Creamy Italian Chicken

Wanting something different but quick and easy considering winter has officially arrived here in Melbourne (although it's been here for a few weeks now) however I really didn't fancy a heavy dish such as a pasta or a bake but still wanted that comfort food sensation.  This is how everyone feels mid week and during winter right?

I find cooking with chicken breast fillets easy for a mid week meal.  They tend to cook quickly in most applications and unless overcooked are a tender juicy protein for a good dinner.  So armed with a few nicely sized chicken breasts I set upon preparing a comfort food dish and knew it had to be creamy of some sort.  An email had arrived, Taste were promoting 50 One-Pot Winners, so of course I had to stop and have a read... love celebration posts highlighting certain ingredients, seasons, styles of cooking, etc.  I came across One Pot Italian Chicken and was intrigued with the flavours.

Pure Italian flavours of garlic, tomato and basil enveloped in a creamy sauce - aaaaahhhhh my tastebuds were in heaven just reading the recipe let alone cooking it.   It sounded easy.  It sounded delicious. It was now on the menu.

Everything I have just mentioned was true - quick (on the table in less than 30 minutes), easy (simple ingredients and techniques) and flavoursome (who doesn't like Italian?).

No pasta in sight tonight, instead I roasted some chat potatoes, steamed carrots and broccoli.  There was a bread basket of small crusty bread rolls to sop up the creamy sauce - you know that you just have to do that when it comes to a dish with lots of sauce.

Delizioso .... 

Creamy Italian Chicken

(recipe adapted from Taste.com.au)

Serves: 4

4 small chicken breasts fillets, trimmed

salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

20 grams reduced fat butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

80 grams sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 cup reduced fat thickened cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

60 grams baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat until butter is foamy. Add the seasoned chicken  to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes each side to until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Place the garlic in the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.

Add the tomatoes and stir to coat.

Add the wine and cook for 1 minute or until reduced.

Add the cream and stock. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced.

Stir through the spinach until wilted. 

Season to taste and sprinkle with the basil leaves.

Serve with vegetables and crusty bread, if desired.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Fettucine Carbonara

Delicious and rich, this pasta dish makes the ultimate occasional indulgence.  I say this as it is definitely something that you wouldn't have too often for two reasons.

The first being that the flavours are so decadent and mourish that it is hard to stop at one bowl full even if you have eaten enough.

The second is that it isn't the best dish to cook if you are on a diet.  I do try and lighten up a lot of the recipes that I cook but some you just have to keep it basic and stick to the original recipes.  (However saying this I have made this one gluten free by swapping out the pasta).

My kids adore this dish - it is definitely a comfort meal and it's one that I go to as it is very quick and easy to prepare, cook and serve.

Fettucine Carbonara

Serves: 4

400 grams gluten free fettucine, or pasta of your choice

1 tablespoons olive oil

250 grams pancetta or bacon, cut into strips

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

300 ml pure cream

3 eggs

1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

1/3 cup chopped continental parsley

Boil a large saucepan full of water and cook pasta following packet directions until al dente. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. 

Add pancetta and onion. Cook for 8 minutes or until pancetta is golden. 

Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Whisk cream and eggs in a bowl. Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper. 

Add pancetta mixture and cream mixture to hot pasta and toss to combine. 

Stir through parsley and serve immediately sprinkled with extra parmesan.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Colin Fassnidge's Lamb Bolognese

Well I have a little obsession with My Kitchen Rules (MKR) and MasterChef.  Obviously people that know me would just roll their eyes into the back of their heads reading this.  I especially love watching the celebrity chefs on both shows, saying this one of my favourite chefs is Colin Fassnidge.

I came across this recipe on Delicious.com awhile ago while doing my second favourite pastime - googling! I don't normally cook with lamb mince but intrigue by the complexity of the flavours but the simplicity of the ingredients.  So it went on my "to cook list".

Menu planning this week, which I do every Saturday morning, I decided this would be our dinner one night.  Ironically I chose Monday night.  Whilst preparing dinner and watching MKR here I stood in the kitchen stiring Colin Fassnidge's Lamb Bolognese only to be watching him on the TV!!!  (Insert school girl giggle here!!)

Anyways I wasn't wrong about this dish... it was magical and such a welcome change from the good ol' spag bol my kids have grown to hate (apparently I have gone overboard in the hiding vegetables category in the normal bolognese sauce).  Everyone enjoyed.  The texture of the lamb mince compared to using beef was a change and the use of fresh herbs lifted the sauce to another level.  A surprise ingredient was a fennel bulb which wasn't overpowering and didn't leave an aniseed taste - in fact I would say it added a little sweetness to the sauce. 

The cooking process was quite simple and once the last ingredient was added all that was left was for it to simmer and thicken.  While this was happening the house filled with the combination of the fresh herbs and tomatoes - you know what I mean - it's that welcoming smell of home cooked goodness!

Overall, a magic pasta sauce which will definitely please anyone and will be cooked again.  Thanks Colin xx

Colin Fassnidge's Lamb Bolognese

(Recipe adapted from Delicious.com)

Serves: 6

SP per serve:  9

500 grams lamb mince

2 onions, diced

1 baby fennel, diced

3 carrots, diced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ bunch each thyme, leaves picked and chopped

 ¼ bunch rosemary, leaves picked and chopped

¼ bunch sage, leaves picked and chopped

100ml white wine

2 cups sugo (or tomato passata)

2 cups chicken stock

salt

freshly ground black pepper

400 grams tagliatelle normal or Gluten Free

Grated Parmesan to serve, if desired

Place a large heavy-based pan over high heat. Add mince, and cook for 8 minutes or until excess liquid has evaporated, breaking up larger pieces with a spoon. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the same pan, add onion, fennel and carrot. Cook 7 minutes, stirring regularly. Add garlic and herbs, and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Return mince to the pan and combine.

Add wine and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add sugo and stock.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 40 minutes or until sauce has thickened.  Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to packet instructions. Drain.

When sauce is ready, serve, and top with Parmesan, if desired.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Spicy Prawn & Scallop Fettuccine

While hubby and I are absolute self confessed foodaholics there are times (not many) that we are actually over food.  This obvious happens after we have eaten too well for too long.  Every now and then we fancy something plain Jane and easy.  This often includes Eggs, Beans and Chips for dinner which the kids think is actually fantastic by the way.

Tonight, after eating an abundance of good food between Christmas through to Australia Day weekend (last weekend) we both fancied something simple and easy yet full of flavour.  Funnily enough we both fancied seafood but didn't want anything Asian as we had just had lunch in Chinatown the previous Sunday.  Plus we always seem to cook prawns and scallops with an Asian influence.

While googling recipes, my next favourite hobby after cooking, I came across an Aussie blogger and her website Em's Food for Friends.  Let me tell you I am so glad that I did.  A really good read, full of recipes and delicious pictures.  And thats where I found a recipe for Spicy Prawn and Scallop Spaghetti.  From that moment dinner was sorted although there would be a few small alterations.

I didn't cut the prawns and scallops up as I prefer them whole.  I did however remove the shells of the tails of the prawns as that is a PET HATE of mine when you go to a restaurant and order a dish where you use cutlery and you have to battle prawn tail shells.  I am also not a fan of the roe on scallops so I purchase scallops with the roe already removed.  If you like the roe, add that in it too.

Overall this seafood laced pasta dish was magic. Starting with the simplicity of cooking all components right through to eating perfectly cooked seafood and pasta in a chilli, garlic and lemon tomato based sauce.  Both hubby and I were really surprised by the dish we will now also put on our comfort food list especially when we fancy something different.  We will definitely be cooking this again.

Spicy Prawn & Scallop Fettuccine

(Recipe adapted from Ems Food For Friends)

Serves: 4

SmartPoints per Serve:

300 gram fettuccine or pasta of your choice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes

1 lemon

1/2 cup dry white wine

400 gram tin chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup reduced fat cream

1/2 teaspoon white sugar

salt 

freshly cracked pepper

600 grams raw green prawn meat, cleaned and patted dry

400 grams scallops, without roe, cleaned and patted dry

1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Cook your pasta according to packet instructions.  When almost al dente, drain and set aside.

Heat a large fry pan and add a little olive oil. Lightly fry the garlic, lemon zest and chilli flakes for approximately 1 minute.

Pour in the lemon juice and wine.

Allow to reduce for a few minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cream and sugar, season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and allow to simmer.

Fold the scallops, prawns and 2 tablespoons parsley through the simmering sauce.

Bring the mixture back to a simmer.

Add the pasta to the pan.

Toss well to combine.

Place in a large serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Beef and Balsamic Ragu

The world has been throwing everything possible at me as of late and while we have still been cooking up a storm in the kitchen and eating I have had little time to do much else besides work and be a mam.  I cannot believe my last post was 3 months ago... before we all know it the jolly man in the red suit will be coming down our chimneysI  Yikes!!!!

Everyone knows that I love reading cookbooks, cooking magazines or basically anything with a recipe in it or even on it!  Yes I have too many cookbooks, in fact the house is full and I have been banned several times from puchasing anymore!  However there is nothing more enjoyable than the feel of a cookbook, flicking through the pages reading and drooling over the stunning pictures. Not to mention finding a page of a recipe you have cooked before, once or many times, which has been splashed on or scribbled on as you've adapted the recipe.

Coles and Woolworths both produce a wonderful monthly magazine that's actually free and readily available at most service counters or checkouts. While there is quite a lot of product advertising there are always lots of really good recipes inside also.  Why am I promoting these magazines?  Well I can take them home and technically I didn't buy them so that's a win! And secondly because I have actually cooked some wonderful and tasty dinners from each of them.

When I cook Spaghetti Bolognaise it is jam packed full of vegetables much to my kids disgust.  There is always complaints about "why are there so many vegetables?" or "Can't you just make it plain?"  Listening to their pleas of agony I remembered that I had seen a recipe for a Ragu (which is pretty much the same as a Bolognaise) in a recent Woolworths magazine so I decided I would test this recipe out and see if it would appease the natives.

To my surprise it was well recieved, no complaints, no facial expressions as there were no surprise vegetable finds.  This nice, thick tomato based sauce laced with rosemary and a hint of the sweet yet acidic flavour of balsamic made for a very comforting meal.  While one would think that it had been slow cooked for hours to achieve the consistency and develop the flavours it was literally on the table within 40 minutes.

Beef and Balsamic Ragu

(recipe adapted from Woolworths.com.au)

Serves: 4
SmartPoints Per Serve: 14

325 gram pasta of your choice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 red onions, cut into thin wedges

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary, plus extra to garnish

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500 grams lean beef mince

1/3 cup tomato paste

400 gram can crushed tomatoes

1 cup salt-reduced chicken stock

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

garlic bread, to serve

Cook pasta in boiling, salted water according to packet instructions. Drain and set to one side.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until tender and starting to caramelise.

Add rosemary, garlic and mince. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up any lumps, or until mince is browned. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, stock and vinegar and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve with garlic bread (if desired).

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Goulash Tirolese aka Tyrolean Beef Stew

I know a lot of my friends and family think I am made for menu planning.  But although I look nerdy and to some a control freak there are benefits to being organised. A major benefit is that I have meals I want to try and know how long they are going to take to prepare and cook.  This means that I can not only work out which meals are suitable for weeknights and which meals take a little more time.  It also means that from menu planning I create a shopping list and therefore have all the ingredients needed in one shop to pull off a week of cooking.  Totally win win for me... sadly totally outrageous to others.

Needless to say I love finding new recipes to try and share with our friends and family and you, the readers of my blog.

Anyway - I would like to introduce you to Gennaro Contaldo. Gennaro was born in Amalfi, Italy, and came to public attention as the chef who inspired Jamie Oliver when they worked together at Antonio Carluccio’s Neal Street restaurant.  He also co-presents the BBC2 Two Greedy Italians series with Carluccio and has published several cookbooks, including the recently released Slow Cook Italian, from which he shares the following recipe for Goulash Tirolese (Tyrolean beef stew).

“This classic stew from the Trentino-Alto Adige or South Tyrol region of northern Italy is slow cooked with onions, cumin and paprika – its distinct central European flavour is influenced by neighbouring Austria,” he writes in the recipe introduction.

To read this recipe was a pleasure but I must say to cook it and stand in my kitchen just smelling the Goulash (occasionally tasting it because I had too) was an honour.  I am so glad that I tried this recipe.  The flavour matched the aroma that filled the house.  The ease of the recipe was unbelievable especially compared to the flavour.

A very robust goulash style stew with only a few ingredients.  The beef was very tender and the pieces of pancetta that laced the thick sauce were tasty and added a salty yet salty element to the dish.  As we are not a polenta loving household (I am the only one that likes it) we had mashed potatoes to make ensure comfort food status was achieved.

Goulash Tirolese aka Tyrolean Beef Stew

(Recipe sourced from Indaily.com - Slow Cook Italian)

Serves: 4

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, sliced

100g pancetta, cubed

About 1 litre (4 cups) hot vegetable stock

1kg stewing beef, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed

1 tsp paprika

2 sprigs thyme

freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sweat the onions on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time to prevent sticking, until softened. Remove and set aside.

Add the pancetta to the pan and cook on a medium heat until coloured but not burnt. Remove from the pan and set aside. 

Return the onions to the pan, add about 3 tablespoons of stock and cook for a minute or so until the liquid has evaporated.

Add the beef, increase the heat and brown the meat all over.

Add 100ml (scant ½ cup) of stock, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook very gently for 30 minutes, then add another 100ml of stock and continue to cook for 30 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, cumin, paprika, thyme and pancetta.

Add 400 ml of stock, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for a further 1 hour, gradually adding more stock and stirring from time to time to ensure the meat doesn’t stick.

Remove from the heat and serve with creamy polenta or mashed potato or crunchy bread.

For a slow cooker

Cook the onions, pancetta and beef as above.

Once the beef is browned add 750 ml (3 cups) stock, the garlic, cumin, paprika, thyme and pancetta.
Bring to the boil, stirring, then transfer to a large slow cooker pot, press the meat beneath the liquid, cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Meatball Tomato and Mozzeralla Tray Bake

It's that time of year again - football season and winter.   When meals need to be quick and easy due to weeknight footy training, not to mention Saturday is game day and then there is always our social life to fit in.  

So it officially started this weekend for us.  Two football matches on Saturday (one in Carrum Downs and the other in Hastings).  Needless to say Saturday was busy until around 2pm. Saturday Night we went out for dinner with our beautiful friends, Tanya and Pete, whom we actually met through football.  We were all being "restaurant Guinea Pigs" as I had chosen a restaurant that none of us had been to before.

We had some amazing flavours at the Sun Wah last night - definitely had the taste buds jumping.  Everything on the menu sounded delicious so we all settled for the "Our Chef Degustation Menu".  Eight courses of amazing flavours and the presentation - wow it was magnificent.  This was the second time we had sat down for a Degustation feast - the first time was at Ten Minutes By Tractor.  I have to say we really enjoyed our first experience of a Degustation menu at the beautiful restaurant and winery in Main Ridge so needless to say I was definitely eager to see how the Chinese laid it our.  Our feast at the Sun Wah was as follows:

Amuse Bouche

Duck & Pork Croquette w. black truffle mayo

First Course

Ginger pear scallops, crispy pork belly, golden pearl sago, chilli jam

Second Course

Blue swimmer crab dumpling, Yarra Valley salmon caviar, clear consomme

Third Course

Twice cooked lamb rib, chilli jam, coriander

Fourth Course

Hopkins River grass fed eye fillet, eggplant, snake green beans, snow peas, mushrooms. teriyaki jus

Served with Special Fried Rice

Fifth Course

Roast Peking duck, steamed crepe, pickles, cucumber, hoi sin

Sixth Course

48° poached salmon, black bean, soy dressing with

dry fried spicy green beans

Seventh Course

Stuffed chicken w. minced prawns and mandarin jus

Eighth Course

Indulgence sharing dessert platter

Followed By Coffee and Tea

and Petit Fours 

Tonight's dinner truly had to be worthy of a king to match up with the food we ate last night.  LOL I am only kidding - tonight's dinner needed to be the perfect homemade meal.  A balanced meat and vegetable dish with lots of flavours.  This is a dish I have made a few times and it always goes down a treat.  Not only is it really easy, a fabulous one pot wonder, it is quick and manages to disappear.

Meatball Tomato and Mozzeralla Tray Bake

(Recipe adpated from Weight Watchers Australia)

Serves: 4

Smart Points per serve: 9

500 grams lean beef mince

3 shallots, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lemon rind, finely grated

2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes

1/2 cup fresh wholegrain breadcrumbs (approx 2 slices)

1 egg

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red capsicum, chopped

2 medium zucchini, chopped

cooking spray

400 grams canned cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoons baby capers, rinsed, drained

100 grams bocconcini, torn

1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced.

Combine mince, shallots, parsley, rind, chilli flakes, breadcrumbs and egg in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.  Roll level tablespoons of mixture into 24 meatballs.

Place meatballs, capsicum and zucchini in a large baking dish. Lightly spray with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes or until meatballs have browned.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, paste, garlic and capers in a bowl.

Add tomato mixture to meatballs and stir to combine. Top with bocconcini and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese has melted and meatballs are cooked through.

Serve sprinkled with basil.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Pork and Veal Meatballs on Polenta with Gremolata

One of the ways that I survive is by being organised.  Many of my friends, I believe, think I have a major control issue or am just simply crazy.  Menu planning, shopping lists, list of contents of freezer, family planner, etc., has just become part of our lives as with both hubby and I working full time and the kids with school and sporting activities there was a definite need to be organised not only to be prepared but the maximize the spare time that we did have.  I guess you either love it or hate it (or maybe don't understand it)!  I love it.

So needless to say I have menu planned the first week of the New Year.  As I plan Saturday to Friday it's only a small week especially as we went out for dinner with family last night to the Westernport Hotel in Hastings.  Now I mainly only plan dinners as lunches are normally quite standard weekdays but if I do plan to do a nice lunch on the weekend, for example, this is planned also.  Once the meals are decided I also make note of where the recipe is sourced from so whoever wants to come in and start preparing dinner they know what needs doing.  From the menu plan I get the shopping list and it all flows on from there.

I decided that tonight's dish, Pork and Veal Meatballs on Polenta with Gremolata, an Italian inspired dish would move away from all the foods and flavours of the Festive Season that we have been eating.  While the sauce itself is quite rich, the meatballs were moist and tender with a hint of cheese.  I did actually use pork an beef mince for this recipe as I did not have veal as the original recipe called for.  Both minces were only regular grade not the lean mince as required which would add to the richness and the fat content.  This also made it a tad oilier.  So stick to lean mince for this recipe.

The tomato sauce was very robust and really complemented the whole dish. This combined with the smooth creamy polenta made this meal quite comforting and I can only imagine would make a wonderful meal for a cold winters night.  The kids, not being fans of polenta, had boiled pasta instead.  I think if I had cooked more there would have been seconds taken by everyone that's for sure.

Pork and Veal Meatballs on Polenta with Gremolata

(Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Australia)

Serves: 4

SmartPoints per serve: 10

SmartPoints per serve (using regular mince): 13

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium brown onion, finely choppped

1 celery stick, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

400 gram canned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

250 grams lean pork mince

250 grams mince veal or beef, raw

3/4 cups grated parmesan cheese

salt 

freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

125 grams Instant yellow polenta

1 tablespoons fresh lemon rind, finely chopped

1/8 teaspoons garlic powder

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine mince, 2 tablespoons cheese, half the parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture into 12 balls.

Add meatballs to tomato mixture and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, bring 1 litre of water to the boil over high heat. Add polenta in a steady stream and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft and creamy. Stir in remaining cheese.

Combine lemon rind, remaining parsley and garlic powder in a bowl. Serve polenta topped with meatballs, sauce and gremolata.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Chorizo and Thyme Carbonara

While we are on the subject of pasta - here is another filling and delicious pasta dish.

This upbeat version of traditional Carbonara has a bit of a spicy kick from the Spanish Chorizo while still having the comforting taste of a creamy pasta sauce. 

As with everyone's favourite Pasta Carbonara the recipe is still simple - the basic ingredients of eggs, parmesan and cream.  Replacing the bacon with Chorizo which caramelized until crunchy and this coupled with fresh thyme leaves makes a delicious change..

 

Chorizo and Thyme Carbonara

(Recipe sourced from Super Food Ideas Magazine)

Serves: 4

375g dried pappardelle pasta

2 chorizo, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup light thickened cream for cooking

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

Cook pasta following packet directions until just tender. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pan over low heat.

Meanwhile, heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chorizo, stirring, for 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in thyme. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg, cream and parmesan in a jug. Add egg mixture, reserved cooking liquid, 1/2 the parsley and 1/2 the chorizo to pasta. Toss to combine and heat through. Season with pepper.

Serve pasta topped with remaining chorizo and parsley, and extra parmesan.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Slow Cooked Beef and Pancetta Ragu

Italian food - food for the soul.  Let's face it everyone loves pasta even those low-carb diet followers secretly love pasta.  I honestly have never met anyone that does not like pasta.  Have you?

 

This wonderful Italian number shines at the top of the comfort food list... slow cooked tender beef with pancetta in a thick tomato and herb sauce is perfect especially on a cold winter's night. 

 

Now this recipe does take quite a few hours on the stove top but I am sure that it would work perfectly well in a slow cooker.  I was home all day so it was easy for me to keep an eye on the pot on the stove top.  A slow cooker would definitely be easier though.

 

Fresh thyme and rosemary are perfectly placed in this sauce - please ensure you do try and use fresh herbs anytime you can the chance.  The flavour is much fresher and bolder than dried herbs in packets.

 

This ragu can be made ahead of time.  Allow to cool and it will last in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container.  It's perfectly good to freeze also. 

 



Slow Cooked Beef and Pancetta Ragu

(recipe adapted from Taste.com)

Serves: 8

 

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1.25kilograms gravy beef, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces

1 large brown onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1 red capsicum, finely chopped

100 gram pancetta, finely chopped

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons plain flour

3/4 cup red wine

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 cup beef stock

410 gram can crushed tomatoes

750 grams dried pappardelle pasta

50 grams  butter, chopped

Grated parmesan to serve

Chilli flakes to serve (optional)

Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Cook the beef, in batches, until browned all over. Transfer to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining oil in same dish. Add onion, carrot, capsicum, pancetta, rosemary and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until vegetables just begin to soften.

Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until vegetables are coated. Stir in wine. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute or until reduced slightly. Add tomato paste, stock and tomatoes. Stir to combine.

Return beef to dish. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 hours, or until meat is very tender and sauce thickens. Use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to break up meat.

Cook pasta following packet directions. Drain well. Return to pan. Add butter. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Serve ragu on pasta, sprinkled with parmesan and chilli, if desired.

 

 

 (Click here for a printable version of this recipe) 

Oven Baked Leek and Prosciutto Risotto with Gummy Shark

I have had it in my head for the last few weeks that I wanted to make a risotto.  Sadly, as Masterchef Australia has labelled risotto the "death" dish of their competition, I have to say every past attempt that this has been my "death" dish also.  Death obviously not from dying but from failing to create the dish as intended.  Determined as usual I decided to give an oven baked version of risotto a try in hope to put all my epic failed attempts of cooking one of our favourite dishes behind me.

 

There is nothing better than a plate/bowl full of creamy soft rice that is full of flavour especially when it's home cooked.  Risotto, originating in Italy, can be served as an entrée, main or even a dessert and while there are an abundance of traditional recipes its a dish that can be made using what ever ingredients you have available.

As I planned to serve this risotto with some thick gummy shark fillets I wanted I knew that I wanted something that was bold enough to compliment the fish but not overpower it's flavour.  A balanced combination of leek and prosciutto with a hint of tarragon and some sweetness from the corn kernels made this risotto a perfect partner for the tender gummy shark which was laced with a hint of smokiness.

I challenge anyone who is, like me, haunted by past failed attempts to give this oven baked method a try - you won't be disappointed.

Oven Baked Leek and Prosciutto Risotto with Gummy Shark

(Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers Food You'll Love)

 

Serves: 6

 

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 leek, finely sliced

80 grams prosciutto, fat trimmed, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

250 grams Arborio rice

150 grams cherry tomatoes, halved

150 grams corn kernels

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

6 x 200 gram pieces gummy shark or fish of your choice

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

cooking spray

4 tablespoons reduced fata thickened cream

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 160 degrees Celsius fan forced.

Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat.  Add leek and prosciutto and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp and leek has softened.  Add garlic and tarragon and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.  Add rice, tomatoes and corn and stir to combine.

Add stock and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.  Cover and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until rice is just tender.

Meanwhile sprinkle fish with paprika.  Lightly spray a large non stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium high heat.  Cook fish for 4-5 minutes each side or until just cooked through.

Remove risotto from oven and stir in the cream.  Serve fish with risotto.

 

 (Click here for a printable version of this recipe)

 

Conchiglioni with Italian Sausage



One of the best things about pasta is that it's so versatile and there are many different types to choose from.  However the ultimate bonus about pasta is that it is nearly everyone's go-to comfort food.

 

There is always an air of excitement when the family know pasta is on the menu - pasta is always normally easy to prepare and easy to eat. 

 

This recipe was one of the easiest but flavour packing sauces I have made. In fact I cannot believe the pasta took nearly as long to boil as it did to make the sauce.  Minimal ingredients were used which is also a bonus.  If you do not have the Conchiglioni (large pasta shells) and pasta will be perfectly fine for this recipe.

 

The flavours of fennel, chilli, garlic and parsley were perfect with the pork mince - literally this was the insides of store-brought Italian sausages... yep you read right - store-brought sausages.  Some tinned tomatoes, cream and seasoning and voila - dinner is served!!

 

You must give this recipe a go.....

Conchiglioni with Italian Sausage

(Recipe adapted from Australian Women's Weekly)

Serves: 6

SmartPoints per serve: 14

1 kilogram Italian-style sausages

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

3 x 400g cans crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons cream

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves

500g conchiglioni (large shell pasta, see Cook's Note)

1⁄3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Make a slit along the length of the sausages and remove sausage meat, discard skins.

Heat a large frying pan over high heat, coarsely crumble sausage meat into the pan and cook, stirring, until browned. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Discard fat.

Heat oil in the same pan over low-medium heat, add garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until fragrant but not coloured. Increase heat, add tomatoes and sausage meat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until sauce is thick. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in cream and half the basil.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in plenty of rapidly boiling, well-salted water until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add pasta to sauce mixture, stir to combine. Remove from heat, stir through parmesan. If mixture feels dry, add some of the pasta cooking water. Serve sprinkled with remaining basil leaves.

 

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe) 

Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagne

Nothing beats a full plate of Lasagne no matter what language you speak...... 

And I like nothing better than exploring different flavours for Lasagne.  Traditional thick beef sauce with lots of Bechamel sauce is wonderful but sometimes one just needs to look outside the square when it comes to this wonderfully comforting dish.  

I decided, especially after the somewhat recent success of my Italian Sausage and Beef Bolognaise that trying this as the base sauce in a Lasagne would be only the right thing to do!! And trust me it was. 

The flavours were magnificent ... from the underlying flavours of the Italian sausage full of fennel, garlic and chilli, the thick tomato sauce and right through to the thick creamy Bechamel sauce this was definitely a winner.

Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagne

Serves: 8

500 grams Italian sausage, skins removed and cut into small chunks

500 grams lean ground beef

1 brown onions, finely diced

1 cloves garlic, crushed

1 x 425 grams tinned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup tomato paste
700 gram bottle passata (tomato puree)

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoons dried parsley

2 teaspoons salt

freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots, grated
1 large zucchini, grated

30 grams butter

2 tablespoons plain flour

500 ml skim milk

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard

salt

ground white pepper
8 fresh Lasagne sheets

150 grams grated tasty cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large frying pan cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. 

Transfer to a large saucepan and stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, passata, and water. 

Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, oregano, parsley, salt, and season with freshly ground black pepper. 

Add carrot and zucchini.  Stir well until well combined.  Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile make the Bechamel by adding the butter to a large saucepan.  Cook over medium heat and until completely melted.  Remove from heat.  Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until flour is mixed through and you have a nice soft roux.  Return to the heat and gradually add in the milk, using a whisk mix continually, ensuring it's completely mixed through and that you have no lumps.  Continue with remaining milk.  Leave to simmer over low heat, stirring, until thickened slightly.  Add the mustard and season with salt and pepper.  Stir well. Remove from heat.

Spoon 1/4 beef mixture over base of a lasagne dish. Top with 2 lasagne sheets. Cover with another 1/4 of the beef mixture and then cover with 1/3 of the Bechamel sauce.  Top with another 2 lasagne sheets.  Spread again with 1/4 of the beef mixture and cover with 2 lasagne sheets.  Finally put the remaining beef mixture in the dish and cover with the remaining lasagne sheets. Top with remaining Bechamel sauce over the lasagne sheets and sprinkle with the combined grated cheese.

Cover with foil (spray foil with cooking spray to stop cheese sticking to the foil) and bake in oven for 40 - 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for a further 5 - 10 minutes until cheese is golden brown.

Serve immediately.

(click here for a printable version of this recipe)

Italian Sausage and Beef Bolognaise

Good ol' Spaghetti Bolognaise just got exciting.  This was absolutely to die for.... and just raised the bar for "Comfort Food".  I would have to say one of my new all time favourite pasta sauces.  The thought of putting Italian sausage into the beef sauce was something I had not thought of doing before although saying this I have made Rigatoni Milano before just using pork sausage as the meat component in the sauce..  

Not the quickest to make but definitely worth all the effort.  The Italian sausages need to be skinned and cut/broken into small bite size pieces before cooking.  As usual I managed to sneak in extra vegetables also these were not that recognizable by the time the sauce had finished cooking - winner on the fussy kid front.

The additional herbs complimented the already existing flavour of the Italian sausage which all enhanced the thick rich tomato sauce.  My favourite undertone was the fennel, both from the sausage flavourings and the fennel seeds but everything combined made my taste buds dance.  

The kids really enjoyed this different sauce even with our son Oliver asking "Please Mam can I can some more?"  

And of course I said..... "Yes you can!

Italian Sausage and Beef Bolognaise

Serves: 8

1 kilogram Italian sausage, skins removed and cut into small chunks

1 kilogram lean ground beef

2 brown onions, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 x 425 grams tinned diced tomatoes

1 cup tomato paste
700 gram bottle passata (tomato puree)

1 cup water

2 tablespoons white sugar

3 teaspoons dried basil leaves

2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon salt

freshly ground black pepper
4 carrots, grated
2 large zucchini, grated

400 grams pasta, of your choice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large frying pan cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. 

Transfer to a large saucepan and stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, passata, and water. 

Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, oregano, parsley, salt, and season with freshly ground black pepper. 

Add carrot and zucchini.  Stir well until well combined.  Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.  

When ready to serve, place pasta in serving dishes and top with pasta sauce.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe)