koky cooking

Photo: Spaghetti with pesto and smoked chicken recipe Photography by Ian Wallace

If you've got a fork and 15 minutes to spare, try our new twist on pesto pasta.

To Prep 0:10
To Cook 0:15
INGREDIENTS 5
DIFFICULTY EASY
SERVINGS 4

Ingredients  

350g dried spaghetti pasta
135g (1/2 cup) bought basil pesto
300g smoked chicken breast, thinly sliced
1 x 250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
30g (1/2 cup) finely grated parmesan

Method

Step 1
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.

Step 2
Add the pesto, chicken and tomato to the pasta and gently toss until well combined. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Add the parmesan to the pasta and toss to combine.

Step 3
Divide the pasta mixture among serving bowls and serve.

Nutrition

Energy 2335kJ    
Fat saturated 4.50g
Fat Total 19.00g    
Carbohydrate sugars -
Carbohydrate Total 65.00g    
Dietary Fibre 6.00g
Protein 31.00g    
Cholesterol -
Sodium -
    
Australian Good Taste - December 2007 , Page 123
Recipe by Alison Adams

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Photo: Cheesy beef lasagne recipe

Taking the cheesiness up a notch, this classic lasagne is comfort food at its best.

To Prep 0:30
To Cook 1:30
INGREDIENTS 14
DIFFICULTY EASY
SERVINGS 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1kg beef mince
1 large brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 cups Fresh tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
5 fresh lasagne sheets
1 cup grated tasty cheese

Cheesy sauce

50g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Method  

Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook mince, in batches, until browned. Transfer to a bowl.

Step 2
Heat remaining oil in pan. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Return mince to pan. Add tomato paste. Cook, stirring, to combine. Stir in tomato sauce and dried oregano. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in basil. Cool for 15 minutes.

Step 3
Meanwhile, make Cheesy sauce Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until mixture is bubbling. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese. Season.

Step 4
Grease a 10-cup capacity ovenproof dish. Line base with pasta. Spoon 1/3 of the mince over pasta. Top with 1/3 cup cheesy sauce. Repeat, finishing with pasta. Top with remaining sauce. Cool. Top with cheese. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Step 5
Thaw lasagne in fridge overnight. Preheat oven to 1800°C/160°C fan-forced. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until lasagne is heated through. Stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

Nutrition

Energy 4093kJ
Fat saturated 29.80g
Fat Total 57.30g
Carbohydrate sugars -
Carbohydrate Total 52.30g
Dietary Fibre 6.90g
Protein 62.20g
Cholesterol 213.00mg
Sodium 870.00mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

Super Food Ideas - April 2012 , Page 59
Recipe by Kim Coverdale

Photo: Cheesy beef lasagne
Photography by Andrew Young 

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Photo: Guacamole “Pasta” Recipe Photograph by Stephanie Foley

Serves 8 (as a small plate)

Active time:30 min
Start to finish:45 min

Want to cook like a mad-scientist chef at home? Here’s your chance. Agar flakes, available at most natural foods stores, are the secret ingredient to this bizarro take on guacamole. The technique food editor Ian Knauer used to craft the “noodles” is straight out of MacGyver’s handbook, utilizing ordinary drinking straws to elevate regular old chips and dip to a mind-blowing hors d’oeuvre. (Editors’ note: This recipe is solely the creation of Ian Knauer and has not been formally tested by the Test Kitchen.)

For avocado noodles 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons agar flakes (preferably Eden brand)
1/2 ripe 6- to 8-oz avocado, pitted and peeled
1/4 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice


For salsa 1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh jalapeño (including seeds)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon tequila
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

garnish: 8 cilantro leaves
equipment: a squeeze bottle; 32 non-bendable drinking straws

Make noodles: Bring broth and agar flakes to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, whisking, then boil until most of agar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Strain though a fine-mesh sieve into a food processor. Add avocado half, zest, lime juice, and 1/4 tsp salt and purée until smooth. Transfer purée while still warm to squeeze bottle and squeeze into straws. Chill until cold, about 10 minutes.

Make salsa while noodles chill: Cut tomatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices and toss with onion, jalapeño, lime juice, tequila, oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Wash and dry squeeze bottle. Force each avocado noodle out of straw by squeezing air from bottle into straw. Arrange 3 or 4 noodles on each of 8 hors d’oeuvre plates or in serving spoons, then top with some of salsa.

Adopted from Gourmet Magazine
Recipe by Ian Knauer
Photograph by Stephanie Foley

Watch the Test Kitchen Challenge video that features this recipe.