Pork and Mashed Parsnips

Thursday 29 November

We patted a pair of thick pork medallions with fresh thyme and salt, and sautéed them simply in a hot pan.  

Alongside, there were delicious mashed parsnips prepared thus, using a good splat of cream.  They didn't even need to be whipped - just used Barbara's ancestral wooden potato bat to mash them a little.  The 'snips turned out sweet and luscious once we added a bit of grated nutmeg and salt.

Ham and Cheese Omelet

Wednesday 28 November

After three events that started at 4:30 PM (the Semple scholar talks, Kurt Raaflaub's Onassis lecture, and a wonderful Monteverdi Project choral concert), we got home at 10:30 and were more than ready for a hasty hot dinner.  Just cooked up an omelet with cubed ham, scallions, and coljack cheese, and it was all we needed.

Sicilian Albacore

Tuesday 27 November

This was pasta con le sarde without pasta, or sarde. 

Sauté garden fennel slices in butter, then wine, then whites of scallion.  Add whizzed-up bag-ripened tomatoes, then wash out the robot-coupe with a little white wine, dissolve some saffron threads in it, and slosh into the pan.  Add raisins to plump up, and begin to simmer.  Add pine nuts, then greens of scallions and some of the fennel fronds.  Depending on thickness of tomatoes, clear a space and sauté a Tbsp. or so of tomato paste. 

Take defrosted tuna steaks, cut into slices 3/4 inch thick, set on top of sauce for 2 mins. with heat on, and then another 2 mins. with heat off; flip them over (the vegetables will stick to them, which looks very attractive, actually), and give them another minute covered if necessary.  
Surprising, and tasty.

Leftover Beef and Beets

Monday 26 November

We defrosted some slices of Beef Wellington from Holt's birthday party, accompanied by sliced roasted beets, tossed with oil and white balsamic.  Toothsome.

Turkey Tortellini Soup

Sunday 25 November

Barbara made enough broth from the two turkey carcasses (with only a branch of sage and a few peppercorns) to have plenty to leave for the Shaffers, and plenty for us to take on our drive back to Cincinnati.  
So when we got home, we froze some, and hotted up the rest (with its turkey shreds inside) with diced turnip, carrot, and scallion (whites first, then greens), and multicolor tortellini.  
Warm and welcoming.

Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach

Saturday 24 November

This is Becky's specialty, which the whole family loves.

It's Real Simple, too.