pasta

Casarecce Gorgonzola

>
>
I was going to make a quick salami and gorgonzola sandwich, when I realized that I felt I had to treat myself to a better lunch than a simple sandwich, so I checked the larder for a few available goodies and the following is what I came up with. By the time the pasta was cooked al dente, I had all the other ingredients prepped and it took only about another five minutes to complete the dish. While I love a good sandwich, this dish was a far more rewarding lunch and it took only slightly more time to prepare.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Casarecce Gorgonzola

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: saute onions, salame, chillies and garlic paste in olive oil

: add gorgonzola cheese

: add heavy cream, simmer until gorgonzola is melted

: add quartered artichoke hearts

: add freshly ground black pepper and scallions

: add casarecce pasta

: mix until pasta is well coated with gorgonzola sauce, if sauce is too thick, add a bit of the cooking liquid from the pasta, check / adjust seasoning

: Casarecce Gorgonzola

: Casarecce Gorgonzola

: Casarecce Gorgonzola

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Pasta Salad With Squid And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

>
>
Conventional wisdom dictates that squid (Calamari) for salad should be cooked in liquid or steam.
Not so, say I 🙂
I am of the opinion that squid when done in liquid lack enough taste and texture to add interest to a salad. In my opinion, coating the squid with a mixture of corn starch and corn meal, then frying them in very hot oil to a scrumptious crisp, will give a far superior result and brings out the best of the little sea critters. Should you decide to use this method, add the squid to the top of the salad for presentation, then mix with the rest of the salad just before eating to ensure the crispness of the squid.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>
P.S.
When cooking pasta for salad, you should cook the pasta all the way ! Al dente is for hot dishes;
It is not a good texture for pasta salads. (This is of course my very own opinion, make your own decision according to your own preference 🙂
>
>

Pasta Salad With Squid And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: remove innards and spine, cut eyes and fangs from tentacles

: cut bodies lenghtwise (or into rings if you prefer)

: season with granulated garlic, plenty of sriracha and kosher salt

: coat with a mixture of half cornstarch, half corn meal

: deepfry for a few seconds in VERY hot oil

: remove to absorbent paper, sprinkle with chopped cilantro

: capers, sun dried tomatoes, corn, grape tomatoes, peppers, scallions,

: pasta of your choice (I used casarecce), add veggies and honey/mustard dressing

: love this serving dish 🙂

: add lettuce in honey/mustard dressing

: top with pasta salad

: top with squid

: Pasta Salad With Squid And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

: Pasta Salad With Squid And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

: Pasta Salad With Squid And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

: Pasta Salad With Squid And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Hans’ Giant Balls

>
>
My plan for today was to prepare a couple of burgers on the grill since the weather was really nice this afternoon and I had planned to spend some time outside reading. But as usual, it was just too hot and steamy for Bella and I, so I decided to stay inside and change the menu to meatballs with spaghetti aglio e burro.
When I used to live and travel in Italy many years ago, I never came across giant meatballs like you find them in the US. More likely than not this is an American invention, like so many other “Italian” dishes you find in your run of the mill Italian/American restaurant.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this version and will definitely prepare it again.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
Link to : Spaghetti Aglio E Burro
>
Link to : All About Meatballs
>
>

Hans’ Giant Balls – Italian Meatballs With Spaghetti Aglio E Burro

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: mix ground beef with 1 whole egg, finely diced onions, panko breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, grated parmesan, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, dijon mustard and a small amount of ketchup, form into large balls (tennis ball size)

: bake in 350F oven until 3/4 done, about 45 minutes

: 3/4 done

: saute garlic paste in olive oil, add chopped tomatoes, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: add the meatballs to the sauce

: simmer covered until meatballs are fully cooked

: saute garlic paste and chili flakes in butter

: add al dente spaghetti and chopped Italian parsley, season with kosher salt, mix well

: plate spaghetti aglio e burro

: top with meatball

: add tomato sauce, sprinkle with finely grated parmesan

: Hans’ Giant Balls – Italian Meatballs With Spaghetti Aglio E Burro

: Hans’ Giant Balls – Italian Meatballs With Spaghetti Aglio E Burro

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Steak And Pasta Salad With Pickled Onions

>
>
Some of us “Tough Guy’s” might feel a bit dainty when out with our buddies and would like to actually have “just a salad, please” 😦
Well, boys and girls, not with this baby, I’ll guarantee ! Here we have “just a salad” for every real man and every real woman, anytime and anyplace. Buhaaa ! Enjoy ! 🙂
>
Bon Appetit ! Life (and salad) is Good !
>
>

Steak And Pasta Salad With Pickled Onions

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: onions, chilies, chili flakes, rice vinegar, kosher salt, peanut oil, cilantro

: mix ingredients and let marinade for at least 2 hours

: marinade sliced striploin with soy sauce, garlic oil and sriracha

: sear in a VERY hot pan on both sides (no additional oil required) until browned but still rare

: plate vinaigrette-dressed iceberg salad

: top with vinaigrette-dressed pasta and cucumber salad

: top with steak

: top with onions

: Steak And Pasta Salad With Pickled Onions

>
>
>
>
>
>

Salade De Pâtes

>
>
A simple pasta salad will, more often then not, hit the spot for a simple yet satisfying meal.
And if you add some fruits to it, culinary bliss will be achieved with a minimum of fuss and expense 🙂
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is good !
>
P.S.
Use any protein or vegetable to replace the bologna and Swiss cheese, such as shrimp, crab meat, chicken, roast beef and/or any vegetable and cheese at hand.
>
More Pasta Salad
Even more Pasta Salad
>
>
>

Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: blanche asparagus in salted water

: shock asparagus in ice water, drain

: cook pasta, drain

: slice bologna and swiss cheese into julienne(or other protein / cheese of your choice)

: radish, cucumber, asparagus, swiss, bologna

: add COLD pasta, garlic paste, apple cider vinegar, mayo, mustard, ketchup, kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: serve with carambola and kiwi (or other fruit of your choice)

: mix all ingredients, check / adjust seasoning

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

: Pasta Salad. Salade De Pâtes

>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Chicken Noodle Soup With Broccoli Rabe & Tomatoes

>
>
My very own preference for chicken to use in a soup are the wings, which makes for a bit of messy eating at the dinner table. (Bella does not mind 🙂 )
So, if this is an issue for you, you might want to replace the wings with boneless diced chicken leg.
On the other hand, chicken noodle soup was never meant to be an elegant dish, so what the heck, use whatever makes you happy!
>
>
Simmer wings with water, sliced ginger, sliced garlic, kosher salt and cayenne pepper until wings are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove wings, set aside. Meanwhile, cook pasta, strain, toss with a bit of sesame oil. Strain soup, return to simmer, add chilies, broccoli rabe, tomatoes, scallions, hot sauce, soy sauce and wings, simmer another minute. Check / adjust seasoning. To serve, add pasta to serving dish, top with soup, wings and veggies, sprinkle with more scallion.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

>
>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: wings, garlic, ginger, blanched broccoli rabe, mild chilies, scsllions, whole grain spaghetti, hot sauce, say sauce, sesame oil

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

: Chicken Noodle Soup With Whole Grain Pasta And Vegetables

>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

>
>
The other day I roasted a whole duck to have for dinner but when it was almost done a friend called me to invite me for dinner, so I put the whole shamuckus in the fridge for the next day to be used. The following dish was the result and I must say – what an extraordinary satisfying result it was, both visual and taste-wise, which just goes to show (again) that sometimes leftovers are better than the original. (Mind you – not alway’s – but often enough)
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

>
>
>
Preparation :
>
>
>

: soak rice sticks in water for five minutes, drain

: remove all bones from duck,, discard bones

: saute slivered garlic in peanut oil until crisp and golden, set aside

: saute sliced onions in peanut oil until caramelized but not crisp, set aside

: pure goodness………

: saute duck in very hot peanut oil until skin is crisp but meat still juicy

: add chilies and grated ginger, saute a few seconds until chilies blister

: add rice sticks, equal parts of hoi sin sauce, chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sweet thai chili sayce and ketchup )don’t scoff on the ketchup, it adds acidity and sweetness as well as richness to the dish

: mix all ingredients well, add a dash of sesame oil, check / adjust seasoning

: add bean sprouts and scallions

: almost there………..

: plate noodles on a deep plate or bowl

: sprinkle with more scallions

: add onions

: sprinkle with crispy garlic

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Mafaldine Alla Riccione

>
>
I dedicate this dish to the city of Riccione, where I had my first moment of culinary ecstasy.
When I was 16 years old and an cook-apprentice in the Black Forest of Germany, I thought life, and particular working life, was too hard for me to handle, so I decided to run away from it.
I hitchhiked through southern Germany to Austria and from there over the Brenner Pass in the Dolomiti Alps down to Riccione in Northern Italy in the hopes of finding happiness and love in a life of leisure on the beach (well, I was 16 years of age in an area before the internet – ignorance and naïveté prevailed in 16 year old’s at that time :-).
When I left Baden Baden for my adventure I had 26.00 German Marks to my name, most of which I spend the first night on steins of beer in the “Englisher Garten” in Munich. I remember I crossed the border from Austria into Italy with 6.00 DM in my pocket. After breakfast that day, it was four weeks of sleeping under the stars and asking (begging actually) shop owners and restaurant owners for donations to support, in the form of food and drink, my escape from a working life to the bohemian life of my dreams. These were different times altogether. I was a skinny kid without a home, and most people I met had pity and gave me a good meal, most often a sandwich and/or some fruit and soft drinks. Also, everyone offered a free smoke of the good stuff, which made a penny less life on the road so much brighter 🙂
However, I remember when I got to Riccione, on the first day I spend there, the chef in a seaside restaurant handed me a simple plate of pasta with shrimp. This was the first time I saw shrimp of that size and had a dish that was so exotic and wonderful, both in its taste and its looks. To this day I remember the awesomeness I felt by smelling this food, feasting on its looks with my eyes and then devouring it all in a happy flash.
After one month of some happy, some frightening but never boring moments, even skinnier than before I left, but maybe just a bit wiser, I crawled back to my apprenticeship at the Hotel Wiedenfelsen, finished it and became a professional cook, never again to regret my earlier decision to follow this lifelong, tough, underpaid, but in so many other way’s rewarding career path of a cook and chef.
>
Bon Appetit ! See you in Riccione 🙂
>
>riccione,

Mafaldine Alla Riccione

>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: saute bread crumbs in olive oil or butter (according to your preference), season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: cook mafaldine in salted water, drain, toss in (according to your preference) garlic oil or melted butter with garlic paste, add a spritz of maggi

: almost………

: season shrimp with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, add to pangrattato, saute until shrimp are done and breadcrumbs are golden in color, add sliced scallions and chili flakes

: plate mafaldine

: top with shrimp / pangrattato-mix

: Mafaldine Alla Riccione

: Mafaldine Alla Riccione

>
>
>
>
>

Sauteed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

>
Link to : “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food”
>
>
This is a dish straight out of my childhood, yet after all these years, it still has the same appeal to me which it had then (or maybe even more) .
Everything just falls into place – pasta, tomato sauce, parmigiano reggiano, sautéed mushrooms, peppers, onions, juicy pork medallions nicely seared and seasoned with lots of black pepper – my oh my, anytime 🙂
It’s dishes like this which keep me from needing a lot of “fru fru” on my plate.
Simple, honest, beautiful ingredients, proper execution and flavors to match, THAT is what food should be all about !
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Sauteed Pork Meaillions With Mushrooms And Pasta

Sautéed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

>
>
Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>
>

: trim pork tenderloin of all silver skin, cut, flatten into medallions, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

: saute in garlic oil until medium well (carry-over heat will do the rest and leave the medallions done but juicy), remove medallions, set aside

: in same pan, saute onions and mushrooms until starting to brown, add diced peppers, season with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and garlic paste

: lecker……

: meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice, drain, mix with garlic paste, salt and a spritz of maggi

: plate pasta in center of plate

: drizzle pasta with a bit of tomato sauce, sprinkle with grated parmigiano reggiano

: top with medallions

: top with sauteed mushrooms, sprinkle with chives

: Sautéed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

: Sautéed Pork Medallions With Mushrooms And Pasta

>
>
>
>
>

Bone-In Rib Eye & Pasta In Peanut Sauce

>
>
Since I am on a set meal plan for the time being, I am cooking a lot of goodies like this one for my very appreciative neighbor who, together with his wife and kid, loves good food but is (not yet) very successful in the kitchen, although this starts to change a bit since I am guiding him/them whenever I have the time 🙂
(I taste all of what I cook for them, but I can not eat any of it) 😦
This one was a great hit, especially the pasta . I had spaghetti in my larder and used those, but if you want the dish to be a bit more Asian in appearance, you might want to use cellophane/ or rice-noodles instead.
>
Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
>
>

Bone-In Rib Eye & Pasta In Peanut Sauce, served with ponzu dipping sauce and thai chili dipping sauce

Bone-In Rib Eye & Pasta In Peanut Sauce

>
>
Preparation:
.
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
>
>

: Japanese Plate And Serving Platter

: season bone-in rib eye generously with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, after steak is done to your preferred temperature, let rest in a warm place for at least 5 minutes before slicing