CousCous with vegetables and shrimps recipe

I love couscous and I almost always order it in restaurant. Do you know why? Because I like the consistence, when I make it at home it never came in the same as in restaurant. Of course, there are restaurants where they don't know how to cook couecous, but it is rather an exception) 
The idea to cook couscous in moroccan way home I had in mind for a long time, so long ago I took up the study of materials on this subject on the Internet. And you know what? Today I made perfect couscous, like in moroccan restaurant)) That's why I decided to share with you the secret I found. Of course, this complicates a little a process, but believe me,the result worth it.

So our ingredients for a couple of servings:

• couscous, a glass
• onion
• carrot
• celery
• garlic
• Bell pepper
• fresh or frozen green peas
• frozen peeled shrimps
• pepper
• salt
• olive oil
• butter (optional)

You can take different vegetables, as well as the proportion of vegetables, the only thing - don-t use tomatoes. You can put a leek instead of onion. I think it all depends on your personal taste and what is available at home. By the way, if you don?t put shrimps this will be a vegetarian couscous.

A traditional Moroccan pot features a large base (called either a barma, gdra or tanjra) for stewing meats and vegetables, and a steamer basket (kesskess) which fits snugly atop the pot for steaming couscous, rice or even vermicelli (seffa).
Couscous is traditionally steamed three times over a rapidly simmering stew. Steaming the couscous makes each grain plump and tender without being wet, and therefore better suited for absorbing the tasty broth from the stew.

I divided a process in two parts. The first part and the second should be getting ready at the same time, you can start preparing the vegetables a little later then couscous.

The first part - the couscous.

So, for my adapted version without Bormio you need colander or stainer and the pan where the colander you can place well over. You can place damp tea towel or a piece of fabric in colander  (so couscous don't go down) You can also use a double boiler, but I have not tried it. Put the water in a pan, but better to use vegetable broth and boil it. While the broth is boiling, place the couscous in a bowl and pour a little water and just few drops of oil. Toss, rub and stir the couscous with your hands to distribute the oil and water. The oil helps prevent clumping, allowing each grain of couscous to remain separate as it steams.

When couscous absorbs water, transfer it in a double boiler or in a colander over a broth.  The first steaming is finished when vapor rises through the couscous. At that point, dump out the couscous into a very large shallow bowl or a roasting pan, breaking up clumps with a spoon to release heat. 

When the couscous has cool enough to handle, rub the granules to aerate and separate them. Put couscous in colander and repeat like first time leaving it over boiling broth for some minutes (totally repeat 3-4 times).
I will take the couscous with fire for the last time, immediately add to it a some salt (if you didn't added it into the broth), 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter. Or without butter. 

The second part - vegetables

We will cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Garlic is optional, you can fry a whole clove and remove it, mince it and put with vegetables. I fried and then removed the garlic. Then put the onions, then carrots, then you can add the remaining vegetables, and after 5 minutes add the shrimps. Let stew for 5-7 minutes on low heat, covered.

 

When the couscous is ready and vegetables, too, put the couscous in vegetables, stir and cover the pan for 5 minutes to give him a time to tasty.

That is what we have - a tasty and healthy dish, also suitable for diets.

Pasta with stracchino cheese and fresh tomatoes recipe

This is truly summer recipe! It's so quick too!
Stracchino is a type of Italian fresh cheese, typical of Lombardy, Piedmont, and Veneto, but you can easily find it in every supermarket. It's also known as Crescenza. The name 'Crescenza' is derived from the Italian word 'stracca', which means 'tired' in English. It is said that the cheese made from the milk of tired cows moving seasonally up and down the Alps, is rich in fats and more acidic in nature.
Crescenza is a very soft cheese with creamy, spreadable texture and no rind. It usually has a mild and delicate flavour. It spreads nicely on crackers, crostini or fresh bread.

You will need for two portions:

• 130-160 g of pasta (depending on your appetite)
• 200-300 gr of cherry tomatoes (better fresh from a local farmers market)
• 100 grams of cheese stracchino o crescenza
• 30g pecorino romano cheese (optional)
• 1/2 garlic clove (optional - personally I do not put it)
• 20 ml of olive oil
• salt

There are two variations of this recipe, both delicious. 

In the first put in a blender a cream of fresh tomatoes, add stracchino and everything else, including olive oil and make a cream. 

In the second rvariation put a half of tomatoes in a pot with a spoon of olive oi and stew a little. Other tomatoes use to make a cream as I wrote above then add to the pot.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions,  until the pasta is al dente. When pasta is ready, drain and mix it with the cream. 

Of course as always I used a wholegrain pasta, but you can use a normal one.

Jerusalem artichoke patties

You will need 2 servings
• 300g Jerusalem artichoke (topinambur)
• 100 g zucchini (one small)
• 1 small onion
• 1 small carrot
• 20 ml of olive oil
• 1 egg
• 50-100g flour
• salt


Here you can find a Wholegrain pasta with topinambur, zucchini e walnuts recipe. This is another recipe, easy to make and very tasty. The taste of topinambur is similar to artichokes and potatoes at the same time, very gentle. 
Let’s begin! Clean topinamburs - peel the skin thoroughly, otherwise there will be undercooked pieces. Cut into medium pieces and put them to boil until tender, about 30 minutes. Almost at the end add zucchini.  
Clean and finely chop the onion and carrot. Fry them on low heat. When topinambur is cooked grind it in the food processor, adding other vegetables. Pulse until it becomes a paste and everything is well combined. Mix vegetables with 1 egg in a bowl. Then add flour because with egg dough will be too liquid. If you see that 100gr of flour is not enough add some more. 
Fry on medium or low heat. Cook one side then flip and brown the other side.  Only takes a about 3-5 of minutes on each side.

Wholegrain pasta with topinambur, zucchini e walnuts recipe

Uh, the name of this recipe is too long, but it's very simple to cook)) Actually, I used wholegrain farro pasta or emmer (farro dicocco), but it would be even longer to write it in the title)) In general, the you can choose pasta as you want.

You will need 2 servings

•  130-150 grams of pasta, depending on your appetite)
• 400g Jerusalem artichoke (topinambur)
• 200-250 g zucchini
• 1 medium onion
• 60 g of crushed walnuts
• 20 ml of olive oil
• 50g grated pecorino romano cheese
• salt

Jerusalem artichoke has many names - sunchoke, sunroot, earth apple, but in Italy we call it topinambur. For myself I have discovered it recently. I started to look for recipes and I tried different ones. I can say that this recipe is my own creation)) Ahead you will find another recipe of burgers made of Jerusalem artichokes and some vegetables, but I will write about it next time. The Taste is similar to artichokes and potatoes at the same time, very gentle. 

So, it is necessary to clean topinamburs -  peel the skin thoroughly, otherwise there will be undercooked pieces. Cut into medium pieces and put them to boil. It needs not less than half an hour too cook, pierce it with a fork from time to time. 
Lets prepare the cream - clean and finely chop the onion. Fry it on a low heat until soft. Zucchini should be cut into thin strips. Add them to the onion.

In a separate small pot fry the walnuts with olive oil and then add to the pot with zucchini and onions. When the topinambur is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon and put pasta into the same cooking water. Topinambur you need to grind in a blender into cream and mix with zucchini, onions and walnuts.

Now you can turn off the fire under them and wait for the pasta.

Of course, you can boil pasta in a separate pot, it will be faster, but in topinambur cooking water pasta will be tastier) a little secret)

When pasta is al dente, drain,  and mix it with the cream. Sprinkle with the  pecorino romano before serving. 

Bon Appetit! 

Wholegrain pasta with broccoli and walnuts cream

I like traditions of Mediterranean cuisine, because there are used a lot of greens, vegetables, fresh salads and of course extra virgin olive oil)) Perhaps this is th reason that people live here almost 100 years, taking a coffee in a local bar in the morning, going to the hairdresser, taking a glass of red wine in the evening with friends (other old age people))) Tasty and healthy food from the field near the town directly to the table what can be better! 
Now, of course, young people are spoiled and use white flour instead of whole wheat. Previously, all the bread and pasta were made of whole wheat flour and white one was used only for making sweets for the holidays, it was very expensive. Now everyone eats a lot, whereas previously there was a fish day and a meat day and not everyone could afford it.

But I have moved away from the topic, and today I show you how to cook wholegrain pasta with cream of broccoli and walnuts. This is a very simple and quick recipe. You can try to cook this pasta for your the children))

You will need 2 portions:

• 300g of broccoli
• 70-80gr of wholegrain pasta
• 40g of chopped walnuts
• 1 small hot pepper, can be dry or fresh or in powder (optional)
• 20 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 50g of grated pecorino romano cheese
• salt and pepper

Break up the broccoli florets so the flowers are quite small. Put them to boil in salted water. 

When they are cooked, remove them from the water and leave it to boil pasta. Grind the broccoli with mixer, adding a bit of cooking water, pepper and olive oil.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions,  until the pasta is al dente. 

Meantime, chop garlic finely. Heat olive oil in a large pan, add garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add chopped walnuts (and hot pepper) and fry gently for 1 min. The final touch - add the cream of broccoli. If pasta is not ready, then turn off. Turn it on later before adding pasta.

When pasta is al dente, drain, leaving 1/2 cup of cooking water, and mix it with the broccoli cream. Gently stir on the heat for 1-2 minutes. Add pasta cooking water if necessary.

Sprinkle with the  pecorino romano before serving. IT's a really mandatory final touch!

As you can see, everything is very simple)

Asparagus and taleggio risotto recipe

For quite a long time I didn’t write new Italian recipes here) Today I show one spring recipe - asparagus and taleggio cheese risotto. This recipe is from Northern Italian cuisine, in the south asparagus is used rarely and it is difficult to find, but I was lucky) Risotto itself isn't hard, but like any risotto,  it just needs constant attention 

Ingredients for 4 portions:

• 320 gr of rice - Arborio or Carnaroli - The type of rice used to make risotto is important. 
• 500 gr of asparagus spears (if it’s asparagus with thick skin and should be peeled - 700-800gr)
• One medium onion
• 40-50 gr of butter
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 cup dry white wine 
• 150 gr of Taleggio cheese (if it’s impossible to find it, you can take a brie cheese or mix Gorgonzola with mascarpone)
• a couple of spoons of cream (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• 500ml of vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup or less - grated Parmesan cheese 

So, first of all you have to prepare asparagus. I will explain you if you are new to asparagus. Line the asparagus up so the ends are even. Use a sharp knife to cut off the bottom inch. If you have thin and tender asparagus, you need to peel only the bottom part about 5-7 cm. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife to peel off the skin of each asparagus spear.  If, like me, you have thick-skinned asparagus cut off only tender ends, about 5-7 cm. The rest should be peeled. Cut it into slices.

Boil asparagus  in a large saucepan with 5 cups of salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes.

If you do not have a vegetable stock, it can be prepared quickly)) When the asparagus is cooked, simply put it in the same water some vegetables, which you have at home - I put the carrot, onion, celery and a couple of cherry tomatoes. The stock will be ready just when you need to add it to the rice. If you don’t have possibility to prepare the stock, then you can just use the water where you cooked asparagus.

I cook ends separately just to add them at the end)

When it is ready, chop the onion finely.  

Melt butter (leave a piece of butter, we will need it in the end) in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat and add some olive oil too. Add onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. 

Add rice and stir until golden, about 3 minutes (toasting the rice helps prevent it from becoming soggy).

Add wine and stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Do not forget to constantly stir the rice - this is the secret of good risotto. Now, I think, your stock is ready, but even if the vegetable is not cooked yet, you can already use the stock.  Add stock one or two ladles at a time, simmering until liquid is absorbed before each addition and stirring frequently. The rice will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to cook.
Now we need to prepare the asparagus cream. This step is optional,  just I like the cream more than just boiled asparagus. The cream I make in a blender, adding a couple of tablespoons of cream, for creamy consistency and puree until very smooth. Some ends I like to leave out just to decorate risotto in the plate)

About 10 minutes into the cooking add asparagus cream and continue cooking over low heat. Do not forget to stir and add the stock continuously. When the rice is almost ready, put the chopped pieces of taleggio cheese, a piece of butter and grated parmigiano.

At the last moment I add boiled ends ))

By the way, I do not salt risotto separately, because the stock is already salted, and cheese will make it taste more salty as well so it’s better to adjust salt   in the plate if necessary.
Another tip - Don’t over-cook it! Like pasta, rice should be slightly “al dente”. Tasting is the only way to really know!
By the way, on the photo risotto is not green because I cleaned asparagus legs.  If you have thin and tender asparagus, the your risotto will have light green color.
Buon Appetito!

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Broccoli with greek yogurt casserole recipe

Lastly I made a lot of times this casserole, because it's light and easy to cook.

Ingridients:

• Broccoli, about 800gr
• 5 eggs
• 300 gr of greek yogurt 
• 100-150gr if cheese you use for casserole (I used smoked scamorza)
• 1 glove of garlic
• salt and pepper

I don't boil broccoli before but cook it directly in oven, because in this way they are more tasty.

We need to prepare the sause - beat up eggs and then add the greek yogurt. It should be not directly from cooler. Meantime switch on the over on 175°C. You need a garlic press to crush garlic glove.  Add crushed garlic into your sause  and mix well. Add salt and pepper - small portion because the sause will reduce in the oven. Grate the cheese and mix with sause.  Add a little of water if you want the sause to be more liquid.

Cut broccoli into florets and put them very tightly in casserole. Pour the sause over it . If you beated well eggs the sause will remain airy. Cook the casserole until broccoli will be ready - about 40-45min (try them with a fork to be sure)

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Italian seafood salad recipe

One of my favourite antipasto/ appetizer is Italian Seafood Salad. Sometimes I think the perfect supper would be just 3 or 4 amazing appetizers with a side of wonderful  whole whead bread.

Ingridients

• 1¼ cups (250 grams) cleaned calamari or squid or both 
• 1¼ cups (250 grams) cleaned octopus 
• 1½ cups (100 grams) mussels (without the shell)
• 1¾ cups (200 grams) small shrimp cleaned 
• 1 stalk celery chopped finely -optional
• ¼ cup (8 grams)  parsley chopped - optional
• ¼ cup (56 grams) extra vingin olive oil
• juice from ½ lemon
• salt and pepper

In a large pot of boiling water, boil for approximately 55-60 minutes the calamari, squid. In other pot put octopus, it requires a much longer cooking time, so if you choose to include it, you will need to add an additional hour or so to your preparation time. Remove them and boil mussels and shrimps for about 10 minutes. If you have mussels with shell - bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil in the same saucepan and toss in the mussels. Return to a boil, cover, and steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until they're all opened. (Discard any that remain unopened after 5 minutes.) Remove the mussels from the shells and discard the shells.

Drain all ingridients in the medium-sized bowl a second time just to remove excess liquid and let cool. 

After 30 minutes cut calamari, octopus and squid, put shrimps and mussels. 

Add chopped celery and parsley , olive oil and lemon juice. Gently mix to combine well.

Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours to let the flavours to mix well.

Before serving add extra virgin olive oil, pepper and salt if necessary,

Classical recipe we cook at home is without mussels. And from time to time we cook it without celery and parsley too just because we don't have them at home)

It's very important to have fery fresh ingridients and we never use frozen ingridients for this salad, freezing change the taste, be sure.

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Quinoa with vegetables and shrimps recipe - healthy and gluten free.

Today I will write you about the recipe, that will be enjoyed by all who like healthy eating. This is quinoa with vegetables and shrimps recipe.

Quinoa - is pseudocereal culture, originated in the Andean region of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. It has been an important staple in the Andean cultures but relatively obscure in the rest of the world. The Incas, who held the crop to be sacred, referred to it as chisaya mama or "mother of all grains"

Why eat quinoa?

• Quinoa is Incredibly Nutritious - Very High in Protein, With All The Essential Amino Acids That we Need
• Contains Potent Bioactive Substances Called Quercetin and Kaempferol
• It is Very High in Fiber… Much Higher Than Most Grains
• Quinoa is Gluten Free and Perfect For People With Gluten Intolerance
• Low Glycemic Index

I think if you are interested, you'll find yourself something to read about quinoa in the Internet.

Ingridients:

• quinoa, about a glass
• onion
• carrot
• tomatoes
• celery
• garlic
• frozen peeled shrimp
• paprika
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

You can take different vegetables, as well as the proportion. For example, today I forgot to buy a carrot, and instead of onion I put the leeks. I think it depends on your personal taste and what you have available at home. By the way, you can not put shrimp too.

In the same way you can cook delicious couscous.

Chop all the vegetables into small pieces. You can fry garlic a little and then take it off, or chop it and put together with all vegetables.

I fried and then removed the garlic. Then you have to add other vegetables, and after 5 minutes add the shrimps. Leave it to stew for another 5-7 minutes on low heat, covered.

When the tomatoes are soft and gave the juice, you can add quinoa. I have not soaked quinoa, because I have white quinoa, other types it is better to soak.

Then, for every glass of quinoa add a  2-2.5 glasses of water. Close the lid, salt and pepper a little and leave the stew to simmer. If necessary, add water. Usually quinoa is ready in about 20-25 minutes. If you turn off the heat and leave it for another 10-15 minutes with the lid closed, it it will be more tasty. 

That's what we've got - tasty and healthy dish that dietary and gluten free.