Black Olive and Sage pesto

This was a very spontaneous idea to make something quick and easy for dinner. And then there is this event going on, which came to my mind and doubled the fun factor to experiment. :)
And I was surprised at how good it turned out. Blogging surely gives these creative spurts to you...uhhh...me. :) So, what about you?


Black olive and Sage Pesto

Ingredients:
80-100 g stoned black olives
a handful of sage leaves, chopped coarsely (from the garden)
2 large garlic cloves, chopped coarsely
1/2 handful of walnuts (optional -I left them out)
1 dried red chili, broken into pieces, seeds removed*
2 tbsp lemon juice
30 ml olive oil (roughly)

Method:
Grind everything together with a hand stick blender and season with salt to taste.
Use it on Italian bread slices to bake in the oven for a few minutes
or
as a pesto for pasta dish, like we did here:Pasta with black olive pesto

Ingredients:
1/4 to 1/3 packet of pasta (penne, tagliatelle or others)
1 large red onion, halved and cut into thin slices or chopped into smaller pieces
1 large garlic, chopped finely or crushed with a garlic press
8 medium mushrooms, quartered
1/2 zucchini, cut into 5 mm rings and then each ring into 4 thin stripes
4 large dried red tomatoes (Italian)
1 /3 cup stoned black olives, halved
5-6 large sage leaves, chopped
4 tbsp black olive pesto (see above)
3 tbsp red pesto - I used store bought one this time
olive oil
salt to taste
Parmesan to garnish (optional)- I left it out

Method:

• Cook pasta till al dente with salt in enough water
• Fry the garlic and onion for a minute in olive oil on high heat
• reduce heat to medium high and add mushrooms and dried tomatoes, fry till done
• add zucchini and sage and fry till cooked but still crispy
• add the pesto and fry for short
• serve warm

*Remove the seeds of the chili to reduce the hotness, or use them along, and you can adjust the amount of chili to your taste

We enjoyed eating this pasta a lot. I was a bit irritated that I had not taken care and the pasta had turned a bit too soft. Sonny boy was driving me crazy at that time and I was so busy trying to calm down - myself............:D!
But, then I tried to wash it with cold water once and save the pasta and it was just about OK. Hubby liked it and said very sportively that it doesn't matter and sat down at the table with enthusiasm, but like usual mentioned at the end that he doesn't like black olives. He can alwaaaa...ays find something to complain about. Grrrrrrrr........!
I loved the combination of sage and black olives and I purposefully left out the walnuts which I could have added to it, as I did not want to mix up too many flavours. And I licked away all the left overs of the pesto with my fingers from the bowl I used to prepare it :). A wonderful taste as it was.
So, this ones goes to the event Food in Colours (FIC): Purple and Black held at Sunshinemom's Tongueticklers
And I would like to send this entry to Andrea's Grow Your Own being hosted this time by Rachel of The Crispy Cook, another gluten free food blogger, I'm happy to discover.

In case you are curious to know what I did with the beetle. No, I didn't grind the poor soul with the leaves, but let it fly away on my terrace. It had come along with the sage leaves I had brought from my garden. Now that winter is coming, I had to finally cut them up and use a part and freeze another larger part for later use.

When hubby cooks.....

....spaghetti with tomato sauce!
I had an appointment with the doctor for my son. It was late in the afternoon. Since hubby came home earlier than us, he started cooking his favorite dish which he is of the opinion nobody can cook better!
Since I don't exactly know the proportions, I 'll write down all that I could figure out while sneaking from behind and partly because he asked me for the ingredients ;-) !
Ingredients:

1/3 packet of whole wheat spaghetti noodles (1 packet=500 g)
1 tsp salt
water for cooking the noodles

Tomato Sauce:
olive oil, lots of it! (~3-4 tbsp)
1-2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large tomato, chopped finely
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 box Igloo frozen 8-Kräuter chopped herbs
1/4 box Igloo frozen chopped parsely
1 tbsp capers along with a few tsp brine
salt, to taste
a 1 inch (2-3 cm) piece of parmesan, grated

Method:

• Bring water to a boil and add salt and noodles. Stir in between. Cook till done (al denté, or as per taste). Pour out the water and wash them shortly with cold water and if the sauce is not already ready, add a little olive oil to coat the noodle with oil to prevent from sticking.
• Fry the garlic for short in olive oil and add the chopped tomatoes and stir
  
• add the tomato paste and stir. Cook till everything has become homogenous
• add the frozen herbs, the capers and salt to taste and stir
• Either mix the sauce with the noodle or serve separately garnished with grated parmesan, as per choice.
  

Since we have a 3 year old, who can make a big drama if he does not get to see the noodle pure, without anything, we always keep things, whenever possible, separate and mix in our own plates later!
The noodle were very well done. A quickfix which was also tasty! The only thing I missed was the pinch of sugar. They say here that tomatoes always need a pinch of sugar to enhance their taste, and I feel it is quite true.

Fusion food

I had 2 small chicken breast filets from the day before and I wanted to make something quick and easy with them. I initially started thinking of making a simple Italian dish. Just frying the chicken and adding some mushrooms, paprika, olives, dried tomatoes, parmesan, capers, a bunch of chopped fresh basil at the end and mix with cooked penne and that's it!
I had already cut the dried tomatoes and wanted to take out the chicken and rest of the things from the fridge. But, then I saw something which changed my plan completely. On opening the fridge I saw the half empty glass of baby corn in brine which my son had requested me to buy the last time we had gone shopping, and to which I had given in, thinking "why not?! it's been long since I used it". I had used some of it it for some Indian veggys I had made.
But, the sight of the baby corns triggered in my brain a totally different idea and my brain started working fast, scanning my memory, prompting my eyes and hands to double check every thing [in the fridge] and Lo! I had another recipe at hand, or actually in my mind. And this is what I made out of it, which was easy too.
So, this dish is a fusion between Chinese and Indian and Italian!

Ingredients:

2 small chicken breast filets, cut into thin and small stripes
Chicken marinade:

• 1/2 tsp turmeric,
• 1 tsp coriander powder,
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp grated garlic
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 pinch of chilli powder or black pepper
• 1tbsp sesame seeds
  

1 lemon grass, chopped into large pieces, the soft white part chopped fine
2 small carrots, juliened
dried tomatoes, chopped (yes! and they were fantastic!)
1 red paprika, diced
4 spring onions, cut into thick rings
12 mushroms, quartered
some more turmeric and coriander powder for the mushrooms

sunflower oil (or sesame seed oil)
soy sauce

Method:

• Cook penne in boiling water with salt untill done (al denté).
  
• Marinate chicken while cutting vegetables
  
• Stir fry the shortly marinated chicken in 1 tbsp sunflower oil, first on high heat and then reduce heat to medium and cover with a lid. Cook until done. Add some more soy sauce, while frying it. Set aside and keep warm.
• Fry lemon grass and carrots in some oil on high heat, add dried tomatoes, stir for another minute, add red paprika and stir further.
• Now, every thing should have still retained its colour and carrots and paprika should still be firm, before adding spring onions. Fry for a minute on high heat. Add about two tbsp of soya sauce and stir once and then take out to mix with the chicken.
  
• In the same pan add the mushrooms, a tbsp oil, the spices and stir on high heat. Once done, add soy sauce, stir once to mix and add every thing back into the pan. Stir. add the cooked penne.

I think, the Penne was quite good. It was appreciated by my hubby - as he loves chinese (but I knew that the chances were high that he would like it) and my son too.
I felt the lemon grass wasn't really required. It was some how out of place. I also wanted to add some fish sauce to it, but restraied myself this time, as I wasn't sure if it will be appreciated by both my men in pasta.

Broccoli and Maccheroni with Bechamel

Today I tried out something, which I always find hard to do. Which is preparing a good white sauce. It is also commonly called Bechamel. There are of course many different versions of it with different names.
Earlier when I made it, it sometimes turned out excellent, and still so often something or the other would go wrong. Whereby it is apparently one of the easiest of sauces to make. Maybe because I do not make it so often. In fact, I avoid making it, partly because it has been a matter of luck for me, if it turns out good or not, and partly because my hubby is rather more fond of tomato sauce to any kind of pasta.
But today I was in the mood of Bechamel! And I was very much in the mood of experimenting! And the best part is, I did not look up any books or recipes. Aaaannndd... my son was with me- you ask why. Well... read on! :)

So, here it goes, pasta with my version of bechamel :

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes

Ingredients:
250 g elbow macaroni
1 packet Broccoli, washed and cut into small florets
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour

250 ml of brew from the cooked broccoli (if cooked separately, add water)
1 tsp heaped vegetable stock (Alnatura, for example)
(OR: 250 ml cooked vegetable stock)

40-50 g Fresh cheese
40-50 g a soft french cheese, cut into small chunks without the skin (white mould)
40-50 g Gauda, grated
1 large Tomato, diced
1/2 pinch red chilli powder (optional; replace with ground white or black pepper)

1 tbsp mustard or rapeseed oil, or olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame seed (this was my son's idea- he came with the packet and wanted to have it in the food)
1 tbsp parsely, finely chopped


Method:

• Cook macaroni in boiling water with salt. After about 4 -5 mniutes add broccoli. Cook for further 5 minutes or until done.
  
• OR : cook them separately. Use very little water for broccoli.
• Rinse broccoli with cold water to retain the frsh green colour.
• Keep the brew from Broccoli (if using separately) after it is done in a bowl
• For the white sauce (Bechamel) heat the butter on medium heat, add flour and stir till golden brown in colour (a crucial step) don't let it burn. Keep a whisk at hand.
  
• Remove from the stove and immediately add the brew(+ water) and stir vigorously and quickly with a whisk to mix.
  
• Put back on the cooktop, add the veg. stock, and whisk. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook further while stirring continuously (Important!).
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook further for 3 minutes on medium heat.
• While whisking further, add slowly, fresh cheese, french cheese and Gauda. Whisk till everything melts.
  
• Switch off heat. Add a pinch of pepper, white or black, as per liking. This time I used not even a pinch of red chilli powder. Stir. Keep aside.
• heat oil in a sauté pan, add onion and sesame seeds. Stir and saute till golden brown. Mix with the pasta and broccoli. Keep a teespoonful of it as a garnish for the sauce (optional) along with .
  
• Serve warm with the bechamel sauce garnished with parsely.
  

I relished this one so much, so it landed here in my blog collection!
I KNOW ... I KNOW... THE PICTURE IS MISSING! But we were just too hungry! :)

Spaghetti with spinach

This is an easy and quick recipe which I made today after coming back from a local 3 day festival, where we had gone to after breakfast. Since it was already half past one in the afternoon, I had to think up of something quick. I had to come back home as my son wasn't feeling so well , partly because it was too hot. So, nobody was in a mood to eat the snacks which were being offered there- crepe, grilled stuff and hotdogs (I don't eat them in any case) ans things like that. And this is what I made at home and was appreciated by both of my "boys"- my hubby and my son.

For 3-4 persons
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Ingriedients:
300 g whole wheat spaghetti
300 g frozen spinach
100 g cooked shrimps
1/2 each of yellow and red bellpeppers, diced
1/3 tin of chopped tomatoes or 1 large fresh tomato, chopped
1 tsp thyme leaves, fresh
1 large piece (4-5 cm) parmesan (4-5 tbsp)
1 tbsp saurcream (schmand)
1 1/2 tsp, heaped, vegetable stock (powder)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1-2 tbsp finely chopped parsely


Method:

• Cook spaghetti for 8-10 minutes in boiling water with some salt till done (al dente).
• Thaw the spinach in the microwave with 2 tbsp of water in a bowl (6 -7 min.)
  
• or heat in a pot with little water on the cooktop.
• Dice the bellpeppers and tomatoes
  
• Sauté the shrimps quickly on high heat in 1 tbsp of olive oil with a pinch of salt and take them out befre they get too dry. If using fresh (uncooked) shrimps, then cook for longer till they get their pinkish red colour and curl up.
• Saute the bellpepers in 1 tbsp oilve oil on high heat
  
• add spinach, stir and reduce heat to medium
• add chopped tomatoes, thyme and the vegetable stock and stir.
  
• Cook further for two minutes and add the cooked spaghetti, stir.
• Add 1 tbsp saurcream and 1 tbsp of oilveoil and mix.
• Grate parmesan over it and mix.
• Garnish with a tablespoon grated parmesan and the parsely and serve
  

Spaghetti Frutti di Mare

Ingredients:
300 g Spaghetti
1 tbsp. Olive oil
1 Zucchini, diced
2 Cloves garlic, grated
1 cm piece ginger, grated (optional)
1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil
200-250 g Frutti di mare (seafood), fresh or frozen
1 tbsp. Rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 pinch Thyme, dried or fresh
3-4 ripe Tomatoes, large to middle sized
25g Parmesan Cheese, grated
½ tsp. good quality Vegetable stock (optional)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp flat-leaved Parsely, chopped
1 sprig Rosemary

Method:
Cook spaghetti pasta in boiling water and 1 tsp salt until done. After draining away the water, add a tbsp of olive oil to it . In the meanwhile, fry Zucchini in a tbsp. olive oil with a tsp. of Rosemary and half of the ginger and garlic each on high heat to get a nice golden colour. Don’t overcook, and keep aside.

In 2 tbsp. Olive oil fry the frozen or thawed frutti di mare along with the rest of ingredients (ginger, garlic, rosemary, thyme and vegetable stock) on high heat for a minute and then add tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the tomatoes get mushy. Keep stirring in between. Add pasta and zucchini, and mix. Serve warm. Garnish with 1 tbsp. flat-leaved parsley or with a sprig of rosemary on top.

Variations:

Use any other pasta variety you have, like penne.

2 sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped can be sautéd along with the zucchini or one middle sized yellow bell pepper, and capers can be added to the tomatoes along with a few teaspoons of the brine.

You can also use another dried cheese like Grana padano.

For vegetarians: Try out eggplant, which makes a wonderful combination with rosemary, thyme or any other herb you like. If no fresh herbs are available, try dry herbs-use sparely. For Indians: Try it out with coriander and mint!

Pasta with home made Green Pesto

For 4 portions:
Ingredients:

300-400 g Pasta (chonchiglie-shown above)
1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into small squares
1/2 Aubergine, cubed small
3-4 sun-dried-tomato halves, chopped finely
2 large garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp pine nuts
1/2 tsp fresh thyme / a pinch of dried thyme
3-4 cm piece of parmesan, grated
1/2 cm piece of ginger (optional), grated
olive oil
salt to taste

For the Green pesto, grind together:

2 handfuls of Basil leaves (1 small pot of sweet basil)
a handful of pine nuts, roasted slightly
a 5 cm chunk of Parmesan or Grana padano or Pecorino
1-2 tbsp olive oil
a few drops of lemon juice (optional)
salt, if required

Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 tsp salt for 8-10 minutes or until done. After draining away the water, add a tbsp of olive oil to it.
In the meanwhile, cut the vegetables and prepare the pesto.
Sauté the garlic in olive oil with the pine nuts, thyme, ginger and sundried tomatoes for short, add vegetables, saute till done.Add the cooked pasta and the pesto and mix. Turn off the heat, let cook further for half a minute.
Serve hot sprinkled with parmesan and garnished with a basil leaf.

Note: I prefered not to add any garlic to the pesto, instead fry it in oil and add to the veg. to reduce smell.