Pork Stroganoff

The classic beef stroganoff recipe calls for beef tenderloin.  This version uses pork tenderloin in its place, which is equally tender and delicious.   

2 t vegetable oil

350 g (approx) pork tenderloin, cut into strips

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

227 g sliced mushrooms

1 c low-sodium chicken stock

2 T flour

1 t paprika

2 t soy sauce

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ c frozen peas (optional)

1/3 c sour cream

Hot buttered egg noodles, to serve

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat one teaspoon oil over medium heat.  Add pork, and quickly stir-fry until pink just disappears.  Do not overcook.  Remove to bowl.

Add remaining oil to pan, and add onion, garlic and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms have released their liquid and most of it has evaporated.  Add peas, if using. 

Combine chicken stock, flour, paprika, soy and pepper in a jar; shake until smooth.  Pour over vegetables.  Cooking, stirring often, until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. 

Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the skillet, stirring until the meat is just heated through.  Remove from heat, add sour cream, and stir through until combined.

Serve over noodles.  Makes three servings.  

Pasta with Sausage & Rapini

The first time I tasted this, I understood why this is one of the favourite dishes of so many Italians.  It's a marriage of flavours; the sweetness of the sausage and the pasta, the bitterness of the rapini, the saltiness of the Parmesan, the heat of the chili flakes, the fruitiness of the olive oil.

I'm intensely infatuated with this (I think of it often), and as it stands now, I would have to list it as my favourite pasta dish.  Once again, simplicity rules.

1 lb / 454 g sweet or hot Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 t pepper flakes, depending how hot you like it
1 bunch rapini, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 c low-sodium chicken stock
1 lb / 454 g penne, orecchiette or ziti
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil for the pasta; keep at a simmer.

Remove casings from sausages.  Brown the sausage meat in a dry frying pan preheated over medium heat. As the meat begins to cook, break the pieces apart by pressing them against the bottom of the pan with the tines of a sturdy fork.

Bring the water back to a full boil and add pasta.

Once the sausage meat is browned, add the garlic, 2 T of the olive oil, pepper flakes, rapini and chicken stock.  Cover, and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain (reserving 1/2 a c or so pasta cooking water), and return the pasta to the pot.  Tip in the sausage meat mixture, along with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 2 T olive oil.  Stir well.  Adjust thickness of sauce with pasta cooking water, if necessary.

Serves four generously.

Asian-Style Chicken Noodle Soup

The clean, fresh flavours of this soup have restorative properties for me.  This is what I crave to counteract the gastronomic over indulgences otherwise know as 'weekends'. 

900 ml low-sodium chicken stock

1 T lime juice

1 t soy sauce

¼ t sesame oil

1 T fish sauce

227 g mushrooms, sliced

6 baby bok choy, or one smallish regular bok choy, rinsed well and diced

2 t sugar

1 T julienned ginger

200 g rice noodles

2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, fully cooked & diced

Cilantro, chopped

Combine the first nine ingredients in a Dutch oven or large pot.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.

Cook the noodles according to directions on package.  Divide the hot noodles between the two bowls and top with the diced chicken.  Ladle the simmering soup over, and top with cilantro.

Penne Parma Rosa

This is a great pantry-cupboard meal for busy nights.  

1 T butter

1 T flour

1 c milk

1 garlic clove, minced

1 t dried oregano

1 t dried basil

398 ml can diced tomatoes, pureed

½ t salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (this sauce loves pepper)

¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped parsley for garnish

1 lb penne rigate 

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium low heat.  Add flour, combine, and cook for one minute.  Add milk.  Increase heat to medium, stirring often, until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer.  Add garlic, oregano, basil, tomatoes, salt & pepper.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, while you cook the pasta.

Cook pasta to your preferred doneness.  Drain (reserving one cup of cooking water), and return pasta to pot.  Add all of the sauce, and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until sauce coats the pasta.  Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan.  Thin with cooking water if necessary.

Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with chopped parsley.

Serves 4.