Tomato and Asparagus Carbonara

Ingredients :

• 300 gms whole wheat penne pasta,
• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes

• 400 gms asparagus, ends removed and cut into thirds

• 3 cloves of garlic,
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese 

• 1 egg

• Several fresh basil leaves, torn

Preparation :

• Cook the pasta in salted boiling water per instructions on packet.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, heat oil in a pan and cook the tomatoes for 5 – 6 minutes. Add asparagus and cook further for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a minute.
• Break the egg in a bowl, and mix with cheese, salt and pepper to taste, will well combined.
• Drain the pasta and return to the cooking pot. Add the cheese and egg mixture and still well till the cheese has melted.
• Add tomoatoes and asparagus to the pasta and mix well. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves. Serve hot.

Serves 4

Florets Soup

Ingredients :

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 4 cups cauliflower and brocolli tiny florets
• 3 cups diced peeled baking potato
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation :

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and sauté onions and garlic.
• Add the tiny florets, potato, carrots and caraway seeds to the garlic and onions and cook until florets begin to brown. Stir frequently.
• Add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Season with salt and pepper, and serve with warm bread.

Serves 4

Macaroni Salad with Zucchini

Ingredients :

• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 500 gm zucchini, thinly sliced
• ½ red pepper, diced finely
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 350 gm macaroni
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• roasted peanuts, for garnishing 

Preparation :

• Saute onion and garlic in a frying pan, until golden. Add zucchini and red pepper and sauté further.
• Once the zucchini and onions are translucent, add vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for a few minutes.
• Cook macaroni in salted boiling water, until al dente. Drain, and refresh under cold water, and drain again.
• Place in bowl and combine with zucchini mixture, and cool.
• Garnish with coriander and roasted peanuts. Serve cold.

Serves 4

Pasta with Green Veggies and Lemon

Ingredients :

• 250 gm pasta (penne or macaroni)
• 150 gms broccoli
• 225g zucchini
• 2 good tbs olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 cups fresh peas
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 150 gm mascarpone or any soft cheese
• 80 gm grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to season

Preparation :

• Cook the pasta as per pack instructions. Add the broccoli and peas in the final 3 minutes to cook. Strain and keep aside. Keep a ladleful of cooking water, drain the rest.

• Slice the zucchini into thin pieces.

• Heat olive oil in a heavy-base frying pan and add garlic. Cook for a minute. Add the zucchini and toss over a medium high heat for 5 minutes.

• Add the pasta, along with brocolli and peas and fresh herbs.. Stir in the soft cheese, lemon zest and juice, parmesan cheese. Add some of the cooking water from the pasta if required.

• Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Serves 4

Peach and Prosciutto Salad with Mozzarella:

Ingredients :

• 3 ripe peaches, stoned and quartered

• 4 slices of Prosciutto Ham

• 1 ball of mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces

• 1 handful lettuce leaves

• some mint

• 2 tbsp olive oil, for the dressing

• 1 tbsp lemon juice, for the dressing

• ½ tbsp maple syrup, for the dressing

Preparation :

• Mix all the dressing ingredients together and keep aside.

• In a salad bowl, put peaches, ham, lettuce leaves, torn cheese, mint leaves.

• Drizzle the dressing on the salad and toss gently.

Serves 2

Pasta with Red Onion and Gorgonzola

Ingredients :

• 4 small red onions, sliced into thin wedges

• 2 tsp caster sugar

• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 300 gms penne pasta

• 100 gms creamy gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

• 1 tbsp pine nuts toasted

• Olive oil

Preparation :

• Start cooking the pasta in salted boiling water, as per packet instructions

• While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Saute the onion until soft and translucent.

• Add sugar and balsamic vinegar to the pan, and cook til the onions caramelize 

• Once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss with the onions. Add the gorgonzola cheese and pinenuts. Serve.

Serves 4

Risotto with Asparagus and Walnuts

Ingredients :

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 15 gm butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 350 gm risotto rice
• 1.5 ltrs chicken or vegetable stock
• 200 gm asparagus, snapped into 5cm segments
• zest of 1 lemon
• 40 gm walnut pieces
• 2 handfuls of grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation :

• Heat butter and oil in a sauce pan and fry onions until softened.
• Add the rice to the saucepan and stir over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes, without browning.
• Pour the stock into the pan, one ladle at a time. Pour in more stock only when the previous ladleful has been absorbed completely.
• After about 10 minutes, add the asparagus and continue cooking, adding stock as necessary
• Check for the consistency of rice. It should be ‘al dente’. If the rice is firm to the bite, add walnuts and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Remove from heat and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately. 

Serves 4

Grilled Prawn Risotto

Ingredients :

• 4 cups Prawn Stock, warm
• 5 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Onions, chopped
• 3 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 2 cups Arborio Rice
• 2 cups White Wine
• 1 tsp saffron threads
• 1 tbsp tarragon, chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander, chopped
• 12 Jumbo Prawns
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• ½ cup white wine
• ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste

 Preparation : 

• In a bowl, mix 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp wine, chilli flakes, lemon zest, 1 tbsp garlic, tarragon and prawns. Season with salt and pepper and marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat, and sauté the onions and remaining garlic until the onions are soft and translucent.
• In a separate skillet, grill the marinated prawns on either side for about 2 minutes.
• While the prawns are grilling, add the rice and saffron to the saucepan with the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated and opaque.
• Add the wine to the rice and continue cooking until the liquid is almost evaporated.
• Ladle in 1 cup of prawn stock into the rice. Simmer and slowly stir until the rice has absorbed the stock. Add remaining stock, one ladleful at a time, simmering and stirring the rice all the time. Allow the rice to absorb the stock before adding another ladle.
• Cook for about 20 minutes, until the risotto is slightly firm and creamy.
• Gently fold the prawns into the risotto. Add grated Parmesan cheese and cook until cheese melts.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with chopped coriander garnishing.

Chicken with Creamy Penne

Ingredients :

• 200 gm dried penne
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp dry white wine
• 115 gm frozen peas
• 5 tbsp double cream
• salt
• 4-5 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation :

• In a large saucepan, boil salt and water. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta, and cook the pasta for about 8 – 10 minutes till it is firm, yet tender.

• Seperately, in a frying pan, add the chicken and cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, on each side

• Add the wine to the pan with the chicken and cook on high until the wine has almost disappeared

• Drain the pasta. Add the peas, cream and pasta to the chicken and stir well. Cover the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes