Fusilli in Pomodoro Sauce with Shrimp, Arugula & Feta

This is a wonderfully easy pasta to toss together. If you prefer a thicker pasta, you can use Rotini or any other pasta of your choice. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb peeled and cleaned medium shrimp
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 a Vidalia (sweet) onion, finely chopped
1 19 oz can diced tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 tbsp tomato paste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
4 cups arugula
4 heaping tbsp crumbled Feta

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the shrimp, garlic, cayenne and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and tomatoes to the pasta. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook over medium heat, tossing, until the liquid is slightly thickened and coats the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the arugula. Serve in wide pasta bowls. Sprinkle each serving with a heaping tbsp of Feta.

Austrian Mushroom Stew

My good friend Renate gave me this recipe. She is from Vienna and this is a Austrian recipe. The first version is the original one from Austria, the second version is the one that Renate uses now. Sounds delicious! I will be making this one soon for sure. This recipe serves 2 people but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped into small pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
2 cups sliced mushrooms of your choice
1 large potato, peeled and cubed

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil over medium in a large, deep skillet. Add chopped onions and cook until onions are soft and yellow. Stir in the paprika, tomato paste, caraway seeds and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add in the small cubes of potatoes and continue to cook until the potatoes are done and the sauce is thick.

Renate's way:

Ingredients:

1 large yellow oinion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups sliced portabello mushrroms
1/2 tsp dried red chili peppers
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp flour


Directions:





Brown yellow small cut onions with sliced  portabello mushrooms. Add chili pepper and  black pepper & just very little salt. When you see mushrooms cooked ( very brown) add 1/2 cup water to heat and after couple minutes stir in a little flour to thicken the sauce. Serve with a small slice of rye bread.

Roasted Radicchio with Balsamic Drizzle

Pronounced "radeekeo", this was my father-in-laws favourite "lettuce" type vegetable to have in a salad. This version is roasted and then drizzled with a (good quality) balsamic vinegar at the end. Delicious! If you are making this, you might want to make my roasted asparagus at the same time, the recipe is also on this sight---both are simple recipes that bring out a wonderful flavour in these two vegetables. This recipe serves 4 but can easily be halved for two.

Ingredients:

2 large heads of radicchio, halved through the core. Then, cut each half into 3 wedges, leaving some of the core attached.
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
Good quality balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Wash radicchio in cold water and allow water to drain off but don't dry completely. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper and basil. Toss to coat.
2. Arrange wedges on rimmed baking sheet; roast for about 12 minutes, turning half-way through cooking time. Arrange on a plate and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

tabouleh

Great middle-eastern vegetarian dish! Healthy and full of flavour.

Tabbouleh

Ingredients:

1/4 cup bulgur

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

5 tomatoes, diced

1 large spring onion, finely diced

2 teaspoons olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

salt to taste

Directions

1. Place the bulgur in a small mixing bowl. Add the boiling water, mix and cover with a towel; Let stand for 1 hour. Drain any excess water.
2. Combine the parsley, mint, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Add the bulgur; mix well and serve.