Szechuan Noodles

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup good soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
• 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 4 scallions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)
• Marinated Baked Tofu (in place of shredded roast chicken)

Directions

Place the garlic and ginger in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry, sherry vinegar, honey, chili oil, sesame oil, and ground peppers. Puree the sauce.

Add a splash of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the spaghetti al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, place it in a large bowl, and while still warm, toss with 3/4 of the sauce. Add the red and yellow bell peppers and scallions; toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature. The remaining sauce may be added, as needed, to moisten the pasta.

Mushroom and Seitan Noodle Stroganoff

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
2 cups broth
2 Tbps Tahini
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup red wine
1 tomato, peeled seeded diced
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1/2 lb. dried shiitake mushrooms
12 oz. Seitan, cut into strips
8 oz fettucini or egg noodles

Saute onions, garlic and seitan until onions are soft. add mushrooms until they soften. Add lemon juice and spices and mix well. Mix broth and tahini and add to mushroom mixture and cook until it thickens adding a splash of red wine as the sauce thickens. Add tomato and remove from heat and season to taste with pepper. Spoon over mushrooms.

Lobster Stock & Sauce

OK, So here's what I did.  

1) have a bunch of people over for steamed lobsters and clams.  I'll post a separate recipe for that if you don't already know how easy and fun that is.  Do not throw away any of the lobster parts or clam shells.

2) sometime either beforehand, or afterward, sweat down some minced celery, carrots, onions, and add parsley at the end.  Put aside.

3) Leave the steaming water in the pot, and add the aromatics from step 2.  retain all discarded lobster and clam carcasses, and put back into the lobster steaming pot.  I packed my lobster pot pretty much full with shells, crush down with a potato masher or similar implement.  I then added water to about 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the shells.  Cover and simmer/steam for 30-45 minutes.  Leave covered, let cool and put in fridge for next day.  

4) The next morning, use tongs to get the large shell pieces out of the stock, then line a large strainer with cheese cloth, and pour the broth through.  Don't pour out the very last of it, as the sand from the clams will have fallen to the bottom, and you want to discard that.

You've now got lobster stock (and plenty of it).

Later that day, I ladled several cups of the stock into a sauce pan, and decanted the rest into a smaller container for freezing (again, leave the very last bit to make sure there's no sand.

Into the sauce, add 

1) one can tomato paste

2) 1 tsp paprika

3) 1/4 to 1/2 (I used 1/2) teaspoon of cayenne

4) 1/4 cup dry sherry (I've seen brandy as well, and will try that next time I have some).

5) raise heat and blend.  Thicken with a rue.  You can add cream as well, in which case you'll need less rue.

Done.  A very nice lobster sauce, with a little spice, and slightly buttery taste.  We'll try it on some things and get back (probably tortellini first).

 

Sesame Noodles

1/2 lb Chinese noodles; or
1/2 lb Linguine
2 ts Sesame oil
1/2 c Sesame paste
1/2 c Chicken broth
2 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
1 ts Freshly grated ginger
1/2 ts Freshly minced garlic
2 ts Rich wine vinegar
1/2 c Fresh bean sprouts
1/4 c Finely minced cucumber
1 tb Chopped chives

Cook noodles until al dente. Rinse in cold water, drain well, and toss with sesame oil. In another bowl, mix sesame paste, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, ginger, garlic, and vinegar using a wire whisk. Add noodles (once cool) and bean sprouts to above mixture and blend well. Taste. Adjust seasoning if desired.
Place noodles in glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for two hours. Remove from refrigerator, divide onto small plates, top with cucumber and chives. Makes four small servings.

Eggplant-Mushroom Sauce

Recipe By : the California Culinary Academy
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:35

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion -- chopped
3 cloves garlic -- minced
28 ounces canned tomatoes -- undrained
1/4 cup dry red or white wine or vermouth
1 1/2 pounds eggplant, unpeeled -- cut into 3/4" cubes
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons fresh basil -- finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh oregano -- finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper -- to taste

1. In a wide-bottomed pan or skillet with high sides over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic; saute about 2 minutes.

2. Break tomatoes into bits. Add to pan with their juice, wine, eggplant, mushrooms, herbs, and sugar.

3. Cover pan and simmer 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook over medium heat until sauce reduces and thickens, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze (see Timesaver Tip).

5. To serve: Cook 12 ounces dried spaghetti, following package directions. Drain. Serve sauce over pasta. Serve with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

I served it over pan-fried or toasted polenta.

Make 5 to 6 cups (5 to 6 servings).

* Timesaver Tip: Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated, or it can be frozen. To freeze, spoon into freezer container, cover, label, and freeze at 0 degrees F up to 4 months. To serve, defrost sauce 20 to 30 minutes in microwave oven on Defrost setting, stirring several times, or thaw in refrigerator 8 to 24 hours. Gently warm sauce in saucepan or in microwave oven on 50% power, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring several times.