L.E.T.’s Cook Dinner Week 4
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Menu
Sunday Pork Tenderloins with Madeira-Fig Gravy
Monday Tuscan White Bean Burger with Cucumber, Tomato, Okra Salad
Tuesday Steamed Eggplant with Chickpeas and Herbed Yogurt
Wednesday Fresh Tuna Salad with Green Beans
Thursday Mushroom and Okra Perlo
Friday Pasta and Peas
Saturday Zucchini Blossoms with Microgreens
Grocery List
Meat
2 pounds pork tenderloins
1 pound tuna steak
4 oz slice prosciutto
Produce
garlic*
2 large shallots
4 yellow onions
1 bunch scallions
1 pound fresh figs
1 cup kalamata olives
4 lemons
1 pound okra
7 tomatoes
1 large cucumber
1 large Japanese eggplant
1/2 pound green beans
2 bunches arugula
8 oz cremini mushrooms
3 poblano peppers
10 oz baby peas
20 zucchini blossoms
sage
dill*
mint*
thyme*
parsley*
Pantry
Red Wine Vinegar*
Kosher Salt*
Black Pepper*
Vegetable Oil*
All Purpose Flour*
Self Rising Flour
Baking powder
Vegetable Stock*
1 can navy beans
1 can chickpeas
Dijon mustard*
Basmati rice*
Red chile flakes*
bay leaves
dried pasta*
Dairy
unsalted butter*
eggs*
2/3 cup plain yogurt*
Parmesan cheese*
Misc
1 c Medeira
1/4 c pistachios*
dry white wine
*marks ingredients from previous grocery lists. check stock levels.
PREP
Carmelize onion and roast garlic for Monday night’s dinner. 4 hard boiled eggs and blanch green beans for Wednesday night’s dinner.
Don’t forget to keep your tails for stock!
RECIPES
Sunday
Pork Tenderloins with Madeira-Fig Gravy
1 c dry Madeira
1/4 c red wine vinegar
6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
12 sprigs fresh thyme
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 pounds pork tenderloins
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp pepper
3 T unsalted butter
2 lg shallots, finely diced
1 tsp sifted flour
1 pound fresh figs, trimmed and quartered
Pour Madeira and vinegar into a gallon size locking food storage bag, add the garlic, thyme, and 1 tsp salt. Seal bag and agitate to combine. Add pork tenderloins, reseal with as little air inside as possible, and turn several times to coate. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, turning bag every 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 450 and position rack in top third of oven.
Transfer tenderloins to a cutting bard, reserving marinade, and pat meat dry with paper towel. Brush tenderloin with 1 tsp of oil, and season with 1 tsp of salt and pepper. Heat remaining tsp oil in large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. add tenderloins and sear turning occasionaly until nicely browned, about 5-6 minutes.
Transfer tenderloins to a plate and pour off any remain oil in the pan. Add the butter and shallots to pan, stirring until butter has completely melted, and the add remaining 1/2 tsp salt and flour. Cook until shallots have softened and are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Then add figs and reserved marinade , and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low. Add tenderloins to skillet, and nestle among figs. Transfer skillet to oven and roast, turning meat once, for about 12 minutes for medium rare or 16 minutes for well done.
Remove the skillet fom oven and let tenderloins rest on a cutting board, loosely covered with foil for 5 minutes. Then slice tenderloins into 1/2 inch thick medallions and arrange 4-6 medallions per plate. Spoon a ladleful of the fig gravy over each serving.
Monday
Tuscan White Bean Burger with Cucumber, Tomato, Okra Salad
Burger:
1 onion, peeled
4 T 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 head garlic
1 can navy beans
1 egg
3 sage leaves, minced
1/2 c sliced, pitted Kalamata olives
lemon juice
1/2 c toasted bread crumbs
salt and pepper
Salad:
8oz okra, trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick rounds
3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
3 tomatoes
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T 1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1 lg cucumber, peeled, trimmed, and cut into large matchsticks
3 T finely chopped scallions, white and green parts
1/2 tsp pepper, plus more to taste
Burger:
*Cut the onion in half through the stem and then slice in 1/8 inch thick half rings. Heat 2 T olive oil in saute pan over medium low heat and add onion, turning to coat. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat if onion begins to burn, until carmelized, about 30 minutes.
*Meanwhile, roast the garlic. Break head of garlic into cloves, Toss in 1/2 tsp of oil and spread on baking sheet. Roast at 300 for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan frequently. Cool and peel.
Preheat oven to 375.
In food processor, puree 1/2 c of beans w half of garlic, half of onion, egg, and half of sage.
Chopp remaining onion and garlic coarsely and place in a mixing bowl. Add remaining beans and coarsely mash with a fork or potato masher. Fold in pureed bean-egg mixture, remaining sage, olives, and lemon juice. Fold in bread crumbs. It will be a wet mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 patties. In a skillet heat 2 T oil over medium high heat. When hot, add patties and cook until browned on each side, 6-10 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake 12-15 minutes, until slightly firmed and cooked through.
Salad:
Scatter the okra in a single layer in a large skillet. Cook over medium high heat, moving pieces frequently, until okra is just browning around the edges, about 8 minutes.Remove from heat, transfer to a small bowl, and sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over it. Set aside.
Set a strainer over medium bowl. Core tomatoes, cut them in half widthwise, and using finger tease seeds out of cavaties letting them drop into strainer. Discard seeds. Chop tomatoes.
Add the mustard, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to tomato water, and whisk until mustard is completely incorporated. Add olive oil in a thin stream whisking constantly until the ingredients are thoroughly emulsified, thick consistency.
In a large bowl, toss cucumber with tomatoes, scallions, black pepper until combined. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until evenly coated. Season to taste.
Divide out salad and sprinkle a handful of toasted okra over each portion.
Serve beside burger.
Tuesday
Steamed Eggplant with Chickpeas and Herbed Yogurt
1 eggplant, peeled lengthwise in stripes and cut crosswise in 1/2 inch slices
2/3 c yogurt
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 T chopped dill
1 T chopped mint
1 tsp lemon zest
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 c pistachios
In a steamer basket set over (not in) boiling water, cook egglplant until just tneder but not falling apart, about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk yogurt, oil, salt, lemon zest. Fold in dill and mint. Fold in chickpeas. Add lemon juice to taste.
While eggplant is warm, add it to yogurt mixture, tossing to coat.
Serve chilled with 1/4 c chopped pistachios over the top.
Wednesday
Fresh Tuna Salad with Green Beans
2 bunches arugula, remove stems and wash/dry
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
1- 1 pound tuna steak
7 T olive oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/2 pound green beans, blanched
1/2 c Kalamata olives, pitted, sliced, soaked in 2 T olive oil
Prepare grill with medium high heat.
Put arugula in a large salad bowl with plenty of room fo tossing. Arrange tomatoe wedges in greens. Arrange eggs on top of salad.
Brush tuna with olive oil and grill tuna for 3 minutes per side.
Slice tuna into thin strips and arrange on salad. Add vinegar to olives and mix, season. Then poor over salad. Toass and serve immediately.
Thursday
Mushroom and Okra Perlo
8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
8 oz okra, stems trimmed, pods sliced in half lengthwise
3 poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 tsp salt
3 T vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, diced
1 c basmati rice, rinsed and drained
3 T chopped garlic
2 tomatoes, diced, with liquid
1/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes
1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
1/4 c dry white wine
2 c vegetable broth
Heat oven to 375 with rack in top third of oven.
Toss mushrooms, okra, poblanos and 1 tsp salt together in a mixxing bowl. Set aside.
Pour oil into heavy bottomed dutch oven or ovenproof pot, over medium high heat. When oil shimmers andd onions and 1 tsp salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until begin to become golden in color, about 6 minutes. Add rice and garlic and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until rice smells toasty and garlic begins to brown. Add tomatoes with liquid, chile flakes, thyme, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, utnil tomatoes are well incorporated and beginning to dissolbe. Add wine and broth.
In thirds, gently fold mushrooms, okra, and poblanos into pot. When liquid returns to a simmer, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes without opening the door.
Transfer pot to a trivet, but leave it covered (DON’T PEEK!) and undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Serve.
Friday
Pasta and Peas
4 T butter
4 oz slice prosciutto, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 onion, chopped
10 oz baby peas
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 pound pasta
salt and pepper
grated Parmesan, to serve
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
In a saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add prosciutto and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add peas and cook just long enough to cook them through. Add parsley and season to taste.
Boil dried pasta according to package.
Drain pasta and transfer to bowl. Toss with pea mixture. Serve with grated Parmesan on top.
Saturday
Zucchini Blossoms with Micro Greens
2/3 c self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 T olive oil, plus more for frying
1 egg, beaten
1 c ice water
20 zucchini blossoms
salt and pepper
lemon wedges, for serving
Sift flour and baking powder together in a bowl and add 1 T olive oil and egg. Stir in enough water to make a batter with consistency of heavy cream. Season to taste
Pour a shallow layer of olive oil into a large skillet and heat over high heat until very hot. Dip zucchini blossoms briefly into batter then add to oil and cook, in batches, for 2-4 minutes, until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Serve immediately over microgreens, sprinkled with a bit of salt and lemon wedges.
About the Author, Kate
I had to teach myself to cook and began to learn how to create the dishes I had eaten in my own kitchen. Before long, as my own kitchen confidence grew, friends were calling, texting, emailing daily to ask what they should have for dinner or how to prepare this or what to do what that. And that is how this site came to be.







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