Penne boscaiola with asparagus

Recipe adapted from Super Food Ideas, October 2011 issue, page 24

Ingredients

400g penne pasta
1 tablespoon cornflour
½ cup chicken stock
300ml evaporated light cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
100g bacon, diced
x2 chicken minute steaks
200g button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 green onions, sliced (or 1 small brown onion)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1cm slices
¾ cup frozen green peas
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

1. Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, place cornflour in a bowl. Add the stock. Stir until smooth. Add cream and whisk until smooth. Set aside. 
3. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium high heat. Add bacon. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until golden. 
4. Season chicken steaks and add to pan. Cook for 1 minute each side or until golden. Remove chicken steaks onto a plate to rest.
5. Meanwhile, add mushrooms and garlic to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add onion and asparagus. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion is tender.
6. Add cream mixture and peas to pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened and asparagus is tender. Add pasta and lemon rind. Slice up the chicken steaks and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with some grated Parmesan cheese.

Jamie Oliver's 15 Minute Meals Fettuccine, Smoked Trout, Asparagus & Peas

Recipe adapted from Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, page 188

* Ingredients out * Kettle boiled * Medium pan, high heat * Large lidded pan, high heat * Stick blender

Pasta
1 small bunch of spring onions
1 bunch of asparagus (300g)
olive oil
300g frozen baby peas
1 big bunch of fresh mint
1 tablespoon plain flour
385ml evaporated milk
320g dried fettuccine
250g hot-smoked trout (or salmon)
Parmesan cheese, to serve

Salad & dressing
50g mesclun salad leaves
a few sprigs of fresh tarragon
2 heaped teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 heaped teaspoon runny honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
1 heaped tablespoon fat-free natural yoghurt

Method

Roughly slice the trimmed spring onions and asparagus stalks, leaving the tips whole. Set aside the asparagus tips. Put the trimmed spring onions and asparagus stalks into the medium pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the peas. Roughly chop most of the top leafy half of the mint, and add it to the pan. Stir in the flour, pour in the milk and bring to the boil, then simmer. Put the pasta into the large pan, cover with boiling salted water and cook according to packet instructions.

Empty the salad leaves into a salad bowl. Pick over the tarragon and the remaining mint leaves. Spoon the mustard and honey into a small bowl, add the extra virgin olive oil, the juice of ½ a lemon and the yoghurt, mix together and season to taste.

Using the stick blender, purée the asparagus sauce until fairly smooth. Turn the heat down to low, flake in the trout, add the asparagus tips and simmer for a few more minutes, then squeeze in the rest of the lemon juice and season to taste. Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of starchy cooking water, then toss the pasta with the sauce, loosening with a splash of cooking water, if needed. Serve straight away, with a grating of Parmesan and the salad, dressing it at the table.

Penne with Chicken & Asparagus

This is my favourite weekday meal to cook because it is so quick and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
400g penne pasta
1 jar (400g) tomato pasta sauce
500g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, cut into 4 cm lengths
2 tablespoon chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Place cherry tomatoes in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, set aside. 
2. Cook the penne in a large saucepan of lightly salted water according to the packet instructions or until al dente. Drain well and return to pan.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large non stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cook stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook stirring for a further 2-3 minutes or until chicken is golden and asparagus is bright green and tender crisp
4. Add the chicken mixture and tomatoes to the pan with the penne, toss to combine, then add the pasta sauce and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired.

Smoked Salmon, Poached Eggs and Asparagus

Ingredients

150g smoked salmon
150g green asparagus
2 medium sized eggs
2 slices sour dough bread
1 litre water
50ml vinegar
salt and pepper

Method

1. Bring half the water to boil in saucepan. Poach the asparagus for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Discard water.
2. Bring the remaining water to the boil and add the vinegar. Crack an egg into a bowl and gently lower the egg to poach in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg from the water. Repeat with remaining egg.
3. Meanwhile toast the sourdough bread. Butter.
4. Divide the asparagus, egg and salmon onto toast. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

How to poach eggs like a chef:

1. Tear a square of cling film. Drizzle with oil, and spread with your fingers to evenly grease. Lay into a small cup or bowl, overhanging the sides. Break the egg into the cling film and pull the plastic up to gather it around the egg.
2. Expel all the air around the egg, and twist the cling film to shape the egg. Tie the plastic, sliding the knot down close to the egg to preserve the shape. Place into a pan of simmering water and poach until the white has set but the yolk is still runny.
3. Lift from the water and, using scissors, carefully cut the cling film below the knot. Gently peel away the cling film.

Reference from: Masterchef Australia, The Cookbook Volume One page 62

Salmon with mango & chilli salsa

This low-fat and easy recipe is bursting with omega 3 fatty acids and fuses sweet fruit with fresh vegies - perfect for a warm summer day or evening.

I normally add coriander to the salsa but since my husband doesn't like it I left it out. I also left in the chilli seeds since we both like a bit of heat :)

 
Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
4 (about 220g each) salmon fillets
2 ripe mangoes, cheeks removed, peeled, finely chopped
1 long fresh red chilli, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
1 avocado, peeled, finely chopped
1 tbs fresh lime juice
1-2 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
Lime wedges, to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste


Method

1. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of salmon fillet with salt and pepper.
2. Place the salmon, skin-side down in the pan. Cook until golden brown on 1 side, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the fish over with a spatula, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (for medium rare).
3. Meanwhile, combine the mango, chilli, coriander and lime juice in a bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper.  
4. Cook the asparagus in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes or until bright green and tender crisp. 
5. Divide the salmon among serving plates. Top with asparagus and salsa and serve with lime wedges.

Smoked Salmon with Creamy Asparagus and Zucchini Sauce

Here's another easy to make mid week dinner

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small leek or onion, thinly sliced
1 large zucchini, peeled to form ribbons
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 5cm lengths
375ml light evaporated milk or 400ml light thickened cream
¼ cup chopped dill
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon rind
Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
150g-200g smoked salmon slices, torn into pieces, to serve

Method

1. Cook penne in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions or until al dente. Drain, return to pan and cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add leek and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add zucchini, asparagus, cream, dill and lemon rind. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened slightly.
3. Stir the smoked salmon through the zucchini mixture and cook for another minute.
4. To serve, divide pasta between serving bowls and top with salmon mixture. Serve with salad.

Creamy Chicken, Asparagus, Mushroom & Proscuitto Pasta

My sincere apologies to my fellow blog readers for taking so long to post on my blog. I've been a bit bogged down with assignments lately... Hence, the last couple of weeks I've been cooking up a lot of quick, simple and easy to prepare meals. Hope you enjoy some of the next couple of recipes that I will blog about. I'm sure there are many time poor people out there, just like myself :P

Serves 4

Ingredients

300g penne pasta
4 slices prosciutto, cut in half length ways
2 tbsp olive oil
500g chicken breast or thigh fillets, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup dry white wine
1 bunch asparagus, cut in 5cm lengths
50g mushrooms, sliced
1 chicken stock cube
375ml light & creamy evaporated milk
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Cook pasta according to directions on packet, drain and keep warm.
2. Brown prosciutto under grill until golden brown and crisp then break into smaller pieces.
   
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan over high heat. Add chicken, cook for 2 minutes until golden brown, remove from pan. Set aside onto a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm.
4. Add remaining oil, onion and garlic to pan, cook until onion softens. Add wine and cook for 2 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, then add chicken and simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
5. Toss cooked pasta through sauce, top with prepared prosciutto pieces. If desired, sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan cheese.