Udon Noodles with Miso and Chicken

I was in the mood for some Udon Noodles and after a quick look in my fridge, I decided to go with the following:

WHAT YOU NEED 

In the above picture: 

• 1/2 a package Udon noodles, ca. 1/2 pound
• 4 scallions
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, cut in small pieces
• 2 tablespoons of miso paste

Not in the picture:

• 1 tablespoon of peanut oil
• 1/2 pound chicken tenders, cut into pieces
• 1/2 a lime
• Soy and hot sauce to taste

 HOW IT IS DONE

• In a big pot heat water, add a bit salt, once boiling cook the udon noodles al dente, according to the package instructions.
• In the meantime, heat the oil in a big pan and nicely brown the chicken.
• Reduce heat and add the garlic, ginger and tomatoes.
• Cook on low heat.

• Add one or two laddles of the noodle water.
• Add the miso paste.
• Add the udon noodles.
• Add the scallions, and carefully fold everything together. 
• Drizzle with lime juice.
• Let simmer for about two minutes.

Divide into two bowls and serve together with soy and hot sauce.

 Guten Appetit!

-- Elke♥

Gigli with Infused Sun Dried Tomatoes and Chicken

Total: 25 minutes

When they're not marinated in oil, you're supposed to soften sun dried tomatoes for about twenty minutes in hot water. I wanted to do a bit more and added red wine and a bay leaf to the hot water and the result was sensational! The whole recipe is also super easy to follow. Enjoy!

WHAT YOU NEED 

• 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, cut into thin slices
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 to 1 cup red wine (the one you'd be drinking to this dish)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 pound organic chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper from the mill to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Freshly grated parmigiano (optional)

  

HOW IT IS DONE 

• Heat up a tea kittle or use your electric water boiler, so that you'll have about 1 cup of hot water. Add 1 cup of thinly cut sun dried tomatoes to that cup of water, together with the 1/2 to 1 cup of red wine. Cover and let rest until needed.
• Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a teaspoon of salt and add the pasta. Follow the instructions of your pasta package. I decided on the Gigli which went so nicely with this dish. Make sure to cook them al dente.
• While the water is getting hot, chop the onion, the garlic and the chicken.
• In a large pan, heat the olive oil, add the chicken, the garlic and the onion.
• Brown nicely, until the chicken is cooked through.

• Add the sun dried tomatoes with all liquid (the wine and the water) and stir. Keep the flame on low.
• Once the pasta is ready, drain it into a colander, and add it directly to the pan with the chicken and the sun dried tomatos. Fold everything nicely.
• Dived onto two plates and serve hot with lots of fresh parmesan.

Guten Appetit!
-- Elke♥

Super Fast and Easy Hot and Sour Soup

Total time: 20 minutes

It hasn't stopped snowing in New York City since December last year, and when it's cold outside, you want something warm inside. I didn't feel like big cooking though, that's why I just whipped up this quick dish. Takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish!

What You Need
For 2 people

• 2 packages udon noodles including the soup base (if the udon noodles come without, use 1 cube of vegetable or chicken soup instead)
• 3 teaspoons Tom Yum paste (comes in a glass jar and is also labelled as Hot and Sour Soup Mix)
• 5 cup water
• 10 medium shrimp, cleaned and tails removed
• 2 large shitake mushrooms, cut into thin stripes
• 1 lime, 1/2 of it cut into slices, other half squeezed for juice
• Cilantro for garnish

 How It Is Done

1. In a deep pot, heat the water. 
2. When the water is boiling, add soup base, Tom Yom paste and stir gently.
3. Lower heat, add noodles, shrimp, shitake mushrooms to the soup and let simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Ladle soup onto 2 bowls, drizzle lime juice on top, garnish with lime slices and cilantro.

Guten Appetit!
-- Elke♥

Pappardelle with Lamb Ragù

Total time: 30 to 40 minutes

This is the perfect dinner to invite a couple of friends over and impress them with something super delicious and yet really easy to prepare. It's almost frivolous how simple this is and yet the outcome is so great.  All you need is a little time because the longer the ragù cooks, the better it will be. Give it roughly 2 hours from start to finish, while you're really only doing something for 30 minutes.

I wanted to create something fresh, without any artificial ingredients and yet bursting with taste. Having cooked Ragù alla Bolognese for the last 30 years, I know what works and what doesn't. Strangely enough I never did it with lamb though but this time.

What You Need

For 4 to 5 people

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 package soup vegetables, cut in small pieces
  (They come in a bundle with usually one of each: carrot, onion, potato, leek, celeriac, parsnip. I tend to use the whole package because it only helps the taste. If you don't like any of the veggies your bundle comes with, leave it out. As simple as that.)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  (displayed is only 1 can but I ended up using 2) 
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
  The following is NOT displayed in the above picture 
• 1/2 bottle beer (I used something as light as Heineken)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste on the table
• Fresh pepper, more to taste on the table
• 3 twigs of fresh rosemary, minced
  (roughly 2 tablespoons) 
• 1 lb pappardelle or spiral shaped pasta

 

How It Is Done

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot. Add the cut vegetable and minced garlic and let brown on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Add another tablespoon of olive oil, increase the heat and add the ground lamb. Stir frequently and brown evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and deglaze with 1/2 bottle of beer. Let simmer until liquid is almost entirely absorbed, roughly 10 minutes.
• Add 2 cans diced tomatoes, the bay leaves and cover the pot and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. 

•  Add 2 cans diced tomatoes, the bay leaves and cover the pot and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a teaspoon of salt and the pasta. Follow the instructions of your pasta package and cook al dente.

•  Once the pasta is cooked al dente, rinse it into a colander, put it back to the pot and divide onto plates.
• Add about 3 ladles of ragù per plate and serve together with a nice green salad.

Have salt and pepper ready.

Guten Appetit!

-- Elke♥

Pantry Staple: Spaghetti Puttanesca

Total time: 25 minutes

You only need to keep a couple of ingredients in your cupboard and you'll never run out of a delicious pasta dish! Even if it is snowing like crazy as it did in New York City. It started to snow yesterday, and didn't stop for almost 24 hours. Lovely Spaghetti Puttanesca came to the rescue. Here's how I prepare this dish.

What You Need

For 4 people

• 1 lb Spaghetti, I chose whole wheat
• 1 little can of anchovis in olive oil
• 1 cup green (or black) olives, diced
• 1/2 cup capers
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup of dry red wine (you can do without if you don't have any)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Fresh parmesan for serving

How It Is Done

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Once the water is boiling, add a teaspoon of salt and the pasta. Follow the instructions of your pasta package.
2. While the water is getting hot, chop the garlic and the shallot.
3. In a large pan, heat the olive oil, add the anchovis, the garlic and the shallots.

 

4. When the onions are soft, after roughly 2 minutes, add the red wine and after another minute add the tomatoes. Stir.
6. Add the olives, capers and cayenne pepper to the tomato sauce.

7. Stir and let simmer at very low heat.
8. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it into a colander and add it the sauce and fold it well in.
9. Add the fresh - or dry - oregano and serve.

Serve hot with lots of fresh parmesan.
Guten Appetit!
-- Elke♥