Day 17, Catfish with Tortellini pasta in Clam Sauce

250     grams     tortellini filled with paprika and cream cheese

300-400  grams     catfish filet or any white firm fish filet

6         pieces     bacon slices

1         tablespoon  olive oil

100     grams     broccoli florets, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes

50       grams     carrots, sliced in sticks, blanch in boiling water for a minute

salt and pepper to taste

slice of lemon to garnish

Sauce:

3   tablespoon     butter

2   tablespoon     flour

1/4  cup              heavy cream

1/2  cup              chicken broth or water

1/4  cup              mussels or clams

2     tablespoon   chopped parsley

1     tablespoon   chopped dill

salt and pepper to taste

Boil water in a small casserole to blanch the vegetables and cook the tortellini pasta.  Slice the fish filet into 2 serving pieces of about 150-200 grams each.  Then wrap 3 slices of bacon on each fish. Pepper to taste the fish. Heat a griddle pan and baste the pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Once the pan is hot, grill the fish until its cook and tender.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter and add the flour.  Stir until the flour and butter are well mixed.  Add the broth or water, heavy cream, mussels, parsley and dill.  Simmer in low medium heat until the sauce thickens.  Season to taste.  Get a hand held mixer and blitz the sauce until smooth.  Reduce to a low heat and set aside while you plate up.

To plate: layer the pasta, vegetables and the fish.  Spoon about 3-4 tablespoon of the white mussel or clam sauce over the pasta and fish.  Garnish with a slice lemon on top.

 

CATFISH WITH TORTELLINI PASTA IN CLAM SAUCE

Day 1, Carbonara Scampi

Last night, I was craving for something easy with no red meat or chicken.  I know we had scampi in the freezer, so ask my hubby to take it out so that when I get home from work, it would be ready. Then I just checked our fridge for whatever veggies is lying around that needs using.  I found the following:

4     tbs               oil

CARBONARA SCAMPI

1     tbs               garlic, minced
1     pc                white onions, sliced
250 grams          peeled scampi
6     stalks           celery, sliced
1     tbs               flour
1/8  cup              water
1     small can     sliced mushrooms
1     tsp               chili flakes (to taste)
1     tsp               provence herb mix
1/4  cup              whole milk
250 grams         spaghetti (cook according to package instruction)
                          salt & pepper to taste
1     pc                egg

                         chopped or minced green onions
                         grated parmesan

• Saute garlic in a hot wok with olive oil.  Then add the onions til its cooked, add the scampi, saute for a few minutes or til it is pink in color then add the flour.  Mix very well until it coats the scampi, then add the rest of the ingredients except for the egg.
• Once you see that the water has combined with the milk and thickened a bit, mix the pasta in the wok.  Add salt & pepper according to taste.  Crack the egg on the pasta and mix very well until the egg coats the pasta.  Switched off your stove. 
• Garnish with chopped green onions and grated parmesan.