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| Badlands National Park, SD, 2021 |
This meal plan dovetails on the end of our South Dakota trip (see previous post) so there are a couple added days to the menu.
Fri (S) Grouse and potatoes
Sat (L) leftover chili (S) Salmon and leeks in a wine sauce
Sun (L) leftover salmon (S) Roast Chicken with herbs and pomegranate molasses
Mon (yoga) leftover chicken
Tues - leftover chicken
Wed (yoga) - soup
Thurs - Bear chops in blue cheese sauce
Fri - leftover chops
Lunches - (me) butnut soup (Husband) sandwiches
This is a freezer reduction menu as items seem to go in, and are a bit slow to come out. It's nice to have the freezer, but often it becomes out of sight, out of mind. Trying to do better.
What came out: chili, salmon, chicken, soup, and bear. Mind, the chili and soup were pre-trip additions.
Wine-Poached Salmon with Piquillo Peppers and Leeks (Sitka Salmon)
A great weeknight dish that is easy to prep and come together very quickly and tastes great.
Two notables - I used jarred sliced roasted red peppers as I have no idea what a Piquillo pepper is nor nor does my store carry it. The other is, 5-6 min to cook the fish is very accurate. I went 10ish and it was over-cooked. Still good, just, overcooked. The picture shows cooking with skin on, the recipe calls to remove the skin. We removed the skin as directed for a more pleasant dining experience.
Recommended!
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| photo from Sitka Salmon |
1½ pounds salmon fillets, pin bones and skin removed, cut into 4 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small lemon, thinly sliced crosswise, seeds removed
1 cup thinly sliced leek, white and pale green parts, washed well
6 fresh thyme sprigs
½ cup dry white wine
¾ cup very thinly sliced piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Crusty bread for serving
PREP THE PARCHMENT
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the center position. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper. Cut a sheet of parchment into a 12-inch round (it should fit snugly into a 12-inch skillet). Fold it into quarters and snip 1/2 inch from the pointed tip. Unfold and set aside.
ROAST THE SALMON
In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter along with the oil. When the foam subsides, add the lemon and cook until heated, about 1 minute. Turn the lemon slices and stir in the leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs and top with the salmon. Pour the wine around the salmon, place the parchment circle on top and bring to a simmer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the fish is opaque and just flakes around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes depending on thickness.
MAKE THE SAUCE
Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the salmon to a platter. Cover the salmon with the parchment to keep warm. Carefully transfer the hot skillet to the stove and bring the pan juices to a gentle simmer over low heat. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sauce is creamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the peppers and parsley.
SERVE
Return the salmon to the skillet and garnish with parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup (modified from Cooks Country)
This was for lunches and I topped it with the pancetta, some popcorn and toasted pumpkin seeds.
A handful of modifications to this simple and easy soup - I used frozen squash (from my 2020 garden), I used 3 cups water because the squash had been frozen (otherwise too much liquid), and I added about a 1/2 tsp of gochujang paste for a bit of heat. I quite enjoyed the flavor balance and with the gochujang it had the perfect amount of spice. Recommended as written OR with modifications!
Serves 4 (I got 5 lunches out of this)
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| photo from America's Test Kitchen |
4 ounces pancetta, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (6 cups)
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth or water
1/2 tsp gochujang paste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Cook pancetta in Dutch oven over medium heat until browned and crispy, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel–lined plate.
Add squash, bell pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper to fat left in pot and cook over medium-high heat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, covered, until squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
Working with 2 cups at a time, process soup in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer pureed soup to saucepan. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with chives and pancetta.
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