Friday, 29 April 2011

Ragu Pasta & Warm Chicken Salad

finally after my exams i have the time to cook again! (: (: i hope that i'll have the time to cook every week if possible! i'm really ambitious. i dont just want to cook something every week, i want to bake every week too! that would mean two days in the kitchen every week. but dunno whether have the time xP holidays are gonna be busyyyyy! but i will try :D i'll post all the yummy recipes up here (:

i need to get an oven!!!! :( i've never had an oven but i used to have a microwave oven with a convection function which i could use for baking. but now it's spoilt! :/ gahh. so now i can't even bake even though i want to :/ oh wells.

Ragu Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:
30g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
400g minced beef
100ml beef stock
2 tbsp tomato puree (i couldn't find this! so i mixed tomato paste & tomato sauce from a tin can, but i can't remember what brand :P it was the only one i could find in NTUC)
400g can diced tomatoes
75ml milk, warmed
450g pasta

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a deep saucepan (i used a wok instead) and fry the carrot and garlic, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes until the carrot softens.
2. Stir in the meat, breaking up any lumps, then cook for another 10 minutes, or until it is evenly coloured, stirring frequently. Stir in the stock, tomato paste, tomato sauce and diced tomato, then bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan and simmer very gently for 1hour. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking, adding more stock if necessary.
4. Stir the milk into the ragu, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
5. Bring a pot of boiling water to boil and add the pasta. Boil for 8-10minutes, or until cooked but still firm to the bite. Drain well, spoon the ragu over, and serve.


Warm Chicken Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 chicken breasts, about 150g each, cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
60 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
250g asparagus spears
mixed salad vegetables
balsamic vinegar

1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and garlic and fry, stirring, for 5-7minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
2. Meanwhile, put the salad leaves in a large serving bowl. Remove the chicken from the pan using a slotted spoon, and place in the bowl with the salad.
3. Add the asparagus to the oil remaining in the pan and fry, stirring constantly, for 1-2minutes, or until just tender. Transfer to the bowl with the salad.
4. Pour the balsamic vinegar & remaining olive oil  over the salad until it is well coated and tuck in! (:

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