Whole-wheat Pasta in Roasted Red Bell-pepper Sauce

It took a while for us to start liking Pasta but now we are so fond of it that at least once every week,one dinner is pasta.But we are quite particular how our pasta should taste-loaded with veggies in a cunning white cheese sauce,okay I do cut back on the cheese most of the time and thin down the sauce with the water in which pasta was cooked,but yeah you get the drift,don't you?

Long back,I had made marinara sauce from scratch and added pasta to it but we didn't like the flavor much,not as much as we did the white sauce.So I was wary to try this one out but the roasted pepper sauce with cream sounded too good not to try.I tried it with whole-wheat pasta from Fabindia but regular pasta should work fine too.
Whole-wheat Pasta in Roasted Red Bell-pepper Sauce
Recipe source - The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper - 1,whole
Almonds - 5-6
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium,finely chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves,finely chopped
Cream - 1/2 cup
Cheese - 1/4 cup grated
Parsley flakes - 1 tsp
Whole-wheat Pasta - 1 cup (or any Pasta of your choice)
Broccoli - 1/2 cup,chopped
Salt to taste

Method

 
Roast the bell pepper on a high flame for about 5-7 minutes,or until the pepper is burnt/charred on the outside.Set aside on a plate until cool to the touch.
 
Peel off the charred skin and cut open the pepper,remove the tip and the inside membranes.Chop the pepper roughly.
 
Into a mixer jar,add the chopped pepper and the almonds and grind to a smooth paste.Keep aside.
 
Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water for about 8 minutes or until al-dente.Whole-wheat pasta is best under cooked or else it will turn into a mush while stirring-you don't want that!
 
When the pasta is almost done(about 6 minutes)add the broccoli and cook it along with the pasta.
Remove a cup of the water in which the pasta was cooked and drain the pasta.
 
In a pan add olive oil and the chopped garlic.Mix in the chopped onion and stir until it turns soft.
 
Pour in the red pepper sauce.Add salt to taste,parsley flakes and mix in the cream.
 
Add the cheese and the cooked pasta-broccoli and mix well.If you feel the sauce is too thick,thin it down with the reserved water in which the pasta was cooked.

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Fresh Basil Pesto

When we decided to start gardening in our small balcony,the first thing I wanted was a Basil pot.Now,whoever knows me know that I do not have a green thumb at all,but basil pot I wanted to have.Ajay,does not have a green thumb but a full green hand,no kidding.He can spend all his time sitting on the swing and enjoying the fruits of his labour.

Suma and Deeba were sweet enough to send me basil seeds which helped me finally have a pot of basil:)When I took out the leaves and looked at it,I had absolutely no doubts regarding what I was going to do with it.Yes,pesto it was.

I haven't tasted Pesto yet,so not sure if it is supposed to taste like how it did.First of all the ingredients for an 'authentic' pesto were hard to find.I mean,pine nuts and parmesan cheese,really?Ok,the cheese is available in gourmet supermarkets but I wasn't going to take all that trouble for something which I haven't tasted and something which I was unsure whether we'd like or not.

I am not a big fan of raw garlic,so maybe that is why I didn't like it smeared on a bread.But it tasted great in Pesto Rolls(recipe coming soon!).For now,here's my super simple recipe which gets done without any exotic ingredients and tastes great.

Fresh Basil Pesto

Ingredients

Fresh Basil - 3 cups,loosely packed 
Almonds - 1/3 cup
Garlic cloves - 3-4
Olive Oil - 1/3 cup
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

 
In a food processor/blender add the almonds and garlic cloves and process till you get a coarse mixture.
 
Add the basil leaves and start processing by pouring olive oil through the feed to aid even grinding.
Mix in enough salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

• Pesto is a very forgiving recipe,you can add/substitute ingredients of your choice.Walnuts can be added in place of Almonds and throw in some cheese if you have and create different flavors each time.
• Pesto tastes great in Pasta too,just toss some cooked pasta in pesto along with some cream.Simple yet delicious.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

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Pasta..as we like it! | Pasta with Vegetables in White Sauce

I contemplated for a while before posting this recipe here.Primarily,the pictures are not so blog worthy and more so taken in my kitchen during dinner time and secondly,this is a recipe which works best for us,not so sure about Pasta lovers.But then,what good is a recipe if not shared and posted on the blog anyway!

From disliking Pasta in any form to having it at least once a week for dinner,we've come a long way.Since we were not very fond of Pasta served at restaurants,I cook up a recipe specifically for our taste every once in a while.Dunked in white sauce with an array of vegetables and a served with a blob of Pasta sauce(yes!)is more like Pasta made our way.Sometimes,I bake the whole thing and served with some garlic bread on the side,it makes for a delicious gourmet meal:)

We love Penne & Macaroni as it soaks up the sauce and keeps the pasta warm for a while,you can try this with any pasta of your choice.Add vegetables which you like,add more cheese for variety(think cheddar!)and customize it according to your taste.

 
Pasta with Vegetables in White Sauce

Ingredients

Macaroni - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables of your choice - I used Broccoli,Mushroom,Carrot & Baby Corn- all together loosely 2 cups,chopped
Onion - 1,chopped finely
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Flour - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 1/2 cups
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dried herbs of your choice - 1/2 tsp each (we like Basil and Oregano)
Amul Cheese cube - 1,finely chopped (you can add any cheese of your choice)

Method
 
Cook the pasta - In a deep pan add around 10 cups of water to boil.Add a tbsp of salt.When the water comes to a rolling boil,tip in the pasta.Cook for 12-13 minutes or until the pasta is cooked 'al dente'.Immediately drain the pasta to a pan of cold water.Drain again and keep aside.
 
Cook the vegetables - I usually add the vegetables to the pasta during the last 5 minutes so that the pasta and the vegetables cook together.You can do this separately too.
 
In a kadai/wok add the olive oil and saute onions and mushrooms till soft.Add it to the cooked vegetables and keep aside.
 
In the same wok,add butter+olive oil.Mix in the flour and saute for 2-3 minutes.Mix in the milk little at a time stirring all the while so that no lumps form.Let it come to a boil-it will look thin in the beginning but with start thickening as it cooks.
 
Add salt and pepper to taste.Mix in the dried herbs and the cheese.
 
Now add the cooked vegetables along with the sauteed mushrooms and onions to the sauce and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce coats the pasta and vegetables.Check for seasoning.
Serve hot.



Notes

• You can make the pasta plain without vegetables or add more vegetables of your choice like tomato,corn,zucchini etc.I have added vegetables of our choice,I make a plain version with only broccoli too-the possibilities are endless.
• Follow the directions for cooking pasta as it can go from cooked to overcooked in no time.I cook the pasta for exactly 12 minutes and usually add the carrots/baby corn during the last 6-7 minutes and Broccoli during the last 3 minutes.
• Do not throw away the water in which you cooked the pasta and vegetables-it contains starch and can be used to thin down the white sauce if it becomes too thick.

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Herb rice with Mushrooms and Buttered Vegetables

A big hello to all of you,hope all of you had a wonderful kickstart to 2011!So,made any resolutions yet,or broken any?On my part,I haven't made the usual NY resolution of 'eating healthy and losing weight',no,not because I don't want to do it but because if made into a resolution,I am bound to break it.It has to be a way of life and I can do well without the pressure of the resolution weighing heavily on me.For the record,I am doing quite well so far *fingers crossed*.

I came across this recipe on Vanitha,a magazine I subscribe to only because of the recipes featured in it.This featured in the Christmas special edition.We like one-bowl rice dishes and this reminded us of our favorite joint in Chennai,Eden restaurant.I am not yet happy with the Herb rice results,but this one paired with the Mushroom sauce and Buttered Vegetables was a combination worth trying.

Herb Rice with Mushrooms


Ingredients


For the rice


Butter - 1 tbsp
Onion,chopped - 3 tbsp
Milk - 4 tbsp
Cooked rice - 2 cups
Parsley,chopped - 2 tbsp [ I substituted this with fresh Coriander leaves]


For the Mushroom topping


Butter - 2 tbsp
Onions - 1,finely chopped
Green chilly - 1,finely chopped
Fresh Button Mushrooms - 200 gms,sliced
Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup
Oregano - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste


Method


To prepare rice - In a sauce pan,melt the butter and saute onions.
Add the milk and cooked rice and stir well to mix.
Mix in the parsley[or coriander leaves] and stir well.Switch off the flame after 2-3 minutes,close with a lid and reserve.
To prepare mushroom topping - In a sauce pan,melt the butter and saute onions and green chilly till the onions become transparent.
Add in the sliced mushroom and give a good stir.
In a small bowl,mix together milk and cornflour without forming any lumps.Mix in about 3/4 cup of water to this and add the mix into the saucepan.
Let the mixture come to a boil and then simmer till it thickens[about 2-3 minutes].
Add salt to taste and oregano.
To serve-Layer the herb rice and pour the mushroom sauce on top.

Buttered Vegetables


Ingredients


Broccoli,Cauliflower,Baby Corn,Zucchini,Sweet corn and Mushroom - about 2 cups altogether [you could add any vegetables of your choice]
Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste


Method


Cook the vegetables in enough water till tender[should not be overcooked].
In a saucepan,melt the butter and add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix in the cooked vegetables and stir well to coat the butter,salt and pepper.
Serve hot.

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Broccoli,Mushroom and Corn Bake

It has been a very uneventful weekend.Chennai didn't look like Chennai at all,continuous rains,the definitive chill in the air and...the darkness.Perfect climate for a hot cup of tea and a plate full of snack items like deep fried Bajji and Bonda.We just sat with the windows open,on the bean bags reading all day and solving sudoku and crosswords.I just did not have the mood to cook since the thought of even getting up from the couch was unappealing!!

For lunch,Ajay wanted to have something simple and I managed with whatever leftovers I had plus a bowl of salad and then again back to the lazy routine.By evening,we were famished and wanted to have something which didn't take much trouble to make but delicious nevertheless.One-bowl dinners are perfect for that and I chose this cheesy vegetable bake which perfectly satisfied our craving.

I've not been very successful with making white sauce but after following this method,I've been consistently getting good results.I chose the recipe from one of my favorite blogs and as with all her recipes,this one too is a no-fail recipe!!I did add more vegetables than the ones named but thought this name was perfect!!

Broccoli,Mushroom and Corn Bake [Plus Cauliflower,Carrot and Baby corn]
Recipe minimally adapted from Raaga


Ingredients


Broccoli florets - 1/2 cup
Cauliflower florets - 1/2 cup
Sweet corn - 1/4 cup
Baby corn - 1/4 cup,chopped
Carrot - 1,chopped
Mushroom - 4-5,sliced


Butter - 1 tbsp
Flour - 1 tbsp
Milk - 2-3 cups
Cheese - 4-5 tbsp,grated[I used Mozarella]
Oregano - 1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread crumbs - 2 tbsp
Butter to grease the pans

Method

Cook the vegetables[except mushroom] till soft-we like it a bit crunchy,so cook according to your preference.

In a saucepan,add the butter and oregano and stir well.

Mix in the sliced mushrooms and saute for a few seconds.

Add the flour and stir well,without browning the flour-simmer and add the milk stirring continuously till the mixture comes to a boil and the sauce starts to thicken.

This method ensures that no lumps are formed while adding the milk.

Add half of the grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix in the cooked vegetables and stir well so that the sauce coats the vegetables evenly.

Grease a baking dish with butter and pour in the vegetables-white sauce mix.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and breadcrumbs over it.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 10 minutes.

Serve hot with Garlic bread [ used store bought]

 

 Chennai at 2 pm - Adyar Thiru-vi-ka bridge

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Vegetable Stroganoff with Garlic Bread and Corn on the side!!

I remember having this dish at a quaint li’l restaurant in Cochin –The Attic,while me and Ajay sat discussing our future plans,days before our wedding.No wonder then,I don’t recollect the taste of the dish at all,all I can remember is that had liked the dish so much so that I ordered the same when we went there few days later.Ok,let me be honest here,we chose the restaurant not because of the food[though the food is really good too],it was one of those few restaurants where the crowd was limited[very limited],the waiters were non-interfering and the ac was on full blast with good music playing in the background.Uh..what more could we ask for!!

I have had Vegetable Stroganoff at different places and each time found that it was different from the one I had before.I liked it nevertheless.I was in for a disappointment when I searched for a recipe for it though,I did not find even one worth trying.I decided to experiment and try my own version.I remember seeing a recipe in GoodHousekeeping which used Soup mix powder for the gravy,went ahead with that idea.Loved the end result,next time,I’ll try out the spicier version.

Vegetable Stroganoff—The easier version!!

Ingredients

Onions – 2 medium,chopped
Mushrooms – 200gms,sliced
Carrot – 1,sliced
Olive oil/Butter – 1 tbsp
Knorr Mushroom Soup packet – 1
Water – 2 cups or more,as required
Salt and Pepper-to taste

Method

In a pan add butter/olive oil and add the chopped onions.
When they start browning,add the mushrooms and carrot and sauté on medium heat till the mushrooms cooks well.
Now add the soup powder and keep stirring.
Add a cup of water and mix well and break lumps,if any.
Depending on the consistency[I wanted a semi-thick consistency]add more water.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot on a bed of Herb rice.

Herbed Rice

Ingredients

Cooked rice – 1 cup
Dried herbs/Parsley – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Butter – 1 tbsp

Method

In a pan add butter and mix in the rice.
Stir well so that the butter coats the rice evenly.
Add dried herbs and salt to taste.

P.S – Though this one tasted good,I felt it lacked something.Was I supposed to cook the rice with the herbs??Please help!!

Corn on the side
Recipe adapted from Deeba

Ingredients

Sweetcorn - of 2 freshly boiled cobs
Garlic - 3-4 cloves; finely chopped
Fresh coriander - a handful ; finely chopped
Roasted red chili flakes - 1/4 tsp
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste

Method

Heat butter in a pan on low. Add the garlic & saute for a minute.
Add the sweetcorn,roasted red chili flakes,chopped coriander & salt to taste.
Saute it on high flame for 5-7 minutes till the edges of the corn begin to brown. Take off heat, squeeze in some lime & toss well.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Garlic Bread

Well,it came straight out of the box from Dominos..lol.Leftover from my Birthday dinner:).You can check out instant garlic bread recipe here.

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Macaroni Alfredo

The only time I ever tasted Pasta was from a friend’s plate when we ordered it in a Continental[Duh..where else] restaurant.I dared not order a whole plate for myself since I wasn’t so sure I would like it after I threw away the whole lot of the famous S pasta treat when I made it at home.I instantly disliked it[the readymade one].My friends told me I tried out the wrong one and I should try having pasta at an Italian restaurant and I will love it etc etc.

I’ll be honest-anything dunked in cheesy,creamy white sauce would taste good,really.All you pasta lovers out there-Don’t start throwing your pasta at me..;).

I wanted to make it at home after seeing a very simple recipe in my Microwave cookbook.After all,how difficult can it be..and as they say,anything home-made ought to taste better.So I donned my apron and went about making Pasta yesterday.

It is a super simple recipe.I added extra veggies just in case the pasta doesn’t come out good,at least we could munch on the veggies..lol.Well,guess what,we liked the Macaroni Alfredo-not my creation,that’s the dish name.Not actually loooved it,but yes,it tasted good.The best part is,it can be made in the Microwave.No checking for lumps in the white sauce-there wouldn’t be any,if you follow the exact procedure.Now let me not waste anymore time of yours.Here’s the recipe.

Macaroni Alfredo

Recipe adapted from Nita Mehta’s IFB Microwave Cookbook

Ingredients

Uncooked Macaroni – 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables – about 2 cups-I used Broccoli,Cauliflower,Carrot,Corn&Capsicum
Butter – 2 tbsp
Oregano – 1 tsp
Onion – 1,chopped
Maida/Flour – 2 ½ tbsp
Milk – 1 ¾ cups
Salt to taste
Pepper – ½ tsp
Red chilly Flakes – ½ tsp
Mozarella cheese -100 grams,grated[I used about 4 tbsp]
Cream – ½ cup[I did not add]

Method

Put 1 ½ cups of water & 1 tsp oil in a deep microproof bowl.Microwave uncovered for 3 minutes.

Add macaroni.Mix & Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes.

Let it stand in hot water for 5 more minutes,drain and wash well with cold water.

In another microproof flat dish,microwave butter for 30 seconds.

Add oregano,onion and vegetables.Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes.

Add flour,microwave for 30 seconds.

Add milk,salt,pepper,red chilly flakes.Mix well and microwave uncovered for 6 minutes stirring once every 2 minutes.[It would be quite thick and creamy at this stage]

Add cooked macaroni,cream[I added ¼ cup milk] and half of grated cheese.Mix well.

Sprinkle the other half on top and microwave for 2 minutes.[I grilled the same for 5 minutes for that crispy layer on top].

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Corn Au Gratin

There was a time when we were eating out regularly.It had become almost a habit,weekend was spent eating out and lazy weekdays were spent ordering in.We never realized how it was taking its toll on our health until we were shaken into reality.This year,we have gone out very few times,and ordering in has also reduced,I make rice/chapathi and only order the side dish.That way it is sort of a win-win for us.

One place in Chennai where I would want to go every weekend is a quaint restaurant in Besant nagar –Eden.We went there first time when we were searching for a veg restaurant nearby to take my parents when they were in town.When we saw the menu,we were surprised to find continental dishes featured.We didn’t try any of those and spent the time eating North Indian food.It is only the next time we were tempted to try out the continental menu when we saw someone in our next table ordering it.I still remember sheepishly asking the waiter what was it that was on the next table.We loved it so much that we frequented the place despite it being purely vegetarian.They have an amazing spread and I would suggest anyone visiting Chennai to try it out once!

I tried out one of their signature dishes Corn Florentine/Corn au gratin,which is Corn Kernels baked in white sauce with Spinach,I avoided the spinach though.It came out delicious.

Recipe Marathon - Day 2

Corn Au Gratin

Ingredients

Sweet corn Kernels – 2 cups
Cauliflower florets – 3-4,thinly sliced(optional)
Oil – 2 tsp
Onion – 1,finely chopped
Salt to taste

For the white sauce

Butter – 3 tbsp
Maida/flour – 3 tbsp
Milk – 1 ½ cups
White pepper – 1 tsp

Grated cheese – ½ cup
Bread crumbs – 3 tbsp(I put 2 slices of bread in the mixer and pulsed for a minute)

Method

In a pan,add oil and fry the onions till they become translucent(not brown)
Add corn and cauliflower(if using) and ¼ cup water.
When the corn-cauliflower gets cooked,add salt and switch off the flame.keep aside.

Making the white sauce
In a thick bottom pan,add the butter.
Add the maida and keep stirring to avoid burning.
Add the milk little by little and mix well to form a thick sauce.
Add pepper, ¼ cup grated cheese and mix well.

Mix the cooked veggies and the white sauce till the sauce coats well.

Grease a flat baking dish.
Pour this mix and sprinkle the rest of the cheese and bread crumbs.
Pre heat the oven on 180C.
Bake for 20 minutes or till the top browns well.
Serve hot with toasted bread.

Do check out what my fellow marathoners have been cooking

1) DK
2) Siri
3) Srivalli
4) Ranji
5)PJ
6)Curry Leaf
7)Medha
8)Priya
9)Bhawna
10)Raaji
11)Ruchii
12)Anu
13)Kamala
14)Roopa
15)Rekha
16)Divya M
17)Lakshmi
18)Raaga

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