Sunday, April 22, 2012

ME Cooking?, That's a joke

She's got this thing about me cooking - remember the birthday present recently, a cook book she presented me with.
All I can say is, "suffer baby".
This was my second weekend experience of cooking - she said,"What would you like to cook?"

Well there's that black pasta stuff in the pantry I thought I'd like to try. I think she had been hiding the squid ink pasta from me on purpose............
So in defiance of her dislike of squid ink pasta, she found a recipe on her iPad.

Can't cook with out some wine - Tahbilk Marsanne into the pan and the glass and then some Cote de Rhone later.
At least I had the right plates
While I was cooking up a storm (read that as fumbling in the kitchen), Sue whipped up some chili prawns.
Calamari, tomatoes and all those other thingies in the recipe just simmering away - excuse me a moment, my glass is empty again - Hic!
Just look at those great colours, red, black and white - oops, I forgot to wipe the edges of the plate - Sue will never forgive me for such sloppiness.
The success of any meal is what is left in the plate - Mine is on the right, Sue's is on the left which I had for lunch today.
By the way before she puts her two pence in - I always thought the rule was that the cook doesn't wash up - well guess what??????

Alright, but I didn't eat it, so I didn't think about washing up....and....I made the entree....and found that putrid recipe. Oh...did I say putrid out loud? Silly me.
Let it just be put on the record that it wasn't a resounding success.
Sorry for the lip curl, but I am restraining a shudder at the memory. Cooked beautifully of course by my talented husband, who is an excellent bike rider!

Squid-Ink Pasta with Calamari
Squid-ink noodles are now readily available from many shops. If you cannot find them, use penne rigate - short, lined tubes which are readily available in 500 g (1 lb) packets. Or you can make your own pasta using the homemade pasta recipe.
Serves - 4 (generously), Preparation time - 1 hour, Cooking time - 1 hour
Ingredients

4 medium-sized calamari
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons or more of extra virgin olive oil
50 mL (1½ fl oz) white wine
2 cups peeled tomatoes
1 small chilli (fresh or dried)
salt and pepper
finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
500 g (1 lb) pasta
Method

Clean the calamari and cut the tubes into rings. Cut the tentacles into smaller pieces if you like.
Fry the onion and garlic in some olive oil until translucent. Add the calamari and wine, and allow the wine to evaporate. Add the tomatoes, chilli, salt and pepper, and cook until the calamari is tender, 30-40 minutes.
Finish with parsley, more oil if needed, and the lemon zest.
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and combine with the sauce.

4 comments:

  1. Think I will keep this recipe away from Nigel, it does not sound the perfect man's recipe to me. The wine tasting of course may have caused a problem, it may have been better to put some in the recipe :-) Diane

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    Replies
    1. Nigel and I might just make a good pair in the Kitchen but I'll keep trying. As for the wine, I doný like to waste too much in the cooking.

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  2. The recipe sounds yummo! and aren't iPads just the best little cooking companions .... Just think NO cooking in France!! just lots of eating !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dianne, I thought the concept was a good one.
      Sue's uses the iPad all the time and in respect to no cooking in France, its actually the opposite. We shop the food markets and then Sue experiments as you'll see next month. Only 10 sleeps to go.

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