Episode 65: Pasta

Risotto of Israli Couscous w/ Sauteed Mushrooms & Oven Dried Tomatoes
Truffle Flavoured Lasagna w/ Sauteed Parsnip, Shitake & Lobster Tail
Bamboo Steamed Pork & Ginger Dumplings
Stir Fry of Soba Noodles & Fried Duck

RISOTTO OF ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH SAUTEED MUSHROOMS AND OVEN DRIED TOMATOES
1 ½ cups of couscous (300 grams)
2 tablespoons butter unsalted (30 millilitres)
1 litter chicken stock (1 quart)
¼ cup of sliced shiitake mushrooms (2 ounces)
¼ cup of sliced oyster mushrooms (2 ounces)
15 oven-dried tomatoes
½ teaspoon fresh thyme (a pinch)
½ cup of Caliterra Sauvignon Blanc white wine (125 millilitres)
¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese (60 grams)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Preparation time is 45 minutes
Ease of preparation is moderate

Put the couscous on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until the couscous become light caramel in colour. Remove from oven. In a saucepot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the couscous. Stir until you see that the couscous is taking on some colour. Deglaze with ½ the amount of wine and reduce until dry.

Add the chicken stock a little bit at a time until the couscous is tender. In the meantime, sauté the mushrooms in the butter until they get a nice colour and deglaze with wine. Add the couscous, the grated Parmesan and the oven-dried tomatoes, check the seasoning and add the thyme at the last minute.

Yield: 4 servings
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TRUFFLE FLAVOURED LASAGNA W/ SAUTEED PARSNIP, SHIITAKE & LOBSTER TAIL

For the pasta:
9 ounces of semolina (270 grams)
9 ounces of truffle-flavoured flour (270 grams)
9 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
1 pinch of salt

For the filling:
2 medium parsnip peeled and sliced thinly
½ cup of sliced shiitake mushrooms (4 ounces)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (15 millilitres)
¼ cup of Phillipe de Rothschild Sauvignon Blanc white wine (60 millilitres)
4 lobster tails cooked and cleaned
½ cup 35% cream (125 millilitres)
8 sprigs of fresh tarragon
salt and pepper

Preparation time is 1 hour, resting time is 30 minutes.
Ease of preparation is moderate

For the pasta, combine the semolina and truffle flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix the semolina and truffle four with the salt until combined. Stop the paddle and make a well, and add the eggs. Mix until the dough forms into a ball. Rest the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 4 rectangle shapes of about 12 inches by 2 ½ inches wide. Cook in a pot of salted boiling water for 4 minutes. Cool on a baking sheet. Do not put olive oil on the pasta or the sauce will not stick to the lasagne.

In a sauté pan, melt the butter and cook the parsnips until golden in colour. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another minute. Deglaze with wine and add the lobster tails, the cream and the fresh tarragon. Season to taste.

Put the warm lasagne on a plate. On the first third of the sheet add a full tablespoon of the parsnip and mushroom mixture. Place ½ the lobster tail on the mushrooms and fold the lasagne in third on the mixture. Repeat the process again. Garnish with a fresh sprig of tarragon and put some sauce around the lasagne.

Yield: 4 servings
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BAMBOO STEAMED PORK AND GINGER DUMPLINGS
1 pound of ground pork (500 grams)
1 shallot diced
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (15 millilitres)
1 small hand of ginger peeled and diced finely
2 tablespoons of Soya sauce (30 millilitres)
1 teaspoon of Mirin (5 millilitres)
½ teaspoon of Hoi sin sauce
20 dumpling wrappers
1 carrot, peeled and cut in brunoise
1 teaspoon of fresh cilantro, chopped

Preparation time is 30 minutes
Ease of preparation is moderate

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the shallots, the carrots, the ginger and sweat off for a minute. Add the ground pork and cook until golden brown. Deglaze with Mirin and Soya sauce, add the hoisin sauce and the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your bamboo steamer by placing it on top of a pot of boiling water. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bamboo steamer’s layer. Take one dumpling and put ½ teaspoon of mixture in the middle of it. With a pastry brush wet with water, brush the outside ½ of the dumpling sheet. Fold the dumpling in ½ making sure to seal the edge tightly. You can also tighten the edges with a fork to ensure the proper seal. Put the dumplings on the parchment paper in the bamboo steamer and cook for 4 minutes. The dumplings are ready when translucent.

Serve with a hoi sin and Soya flavoured dipping sauce.

Yield: 4 servings
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STIR FRY OF SOBA NOODLES AND FRIED DUCK
150 grams of uncooked soba noodles (5 ounces)
2 tablespoons of Soya sauce (30 millilitres)
2 teaspoons of Hoi sin (10 millilitres)
1 teaspoon of Mirin (5 millilitres)
½ teaspoon of Thai curry paste
1 teaspoon of fresh cilantro chopped (5 millilitres)
1 tablespoon of duck fat (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (15 millilitres)
2 duck legs that have been already confit in duck fat
2 small carrots peeled and julienned
½ celery root peeled and julienned
¼ red cabbage, julienned
4 baby bok choy blanched and halved
1 teaspoon of black sesame seeds (5 millilitres)
fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation time is 15 minutes
Ease of preparation is easy

Cook the noodles in a pot of salted water for 8 minutes. Refresh in cold water. Fry the duck in the fat until crispy and drain on a paper towel to remove excess fat. In a saucepan, sauté the carrots, cabbage and celery root until cooked. Add the Soya sauce, Thai curry paste, the Mirin and the hoi sin. Toss the noodles in the sauce and add the fresh cilantro. Add the bok choy and the duck at the last minute. Season to taste.

Yield: 4 servings
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Recipe courtesy of Chef Caroline McCann-Bizjak.