Showing posts with label Hints and Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hints and Tips. Show all posts
I thought it would be fun today to do a round-up of some of my favorite pasta dishes that I have cooked here in The English Kitchen. There is a bit of something here for everyone.
Skillet dishes, oven bakes, all-in-ones, sauces, and salads. Pasta is one of my favorite things to cook and to eat. Its a great way to satisfy those carb cravings we all have from time to time!
There is something here from the very basic traditional pasta dishes to new pasta recipes with modern twists. I can guarantee that these are all delicious recipes which are very easy to make and which use simple every day ingredients.
Scroll down to the end to see my hints and tips for cooking pasta perfectly every time!
PASTA E PISELLI
Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
MARTHA STEWARTS ONE PAN PASTA
One thing I love about this tasty pasta dish is that everything cooks in one pan, even the pasta (linguini) . . . you just add the dry pasta and other ingredients, including water, and it cooks all-together in the pan.
No fuss, no muss . . . no faffing about with having to drain this or that . . . the water, tomatoes, etc. condense along with the starch from the cooking pasta to create a delicious sauce.
PASTA WITH CHICKEN BROTH, BUTTER & CHEESE
This brilliant pasta dish is a beautiful example of simple and uncomplicated foods. Food done well and put together in a most delicious way.
Stock and pasta are the basis of this very simple and yet delicious dish in which pasta is quite simply cooked in a quantity of stock . . . It doesn't get much easier than this.
BOW TIE PASTA WITH SPROUTS AND BACON
Pasta, sprouts and bacon are three of my absolute favourite things, so I just love this dish. Its a very simple recipe and goes together really quickly if you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
The sprouts get all caramelised on the edges, which I really love.
Crisp salty bacon and those nutty crispy-tender sprouts in a creamy sauce with plenty of cheese scattered over top! What's not to love about this!
SAUCY PASTA HOOPS
Did you used to like Spaghetti hoops when you were a child? It wasn't something we had very often but when we did it was a real favourite! A grown up version of a childhood favourite, all cooked in one pan.
Rich and cheesy and oh so easy to make! NO fuss, NO muss, and delicious to boot.
LEMON & GREEN OLIVE PASTA
If you are looking to try out a new pasta dish this week look no further. This one is a winning combination all round. Although the quantities are for only two people, you can very easily multiply them to feed more!
It always amazes me when a few simple ingredients come together in an unbelievably delicious way. If you love the flavours of lemon and good green olives you are going to adore this simple pasta dish. Incredibly tasty and very special.
CHEESY TUNA SKILLET PASTA
This is a fabulously tasty skillet meal. It goes together really quickly and is done in about 15 minutes time maximum. While it is cooking you can be putting together a nice salad to serve on the side. Easy peasy.
Its like your favourite Tuna Casserole, or Tuna Helper I guess. Cooked on top of the stove, all in one dish. Again, no fuss, no muss.
EASY OVEN BAKED PASTA
Pasta which has been baked in sauce is really very tasty . . . and all you have to do is just sit there and let the oven do all of the work. All you need is some salad and crusty bread on the side and Bob's your uncle!
Again, a simple dish to make using very simple ingredients. This is delicious.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP SUPPER DISH
Don't let the poor photograph put you off from eating this fabulously tasty pasta dish. It's got all the flavours of the traditional Italian Wedding Soup, but it's not soup . . . it's a hearty skillet supper, and it's delicious!
With tiny meatballs, orecchiette pasta, chicken, spinach, aromatics and cheese, this always goes down a real treat!
KITCHEN SINK PASTA
This simple pasta dish was created from all the bits and bobs that were lingering in the bottom of my vegetable bin. I actually won a prize for this recipe. A trip to Tuscany.
Its amazing what you can do with some spinach, a few TBS of sun-dried tomato pesto, a handful of button mushrooms, some leftover seasoned tinned chopped tomatoes and a rather tired looking banana shallot, oh, and some pasta of course!
CHICKEN & PASTA IN A GARLIC & CREAM SAUCE
A fabulous one pot dinner, with chicken, pasta and the most delicious sun dried tomato and garlic cheese sauce!
This is such a simple recipe. You simply saute some garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a bit of oil from the sun dried tomato jar.
CREAMY SWEETCORN MAC & CHEESE
This is such a simple recipe. You simply saute some garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a bit of oil from the sun dried tomato jar.
Some chicken, some cream, some cheese, herbs and seasoning and you have a sauce which is to absolutely die for!
SPAGHETTI FRANCISCO
A baked meal in one which is great for covered dish suppers and pot lucks. You can also divide it between two casserole dishes and freeze one for later.
The original recipe came from Sunset Magazine. I have been baking this old favourite for my family for many, many years, always to accolades.
TOMATO LASAGNA
Oh, I do love a good lasagna. Ofttimes we will stop ourselves from making it as it can be a somewhat complicated dish, but this simple lasagna can be whipped up any time and what I love most about it is the simplicity of flavors.
A simple tomato sauce, layered with béchamel and cheese . . . amongst sheets of pasta, and baked until golden. It is so good. And it is the simplicity of the flavors which make it even more delicious.
SPAGHETTI WITH QUICK BOLOGNESE SAUCE
This delicious sauce requires very little work and very few ingredients. Just some chopped onion, chopped carrot (both of which you can actually chop in a food chopper) . . . some crumbled Italian sausage meat . . . tomato paste and a bit of red wine.
You simmer this together for half an hour and add some herbs and some cream at the end. Beautiful with spaghetti, or any pasta really.
This is a delicious side dish that is great for bring to pot lucks and BB Q's. Everyone loves it.
Macaroni and cheese with the delicious addition of corn. Don't knock it until you try it.
Leftover roast chicken tossed together with buttery soft shredded Brussels sprouts, whole wheat spaghetti, garlic and cheese. Amazingly delicious!
I love recipes like this! A bit of this and that thrown together in a most delicious way.
GOURMET MAC & CHEESE
A truly creamy and rich version of macaroni and cheese with three delicious cheeses and a crunchy topping. What's not to love about this?
This is quite simply, my favourite version of mac & cheese.
CHEDDAR MACARONI SALAD
I have several different macaroni salads on here that I have posted and both are very good. My Creamy Macaroni Salad is quite delicious and combines a variety of elements of different salads I have tried through the years. The other one which I make, Basic Macaroni Salad is also very good!
This recipe for Cheddar Macaroni Salad Cheddar Macaroni Salad, was adapted from one of my oldest cookery books, The Better Homes and Gardens, New Cookbook, the 1982 Edition. This is one of my favourite books and one of the very first cookbooks I purchased. Sadly I have lost the book now, having had to leave it in the UK. Maybe one day I will come across another copy.
This recipe is actually one I adapted from one which I found in an old Weight Watchers cookbook. It is filled with colour, flavour, texture and taste!
I really enjoy these types of salads because they sit well, and taste even better the day after. With plenty of fresh vegetables . . . cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and red onions . . . chopped fresh basil.
TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND PASTA SALAD
I use farfalle pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get it . . . its the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing. And that dressing is delicious.
A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey.
There is nothing about this that I don't love.
HOW TO COOK PASTA PERFECTLY EVERY TIME:
Here are my hints and tips for cooking perfect pasta each when you cook it. Whether you are cooking it to serve as a base for a delicious sauce or to add to a fantabulous casserole, this information is sure to come in handy and insure pasta perfection each and every time.
1. No matter what you may read, don't put any oil in your water or on your pasta. Adding oil to the water or to your cooked pasta will cause your sauce to slip right off.
2. Use plenty of cold, fresh, heavily salted water, in a large pot. This ensures that once it comes to the boil you will have plenty of room for the noodles to move about freely, enabling it to cook properly and preventing it from sticking together. The basic rule of thumb is to use three liters (3 gallons) of water to every 250g of pasta (1pound).
3. Use plenty of salt. Your water needs to "taste like the sea" in order for the flavor to permeate the pasta. Three liters of water will require at least 1 TBS of fine sea salt.
4. Make sure your water has come to a rolling rapid boil before you add your pasta. Don't ever be tempted to add it before this happens. If you add your pasta too soon, it is likely to end up soggy and badly cooked.
5. Drop your pasta into the boiling water and then stir it immediately. This will prevent it from sticking together, or to the sides or bottoms of your saucepan.
6. Follow the package directions. All brands and varieties of pasta will have a recommended cook time printed on the packaging, both for regular or al dente (firm, but tender to the tooth, my preferred). Different types of pasta will take different cook times. One size does not fit all when it comes to pasta.
7. Save some of the cooking water. Just use a ladle and measure out some of it. This comes in handy when saucing up your pasta.
8. Always have your sauce ready before you begin to cook your pasta. Cooking the pasta should be the last thing you do.
9. Drain your pasta well, rinse and then drain again, using very hot water. Don't let it sit and get all dry. You should use it as soon as possible after this step.
10. Add your pasta to the sauce, not the other way around.
11. Add some pasta water to the sauce. Adding a touch of pasta water to your sauce when you add the pasta will help the sauce to stick better to the pasta. It also adds some richness and flavor as well as helping to bring a split sauce back together.
Following these hints and tips can bring perfect pasta within your reach every single time! Happy Cooking!
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Follow These Tips To Smoke The Perfect Brisket
Barbeque has the ability to bring people together for a festive celebration. There is a reason why Brisket tops the world of barbeque meat goodness: the perfect brisket has thick smoke bark, great seasoning, is super juicy and tender on the inside, and can be shared in a group of friends.
These days, it is impossible to go to your favorite barbeque joint for brisket, because of a countrywide lockdown, but that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy a perfect brisket at your home. While smoking a restaurant-quality brisket can be tough and challenging at home, staying mindful of a few things can help you achieve smoked perfection every time. After getting in touch with professional pitmasters, we have enlisted several tips that will guarantee a juicy piece of meat.
Source A Prime Cut Of Meat
The brisket muscle is generally a little tough because it belongs to that part of the cow that gets a lot of stretching. In order to ensure, that your brisket stays juicy and tender, you need to invest in a cut that has a profound degree of fat marbling. Getting yourself a prime cut will make sure that a day’s effort does not go to waste, since smoking a brisket is a long haul.
While you are sourcing the ingredients, also pay attention to the sides. A pairing of roast potatoes complements meat wonderfully. If you are looking to save time while prepping the potatoes, you can get the best potato slicer to scale your efficiency, and buy you time to focus on the start of the show.
The Smoker Must Be Hot
Achieving barbeque perfection is science. One that involves the expert management of heat and smoke. Since Brisket is a thick piece of meat, a long and slow cook is required to bring the internal temperature up for a perfectly pink interior. To make sure that the brisket cooks smoothly, heating up the smoker beforehand is essential. This is just like preheating the oven, so the meat actually smokes rather than boils inside the smoker.
Keep The Rub Original
There is a reason why the best barbeque joints have such an amazing brisket flavor: they rely on smoke rather than seasonings. Making a brisket in your backdoor smoker is not a reason to empty the seasonings cabinet. The best briskets are those that just have salt and black pepper as seasoning. If you are a connoisseur of little kick, then you can always spice things up with a touch of cayenne or paprika.
Don’t Rely On Temperature
Every meat lover knows the importance of touch when it comes to identifying whether the piece is cooked perfectly or not. Since every brisket is of different size and weight, there is no exact temperature reading that can guarantee you a pink center throughout. This is why you should rely more on touch rather than temperature.
When you hit the temperature of around 180 degrees Fahrenheit, take out the brisket and give it a feel. If it sponges back and feels like medium-rare, then it’s almost time to eat. Once you are done with the cook, stay patient as resting the meat for about forty-five minutes is pivotal. During the resting time, the meat fibers and connective tissue spread the juices all around evenly, making sure that the meat retains its moistness, once it is cut in.
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