Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Let’s face it - porcini mushrooms are expensive. It’s not something that finds its way into my grocery list AT ALL. But there are odd days (when the salary account has been credited) that one is inclined to feel generous. So I picked up a teeny tiny bottle of it for half a thousand rupees. When coming up with an idea to use it judiciously – a Porcini Mushroom Risotto was a no brainer. The mushrooms would lend themselves nicely to being slowly rehydrated while cooking the risotto and the flavor and color would permeate the stock. And to be fair, just half a cup of Porcini mushrooms is more than enough to make that risotto praise worthy. 

Cooking risotto is like barbequing something – you have to hang around. The stock has to be poured in ladle by ladle while the rice absorbs the liquid and gets plump. And you need to use your intuition and your tasting spoon to know when it’s ready. Lucky for you, I use a fail-safe risotto recipe that has consistently given me perfectly cooked risotto time and again. If you want a grain that holds its shape, is glossy, creamy and luxurious – you’ve come to the right place. 

Easy Grilled Chicken with Pasta

The grill pan is one of my favorite kitchen treasures. It lets me (almost) replicate the look and taste of an outside grill, right on my stove-top. I’m all for shortcuts and making life easier, so you well know how this fits into my lifestyle ;) Another thing that makes life easier is ready-made sauces – for the life of me, I can’t imagine slow simmering some BBQ sauce over 12-14 hours! I have better things to do, like read a juicy cookbook or go grocery shopping for exciting ingredients! Now, there’s two kinds of grocery shopping I indulge in. The first one is running to the local kirana store (doubles up as exercise) for curry leaves or a loaf of bread and the second is where I make a huge list and plan an exciting day at a large and well stocked supermarket. (yes, I’m sad like that).

Foodhall @ 1MG Road, has been a regular haunt to pick up all things interesting – wasabi paste…check, gnocchi…check, tarragon vinegar…check, Ras-El-Hanout…check, an elephant…check (ok, just checking to see if you’re paying attention!). So when I received a little hamper from Foodhall, I was pretty thrilled - more ammunition for my kitchen! I wanted to act all Master-cheffy and do a mystery box challenge, but we both must agree that Grilled Chicken and Pasta sounds pretty basic. We however jazz it up by using the red chilli, apricot and rosemary sauce and a twisty coloured pasta. Not so basic anymore huh? :P But honestly, repeatable and easy recipes are what I always bookmark and this one finds pride of place in that list. Let’s get cooking…

Breaking the jinx with Mushroom Melts

The thing about leisurely cooking in the afternoon, is that I get to take pictures. And that is a privilege that I seem to have lost with my current work schedule. Add to that, the imagined pressure of blogging about something fabulous and you have yourself a pretty non-existent blog over a couple of months. (Sorry Shwe!) So I’m breaking the jinx and blogging about something. Even if it’s something really simple. Something I make myself pretty often and something that I really like. 

My normal grocery shopping always includes a packet of button mushrooms. I like to toss these babies into omelets, pulaos, stews and casseroles. But what I like to do most is just sauté them in butter and garlic and pile them mile high on some good bread. The key to making this more than ‘mushrooms on toast’, is to know how to sauté the mushrooms. What we are looking for is a nice seared brown outside and a juicy plump center. Overcrowding mushrooms in the pan and/or adding them in before the butter/oil is hot, will just cause them to water out and steam, instead of sauté. And we don’t want watery, shriveled up mushrooms - not when they are the star ingredient! 

This version takes it a step further and adds some passata and cheese. I use a Baguette as the base, but Ciabatta would work great as well. The Mushrooms Melts make a delectable appetizer or light lunch with a fresh salad. What they also do, is serve to break my jinx and for that I adore them even more. 

Marinara Sauce - My way

Have you ever had something that you knew was perfect your way? No matter what the textbooks, teachers, experts or even old aunties claimed? Well in my case, many things fall in this category including this Marinara sauce. Now this is not blind faith - it’s a belief system that has evolved over many painstaking trial and error sessions. It is also a result of the fact that international recipes sometimes call for ingredients that are not readily available here. Or plain and simple – you try to make the best of the ingredients that ARE available to you! If that means cutting open a packet of Dabur Tomato Puree in the final stages and finishing the sauce with some Maggi Hot and Sweet sauce – then so be it! The final results are a fantastically chunky sauce with a robust tomato and garlic flavor. Dress it with some good quality olive oil and you’ve beaten the store bought sauces 10-1. With odds like this, ‘my way’ seems a lot more comfortable than the highway no?

Penne a La Vodka

Featured on Foodgawker.com and Tastespotting.com on 24th Jan 2013

Featured on The Berry on 26th Feb 2013

 

I’m still detoxing after the excesses of December, but this dish needed to get made! I just got assigned an additional role at work and to add to that, we have a new boss. Changes, changes, changes – how I hate them! (Especially, when I’m not the one making them!) Since I’d sworn off alcohol atleast for a month (part of the detox plan), I needed to find an alternative. (And No, I can’t make the ‘special’ brownies). So I gave myself and my frazzled nerves some loving, in the form of Penne a la Vodka. It doesn’t count as cheating because technically, the alcohol content is supposed to burn off when you deglaze the pan with it. (It’s another story that when you’re off alcohol, even a whiff of it can send you into a happy place). Anyway, this is a classic recipe and loved the world over. It’s sophisticated enough to serve at a dinner party and comforting enough to take it to the couch with you. When you have the best of both worlds you don’t really question it…..ever!

P.S. In case anyone (after reading the above para) thinks I’m an alcohol addicted crazy person who’s headed down the path to rehab in a couple of years…rest assured I’m not! Though I might need anger management sooner than later! (Watch your back…)

DELIZIOSO - Italian Food Festival @ Bene, Sheraton Bangalore

I was invited by the Sheraton for a preview of their Italian Food Festival – ‘Delizioso’ last Friday. Their signature Italian restaurant Bene, was playing host to celebrity Chef Enrico Fiorentini from 9^th -18^th Nov. (That’s the duration of the festival by the way!). Last year Bene did a Truffles festival, but this year because of the weather in Italy (No good rains), availability of good quality truffles was a dicey affair. Hence they decided to showcase ‘Lombardy’ cuisine. Now when we say Italian food, the two things that immediately spring to mind are Pasta and Pizza. But that’s not all Italian food, is about. (Same as Indian cuisine is not equal to Garlic Naan and Chicken Tikka Masala!).

Milan is the major city of the Lombard region and is bordered by Switzerland to the north. Lombardy cuisine primarily consists of hearty fare with rice being a foundation. (South Indians rejoice!). Apart from being famous for its fashion, gastronomically the region is associated with Risotto. Now does Risotto ‘Milan’ese, ring a bell?  Dairy products also rule the roost (close to Switzerland darlings) and you can find the best Gorgonzola cheese here as well.

I made a mental note to myself that the acid test of the festival would be whether Chef Enrico could turn out a perfect risotto. If the executive chef from the award winning Sheraton Milan can’t do it, then who could, right?

Bruschetta a la Italia - Red, White and Green

This appetizer is so packed with flavor and color and taste, that it’s always a hit at a party. It doesn’t even need any cooking! So if you want to impress with minimal effort and maximum style – this is the one for you. I call it ‘a la Italia’ because once I assembled it, I realized that it had Red, White and Green. I was giggling away to myself very bemused, that an Italian dish must encompass the colors of the Italian flag – hence the christening.

Bruschetta (bru-sket-ta) is a very popular starter to an Italian meal. Though many people assume that bruschetta is bread topped with tomato and Basil and olive oil (that’s a popular topping), it is actually just roasted/ toasted bread rubbed with garlic and some olive oil. You can top this up with interesting combinations and have a fun start to a meal. I always have Pesto and Sun Dried tomatoes at home, so this combo was a no breezer for me. I also picked up some lovely bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) to top it all off. So without further adieu, I give you Bruschetta a la Italia.

Bruschetta with Pesto, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves 6

What you need:

1 French Baguette/ Ciabatta, sliced horizontally (about 12 slices)

4 Tbsp Pesto

4 Sun dried tomatoes, sliced

6 Bocconcini Balls, sliced

¼ cup Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

What to do:

Slice the baguette and toast till a light golden brown. Rub with a clove of garlic and drizzle some olive oil on top. Now spread some pesto on it. Top with sun dried tomato slices and bocconcini. Season with Salt and Pepper. Serve with aplomb!

Sun Dried Tomato Pita-Pizza

Featured in Tastespotting.com - 19th Mar 2012

I know I have a penchant for extremely long, all-encompassing titles to the post. But trust me this one is the modified version of the original title, which was – Sun Dried Tomato Pita-Pizza with Ham, Mozzarella and Basil. When I read that, it struck me that the entire recipe was in the title itself. Wow! My job is done right? Just chuck whatever I told you onto the pita and bake it in an oven. No really, Pizza making is that simple! (If you’re not kneading the dough that is - which I am not. I don’t have the arms for it!) I also am not rich enough to invest in a Kitchen Aid, so I will be cheap and buy some readymade pizza bases and get the job done. No one has to know! I know the true blue Italians are turning in their graves, but honestly who has the time to appease everyone these days?! My motto is to ‘get the job done’. I’m pretty partial to the thin crust variety but no one sells them at the bakery, so I improvise and use Pita bread as the base. No, I’m not insane. It works as a fantastic substitute. Also even though the 3 hour reduced pizza sauce is marvelous, my sun dried tomato instant pizza sauce is such a good imitation, that no one will be able to tell the difference! The rest as they say is history, or rather my-story. Cheesy? Well a pizza has to be :P

Sun Dried Tomato Pita-Pizza

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

4 Med Pita Breads

8 sundried Tomatoes in Oil

4 Tbsp Tomato sauce

100 gms Ham slices

200 gms Mozzarella, grated

Handful of Basil leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

Dried herbs to garnish

Red Chilli flakes for added heat

What to do:

Grind the sundried tomatoes along with the tomato paste and 5 basil leaves to make an instant pizza sauce. Add in 2 Tbsp of the reserved sun dried tomato oil, mix well and keep aside. Check seasoning.

Divide the rest of the ingredients into four portions. Now spread one portion of the pizza sauce on the pita bread. Top with one portion of ham slices and mozzarella. Garnish with some basil leaves. Bake/ Place under a preheated grill for 8-10 mins till the cheese melts and is all bubbly. Season if required. Repeat with the other three pitas. Serve hot, sprinkled with some dried herbs (oregano, parsley) and red chilli flakes for added heat! Voila.

P.S. Go ahead and use pepperoni instead of Ham. That’s a different kind of heaven!

Here's what was featured in Tastespotting.com

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Pesto

When we think of pesto the first thing that comes to mind is the Basil pesto. But pesto has now become a generic term for anything that is made by pounding ingredients in a mortar and pestle. So the original form – the basil one, is now called Pesto alla Genovese. (That will always remain my favourite, but I am not won’t of trying other versions to increase my repertoire of dishes.) The other popular one’s are the Red bell pepper pesto and the Sun dried tomato pesto. I always work with what I have in the fridge at any given point in time – and yes Bell peppers it was. Pestos as you know are super easy to make and keep well in the fridge under a layer of olive oil. So it’s always wise to make more than you need and pack away the rest in the fridge. When one dish has more than a couple of uses, it climbs the ladder of success pretty fast. (i.e. I make it more often and stash it in the fridge – Don’t you think that’s the epitome of success for an ingredient? :P) I use this one on baguette’s as a spread, as a dip for taco’s or toasted lavash and crudites and as an easy sauce for pasta. So keep this one handy – to impress your guests or to fill your belly on a hungry jam packed weeknight.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Pesto

Prep time: 5 mins

Roasting time: 20-25 mins

Makes: 1 cup

What you need:

3 large Red Bell Peppers, seeded and cut into eights

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 large Garlic cloves

½ cup Cashews lightly toasted

1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup fresh Basil

Salt and freshly ground Black pepper to taste

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place the bell peppers on a lined baking tray and brush lightly with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins., turning once or twice till the skin is blackened. (I use the top rack). Remove from oven, place in a ziplock bag (or bowl and cover with plastic film). When the capsicum has cooled, peel off the skins. (The zip lock bag helps seal in the moisture and helps in removing the skins easily.)

Place the roasted cashews, peppers, remaining oil and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and blend to a paste. (I like it a bit chunky).

Store in the fridge, in an airtight container. (A layer of olive oil on top helps store it longer).

P.S. I topped my pasta with 2 Tbsps of the pesto and some grilled Red pepper slices. Yum.

Risi e Bisi

All good food is comfort food but some rank higher in the list. And if it’s warm and soft and has ham and cheese in it… the points just go way up! When I first read the recipe, I concluded that I liked the name very much. Sounds just like ‘hot rice’ in Kannada! Risi e Bisi actually means rice and peas in Italian. It’s a classic Venetian risotto dish. Comforting for sure, but also simple to make. My version has sweet corn in addition to the peas, just because I think the sweet flavor complements the salty ham well. I use frozen peas in this dish. They are cheaper and are available year round. They also often have a better flavor than the fresh ones, as they are frozen at source immediately after being picked, which helps retain their sweet taste. I bought a kilo of very expensive risotto rice and am using it judiciously, but feel free to use Idly rice. (Apparently the final result is comparable). Don’t take my word for it… I just heard it from a little birdie. But I would love to hear from you, if the substitution worked in your favour. For a cold winter day – Risi e Bisi!

Risi e Bisi

Cooking time: 50 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

1 ½ cups Risotto rice

1.25 litre / 5 cups simmering Chicken stock

6 Tbsp Butter

1 small Onion, finely chopped

150 ml White wine

1 cup frozen Peas

1 cup Sweet Corn kernels

100 gms cooked ham, diced

50 gms Parmesan/ Grano Padano, grated

Salt and freshly ground Black pepper to taste

What to do:

Wash the rice, drain and keep aside. Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a large heavy pan until foaming. Add the onion and cook gently for about 3 mins, stirring frequently, until softened. Have the hot stock ready in an adjacent pan. Add the rice to the onion mixture. Stir until the grains start to swell, then pour in the wine. Stir until the wine stops sizzling and most of it has been absorbed. Then pour in a little hot stock, with salt and pepper to taste. Add in the corn. Stir continuously on low heat, until all the stock has been absorbed.

Add the remaining stock a ladle at a time, allowing the rice to absorb all the liquid before adding in the next ladle. Add the peas after about 20 mins. Stir to mix well and cook for a further 5-7 mins. The risotto should be nice and creamy and cooked. (Some people like it al dente, I like to be a little more cooked, say 3-4 mins more).

Now, gently stir in the diced ham and the remaining butter. Heat through until the butter has melted. Stir in the grano padano. (Save some to grate on top). Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Transfer the risotto to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

 

Divine Mushroom Risotto

‘Risotto is an Italian dish of rice cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. The broth may be meat-based, fish-based, or vegetable-based; many kinds include parmesan cheese, butter, and onion. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy’ – or so says Wiki. But in most of the restaurants in Bangalore it looks and tastes more like Pongal - which is the biggest insult both to the humble pongal and the exquisite risotto! This is the reason that I religiously bypass the risotto in any restaurant menu here. I hadn’t seen anyone who could get the final product creamy but not gluggy and still have some bite to it…. Until I ate at Graze.  Oh… my…. God!! It was like I died and went to heaven! So of course I begged the chef to tell me his secret. Let’s just say I now have the ingredient list! Ahem ahem…There arose the problem – the man was using truffle oil and pea sprouts and Enokitake mushrooms and all the wonderful, if not crazily expensive ingredients to make it taste the way it does!!! So could I replicate it at home? – Yes, but I’d have to lock and stalk my pantry 24/7 to safeguard these items. As this is feasible only in theory I begged him again to give me substitutes. This he gladly obliged, because now he knew, no matter how I try to replicate it at home, I’d have to come back to Graze for the original! (Clever man!) That said, this version is the closest you can get to heaven with your pockets not devoid of cash.

Mushroom Risotto

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 35 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

1 ½ cup Arborio Rice

300 gms mixed Mushrooms (Button, Oyster)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp Butter

4 Shallots, finely chopped

3 cups Chicken/ Veg Stock (kept hot) + 2 cups extra if required

½ cup grated Parmesan

Salt and Pepper

To Garnish:

1 Tbsp chopped Chives

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar with 2 cloves, ½ inch cinnamon, 4 peppercorns (reduced to 2 Tbsp)

What to do:

Wash the rice and drain. Brown each type of mushroom in batches in 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil. Remove. In the same pan add 2 Tbsp of Butter and sauté the shallots till soft but not colored. Toss in rice and stir to coat each grain with the butter so that the rice looks shiny. Pour in a ladle of hot stock. Wait for the rice to absorb it. Repeat the process till you have poured in about 3 cups of stock. Check to see if the rice is 80% cooked. (Smash a grain with your finger – there should be resistance but no hard bits). Now toss in the mushrooms and stir to incorporate. Put another ladle of stock if you feel the rice needs more cooking. Continue till you get the consistency of double cream. Take off the flame and add in the 2Tbsp of butter and Parmesan. Stir. Garnish with chopped chives, Dash of olive oil and the reduced balsamic vinegar. Eat up immediately!

P.S. For the Balsamic reduction – Heat the balsamic vinegar with cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns till the liquid reduces by half. Take it off the stove, strain and use as required. You can also do the same with some Port wine.

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

Here’s a tricky one. The recipe uses raw eggs. Don’t freak out, I’ve been relishing carbonara for many years and I still live to tell the tale. The reason I said it was tricky is because of the technique. You need to keep everything hot, so that when you add the eggs at the end, they just cook in the residual heat but do not scramble. Otherwise we would have scrambled eggs with spaghetti – not the best combo! That said, it’s the quickest and yummiest thing you can have with pasta. Also when the final result tastes like restaurant goodness in under ten minutes, your guests are sure going to sing praises of your effortless magic. Shall we say Nigella style? (It helps if you wear lipstick! Wink wink ;)

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

450gms Spaghetti

1 Tbsp Olive oil

225gms rindless pancetta or lean bacon, chopped

4 Eggs

5 Tbsp light Cream

3 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground Pepper

What to do:

Bring a large heavy bottomed pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, return to a boil and cook according to time instructions on the packet. The spaghetti should be tender but still firm to the bite. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottom skillet. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently – 8 to 10 mins. Beat the eggs with the cream in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Tip in the contents of the skillet, then add the egg mixture and half the parmesan cheese. Stir well, then transfer to a warmed serving dish. Serve immediately sprinkled with the remaining cheese.

Macaroni with Spicy Sausage Meat

So I bought some spicy sausage when I bought my bacon. It’s always the same routine. The co-resident will throw a fit if he knew that I came back from the deli one without the other. This sausage is really special, most likely not found outside Bangalore. It’s called the green masala sausage at the ‘Ham Shop’ on M.G. Road. The man’s been in business for decades and trust me he knows how to turn this one out to perfection. I’m pretty sure the sausage has coriander, chilies and pepper. And I’ve decided to not boggle my brains with deciphering the rest of the mix. You can substitute any other sausage for this recipe, but if you can head down to the Ham Shop nothing like it. (P.S. No, he did not pay me to write for him and No and I don’t think he needs any more publicity!)

Macaroni with Spicy Sausage Meat

Cooking time: 25 mins

Prep time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

400 gms Pasta

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 large red Onion, very finely chopped

6-8 good quality pork Sausages (skin removed)

1 fresh medium-hot red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 small glass of dry White Wine

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Pinch of dried Oregano

150 ml hot Vegetable stock

300 ml Double Cream

Salt and freshly ground Black pepper

Handful of fresh flat leaf Parsley, finely chopped

What to do:

Place pasta in a pan of boiling salted water and cook until just tender. Drain, keep back a tiny amount of cooking water.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, and cook over a low heat for 5 mins or until soft and translucent. Chop up the sausage meat and add to the pan, using the back of a fork to break it up. Cook until they are no longer pink, about 5 mins. Add the chili and cayenne and stir. Raise the heat, add the wine and simmer for a few mins. Add the garlic and oregano and season well with salt and pepper. Pour in the stock and cream, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins.

Toss the pasta with the sausage sauce, get your desired consistency with the cooking liquid. Garnish with parsley and serve hot. (Not cold, because the pork fat tends to get heavy when cold.)

Chicken Lasagna

Lasagna was always one of those things on the menu that I was in awe of. Considering I dint know how to pronounce it when I looked at the spelling!  Oh puleez, stop raising your eyebrows and shaking your head in disbelief. That was eons ago! I know how to say it now ‘La-zan-ya’. There. Can we move past this now? Layers of pasta, cheese, meat and sauce - looked complicated! (Ok Ok … NOW I know its nothing but assembly line work). If you have all the components in place you really just need to stand there and go into a trance like state where you slop on pasta, meat, white sauce and cheese in a never-ending sequence. (Again I exaggerate – till you have reached the top of the baking dish is more like it). It does give you a very satisfying feeling at the end of it … mindless repetitive work always takes me into zen mode. (Ask me more about that meditative technique later). For the time being it’s safe to say, make this lasagna for a fleeting feeling of bliss and a longer lasting satisfaction from the big portions that will inevitably land up in your stomach. Say it with me ‘La-zan-ya’.

Chicken Lasagna

Prep time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Serves: 4-6

What you need:

6 no pre-cook required Lasagna sheets

400 gms Chicken mince

100 gms Mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp Olive oil

6 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Onions, finely chopped

1 tsp Chilli flakes

2 Tomatoes finely chopped

2 Tbsp Tomato Puree

2 Tbsp Tomato ketchup

½ tsp Sugar

1 tsp Basil

1 tsp Oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 portion Cheese Sauce (1 ½ cup milk, 1 ½ Tbsp butter, 3 Tbsp Flour, ½ tsp salt, ½ cup grated Cheddar)

What to do:

Prepare cheese sauce. Keep aside. (Click for recipe http://foodforswaps.blogspot.com/2009/11/pasta-with-peppers-in-cheese-sauce.html). Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and sauté for a minute on low heat. Toss in minced onion and sauté till transluscent. Add chilli flakes, basil and oregano. Add tomatoes and sauté for 3 mins. Toss in the puree and ketchup and heat through for 2 mins. Add the chicken mince and cook till done.

Preheat oven to 180°C. To assemble – grease a baking dish (9”X9”). Spread a layer of white sauce, then arrange a lasagna sheet. (No pre cook required sheets are a blessing!) Spread the chicken mixture and top with some grated mozzarella. Repeat the layers till you land up with a lasagna sheet. Now top with the remaining white sauce and cheese. Bake the assembly for 25 mins. (or according to time instructions on the lasagna packet). Serve bubbling hot. But blow on it before shoving a spoonful into your mouth!

Too good to be true Pesto

 What would you say, if I told you that I had the best Pesto recipe ever??!! Impossible right, cause I’m not even Italian, nor can I trace any of my roots to that hallowed land of food. (Ya, sometimes I dream I was Italian, eating their food everyday … bliss, bliss.) But I DO have the best pesto recipe. The result of trial, error, trial, error, consultation of many books and amalgamation of the best tips from the net – I give to you – Too Good to be True Pesto. I can’t even tell you it kicks store bought pesto’s ass because that would be like comparing a diamond to a piece of coal! I’m not claiming its authentic, I’m not even claiming that its by the book, but what it is, is heavenly green awesomeness that I could wrap my tongue around and ride off into the sunset with! Am I getting carried away? No, No, No… when you’ve found the holy grail of pesto’s wouldn’t you be shouting it out from the mountain tops? Here’s to my beloved Pesto – I love you, I do.  

Too Good to be True Pesto

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: Nil

Serves: 4 (for pasta)

What you need:

1/3 cup Pine Nuts/ Almonds (I like Almonds better)

2 cups fresh Basil leaves, finely packed

1/3 cup Olive Oil (good quality)

4 cloves Garlic (med)

1/3 - 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

40 gms Butter, softened

1/2 - 3/4th Tbsp Sea Salt, depending on taste
Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

What to do:

Place almonds in a dry pan, stir under moderate heat till lightly toasted. Or microwave for 1 min, stir in-between once. Place in a food processor and give it a whir till you get small pieces. Add basil leaves, garlic and sea salt. Process for 20 secs or until you can still see micro mini pieces of the basil leaves. DO NOT process till pasty. For best results I would use a mortar and pestle, but on busy days the processor can be used intelligently. Transfer to a bowl. Add parmesan cheese, butter and pepper. Mix well. Now here’s the best bit - add ½ the olive oil and mix with the pesto. The remaining oil can be poured on top of the pesto. This protects the green color. Now sit and admire!

To serve with Pasta: Drain 500 gms of cooked pasta, (I’ve used whole wheat spaghetti) add the prepared pesto. (I go by three tsps per serving). Toss with more Olive Oil if required. Serve immediately. Sprinkle extra parmesan if you want to indulge.

Note: Pesto sauce can be made in large quantities for later use. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week (covering it with a thin layer of olive oil preserves the color) if you keep in a glass jar with a well fitting lid.
If you want it to last longer, avoid mixing in the butter (as the butter can turn rancid). You can always mix in some fresh butter just before serving.

Pesto can also be stored in the freezer and will retain its color and flavor. Thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before use.

Spaghetti Chicken Bolognaise

Bolognaise Sauce is a thick meat and tomato sauce served with pasta (usually spaghetti), originally from the city of Bologna in Northern Italy. The sauce is also known as Ragũ and traditionally contains chopped ham, beef, lean pork, chicken livers, several vegetables and white wine. The recipe I have is a special hand crafted one. (So let’s put it this way…I’ve tweaked the recipe to suit what was there at home and it turned out just fine). My star ingredient was the humble chicken (substituting the ham, beef and pork). I deserve credit for making the bolognaise sauce friendly for people who don’t eat red meat :)

Spaghetti Chicken Bolognaise

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serves: 4-6

What you need:

400 gms Chicken Mince

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Onions (finely chopped)

2 Carrots (diced small)

8 Garlic cloves (finely chopped)

1 Celery Stem (finely chopped)

4 Tomatoes (finely chopped)

8 Tbsp Tomato Puree

2 Tbsp Ketchup

2 tsps Chili flakes

1 tsp Sugar

1 tsp Oregano

1 tsp Parsley

400 gms Spaghetti

Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated to serve)

Salt and Pepper

What to do:

Heat oil add garlic and then onion, carrot, celery and chili flakes. Saute well but don’t let the onions brown. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 mins. Add Chicken mince and sauté for 3 mins. Add the tomato puree and ketchup, mix well. Toss in sugar, herbs and seasoning. Cook for 2 mins. Add 1 cup of water and stir to get a thick sauce. Cook to desired consistency.

Meanwhile, bring a large heavy bottomed pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta return to a boil and cook for 10 mins, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain, transfer to a warmed serving dish, Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss well. Pour the sauce over the pasta and serve with grated parmesan cheese. Hearty and Tasty!

P.S. For a version closer to the original, substitute 400 gms chicken mince with 100 gms lean Bacon, 100 gms Chicken livers, 100 gms pork and 100 gms beef. You can also add in ½ cup white wine after sautéing the meat.

Penne with Broccoli

I honestly don’t know why so many people have an aversion to Broccoli. Is it because it looks too green (almost alien green) and healthy? Or is it because no one has ever thought of serving it deep fried? I really can’t fathom the reason, as the only time my palate was exposed to broccoli, was when I had already crossed the fussy food period in my life. In some ways I’m glad, because I do adore the vegetable. Whenever I include broccoli in my food I feel my health quotient going up a couple of notches! Did you know it’s a minus calorie food? – It takes more calories for our body to digest broccoli than the calories it provides. It also has a really high antioxidant and folic acid level. Come on! The little bugger is just rooting for a slimmer and more beautiful you! Need I give you any more reasons to include Broccoli in your meal plans??

Penne with Broccoli

Prep time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

What you need:

1 head of Broccoli

1 Onion (finely chopped)

3 Garlic cloves (finely chopped)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

200 ml Double Cream

225 gms Penne

50 gms Parmesan Cheese grated

Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

What to do:

Steam the broccoli and break up into small florets. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and cook on a medium heat for 5 mins or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds more. Then add the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and chilli flakes and gently simmer for about 4 mins. Meanwhile cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to instructions on the packet. Drain, keep back a tiny amount of cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir in the cooking water. Toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

P.S. Asparagus/Courgettes or the broccoli’s cousin – Cauliflower can also be used in this recipe with the same success.

Spinach and Cottage Cheese Ravioli

There are some days when you say to yourself, “This is too easy and boring..Lets complicate life a bit.” Ok, no one really says that, but adding a little challenge to a mundane existence does spice things up! This kind of thinking also occurs in the beginning of the year when resolutions are made with hearts braver (or more foolish) than the rest of the saner months. So my challenge was to make ravioli – from scratch. Huh! Did I disappoint you? Maybe you thought I was going to Base Jump?? Well considering this is a food blog lets stick to my adventures in cooking. So here’s my Spinach and Cottage Cheese Ravioli, which really was a LABOUR of love. It took me a good 2 hours to make, cause I hand rolled the pasta. Of course you can be saner and just buy some and toss it into the pan… But where’s your sense of smug achievement? Happy New Year by the way. :)

Spinach and Cottage Cheese Ravioli

Cooking time: 2 hrs

Serves: 4

What you need:

Home Made Pasta:

1 ½ cup plain flour

2 med Eggs

2 Tbsp Oil

¼ tsp Salt

Filling:

1 Tbsp Oil

3 Garlic cloves

½ Onion

½ tsp Chili flakes

2 bunches fresh Spinach (blanch, drain and finely chop)

100 gms Cottage cheese

Sauce:

1 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Plain Flour

2-3 Tbsp Fresh Cream

1 cup Milk

100 gms Cheddar

¼ tsp Oregano and Parsley

¼ tsp Chili flakes

¼ tsp Salt

What to do:

Pasta: In a bowl sift flour with salt. Beat eggs with 1 tsp water add oil and mix. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to get a soft smooth dough. Keep covered for an hour to let the dough rise.

Filling: Heat oil, add minced garlic then chopped onion. Add chili flakes and sauté well. Add spinach let it wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from fire and cool. Mix grated cottage cheese and keep aside.

Sauce: Heat butter, take off the heat and add flour. Mix well and return to fire to cook for a minute. Add ¾ th of the milk slowly and cook to get a smooth thick sauce. Add the cream, remaining milk and half of the grated cheddar cheese. Give one boil and keep aside.

Now, roll the dough into 2 thin sheets. Place filling 1 inch apart. Cover with second sheet. Press both sheets together properly. Cut it into squares and immediately toss into salted boiling water and cook for 3-4 mins. Remove and plate the ravioli, spoon the sauce over it and garnish with chilli flakes and herbs.

P.S. I licked my plate clean! :)