Conchiglie with pancetta, mushroom, black olives & pesto

A perfect midweek dinner, quick, simple and tasty! Ingredients are fridge and pantry stable and its great with any type of pasta you have at hands. Conchiglie is fantastic with dry or wet pasta sauce. The shell-like shape helps to scope up the delicious sauce. 

I don't weight pasta for portion control, instead I use my hands to measure. Depending on pasta shapes, for conchiglie, penne, fusilli usually 2 handfuls per person. It is always tempting to cook more than needed, just remember pasta expand after cooking so do be cautious. If you must weight them, I would say 100g of dry pasta per person (depending on appetite of course!) 

Serves 2

200g Conchiglie, cooked per packaging
90g pancetta
1 red onion, thinly sliced
150g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
Dozen black pitted olives in brine
1 tbsp basil pesto
Fresh chives, chopped
Sprinkle of finely grated parmareggio

1. Boil the kettle and cook the pasta as per instructions on the packaging.

2. In a frying pan, frying the pancetta in medium heat until brown.

3. Add the onion and cook until it is soften.

4. Now the mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes or until they begin to go soft. Be sure not to overcook them or they will release moisture.

5. Drain the pasta and mix in with the pancetta mixture.

6. Add the black olives and turn the heat off.

7. Mix in the pesto thoroughly.

8. Serve in a bowl, sprinkle with chives and parmareggio.

Vermicelli Noodles with Minced Pork, Dried Shiitake Mushroom (狗仔粉)

This is a variation of the popular Hong Kong street snack 狗仔粉(Gou Chai Fun), which translates as   'Dog Tail Noodles'. Since I am no great noodles maker, instead of making my own dog-tail-like noodles with rice flour, I've replaced it with vermicelli instead, with the meat mixture remains true to the authentic taste. 

This type of street snack was very popular in the 80s and was a type of peasant food before the WWII, to fill the hungry bellies of the poor. 

Serves 2

800ml chicken stock

300g dried vermicelli noodles

250g minced pork

Handful of dried shrimps, finely chopped (available on oriental supermarket)

4 dried shiitake mushrooms (soak in water until double in size and diced)

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp of white pepper 

1 tsp of sesame oil

Handful of preserved parsnips (available on oriental supermarket)

1 tsp of chilli powder 

1. Soak the vermicelli noodles in water until soft. 

2. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and cook the dried shrimps and dried shiitake mushrooms until the aroma is released. 

3. Mix in the minced pork, add in the seasoning (oyster sauce, white pepper, sesame oil) and cook until the meat is brown.

4. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to boil and cook the vermicelli as per instruction printed on the packaging. 

5. Mix the preserved parsnips with the chilli powder. 

6. In a large soup bowl, serve the noodles soup, layer the meat mixture on top and sprinkle with chilli preserved parsnips. 

If you prefer, layer the soup bowl with some green such as spinach.

Thai Grilled Pork (Mu Ping หมูปิ้ง) with Coconut Rice

I adore Thai cuisine. The dishes often have very in-depth flavour and very versatile, which can be adapted with different type of meat or vegetables to suit individual's taste. The scent of lemongrass, Thai basil, kaffir leaves, fish sauce and tamarind are so distinctively Thai that they cannot be easily confused with another cuisine.  

Since most of Thai dishes have a very pungent flavour, I find chicken, pork or white fish are best to absorb all the flavours than red meat.

In this recipe, the marinade would also goes very nicely with chicken or turkey.

Serves 4

600g pork shoulder steaks, diced 

For the marinade

3 stalks of lemongrass (thinly sliced 1 stalk)

2 gloves of garlic

1 tbsp oyster sauce

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp palm sugar

1 tsp sesame oil 

A thumb of fresh ginger

A bunch of fresh coriander

1 lime juice

For the coconut rice

1 can of coconut milk

2 cup of Thai Jasmine rice

Splash of water

1. Blitz all the marinade ingredients in a mini food chopper. 

2. Marinade the diced pork shoulder steaks with the mixture overnight. 

3. For the rice, rinse the rice under tap water a couple of times to get rid of the starch. Drain well.

4. If you are using a rice cooker, pour in a can of coconut milk, add a splash of water, mix well and cook the rice as per rice cooker's instruction; if you are cooking the rice in a saucepan on the hob, cook the rice gently on a low heat for 3 minutes, pour in a can of coconut milk, turn the heat up and bring it to simmer. Bring the heat to the lowest setting and cover with lid. Leave it to cook until all the liquid has evaporated. 

5. Meanwhile, heat the griddle pan on a high heat. 

6. Once the griddle pan is hot enough, put the pork on it and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through. 

7. Serve with coconut rice!

Mongolian Lamb Fondue

A lot of people are off work throughout February not only for half term, some are off to hit the mountains. This time last year I was overly excited with preparing my snowboarding trip to Austria. Because of work commitment (as well as I already had a holiday over Christmas in the Middle East), I am not gracing the Alps this winter. Snow holiday is the best combination of all - you get the sun, the night life, the adrenaline of racing down the mountain and of course the food. With some luck I am hoping to spend a season in the Alps comes next winter.

Yes, I am reminiscing the sun and snow in Austria and am slightly jealous of those who are off snowboarding/ skiing. An acquitance of mine showed me a picture of his meat fondue on Friday, and that's all I could think of all weekend - FONDUE. Let's make it into reality!

Instead of beef, I am having lamb, with a slightly oriental flavoured dipping sauce and broth.

Serves 2

400g lamb fillet (partially freeze for ease of slicing to paper thin)
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1 thumb of ginger, sliced
500ml chicken stock
2 tbsp dry cherry
1 tbsp fish sauce
Steamed rice
250g baby leaf spinach

For the dipping sauce:

4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp chilli sauce
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 thumb of ginger, crushed

1. Wrap the lamb fillet with cling film and freeze for just over an hour.

2. Sharpen the knife, unwrap the lamb and slice the meat to paper thin.

3. In a saucepan, bring the stock, dry cherry, fish sauce, ginger and garlic to boiling point.

4. Set up the fondue set.

5. Transfer the stock into the fondue pot.

6. Cook the lamb fillet in the stock to suit your taste. Serve with dipping sauce.

7. The stock contains the essence of the meat, don't just pour it down the sink. Wilt the spinach in the stock.

8. Serve up a bowl of steam rice each and pour in the stock. Get tuck in!

Beef Shank Stew with Mustard Suet Dumplings

Beef stew is one of my favourite winter dish. Boeuf Bourguignon, Guinesse beef stew, Cantonese style braised beef etc. They are effortless to make and rather wholesome. I have cooked lamb shank and pork shank before, but it was not until last weekend I came across beef shank at the Waitrose meat section. I am sure it has always been available at a butcher, but it was the first time I see it available as pre-packed. My immediately thought was 'bone marrow + beef = tasty stew!'. It do love Waitrose's meat section. It offers an excellent variety of cuts of meat that is comparable with the butcher, which other supermarkets cannot compete with. 

Beef shank meat is actually the shin. It has to be slow cooked to perfection. Once the meat is cooked through and falls off the bone, I then cut them into pieces. 

Serves 3

2 carrots, peeled and chopped into thick pieces

2 stalks of celery, cut to 3 pieces

6 shallots, peeled

2 bay leaves 

1 tbsp of tomato puree

500ml beef stock

700g beef shank

1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard

70g suet

125g self-raising flour

1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard

2 tbsp of plain flour

Salt & pepper

Some warm water

1. Season the plain flour with salt and pepper. Rub the meat with the mixture. 

2. Preheat the oven to gas 2.

3. Heat a dollop of oil in the cast-iron casserole dish. Once the oil is hot enough, seal the meat all around.

4. Leave the meat aside to rest. In the same casserole dish, cook the shallots, stalks, carrots and bay leaves until they soften. 

5. Put the meat back into the casserole dish, pour in the stock and tomato puree. Bring it to boil then lower the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Place the casserole dish into the oven and leave it to cook for 2 1/2 hour. Check the liquid level periodically and add more stock if necessary. 

7. Meanwhile, place the plain flour, suet and wholegrain mustard in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 

8. Make a dwell in the middle and pour in some warm water. Careful not to put too much. If the mixture is too dry, more warm water can be added later.

9. Bine the suet and flour mixture together to form a soft dough. It is ready when the dough doesn't stick to the hands. 

10. Roll the dough into 8 small balls (or bigger ones, depending on preference).

11. Take the casserole dish out of the oven. Turn the heat up to gas 6. Cut the meat into small pieces and put back into the dish. Remove the bone marrow. 

12. Place the dumplings into the casserole, return it to the oven and cook for another 25 minutes. 

Chorizo, Lentils & Potato Hotpot

Following on with the chorizo theme, this is another great winter one-pot recipe. So warming and comforting in those dark, winter nights. Chorizo could be replaced by pancetta if you so wish. 

Serves 2

150g chorizo, sliced

1 onion, finely chopped

2 clove of garlic, crushed

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

250g puy lentils

2 bay leaves

1 small bunch of thymes

1tsp paprika 

1L chicken stock

1 red chilli, finely chopped

250g baby leaf spinach

1 potato, diced

1. Panfry the chorizo slices until the aroma releases and fills the kitchen. 

2. Set the chorizo aside. In the same saucepan, sauté the garlic, onion, chilli and celery for 10 minutes or until soften.

3. Add in the lentils, bay leaves, thymes, paprika and potatoes. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. 

4. Gradually pour in the chicken stock. Bring to boil and bring the heat down to simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Check occasionally, sir and add more stock if necessary.

5. Add in the chorizo and spinach and cook until spinach starts to wilt. 

6. Season with freshly milled salt and pepper.

Baked Butternut Squash and Chorizo Risotto

Butternut squash has a deliciously clean and sweet taste. It is especially popular in winter dishes as it is a winter squash. My favourite way to cook this beauty is roasting. Because of its naturally sweet flavour, it is an excellent companion to salty chorizo.

Serves 2

1 small butternut squash, roughly chopped
250g chorizo, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
160g arborio rice
300ml chicken stock
1 small glass of white wine
100ml creme fraiche

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree. Place the chopped butternut squash in a roasting tin, add a splash of rapeseed oil and seasoned with salt and better. Ensure the butternut squash is smothered with oil. Place it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and soft.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pan, cook the chorizo for 8 minutes. It should be looking crispy and the aroma starting to fill the kitchen.

3. Spoon up the chorizo and leave them to rest on a plate. In the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until its soften.

4. Now, add in the arborio rice and the chorizo, stir for a couple of minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook on a medium heat until most of the liquid is evaporated.

5. Turn the heat down and gradually pour in the stock one ladleful at a time. Be sure to stir the mixture regularly and pour in more stock when it is absorbed by the rice. Cook for approximately 25 minutes.

6. For the butternut squash, once it is cooked, take it out of the oven to cool. Keep a dozen or so aside and blitz the rest to a smooth texture in a food processor or use a handheld blender.

7. Mix the smooth and diced butternut squash into the rice mixture.

8. Stir in the creme fraiche just before serving.