Week #2 with Comit
Hello and welcome to the second edition of the Comit newsletter! This week, we're featuring a couple of fish-based recipes and two vegetarian options. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
This week on the menu, we have
Salmon with Asparagus⚡
Quinoa with milk-braised Fennel 🌱
Tuna and Zucchini pasta
Leek, Zucchini, and Camembert Frittata 🌱
🐟 Salmon with Asparagus⚡
Ingredients (4 servings)
4 salmon fillets
2 bunches of asparagus
Salt (preferably salt flakes, but regular salt is also fine)
Olive oil
Pepper
Kitchen tools
Large non-stick pan
Cutting board and knife
Spatula
Instructions
Wash the asparagus and remove the lower part of the stem
Heat the pan with a drizzle of oil and bring to medium heat
Add the asparagus and cook for about 10 minutes until they have softened (the time will depend on the thickness of the asparagus)
Add the salmon and continue cooking for another 10 minutes (approximately 5 minutes per side)
Once the centre of the fillet seems cooked, turn off the heat and serve the salmon and asparagus hot
Tips
If the salmon has skin, start cooking with the skin side up
To speed up the process, you can boil the asparagus separately for a few minutes and add them to the pan with the salmon just to finish cooking
Storage
Consume immediately
🥣 Quinoa with milk-braised Fennel 🌱
Ingredients (4 servings)
200g quinoa
500g fennel
40g butter
70g grated parmesan cheese
300ml milk
Salt
Kitchen tools
Saucepan
Medium-sized frying pan
Cutting board
Knife
Spatula or rubber spoon
Fine mash strainer
Instructions
For the quinoa
Rinse the quinoa in cold water using a strainer to reduce the bitter taste caused by saponin.
Transfer the quinoa to a saucepan and cover with twice the amount of hot water.
Place on the heat and cook, covered and over low heat, for the time indicated on the package or until the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and let it cool.
For the fennel
Clean the fennel: remove the base and stalks.
Wash well and cut into thin slices. Melt the butter over low heat in the frying pan.
Add the fennel and let it sauté for a few minutes, stirring often.
Season with salt and add the milk.
Cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the milk has almost dried up.
Sprinkle with grated cheese and cover the pan with a lid.
Let it cook for another five minutes, then season the quinoa with a little olive oil, and serve it together with the fennel in a deep plate or bowl.
Tips
If the quinoa becomes too dry, you can add more hot water during cooking.
Storage
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
🍝 Tuna and Zucchini pasta
Ingredients (4 servings)
2 medium-sized zucchini or one large
2 cans of tuna
350g short pasta
1 clove of garlic
Olive oil
Regular salt
Coarse salt
Chili flakes
Kitchen tools
Pot for boiling pasta
Frying pan
Colander
Spatula or plastic spoon
Instructions
Bring a pot of water for the pasta to boil over medium/high heat.
While the water comes to a boil, slice the zucchini. I recommend cutting them lengthwise into quarters first, then slicing them thinly.
Place the frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic.
Once the water boils, add a tablespoon of coarse salt (more information in the tips) and pour in the pasta.
When the garlic is golden brown, remove it and add the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you like it spicy, you can add a pinch of chili flakes.
Cook the zucchini for about 10-15 minutes or until they are tender enough. Reduce the heat to low and add the tuna. Make sure to shred it so it mixes well with the zucchini.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and transfer it to the frying pan with the zucchini and tuna.
Turn off the heat, mix well, and serve.
Tips
If you notice the zucchini is sticking or burning, you can add a bit more olive oil during cooking.
For an extra creamy effect, you can set aside a cup of cooking water and add it to the sauce along with the pasta, ensuring everything is well mixed before turning off the heat.
If you're unsure about the amount of water and salt for the pasta, generally, for every 100 grams of pasta, use one liter of water and salt it at 1% concentration: that's about 10 grams of coarse salt per liter of water, roughly a teaspoon. My advice is simply to ensure you cook the pasta in plenty of water and taste the water with a spoon to ensure it's salted to your liking.
Storage
Pasta is best enjoyed freshly cooked so I recommend cooking only the amount you need, each time. However, you can prepare the sauce for all servings in advance as it can be stored in the fridge for a few days.
🥚Leek, Zucchini, and Camembert Frittata 🌱
Ingredients (4 servings)
1 zucchini
1 leek
6 eggs
50g of Camembert cheese (or another type of cheese)
Salt
Olive oil
Pepper
A pinch of turmeric
Kitchen tools
Cutting board
Vegetable knife
Small or medium-sized bowl
Fork
Baking dish
Frying pan with lid
Instructions
Clean the leek and slice it into rounds about half a centimeter thick.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in the frying pan and add the leek, seasoning with a little salt.
Meanwhile, slice the zucchini into thin rounds and add them to the leek.
Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If needed, you can add a bit of warm water to prevent the vegetables from burning.
While the vegetables are cooking, wash the eggs, crack them into the bowl.
Add salt, pepper, and turmeric, then beat with a fork until well combined.
Once the vegetables are cooked, spread them evenly in the baking dish.
Pour the beaten eggs over the vegetables in the baking dish.
Slice the cheese into thin slices and place them on top of the mixture.
Place the baking dish in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake for about 25 minutes or until the surface of the frittata becomes nicely colored.
Remove from the oven and serve!
Tips
Ideally, use an oven-safe pan (25-30cm in diameter with high sides) for this recipe so you can avoid dirtying an additional baking dish. Once the vegetables are cooked, turn off the heat, wait a moment, and pour the eggs directly into the pan!
I prefer baking frittatas in the oven, but you can also cook it in a frying pan. Just be careful that halfway through cooking, you'll need to flip it using a lid or a large plate.
Storage
The frittata can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
Shopping lists
Final tips
These recipes feature a generous amount of zucchini, which are rich in potassium and antioxidants. To save time, you might consider chopping all the zucchini at once and even cooking them separately. This way, you'll only need to add them to each recipe as required. Additionally, if you're short on time, look for the ⚡ symbol indicating a super quick recipe that should take about 15 minutes or less to prepare. And if you fancy a non-meat based treat, the recipes marked by a 🌱 are the ones you should be looking for!
If you like this publication, you can support it by sharing it with your friends and family!
And if you have any feedback or ideas, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me directly.
Thank you, and see you next week!
Andrea