Pasta, Prawn and Apple Salad

Today, I am going to write about a simple yet stylish recipe, that is just right for a hot summer day. So keep it in mind when is hot outside. I got this from a book I keep mentioning here, “Good Housekeeping Cookery Book” – 1985. All you need is love, pasta, prawn and apples. You can find these in your heart, on the shelves of a supermarket and for the first thing you don’t need money. For the rest, well, you can always ask a friend or your neighbour or your mum. So, you need very little. 😉 Ready, steady, cook

Pasta, Prawn and Apple Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 175 g (6 oz) pasta shells
• 150 ml (1/2 pint) unsweetened apple juice
• 5 ml (1 tsp) chopped fresh mint
• 5 ml (1 tsp) white wine vinegar (you can use fresh lemon juice instead)
• 225 g (8 oz) peeled prawns
• 2 crisp dessert apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• lettuce leaves
• salt
• pepper
• paprika, to garnish

Method:

• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 6-12 minutes until tender or according to the instructions. Drain well, rinse in cold running water and drain again.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together the apple juice, mint, vinegar and seasoning.
• Dry the prawns with absorbent kitchen paper. Quarter, core and roughly chop the apples. Stir the prawns, apple and cooked pasta into the dressing until well mixed. Cover tightly with cling film (or aluminium foil or just a lid for ecological purposes) and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
• Wash the lettuce leaves, dry and shred finely. Arrange the lettuce in a bowl and spoon the prawn salad on top. Sprinkle with paprika. Now, share the bowl and enjoy the food. x

Bon appetite!

SSP

I know that you wonder what SSP is. You are paying attention now.;) SSP is sweet & sour pork for short. I remember eating this recipe for the first time in my life in Constanta in a Chinese restaurant and loved it to bits. When I discovered it in the “Original card from “Delicious Meals Made Easy” I was very happy. I had the chance to cook it anytime I wanted. It happened that I made it in London the first time.

Why are Chinese or Thai or Japanese or other Asian recipes so easy to cook? I have no idea but I like it. I would cook with a wok everyday, provided I have the ingredients and resources. I had this chance once, I took it and all I can do now is talk about it and sometime cook.

Sweet & Sour Pork

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine or sherry
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2,5 cm (1 in) piece root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 450 g (1 lb) pork fillet, cut into 2,5 cm (1 in) cubes
• 1 tbsp cornflour (or flour)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple vinegar)
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
• 175 g (6 oz) mange tout, topped and tailed (I think you can replace them with broccoli or other pods, as I haven’t seen here them yet, but they are excellent. Too bad)
• 227 g (8 oz) can of pineapple chunks in natural juice (optional, for a fruity addition)

Method:

• Mix soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, garlic and ginger. Add pork, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours. You can leave them longer, from the evening until the next day, if you like. Just remember that it smells quite strongly, so cover it well.
• Drain pork in a sieve, reserving the marinade. Stir cornflour, rice vinegar, tomato sauce and honey into reserved marinade.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan or wok. Add pork and stir-fry over a high heat for 5 minutes. Remove pork from pan with a slotted spoon.
• Heat remaining oil in pan or wok. Add peppers and mange tout and stir-fry over a high heat for 2 minutes.
• Add marinade mixture to pan or wok and stir until thickened. Add pork and cook for further 1 minute, stirring constantly. Breathe in the smell!
• Serve with the savoury basmati rice or Chinese noodles. Any noodles will do. Delicious!

Bon appetite!