7 days, 7 delicious dinners

Sunday
Hearty Caesar salad
Serves 4

Salad dressing
2 cloves of garlic
2 egg yolks
40ml (4 tbsp) lemon juice
2 anchovy fillets in oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250ml (1 cup) olive oil
40g (4 tbsp) grated parmesan cheese

1.  Drain the anchovies and reserve the oil.
2.  Place the garlic, egg yolks, lemon juice, anchovies, mustard, salt and pepper into a food processor and blend well. As the mixture is blending, add the olive oil and anchovy oil slowly and in a thin stream, so that the dressing coagulates. If the oil is added too quickly, the dressing will separate, so take care to add it very slowly and in a thin stream.
3.  After the oil has been added, you may find that the dressing is a bit thick, so add a teaspoon of warm water and continue to blend. Add more water, a teaspoonful at a time, of necessary.
4.  After the dressing has been blended to an appealing consistency, remove the dressing from the food processor and place into a small bowl or pitcher. Add the parmesan and stir gently to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Set aside while you make the salad.

Caesar salad
4 slices stale bread
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g streaky bacon
1 red onion
1 cos lettuce
8 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
100g (1/4 cup) shaved parmesan cheese
50ml (41/2 tbsp) white vinegar
4 eggs

1.  Preheat the oven to 120°C. Chop the bread into croutons, about 1-2cm squared.
2.  In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, salt and pepper, then add the croutons and toss lightly to coat. Remove to an oven tray. Place the croutons in the preheated oven and bake until crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.
3.  Lay the bacon rashers flat on another baking tray. Turn the oven to the grill setting and cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from the oven and chop into small pieces.
4.  Slice the red onion as thinly as you can. Wash the cos lettuce, dry well, then cut into chunky pieces.
5.  Place the lettuce, onion, anchovies, parmesan cheese, croutons, and bacon in a large bowl. Add a good amount of the salad dressing. Mix the salad thoroughly with your hands, then remove to a serving bowl. Set aside.
6.  Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then turn the heat down to just under boiling temperature (about 98°C). Add the vinegar and, using a large spoon, swirl the water around to mix. Gently break one of the eggs into the water to poach. Leave the egg in the water for about one to one-and-a-half minutes, until the white of the egg is cooked and the yolk is still soft. Remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining eggs.
7.  Place all of the poached eggs on top of the salad, then serve with extra dressing.

Saturday
Cream-glazed beef involtini on roast garlic potato mash 
Serves 4

Roast garlic potato mash
3 whole bulbs of garlic
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
750g large floury potatoes
50ml (41/2 tbsp) fresh cream
50g butter
Salt to taste
White pepper

1.  Place the three bulbs of garlic on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2.  Preheat the oven to 180°C, then bake the garlic bulbs for about 20 minutes or until they are brown and soft.
3.  Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until soft. Strain well. Peel the potatoes, then remove them to a strainer. Using a spatula, press the potatoes through the strainer and into a bowl, removing any lumps.
4.  Remove the garlic bulbs from the oven and remove them to a chopping board. Using a knife, squash the bulbs of garlic to loosen the skin. Peel the garlic and throw the peels away. Chop the roasted garlic and add to the mashed potato.
5.  Add the cream, butter, salt and white pepper, then mix together.

Beef involtini
8 small (about 70g each) beef steaks
8 slices of prosciutto
16 French beans
100g feta cheese
Olive oil

1.  Clean the kitchen counter well, then place one steak flat on the surface of the counter. Cover it with two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, lightly beat the steak until it is about 2-3mm thick. Repeat with remaining steaks. This is called "tenderising".
2.  After all of the steak has been tenderised, take one steak and lay it flat on the counter or a tray. Place a slice of prosciutto, two beans, some crumbled feta, and salt and pepper on the steak. Roll up the steak with the stuffing in the centre. Using a toothpick, push it through the folded-over flap of the steak to hold the roll together. Repeat for the remaining beef steaks.
3.  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef involtinis, browning all over. Remove the involtinis to a baking tray, but save the browned flavouring in the frying pan to make the cream glaze.
4.  Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the involtinis in the oven and cook for about seven minutes, or until the feta cheese starts to go mushy. Remove from the oven and let it rest in a warm place for two minutes.

Cream glaze
Flavor left in frying pan from the involtinis
100ml/1/4 cup chicken stock
50ml/4 1/2 tbsp fresh cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Using the same frying pan that the involtinis were browned in, remove the excess fat, leaving the browned juices. Heat on medium and add the chicken stock, then let it bubble. This is called "deglazing".
2.  When the chicken stock is reduced to about 20ml, add the fresh cream and reduce just a bit, until thick enough to make a glaze sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Friday
Herb-crusted rack of lamb with Lyonnaise potatoes and red wine glacé
Serves 4

Herb-crusted rack of lamb
Best end rack of lamb (2x8 or 4x4 bones)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 pickling onions, finely chopped
5g (1 tsp) fresh thyme, chopped
5g (1 tsp) fresh rosemary, chopped
5g (1 tsp) fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
100g (1/4 cup) fine breadcrumbs (making your own in a food processor is best)
Olive oil

1.  Trim the lamb rack for roasting, removing the excess fat and making sure all of the bones are clean, with silver skin and sinew removed. Season well with salt and pepper.
2.  Sear outside of the rack in a very hot frying pan, then let it cool.
3.  Place the garlic and onions in a frying pan on medium heat. Cook until soft, then add chopped herbs and breadcrumbs and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
4.  Brush the seared rack of lamb with the mustard, then pack the breadcrumb mixture onto the lamb, keeping the bones clean. Place in a roasting dish.
5.  Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast the rack of lamb for about 15 to 20 minutes until cooked. The meat should be pink in the middle when cut. Serve with Lyonnaise potatoes and red wine glacé.

Lyonnaise potatoes
8 small, even-sized potatoes
50g butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, sliced

1.  Steam or boil the potatoes until they are just cooked, then leave to cool.
2.  Place half the butter in a frying pan. Cut the potatoes into 3mm slices and sauté in the butter until browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
3.  In a separate frying pan, melt the rest of the butter and sauté the onions until caramelised.
4.  Combine the potatoes and onions, mixing well.

Red wine glacé
150ml red wine
1/2 tbsp cornflour
Water

1.  Deglaze the hot pan that the lamb rack was roasted in with red wine and cook until the alcohol smell disappears.
2.  Mix the cornflour and the water, then add to the wine in the pan. Simmer for two minutes.

Thursday
Fettuccine with smoked salmon, dill and capers
Serves 4

Fettuccine
800g fettuccine pasta
Olive oil

1.  Place the fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water.
2.  Add a drizzle of olive oil, the boil the pasta according to packet directions, moving it around with tongs so that it doesn't stick together.
3.  When pasta is cooked to "al dente" (firm to the bite) consistency, remove from heat and drain in a sieve. Run sieve with pasta under cold water to stop the pasta cooking further.

Smoked salmon with dill and capers
10ml (1/2 tbsp) olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
50g capers
20g (2 tbsp) dill
200g smoked salmon
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
250ml (1 cup) white wine
350g (11/4 cup) fresh cream
Zest of one lemon
50g (21/2 tbsp) parmesan cheese

1.  Place the olive oil in a large frying pan and heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry lightly until soft but not coloured. Add half of the capers, half of the dill, and 50g of the smoked salmon and cook for three minutes. Add chicken stock and white wine and cook on high heat until it reduces to about 250ml or one cup. Add the cream and lemon zest, then stir and wait until the liquid is quite thick, like a sauce.
2.  Lower the heat to medium and stir in the rest of the salmon, capers, and dill. Add the fettucine and toss through with tongs. Finally, add the parmesan and mix through until the sauce lightly coats the pasta and there is none pooled in the bottom of the pan. Serve hot.

Wednesday
Monkfish with tapenade on crushed baby potatoes with watercress
Serves 4

Tapenade
50g red onion, roughly chopped
20g (2 tbsp) garlic
50g anchovies
150g Kalamata (black) olives
150g capers
25g (21/2 tbsp) Dijon mustard
100g (1/4 cup) parmesan cheese
100ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Place the red onion, garlic, anchovies, olives, capers, mustard, and parmesan cheese into a food processor and process to blend into a rough paste.
2.  Add olive oil and blend to combine, then add salt and pepper and season to taste. This tapenade can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Monkfish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dusting
4 x 150g pieces of fresh Monkfish fillets of a similar thickness
50g butter
50g (21/2 tbsp) olive oil

1.  In a shallow bowl, mix the salt, pepper and flour, then lightly dust the monkfish fillets until just coated.
2.  Place the butter and olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. When the butter is melted and the oil/butter mixture is hot, place the monkfish fillets in the frying pan. Lightly fry the monkfish until it is golden brown on each side, being careful not to burn the fish. Remove to an oven tray.
3.  Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the tapenade on top of the monkfish, about 5mm thick. Then place tray into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remember, the thicker the pieces are, the longer the cooking time.

Crushed baby potatoes with watercress
600g baby potatoes with skin on
200g watercress
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Olive oil

1.  Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil until well cooked.
2.  Strain potatoes well and place it back into the pot. Using a fork, lightly crush each potato until they are just falling apart.
3.  Add the watercress, salt and pepper to taste, and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix together and serve with monkfish and tapenade.

Tuesday
Mushroom risotto with watercress, pear and parmesan salad

400g portobello mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
50g butter
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g (2 cups) arborio rice
250ml (1 cup) white wine
750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
50g (21/2 tbsp) good-quality parmesan cheese, grated

1.  Preheat oven to 100°C. Place the mushrooms bottoms-up on a baking tray, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place the in the oven for one hour - this helps to evaporate the excess water in the mushrooms. After an hour, remove from oven and allow the mushrooms to cool.
2.  Place the mushrooms into a food processor and blend into small chunks, but stop just before the mixture turns to a paste. Set aside.
3.  Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until softened. Add the rice and stir continuously until the entire mixture turns white in colour.
4.  Add the white wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly so that the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until all of the wine is absorbed.
5.  Add about 150ml of the chicken stock and keep stirring the mixture until the stock is completely absorbed.
6.  Next, add the mushrooms to the rice mixture, and continue pouring in small amounts of chicken stock, stirring the mixture often until the rice is soft but still has a hint of firmness. It will take 15 to 20 minutes for the rice to reach this "al dente" stage.
7.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle over the grated parmesan cheese. Remove the pan from the stove and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving with watercress, pear and parmesan salad.

Watercress, pear and parmesan salad
1 firm pear
150g watercress, washed and with the stalks removed
50g shaved parmesan cheese
20ml (2 tbsp) cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
40ml (4 tbsp) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin from the pear, then shave the ?esh of the pear into thin strips.
2.  Place the pear, watercress, and parmesan cheese into a bowl. Toss to combine.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle this dressing over the salad, and serve.

Hint: Prepare the salad just before serving with the risotto, so that the pear does not go brown and the watercress doesn't wilt.

Monday
Stuffed Mediterranean chicken breasts on balsamic kumara mash with tomato coulis

Serves 4

Mediterranean chicken breasts
4 chicken breasts with skin on
4 slices prosciutto
20g (2 tbsp) fresh sage
80g feta cheese
20ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

1.  Trim off the excess fat around the edges of the chicken breast, leaving the skin on. Turn the chicken breast over, then turn back the fillet flap of the breast and slice your knife underneath it, creating a pocket.
2.  Stuff the pocket with one slice of prosciutto, 5g fresh sage and 20g feta cheese, then close the fillet flap over the top. Repeat the same process for the rest of the chicken breasts.
3.  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on a high heat. Place the chicken breasts into the pan with the skin-side down, then turn the heat down by half. Turn the chicken breasts continuously to crisp the skin without burning it.
4.  After the chicken skin is golden and crisp, remove the chicken breasts from the frying pan and place them on a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the chicken for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
5.  Remove the chicken from the oven, then let it rest in a warm place for five minutes before serving with balsamic kumara mash and tomato coulis, and a few roasted vine tomatoes on the side, if desired.

Balsamic kumara mash
1kg kumara, peeled and cut into chunks
50g salted butter, softened
50ml (21/2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar

1.  Boil the kumara until soft. Drain well.
2.  Press the softened kumara against the bottom of the strainer with a spatula to squeeze out excess water and remove any lumps.
3.  Place the kumara in a bowl, then add the butter and vinegar and mash well.

Tomato coulis
4 plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp fresh oregano
1 tbsp brown sugar

 Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. 

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