Lessons Worth Savoring Spinach Timbales Recipes

ELEGANT SPINACH TIMBALES

Steps:

• cook spinach according to package directions, drain.
• in a small mixer bowl beat eggs at medium speed until foamy (1 to 2 minutes).
• by hand stir in cooked spinach and remaining ingredients.
• divide mixture between 5 greased 6-oz custard cups. place custard cups on a rack in a 10inch skillet.
• add hot (not boiling) water to just below rack.
• cover, cook over medium heat for 18 to 22 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. if water begins to boil, reduce heat to low.
• meanwhile in a 1-qt saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter.
• add flour, mustard, salt and pepper.
• cook over medium heat until smooth and bubbly (30sec).
• stir in milk, continue cooking, stirring occasionally until sauce comes to a full boil.
• stir in cheese until melted.
• loosen edges of timbales with knife, unmold, serve cheese sauce over timbales.

LESSONS WORTH SAVORING SPINACH TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the spinach, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove spinach from skillet, drain and keep warm.
• In the same skillet, add one tablespoon of butter and the leeks, and cook over high heat, stirring, until the leeks are wilted.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the spinach to the skillet, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, set aside and keep warm.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cream and nutmeg, and beat well with a whisk.
• Grease four aluminum molds ( 1/3-cup capacity) with the remaining butter. Distribute the leak, spinach and mushroom mixture evenly in the molds. Place them in a deep skillet. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables in the molds. Add warm water around the molds to about 1/2-inch depth; then, cover them with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm. To serve, unmold onto the plates holding the roast duck.

PASTINA TIMBALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Brush 8 (12-ounce) ramekins or 1 large oven-safe bowl with butter and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and saute sausage until browned.
• Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil and the minced garlic in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir them every minute for 3 to 5 minutes until the crumbs are lightly toasted. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the parsley and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour the bread crumb mixture into the prepared ramekins or bowl and press around the sides to line with the bread crumb mixture, using your fingers to evenly distribute it along the bottom and up the sides.
• While the Pastina Timbale Sauce is simmering, cook the pastina in the boiling salted water until just shy of al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pastina in a colander.
• Reheat the sauce, if needed, and add the drained pastina and then the browned sausage. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of parsley, and remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine. Transfer the pastina mixture to the lined ramekins (1 1/4 cups per ramekin) or large bowl. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Invert the molded pastina timbale onto warmed individual serving plates, and serve.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a bowl, toss tomatoes and whole jalapeno chiles with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place tomato mixture on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 15 or 20 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from heat and finely chop the tomatoes. Transfer tomato pulp and any juices from the cutting board to a bowl. Chop the chiles and taste to determine their heat.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, season with salt, and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and stir. Add the chiles and simmer for another minute, only adding as much jalapeno as you want for spice. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir in the Gorgonzola. Stir in the roasted peppers and the parsley. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

VEGETABLE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 1 batch of corn custard and set aside. Dry roast all the vegetable rounds until wrinkly, but not too brown. Let cool. Meanwhile, spray 8 souffle dishes with pan coating. Line the edges of the dishes with the leeks horizontally. Arrange 3 to 4 carrot rounds on the bottom of each dish making a "flower." Follow layers in this order: zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, yellow squash, and red peppers. Place the rounds in concentric circles fully covering the previous layer.
• Ladle the corn custard over the entire timbale. Once the custard is up to the lip, cover with spinach leaves. Press the leaves lightly into the custard to coat.
• Cover with foil and bake until the custards reach a temperature of 150 degrees F.
• Put corn in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the cream, just enough to blend and add to the corn. Add the remaining ingredients and blend. Pour over timbales and bake.

AUBERGINE TIMBALES WITH GOAT'S CHEESE

Steps:

• Put oil in a large frying pan to cover the base, and heat. Fry the aubergine until softened, 2-3 mins . Season, then drain on paper towel. You may have to do this in batches.
• For the filling, add 2-3 tbsp oil to the pan and fry the pepper, courgette, shallots and garlic over a high heat until they have a good colour, 3-5 mins. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook until evaporated. Add the tomatoes and season, then cook for 3 more mins stirring occasionally until the mixture is softened, but not too saucy. Remove from the heat, then mix in the olives, capers, half the shredded basil and the grated parmesan. Set aside to cool.
• Grease the moulds and line the bases with aubergine slices to fit. Top with veg mixture, more aubergine slices (cut to fit if needed) and a slices of cheese. Repeat the layers, finishing with aubergine. Press lightly to firm. Can be covered with cling film and chilled for up to 1 day.
• To cook and serve: heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Chilled cups will need to come to room temperature first. Place the cups on a tray, uncovered, and bake for 12-15 mins until bubbling. Allow to stand for 10 mins while you toss the spinach and remaining basil with vinaigrette and seasoning and divide between six dinner plates. Scatter over the nuts.
• Loosen the tops of the timbales with a table knife and up-end into the centre of the salad on the plates, shaking the cups to help demould. Top with the parmesan shavings and serve.

SPINACH TIMBALES

Steps:

• White Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan; add flour and salt, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Add the milk, stirring constantly and cook for 5 minutes.
• Put the spinach through a course sieve.
• Then beat your eggs just slightly; add the melted butter, seasonings, and milk to the eggs.
• Add the spinach.
• Pour the mixture into greased baking dish, ramekins, or pyrex glass custard cups, and place in a pan of hot water.
• Bake at 325°F until firm.
• Serve with a white sauce if desired.

SPINACH TIMBALE

Steps:

• Pre heat oven to 180 C (350 F).
• Melt the butter in a pan, saute the onion and cook until soft but not brown.
• Add the spinach and cook for a further 5 minutes until soft, stirring once or twice.
• Add the milk and cream and heat gently without boiling.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl, take the spinach mixture off the heat and add the eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Transfer the mixture to a greased 1.1 litre (2 pint) ring mould (Bundt tin) and cover the mould with foil.
• Place the ring mould in a roasting dish that is half filled with hot water.
• Bake at 180 C (350 F) for 1 1/4 hours until it is firm to the touch and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Turn the Timbale out onto a flat serving dish and garnish with slices of tomato.