Pad Thai

Yield:

• 3 servings

Time:

• 40 minutes

Difficulty:

• Moderate 

Ingredients

• 160 g /  6oz dried rice sticks
  
  
• 1½ tbsp tamarind puree (not concentrate)
• 3 tbsp (packed) brown sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce 
• 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce 
  
  
• 2 – 3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• ½ onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
• 150 g/5oz protein (chicken, shrimp, or tofu) 
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1½ cups of beansprouts
• ½ cup firm tofu, cut into 3cm /1¼ ″ batons
• ¼ cup garlic chives, cut into 3cm /1¼″ pieces
• ¼ cup finely chopped peanuts
  
  
• Lime wedges (essential)
• Ground chilli or cayenne pepper (optional)
• More beansprouts

Instructions

1. Place noodles in a large bowl, pour over boiling water till covered. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and quickly rinse under cold water. (Don’t leave sitting for > 10 minutes.)
2. Mix sauce in small bowl.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan (or well seasoned skillet) over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add protein and cook for 1½ minutes until mostly cooked through.
5. Push to one side of the pan, pour egg in on the other side. Scramble using the wooden spoon (add touch of extra oil if pan is too dry), then mix into chicken.
6. Add bean sprouts, tofu, noodles then sauce.
7. Toss gently for about 1½ minutes until sauce is absorbed by the noodles.
8. Add garlic chives and half the peanuts. Toss through quickly then remove from heat.
9. Serve immediately, sprinkled with remaining peanuts and lime wedges on the side, with a sprinkle of chilli and a handful of extra beansprouts on the side if desired 
10. Squeeze over lime juice to taste before eating.
    

Notes:

• Can substitute peanut butter for peanuts.  Soften with boiling water and whisk into sauce.
• I prefer to first cook egg into thin pancake, and then slide out of pan and slice into thin strips, adding before last toss.
• Noodle texture will be superior if you use lukewarm rather than boiling water, and soak for 1 hour rather than 10 minutes. 
• If you can't find garlic chives, substitute with scallions and increase to 3 cloves of garlic.

Variations:

• For more authentic (i.e., not Westernized) version, substitute red shallot for onion and 50 g of dried shrimp for oyster sauce, reduce brown sugar to 1 tbsp (and use palm sugar if you can get it), increase fish sauce, and add 1 tsp white vinegar. Also sprinkle with 1 tsp white sugar before serving.
  

Source: Based on https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-pad-thai/, with a few variations.

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

Yield:

• Serves 4, enough for 12-16 oz fettucine

Time:

• 30 minutes

Difficulty:

• Easy, if you have a good blender.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (355ml) unsweetened, unflavored almond or cashew milk or vegetable broth
• 1 pound (455g) cauliflower, cored and cut into medium florets (12 ounces/340g florets)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces/55g) raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
• Kosher salt
• 1 to 2 large cloves garlic
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, bring nut milk or broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add cauliflower and cashews and stir to coat with the liquid. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. (If the liquid seems to be evaporating out from under the lid, reduce the heat to low; you want to cook the cauliflower while retaining as much of the liquid as possible.)
2. Transfer cauliflower, cashews, and liquid to a blender or food processor and let cool until warm.
3. Purée cauliflower and cashews until very smooth. (A high-powered blender will give you the best texture, but you can achieve a smooth purée if you let a food processor run for a solid minute or more, scraping down the sides occasionally.) Add nutritional yeast, lemon zest (if using), and a few large pinches of salt. Finely grate as much garlic as you want over the sauce and pulse just to combine.
4. Boil salted water and cook fettuccine until just al dente, then reserve about 1 cup (235ml) of the cooking water and drain.
5. Return the hot pasta to the pot. Add the vegan Alfredo sauce and about 1/4 cup (60ml) of cooking liquid and toss, adding more liquid as necessary to loosen the sauce to a creamy consistency. Put the pan over the heat for a few seconds to heat the pasta as necessary. Taste and season with salt. 
6. Transfer the fettuccine Alfredo to a large bowl, hit it with a few grinds of black pepper, and serve.

Notes:

• Lemon a nice addition.  Don't overcook the cauliflower or it will take on a cabbage smell.

Variations:

• Next time I'm going to try adding pumpkin.

Source: Serious Eats.

Chicken Lo Mein

Yield: Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 8 ounces cooked linguine
• 4 ounces mushrooms
• 2 carrots
• 1 zucchini
• ½ onion
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• oil for sauteeing

Instructions

1. Trim the excess fat off of the chicken, slice thinly and toss with 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of rice wine or dry sherry and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Set aside to marinade.
2. Prep all of your ingredients:Boil your linguine, drain and rinse with cool water. Set aside. Peel and julienne carrots, julienne zucchini, slice onion and thinly slice mushrooms. Set each aside in separate bowls. Make your 3-2-1 Sauce, adding 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil together in a bowl, mixing thoroughly. Set everything aside right near where you will cook for easy access.
3. Heat a wok over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add in a little vegetable oil, tilting the wok to evenly coat, and add in the chicken. Stir and toss for 1-3 minutes continuously until fully cooked, depending on how thick the pieces are. Remove and set aside for later.
4. Immediately add in a little more oil, then the carrots and onions. Stir fry together for 2 minutes.
5. Add in the mushrooms, and stir fry for 2 additional minutes.
6. Add in the zucchini and stir fry for 1 minute.
7. Add in the cooked noodles and chicken, stir and toss for 1 minute to heat through and create a little separation with the noodles.
8. Make a well in the middle by pushing everything out to the edges, or just push everything to one side and add in the 3-2-1 sauce. Stir and toss for 1 minute to evenly coat and incorporate the sauce with all of the ingredients.
9. Remove and serve!

Notes: Variations:

Source: http://www.thekitchenconfessional.com/

Buckwheat Soba Noodles with with French Lentils, Carrots and Chard

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup French lentils
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Few spoonfuls virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 bunch red or green chard 
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch squares
• 1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch squares 
• 1 or 2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
  
• 8 ounces soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles) 
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• Parmesan and ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Sort and rinse lentils; then cover them generously with water and bring them to a boil with the bay leaf and the salt. Cook at a slow boil until they are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, being careful not to overcook.  Drain, saving the liquid for stock, and toss with a little olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside.
   
2. Cut the chard leaves away from the stems, wash them well, and slice the leaves into strips about 1-inch wide. Save the stems to cook by themselves or to use in stock.
   
3. Warm 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan with garlic and cook for about 1 minute, taking care that the garlic doesn’t color.
   
4. Add the lentils, carrots, celery, and leeks, and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat with a sprinkling of salt; then pour in 3/4 cup water or stock and add the chard. Stew until the vegetables are tender, adding liquid as needed to maintain sauce.
   
5. Cook noodles in salted boiling water until just short of al dente;  then scoop them out and add them to the vegetables and cook for 1 minute.
   
6. Add parsley and ground pepper, toss, and serve with olive oil, Parmesan, and pepper to taste.

Notes:

• Buckwheat noodles are important; you can use regular linguini but it won't be the same. 

Variations:

• Crumble 5 oz goat cheese into sauced pasta before garnishing with Parmesan and pepper.

Source:  The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison

Farfalle with Golden Beets, Beet Greens, and Pine Nuts

Yield:  4 to 6 servings

Ingredients  

• 1/3 cup pine nuts  
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, quartered lengthwise through root end, sliced crosswise (about 4 cups) 
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 bunches 2-inch-diameter golden beets with fresh healthy greens; beets peeled, each cut into 8 wedges, greens cut into 1-inch-wide strips 
• 12 ounces farfalle or other medium textured pasta
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving

 Instructions

1. Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
2. Add 2 tablespoons oil and onions to same skillet and sauté until beginning to soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to sauté until onions are tender and browned, about 30 minutes longer. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes.
4. Scatter beet greens over onions. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over; cover and cook until beet greens are tender, about 5 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, cook beets in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beets to medium bowl.
6. Return water to boil. Add pasta to beet cooking liquid and cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
7.  Stir onion-greens mixture and beets into pasta. Add pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten. Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. 
8. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, sprinkle in pine nuts, and serve. 

Notes: 

• You can use red beets if golden beets are unavailable, but your pasta will be pink.

Source:  Bon Appetit, February 2009.

Quick Tomato Sauce

Yield: Dresses 3/4 pound pasta; serves 3.

Ingredients

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or 1 can whole tomatoes ( not packed in puree or sauce)
• 2 medium cloves garlic , peeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves (about 8 leaves)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 3/4 pound pasta

Instructions

1. If using diced tomatoes, go to step 2. If using whole tomatoes, drain and reserve liquid. Dice tomatoes either by hand or in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade (three or four 1/2-second pulses). Tomatoes should be coarse, with 1/4-inch pieces visible. If necessary, add enough reserved liquid to tomatoes to total 2 cups.
2. Process garlic through garlic press into small bowl; stir in 1 teaspoon water (see note above). Heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic in 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente in large pot of boiling, salted water. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water; drain pasta, and transfer it back to cooking pot. Mix in reserved cooking water, sauce, and remaining oil and salt; cook together over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly, and serve immediately.

Notes: okay to stretch to cover 1 lb pasta. Cooking pasta in sauce at the end is the key.

Variations:

• Bacon and Parsley: Saute garlic with 1/2 t red pepper flakes, using bacon fat instead of olive oil, Add 4 oz crumbled cooked bacon and 2 T chopped parsley along with sugar and salt, omitting basil.
  
  
  
• Vodka and Cream: Saute garlic with 1/2 t red pepper flakes. Add 1/2 cup vodka to tomatoes 5 minutes into simmering, Stir in cream and ground black pepper to taste along with basil, sugar, and salt. Using immersion blender or food processor, pulse to a coarse puree. Return sauce to heat; simmer over medium heat to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes.
  
  
• Anchovy and Olives: Add 1/2 t red pepper flakes and 3 minced anchovy fillets with garlic; substitute 1/4 minced parsley for basil. When cooking pasta in sauce, add 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced, and 2 T capers, drained.
  

Source: Cooks Illustrated, May 1997.

Baked Ziti

Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound Italian sausage, or ground meat of any type, or a combination
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic, optional
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
• 1 pound ziti or other large cut pasta
• 1 pound mozzarella, grated or chopped
• Olive oil or butter as needed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional.

Method:

1. Bring large pot of water to boil; salt it. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Distribute meat in large skillet over medium high heat and cook, undisturbed, until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Stir, cook another 2 minutes undisturbed, then add the onion and garlic, if using. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft; add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer while cooking pasta, stirring and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste; do not let sauce become too thick.
3. Cook pasta until just tender; it should still be too hard to eat. Drain it (do not shake the colander; allow some water to cling to the noodles) and toss it with the sauce and half the mozzarella. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spoon mixture into it. Top with remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan if using. Bake until top is browned and cheese bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.

Source: The Minimalist.

Pasta with Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 or 4 small-to-medium zucchini, about 1 pound, rinsed and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic, or more to taste
• 1 pound penne or other cut pasta
• 1 cup good ricotta cheese
• 1 cup basil leaves, washed, dried and torn or chopped
• 1/2 cup or more freshly grated Parmesan, optional.

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add zucchini, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown, then lower heat and cook until it is quite tender, about 15 minutes total. About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in garlic and begin to cook pasta.
2. While pasta cooks, warm a serving bowl and put ricotta in it, along with about half the basil. When pasta is tender but not mushy, remove and drain it, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid. Use as much of this liquid as necessary, a bit at a time, to thin ricotta until it reaches a saucy consistency. Toss with pasta, zucchini, remaining basil and Parmesan, if you are using it, then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve.

Notes: Dry zucchini before frying if it is to get really brown.

Source: The Minimalist, July 13, 2005