Spicy seafood pasta

Tags

bucatini, Calamari, crab, mussels, Pasta, Seafood, shrimp, spicy

 

As you may have read Nadia has just gone through carpal tunnel surgery on her left hand so this is Stuart, her husband and trusty assistant, with my first guest blog post.  I don’t know how many of these I will do but it might be interesting for some and maybe especially for anyone who isn’t the primary cook in the household.  I always try and help prep things but Nadia is in charge.  I will give my opinions from the viewpoint of someone who doesn’t do this often other than helping.

This recipe is inspired from a Jamie Oliver recipe.  I needed something to work from but it also has a few changes and my insights.

This recipe is just for two people so you can adjust it accordingly.  I went and did the shopping and managed to get the correct items using my best French.

The recipe includes crab meat but we really didn’t think that it added anything to the dish.  In my opinion you either should leave it out or add quite a bit more to make sure that you can really taste it.

The bucatini seems to be a really good match for this dish so I think it is well worth making sure you get this pasta.

---

Serves 2

Sauce (this might make a bit more sauce than some people would like)
Ingredients:

1 800g / 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan
Saute garlic for 30 seconds
Add tomatoes
Bring to a boil then cover, simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens up (about 45-60 mins)

Main dish

Here are the main ingredients ready to get started:

Ingredients:

200g / 7oz crab meat (cooked)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp red chili flakes (to taste)
250g / 9oz mussels
150g / 5.5oz calamari/squid
200g / 7oz shrimp
bucatini (85g / 3oz pp uncooked)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped

Preparation:

You should have already prepared the sauce since that takes time (see above)
Clean and beard the mussels
We had a whole squid so you remove the head and discard.  Clean the remainder thoroughly and cut into small rings.
Use a large sauce pan with plenty of water.  Heat it until boiling then add the bucatini.  Let it boil for about 8 minutes until it is al dente.
A few minutes before the pasta is ready heat uncovered the butter, crushed garlic and oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan
Add the shrimp, crab meat, calamari/squid and mussels
Cook them all on high heat, with a lid on the pan, shaking once or twice for about 4 minutes (all mussels should be opened)
Add the tomato sauce into the seafood
Strain the bucatini and add to the pan with the seafood and sauce
Stir everything up well
Sprinkle with some parsley and oregano
Enjoy!

 

Advertisement

Spicy yoghurt chicken

Tags

cape malay, Chicken, rainbow nation, South Africa, spicy, yoghurt

This is a Cape Malay classic recipe that is so easy and yet so flavourful. The smell of the spices cooking will have everyone waiting around the table for the meal to be ready. If you do not have Greek yoghurt, regular plain yoghurt will do but the sauce will be thinner. It might not be the prettiest looking dish but it is one of my favourite go to recipes.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
500ml / 2 cups hot water
375 ml / 1 1/2 cups natural Greek yoghurt
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala

Preparation:

Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan
Sauté the onion until translucent and starting to colour slightly
Add the garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes over medium low heat
Add the chicken portions and brown well
Pour in the hot water and simmer for about 45 minutes
Add the yoghurt, cilantro, turmeric and garam masala and stir well to combine all
Do not allow to boil but cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes to heat the sauce
Serve with rice or naan bread and some chutney
Enjoy!

Chakalaka

Tags

beans, condiments, onions, rainbow nation, relish, Sauces, South Africa, spicy, tomatoes

 

Born in the townships of South Africa, chakalaka is a simple, spicy dish of onions, tomatoes and beans. It has been a staple for generations of black South Africans and is a required condiment at South African braais, or barbecues.

Don’t think for a minute, though, that there is agreement on what goes into the dish, how it should be served, or as what it should be classified.* Suffice to say that the basic ingredients always include onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, chillies and curry powder (and almost always baked beans and grated carrot).   As for serving, it can be served hot or cold, depending on whether you are using it as a relish or a more integral part of the meal.  Which brings me to the last dilemma – its classification.  It has variously been called a soup, a vegetable side dish, a relish, a salad, a ketchup, or an integral part of the main meal. It can be served on its own, with a meat stew, on bread, on potatoes, on rice, on boiled samp (crushed dried maize), on pap (a stiff polenta-like porridge), or as a relish on boerewors rolls.

It is possible to buy tinned chakalaka in every supermarket in South Africa (All Gold makes both a mild ‘n spicy and a hot version; and Koo makes mild, spicy and extra hot variations as well as extra hot with beans, one with butternut squash and one with sweetcorn), and almost all South African shops around the world.

Make lots  and freeze what you don’t use.   The flavours improve if it is kept in the fridge overnight and reheated, and then you can use it on almost anything. A rainbow of possibilities.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 50g / 2 oz ginger, finely grated
• 2 green birds eye chillies, deseeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 1 green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, finely chopped
• 5 large carrots, grated
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 400g / 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 400g / 14 oz can baked beans
• Salt and  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Heat the oil and fry the onion until soft and translucent
Add the garlic, chillies and half of the ginger; reserve the other half to add right at the end
Add the curry powder and stir to combine
Add the peppers and cook for another 2 minutes
Add the carrots and stir to make sure they are well combined with the other ingredients and coated in the curry powder
Add  the tomato paste and tomatoes and stir
Cook for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened
Remove from the heat and add the baked beans, fresh thyme and remaining ginger and stir to combine
Serve hot or cold
Enjoy!

* Cooksister