SPAGHETTINI WITH LAMB SAUSAGE RAGU

Sausage and beans it's a classic combination. But when you add whole wheat pasta, green peas and some chopped broccolini, the dish becomes a delightful experience.

Looking for some quality lamb sausage, I was lucky to find some at my local market.

You can use Merguez as well.

So, for the pasta I used Barilla Plus thin spaghetti, and before I cook them I broke them in half.

For thin spaghetti the cooking time is aprox. 7 minutes to be al dente.

Save a cup of water for the ragu (starchy water is good for sauces).

Cook the pasta and on the same time start to make the ragu.

All you need to have ready is :

1 lb of crumbled lamb sausage

1 can of red beans

2 oz of baby green peas

1 brunch of broccolini or mustard greens

4 tbs of olive oil

1` teaspoon of chopped garlic

1/2 tbs of Cayenne pepper

salt

In a sauce pan, heat up the oil, then add the sausage and the garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon for few minutes until golden brown, then add the drained and rinsed beans and the chopped broccolini .

Cook until the broccoli start getting soft, while you are keep adding the water from the pasta pot.

Add the Cayenne pepper and the salt , then the pasta.

Cook together the pasta with the ragu for 5 more minutes.

Remove the pot from the stove, and transfer the pasta into a bowl.

Serve immediately, and no cheese please.

With this dish I had a bottle of beautiful Austrian wine Pannobile 2004 ,Nittnaus Neusiedlersee, which was a great compliment for the pasta.

This is a barrique aged blend of Zweugektm and Blaufrankisch .

Dark ruby red, complex nose of dark fruits, (cherries and berries), spice, balanced, long finish.

Enjoy, and post your comments please.

CURRY CRUSTED TUNA

This recipe, it is a take on one of my old but not forgotten dish " curry crusted pork tenderloin".
I used tuna this time, and it came perfect, so I really want to share this with you.
I served this as an appetizer along with a beautiful aromatic chopped salad.
I made a light lemon garlic dressing, just to drizzle the fish, before serving.
Here is the preparation by stages, first of all you start preparing:

The fish

2 tuna steak 1o 0z each

6 tbs of medium hot curry powder

3 tbs of Kosher salt

2 tbs of sunflower seeds or pine nuts

oil for searing

Mix together the curry powder, salt and the seeds, than coat the tuna steaks.

Heat up the 6 tbs of oil in a non stick pan, then seared the steaks 30 seconds on each side, as well on the rim, when are done, set them aside on a plate on a kitchen tissue, to dry up.

The salad

1 bell pepper (red or yellow)

1 not to riped mango

2 scallions

1 small cucumber

juice of 1/2 lemon

olive oil

salt

pepper

Chop all the above and toss them with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

The dressing for tuna

In a blender or by hand mix together the following ingredients, until become a light mayo look like dressing:

1 egg yolk

juice of half lemon

2 crushed garlic cloves

1/2 cup olive oil

salt

Now you just have to put together the dish, as pictured, drizzling the lemon garlic dressing over the sliced tuna.

We had a beautiful bottle of 2006 Muscadet sur Lie from Chateau La Noe.

Crisp green apple fruit and a balancing nutty richness .

Refreshing acidity and an impressive finish.

Enjoy !