 - 10 minutes.
- Add veal and sauté until cooked through.
- Add Prosciutto and sauté 5 minutes longer.
- Add cream or yogurt, cover and keep warm until needed for risotto.
Day 4: Pork Lo Mein with Peanut Sauce
Total time: 25 minutes
Stir-fries cook quickly and are very flexible when it comes to ingredients. I always try for a mix of colors, textures and flavors... And whatever is left in the fridge. Amounts are not precise, just try to keep it balanced.
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) lean pork, tenderloin or chops
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1/2 bell pepper, green or red
- 1/2 head broccoli, 6oz (180gr)
- 1 carrot
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 4oz (120gr) spaghetti - about 1 1/4" (3cm) diameter bunch (make a circle with thumb and index finger - you want it a little bigger than an American quarter, about the size of a 2 euro coin)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
- 2 tbs peanut butter
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs sherry (optional)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, 1oz (30gr) substitute almonds or peanuts
- 1 tbs cornstarch (Maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Thinly slice onion.
- Mince garlic.
- Mince ginger (peel first).
- Julienne the pepper and carrot.
- Trim and slice mushrooms.
- Cut broccoli into florets (with some stem).
- Cut the pork into large bite-size pieces.
- Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to skillet and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Remove onions/garlic from pan and set aside.
- Add sesame oil to pan and heat. Add pork and stir-fry 3 - 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove and put with onions.
- Add broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, pepper to skillet and stir-fry 5 minutes.
- Return pork, onions, garlic and ginger to pan. Add beef stock and bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sherry, soy sauce and peanut butter.
- Uncover skillet and stir in peanut butter mixture and walnuts.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened.
- When pasta is done, drain and add to skillet. Toss to combine, tongs work best, or two forks. Serve.
- Add more soy sauce if desired, according to taste.
Day 5: Chicken with Mushrooms, Broccoli and Peppers
Total time: 25 minutes
Tarragon and capers are the main flavor components of this chicken dish. They give a Mediterranean taste to the peppers and broccoli. It all cooks quickly, leaving the vegetables crisp-tender.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 1 onion
- 1/2 green pepper
- 1/2 head broccoli
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbs capers
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 120ml) white wine
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water
Instructions:
- Roughly chop onion.
- Slice the green pepper into strips 1/4" (.6cm) wide.
- Cut broccoli into florets and peel and slice the stem.
- Mince garlic.
- Trim and thickly slice mushrooms.
- Cut chicken into large bite-size pieces.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water.
- Heat oil in nonstick skillet. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, broccoli, mushrooms and pepper and sauté another 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and sauté until it's cooked on all sides.
- Add capers, herbs, wine, stock and tomato paste.
- Cover, reduce heat and cook another 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and broccoli is just tender
- Uncover, increase heat.
- Stir in cornstarch to thicken.
- Serve over rice or with buttered potatoes.
Day 6: Spinach Burgers with Mushroom Sauce
Total time: 30 minutes
Don't let the greenish tinge to these burgers put you off. They fry up to a lovely dark, proper burger color, they taste fantastic and you get a healthy dose of vegetables almost without noticing!
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 ribs celery
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 1 egg
- 12oz ground beef (360gr mince)
- 1/2 cup chopped, cooked spinach - or frozen, thawed, & squeezed dry - about 8oz, (240gr)
- 3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) red wine - 2 tbs for the patties, 2 tbs for the cornstarch and the rest for the sauce
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef broth
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tbs cornstarch (corn flour, maizena)
- 2 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- The vegetables:
- Finely chop onions, celery, mushrooms and garlic.
- In large non-stick skillet over medium heat sauté half of onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms about 5 minutes or until tender.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- The spinach:
- If using fresh: roughly chop and add to the skillet for the last minute or until wilted.
- If using frozen: thaw spinach and squeeze out all liquid.
- The burgers:
- In a large bowl lightly beat the egg.
- Add bread crumbs, 2 tbs of red wine and thyme.
- Mix well, then add the beef, spinach and sautéed onion mixture.
- Mix well - hands work best, and form into 4 patties.
- Heat remaining 1 tbs of oil in the same skillet, add patties and sauté about 5 minutes per side.
- Remove, put on oven-proof plate or platter and put in 250F (125C) oven to keep warm while you finish sauce.
- The sauce:
- Add remaining onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms to skillet and sauté about 5 minutes or until tender.
- Add 1/2 cup red wine, beef stock and tomato paste to pan and bring to a boil.
- Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 2 tbs of red wine (or water) and add to sauce, stirring constantly until thickened.
- Remove patties from oven, pour some of the sauce over and serve with remaining sauce on the side.
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