Autumn Abundance Fiesta Pasta

Lately some really colorful seasonal vegetables have been abundantly harvested and affordable in larger quantities. I have been on a bell pepper kick right now, along with zucchini and tomatoes. With a little leftover pasta, I pan fried some red onion, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, whole, sliced carrots (leftover from the julienne vegetables of sushi making) chick peas and capers. I tossed all this together with a little olive oil, oregano, and red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and this really hit the spot. Fresh, a lot of nutrients from different vegetables, and filling. In this one-serving dish, I used a little leftover pasta from the night before, and it was just enough to fool me into thinking I was having a big meal, when most of what I was eating was vegetables. It didn't weigh me down at all and I felt great afterwards ;)

Mac 'N' Cheese

So a planned fondue night never happened. Too many people out of town or sick or.... well it doesn't matter. But the fact is, that I had so much cheese in my fridge from a long over due 'fondue fundue' night, that I wanted to find a new way to use it.

After a long summer of over indulgence and laziness, debauchery, rowdiness, long nights out admiring the midnight sun, music, frisbess golf, beaching it, boozing it, too little exercise, excess in all the wrong places, basking in the unadulterated bliss that is living in a flat without roomates, without responsibility and basically reverting back to my freshman in college days (sans dorm living and video games), it is time that I say enough is enough.

The nights are cooling, and in mid-August in Helsinki, it is apparent that fall is soon upon us. In Helsinki that means, back to school, classes, student parties, more gigs for me at the Fair Center, rain, darkness, and did I mention, cold weather? Some of these aspects are fresh and exciting. The start of a new season means the start of a new impetus for change. Change in direction, change in possibilities, change in dress, change in seasonal foods (Brussels sprouts are coming soon!) and change in diet.

I've recently decided to try a vegan diet for some time. I won't be surprised if it doesn't last very long. I know this doesn't sound like I have a lot of faith and commitment to this, but the truth is that I've gone vegan several times and never with the intent on permanence. I believe in many facets of a vegan lifestyle and greatly admire those that choose to adhere to these rather strict principles, but I know myself well enough to know that this is just not something that ultimately fulfills my need to champion a cause. If I champion a cause it is in self discovery, and I've already discovered that the vegan thing doesn't stick to me very long.

However, I've chosen, and with that in mind, it's time to purge my refrigerator (also for my impending and dangerously close move). I won't throw food out just because of my recent decision. Worse than indulgence and excess is wastefulness, in my opinion. Cheese is something I love to indulge in. I love cheese of all kinds, smelly, sharp, soft, curded, peppered, holey... you name it. But let's face it, it's not exactly health food. It is, however, comfort food. And with that in mind, to ease the sense of failure after a fizzled fondue party, I indulged in some television and Mac N Cheese making.

2 cups dry macaroni or other small pasta (I used spirals)
1/3 cup butter
1 onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons of plain flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoons of prepared yellow mustard
2 cups grated cheese (I used a 50/50 mixture of guyere and swiss, though many recipes suggest cheddar if it is available)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1.) Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente (this means 'slightly undercooked' for those of you not familiar with Italian ;) Drain and set aside.
2.) Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3.) Stir in the flour gradually, mixing well.
4.) Take off the heat and stir in the milk gradually. Return to heat and stir as it thickens, several minutes.
5.) Lower the heat and stir in 3/4s of the cheese, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
6.) Mix the pasta and cheese sauce well. Spoon into a buttered, oven safe dish. Top with remaining cheese and bread crumbs (I also sprinkled some paprika on)
7.) Bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Chantrelle, Thyme and Leek Cream Sauce

Chantrelles are abundant in Finland this time of the year. I'm visually attracted to these mushrooms for their yellow hue and trumpet shape. So pretty! But I also like the earthy taste they take on when cooked. Raw, they really do not have much taste at all. Some good parings with chantrelles are leeks, tomatoes, goat cheese, salmon, thyme and the list goes on. You can see a long list of recipe ideas for chantrelles here.

Pesto Pasta Salad

I have recently developed a true love for pesto. Well, I guess I've always liked it. But now I sense some kind of cravings for pesto that I never knew before. Being that I am without any kind of blender, food processor or the like, making pesto on a regular basis is difficult. Not impossible, of course- rustic pestos can be made with simply pestle and mortar. Check out these fabulous variations of homemade pesto.

For this recipe you can feel free to make your own pesto, but I am taking shortcuts recently. Anyway, a girl's gotta have a life outside of school and cooking, so premade pesto it is.

• 
  
  1/4 cup basil pesto of your choice
• 
  
  1 lb pasta, such as shells, orecchiett or cappelli (as I used here)
• 
  
  olive oil
• 
  
  small jar of capers, drained
• 
  
  5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 
  
  2 cloves garlic
• 
  
  200 grams asparagus, thick parts removed, boiled until al dente
• 
  
  2 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar
• 
  
  a couple handfuls of arugula
• 
  
  parmesan to garnish

1. 
   
   Boil the asparagus until al dente. I like to chop the asparagus in half and put the thicker bottom half in first for a few minutes and then the tops so that all parts are equally cooked at the same time. Drain, and save the water for boiling the pasta.
2. 
   
   While the pasta is cooking (to instructions on the package), heat some olive oil in a sauce pan. Add the capers and garlic and fry for several minutes until fragrant.  Drain the asparagus and add to the pan.
3. 
   
   Drain the pasta, and add to a large salad bowl. Toss with the pesto to coat.
4. 
   
   Add the hot caper, garlic, and asparagus mixture.
5. 
   
   Add the arugula and the tomatoes and toss together. Sprinkle with parmesan.
6. 
   
   Serve warm.

Leftover Ratatouille

I had so much ratatouille leftover from my dinner with A the other night, that I needed to find something to do with it. I am still getting used to cooking for 1, but I like the idea of saving individualized portions of meals and freezing them for later, lazy days. Or, finding new ways to use them all together.

Since I had already some pasta and pesto on hand (I always have these on hand for a simple and satisfying fix), I simply sauteed the ratatouille, threw in some leftover olives and cherry tomatoes from my Italian Salad and added it all to some whole wheat rotini with pesto rosso.

Easy, healthy and delicious in a snap!

Italian Dinner for Two

Since I have the last chance to cook for A for a while, I wanted to make something special as a sendoff. I'm sure once he's in Berlin he'll be in donerkebab heaven, but for now I wanted him to enjoy some nice Italian.

My menu was a little off season, since I made a Southern Italian Ratatouille inspired by the Food network, and I really wanted to use a little zucchini. The multitude of different vegetables really hit the spot.

Italian Salad

• Head of lettuce (arugula, or romaine, or a mixture)
• Handful of black or kalamata olives, pits removed
• approx. 1o cherry tomatoes
• 1 roasted red pepper (I used jarred to make my life easier)
• olive vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1. Tear lettuce into forkable bites.
2. Toss in other ingredients.
3. Mix in the vinaigrette.
   

Olive Vinaigrette

• 3 tbs green olives with pimento and juice
• 3 tbs red wine vinegar
• handful of basil leaves
• fresh bunch of parsley leaves
• black pepper
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan

1. Mix all ingredients in the blender, adding oil and Parmesan last.

Southern Italian Ratatouille

• 1 zucchini, sliced on the horizontal
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 can of mushrooms or one pound fresh button or cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup spinach, frozen
• handful of basil leaves, torn
• 2 tbs thyme or rosemary (or both)
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 tbs Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Heat half of the olive oil in a large saute pan. Add 1 onion and half of the garlic and saute until golden and aromatic. Add zucchini slices and saute on medium low until soft. Remove from the pan to another plate or oven dish.
2. Heat the other half of the olive oil in the same pan as before. Add the other onion and the rest of the garlic and saute. Add the mushrooms, spinach, red bell pepper, thyme or rosemary and salt and pepper. Saute until softened.
3. Mix the mushroom and zucchini together, add the chopped tomatoes and basil and toss.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Keep warm in oven if necessary, while preparing the rest of the meal.

This makes a lot of ratatouille, or 4 servings. However, the leftover ratatouille is versatile for use in leftovers! I used some the next morning in a delicious egg omelet. I plan to use the rest for an appetizer, on top of say, bruschetta. Or, it can be served over rice, with potatoes, or tossed into some tomato puree and vegetable broth to make a delicious soup!

Shrimp Pasta with Herb Cream Sauce

• pasta for two servings, I used whole wheat rotini, about half pound for two very hungry people
• half pound shrimp
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup cooking cream
• 1 can crushed peeled tomatoes
• 1 tbs oyster sauce
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup torn basil and parsley leaves

1. Set water to boil with a pinch of salt and a splash of oil. When boiling, add pasta and cook to instructions.
2. Heat olive oil in a saute pan. Add the diced garlic and and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are just cooked, turning from grey to pink. Remove shrimp from pan. I bought frozen raw shrimp, so I was not able to peel and devein until after this step.
3. Peel and devein shrimp at this time if you have not already.
4. Add the tomatoes, basil and parsley to the pan and simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add oyster sauce, cream and white wine and simmer for another 4-5 minutes.
6. Add basil and parsley leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste. (For a little heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes.)
7. Strain pasta and return to pot. Add sauce and shrimp to the pasta and toss thoroughly.

Wahlah! Yummy and easy, but still tastes so gourmet.

Bon Appetito!