Are you on a diet currently? If you are then I just want you to know you are totally untrendy. Diets were a thing of the yesteryears. We are now in the era of “Wellness” and it has an entire league of “Wellness gurus” and worshippers as followers.
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pasta. Show all posts
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
I’m packing again! This time I’m off to Florence and as much as I would love to say it’s for play and shopping, it’s not. I am afraid I won’t be able to take in much of the sights of my beloved city this time. I’ve always had somewhat of a love affair with this city. Florence, a city I visited for the first time when I was a starry eyed 16 year old teenager accompanying my dad who had the ability to engage me with his captivating stories and tales. Together we spend several summer vacations touring Italy from coast to coast, but Florence was always in my heart.
Buckwheat Linguine with Aubergine and Mango
I want to grasp them in my fist, but they are far too swift, fleeting and melting away into the next. Days … how fast they disappear. No matter how hard I try to capture at least parts of it, to make it last just a little longer it seems the faster they slip away.
Gruyere Bacon Leek and Sun Dried Tomato Spätzle
Mention pasta and one envisages a sturdy nonna shaping and kneading dough for fresh ravioli in a rustic kitchen. She dusts the well used kitchen countertop with flour, rolling, kneading and filling the pliable dough. However, if I were to tell you that Germans can make pretty incredible pasta too would you believe me?
A Taste of Yellow: Tagliatelle in Creamy Saffron Sauce and Serrano Ham
Helplessness! It’s an awful feeling especially when you want nothing more to do than help a loved one or a special friend but can’t. Every part of you yearns to simply reach out and take away the pain, the misery, the unhappiness and your mind screams “it’s unfair!” over and over again.
Cooking School: Beef Stroganoff
The desires of our culinary cravings is ostensibly so dependent on the weather outside. It was just a mere few weeks that I was preparing leafy green salads with strawberries or raspberries and delicious summery tarts with tomatoes and crumblings of goat cheese. Now as the weather turns from the warmth of summer to a rather undesirable cold and wet prelude to Autumn, my appetite seems to long for heartier and more robust meals. But my body is not there yet!
Spinach and Caramelized Onion Lasagna
I like to reminisce in regular intervals. While I am whisking, chopping or simply stirring I will tilt my head to a side and think to myself "So I am whisking now! What was I doing this time last year?" Tom often tells me look forward and not back. But I tend to disagree with that. I believe that by taking a look back at what you have done and where you came from, you can often reassess your goals and check if you are progressing forward the way you wanted to, if not re-focus. Furthermore, if you do not remember the mistakes you made back then how will you hinder yourself from making them again?
Daring Bakers: Lasagne Verdi al Forno
This month’s Daring Bakers challenge was very different to the usual challenges we’ve had in the past. This time the challenge was not really the baking but more learning a technique – of pasta making. I love making homemade pasta ever since my in-laws bought me a pasta machine for my birthday last summer.
Fettuccine with Spicy Lamb Sausage Meatballs in a Piquant Tomato Sauce
Never mess with a classic dish! But I can't help myself sometimes. It's difficult not to allow imagination and creativity to have a say. Let's take the classic pasta and meatballs. I love it, Soeren loves it and Tom loves it too. We are probably amongst several thousands who enjoy this simple yet delicious classic dish. There are as many different recipes for a pasta and meatballs dish as there probably are cooks that make this.
Aromatic: Sun Dried Tomato and Purple Basil Pesto
A simple light meal today! The period from Thanksgiving right through to New Year’s is a killer. For the past few days I have been feeling extremely satiated. It’s all those parties and get-togethers that are the norm during this time of the year. We have so many events scheduled on our calendar this month and each one with promises of luscious food.
Soul Food: Ricotta Pesto & Mushroom Lasagne
At the beginning of the year the lovely Nupur from One Hot Stove, who regularly contributes to the Daily Tiffin wrote a very motivating article about The Simple Life. The main essence of the post was voluntarily simplifying your life by downsizing on materialistic ideals.
The article really motivated me and made me persevere a road I was trying to follow for a while already. Even if it was by no means to an extent that would be considered as simple living, I was trying to simplify many aspects of my life. However, I am failing in one department.
I have a shoe and handbag fetish. I have a huge problem going past shoe stores without peeking into shop windows. Normally, this leads into peeking inside the store, which leads into trying on a pair of shoes and ultimately me walking out of the store - with a pair of sinfully expensive Italian leather shoes.
Why do you need another pair of shoes? To this question I can give you a 100 reasons within a matter of minutes. I have trained myself well - so well that I believe all the reasons myself!
Last summer I bought a pair of gorgeous Italian beige leather stilettos - very high, very pointed and very elegant. I've only worn them once. That was until this week! I decided to wear them to work with a pair of pinstriped beige trousers. The outfit really looked great and I thought to myself that these shoes will be my summer hit this year.
Change of subject
Weimar is a gorgeous town. It's quaint elegance mixes cultural history with modern art in perfect harmony. It's a town where Schiller, Goethe, Van de Velde and Gropius all helped to shape it into what it is today. The inner core of the town in a pedestrian zone and the streets are paved with old cobblestones, that on a normal day adds to the flair of Weimar.
On this day however, the cobblestones do not add flair but bring dismay.
You see, cobblestone streets are the worst enemies of gorgeous stilettos. On this day, mine in particular!
On this day the cobblestones brutally massacred one of my stilettos! I was extremely pissed to say the least. Every dark cloud has a silver lining - or so they say. Because as I turned around I noticed I was right in front of my favorite shoe shop - the same where I had bought the stilettos I was now holding in my hands. My luck had not run out, the store owner saw what happened and offered to send the stilettos to their factory in Italy so that they could repair the damage and if not, I was told, they would make sure I would get a new pair - for free! "Anything for our best customer!" No way! Me? Is that an honorable title to have?
I was so ecstatic about my stilettos getting repaired that I was very easily persuaded to try on their latest summer collection. I obliged. And I walked out of the store - with a pair of lovely leather ballerinas. Perfect for the cobblestone streets of Weimar!
There is certainly no downsizing with this recipe. It's perfect for days like this, where you need comfort but also a reason to celebrate. The lasagne takes the simple pesto alla Genovese a step further and adds creamy ricotta. A mushroom mix lend the entire dish a lovely earthy flavor bringing everything together so perfectly that you'll be begging for more.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
500g fresh lasagne, homemade or store bought
Salt and pepper
For the Mushrooms
100g dried Porcini mushrooms
950 g fresh mixed mushrooms, portobellos, shitake etc., thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2-3 sprigs of thyme, chopped
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
300 ml vegetable stock
For Ricotta Basil Pesto
150g fresh basil leaves
135g pine nuts 3 garlic cloves
170ml olive oil
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
250g fresh ricotta
30g + extra Parmesan cheese, grated
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter a lasagne baking dish.
Soak the dried Porcini mushrooms in warm water for approx. 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze the access liquid from the mushrooms well, reserving the liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms. In a large pan heat half of the oil and all of the butter until foaming. Now add the onions and garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes on high heat until tender. Stir in the herbs and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Pour in the stock and the Porcini soaking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-6 minutes until the sauce thickens. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
To make the pesto, add the basil, garlic, pine nuts and salt into a food processor and pulse finely. Gradually beat in the olive oil, butter and parmesan cheese and blend until the mixture turns creamy. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the ricotta until incorporated.
To assemble the lasagne, line the prepared dish with a layer of fresh lasagne sheets. Cover with a layer of ricotta basil pesto. Cover this with more pasta sheets, then layer with the mushrooms, layer with lasagne sheets. Repeat this process until all the ingredients have been used up, finishing with a final layer of mushrooms.
Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan and dot with butter flakes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Uncover the dish then bake for a further 20-25 minutes until the top is golden.
Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve with a tossed green salad.
Verdict
This makes me almost forget shoes. Because I have left them piled in front of the door and have slipped into my comfy flip flops. The lasagne offers comfort and is perfect soul food. The basil pesto highlighted with the creaminess of ricotta layered with pasta and wild mushrooms bring out a delicious palette of flavors and aromas. Both Tom and Soeren dug into the lasagne with hearty fervor. I relished each spoonful - wriggling my toes with satisfaction.
19 - 25 May is National Vegetarian Week in the UK and once again, Abby of Eat The Right Stuff is celebrating the event by getting all of us to contribute to her event Vegetables Beautiful Vegetables. Last year I created a wonderfully caramelized vegetable tart and this year I am coming over with a huge portion of the lasagne. Hope to see you all there!
You might enjoy these vegetable creations too:
 | Ricotta Vegetable Pot Pies |
 | Bulgur with Vegetables & Feta |
 | Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs, Sauce Hollandaise and Potatoes |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Cooking School: Spaghetti Alla Bolognese
I love classic pastas dishes. There is something totally satisfying about an Italian pasta dish prepared in the traditional way. When I am in the kitchen preparing such a dish, I try to imagine I am in the midst of a large Italian family. The buzz of the ceiling fan, the background music of cheerful Italian pop, the shouts of the children playing soccer on the cobblestone streets outside, the full bodied aroma of a huge pot of freshly prepared pasta and sauce are all images and sounds that entice my imagination.
One of the most classical pasta dishes has got to be Spaghetti alla Bolognese. It also happens to be the most favorite pasta dish in our household. I like spending time over the bolognese, because after all if prepared with love and care this sauce is really unbeatable.
The bolognese sauce, also known as ragu, is basically a meat based sauce, which originates from the city of Bologna. It incorporates ground beef, chunky vegetables, pancetta, and tomato paste to give a thick delectable sauce. Traditionally, the bolognese was served with fresh flat pasta, similar to the tagliatelle, over the years however spaghetti became the popular pasta dish which was served with this sauce.
The best bolognese I have eaten was, surprisingly not in Italy! It was actually at the Sheraton in Doha, Qatar. The chef was a humorous Swiss guy. I literally grew up on the stuff, when I would dig into a huge plateful of pasta bolognese at least once a week. When I finally got around to training in the kitchen of the Sheraton at the age of 19, I was lucky enough that the Chef was still around. My first day with the chef was memorable. He had me cutting vegetables in the tiniest of cubes for the whole day. I was irritated because all I wanted to do was make that bolognese. The next day he winked at me and put a huge sack of onions and garlic in front of me. I have never cried and cursed so much in my life. On the fourth day, he finally took me under his wing and showed me how to make the prized bolognese.
I have worked on this recipe over the years. Not really changing very much, just a sprinkling here and a hint there. But as I write this recipe for you, I am looking at the old Sheraton Doha letterhead, where I wrote the recipe down that day during my lunch break. And as if it were a seal of approval, there is a huge stain of the bolognese at the bottom.
The bolognese ragu can be varied in several ways. If you do not like beef use ground chicken. Add a handful porcini mushrooms to the sauce for a wonderful earthy flavor. For a vegetarian ragu, I have used vegetarian “ground beef” crumbles made of soya protein. These can be found in almost any grocery or organic stores. Whatever is used the basic method of preparation remains the same. I guarantee you a thick ragu for your pasta that will have you licking the plates clean.
Monthly Mingle 21 - Appetizers & Hors'Doeuvres
The Monthly Mingle is traveling this month again. This time to sunny California at Mansi's Fun & Food. Mansi has chosen a great theme - Appetizers and Hors'Doeuvres. If you love entertaining then you cannot miss this mingle.
For this monthly mingle, we'd like you to share some fancy vegetarian appetizers. Cook something that's pretty to look at and tasty to bite in, something that looks good on a plate and is irresistible to your guests!
Here's how it works:
1. All entries must be vegetarian (no meat or seafood); eggs and cheese is allowed
2. It can be sweet or savoury, as long as it is petit and crudite, fitting to be an Hors'Doeuvres. Anything that is bite-sized or individual serving-size is acceptable.
3. Entries must be received by June 9th at the latest.
4. Email your
- your name
- your location
- the name of your blog and its url
- the name of your dish and a link to the relevant post
- a copy of the main photo of your dish 200px wide
to mansibshah[at]gmail[dot]com
5. Please include a link-back to Mansi's post and/or to this blog to encourage more readers to join in the fun.
6. Feel free to use the logo above
7. Older entries on blogs can be accepted only if they are republished in the month of May with a link-back to this announcement.
Ingredients
Printable version of recipe here.
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic, finely chopped
1 medium sized carrot, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
50g pancetta, finely chopped
3 springs each - thyme, oregano and basil, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
400g ground beef - not too lean or else the ragu will get too dry
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/8 liter stock - vegetable or beef
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg, ground
1 bay leaf
1-2 cloves
425 ml can of tomatoes
Additional:
400g fresh pasta - spaghetti or tagliatelle
40g parmesan cheese, grated
Method
In a large heavy pan heat the oil and sauté the ground beef, breaking up the beef with a spatula - approx. 5 minutes. Add the pancetta, onions, garlic and vegetables into the pan and continue to sauté for a further few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix in the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Pour in the stock and add the bay leaf, cloves, thyme and canned tomatoes including the juice. Bring everything to a rolling boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
Add the basil and oregano to the ragu, which should have nicely thickened by now.
Remove from heat. Put the pasta in a large bowl and pour the ragu over the pasta. Toss well. Serve in deep plates with a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
Tip:
- Make a double portion of this ragu and use it to make a scrumptious lasagne.
- Buying pasta that is a bit rough will help the ragu to coat it well. Look out on the packet for pasta that is formed in copper forms. Pasta produced in such forms is the traditional way pasta is made. Pasta made in plastic forms produces a smoother pasta which causes the sauce to simply slide off.
Verdict
Nothing could bring bigger smiles all around the dinner table. This sauce has a perfect balance of spices, herbs and vegetables. It's not too tomato-ey but rather chunky. It's perfect when you have a lot of friends around for game night. I normally make three to four different types of pastas to serve with this sauce for variety. Thanks Chef Z. for teaching me how to make this great ragu. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!
More pasta dishes on WFLH:
 | Caramelized Homegrown Tomatoes on Homemade Gnocchi |
 | Pasta with Shrimps and Asparagus |
 | Spaghetti con gamberetti e rucola |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2008 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Caramelized Homegrown Tomatoes on Homemade Gnocchi
Life in the kitchen can be quite easy at times. Especially when you have great neighbors, friends and in-laws who grow their own fruit and vegetables. I am forever getting fantastic fresh produce from all of them. In return, whenever I cook up something using the ingredients, I try to treat them to the finished dish.
Well there is almost like a little competition going on in our little neighborhood lately. Most of my neighbors are aware of my little space on the web called WFLH. Whenever they bring something over for me to cook up, one of the first questions is if I the finished product will be on the blog. When it is, it's the topic of the week around the neighborhood. S will tell K that I made a great dessert using her berries and it's on the blog. The week after that M will tell B, I made a tart using her zucchinis and she could see it on the blog.
There must be a sensation of pride amongst my neighbors when all these recipes are created using the beautiful bounties they provide and then placed on the web for the world to see. The friendly competition then lies in many aspects: which dish was photographed better, which one got more comments on them, which one caused people to go into a frenzy and of course which one probably tasted better.I am forever grateful for all the incredible generosity and in return can only push myself to be more creative with each dish I make using any particular produce I have been given. I do my best to keep the "fire" burning and amazingly even the men have found a certain interest in this funny kind of barter.
A few days ago my neighbor from down the road rang my doorbell one afternoon. He's tall, rather handsome and is a pilot. I often see him in his back yard but was never really certain what he does there. He kind of keeps to himself but is very polite whenever he sees me, even stops to give nice compliments. Yes, believe me he is the neighborhood heartthrob!
So, imagine my surprise when I opened the door and see this hunk of a man standing in his full pilot uniform, holding a basket of tomatoes. Cute! I could not help but smile sneakingly!
Well he was on his way to work and would be away for a few days - he wanted to give me the tomatoes, which he grows in his back yard as they would have gone bad in his absence. I also got the keys to his house and was requested to water his plants and veggies. I was also told I could help myself to anything that was ripe enough in his back yard.
OK!!
Here is the funniest thing - many of my neighbors (all ladies) are now dying to know what his place looks like. Some even want a sneak peak!!! I have been begged and bribed. This could have been a scene from Desperate Housewives!
My lips are sealed and I won't be spilling any beans. All I will say is that I am very impressed by his little haven he calls his back yard.
I will also share what I made with those gorgeous tomatoes I was given. A delicate dish where the tomato is the star. Gently caramelized in the oven to bring out the their sweet aromas and juices. The contrast in taste comes from the peppery red peppercorns giving the whole dish an incredible and explosive combination. To do proper justice to the homegrown tomatoes I make lovely homemade gnocchi - pairs perfectly!
I am not sure if he is aware of this blog but if he is - this one's for you Marc ;-)
Tomato Variety:
You say tomato, I say delicious
Reminder!
Shake it, stir it or blend it - let's get this party rocking with your tempting drink creations. Liquid Dreams is all about mixing up some of the most delicious drinks and bringing it to this months mingle.Deadline: September 10th!
Ingredients
750g cherry tomatoes - cut in halves
3-4 garlic cloves - finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons red peppercorn - coarsely crushed
Salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
125g mozzarella - coarsely chopped
1 bunch basil - coarsely chopped
800g homemade gnocchi
2 teaspoons balsam vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Prepare your gnocchi as to the instructions here. The recipe is fantastic and really easy to make ahead.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease an oven-proof dish or a baking tray with some olive oil.
In a bowl toss together the crushed pepper and garlic with the tomato halves, sugar and salt. Place the tomatoes in the dish and caramelize in the oven for approx. 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them so that they do not burn.
Once ready take out and sprinkle with the balsam vinegar. Immediately mix with the cooked gnocchi. Add the mozzarella and basil leaves, toss gently and serve in warm plates.
Enjoy with a nice chilled white wine.
Verdict
Pure bliss. The tomatoes were wonderfully ripe and juicy. The slight sweetness matches so well with the zing of the pepper. It's an out of this world experience. The gnocchi is a perfect partner because it absorbs the flavors so well. Each bite was savored to the end and the leftover juices were wiped clean with a few remaining gnocchis.
I'd like to send this over to Andrea who is hosting a great event called Grow Your Own. Perfect for all those hobby gardeners out there. I hope Andrea will see that I cannot grow my own because I have incredible neighbors who grow their own and spoil me with their own grown produce. I just cook what they grow! ;-)
Marta also has a great event going in which a fresh produce is featured every month. This month it's Tomatoes. I think this is a great dish for the event. Hope Marta likes it too!
Technorati Tags: gnocchi, tomatoes, caramelized, vegetarian, grow your own, homemade, herbs, basil, pepper, food, recipe, food blog, photography, nikon d70s
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2007 Meeta Albrecht unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
For Cool Mums: Pasta with Shrimps and Asparagus
Before they go out of season and disappear for the rest of the year I thought I really should share a most delicious pasta dish with asparagus.
Having a 5-year old in the house cooking pasta at least once a week is somewhat of a must in our household. I am sure many mummies (or daddies) reading this will be nodding their heads in agreement. It's all fine as both Tom and I enjoy pasta a lot, however, it's not always easy finding new and creative ideas - other than the old trusted tomato sauce - for a good tasting condiment to go with the pasta.
Luckily, summer offers a bountiful of colorful vegetables and the Farmers Markets are busting to the rims with a huge variety. As Soeren loves his vegetables and is hardly picky, I am quite lucky to be able to choose from this large assortment. As a matter of fact I often try to visit the Farmers Market with Soeren so he can see the colorful fruits and vegetables offered. Being as inquisitive as any five year old he is always keen to know what a vegetable he has yet to encounter is and what it tastes like.With these questions, he has won the hearts of many farmers (and their wives) selling their fresh produce and the market and we often get small amounts of "freebies" to test. I really like that. We come home and look for a recipe with that particular vegetable or fruit and then we prepare it together. This has made Soeren so open to so many vegetables normal kids his age would not touch. Spinach he adores, parsnips he munches raw or with a dip and kohlrabi is one of his favorites.
This year he found a particular penchant to green asparagus and believe me I was thankful for that. We have enjoyed several dishes this summer with the wonderful vegetable, particularly just roasting them gently on a barbecue after they have marinated in a light vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
But a mum has to be creative and "cool"! So, when I combined pasta with asparagus and shrimps (another one of his absolute "fave food" this summer) I was the coolest mum ever. I also got a kiss from Tom for making such an elegant and flavorful dish that suited his palate perfectly too. With all that attention and affection I was glowing!
Interesting reads:
Healthy Eating: The Obvious First Step
Reminder!
The latest Monthly Mingle is one close to my own heart. Earth Food is all about helping to raise awareness for the steps and actions we can take to save our beautiful blue planet. Hope you will find it in your hearts to party with me.Deadline is August 6th!
Ingredients
500g green asparagus - ends trimmed and cut into 2 cm pieces
1 organic lemon - zested and juice retained
300g fresh shrimps
2 garlic cloves - finely chopped
125ml cream - lightly whipped to give a slightly thicker consistency
400g pasta of your choice - Farfalle or Spirelli work well
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
125g peas - fresh are the best, but frozen can also be used
150ml vegetable stock - if you are not cooking for children, substitute with white wine
2 tablespoons chives - chopped
Method
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
In the meantime heat a good dash of olive oil in a pan. Add the asparagus pieces and gently sauté on a medium heat. Add the garlic and peas and cook for another minute.
Add the shrimps and heat through until they turn a wonderful pinky color. Salt and pepper to taste and then pour in the stock (or wine) and allow to simmer. Simmer until the entire mixture reduces to about half, then add the lightly whipped cream, lemon zest and juice. Check for taste and if required salt and pepper the sauce some more.
Drain the pasta well. Mix into the sauce and sprinkle with the chives.
Serve immediately on warm plates.
Verdict
Sensational! It's an exceptional harmony of flavors that come together in this pasta dish. The best thing is it's ready in 25-30 minutes so you have plenty of time to prepare a nice salad to accompany it if you like. Both my boys really licked of the rests off of the plate. It's nice being the "coolest" mum in town! LOL!
Technorati Tags: pasta, shrimp, asparagus, vegetables, peas, food, recipe, photography
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2007 Meeta Albrecht unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Spinach and Chicken Lasagna
Who remembers the animated cartoons of Popeye the Sailor? He would save his sweetie Olive Oyl from the hands of the villain Bluto after he got his dosage of super spinach. As soon as he downed that can of spinach his muscles would pop out and he would get mega superpowers, which would allow him to lift huge tree trunks, iron bars and beat Bluto black and blue.
All this from just a can of spinach?
So, what is behind spinach anyway? I remember mummy telling me to eat up my spinach - "it's healthy and full of iron!"
Well now I am 34 and although I know that spinach is a powerhouse, I also know that spinach has somewhat of a shady side to it too.
Spinach contains oxalic acid which inhibits the absorption of its calcium and iron. It also contains other nutrients that are not fully absorbed when it is consumed raw. However, this is not to say that spinach is not good for you.
It's loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K and iron. What's more spinach has a low calorie count and has more protein than many other vegetables and is abundant in vitamins and minerals. It has been researched that certain carotenoids found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables may help fight human prostate cancer. It helps to make bones stronger and healthier, as one cup of fresh spinach leaves provides about 200% of the daily value for vitamin K. Heart health may also be strengthened by the folate content of spinach.
There are 4 basic types of spinach:
- Savoy is dark green with crinkly and curly leaves. It is sold in fresh bunches in most supermarkets.
- Flat/smooth leaf spinach has broad smooth leaves. This spinach type is often grown for canned and frozen spinach.
- Semi-savoy is a hybrid. It has slightly crinkled leaves and has the same texture as savoy, but it is not as difficult to clean. It is grown for both fresh market and processing.
- Baby spinach is a smaller Flat-Leaf variety. It is very tender and desirable for salads.
Spinach originated in Persia, where the earliest records of its cultivation go back 2,000 years. In the 600's it was introduced to China and brought to Spain around 1100. The Spaniards brought it to America. By the 16th century it was well established in Europe.
Selecting and Storing
When buying spinach choose leaves that are vibrant deep green and stems have no signs of yellowing. The leaves should be fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised.
Fresh spinach should be loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. It will keep fresh for about five days. Avoid washing it before storing as the moisture will cause it to spoil. Cooked spinach does not keep very well.
So, with this wealth of knowledge on spinach you understand why I have been going spinach mad lately with a Spinach Salad, a Spinach Bread and now this delicious Spinach Chicken Lasagna. Have I got little Popeye type super muscles yet? No, not yet, but I know I am serving a super powered vegetable for my family and myself. Being so versatile, spinach is one of my favorite foods and I always feel really satisfied after a nice spinach meal.
Reminder!
Come celebrate Spring with me. This month Spring Is In The Air.
Deadline: May 09, 2007!
Music while cooking:
Beautiful Liar - Shakira & Beyoncé
Listen to it
Buy it
Ingredients:
500g Spinach leaves - you can also use frozen spinach here
2kg ground chicken meat
2 garlic cloves - crushed
3 slices bacon - chopped
450g canned tomatoes
120g tomato puree
120 ml tomato sauce - use your favorite Italian style tomato sauce for this. Homemade is best but store bought is fine too.
120 ml chicken stock
Fresh lasagna sheets - you can use dried ones here to but don't pre-cook them.
120g Parmesan cheese - grated
olive oil
For the cheese sauce
60g butter
40g flour
600ml milk
120g Parmesan cheese - grated
Method:
Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees Celsius. If using fresh spinach chop off the stems and clean thoroughly. Frozen spinach should be thawed completely and drained of all access water. In a large pan heat up some olive oil and sauté the spinach gently, jut enough so that it falls together. Take out and place in ice water so that it retains its color and does not cook further. Take out and allow to drain.
Add some more oil to the pan and brown the meat, bacon and garlic on a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, tomato puree and chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat, place the lid so that it covers half of the pan and simmer until the sauce thickens - approx. 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium sized pan and sprinkle with the flour. On a low heat, gently cook the mixture for approx. minute until it takes on color and has a smooth texture. Remove from heat and slowly mix in the milk. Place back on a medium heat and under constant mixing warm through for approx. 4 minutes. The sauce will thicken and foam slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.
Now it's time to assemble the lasagna. Grease a deep oven proof form and pour 1/4 of the chicken/tomato sauce onto the base of the form. Cover with enough lasagna sheets and then pour in 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Cover this with more lasagna sheets then add the spinach and cover again with lasagna sheets. Pour in another 1/3 cheese sauce, lasagna sheets and then the chicken sauce. Once again cover with lasagna sheets. Repeat this until all the ingredients have been used up, leaving the top layer covered in cheese sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is nice and golden. Serve with garlic bread and a nice Chianti!
Verdict:
On your marks, get set ....GO! This dish has my men ready to dig in with forks in their hands. Even I can hardly wait to cut out a nice big, steaming piece of this lasagna. Satisfying and fulfilling to the core. Not convinced? Take one last look at the picture. Now tell me ... want a bit? ;-)
Enjoy!
Jihva comes a full circle and is back home at Mahanandi with it's creator, Indira. She chose to celebrate Leafy Green Vegetables. This is my offering.
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All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2007 Meeta Albrecht unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
Fresh Pasta with Zucchini & Sundried Tomatoes
"Are you planning on hurting someone with that?"
"What as in Death by Cookbook?"
That's what I got to hear when I unpacked my precious Christmas present. I had desperately wished for it and just picking up the carefully wrapped parcel, I knew what it was at the weight of it.
One would probably feel intimidated by the utter size and weight of this thing, but me? I was glowing and beaming from ear to ear!
Culina Mundi is a whopper of a cookbook in every way. Over a 1000 pages, 60 World class cooks from 40 countries and over 500 recipes make up this treasure of a cookbook.When Sara announced the theme for the next Weekend Cookbook Challenge I was so excited to finally give Culina Mundi a spin. I flipped through the pages marking all the things that appealed to me.
I settled on something Italian and for the first round a bit easy.
A wonderful flavorful pasta with all my favorite fresh ingredients - zucchini, cherry tomatoes and basil and the added bonus of sun dried tomatoes. The pasta is freshly made, making the entire dish just delicious.
I am just a dork and forgot to post it. So, I am hoping that I can misuse the time zones a little and still manage the deadline.
Ingredients:
Fresh pasta - homemade or store bought. Brilynn recently posted a great recipe for fresh pasta
1 garlic clove - finely chopped
50 ml extra virgine olive oil
1/4 onion - finely chopped
15 cherry tomatoes - cut in halves
1 zucchini - cut in strips
6 sun dried tomatoes - cut in strips. I used some that was marinated with herbs and oil.
cracked black pepper
salt
fresh basil leaves
100 ml white wine
grated Parmesan cheese
Method:
Prepare the pasta according to instructions. Keep in mind that fresh pasta does not take long to cook so it might be a good idea to leave this till after the topping is prepared.
In a large hot pan sauté the garlic without allowing it to get brown. Add the onions, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, salt and cracked black pepper. Allow this to cook for 1-2 minutes. Tear the basil leaves, coarsely and add to the vegetables.
Pour in the white wine and simmer for approx. 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste - if required. Now take your cooked pasta and add it to the pan, tossing it lightly until the pasta is nicely covered with the sauce. Let it heat through for a minute.
Serve sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Verdict:
Could a lunch get any easier than that? I know it does sound too easy, but it is amazingly tasty. A great alternative to the usual tomato sauce for the kids. Soeren loves his pasta and this was a huge appetizing delight for him. The extra vegetables add all the healthy nutrients needed and now you can put away the tomato sauce for good. For us adults it is an elegant way to enjoy the simple but oh so big Italian flavors. Tom was soaking up the juices with a piece of bread.
Culina Mundi does seem like a promising cookbook and I really look forward to trying out several of the recipes I have marked.
Reminders!
Blogger Postcards Around The World goes into it's final phase. Almost everyone have sent their postcards off and now many have started to receive lovely, mushy, cheesy, and sentimental Valentine's cards. Interested in seeing all the cards? Just check out our Valentine's list
Last call for this month's Monthly Mingle - Sweet Love. February 8, 2007 is the final day to enter all those scrumptious Valentine's desserts, cakes and other sweet stuff.
Technorati Tags: pasta, italian, culina mundi, wcc, event, tomato, zucchini, recipe, food, food photo, photography, nikon d70s, weekend cookbook challenge
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2007 Meeta Albrecht unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
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