Archive

Course: Main

Pasta with Tree Nuts, Peas and Mint

DESCRIPTION

A light fresh side dish for any meal that can be served hot or cold.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup nuts of choice, chopped
  • 6 ounces orzo, farfalle, or preferred short pasta
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • 4 sprigs mint, leaves torn
  • ¼ cup fresh ricotta cheese

INSTRUCTION

  1. Toast the nuts in a pan or oven until golden and aromatic. Set aside.
  2. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.
  3. Drain, reserving a small amount of the water.
  4. In a small saucepan, bring the reserved water to a boil, add peas and cook 1 minute. Strain.
  5. Combine warm pasta, peas and nuts.
  6. Serve in individual bowls, spoon ricotta over top and season with pepper.

Spinach, Ricotta & Oregon Hazelnut Rigatoni

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 1/2 cups rigatoni pasta
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 red chili, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup Oregon hazelnuts, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 
  • 3 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook the Pasta:

  1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni for 9 minutes, or until al dente

Make the sauce:

  1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the sliced garlic and chopped red chilli, allowing them to soften and release their flavor.
  3. Stir in the chopped Oregon hazelnuts, letting them toast slightly for a deeper, roasted flavor.
  4. Add one ladle of pasta cooking water to the frying pan—this starchy water helps create a silky, emulsified sauce that binds everything together.
  5. Stir in the ricotta cheese and most of the grated parmesan, saving a little for the final garnish.
  6. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add it directly to the pan, followed by the baby spinach leaves.
  7. Toss everything together until the spinach wilts and the pasta is coated in the creamy, nutty sauce.
  8. Finish with the remaining parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Chicken and Cashew Curry

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 red chilis
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 stalk lemongrass (tender base only)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 3 ounces cashews, soaked
  • 12 ounces chicken thighs, diced

Instructions

  1. Rub 2 teaspoons curry powder and salt into the chicken and set aside.
  2. Blend garlic, onion, tomato, lemongrass and chili in a blender until a smooth paste is formed.
  3. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cook blended mixture, remaining curry powder and garam masala over low heat. Stir constantly, cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add chicken and cook for about 2 minutes.
  5. Add cashews and water. Allow to simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  6. Add coconut milk, stir, and allow to come to a boil. Turn off the heat as soon as it boils.
  7. Serve hot with white rice and papadums (thin Indian crackers) on the side.

Tip: You can soak cashews in warm water for 20 minutes to soften the nuts and allow for better absorption of flavors.

Chicken, Cashew and Almond Stir Fry

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon macadamia oil
  • 3 small chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch broccolini, chopped into 5cm lengths
  • 1 teaspoon shredded ginger
  • 1 bunch baby bok choy, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 2 1/2 ounces snow peas, trimmed
  • 2 1/2 ounces blanched raw almonds
  • 2 1/2 ounces raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons salt reduced soy sauce
  • ¼ cup plum sauce
  • 4 cups cooked basmati rice

Instructions

  1. Heat half the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook in batches until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
  2. Add remaining oil and cook onions and broccolini for 4 minutes until tender. Add the ginger, bok choy, snow peas, almonds and cashews and stir fry for 2 minutes or until bok choy is wilted.
  3. Return chicken to the wok, along with the soy and plum sauce and toss together gently. Cook for another minute then serve with rice.