angelfoodchef.com Blog

Adding roasted vegetables to an Alfredo sauce is not only a great way to add a lot of flavor but also vitamins and fiber.

1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
3 medium shallots, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 Tbls butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Juice of one fresh lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the carrots, celery, onions, bell pepper, shallots, and the garlic cloves with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Spread onto a cookie sheet and roast until golden brown (about fifteen to twenty minutes).
While the vegetables are roasting heat a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter stops foaming add the minced garlic clove and saute until fragrant but, do not brown or the garlic will become bitter. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the milk and cream and further reduce by about one third.
Add the roasted vegetables (blend with an immersion blender if a smooth sauce is desired). Add the nutmeg, parsley, and fresh lemon juice and more fresh ground black pepper to taste.
Toss with favorite pasta and top with diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and more Parmesan (or Feta) cheese and serve.

One of my favorite stir fried noodle dishes is Drunken Noodles. They are not named drunken because of alcohol but, you need to drink something with them to tame the heat. Water should be the first choice here although beer and sparkling wines can work well too.

Drunken Noodles

1# Thai Rice Stick Noodles
1 Gallon Hot Tap Water
1/4 Cup Oyster Sauce
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tblsp Fish Sauce
2 Tblsp Sambol Olek
2 Tblsp Peanut Oil
1 Large White or Spanish Onion, Sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, Sliced
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
2 Ribs of Celery, Sliced thin on a bias
2 Large Carrots, Sliced thin on a bias
5 or 6 Garlic Cloves, Chopped
2 Tblsp Fresh Ginger, Minced
4 Thai Bird, Cayenne, or Serano Chiles, Minced
1# Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Thinly Sliced (Shrimp works great too)
1 Large Egg, Beaten
2 Roma Tomatoes, Chopped
1/4 Cup loosly packed Fresh Basil, Chiffonade
2 Tblsp Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Lime Wedges for each serving

Start by soaking the noodles in the hot tap water. Separate and let soak 30 to 45 minutes. Combine and mix the next 7 ingredients for the sauce and set aside. Heat the oil in a wok or large saute pan and stir fry the chicken until just cooked, remove from the pan and keep warm. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery and carrots and saute about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and minced chiles and continue cooking until fragrant (about a minute). Push the vegetables up the side of the wok to make a spot to scramble the egg. When the egg is mostly cooked mix it in with the rest of the vegetables and add the cooked chicken, tomatoes, herbs and drained softened noodles and toss to combine. Mix in the sauce and cook another 2 minutes or until the sauce is hot throughout. Grind on some fresh black pepper to taste; the salt in sauce should be adequate. Serve with fresh lime wedges and enjoy.