Getting back on the bandwagon

It does pay to get back on track when down and out. I had a bit of a run in with our friend the "Flu" & his hot sidekick "Fever" last week and was completely zapped out of all energy stored for the week.

The first few days were reminiscent of old grandma recipes with hot starchy rice dishes, various cocktails of milk, honey, turmeric, spices, ghee, tea, and other ingredients which only my house help could identify as medicine with chants of "baba, it will do wonder's for you, just one cup, ok - half, ok - no - dont drink it but pinch your nose and gulp it down" the hot liquid should scare those germs away in a jiffy. Well I buckled down to all the pampering and confusion, emerging victorious, but definitely felt as though the illness had been coughed away, or rather frightened out of its wits.

By the end of the week, I had my taste buds reactivated, I had to dig into something a little more luxurious, indulgent with a hint of tasty. Of course, the idle mention of ordering in or digging in at some fancy restaurant  was shunted by the other members of my family who threatened me with doctors and more grandma recipes, I quietly crawled away into my corner deciding what to do next.

Well, I have been blessed with making food myself, tasty food to an extent. I decided, my new-found energy and rigour could be put to good use in the kitchen and I could jump right back on the bandwagon of what I do best - cook !

This was the time to get spontaneous, I selected the first few ingredients which caught my eye and landed up making a delicious spaghetti dish which is simple, defined, garlicky, the way I like it and best of all - a perfect antidote to boring, tasteless dishes which I have been through in the last week

Ingredients:

1 cup Spaghetti (Cooked in boiling water till al-dente, drained & tossed in a tsp of olive oil)
8-10 Button Mushrooms (Sliced thinly)
4 Babycorn's (Blanched & Sliced)
A bunch of Baby Spinach Leaves
1 small Onion (quartered & separated)
8-10 Garlic cloves
1 tablsp Chilli Flakes
2 tablsp Olive Oil
Salt & Freshly Crushed Pepper
Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Peel and crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a large knife or a spatula

Wash, trim and roughly chop the spinach leaves and keep aside

Warm the olive oil in a pan till well heated but not smoking, toss the garlic and stir well till fragrant but ensuring the garlic does not brown. Toss in the mushroom and turn up the heat to high, toss around well, adding a tsp of olive oil if it gets too dry. In about a minute, turn down the heat and add the onions and spinach leaves. Once the spinach leaves lose water and limp, toss in the other ingredients including the spaghetti, babycorn and seasoning's. Toss well, crush more pepper atop the dish if required and sprinkle the grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

Bless taste !           

Boiling Point

Its strange how people in general have their stress limits varying to different polarities, every individual is built in such a way that if and when faced with the realities of life, comes to term with it in his or her own imitable style. Of course, there are the exceptions, when pushed over the edge, but that’s a different ball game altogether.

We all have our “boiling point’. Our actions, reactions, state of mind, emotional quotient amongst others act as a rein. Now, if only handling real life problems was as easy as dipping a wooden spoon in an overflowing pot of boiling water.

There is one thing which we all scuttle too amidst all the dissonances we go through and that is our own individualistic comfort zone in which, food features right at the apex. These comfort foods are always on the menu and are temptingly characterized by ones own liking.

Foods which are filling, high in flavor, taste and in the barging bring about a sense of calmness and excitement to the senses feature on the list of comfort foods. My personal favorite (and I am sure a lot of others will agree too) is Pasta.

A pasta dish which is hearty, filling, easy to whip up and high on taste (and yes, sometimes fat too) is a perfect antidote to a particularly exasperating day. I will share with you a common pasta dish, which you can all relate to and love - The quintessential Penne in Alfredo Sauce.

Alfredo, commonly a cheesy, creamy sauce is versatile enough to be combined with any kind of pasta, be it ravioli, fettuccine, and in this case penne.

Ingredients:

2 cups - Penne
Salt
Water to boil

Alfredo Sauce:

1 cup Milk
1 tsp Wheat Flour
1 stick (100gms) Butter
200gms Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (Kraft grated can be used)
3-4 cloves Garlic (Grated)
1 tablsp Chilli Flakes
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Cook the pasta in boiling water and salt till al-dente. Drain, toss some olive oil and keep aside.

In another pan, mix the cream, butter and cream cheese and simmer on low heat for five minutes. remove in a bowl and add a dollop of butter in the same pan. Flash fry the garlic, add the flour and give it a quick stir. Mix in milk, add turn the heat up. Immediately add the cream mixture and mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.

Once simmering, turn the heat back to low, toss in the pasta and serve hot.

Accompaniments:
You can add all or any of these ingredients stir fried in butter and basil

Sliced Carrots
Olives
Bell Peppers
Diced Onions
Corn
Peas

Add a spoon of butter in a pan on a low flame, stir fry the vegetables and toss with salt and pepper. Add a few shredded Basil leaves and toss into the pasta.

Enjoy with a glass of white wine to de-stress!
  

Freeze Italy

A couple of years ago I was in the US of A for a short while. I stayed with Family and Friends right from the West Coast to the East Coast. I got a glimpse into their lifestyle, eating habits, culture - all in one go. An excellent experience which has been etched into my memory for years to come.

Being a person who cooks and being an in-house guest, it was an exciting time for the various families who were kind enough to take me in, to request my culinary skills which were to be put in use in their kitchens. USA being a wonderland for all things "kitchen" was an exhilaration time for me too and I was looking forward to try out cooking in a different country and a different kitchen. From barbecues in an actual backyard barbecue to pizzas from scratch, from cocktails in a well stocked bar to beer from tap, it was all culinary heaven. I picked up useful tips from typical American households which come in use even now.

The one thing I learnt was storing food, In America, a lot of emphasis is on stocking up refrigerators, freezers and cabinets with a lot of ready to (h)eat dishes. Sauces plays an important part in American cuisine, as this is one cuisine which is absolutely undemanding of time and easy if you have the right ingredients, hands on. Pasta and Salad being a staple in most homes, it continuously demanded innovation.

Arrabbiata Sauce being my favorite, and I am sure, a favorite with people world around. It did not take me long to figure out a simple yet delicious recipe for Arrabbiata Sauce, using fresh and canned local ingredients. It is to be made in bulk, set in freeze containers and frozen for use as and when needed. It turned out to be quite a hit with the hosts, they have access to pasta in a jiffy without having to depend on ready to heat cans/bottles of sauces available in supermarkets.

This popular Roman sauce combines the richness of fresh tomatoes, with the sauciness of canned tomato puree, hints of garlic and spicy chilli to replicate the typical Arrabbiata. Originally and contrary to the popular belief that basil should be used in anything remotely connected to Italy, in Arrabbiata, no basil is used. Of course, it does add a nice touch to the finished sauce and you may do with or without it. This sauce can be made back in any home, world around, too. The ingredients, though modified country-wise, ensure there is no compromise on the taste. This recipe is simple enough for a novice to follow yet professional enough to pass off as authentic.

We start off with taking about twelve firm and large tomatoes, washed and kept aside. Heat a large pot of water. Once its simmering, drop the tomatoes in the water and cook till the skin starts breaking. Drain the water in a separate bowl (you need to retain the water for the sauce) and spoon out the tomatoes carefully in a plate. Once cooled a bit, skin the tomatoes with your hands, the peel will come off easily. Splice and puree all the tomatoes in the mixer. You may retain a couple of tomatoes and chop them fine for a chunkier sauce.

Ingredients:

Fresh Tomato Puree (as illustrated above)
One Large Can of Tomato Puree (2 Lbs) or 2 Packs of Tomato Concentrate Puree (Kissan, Godrej etc.)
2 Large - White Onions,chopped finely
8-10 pcs of Garlic - peeled and grated
1 tsp Dried Celery / Grated Fresh Celery
1 tablsp Cilantro / Coriander
1/2 Lemon - Juice
1 tablsp - chilli flakes
1 tsp - Your favourite mixed dried herbs / oregano
1 tablsp - chilli oil (optional)
3-4 Basil Leaves (optional)
1 tablsp Sugar
1/4 cup Ketchup
Salt and Pepper to taste


Proceed by heating two spoons of olive oil in a large pot, do not wait for it to smoke, within a few minutes add the onions and sweat on low till evenly translucent, turn up the heat, add a dash of olive oil and add the garlic, stir on high till the garlic and onions are aromatic, but do not brown. Add the sugar, stir and quickly add the fresh tomato puree and turn the heat to low. Simmer for a about 25 minutes, alternately adding a spoon of water (the water in which the tomatoes were simmered). You should be done once the simmered water is halved. This is an important step, as you go on heating the sauce, it releases water and needs to be replenished to maintain its consistency.

Proceed by adding the concentrate a cup at a time and the ketchup. turn the heat to a medium high and simmer. Be careful of splattering due to the quantity and the heat. Simmer for another half hour (again making use of simmered tomato water in case the sauce is turning too thick), add the lemon juice, cilantro/coriander, herbs, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. If using the chilli oil and basil, add it at this point too. Simmer on low heat for another fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and leave under a fan to cool.

To Store: Spoon out in a freezer proof container and freeze for over a month.  

To use: Scrape and Scoop out a cup or two, depending on the number of people (1 cup is good enough for 4 people), thaw out naturally or in the microwave for a few minutes. You can enjoy this with virtually any pasta (and dont forget the wine), be it - Penne, Spaghetti, Ravioli or Linguine. Eat your hearts out and experiment with your favorite condiments such as peppers, olives, cheese, onions, chicken, vegetables... the list goes on.

Incidentally, this freeze is a definite must have for all you "stay alone" people. You wont regret stocking this in your freezer 24 x 7

O'-I-Live to make it happen one day

There is an interesting observation at Italian Restaurants abroad, be it a small or an extravagant one, the moment you are seated the exhaustive wine list is brought out, the concierge helps you with the selection, with his/her mind reading prowess, he/she can guess your taste, liking, mood and the amount you are willing to spend, saving you the trouble of going cross eyed trying to determine the best choice off the menu as it involves rapid eye movement between the wines and the little amount column on the right (especially if you have "company").

Now comes the other interesting part, the wine once brought out, uncorked, poured and tasted, the practice, as is observed, involves a small shallow white plate to be placed in front of you. The assorted bread in its individual basket having a wide assortment of baked delights is unwrapped from its warm and snug white cocoon, and then in one swift movement your pristine white plate has a pool of rich olive oil and a swirl of balsamic vinegar. This is indulgence at its best, your pick of yeasty warm bread should be dipped into the olive oil balsamic vinegar mixture and savoured fresh off the basket.

I love this tradition, it's much like a bowl of peanuts or cashews with your beer, back in our Country. Unfortunately, in India, even though Italian Cuisine has fast caught on, the tradition of serving the welcome bread basket (except in a select few places, very few, in my case, probably only one of which I am aware) with the above oil-vinegar concoction is lost. Understandably, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar is no easy on cost, but the fact that Italian Cuisine Restaurants are highly priced and in vogue with times, it should be made mandatory to serve up this divine delight. So what if its supposed to be complimentary!

Of course you can have this tradition replicated at home. The next time you serve up pasta or even garlic bread, have this on your table to delight your guests and make it your own little welcome:

Bread

From you nearest bakery, pick up dinner rolls, a French loaf, baby round breads and a few packs of your local pau (this particularly tastes amazing).

Mix Butter and a minced garlic clove and spread on the inside halve of Dinner Roll, fold close and pop in the oven to warm for three minutes on high.

Mix Butter, Paprika and your favorite herb and smother in the baby round breads, close and warm with the dinner rolls.

Slice French Loaf into thick slices, drizzle a mix of olive oil, Tabasco and parsley (coriander) onto the slices and grill for two minutes.

Your local pau can be heated, as is, with a little butter and served warm

Spread a pristine white napkin in a wicker or bamboo basket, mix and match random breads and place in the napkin, add a couple of bread sticks in the corners, fold napkin on three sides, leaving one side open as an outlet to release the hot steam. Serve immediately.

Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Serving 

As pictured below, I had got this bottle form one of those wine festivals in Goa, it was gifted to me by an Aunt who found the bottle quite quaint and thought it would be an innovative addition to my innumerable kitchen items. It was originally meant to be for wine, where it was to be used for chilling the wine by pouring it in the inner compartment and adding chilled water in the outer. Of course, I was super excited to be the owner of a typical Italian Olive Oil - Balsamic Vinegar serviette. The inner chamber now holds the highest quality Balsamic Vinegar, and super rich, extra virgin Olive Oil in the outer compartment.

Keep this on the table for your guests to individually pour out the olive oil  and balsamic onto their plates when you serve the bread.


Butter

One thing I give most high-end Italian restaurants in India credit for, is their choice of butter's served with the  Bread Basket. Every place has a distinct recipe and most of them go quite well with the assorted Bread. You can whip up some of them in your own kitchens and serve with your bread basket.

Garlic Butter: One of my all time favourites, whip softened butter till well blended, add 1 or 2 cloves of crushed garlic, salt and a sprinkling of garlic powder. With a spatula, cream the butter till well mixed and spoon out in a small bowl. Serve cold or at room temperature

Spicy Butter: Another exotic spreadable delight, In a mixer, combine one fourth cup of butter with 2 tablsp of  olive oil and lemon juice, process until well creamed, add garlic salt and chilli flakes and blend again. If you want it to be slightly more pinkish in colour, add a pinch of red chilli powder before blending once again. Spoon out in a small bowl and serve immediately.

Peppered Green Butter: This is an innovative creation. In a mixer, combine one fourth cup of butter with 2 tablsp of olive oil and few leaves of parsley or coriander, process until well creamed, add one chopped green garlic and freshly crushed pepper. Mix well and serve.