Eye for a Recipe

This luscious pasta from Bon Appetit is definitely dinner party-worthy. Cook prosciutto until crisp, brown mushrooms, add shallots, thyme and stock and simmer. Add the cooked pasta and some of the prosciutto, add cream and butter and serve, topping with more thyme and prosciutto. Enjoy!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the prosciutto does not contain preservatives. I use Imagine brand chicken stock.

Cook prosciutto until crisp

Brown mushrooms, add shallots, thyme and stock and simmer

Toss with pasta, cream, butter and serve, garnished with thyme and prosciutto

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

2 ounces (57 g) thinly sliced prosciutto (about 6 slices)

1 pound (500 g) mixed mushrooms (such as chanterelles, maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces

2 medium shallots, finely chopped

1 teaspoon (5 ml) thyme leaves, plus more for serving

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

12 ounces (340 g) pappardelle or fettuccine

⅓ cup (75 ml) heavy cream

2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter

Preparation:

Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Arrange prosciutto in a single layer in pot and cook, turning once or twice, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) oil in same pot over high. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until browned and tender, 5–8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add shallots and 1 tsp. (5 ml) thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes. Add stock and reduce heat to low. Bring to a simmer and cook until only a thin layer of stock coats bottom of pot, 5−7 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 3 minutes less than package directions.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add 1 cup (250 ml) pasta cooking liquid. Crumble half of prosciutto into pot. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add cream, return to a simmer, and cook, tossing, until pasta is coated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, add butter, and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt if needed.

Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more thyme and crumble remaining prosciutto over; season with pepper. Serves 4.

From Bon Appetit

This stir-fry from Canadian Living uses a slightly different technique — the beef is tossed with egg yolk, garlic, cornstarch, salt and pepper before cooking. It works well, giving the steak a great sear. The recipes calls for onion, mushrooms, broccoli and red pepper, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I have never been able to find additive-free oyster sauce, so I make my own by combining 3 tablespoons of tamari sauce with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cornstarch. I use regular Tabasco in place of the chili garlic sauce.

Toss beef with egg yolk, cornstarch and garlic

Mix together sauce ingredients

Brown beef and set aside

Stir fry mushrooms and onions

Add other vegetables, then beef and sauce

Steak and broccoli stir-fry

Ingredients:

1 lb. (450 g) beef flank marinating steak

2 tablespoons (30 ml) oyster sauce

1 teaspoon (5 ml) chili garlic sauce

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) each salt and pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons (10 ml) cornstarch

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 onion , thinly sliced

3.5 oz (100 g) shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

12 oz (350 g) bite-size broccoli florets (about 6 cups)

1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced

Preparation:

Place beef in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes. Thinly slice across the grain.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce, half each of the salt and pepper and 1/3 cup (75 ml) water. Set aside.

In bowl, toss together beef, garlic, egg yolk, cornstarch and remaining salt and pepper.

In large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 tsp (5 ml) of the oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry half of the beef mixture until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with 1 tsp (5 ml) of the remaining oil and the remaining beef mixture.

In same pan, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry onion and mushrooms until onion is golden and mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, red pepper and 2 tbsp (30 ml) water; stir-fry until broccoli is tender-crisp, about 8 minutes. Return beef and any accumulated juices to pan. Stir in oyster-sauce mixture; cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

From Canadian Living