Vegetables and Lean Protein

Cafe Society
21

It took me a while to get good at it. A light coating of corn starch, the tofu needs to be well pressed, and just the right heat to brown pieces one side at a time without any burning.

I think I’m gonna shy away from a combination meal this time. I make plenty of those now because it’s just the two of us and some unpredictable number of our official or unofficial children showing up for dinner. If it’s just us it will provide 2 or 3 meals, if the gang shows up, usually unannounced, there’s still plenty to go around.

I’m looking at several distinct dishes like the vegetable curry above that are visually attractive as well as good tasting. I might go with something besides the quinoa depending on the rest of the menu. I’m not deciding anything for several days though, life could enjoy another laugh at my expense without notice.

22

Chicken breasts and pork tenderloin are both very lean. The key to flavor is in the marinade. You have to brine or marinade for at least four hours.

For Autumn, maybe do an apple cider brine followed by slowcooker in fresh cider with lots of onions and slices of rutabaga.

Roasted veggies are a good idea (brussels sprouts sounded great, or mix broccoli florets with cauliflower) tossed in light olive oil and your favorite herbs (rosemary goes well, and a bit of garlic salt).

23

Rosemary-Lemon Salmon Filets

Preheat your oven to 400ºF, or preheat the barbie.

Dry the skin-on wild-caught salmon filets. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt on them. Lay fresh rosemary sprigs on top. Slice a lemon, and layer over the rosemary sprigs. Bake in the oven on a sheet for about 25 minutes, or grill on the barbie with the cover down until done. They’re better on the barbie because the skin gets crispier.

Serve with steamed yellow squash.

Simple, light, and tasty.

ETA1:

Fish taco sauce recipe.

ETA2:
Fish florentine. I love making this. Might be a little heavy with the sauce, but the website is Skinny Taste. :wink:

24

IOW, Caprese salad. Perfect if the weather’s hot. I like it with a drizzle of balsamic.

I just finished reading a book about an English home with an eccentric lord/owner. One of the dishes they mentioned serving often in the 30s was poached sole in a cream sauce with grated horseradish. Sounded great to me!

25

There’s a slight variant of this, with red onions, that I sometimes make for a winter feast meal, like Christmas Eve:

It’s hugely aromatic and so, so good. The lemon slices keep the salmon from drying out.

26

They also impart a nice flavour. :wink:

Unfortunately, SWMBO isn’t fond of red onions. And they seem to mess up her stomach.

27

Salad with mayo, bacon, olives?
Southwest Montana’s black oil?
Sweaty withers make body odor?

28

She Who Must Be Obeyed.

29

That makes way more sense.

30

Hopefully SWHMSHTTW (she who has more of a sense of humor than this woman) …

31

I mean, what’s being described there is a jacked up marriage and I don’t think it’s the nickname that killed it.

32

Only if you overcook it. Otherwise it’s as tender as fillet mignon.

33

Pumpkin fritters? They’re a traditional South African favourite:

34

Lots of good ideas here. At the moment the menu is looking like:

Fresh loaf of Portuguese or Italian bread (from the bakery)
Caprese salad
Sea scallops with avocado-bacon-corn relish
Spinach Mushroom Pilaf

My friend is bringing dessert. I would like to make something like the curried vegetables @Spice_Weasel suggested but the relish for the scallops will be quite colorful. I will wear any color combination of clothes that fit but I avoid making different dishes that clash.

35

That sounds delicious.