The Key To A Flavorful Tomato Sauce

For an easy but tasty lunch last Sunday, I just quickly whipped together Linguine with a fragrant tomato sauce. The key to a flavorful sauce are slightly browned garllic and a handful of fresh herbs like basil. Everything else then falls into place.

You basically slightly roast on very low about 4 cloves of minced garlic in a table spoon of good olive oil. Be careful to not burn it! It only may get slightly brown, until it smells nicely. If it burns, start again, seriously.

Then you add a can of diced tomatoes and let it all simmer until the pasta is ready. About 20 minutes.

You finish the dish with a handful of basil, and salt and pepper to taste. If you don't have basil, use rosemary. That's all! Don't forget fresh grated parmigiano.

 Guten Appetit!
-- Elke♥

Orzo with Greek Feta and Tomatoes

You can taste Greece in this dish! Feta, oregano, ripe tomatoes and the tiny little noodles called Orzo make this so dish so authentic.

 

This makes a side dish for 3 to 4 people and a main course - with salad - for 2.

What You Need

• 1/2 pound orzo
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 cup feta cheese crumbles
• A handful of oregano leaves, chopped
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt

How It's Done

• Heat water in large sauce pot to boil and add pasta, cook to al dente. This takes only a couple of minutes since orzo is so tiny.
• Heat olive oil in a pot under medium heat, and combine with feta.
• Add cooked pasta to the feta and oil mixture and toss with organo and tomatoes.
• Season with some salt and pepper.

I used this recipe as a side dish to go with some lemon chicken. 

I can see this dish as the perfect addition to any grilled meat, Mediterranean style. I understand though that it's no longer "no meat" that way.

Guten Appetit!
-- Elke♥

Thai Noodles With Tofu

More often than not I find myself preparing a dish with the products I have at home rather than buying something for a specific dish. Looking in my fridge, I had packaged firm tofu, scallions, beans and ginger. In my pantry there were 

What You Need

For 2 people

• 2 cups of firm tofu cut in cubes
• 2 cups of beans cut in 1 inch long
• 3 or 4 scallions cut in small pieces
• 2 gloves minced garlic
• 1 inch minced ginger
• Hot chili paste to taste
• 3 table spoons soy sauce
• 1 table spoon sesame oil
• 1 cup peanuts
• Juice of 1 lime
• 8 oz thin rice noodles (= half the package)

How It's Done

REPARE THE NOODLES

1. Poor noodles in a bowl.
2. Add very hot tab water.
3. Stir to separate. 
4. Let soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

 MARINATE THE TOFU

• Put all ingredients but the oil in bowl. 
• Tofu, beans, scallions, minced garlic and ginger, chili and soy sauce.
• Cover the bowl and let the mixture marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, mince the peanuts and roast them in a non-stick pan without oil.

1. After 15 minutes, check the noodles if their firmness is right for you. Give them a couple of more minutes if they are still too firm. Then rinse them in a colander.
2. Heat a pan, add the sesame oil and carefully add the mixture from the bowl.
3. Stir fry for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the noodles and turn every thing nicely over.
5. Stir fry for another 5 minutes.
6. Test if you like the consistency of the noodles and if you don't, give it another 5 minutes.
7. Finish with the juice of one lime and add some more soy sauce and/or hot chili sauce to your liking.

Place an equal amount of the noodle dish on two plates and garnish with the roasted peanuts as well with a lime wedge.

Guten Appetit!
-- Elke♥