First of all, my favorite egg nog hit the chilled shelves last week. I've been zapping a small slosh (2-3T or so) in a little pitcher and then adding it to my Americano in the mornings. Yum. It's like an egg nog latte minus all the fat and calories.
On the menu this week is a fall favorite: Potato & Maui Onion Soup, which I fell in love with on our honeymoon in Hawaii 17 years ago. Wild salmon is done for the season, so I'm back to buying farmed Norwegian for our main course.
Tonight we're having Italian Beef with Ciabatta from La Fournette and a Pinch House Salad on the side. I've not yet tried the ciabatta from La Fournette. I really like the beer bread and the miche. But Italian Beef demands ciabatta, plus I like having it around for the kids lunches. Tomorrow they'll take fresh mozzarella and basil on ciabatta drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinager, their favorite lunch.
We'll also have Beef Tacos with all the Fixin's, and Smoked Chicken Sandwich with frisee and an awesome Pommery mustard sauce drizzled all over.
What else? Oh, for the night we're running hither and yon, it will be Cantonese Roast Pork with Steamed Broccoli. I can marinate the pork loin overnight and grill it in about 10 minutes - a great weeknight meal on when we all tumble in the door starved.
And that's the week. Happy creeping toward winter!
Monday, November 5, 2012
On the Menu This Week
Monday, October 8, 2012
On the Menu this Week
First of all, the Roasted Lamb from a few weeks ago was amazing. I can't recommend it highly enough, especially if you're serving six or more lamb lovers. I had the butcher at Whole Foods cut me a 2.5-pound piece of bone-in lamb shoulder which fed our family of four generously. We keep our animal protein portions small, though, so get more if you have bigger eaters.
Now that the school year has begun, my menu planning has taken a turn for the practical. In the summer I like to daydream a bit about food, but when the kids are in school and time is at more of a premium, I find I have to be more pragmatic about the time I can spend planning, shopping, and cooking. I tend to start each week thinking about what we haven't eaten in a while and plan my weekly menu around the combination of proteins and seasonal veggies. Then I make sure I'm stocked with grains, and produce for nightly salads.
I typically plan for five dinners, knowing that often we'll be out on a weekend night, or have one random night where we forage on leftovers or I make something simple like panini* and a salad. Tonight I'm planning on making Chicken Pesto Pasta, since I have chicken breasts and a bag of fresh basil on hand. Tomorrow will likely be a a quick Teriyaki night (quick pan-fried pork loin, on rice with stir-fried broccoli and bottled teriyaki sauce) since the family calendar has each of us in a different direction at dinnertime. Wednesday might be a good night for salmon, as it's a good day for me to get to Whole Foods, where I buy fish. I like to purchase and cook fish on the same day. Asian Salmon Salad sounds really good right now, so I'll make sure I get some bell peppers at the Green City Market on Wednesday morning. Now I just need dinners for Thursday and Friday. We've not had Lamb Kabobs in some time, so that's an option, and Friday is a great night for Pizza Margherita, or Chanterelle Pizzas, if chanterelles are still coming to the market. It's a bit late in the season, but it's still possible.
And there - the weekly menu plan is done. Now I just have to plan my little shopping excursions and stock the fridge.
*Ham & Gruyère Panini
Featured on Pinch in 2008, In a Pinch
METHOD
Preheat a griddle. Spray lightly with canola spray. Slather one piece of low-gluten sprouted bread with your favorite mustard. For the bread, I like both Alvarado Street or the comparable version at Trader Joe's.
Thinly slice some ham and Gruyère (note: Gruyère is very flavorful and a little goes a long way. I only use a few, thin slices to keep the sandwich healthy). Assemble and cook on hot griddle until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Press down using a panini press or a heavy lid, right on top of the sandwich. It's really good with greens dressed with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Monday, July 16, 2012
On the Menu This Week
There's lots of great food on the Pinch menu this week. First up is tonight's dinner: Coriander Dry-rubbed Steaks with Avocado Salsa. I'm hopeful my avocados are ripe enough. If not, I'm going to morph the whole dish into kabobs using some gorgeous peppers I picked up at the market recently. Either one will be paired with summer greens, but I need to change up my vinaigrette routine a bit. I'm bored with my dressings.
Next I'm going to line up a summertime favorite: Sweet Corn Risotto topped with a piece of pan fried halibut. I've loved this dish since watching its creator, Anna Thomas, cook it up at the original Sur la Table in the Pike Place Market in Seattle. Cooking fish this way is quite simple: first, remove the skin and cut your fish into individual servings (I go for 4-5 ounces for all animal protein but your fishmonger will advise you to buy more). Sprinkle kosher salt and fresh ground pepper all over the fish. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of grape seed oil for a minute or so. Add the halibut and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the filets and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
Start preparing the fish when the risotto is about 10 minutes from being ready and serve it right on top of the plated risotto. You'll be busy at the end, but that's just how it goes with risotto. Remember, risotto waits for no man - or fish - so time things properly.
You can also make a simple tomato-herb salsa to toss on top (thinking tomatoes, parsley, shallot and chive, tossed with a smidge of olive oil and white wine vinegar) - just keep it simple and fresh.
Two light meals I'm going to make on evenings when we have evening plans that don't include dinner are Tabouli with Lemon Chicken and Gazpacho which I plan to serve with a side of Chipotle Shrimp. And later in the week will be Rick Bayless' Skirt Steak Salad, which will put to use those chipotle chilies leftover from the shrimp.
That's all.
Monday, November 28, 2011
On the Menu This Week
Every once in awhile a market trip yields so many great ideas for dinner. Everything looked great today. I need to use the gorgeous arugula I picked up last week and forgot to use while we had family in town. The salmon looked particularly great at Whole Foods, so tonight we had Pan-fried Salmon on Arugula along with a side of Tomato Basil Soup. It's been a soupy few days - we're still enjoying Turkey and Rice soup. Our Thanksgiving turkey was particularly lean and flavorful this year. The stock is just wonderful.
Speaking of the Great Bird, the Wishbone Breaking Event of 2011 merits mention on account of its unprecedented conclusion. My children were competing for a serving of caramel-cheese mixed popcorn which promised a certain amount of doe-eyed begging on the part of the loser. I had anticipated some drama but needn't have: the wishbone split down the middle. Popcorn all around!
Anyway, I picked up some ground lamb for Lamb Burgers later in the week and am also really looking forward to Gyoza and Pad Thai, which we haven't had for awhile.
Have a great week.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Zen and the Art of Weeknight Cooking
A former neighbor, a lovely woman with money to burn, once explained to me the necessity of employing a cook. The timing of dinner preparation fell right smack in the middle of the time when her children needed her most. When kids come home from school they have a lot going on - homework, school projects, after school activities, play dates, not to mention (sometimes) wanting to tell you everything about their day, or air their grievances on a variety of subjects. My neighbor felt better about being present and engaged with her children than cooking for them. The part about employing a cook was unrelatable for several reasons (my inability to abstain from micro-managing included) but, even tho at the time my children were not school aged, I understood completely that when they were I would have to navigate the late-afternoon/early evening with a skillet in one hand and a science fair rubric in the other.
Tonight I had planned to make Asian Grilled Salmon Salad but even before I picked my children at the end of the day I knew there was no way that meal was going to happen. So I changed things up and made Teriyaki Salmon Bowls instead. And given the cool fall night we're enjoying, it was a better meal than the salad would have been. Here's what I did:
Teriyaki Salmon Bowls
No recipe. Just follow my lead.
The critical task was that earlier in the day I made it to Whole Foods and purchased a 1.25-pound farmed Norwegian salmon filet (skin on). They had King available but it didn't look great. Also, King is so darned big and I do like staying away from the bigger fish.
Back at home, between supervising and correcting school work, unsticking the mouthpiece from my daughter's trumpet, and collecting my other daughter from her after-school sports, I made a pot of rice. Brown rice would have been my preference but I made Basmati since it was already 6:30. I rinsed the filet with very cold water, patted it dry, and transferred it to a small baking sheet. I poured over it a tablespoon or so of my favorite teriyaki sauce (Veri Veri Teriyaki) and gently but intentionally stabbed it all over with a dinner fork. This makes me feel like a bad person, but my fishmonger says it makes for a good marinating practice. I preheated the grill for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I turned off my rice, fluffed it and replaced the cover. I chopped a green onion on the diagonal. I didn't have any broccoli, but I would have steamed some at this point. I also pulled out a jar of sesame seeds.
When the grill was ready, I put the fish on, skin side up, for about 5 minutes. I flipped it and cooked the other side for 2-3 minutes. It was perfect when I pulled it off. I slid the whole filet onto this beautiful plate my lovely friend Nora gave me and brought it to the table. And there, with the rice in its cooking pot on a hotplate on the table, ramekins with green onions and sesame seeds, and the jar of Veri Veri, we assembled our Teriyaki Salmon bowls: rice on the bottom, topped with salmon and the green onions and sesame seeds on top. The broccoli was missed, but I heated up some frozen edamame, so we had something green.
And that's it. This is one of those meals I make when there's really no time to cook. The time between starting and when we sat to eat was about 20 minutes. I hate giving times for things - I've done this meal before, so don't be mad at either one of us if it takes you longer. I cannot overstate the importance of setting a meal plan for your family for the week, and shopping to support the menu you write. I'll post on how my menu takes shape - and how the menu is shared with the family - later in the week.
Happy Monday.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
On the Menu This Week
What I'm craving, after a week of multi-course meals, is some simple fare. To be sure, we're still plowing thru leftovers. The beets and goat cheese that I bought but didn't use on Thanksgiving will go into the Warm Goat Cheese and Roasted Beets on Mixed Greens, and I'll serve that with leftover Turkey Soup. I made the day after Thanksgiving, having allowed the broth to simmer all night. I sweated a leek, some celery and carrot and then added about two quarts of delicious broth. I added a bit of turkey too, but tend to like to throw that in during the last minutes of reheating since it retains it's flavor and texture better that way.
My biggest hankering, tho, is for fish. Salmon Sandwich with Dill Aioli, and a side order of steamed Artichokes will be on our plates tomorrow, with any luck at the market. We've been eating fish twice a week pretty regularly for about a year now. And we didn't have it ONCE last week. Since I finally made it to the one store in my hood that sells my favorite malt vinegar (Heinz; harder to come by than you'd think) we'll also have Fish and Chips this week.
Also featured this week are Cantonese Pork Tenderloin and Baby Broccoli; Lamb Kabobs and Quinoa; Salad with Lemony Pesto Dressing and Grilled Chicken; and another lemony Chicken Fricasse. To make the last one, I just pound chicken breasts, dredge in salted flour and cook about two minutes per side in a skillet with a smidge of olive oil. Once browned, add a half cup or so of white wine and a bit of chopped parsley, and maybe another splash of olive oil. Season to taste and serve with something green.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
On the Menu this Week
It's a short menu this week - three regular dinners with extended family in town and then the Hootenanny that is Thanksgiving. Last night we had Italian Beef on Sourdough and Spicy Green Beans; tomorrow will be Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad and Chanterelle Pizza; Wednesday, with even more family coming in, will feature Flank Steak Fajitas with Spanish Rice, Salsa Verde (pictured left) and Guacamole.
And then, of course, there's Thanksgiving. I'm reconsidering the starters. Last year I did a seared scallop on a smidgen of butternut squash puree with a sage leave garnish. It was lovely but I want something new. Was considering a little Tenderloin Crosini topped with Gorgonzola cream...or a pumpkin soup served in sake cups, but I don't know. Maybe I'll do the antipasti. Will probably decide on Wednesday morning at the chilly farmer's market.
The vegetarian stuffing really is amazing, and that's coming from a someone who loves a traditional sausage stuffing. Buy a nice loaf of bread to use - I get a cranberry pecan one from Whole Foods, which I had them slice for me this year. You could, of course, use a nice sourdough, but I like the deeper flavors in the denser bread.
The Golden Pillow Rolls are positively divine. They are like warm clouds. And you can make the dough on Wednesday and do the rest on Thursday, which is nice.
For the green beans, I just saute the shallots and pancetta in a big skillet for a few minutes, then add the beans and season with salt and pepper. The potatoes I often leave up to someone else since I can't bear to use the requisite butter. I just look the other way. The sweet potato fries, which i think i'll do again this year, were the frozen ones from WF - but so good, especially when doctored up with some spices.
As for dessert...Jan's recipe request got me thinking about cinnamon ice cream alongside apple pie. And Gingerbread, which is so good I can't even stand it. Pumpkin Pie just gets made and eaten as obligation. For that recipe, I just follow whatever it says on the Libby's can, but substitute half and half for the condensed milk or whatever nonsense they call for.
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A Simple Menu before Thanksgiving
I'm keeping it simple this week. For one, I just returned home from a gloriously long weekend in San Fransisco eating so well that I can barely eat my own food again. Duck Confit! Salmon Cozy! Acme Bread! I love trips like that - they rally me back to the kitchen with determination to improve my skills, menus and foraging. But I'm not quite organized enough yet so my menu this week is safe. Last night, armed with just a pack of basil and some chicken breasts, we had an old favorite, Chicken Pesto Pasta.
Tonight we enjoyed a meal make possible by the humble Yukon Gold potato: a Spanish Tortilla/Omelet and a new soup, Ham & Potato. I made the soup by sauteeing a chopped stalk of celery, a leek and 4-5 chopped Yukon gold potatoes. Then I poured in a 32 ounce box of that chicken broth I like so much (Imagine Organic) and simmered it for about 12 minutes. When the potatoes were tender, I turned off the heat and pureed the soup in my food mill (didn't feel like waiting to cool it for the blender). I strained it, too, into a clean pot and simmered it for another 10-15 minutes until it thickened a bit more. Then I sliced some of that lean Applewood smoked ham from TJ's and threw that it, along with a scant half-cup of milk and some salt and fresh ground pepper. After another 5-8 minutes of simmering it was ready, and it was superb.
Whole Foods has been giving away avocados lately ($1 each) so Carnitas with Guacamole and Spanish Rice will hit the table tomorrow night. This week we'll also see Salmon on Arugula or Mixed Greens, Roast Leg of Lamb with Taziki Sauce and Greek Salad and a Flank Steak Sandwich alongside some roasted veg from the winter farmer's market.
I'm also writing my Thanksgiving Menu and shopping lists for next week, and planning other meals to serve when everyone's in town. I'm thinking ahead about lamb burgers, chicken fajitas, and maybe spaghetti and meatballs. And yes, I've started practically every morning with eggnog in my espresso. Yum.
Monday, October 26, 2009
On the Menu This Week
I've mentioned about the seasons in Chicago, right? How there are more than four? It's sort of like Eskimos and snow for me...lots of kinds of seasons. Here they are, enumerated:
1. Summer (Memorial-Labor Day)
2. Back to School (Labor Day-September 30)
3. Fall (October 1-24)
4. Holiday (October 24-January 1)
5. Long Monkey Winter (January 2 -Spring Break)
6. Soggy Spring (Spring Break-May 14)
7. Spring (May 15-31)
We are squarely in Holiday right now with Halloween around the corner. We got jiggy with costume-making this year, and are festooned with pumpkins and Brach's Candy Corn, the only candy corn. Soon enough we roll into Thanksgiving and Christmas, with even more decorating, cooking and caroling. Holiday is AWESOME! I love Holiday as much as I loathe Long Monkey Winter. Chicago's cold, interminable drear of January, February and March remains a sticking point for me. I don't think I'll ever stop missing the sparkle of sun on snow in the mountains.
Anyway, the outside temperature is inversely proportional to the magnitude of hot peppers used in the Pinch kitchen. I'm not talking about full-on SPICY food, here - just a little sprinkle of cayenne here and an extra shake of chili flakes there does wonders for raising your body temp, keeping you toasty and just maybe fighting infection. It's like Green Eggs - just try it and you may like it.
Tomorrow will feature Adventures in Mole, Part 2, when Araceli (of Mole Verde fame) teaches me a red mole. I shopped for the chilis recently - pasilla, ancho and mulato - they're big and plump and I can't wait to try em.
Also on the menu this week is Rice Penne Pasta with Lemon and Artichoke Hearts, Salmon Sandwich with Dill Aioli, Chicken Pesto Salad with Jicama and Late Season Tomatoes, Orecchiette with Italian Sausage and Broccoli Rabe and an Asian-inspired night including Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Wonton Soup.
Oh, and I'm learning how to steep my own Yogi tea! Will include that recipe once I get it down. Happy Holiday!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
On the Menu This Week
One thing on the menu all week: lettuces picked from my AeroGarden. This is my first kit of lettuces (previous kits were all herbs) and I'm loving it. We've had several great salads already and it's so fun to watch the greens replenish themselves after harvesting - it's usually only 2-3 days before I can pick another big bowl of tender leaves.
The week started slowly in the kitchen. I never made it shopping yesterday and was under the weather over the weekend. But now the fridge is stocked and I know what we're going to eat all week. And, as usual, I'm pretty excited about all of it.
For one, it's chanterelle season - one of my favorites. If you've not cooked chanterelles before I recommend starting pretty much immediately. They're not grown locally, so I can't get them at the Green City Market. I got mine at the Saturday market in my neighborhood. Anyway, ask at your market or grocery store. They look and taste like autumn. I like to clean them off with a damp paper towel, slice them and saute them in a smidgen of olive oil along with a pinch of chili flakes and a whole garlic clove. You could add white wine for a nice pasta sauce, or scatter them on a pizza and top with fontina, or make the risotto I've got planned.
Just tonight we enjoyed Grilled Pepper-Sugared Salmon with Artichokes and a Fall Salad. We had these gorgeous jumbo artichokes and some great Coho salmon dusted with Mendocino Seasoning Sand. I just love a good blended seasoning and this one, received as a gift, is really lovely on salmon. It's sweet and peppery. A little goes a very long way. If you want to try to recreate the flavor, start with about about two teaspoons of brown sugar, fresh ground pepper, and some kosher salt. Maybe add some lemon zest. Mix it all together, taste and adjust to your liking. Sprinkle sparingly on salmon and grill.
Also this week: Buffalo Burgers with Corn on the Cob and Avocado Salad - kind of a summery meal but it works since peppers and corn are still abundant at the market. I'm hopeful that Bennison's will bring burger buns to market tomorrow since I forgot to add them to my shopping list. Let's see, there's Spanish Omelet with Seatown Salad, Asian Pork Tenderloin with Broccoli and Rice, Flank Steak Fajitas with Spanish Rice and Guacamole, and something we've not had in quite awhile: Gnocchi with Basil Pomodoro and Grana Padano. For this, I'll just add very thin sliced basil to my standard pomodoro sauce, and stir it into the gnocchi with lots of grated Grana - my favorite Parmesan. Mmmm. I think I'll make that one tomorrow.
It's been cold this week and the warmth of spices and comfort of deep colors is very much intentional. Hope you're staying warm wherever this finds you.
Monday, October 5, 2009
On the Menu This Week
It's getting colder. It's tea and soup season. And this is the year that I'm going to learn to make a good chicken soup out of a CHICKEN! Chicken totally grosses me out. It ain't right, but it does. For this soup I'm going to get a nice farmer's market chicken, and cut it up (blechk), and make me a nice chicken broth, just like Aunt Jennie used to make. I should have learned this lesson already, but I've avoided it. Pinch readers know my affinity for Imagine organic chicken broth.
This week we'll be eating Wagamama Noodle Soup with Teriyaki Pork, Cornmeal-crusted Tilapia with Quinoa, Chicken Soup with Wild Rice, Coriander Dry-Rubbed Steaks with Avocado Salsa, Pan-fried Salmon on Arugula, Lemon Chicken Fricassé and an oldie, Herb Frittata with Pepperonata. The frittata will be great on Bennison's little ciabatta rolls, so I guess we'll have that on Wednesday when the Evanston bakery brings its goods to the Green City Market. I like Bennison's a lot. I hope they continue to come to the GCM once the show moves to the Notebaert. I don't do Evanston, not even for ciabatta. Nothing against Evanston, of course, it's just too far to drive. I've pretty much given up on Metropolis as well, as I can't justify driving 10 miles for coffee beans. Yeah, I'm buying Peet's again. Espresso Forte!
The lemon chicken fricasee thing is pretty simple - rinse and dry boneless skinless chicken breasts and then beat the crap out of em. Do it nicely and evenly, preferably with one of those meat pounder mallets. Then dust them lightly with a mixture of salted/peppered flour and cook in a preheated skillet in a teaspoon or so of olive oil. You want to sort of brown both sides, and then toss in the juice of 1-2 lemons and a tablespoon or so of finely chopped parsley. Cover immediately and cook another 1-2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Then serve. Make sure you do your mise en place with this one -get your lemons juiced, your parsley chopped and the cover to your skillet nearby before the chicken hits the pan. And be ready to set and eat as soon as it's done cooking.
For the chicken soup-from-a-chicken, I'm going to follow Sherry's method of boiling a whole, cut up chicken for about and hour, then removing the meat and bones and adding veggies to the stock (carrot, celery, onion, parsley). I'll let that simmer for about an hour or so. Then I'll probably walk away from it for a few hours. Later, I'll strain out the veg, sort thru the meat and add the good stuff back in. And I'll add some fresh veg, too - nicely chopped carrots and celery - but I'm not sure when, as I don't like them to be overdone. I'm unsure about total simmering time as well, tho the plan is to start early.
Please share your advice for turning a chicken and water into a flavorful soup. I need all the help I can get.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
On the Menu This Week
I think I'm most looking forward to Crab Cakes on Mixed Greens and Tortilla Soup and Buffalo burgers and Avocado Salad. That's two meals, not one massive one. I like to eat, but I have limits.
Farmer's market corn is still wonderful, so my fresh corn tortilla soup will be great. And I nabbed some terrific looking avocados this weekend at Cermak Market/Fruteria in Wicker Park on the way home from lunch at Borinquen. Avocado salad is a summer thing, big time, and I'm squeezing it in while I still can. Oddly we haven't had buffalo burgers in awhile - and I'm truly looking forward to another. Whole Foods has some sesame seed burger buns I like a lot - made in house.
On Wednesday when we need a quick meal so we'll have Quick Pesto Pizza. I've still not been able to convince Whole Foods that Alvarado Street Bakery's pizza bread should grace their shelves. I've been settling instead for the 365 label whole wheat pizza crust. It's just ok - way better than that icky Boboli, but still not sprouted or protein-rich.
Fish tacos with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo will likely hit our plates on Thursday, assuming I can pick up some nice red snapper that day. To prep the fish I just douse red snapper fillets with fresh lime juice and either salt & pepper or a good blended seasoning (I like Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic for this) and grill it. Serve it up with warmed fresh corn tortillas, guac, pico, and - if you really want to make it AMAZING - mango-jalapeno salsa and chipotle crema. Yum. Spanish rice on the side will round out the plate.
We'll also enjoy Spaghetti and Meatballs, Kung Pao Chicken with Basmati Rice and try out a new dish harvested from the NY Times: Restaurant Pork Chop with Sweet Potato Fries. For the fries, sometimes I cheat and buy the good frozen ones at WF. If not, I trim sweet potatoes into batons, toss with a bit of canola oil and some chili powder and roast for 30 minutes or so at 425. I like to preheat the baking sheet inside the oven so that when the potatoes hit the hot pan they sizzle and sear.
As always, I'm happy to answer any questions. Enjoy your last days of September.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
On the Menu this Week
I write my weekly menus on Sundays and get most of my groceries on Mondays. I usually know what day we'll eat what - certain days I don't have as much time to cook, so those nights dinner needs to require less prep time. For example, we don't have a ton of time on Wednesdays, so this week I'll pop a tri-tip steak into a Le Creuset French oven in the morning so that we can have a quick Italian Beef Sandwich that evening. Also Wednesday I'll swing by the Green City Market for Bennison's Ciabatta - definitely the best in Chicago - and more white corn. I made Ina's Fresh Corn Salad today and it was perfect in every way. I can't wait to have it again and there's not going to be many more corn days this fall.
We'll have gyros at the end of the week, when my dad and step-mom are in town - that's a great meal for a crowd. Not a lot of instruction on that one - all I do is roast or grill leg of lamb, make pita bread and taziki sauce and let everyone pile on the fixins (red onion, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper).
I also plan our fish days around shopping days. Assuming it looks good, I'll swing by Whole Foods tomorrow for trout, and again on Thursday for salmon. And if the trout or salmon doesn't look good I'll change the menu to include something different that does.
Pizza is a great weekend meal since it's more labor intensive. I've been experimenting with a lighter crust, which is pushing the limits of my patience a bit. I followed a pizza dough recipe that called for cake flour (at the opposite end of the gluten spectrum from bread flour) but wasn't too impressed. It was impossible to work with and wasn't appreciably lighter in texture than my standard crust.
Here's the whole menu:
• Hometown Trout and Gruyere Potatoes
• Cantonese Pork with Jasmine Rice and Broccoli
• Italian Beef Sandwich and Ina's Fresh Corn Salad
• Asian Grilled Salmon Salad
• Roast Lamb Gyros with Pita Bread, Taziki and Greek Salad
• Taco Party with Spanish Rice, Guacamole and Pico de Gallo
• Pizza Margherita with a Big Salad
Monday, May 25, 2009
On the Menu This Week: Salad Niçoise
I love Salad Niçoise this time of year, when asparagus is in season. After a long winter of soups and stews this hearty spring salad is a delightful change.
I buy fresh tuna for this because I love it. Traditionally, a Niçoise salad is made with canned tuna. Always on the plate are hard boiled eggs, olives (kalamatas because I cannot stand Niçoise olives) red potatoes, asparagus or green beans, tomatoes and mixed greens. If you want an even more authentic taste, use walnut oil in your dressing (or part walnut, part olive). Walnut is a very healthy oil and it has a wonderful taste.
Also on the menu this week: Buffalo burgers and Avocado Salad; Orechiette with Broccoli Rabe and Chicken Sausage; Sweet Corn Risotto; Asian Grilled Salmon Salad; Quick Pesto Pizza; Lamb Kabobs with Quinoa.
The Quick Pesto Pizza is a great easy weeknight meal. I might have mentioned it before. I use a storebought crust from Whole Foods. I envy ye with access to Alvarado Street's AMAZING sprouted wheat pizza crust. Sigh. Just slather pesto all over and top with a light sprinkling of mozzarella. Bake in a very hot oven (450-500) for 5-6 minutes and enjoy.
Related Posts:
Salad Niçoise (Simply Recipes)
Monday, May 18, 2009
On the Menu This Week: The best thing on sliced bread
Planning a weekly menu is the best way to ensure healthy cooking and eating during the week. I usually don't think about it until Sunday evening or Monday morning when I write my ON THE MENU THIS WEEK column. I pick a balance of protein and fresh veggies, making sure to include a couple of meals that everyone enjoys. Then I shop. I get mostly everything I need for the week on Monday, though I do end up picking up other things later on, especially at the farmer's market. I find this way I have lots more time to do everything else I need to do that week.
Anyway, I've got a gorgeous flank steak on hand to make one of my favorite meals, the sandwich pictured here. It is quite possibly the best thing on sliced bread. I'll serve it with Roasted Red Potato Salad. The flank steak sandwich is a great meal at any time of year, but I especially enjoy it in the warmer weather with arugula and slow roasted tomatoes. Also on the menu this week is Shrimp & Broccoli, Beef Tacos with Spanish Rice and Guacamole, Lamb Gyros with Fresh Pita Bread, Taziki Sauce and Greek Salad, Pizza Margherita and a Salad, Hometown Trout with Baby Spinach Salad and Grilled Asparagus, and Tortilla Soup with Lime Cilantro Grilled Chicken. For an alternate trout recipe, check out Whole Rainbow Trout Baked in Foil from the New York Times.
I can't miss the chance to sing praise for Splash Shopper to organize your grocery and other shopping lists. Heather G. sent me this tidbit about Epicurious' iPhone app. I've played with the app a bit and found it to be a decent resource for ideas. The food is not as healthy as I'm inclined to cook but the technology is pretty cool. But it's worth checking out, ye iPhone/iTouch users.
Have a great week, everyone.
