Surf and turf macaroni

I kind of missed out lately on my cooking, but my job kind of 'eat' all my time. After many traditional dishes for the holidays, I felt the need to eat something lighter and I remembered that I have frozen prawns in the freezer. This recipe of surf and turf (sea and earth :))'s easy, quick and delicious.

What we need:

500 gr prawns ( big ones, cleaned, de-vaned) 
500 gr pork file cut into 2 cm thick pieces
400 gr pasta(I chose macaroni)
300 gr Edam or Gauda cheese grated
200 ml double cream
2 egg yolks
salt, pepper, parsley and lemon zest to garnish

How we prepare:

Put salted water to boil for pasta. Heat the pan with a little oil in it and when it is hot add the pork file seasoned with salt and pepper and cook for about a minute on each side (should be pink in the middle). We leave the fried fillet to 'rest' and then in the same pan we fry the prawns (about 2-3 min). Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente | (about 8 min). After the pasta is cooked drain the water and set it aside. In a large skillet or saucepan put the yolks mixed with sour cream and grated cheese, let until it reaches boiling point (Warning do not boil as the egg and cream  will curdle).Season with salt and pepper, add shrimp, fried pork file and pasta. Stir it well and serve with chopped parsley and a little orange peel.

Enjoy!!!

Tagliatelle con ragu di ciorizo e Grana Padano

Pasta and sauce are generally my favorite dish. This recipe tagliatelle con ciorizo ​​sausage and ragu sauce with grated Grana Padano cheese fill that void in your soul in a cold autumn evening, when you're tired and hungry after a hard day at the office.

What we need:

• 500 gr tagliatelle (Barilla or any good quality ones, or you can make them yourself )
• 500 gr can of chopped tomatoes in tomato sauce
• 500 gr ciorizo sausage cut into slices
• 1 bunch of green basil
• 1 celery stick cut into small pieces
• 1 carrot pealed and cut finely into small cubes
• 1 big onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• salt, pepper and 1 tsp sugar
• Grana Padano( or Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino ) grated

How we prepare:

Boil the pasta as directed on the package. For the sauce, fry the sausages and  ​​sliced ​​onion and carrot and celery in oil left from the sausage. Add the garlic and canned tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 30-40 minutes until the sauce reduces to desired consistency. Add salt, pepper, basil and a teaspoon of sugar  to balance the acidity in the sauce.

Serve pasta with sauce and grated cheese of your liking.

Enjoy!!!!

Lemon drizzle cup cake

Yum yum! Sweet and sour, sticky and delicate. I love these cup cakes with lemon. Fast and to the children's liking.

What we need:

• 250 g white flower
• 250 g caster sugar
• 250 g room temperature butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 lemons
• 100 g powder sugar
• 1/2 baking powder sachet 

How we prepare:

Preheat the oven at 180 * C. With a mixer beat butter and granulated sugar and then incorporate the eggs one by one. Then incorporate flour mixed with baking powder. Grate the peel of a lemon and a few drops of lemon. Prepare a tray for cup cakes  that put 12 paper covers for cup cakes (found in supermarkets). Pour batter in evenly cup cake (not exceeding three quarters of the paper covers) and put in the oven 35-40 minutes and bake until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let them cool. Mean while make a thick syrup from  powdered sugar and juice from one lemon. Add a little lemon zest. After the cup cakes have cooled poke them with a tooth pick from place to place and liberally pour the syrup over, to soak them really well. Serve warm or completely cooled.

Enjoy!!!!

Fusion: Thai duck breast with mushrooms risotto

I like to combine different cuisines and cooking styles to obtain new,  unique culinary experiences, to carry my thoughts overseas, to make me dream of exotic lands and fragrant spices.

        This dish was inspired by my son, who tells me one day that since I work so much, I do not cook like old times. I wanted to show him that it is not like that. So I treated him with Thai-style duck breast and mushroom risotto.

What we need?(for 2 people):

1 duck breast(the 2 side pieces)
1 tsp of Thai 7 spice(if you can't find it it's a combination of :chili, coriander, star anise  cumin, granulated garlic)
4-5 tbs of duck fat or butter 
400 g risotto rice(Arborio)
200 g  brown Champignon mushrooms or forest mushrooms
1 carrot
1 celery stick
700-800 ml chicken stock
100 g Parmesan cheese
100 ml dry white wine
100 g butter

How we prepare?

For the risotto: cut carrot and celery finely into small cubes (Brunoise), fry them in a little oil in a  pan/ pot that will allow the rice to increase in volume. After 2-3 minutes add the rice to the vegetables fry for a  few seconds then add the wine. Let the vegetables and rice in the wine to slowly bubble to evaporate the alcohol from the wine. Then add the mushrooms and start adding chicken stock little by little, stirring frequently so that the starch in rice will come out of it. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked (al dente, but not very hard). Be careful not to smoked the rice or to not catch to the bottom of the pot. Blending often is therefore  essential. Finally ad butter and Parmesan and stir for a few times.
       The duck breast is rubbed with Thai 7 spice , score the skin finely to become crispy when fried. Heat the duck fat or a little butter in a pan and add the duck skin side down. Fry on that side until the skin becomes crispy. Intoarcem on the other side and cook for a bit (not too much pink duck is served, otherwise it hardens).

      We serve the portioned meat, but only just after I left it to rest with risotto.

Enjoy!!!

Boneless chicken thighs with mushrooms and Gauda cheese

This recipe is very quick and easy to do. Not to mention that it is also very delicious and tasty. So if you only have 30 minutes available to cook and want to impress, this is the perfect recipe.

What we need:

• 1 kg boneless chicken thighs butterflied like for barbecue
• 1  big jar of mushrooms (800 gr)
• 2 slices of Gauda cheese for each peace of meat
• salt pepper
• mash potato for serving or any other side you prefer

How we prepare:

First we preheat the oven at 200 * C. We take a Yena 

glass tray or Teflon tray , brush with a little oil and put the seasoned boneless thighs  side by side. Place a pile of  the mushrooms over each thigh and finish with two slices of cheese. May sprinkle some salt and pepper. Put in the oven about 25-30 minutes until the thighs are browned  and cheese is melted.

  Serve with mashed potatoes and a green salad. Didn't I say it's easy?

Enjoy!!!