Weekend Musings - Quick tossed Pasta

Last night we went out to catch up with some friends over dinner. The food was just so ooo good. There was this really wonderful papri chat that my friends mother had made from the scratch, was so good. I was drinking the red wine a fruity California Merlot, I don't know what caused it but boy! did I wake up with an horrid headache this morning. It just refused to go away. I took at least 3-4 tynenols, ironically enough last night we were dicussing about the pros and cons of pain killers last night. Well, then I completed the usual chores for the weekend and managed to get some sleep this afternoon, now, how rare is that.

Later, this evening, I fussed around the house. It is mind-boggling just how much junk these kids accumulate. Aug-Oct is birthday season in my kids daycare, this practically takes over our social calendar, and then I am left with all the junk from the goody bags. Well, I filled at least 2 garbage bags of junk and dropped this off in the dumpster on my way for my regular walk.

At night, I decided to put scrounge through my fridge to put together a pasta with whatever I had available. I have to confess I was pleasantly suprised with the results. The combination of ingredients laced with some green chilly and cilantro resulted in a well-balanced dish with just a hint of spice. I would recommend this with a good glass of wine, I have sworn off alcohol for the rest of the weekend after last night.

Red and Green Spicy Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

9 oz angel hair pasta
Water and salt for boiling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 green chilly minced
1 red pepper cut finely
1/2 cup finely chopped prociutto
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1/2 cup prepared marinanara sauce
Salt if needed
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
3 tbsp shaved aged parmasan
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Cook the pasta till just done (should be very al dente), drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil and butter and add the garlic, followed a few minutes later with the chilly and red pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the prociutto and grape tomatoes, and, the tomato sauce, with salt if using. Let this cook for a few minutes.
4. Add in the pasta and mix well for 3-4 minutes.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well to let the flavors mix.

Enjoy!

The cilantro in this recipe makes for an interesting fusion of flavors. This goes to Zorra at Tomate, who is hosting this weeks WHB.

Tomato Watercress Soup with Ginger

I love soups this time of the year and actually all the year round. There is a quiet simplicity about them, yes, we can make them fussy but overall a few little flavors, a good base and you have a comforting bowlful.

I have been intrigued by all the beautiful tomato soups at Saffron Trail, that blog is such a testimony to good and healthy food. Lately, I have also been thinking of watercress eversince it featured on the Top ten detox foods, I thought of combining the two items - the tomato and watercress and thus emerged this soup.

Tomato Watercress Soup with Ginger

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small onion

3 cloves garlic

2 green chillies

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp cumin-coriander powder

3-4 cloves

1 large stick cinnamon

8 tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

2 tsp salt

2 cups lowfat buttermilk

1 large bunch chopped watercress

1 tbsp butter

2 inch piece ginger very thinly julienned

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Chop the onion, garlic and chillies in the the food processor

2. Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion mixture for 5 minutes.

3. Mix in the spices.

4. Puree the tomatoes and tomato paste with 1 cup water.

5. Add to the onion mixture and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Mix in the butter milk and watercress and cook for another 10 minutes.

7. Heat the butter and cook the ginger on low for 10 minutes till well browned.

8. Stir into the soup and garnish with the cilantro.

Here are some benefits of eating a tomato, in case we needed more reasons to have this beautiful, bright fruit we like to call a vegetable.

I am sending this off to Ed from Tomato, for this week's WHB.