Fettuccine al Fungi - spinach and egg fettuccine with mushrooms and cream

Receita em PORTUGUES Clique AQUI

Please check this out a simple fantastic spinach and egg fettuccine al fungi.

Recipe Ingredients (feeds 4) :

• 400grs fettuccine "verdi & Uovo" mix green and egg
• 250grs mushrooms (I prefer brown organic, sliced)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 soup spoons of brandy
  
• a soup spoon full of parmisiano (parmesan) cheese (or similar)
• 2 heaped soup spoons of grated cheddar cheese.
• 1 soup spoon of chopped parsley
• 1 half onion (chopped finely)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 tea spoon sweet paprika
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 soup spoons of olive oil
• 1 garlic clove (crunched)
• 250mls fresh cream
  

Very simply put some water boiling and ad one glug of normal oil to the water + some salt and the crushed garlic clove, add then the fettuccine, and cook it for 7-10 minutes you want it "al dente" I mean cooked but still semi hard the pasta.

While that is doing, on a wok or large frying pan put in the olive oil, the garlic and the onion, cook these until very golden. Now add the paprika and cook for one minute more, then add the sliced mushrooms, once they are cooked which will take approx 3-4 minute add the brandy and leaning the pan at a 30-45 degree angle ignite the brandy (flanbéing it), this will give it a smoky flavour and also brandy although will contain no alcohol as it has been consumed by the flames, so is a safe food for kids too.

After that add the cream and let this heat up again until nearly boiling, dissolve the egg yolks with a little milk about 3-4 soup spoons full in a glass, pour this mixture into the cream always stirring this will start to thicken up the sauce then add the parmesan and the cheddar which will thicken up even more, both the sauce and the pasta will be done roughly at the same time.

So drain the pasta drizzle a little olive oil over it and toss it then serve (preheat the plates if need be if you ant it to stay hotter) and pour over the pasta a couple of servings spoons. To decorate it you can do either of these three: sprinkle some sweet paprika on top of the sauce or sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top and drizle in a circle a little extra virgin olive oil around the parsley but still on the sauce or sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese and freshly grind some black pepper over it too... they will all look quite impressive and add to the taste too.

Spinach and Carrot Soup

This is a great winter starter as is so easy to make yet, so satisfying. I had some mix from the croquettes, left from yesterday, just to remind you they were boiled and mashed potato, carrots and onion. But obviously I don't expect you to have left overs, so you can use fresh ingredients, and here they are:

• 4 large potatoes (cut into quarters)
  
• 1 large onion (minced)
  
• 3 large carrots (2 cut into chunks one very thinly sliced)
  
• 300grs spinach leaves (washed)
  
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 glugs of olive oil
  

in a pan put the oil and put it on the stove let it get very hot, then add the garlic, two carrots in chunks and the minced onion, let them cook stirring occasionally until the onion is golden at this stage add the potato and about 2 litres of water + the salt and pepper to taste. Let this cook until the potatoes are cooked through you can check this by stabbing the potato with a fork or sharp knife, and the potatoes should offer virtually no resistance to penetration, if so get your hand blender out and blitz it until you achieve a thick sauce if you want the soup more liquid add a little more water, but make sure you retest for salt.

Let it get to the boil point again and now add the remaining carrot thinly sliced + the spinach you may add a little more olive oil if you like the stuff. turn the fire down and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes and it's done, plate it and if you like it posh you can toast some bread cut it into cubes put a hand full in the centre of the bowl of soup and drizzle a little circle of oil around the cruttons.

I was too hungry and didn't bother with that lol :)

Sesame Croquettes with Corn Dogs

Today you don't need a recipe for this as is so easy to do, is what I call a mess around dinner.

I boiled some potatoes, some onions and some carrots, then I mash them all together adding some seasoning salt & pepper rolled some small portions of these into croquette shapes, passed them through some beaten egg and some bread crumbs with sesame seeds, then fried them slowly in vegetable oil.

To accompaign I done some corn dogs my way, in a bowl a couple of spoons of coarse corn flour a couple of plain flour a little paprika and chilli powder + some salt and pepper, add to that an egg and a couple of spoons of beer to make a batter then dip some plain cocktail sausages in the batter and fry it immediately, after golden drain on some kitchen paper and serve them with the croquettes and some salad of your own taste....however my wife heated some baked beans and it was delicious too like that. You decide :)

Charlotte and Mushroom Penne Pasta Gratin

Receita em PORTUGUES clique AQUI

This was a quick and easy recipe I made to make use of some Charlotte onions that I had in a bag and needed to use before getting spoiled.... ***WARNING**** Very easy and cheap to make.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 20 Charlotte onions (remember these are small onions, pealed and cut in halves)
• 10 medium mushrooms (halved and sliced)
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 piece of fresh ginger minced (the size of two garlic cloves)
  
• 2 large carrots (half and sliced very very thinly)
  
• 1 plum tomato tin (chopped)
  
• 2 soup spoons of tomato paste (in a little water)
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 soup spoon of butter
• a pinch of nutmeg
• a pinch of salt and black pepper
• 2 soup spoons of plain flour dissolved in water
• 4 soups spoons of grated cheese + 3 soup spoons of grated cheese (any mature cheddar will do)
• a soup spoon of oregano
• 400grs of penne pasta (other durum wheat pasta will do)
• 5 soup spoons of olive oil
  

It looks like quite a lot of ingredients but really isn't and is really easy and cheap winter food.
Put a pan of water with a little salt and a soup spoon of oil on the stove till is boiling, them put the pasta in and boil until cooked "al dente" which should be around 10 to 12 minutes, once done let in drain in a colander.

Now you need to make two sauces, a bechamel and a tomato one. Start by the tomato one as takes longer. So in a pan on the heat pour the 5 spoons of olive oil the pinch of salt and black pepper plus the minced garlic and ginger, let these cook until golden, as soon as that happens add the onions and the carrots, continue cooking stirring occasionally until the onions are semi transparent, at this stage add the mushroom the tomato tin the tomato paste in a little water, and let this all cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Five minutes before the tomato sauce is done start doing the bechamel and start preheating the oven to 200c. To make the bechamel sauce put on another pan the milk the butter a pinch of salt and black pepper plus the pinch of nutmeg, wait until very hot by this time the butter has melted, add in one go the flour that you previously fully dissolved in some water, always stirring so that it doesn't get lumps, once it thickens add the 3 soup spoons of grated cheese, this will thicken the sauce even more.

Now compose the dish by pouring the pasta into the tomato sauce , mix well, then pour this into a large Pyrex tray, smooth it down with the back of a serving spoon, then evenly pour the bechamel sauce over the tomato and pasta, so that it evenly covers the whole of the pasta, over this with your hand sprinkle the remaining grated cheese, and finally on top sprinkle the oregano and grind some black pepper. Stick this in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown on top and serve.

this is a lovely vegetarian dish I invented years ago but is always popular in my house, for meat eaters just add a side of plain grilled chicken breast with some melted butter, lemon juice, garlic and parsley poured over the chicken. (or fish well whatever you want :) )