Category: cooking
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Pasta: Casareccia
Hailing from Sicily, these rolled noodle shapes are a treat for the eye.
Not a shape for heavy sauces, they are perfect for light cheese sauces, pestos and salads. They are also a great soup pasta.
Cheesy goodness:
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:
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Pasta: Wagon Wheels
In Australia we have a pasta shape called ‘Wagon Wheels’.
Designed for kids (big and small) they really hold light sauces well and have a springy texture.
Check out my little tasting bowls:
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:
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How Do You Make Beef Jerky At Home?
Beef Jerky is a great way to preserve meat. Making it at home you can save money and take control of the ingredients.
We have several recipies on the blog for you to try.
PK’s Beef Jerky #1
Using corned beef and featuring fennel and coriander seeds, this recipe is great for first timers or if you are in a hurry.
PK’s Beef Jerky #2
Also using corned beef (silverside) this recipe features onion, garlic and worchestershire sauce.
Ben’s Beef Jerky
By far the best jerky recipe on the blog, Ben’s method allows you to use any cut of meat. He even suggests using a light box for a slower drying process.
Here are some additional preserving food ideas and beef recipes:
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What Are Amuse-Bouches?
‘Amuse-bouche’ is a lovely French cooking term meaning ‘mouth amuser’. They are creative little morsels that are not on the menu, instead they are offered free by a chef or cook to excite guests for the coming feast.
If you are thinking ‘appetisers’ then you are on the right track.
I like to make little whimsical pasta creations.
Just make them small, colourful and aromatic and your guests will be begging for more. 🙂
Pickled baby octopus, slices of green olive and rosemary:
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more cooking techniques and French cuisine:
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What Does Mise en Place Mean?
Mise en Place is a lovely French cooking term for getting ourselves organised before we cook. We all do it in varying degrees.
I like to prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time, it makes me less stressed in the kitchen. 🙂
I even get all the utensils, pans, bowls etc out that I need ahead of time.
Let’s get ready:
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more cooking techniques:
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How Do I Use Za’atar?
Popular in Middle Eastern and eastern Mediterranean regions this spice blend adds a fragrant earthy flavour to your dishes.
Regional variants abound but most blends contain the herbs oragano, savoury, thyme and majoram mixed with spices and seasame seeds. Common spices are cumin, coriander seeds and fennel seeds.
I mostly use this spice mixture as a dry rub on white fish, chicken, beef and lamb. Try mixing it with sumac and coating some lamb chops, it is a visual and aromatic treat.
Za’atar mixed with olive oil makes an awesome dip or spread for turkish bread and the like.
Here are some serving suggestions.
Lamb chops with a sumac crust:
Za’atar dusted chicken breasts:
Beef top-side roast coated in za’atar, salt and pepper:
Enjoy,
PK
Here are more herbs, spices and ingredients posts.
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Sumac
Sumac is a very small fruit native to several continents, that has an exciting citrus taste.
Sumac based dry rubs pair with lamb so well and Australia has lots of lamb. 🙂
Please don’t stop using it there though. It makes a great garnish on salads, hummus dips, tasting plates and is often added to falafel.
It can also be used to make a tea called Pink Lemonade that is perfect on a hot day.
Simply steep some sumac powder in boiling water, cool and then top up with chilled sparkling water:
For lamb, mix it with some of Rick Stein Garam Masala and some coriander leaves. Then coat both sides of the meat an hour before cooking.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are more herbs, spices and ingredients posts:
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Star Anise
Star Anise is from an evergreen shrub that originally hails from China and Southeast Asia.
It is an important cooking ingredient that imparts an earthy aniseed flavour and aroma. It is also used to in making beverages, confectionary, natural medicine remidies and beauty products.
Star Anise seeds and their star shaped pods:
I mainly use them in my spice blends or as aromatics in my stocks and pastes. For example my Pho Ga Soup and Chinese Five Spice Fried Snapper Wings.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are more herbs, spices and posts featuring Star Anise:
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Pasta: Agnolotti
Agnolotti is a semi-cirlce shaped type of ravioli, often although it can be square or irregularly shaped. Either way it is stuffed with different mixtures of meat, vegetables and cheese.
They are fun to make
Roll out some fresh pasta dough and use a cookie cutter to make circles.
Add into each disc a spoon of your filling and a bit of cheese. Then fold the disc into a semi-circle.
Pinch the edges down with your fingers or a fork.
I like to serve them in a simple tomato or cream sauce. I’ve also been known to add them to soup.
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:
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Pasta: Curly Fettuccine
This pasta shape is a treat for the eyes. Just like flat fettuccine, it is perfect for both light and heavy sauces. The curly ripples help to trap sauce and even meat or vegetables. They also make for that something a little bit different and kids love the “frills”.
Here I have folded them through a sauce made with Creme Fraiche, pasta water, Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino cheese:
Enjoy,
PK
Here are some more pasta shape and pasta recipe posts:
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