Shrimp and Pancetta over Pasta

Practically perfect in every way. Moist, tastey and very satisfying. If you love Shrimp you will also love this recipe.

Adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse

Serves: 6

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound torn fresh pasta sheets, or other wide noodles
1/4 cup olive oil
6 ounces pancetta, chopped (Or if you can't find it use the thickest sliced bacon you can find)
1 medium red onion, peeled, cut in 1/2, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds large (21 to 25 count) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and butterflied UNCOOKED
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest, garnish
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot of salted water, cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan.
3 To the oil in the pan, add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. WATCH IT so that it does not burn. Add the wine, salt, lemon juice, pancetta/bacon and shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley and stir to combine.
4. Add the cooked pasta to the shrimp mixture and toss well to combine. Cook until the pasta is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the lemon zest, and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Sprinkle generously with parmesan. This dish looks great if you serve it on a large platter.

Cucumber Relish

I love this sauce to dip anything in. It keeps extremely well in the fridge and afterwards I spoon it over some lettuce, coriander and chicken to create a light scrumptious asian salad.

Ingredients

1 cup coconut vinegar or white vinegar

1 cup white sugar

1 good splash of fish sauce

1 large cucumber

4 small red chilis, deseeded and finely chopped

1/2 of roasted, unsalted peanuts crushed or finely chopped. (you will probably have to buy unsalted peanuts and roast and crush them yourself)

1/3 cup chopped coriander (cilantro), including stems

Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, cook for one minute at a gentle boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

While sauce is cooling. Peel and slice cucumber in half lengthways. get a small spoon and scoop out the seeds. Slice very thinly so that you get "moon shaped" cucumber slices.

Place the cucumber, chilis, peanuts and coriander in bowl. Pour over cooled dressing and toss gently.

Place in fridge and chill until use.

Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce

There is nothing like a freshly home made dipping sauce!

Ingredients

2-4 Fresh red chilies, deseeded and chopped
4 cloves of garlic
3 coriander roots (Cilantro. If you can't find any with teh roots just use teh stems and chop it extra fine).
1 tsp Salt
1 cup white sugar
half cup of coconut vinegar (or white vinegar)
half cup water
1 tbsp fish sauce
Fresh coriander leaves to garnish (cilantro)

Directions

1. Pound chilis, garlic, coriander root and salt in mortar (or do it in a small food processor or blender if you don't have one)
2. Transfer to saucepan, stir in sugar, vinegar and water, simmer five minutes.
3. Stir in fish sauce, remove from heat, transfer to bowl, sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves.

Stuffed Coconut Prawns

This is a huge favorite in my family. While my recipe is made to be an asian dish it can be turned into a southwestern meal simply by changing the dipping sauces you serve it with.

Ingredients
20 Large green king prawns (get the largest uncooked shrimp you can find if you aren't near fresh seafood)deviened and butterflied
125 grams (.27 lb) chicken breast, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp coriander (cilantro) stems finely chopped
half teaspoon white pepper
2 slices finely chopped ginger
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tbsp coconut cream

BATTER:
2 tsp sambel olek
1 tbsp very finely chopped lemon grass, tender part only (If you can't get your hands on lemon grass substitute for half teaspoon lemon zest)
1 cup plain flour
1 cup corn flour
enough soda water to make a batter consistency of pouring cream
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1. If you have a mortar use it .. if not grind up and pound as best you can the garlic, peppercorns, coriander root and ginger into a paste.
2. Place finely chopped chicken into food processor with coconut cream and process to a paste. Add garlic coriander paste and fish sauce.
3. Place in fridge to chill for 2 hours
4. Fill butterfly prawns down their butterflied backs with chicken mixture.

To Cook

1. Combine flours, lemon grass, sambel olek in bowl, add enough soda water to make thin batter. 2. Carefully roll prawns in some plain flour, dip into batter, then roll in coconut.(put only half of your coconut in a bowl at a time otherwise it will all get goopy and gross quickly)
3. Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in wok (or use deep fryer), deep fry prawns in batches of six until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Cut open to one to make sure they are cooked all the way through. The chicken stuffing and shrimp should be a solid white colour.

Serve immediately with a dipping sauce. I love the Sweet and Sour or the cucumber relish

Coconut Rice

A Variation of stemaed jasmine rice, the rice is enriched with coconut milk, sugar and salt, resulting in a creamy texture, sweet and fragrant with coconut.

Recipe Courtesy "The Spirit House" Cooking School

Ingredients

For 4 Servings

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

3/4 cup of water

1 tsp sugar

pinch salt

Directions

1. Rinse the rice.

2. Put the coconut milk, water sugar and salt in saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is well blended.

3. Add the rice and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Simmer for 18 minutes. Lift the lid to check that it is cooked, cook for 1 -2 minutes longer if necessary.

4. The rice is done when the grains are soft enough to crush between your thumb and forefinger. 5. Turn off the heat and let stand covered for 8-10 minutes before serving.

Lime and Chili Dressing

Recipe Courtesy "the Spirit House" Cooking School

Ingredients

4 red chilis
8 cloves garlic, chopped
one half of small red onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp fish sauce, to taste
8 tbsp fresh lime juice
4 tsp palm sugar, to taste

Pound the chopped chillies and garlic together until forming a paste texture. Transfer to a bowl, add the chopped onion, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to taste. Stir well to mix. Adjust the flavors so that the sauce is equally salty and sour with a light touch of sweetness.

Stir Fry of Pork with Chili Jam and Lime

Recipe Courtesy "The Spirit House" Cooking School

Ingredients

400 gms (.88 lbs) Pork loin or fillet, cut into stir fry strips (the thinner you slice the quicker and more tender it cooks)
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
*2 tbsp of chili jam
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tbsp lime juice
200 gms (0.44 lbs) green beans, topped and tailed , then blanched
2 tbsp Vegetable oil

Heat oil in wok to medium heat. Stir fry garlic until just starting to colour. Add pork and stir fry until nearly cooked. Add chili jam, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice and stir fry over high heat until the sauce has reduced to a thick coating consistency. Add beans, toss through to warm.
Serve with Jasmine rice or see recipe coconut rice.

* Chili Jam/paste is used in Tom Yum soups and many salad dressings. Don't confuse this product with Sambel Olek or ground chilis. Look for "Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil" in your asian supermarket, some local supermarkets do carry it in the asian section as well.