Udon Noodles With Asparagus and Beef Strips

Ingredients:

250 g lean beef fillet

1 small pack fresh asparagus

8 radishes 

1/2 pack udon noodles 

Sauce:

60 ml soy sauce

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp sesame oil 

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, rasped 

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plain or smoked 

salt&pepper 

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For those who like to experiment with Asian cuisine, this may be a simple and tasty meal to try out.

Start out by cooking the asparagus al dente. Cut the radish and cooked asparagus and put into a bowl. Put the udon noodles into sauce pan with salted boiling water and cook until soft, this should take about 8-10 minutes. Drain the water and let cool off. Prepare the sauce by mixing all ingredients together. Put noodles into the bowl with prepared vegetables and add the sauce. Stir together.

Now the main focus is on the beef meat that should be tender and a bit pink inside. To ensure the best result, take the steak out of the fridge a minimum of 15 minutes before cooking. Brush both sides of the steak with olive oil, season the steak with sea salt & black pepper to taste, place the steak into the pan, try to avoid turning the steak too much. Ideally, you should only flip it once. Don't poke it with a fork or knife as it will put holes in it and allow the juices to seep out. When your steak is cooked, take it from the pan and place on a warmed plate or wrap in aluminium foil, allow the steak to rest for about 4 minutes. Cut into slices and place onto noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bon Appetit!

Linguine With Spinach And Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

200g linguine pasta

100 g smoked salmon fillet, cut into cubes

100 ml sweeter white wine eg. Muscat
5 champignos, sliced

1/2 small onion, chopped finely

3/4 of pack Philadelphia cheese spread or creme fraiche

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon butter

Bunch of fresh dill, chopped finely
Bunch of fresh baby spinach leaves

salt&pepper

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Another pasta variety. Cook the linguine al dente with a pinch of salt.  While the pasta is boiling, melt the butter on a pan, add chopped onion and fry until soft and golden. Add the cut smoked salmon pieces. Pour in some sweet white wine and cook until the wine almost reduces. Meanwhile also add the mushrooms and spinach leaves. At the end comes the Philadelphia spread or alternatively creme fraiche. Cook until it melts and creates sauce that is thick and not too runny. Season with salt, pepper and fresh chopped dill. Finally, throw in the linguine and stir all together. Sprinkle the top with a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti With Mussels In Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pack (200g) of naturally cooked mussels

300 g spaghetti

1 tin of peeled, cooked tomatoes in sauce

50 g Chorizo salami, cut into small cubes

1/2 onion, chopped finely

bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely
1/2 cup white wine

1 tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon of dried thyme
50g Parmigiano cheese, grated

salt&pepper

*

She loved seafood in all forms and thankfully had a good access to fresh sea products in the Netherlands. This recipe was quite common for cooking mussels in a shell but she altered it to make a pasta dish. Start by placing the cut pieces of Chorizo on a pre-heated frying pan. In her opinion Chorizo had enough fat that the heat melts and the oil from the Chorizo can serve for the chopped onion to be cooked on. Once onion soft, add mussels that are already pre-boiled and without a shell, cook them for a while with the Chorizo and onion, afterwards pour in the wine along with bay leaves, coverwith a lid and let the wine reduce. After about 5 minutes of cooking on mild heat, add the can of cooked tomatoes in sauce, season with salt, pepper and dried thyme, cook for another 5 minutes or so. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti al dente with a dash of salt and a spoon of olive oil. At the final step, season the sauce with some fresh chopped parsley leaves, serve with spaghetti and alternatively sprinkle with grated Parmigiano cheese.
Bon Appetit!

Sepia Tagliatelle With Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

300 g of pasta nero di sepia

1 tin of pink salmon, in chunks

1 pot of creme fraiche, double cream or alternatively ricotta

3 tbsp parmigiana cheese, grated

1 teaspoon butter

Bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely

Bunch of fresh dill, chopped finely

salt&pepper

*

Super easy pasta recipe with a twist in form of the sepia flavored pasta. Just cook the pasta al dente as per instructions on the package (usually around 8-10 minutes in boiling water with pinch of salt and then put aside with a lid on the saucepan for a few minutes finish, drain afterwards). Meanwhile, place a  frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and have it melt, then add the salmon followed by the cream. Mix slowly until combined. Season with fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Serve on top of pasta and sprinkle with parmigiana cheese.

Bon Appetit!

Macaroni With Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

300 g pasta, here macaroni

200 g mix of fresh mushrooms - meadow, oyster, cantharellus mushrooms etc., chopped in bigger pieces

150 ml cream or creme fraiche

80 g bacon stripes

1 tbsp flour

Bunch of fresh thyme leaves, chopped finely

Bunch of fresh rosemary, chopped finely
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

salt&pepper

*

There were never enough dishes with mushrooms in autumn and winter. This time a version of super fast and easy pasta meal. Cook the pasta al dente. Fry the bacon stripes on a sauce pan until crunchy, get rid of the surplus fat. Add the mushrooms and stir for a while, season with salt and pepper. Pour cream over and cook. Sauce made with creme fraiche will not be too liquid, but if you use cream, you might need to thicken the sauce with a little bit of flour. Mix thoroughly so no lumps remain in the sauce. Add the end, throw in the chopped herbs. Serve with pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bon Appetit!

Salmon Steaks With Homemade Pesto Whole Weat Pasta And Spinach

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pasta

2 middle size fresh salmon stakes

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

Bunch of fresh parsley leaves

Bunch of fresh basil leaves

Handful pine nuts

2 tbsp Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese, grated

1 tbsp olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

salt&pepper

*

Simple and fast dish, salmon can be substituted by another type of fish or even meat if you wish. Homemade pesto is really easy to prepare, just put chopped parsley and basil leaves along with olive oil, pine nuts, Parmigiano cheese, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a suitable plastic container and mix with immersion mixer until you get a soft compact paste. Cook the whole wheat pasta until soft and mix with the pesto. Fold some fresh spinach leaves into the pasta. Fry or bake the salmon steaks in oven seasoned with salt and pepper until cooked. Drizzle some lemon juice over the steak when done. Serve with the pasta.

Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti Alla Milanese

Ingredients:

200 g spaghetti

1 can tuna chunks in oil or water

1 can diced tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes, diced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 tbsp capers

2 tbsp black olives, sliced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Bunch of fresh basil leaves

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated 

salt&pepper

*

This recipe got its name because of the place where first consumed. When in Milan, Italy, in a beautiful local restaurant, this sauce was served with pasta and was so simple yet delicious that it had to be remembered and re-cooked. Fry the onion in a sauce pan on the olive oil for a few minutes until soft, add tomatoes, either canned or fresh (then cook until soft), olives, capers and season with salt, pepper and dried oregano. Cook for a few minutes, add the tuna and basil at last and stir softly, so that tuna chunks don't totally fall apart. Serve with pasta sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Bon Appetit!

Spaghetti With Courgette, Ricotta And Broad Beans

 Ingredients:

150 g spaghetti pasta

1 can of broad beans

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 courgette, sliced

1 pot of ricotta

Bunch of fresh mint leaves

25 g Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp white wine

1 teaspoon butter

salt&pepper

*

An unusual vegetarian spaghetti meal version for those who want to try something new:

Boil spaghetti until "al dente". Melt butter in a saucepan and add sliced courgette. Cook until it softens, then add broad beans and green peas followed by the pot of ricotta. To make the sauce a bit thinner, the white wine can be added. Season with salt, pepper and finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Pour the sauce over spaghetti and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top. Best served with dry white wine.

Bon Appetit!