The Aussie Who Ate The Big Apple

HomeCookin: Cacio e Pepe with fennel, tomato and parsley salad.

Thank you Bon Appetit for the awesome recipe for Cacio e Pepe. I may have tweaked it a little here and there. But generally the recipe was SPOT ON.

Served with a simple Fennel, tomato and parsley salad, this was a deliciously simple Friday night meal….

Cacio E Pepe: Adapted from Bon Appetit
1 packet of Spaghetti, Bucatini, or we used Perciatelli
4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup grated pecorino
1/4 cup grated parmigiano
3/4 cup pasta water
2 tbsp fresh cracked pepper

Boil your pasta in salted water till almost al dente. Drain and reserve 3/4 cup pasta water.
In a saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Swirl through a little EVOO.
Saute half the pepper for a min and then add the pasta water and simmer.
Stir through the pasta until coated in sauce. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, and the pecorino.
Toss the pasta until the cheese melts through the sauce.
Add the rest of the pepper and the parmesan.

Serve immediately!

We served ours with a simple salad. Toss thin slices of fennel with halved cherry tomatoes, a bunch of chopped italian parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, salt a pepper. Toss through with a little squeeze of lemon juice.

Bon App!

HomeCookin: Salad Feast

Kit and I wanted something healthy and light and I was sick of the typical one big salad meal. So with a little inspiration from the NY Times article *101 Simple Salads for the Season*
I created us a feast of delicious and simple salads.

*Roasted baby beets, blood orange, scallions & cilantro dressed with lemon juice & olive oil.

*Cucumber & frisée w/ dijon vinaigrette

*Cherry tomato, kalamata olive & cilantro

*Italian Tuna, capers, lemon & olive oil

*Apple, radish and fennel

*Whole wheat crostini

AND a little treat we love…. smoked oysters.

Paired with a delicious Rose, this TUESDAY night dinner was unreal.

HomeCookin: Dinner tonight - coconut curry soup w/ mei fun, shrimp, shiitakes and bok choy and my first attempt at home made egg rolls.
Delicious

HomeCookin’: Vegetable Pot Pie w/ fennel, carrot, leek, zucchini and corn.

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Thaw out a sheet of pre packaged Puff pastry. Or… g’head… make your own. ;)

In a large pot, saute 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup chopped leeks, 1 cup chopped fennel, 1 zuchinni, 1 cup button mushrooms, 1 large carrot and 1 cup of fresh/ or frozen corn until tender. About 10 mins…
Stir through 2tbsp flour and cook through for 1 min.
Pour in 3/4 cup of stock and 3/4 cup of milk and bring to the boil. Stir through 2 tbsp dijon mustard.
Simmer until sauce thickens. Stir through a 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste and a 1/4 cup of cheese.

Pour vegetables into a pie dish and cover with puff pastry. Poke a bunch of holes for ventilation, and brush with egg. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Bake in the oven until pastry rises and browns. About 25-30 mins.

Let the pot pie stand for 10 mins before serving with a crisp salad.

HomeCookin’- seared soy & vinegar marinated steak with stir fry noodles and broccoli.

HomeCookin: Spicy Scallop Laksa w/shitake & wheat noodles.

It’s a slightly chilly Monday night here in NYC and Kit and I had quite an exhausting week and are still feeling like we are recovering. We knew we wanted something comforting and warm and so of course, we ended up picking a asian style soup.
My recipe changes every time I make this dish and is probably not at all authentic (according to the Thai or Malaysians) but I do know one thing, this was DELICIOUS…

Here is tonight’s method.
Boil your wheat noodles (or rice noodles) to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

In a pot saute 1/2 cup chopped scallions, 1tbsp chopped ginger, 1 large clove chopped garlic, 1 large red chilli finely sliced and a cup of sliced Shitake mushrooms.
Add one small can of Thai red curry paste (or 3 tbsp of your favorite curry paste) I used the Maesri brand.

Saute until fragrant.
Stir through a can of coconut milk, 1 cup stock, juice of a lime, 1 tbsp of fish sauce, 1 tsp of sugar and a tsp of soy.
Simmer for 10-15 mins. Tasting and adjusting flavors to your preference.

Score the flesh of 4-5 large sea scallops and season with salt and pepper. In a large pan, sear the scallops for 2 mins on each side.

Divide noodles into bowls. Pour over the steaming hot laksa broth. Top with seared scallops and garnish with scallions, red chili and cilantro.

This was so rich and round and HOT HOT HOT. Kit and I had two helpings each!

I have made this laksa with shrimp and chicken as well. It’s definitely well suited to adjustment.

Let me know if you try this spicy dish at home!

HomeCookin’ - Dinner tonight - Gemelli w baby Bella, caramelized onions & roasted tomato basil cream sauce

HomeCookin’ : Dinner tonight - health salad w/ kale, arugula, endive, fennel, tomato, cucumber, avocado and lemon vinaigrette

HomeCookin: Sunday Breakfast - Baked eggs w/ garlic mushrooms, basil marinara, arugula & heavy cream. Ready for the Giants! Yahooo