Date: Mar 18, 2012
We are going for a vacation, therefore, my task this week, before the traveling is to clear the fridge. Whatever I can find, I must cook it.
1. Some mussels which has expired on Mar 17.
2. Three types of tomatos that is about to be rotten.
3. Mushrooms, that does not look so nice anymore.
4. Some ground pork. Simple marinate with salt and white pepper.
5. White Onions.
6. And of course, how can I cook a mussels without a "great" white wine. Let's use a Pinot Gris from New Zealand. Actually, I don't really like this white, so, there you go into the mussels. hahahaha
7. Some Chinese Parsley stalks. I threw away all the leaves as it becomes rotten.
8. Noodles. I ran out of spagatti noodles. So, I mix it with some Chinese noodles (white one). Boil a pot of water, add salt and olive oil when boiled, and then add the noodles and cook it for 10 minutes. Take out the noodles and rinse it with cold water. Stand by.
A. The Steam Mussels
A1. Heat the work. High heat.
A2. Pour olive oil. I used the Ail & Thyme olive oil. You can use any if you like.
A3. Once the olive oil is heat up, add in the white onions.
A4. Stir fry it for 2 minutes.
A5. Add in the mussels and stir fry. (Please refer to my previous few posts to see how to clean the mussels). Since this pack of mussles has expired for 2 days, extra care has been given. Such as washing it with salt for at least 3 times. Smell each mussels to make sure no rotten one. So we end up finding 3 pieces with no smell or funny smell.
A6. After stir fry for few minutes, add in the white wine of your choice.
A7. Bring it to boiled.
A8. Dump all the Parsley stalks into it. And cover the wok, simmer it for another few minutes with slow fire.
B. Tomato Pasta
B1. Heat the wok. Add ordinary olive oil. When boiled, add onions and stir fry for a while until the onions soften.
B2. Plae the whole ground pork in.
B3. Use two spatula if needed to chop the meat and cook like if you are cooking tepanyaki.
B4. Add in the mushrooms. Stir fry for a while.
B5. Add in lots of tomatos (if you like). Add a cup of water. Continue stir fry.
B6. Add Noodles. Continue stir fry or mixing it. If not enough water, add water, if not enough tomato, add tomato ketchep. Most important, pince sea salt, and sugar. Make it a bit sweet, so that you got the hint of sweet and sour taste.
B7. Stir fry it until the tomato water is semi dry. And that's it.
So, as you can see, I cooked yet another two simple dish. I think it is simple, as the two dish can be cooked within 15 minutes. And you know your family will definitely love it.
There are few notes here I wanted to keep stressing...
- Cooking is simple. Cook with a big heart. And you will love your cooking.
- Cooking without a precise instruction is the way how you should cook. You will notice that I will say, pinch some salt, add some pepper or sugar with out giving you the precise quatity to add. That is because, I don't know who you cook for, what is your taste bud like, and how big portion that you are cooking.
- The key to a successful cooking is the final touch, which is the adding of salt or other taste enhancer. And this is very personal. So, the secret is to keep tasting the dish, sip the sauce, until you like it. When I say pinch the salt, you add the salt little by a little. So that you can see how your dish changed from tasteless to perfecto taste of your own.
- Also, you cook for yourself first. If you like the taste, then, I am sure many others will like it too.
- Most of the time, you see when I cook the mussels, it is like a 5 minutes job. This time, I leave it to be simmer for 10-15 minutes. It harden the mussels and absorb the wine completely into the mussels meat. I did not use any ginger. But at the end, I decided to chop lots of stalks of Parsley to add in the herb hint.
- Also, people say, are you crazy, pouring in Pinot Gris into yoru steamy mussels. Hey, first, I cook with my own style. I know that once boiled the alcohol will be gone, whatever berry taste will be negligible. So, usually, just simply buy any cheap white wine will do the job. Same taste after all. However, just think about the following... if you use a more expensive wine, may be you will be more caution to make it a great dish. If you use a cheap wine, then, you may take it for granted and always tell yourself, if you screw up this meal, there is always another time. HaHaHaHa I don't think that is a correct altitude for cooking lor.
- Again, tomato based pasta. No matte what pasta you put, no matter what meat you put, there is always the key ingredient in a meal. So, tomato is one, ketchep is another. This is how to make a simple tomato pasta looks different.
Enjoy!
(Slept at 8pm just now, and suddenly wake up at 1:30am to poo poo. :) hahaha)
No comments:
Post a Comment