CHINESE COOKING: This noodle recipe is a family favourite that never failed to please.

SHANGHAI FRIED NOODLES上海粗炒麵:

 

 

 

½ lb pork, sliced and cut into thin strips         

1 pkg. store-bought Shanghai noodles

seasoning for pork:

    1 tsp. tapioca or corn starch                        

    1 tsp. each salt, sugar, sherry or rice wine and light soy sauce

                                                                               

veggie mix:

    1 ½ cups finely shredded cabbage              

    2 garlic cloves, crushed

    ½ cup finely shredded carrot                                              

    ½ cup shredded Chinese cabbage

    5 to 6 dried mushrooms                                          

 

sauce:

    1 ½ tsp. each dark & light soy sauce

    1 tsp. sugar                                                             

    1 tbsp. oyster-flavoured sauce                                            

cooking oil

                       

 

 

Soak mushrooms in hot water for  at least 1 hour to soften. Cut caps into thin strips. Season pork with seasoning ingredients and marinade 30 minutes. In a heavy non-stick saucepan or wok, heat 1 tbsp oil until very hot. Cook pork strips until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook noodles, following package instructions,  until just tender but still firm. Drain and rinse under running cold water for 30 seconds. Drain well.

 

Heat 2 tbsp. oil until very hot and add in garlic. Cook until fragrant then discard garlic. Add cabbage and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until softened but still crunchy.  Add mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes more. Remove and keep hot

 

Add 2 tbsp. oil to pan and heat till hot. Add in noodles, keep stirring & tossing until  heated through. Blend sauce ingredients together and pour it into noodles, tossing well to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Return pork and vegetables to pan and toss everything together. Cook for 1 to 2 minute to mix thoroughly and heat through. Serve hot. 

PASTA: This is another meatless pasta recipe that you might like to try out.

LINGUINE WITH EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SAUCE:

 

 

 

1 lb. linguine pasta

1 lb. eggplant, cut into thin strips                                

2 tbsp. salt

5 tbsp. olive oil                                                           

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups tomato sauce, see posted recipe                                   

4 tbsp dry white wine

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper + 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp. dried

3-4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese

 

 

 

Place eggplant strips in a bowl with 1½ tsp. of the salt. Toss to mix and leave for 1 hour.  Rinse in cold water, drain and pat dry. Cook eggplant in 4 tbsp. hot olive oil for 5 minutes, or until crisp. Remove and set aside.

 

Add 1 tbsp. olive oil into pan and heat over medium heat until hot. Add tomato sauce, wine, black and cayenne pepper and the oregano. Simmer mixture for 5 minutes. Keep warm on low heat.

 

Cook linguine, in a large stock pot of water with 1 ½ tbsp. salt added, until al dente. Drain and add to the hot sauce together with 4 tbsp. of the pasta-cooking water. Add eggplant. Turn off heat and toss mixture for about 1 minute to coat well with sauce. Add grated cheese to serve.

PASTA: This is the meatless version of lasagne that is my own personal favourite.

BAKED LASAGNE WITH ASPARAGUS, MUSHROOMS AND PESTO:

 

 

 

1lb. lasagne noodles

1 ½ lb. asparagus spears

2 cups sliced cooked mushrooms                                           

1 cup pesto sauce, see below

2 cups Béchamel sauce, see below

1 cup grated Pecorino cheese                                                                          

½ cup bread crumbs                                                   

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Bring 7 quarts of water, 2 tbsp. salt added, to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water.

 

Trim asparagus and blanch in boiling water, heat turned off, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with tongs and drop them into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove asparagus from ice water and drain well. Cut each spear in half. Set aside.

 

Bring the same water back to a boil and cook the lasagne noodles, a few at a time, making sure to keep them separate from each other during cooking. Cook until al dente. Drain and dry on paper towels.

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, stir together béchamel sauce, pesto and grated cheese.

 

Butter an over-proof dish and line the bottom with pasta sheets, slightly overlapping each other. Top with a layer of asparagus and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover this with a layer of the sauce mixture. Continue with the layering until ingredients are used up, ending with a layer of pasta topped with sauce. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.

PESTO SAUCE:****

 

 

 

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed                                            

½ cup extra virgin olive oil                             

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese                    

1/3 cup pine nuts

3 cloves garlic, minced                                                           

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

Combine basil and pine nut in the work bowl of a food processor with steel blade attached. Process with on/off pulses a few times. Add garlic and process on/off a few times more.

 

With motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula once or twice. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste and pulse once or twice to mix.

WHITE SAUCE VARIATION--BECHAMEL SAUCE:****

 

 

 

½  each of onion & carrot, finely chopped                             

½ stalk celery, finely chopped            

4 tbsp. butter                                                   

4-5 tbsp. all purpose flour

2½-3 cups hot milk or hot chicken stock, or a combination of both                                       

2 -3 thyme leaves, or ¼ tsp dried thyme

dash white pepper and salt to taste                  

dash grated nutmeg

 

 

 

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter to cook onion, carrot and celery until soft and golden. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent browning. Remove from heat, gradually add in hot milk or stock or milk mixture, whisking with a wire whisk continuously to mix smoothly to prevent lump. Strain mixture into a large non-stick pan, pressing down on vegetables to extract flavour. Return pot to medium high heat, cover and bring sauce to a boil, watching carefully to prevent boiling over. If sauce is too thick, add a bit more milk or chicken stock.

 

Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer sauce for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning. Use sauce as needed. .

 

If sauce is not to be used immediately, cover the surface with a piece of buttered wax paper to prevent skin forming and let sauce cool. Sauce may be kept for up to 2 days in a refrigerator.

PASTA: This is a version of lasagne with meat that is much lighter than the traditional version with cream sauce. Hope you'll like it.

LASAGNE WITH BEEF AND EGG PLANT:

 

 

 

 

1 lb. lasagne noodles                                      

veggies:

    ½ cup chopped onion

    1 clove garlic, crushed

   1 large eggplant                                

½ lb. ground beef

8 oz. mozzarella cheese slices

2 cups tomato sauce                                       

1 ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + 1 ½ cups bread crumbs

cooking oil

salt & black pepper                                                     

2 eggs

 

 

 

Heat oil in a saucepan and cook onion and garlic with beef until meat is no longer pink. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture, covered, for 15 minutes.

 

Wash eggplant and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Beat eggs together with 1 tbsp. water. On a piece of waxed paper, combine ½ cup Parmesan cheese with the bread crumbs. Dip egg plant slices into egg and then breadcrumb mixture. Heat oil in skillet until hot; cook egg plant on both sides until golden, adding more oil if necessary.

 

Cook lasagne noodles and arrange 1 layer, slightly overlapping, in the bottom of a 12 x 9-inch baking pan. Arrange half the egg plant slices on top. Cover with the remaining grated cheese and half the mozzarella slices, then with half the meat mixture.  Repeat the procedure once more, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese on top.

 

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

PASTA: This is another example of healthy pasta that can be served without too much preparatory work.

PENNE PRIMAVERA—PENNE WITH VEGETABLES:

 

 

 

1 lb. whole-wheat penne                                             

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced                                                 

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and freshly-ground pepper                                   

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh herbs of choice: such as basil, parsley, mint                              

1 cup each of 3-4 vegetables of choice: broccoli florets, zucchini, asparagus, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, blanched and cut into bite-sized pieces

 

 

 

Prepare and cook vegetables of choice. Toss with salt and pepper to taste and the butter. Set aside to keep warm.

 

Cook penne according to package instruction in salted water until al dente. Drain and reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Transfer pasta to large bowl.

 

Add cooked vegetables, garlic and olive oil together with as much of the cooking liquid as needed into pasta. Toss well to mix. Stir in fresh herbs and parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

 

Serve right away. 

PASTA: This is a very simple recipe that is healthy and delicious, and can be whipped up in no time at all.

FUSILLI WITH VEGETABLES

 

 

 

1 lb. tri-colour fusilli                           

2 tbsp. olive oil

veggie mix:

    2 cloves garlic, minced                                           

    ½ cup each cauliflower florets, broccoli florets & diced red peppers

    ½ cup each carrots cut into matchsticks, sliced mushrooms & chopped zucchini                                       

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup tomato sauce                                                     

2 oz. gorgonzola cheese

grated Parmesan cheese                                              

salt and pepper 

 

 

 

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add vegetables and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in wine and tomato sauce, simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in gorgonzola cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and add into sauce. Add parmesan cheese to taste. Toss well together and serve right away.

Pasta: Using lemon grass turns this pasta dish into an example of fusion cooking. Hope the result will be pleasing to you.

FUSILLI WITH LEMONGRASS PRIMAVERA SAUCE:

 

 

 

1 lb. fusilli pasta

veggie mix:

    ¾ cups tender green beans                                      

    3 tbsp. young peas

    4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced                        

    1shallot, finely chopped

2 stalks fresh lemon grass                                           

½ cup olive oil

grated rind of 1 small lemon + squeeze of fresh lemon juice

sea salt and black pepper                                            

chopped black olives to garnish

 

 

 

Trim lemongrass, crushed with the back of the cleaver and cut in half lengthwise; then slice finely. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until hot and drop in lemongrass, mixing it with the oil. Remove pan from heat and allow lemongrass to infuse oil for 10 minutes.

 

Trim beans and cut into 1-inch lengths. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook another minute. Drain and rinse in cold running water. Drain and dry on paper towels.

 

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain.

 

Strain the infused oil through a sieve and discard lemon grass. Mix the oil with shallot, lemon rind and juice and the beans, peas and diced tomatoes. Add salt to taste. 

 

Add this mixture to cooked pasta and toss well together. Serve at once, garnished with chopped black olives.

PASTA: Hope you'll like this version of rigatoni.

RIGATONI WITH BEANS, BACON, ASPARGUS AND CRAM SAUCE:

 

 

 

1 lb. store-bought rigatoni                               

½ lb. asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

½ lb. lean bacon, in one piece                        

1 cp cooked haricot or cannelloni beans

1 tsp. chopped rosemary                                 

sauce:

    2/3 cup whipping cream

    4 cups chicken stock                                              

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

 

Put chicken stock in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat to reduce it by half. Add cream and rosemary and continue boiling until reduced to 2 cups total volume. Remove from heat and set aside.

 

Cut bacon into dice. Heat oil in saucepan until hot and cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

 

Blanch asparagus, with heat turned off, in a large pot of salted boiling water until tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels.

 

Bring water back to a boil and cook rigatoni until al dente. Drain and keep warm.

 

Return the sauce to medium heat. Stir in the beans and half the bacon. Simmer mixture for 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add rigatoni and asparagus. Toss well to coat pasta with sauce.

 

Serve at once, sprinkled with the remaining crisp bacon.

PASTA: This is a very easy recipe to use if pushed for time. Substituting fresh tomatoes for tomato sauce makes this a much lighter but no less tasty pasta.

FETTUCCINI WITH CLAMS AND SHRIMP:

 

 

 

1 cup each cooked small shrimp & cooked chopped clams

¼ cup each butter & olive oil

1 cup peeled and chopped tomatoes

1 cup dry white wine                                                  

6 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dry rosemary                                                     

½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped                                

salt and fresh ground pepper + ½ tsp. sugar

1/2 to 1lb, fettuccini pasta

 

 

 

In a large skillet, melt butter in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add wine, garlic and rosemary. Cook mixture until wine has mostly evaporated. Reduce heat to medium. Add clams, shrimp, tomatoes, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture until it is heated through. Taste & adjust seasoning if necessary.

 

Meanwhile cook fettuccini in 7 quarts of boiling water with 2 tbsp. salt added until al dente. Drain and add into tomato and seafood mixture in the skillet. Toss well together until well combined. Transfer to heated plates to serve. 

PASTA: Sea food in white wine & tomato sauce seems to go well with any type of pasta. Please try this version of it.

FETUCCINI WITH MUSSELS AND CALAMARI:

 

 

seafood mix:

    24 mussels, scrubbed

    2 lbs. calamari, cut into 2-inch strips

    1 1/2 cups dry white wine, divided             

    4 tbsp. butter & 3 tbsp. olive oil                                                     

    6 to 12 cloves garlic, minced, divided

    1 onion, or 5-6 shallots, diced                                

    8 sprigs parsley, finely chopped

    2 tbsp. fresh oregano

    1 lemon, halved

    1 cup tomato sauce, see posted recipe on sauces                

    2 shakes Tabasco sauce, or to taste  

    salt and freshly ground pepper                                                                    

1 lb. white or green fettuccini                         

grated Parmesan cheese & sprigs of parsley

 

 

 

To prepare mussels:  In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onions, half the garlic and parsley until onions are soft. Add mussels, salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan and cook 1-2 minutes until mussels begin to open. Add 1 cop wine, stir and cook a little longer and remove pan from stove when mussels are fully open. Discard mussels that do not open. Keep warm.

 

To prepare calamari:  Add olive oil to pan, heat oil until hot. Add rest of garlic and cook until golden brown. Add calamari and cook for 1 minute. Add oregano, salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of wine. Squeeze juice from lemon halves; then add lemon into mixture. Add tomato sauce and Tabasco. Simmer mixture for 2 minutes. Then remove from pot and keep warm. Discard lemon halves before serving.

 

Cook fettuccini in 7 quarts of boiling water with 2 tbsp. of salt added until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large serving platter.  Combine mussels and calamari mixtures and pour over the pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated cheese and garnish with sprigs of parsley to serve.