Sausage and Sundried Tomato Pasta Toss with Broccoli and Feta

After two consecutive weeks busy at work, constantly on the move, eating out and staying up late, I yearn to retire to my penthouse kitchen for some therapeutic cooking time. Yet as I squirm in bed shortly after passing out from fatigue, I am certain tonight is one of those nights when time and energy are excruciatingly scarce to cook up a storm. The only storm there is is brewing outside my window. I groan as soreness radiates from every fiber of my body, still trying to make sense of where I am as my ceiling spins.

Appalled by the thought of crawling out through the din and mobs in search for food, I decide to adhere to my principles and make do with what I have in the pantry to create something comforting, fulfilling, something least exerting.

I thaw some gourmet British sausages I often reserve in the freezer either for a fancy brunch or for times like this. I pull out a remaining half head of broccoli, some sundried tomatoes and feta, harvest some fresh herbs before the rain pours; and I think I am all set for a no-frills pasta dish that effectively combines all the major food groups in one.

To prepare...

Pasta, your favorite (I use this toothsome Radiatori I found in France. J'adore its texture!)
2 links of pork or chicken sausages (I use UK Bramley apple & pork sausages)
1/2 head of broccoli, cut into florets, stalk kept for other uses
5 pieces of sundried tomatoes, reconstituted and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Thyme, fresh or dried
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper

Feta cheese, crumbled (also tasty with shaved parmesan!)

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water. When pasta has 2 minutes left until al dente, add broccoli florets. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta liquid, set aside.

2. Meanwhile, parboil or partially cook sausages in a skillet over medium high heat, approx. 4-5 mins. Remove to a plate then slice when cool enough to handle.
  

3. Add olive oil to skillet. Over medium heat, briefly saute garlic, then add sausage and thyme, stirring constantly until sausage is lightly browned. Add sundried tomatoes and toss.

4. Pour pasta and broccoli into the skillet and toss. Add reserved pasta liquid half cup at a time as seen appropriate. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes according to taste. Drizzle in more olive oil if necessary and toss to coat.
   
5. Scoop into bowls and top with crumbled feta cheese plus more fresh thyme if using, et voilà!

Enjoy the flavorsome medley of browned sausage, garlic, sundried tomatoes and creamy feta in this quick, last-minute pasta!


[Any thoughts or comments? Please share with me! Also check out my Facebook Fan Page)

Grilled Halloumi and Summer Squash Stacks

Verdant zucchinis, lanky crooknecks, squat little patty pans - with summer in full swing farmers markets are brimming with beautiful summer squash of all shapes and sizes.

My recent visit to Brooklyn's Borough Hall Greenmarket in New York sees me bagging home a firm and flawless yellow squash that is slightly weighty for its size. A trip to the deli in the U.A.E. also has me acquiring a coveted product I've always had a hanker for - a block of fresh Halloumi cheese. I figure it's time I act on that lust.

Both ingredients a rarity back home in Hong Kong, the summer squash and the Halloumi offer up a contrasting world of flavor and textures. The former delicate in flavor, creamy and tender in the flesh; the latter - an unripened brined cheese made of a mixture of sheep's, goat's, and sometimes cow's milk - is salty and dense, almost rubbery to the teeth, making it the perfect choice for grilling and frying.

Both ingredients are first-timers in my kitchen. Both are awesome on their own, requiring no more than minimal tempering to showcase their individual qualities. Less is definitely more when I decide to wed them together in this visually stunning, yet astoundingly simple dish that makes for an outstanding starter when entertaining.

I use my almighty Panini Grill that, with its simultaneous action on top and bottom, not only cooks everything to perfection within sheer minutes but also imprints those sexy grill marks. For some icing on the cake, I top the creation with tasty homemade Arugula Pesto. The recipe can be found here. 

To prepare...

Slice summer squash at a bias about 1/2 inch thick. Toss in olive oil and season with black pepper and thyme (I used fresh thyme from my garden). Omit salt bearing in mind that the Halloumi is already salted.

Slice Halloumi into 1/2 inch-thick slices.

 

When grill is hot, arrange the squash and Halloumi on the grill and press for 2 minutes or until lightly charred. If using a griddle pan or a sauteeing pan, flip the squash and Halloumi and grill/cook evenly on both sides.

Stack the Halloumi and summer squash and serve with a dollop of Arugula Pesto (optional). Garnish with fresh thyme. Enjoy!

[Any thoughts or comments? Please share with me! Also check out my Facebook Fan Page

Arugula Pesto (Pesto di Rucola)

"Hi..." A mousy-haired woman clutching a clipboard gingerly approaches from a distance as I browse cutting boards at the historic St. Lawrence Market, downtown Toronto. I have always dreamed of owning a fancy wooden board, but the mere thought of Hong Kong's humidity invariably extinguishes this dream almost as fast as it comes.

The young woman's expression shows faint signs of desperation mixed with glimmers of hope, as if she understood what is going through my mind.

"Would you happen to be a home cook?"

Curious, taken by surprise, I pause for a split second, my eyes squinting and discreetly scanning the woman. A sales rep marketing some cookware membership? A surveryor perhaps? 

"Umm... well, I sure love to cook." I respond as cheerily as I can muster while maintaining distance. The poor woman appears to have been trying her luck for hours without much success.

"Oh!! That's awesome!" Her eyes lighting up, she exclaims as she throws her arms up in glee, inhales, and continues, "well, if you're not already aware, Jamie Oliver is launching a television reality series this fall called Pressure Cooker, it's going to be based in Toronto! And I'm actually searching for..."

Wait. Jamie Oliver?! A reality show? This is probably the next best thing ever since a model agency scout stopped me on the streets of L.A. - only to hand my buddy Pablo a business card many years back. Pablo is tall, chiseled, handsome. Still is.  

The historical St. Lawrence Market, Toronto

I am leaving Toronto the day after. I must interrupt this woman before hope overbuilds to avert the anticlimactic crash.

"Damn... but I don't live in Toronto!"

As expected, the woman's excitement deflates almost instantaneously, hope draining out of her like the thought of humidity in Hong Kong does to me.

"Well... go on," I urge, "I want to hear about this series!"

Set to debut in fall 2014, Pressure Cooker will see celebrity chefs paired with home cooks who must use limited ingredients to cook tasty meals against the clock, bringing the contestants' skills and creativity to test as they would at home cooking up healthy meals with only what they have on hand.

Come to think of it, that's what I do a lot of times. I use what is available in my pantry while sparing a trip to the groceries as much as possible, and put together meals that are both healthy and fun.

The sheer thought of featuring in reality TV shoulder to shoulder with Jamie Oliver makes me giddy, even though I know without a doubt that I stand zero chance in making past auditions had I been eligible. I will be that Asian dude who cracks under pressure and drops everything in a panic (over-the-top reality drama - I reckon that's not necessarily a bad thing for the producers?).

          

Snapping back to reality... I stare inside my fridge, and there sits a half bag of rocket leaves waiting impatiently. Pesto di rucola comes to mind. I have been missing homemade pesto terribly, since my basil plant has been rather dreary lately. Arugula pesto offers up a slightly more pungent than sweet taste but is equal in versatility, dressing up anything from pasta to chicken wraps to prawns.

The good news is that almost all nuts work spectacularly for pesto - especially almonds, cashews, and walnuts - so worry not about pine nuts, which are considerably costly.



To prepare...

2 cups of packed arugula leaves

1/2 cup of cashew nuts, toasted

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
1/2 cup Pecorino cheese, or Parmesan
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice 
Salt and pepper

Combine the arugula, nuts, garlic, cheese, and olive oil in the blender and pulse until smooth. Add more olive oil if mixture clogs.

Test flavor and adjust ingredients accordingly. Add salt and pepper to taste, and fresh squeezed lemon juice to brighten up the pesto.  
Get creative enjoying the pesto!

[Any thoughts or comments? Please share with me! Check out my Facebook Fan Page!]