Monday, June 10, 2013

Guest Chef or why Cream is the Best Sometimes Food Ever

Well, as I am only two posts in and have yet to actually post anything I've cooked I suppose a more appropriate title will be only chef.
Today, Sam being the domestic goddess he is prepared his delicious seafood pasta. This is a simple, quick, high salt, high calorie dish, so contains pretty much everything I consider essential in a good meal. Ingredients are simple and amounts aren't set in stone so add in whatever seafood is in season, or some veggies if you are a better person than I. It does taste lovely with some fresh tomatoes thrown in at the last second, but Sam considers that an abomination, so the recipe below is the dish in it's purest form. This is not for everyday, but is a great special treat and tastes exactly like something you would order at a restaurant, I believe this is largely due to the copious amounts of cream used.
I never cooked with cream until I met Sam, and oh my goodness it has changed my life. I never understood why food at restaurants always had a creamy rich goodness that I could just not achieve a home. Then I realised that goodness, was in fact, MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SATURATED FAT in the form of cream. To off set the ridiculous unhealthiness of this meal Sam uses (at my insistence) whole wheat pasta. Tastes just as good and makes it that tiny bit healthier.
This is also the dish that wholly converted me to the ridiculous amazingness of Le Creuset, you need to use much less oil as the ceramic is naturally non-stick.

Sam's Spectacular Seafood Pasta

1 package whole wheat pasta
1.5 cups of cream
2 large yellow onions
5 cloves garlic
1 package smoke salmon
1 package mixed seafood (prawns, squid and mussels)
1 dash of soy sauce
1 dash of olive oil

First chop your yellow onions. The smaller you cut tme, the faster they cook.
Heat pan on the stove. When hot (you can tell this by dropping water and the pan, if it sizzles it is ready to rock n' roll) add just a dash of oil and chopped onion.
Cook onion till it is soft and clear, but not quite caramelized.
Add in the garlic and pour in cream.
Keep simmering at low medium heat, this reduces down the liquid in the cream and ensures a thick, rich sauce.
While your cream is reducing you can start cooking your pasta.
Add just a dash of soy sauce (this may seem ridiculously salty, but just dash adds so much dimension to the flavour).
Chop your smoked salmon into thick rough portions. The salmon will naturally fall apart and you want it to retain some of its shape. Open you pack of prepped seafood if you are lazy an on a budget like us, or prepare whatever delicious fresh delicacy your bought for the occasion.
Right before you are ready to serve add seafood and salmon. Cook it just long enough to ensure seafood (if your using raw) is cooked. If you over cook, the seafood can get tough. The dish is still delicious, but not as delicious as it could be :)
Pour pasta into the pan and stir to coat the pasta with the cream sauce.

Enjoy!

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