Pasta Carbonara

This is a classic. I don't really know if I do this the completely traditional way, probably not. I have been told my Carbonara is the closest to authenic a lot of people at my job have seen in awhile, but who knows. Anyway, I learned this recipe from an american guy who spent a lot of time travelling in europe, and I trust his opinion. We actually made this as hangover chow at 7:30 am one day after a night of partying, and I must say it did the trick. Heres what you need,

Penne pasta

Heavy cream

Parmesan cheese

Garlic

Bacon

White wine

Tomatoes

Onions

Eggs

Ok here we go. I hope you know how to cook pasta al-dente, otherwise there isn't much point for you reading this recipe. Assuming you do cook off your desired amount and cool it off and set aside for use later. To make your sauce cut up bacon into 1/8 inch strips and begin browning in a saute pan. When it is about halfway there add your onions. When it is about 3/4 of the way there add your garlic as it is the smallest. Now hit it with a little white wine to get all that brown flavor off of the bottom of the pan. Add your heavy cream now. Leave the heat on so the cream will start to thicken. Add your tomatoes now as well as your parmesan so it begins to melt. Now turn off your heat and wisk in ann egg. This must be done at the end so that you only thicken your sauce and don't end up with scrambled carbonara. If this happens to you, you will know what I mean. HA HA. Anyway, now add your pasta and toss in the sauce. In a minute or so the pasta should have taken on the heat from the sauce and you are ready to go. Season with some salt and pepper and garnish with more bacon bits, parsley, and parmesan cheese. Done. This is incredibly bad for you, but oh so good. I even like to save rendered bacon fat from when I cook bacon and add even more to this recipe. Its awesome.

Beer batter fish and chips

Who does fancy a fish with some chips once and awhile? Here is what you will need,

Fish

Beer

Flour

Eggs

Turmeric

French Fries

Mayonaise

Relish

Lemon Juice

To begin mix up your beer batter. Add flour and eggs to the beer until it is thick, so as to coat the fish very well. I like to add some turmeric to the batter to give the fish more of a golden brown color. Then dredge the fish in the flour and dunk it in the batter. Go directly from the batter to a deep fat fryer at 350 degrees. You can also use a pot full of enough hot oil to submerge the fish. While it is frying mix up your tartar sauce. Equal parts relish and mayonaise plus a little lemon juice. You will know the fish is done when it turns golden brown. Serve with french fries and enjoy.

Lamb au Chocolate

I kind of went out on a limb on this one, but got amazing responses to it. My chocolate sauce is a little bit like a Mexican mole sauce, but not really, anyway here is the procedure. You will need,

Lamb rack (frenched)

Chocolate (semi sweet)

Hazelnut coffee

Butter

Vegetables

Mashed Potato

Allspice, Nutmeg, Chipotle peppers, and Cinnamon.

To begin salt your lamb and roll it in the hazelnut coffee. Sear it on all sides. Put lamb in the oven until desired temperature is reached. While that is going on make your sauce. Melt down your chocolate (chocolate chips work) and then add a pinch of each spice. Add a little bit of chipotle, the amount depends on how hot you like things. You can thin the sauce out with a little heavy cream if you want, I like a thick sauce. Serve with mashed potatos and vegetables. The savoryness of the chipotle should tone down the chocolate and coffee a little, combined with its own natural juices. I call this fusion of sweet and savory cooking "swayvory". Usually if you stay within reason you can come up with some bomb flavor combos using this methodology of thinking. Enjoy.

Tomato Pineapple Soup

This is my newest creation. The idea came from having to use pineapple up. This is very simple, yet very beautiful. You will need,

1 Large Pineapple

1 Large can Tomato juice

1 Bottle Pineapple Juice

1 Cup sugar

To begin clean and blend up your pineapple. Add it to your pineapple juice in a sauce pot and heat it up, very easy. Next heat up your tomato juice. Whisk a cup of sugar into the pineapple juice. Pour the two soups into the bowl at the same time. The consistency should be close enough that the do not meld with one another and thus create a really nice looking bowl of soup. The flavor combo is not as far out there as you might think, picture roasted tomato and pineapple salsa.