Recipe: Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Since I found this recipe a few weeks ago, Shane and I have cooked it at least twice. The flavours are just lovely together and the cream really compliments the cajun flavours. I also love the leftovers cold the next day for lunch! It's such a simple recipe - though it does need a bit of attention throughout - it's not something you can just leave to cook. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Green Pepper
• 1 Red Onion
• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 3/4 Garlic Cloves
• 2/3 Tomatoes
• Cajun Spice
• Tagliatelle
• 150ml Double Cream
• 1 Glass White Wine
• 300ml Chicken Stock
• Fresh Parsley

Method: 

Cut the ends off the peppers and slice in half. Cut the peppers into thin slices. Do the same with the onion and garlic. Cut the tomatoes in half, then each half into thirds. Dice into small chunks and put to the side. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.

Cut the chicken into small thin slices. Coat them with 1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning. If there is no salt in the seasoning, add salt to the chicken and cajun seasoning. 

Heat a frying pan as hot as possible and add a few glugs of olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan and leave for a minute or so to colour on one side. Try to not stir it as part of the dish is the burnt flavours of the cajun spices and chicken. After it is nearly burnt on one side, give the chicken a stir and leave it for a while. Continue doing this till cooked. Put it on a plate to rest. Add the pasta to the boiling water to cook.

Add the peppers and onions to the same extremely hot pan. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning to the mixture and cook in the same way as the chicken. When nearly done, add the garlic and tomatoes and stir. Once cooked and the onions are softened, put on the plate to rest with the chicken. 

To the hot pan add the white wine till evaporated. Add the chicken stock and stir, getting the burnt bits and flavour from the bottom of the pan and stir till reduced by half. Add the cream and continue stirring and reducing a little more. Once reduced by a 1/4 add the chicken and vegetables back to the creamy sauce and warm through.

Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the vegetables, chicken and sauce. Stir and mix through well then serve. Sprinkle with parsley.

 

Recipe: Pasta with Prawn and a Creamy Tomato Sauce

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman last night and thought I'd try it for dinner. I have to say it was probably the best seafood pasta I've tasted, though it seemed like there was a little something missing. I don't know if that was just because I didn't put much salt in - maybe that would have helped? 

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• Penne Pasta - (I didnt measure it out but on the website it says 3/4lb)
  
• Handful of prawns/shrimp
  
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Smal Onio
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ glass White Wine
• Tomato sauce such as Passata (I just used a can of chopped tomatoes and stuck them in the blender)
  
• 200ml Double Cream 
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil - To Taste
• Parmesan

Method: 

    1.    Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Fry the prawns in a pan with butter and olive oil till just cooked (dont overcook) then set them aside.

    2.    Finely chop the onion and garlic. Add to a large frying pan with butter and olive oil and stir till cooked. When the water is boiled add the pasta.

    3.    Chop the prawns into little cubes (remove the tails if they have any). Add the glass of wine to the pan and cook out. Add the tomato sauce and stir. Add the cream. Add the prawn when the pasta is ready (if it's not ready just keep the sauce on a low heat).

     4.    Finely slice the basil and chop the parsley and add to the sauce. Drain the pasta then add to the sauce. Stir then serve. Sprinkle some parmesan over the top.

Recipe found at: http://bitsy.eu/vvyv5o

Recipe: Creamy Mushroom Risotto

I absolutely love this recipe, and I'm not usually a fan of risotto. It's nice and quick to make, though it does require constant attention so I'd suggest having some time spare to cook it. I'd also suggest using a high sided pan for this to trap the heat. (I couldn't find the food processor when I made it so I just chopped everything by hand).

Ingredients: (serves 4)

• 1 Onion
• 1 Celery Stick
• Teaspoon of rosemary
• 15g dried porchini mushrooms
• 300g arborio (or any kind) risotto rice
• 1/2 glass white wine
• 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
• 500g mixed fresh mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic
• Bunch of thyme
• Knob of butter
• 40g Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 lemon 
• Bunch of parsley
• Olive Oil
• 1.2 litres of water

Method:
    1.    Put the onion, celery and dried porchini mushrooms in a food processor till fine. Add some olive oil to the pan and add the blended mixture and stir for a few mintues (do not let the mixture brown).

    2.    Add the rice and rosemary to the pan, then stir for a minute. Add the white wine and stock cube, and stir till all the wine is absorbed.
    3.    Add 200ml of water to the pan and stir in well. You will need to keep adding small amounts of water to the pan every minute or so to massage the starch out of the rice.
    4.    Whilst cooking the risotto, tear up the fresh mushrooms with your hands. Split half of them into the pan with the rice and leave the other half until later. Keep adding water to the rice and stirring whilst doing this.

    5.    When the risotto is nearly done, should have a little amount of water left to use up, add the rest of the mushrooms with some thyme and garlic to a small frying pan with some butter and olive oil. Cook until golden then set aside.
    6.    Once the rice is cooked, stir in the butter, parmesan and juice of 1/2 a lemon. Add some salt and pepper if any is needed and if the risotto is looking a little dry (it should be porridge like) then add some more water to loosen it up.
    7.    Serve in bowls, top off with the fryed mushrooms and sprinkle with some parmesan and parsley.

Recipe taken from Jamies 30 Minute Meals