Tomato And Balsamic Pasta#Improv

This dish is super quick and easy to put together especially perfect for those when dinner needs to be ready in a hurry. The magic of this dish is the balsamic vinegar, it gives a tangy flavor to it.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Cup Heaped Ziti Pasta
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion - chopped
4 Cloves Garlic - minced
2 Medium Tomatoes - chopped
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Cup Vegetable Stock
½ Cup Pasta Water
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes
½ Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp
2 Tablespoon Freshly Chopped Basil Leaves
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano as required

Method

Boil the ziti pasta as per package instructions. Drain and reserves ½ cup pasta water.
In large pan heat the olive oil add onions, garlic sauté till the onions are translucent. Now add in tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and vegetable stock, pasta water, bring this to a boil, cover and let this cook till the tomato softens a little. 

Then add red chilies, black pepper, basil leaves and pasta, give this a good mix and let it simmer it for 2 - 3 minutes, on medium high flame, stirring at intervals.

Serve it up in a bowl with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and with a fried egg (optional).... Enjoy!!

Labels : Vegan, Italian, Serves Two, Tomato, Basil, Balsamic Vinegar, Pasta & Noodles, Improv Cooking Challenge, Parmesan Cheese, Main course, Italy, International Cuisine

Improv Cooking Challenge:April 2021

Tomatoes & Balsamic 

Stuffed Caprese Chicken by Making Miracles 

Tomato and Balsamic Pasta by Sneha’s Recipe

Tomato Tart with Balsamic Glaze by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking  

Balsamic Braised Chicken Breasts by A Day in the Life on the Farm   

Homemade Whole Wheat Sun-dried Tomato Pasta and a Salad by Magical Ingredients  

Asparagus Bacon Caprese Salad By Cookaholic Wife

Chicken Legs With Strawberry Balsamic Glaze & Spicy Potato Wedges#BakingBloggers

This is a platter that combines many elements which are dishes, are very simple easy to follow recipes. So here are dishes Chicken Legs With Strawberry Balsamic Glaze, Spicy Potato Wedges and Nepali Style Vegetable Pulao, which make a complete meal.

Chicken Legs With Strawberry Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
3 Chicken Legs
½ Cup Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
1 Tablespoon Mustard Oil
For Marination
1 Tablespoon Homemade Pizza Seasoning
½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
¼ Teaspoon Red Chilli Flakes
1/3 Cup Yogurt - whisked
1 Tablespoon Mustard Oil 

Method

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and coat the chicken pieces well. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.

In a large frying pan, smear it with mustard oil. Place the chicken legs and sear on high flame for 2 minutes on each side or 

till the chicken legs get a browned on both sides. 

In a baking dish, add a tablespoon of mustard oil. Place the chicken thighs and smear strawberry balsamic sauce/glaze on top of the chicken legs, cover with a foil and bake at 200°C in a preheated oven for about 12 - 15 minutes. 

Then remove the foil and bake again for 6 minutes, after 3 minutes flip the sides of the chicken legs and it's done. 

Spicy Potato Wedges
Ingredients
3 Medium Potatoes - unpeeled, cut into wedges
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
½ Teaspoon White Pepper powder
½ Teaspoon Heaped Sea Salt or to taste
½ Teaspoon Amchur Powder 

Method

Wash and scrub the potatoes clean. Then cut them into wedges.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the potato wedges. Boil for 5-6 minutes, then drain. Place the parboiled potatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with the oil, then toss to coat with all the spices ( I also added few parboiled broccoli florets).

Put the tray in the oven and roast at 200°C in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp.

This platter with Chicken Legs With Strawberry Balsamic Glaze, Spicy Potato Wedges and Nepali Style Vegetable Pulao, made a complete meal.. Enjoy!! 

Labels: Chicken, Baked, Strawberry, Balsamic Vinegar, Homemade Pizza Seasonings, Potato Wedges ,Baking Bloggers, Healthy, Main course, Complete Meal

Baking Bloggers January 2021

Using Jams & Preserves in Baking

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla is sharing Roasted Lamb with Bourbon-Plum Glaze
• Making Miracles is sharing Chicken Thighs in Raspberry Sauce
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking is sharing Jelly Glazed Wings
• Cookaholic Wife is sharing Blackberry Crumble Bars
• Magical Ingredients is sharing Jam Pinwheel Cookies
• Karen's Kitchen Stories is sharing Shortbread Jam Cookies with a Streusel Topping
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice is sharing Orange Marmalade Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
• Palatable Pastime is sharing Jalapeno Lime Glazed Chicken
• Food Lust People Love is sharing Sticky Jammy Hot Wings
• Sneha's Recipe is sharing Chicken Legs With Strawberry Balsamic Glaze & Spicy Potato Wedges
• A Day in the Life on the Farm is sharing Pepper Jelly Glazed Chicken Breasts

Homemade Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

My daughter went for a holiday to Panchgani and came back with loads of organic large sweet strawberries. They were super delicious, most we enjoyed eating and few I, freezed .
The other day while watching television seen this recipe and decided to recreate in my kitchen. Tweaked this recipe to my taste and turned out finger licking. You will love the tartness of the strawberries, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar and sweetness the sugar.

Fruity, tangy, sweet and bright red color this sauce is finger licking.

Ingredients
½ Cup (125ML) Balsamic Vinegar
20 Large Frozen Strawberries - roughly diced
3 Tablespoons Level Brown Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
Zest of One Big Lemon

Method

The frozen strawberries when  thawed, it was mushy and left a lot of juice. In a sauce pan add the juice of the strawberries along with balsamic vinegar and bring it to a rolling boil then, reduce the flame a let it reduce into half. Now add in the strawberries, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Mix well and bring this again to a rolling boil on medium high flame. 

Then reduce the flame until strawberries have released their juices and softened, let this simmer on very low flame until the sauce thickens. Keep stirring in between a bit. Allow to cool. It will stay in the refrigerator for a week or two. If you freeze this sauce it remains good for a long time, the best thing about freezing this sauce that it does not get ice granules, remains in sauce form only.  

This strawberry balsamic sauce it's finger licking.. ready for a multitude of uses.

Keep checking to see so as in which recipes I used this sauce. 

Labels: Jams & Sauces, Strawberry, Balsamic Vinegar, Homemade,  Vegan, Gluten free