Red lentils are an excellent source of protein and this vegetarian pasta is satisfying and so full of flavour. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced onion, 1 finely diced carrot and an equivalent amount of finely diced celery. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add…… Continue reading red lentil pasta + salad
Category: pasta and noodles
prawn and zucchini pasta
A delicious meal even with store-bought pasta. The flavour of this pasta dish is greatly enhanced by using the prawn (shrimp) heads and shells. Peel raw green prawns, approximately 6 to 8 per person. Slice the prawns in half lengthwise and set aside. Boil a large pot of salted water for the pasta and when…… Continue reading prawn and zucchini pasta
home-made pasta with home-made pesto
Pasta isn’t really too difficult to make, but somehow I hardly ever get around to it. Having just made a pesto, though, it seemed fitting to have a home-made pasta with it. The result was definitely worth it! For the pesto wash a bunch of basil and make sure it’s as dry as possible. This…… Continue reading home-made pasta with home-made pesto
spaghetti with mussels
It’s definitely worthwhile taking the mussels out of their shells for this wonderful spaghetti dish. Clean 3 kg (6½ lbs) of mussels. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat until all open. This should take about 5 minutes. Drain the…… Continue reading spaghetti with mussels
noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds
Another delightful salad from the cookbook Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. Tart apple, cooling cucumber, pickled onions and fresh herbs. What a great combination. In a small saucepan combine 60ml (2 fl oz) of cider vinegar, 30g (1 oz) of caster sugar and 60ml (2 fl oz) of water. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar has dissolved and…… Continue reading noodle salad with cucumber and poppy seeds
gnocchi masterclass
My lovely foodie friend Fifi took me along to Taste of Melbourne where we attended a Electrolux Chefs’ Secrets masterclass by Scott Pickett. The attendees divided into teams and helped to prepare lunch. The gnocchi were made with 1kg (2¼ lbs) of cooked and passed potatoes, 150g (5¼ oz) of plain flour, 1 egg + 1 yolk, 80g or more (3…… Continue reading gnocchi masterclass
butternut ravioli
Filled with a sweet and savoury butternut filling, this pasta is enhanced with crisp sage, golden hazelnuts and butter. Cut the butternut pumpkin into large wedges and place in a baking dish with 1 finely diced red onion. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, a grating of fresh nutmeg and some dried chilli flakes to taste.…… Continue reading butternut ravioli
dan dan noodles + cold dressed eggplant
In Sichuan (Szechuan) dan dan noodles or dandanmian is any dish served with a spicy sauce containing preserved vegetables, mustard stems, chilli oil, Sichuan pepper and spring onions (scallions). This version, from Everything You Want To Know About Chinese Cooking by Pearl Kong, Tien Chi Chen & Rose Tseng, includes sesame paste, peanuts and dried shrimp and is served with a bowl of chicken…… Continue reading dan dan noodles + cold dressed eggplant
sesame seared tuna with soba noodles and edamame
A lovely cold dish for a hot day and gluten free too. Cook the soba noodles according to instructions and when they are ready immediately run cold water over them. Place them into a bowl with 2-3 sliced spring onions and some cooked and shelled edamame (young soy) beans. Make a sauce of 3 tablespoons of soy sauce,…… Continue reading sesame seared tuna with soba noodles and edamame
fresh rice noodles with egg sauce
This dish is almost Char Ho Fun, a traditional Malaysian dish, with a few slight alterations. The noodles were made by the Vietnamese method of steaming, leftover after making phổ. If you don’t want to make the noodles you can buy fresh rice noodles at Asian stores. Separate the noodles and set aside and have your prawns…… Continue reading fresh rice noodles with egg sauce
michelle picker cooks 