Creamy Salmon and Dill Sauce

Go healthy tonight! This sauce, made with nutrient-packed salmon, is as nourishing as it is delicious.

Serves 4
Preparation Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time 15 minutes
Noodles to Match angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 (213-gram) can pink salmon, drained
• ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 (250-ml) pack all purpose cream
• 1½ teaspoons lemon juice
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons chopped dill

Method

1 Heat oil and melt butter in a medium saucepan. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add salmon and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

2 Pour in stock and cream. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thick

3 Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer for 1 minutes. Stir in dill.

Anchovy Confetti Sauce

Go Mediterranean tonight with this chunky sauce that's studded with anchovies, olives, and capers.

Serves 2 to 3
Preparation Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 15 to 18 minutes
Noodles to Match angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onions
• ½ tablespoon minced garlic
• ⅓ cup red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• ⅓ cup eggplant, cut into ¼-inch cubes
• ¾ cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• ¼ cup red wine
• ¼ cup water or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 8 anchovy fillets, chopped
• ¼ cup sliced black olives
• 1½ tablespoons capers
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Saute onions until soft. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add red bell pepper, eggplant, and tomatoes. Cook until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2 Add wine and reduce to half. Add water or stock and let vegetables simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add basil, parsley, and rosemary. Mix well.

3 Stir in anchovies, olives, and capers. Season with salt and pepper; mix well. Continue to cook for 1 more minute.

Eggplant and Sun-dried Tomato Olive Oil Sauce

Make this for dinner on a busy weeknight or for a weekend get-together with the extended family.

Serves 4
Preparation Time 8 minutes
Cooking Time 8 minutes
Noodles to Match bowtie, penne, shell (conchiglie), spiral

Ingredients

• 3½ tablespoons olive oil
• 200 grams eggplant, sliced into thin rounds (about 1 cup)
• 4 large cloves garlic, sliced into silvers
• ⅓ cup white wine
• 6 pieces sun-dried tomatoes, sliced into strips
• ⅓ cup sliced black olives
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ⅓ cup crumbled ricotta, kesong puti, feta, or any soft cheese
• fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Method

1 Heat oil in a medium nonstick frying pan. Fry the eggplants until golden brown. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add white wine and reduce to half.

2 Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, and fresh basil. Cook for a minute. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

3 Right before serving, add crumbled cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Tinapa Cream Sauce

Lemon zest and juice round out the flavor of this creamy sauce

Serves 4
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 10 minutes
Noodles to Match angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pieces tinapa (smoked fish), scaled, deboned, and flaked (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• ⅓ cup white wine
• 2 cups all-purpose cream
• 1½ tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat a medium saucepan over low heat and dry-fry the flaked tinapa for a minute. Remove from pan and set aside.

2 In the same pan, heat olive oil and melt butter. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add wine and reduce to one-third. Add cream and tinapa, mix well. Cook at medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until slightly thick.

3 Add lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Eggplant Tomato Sauce

Go vegetarian with this light but satisfying sauce. Serve it with whole wheat pasta for a healthy meal.

Serves 4
Preparation Time 20 minutes
Cooking Time 20 to 30 minutes
Noodles to Match angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti

Ingredients

• 2 small eggplants, cubed (about 1½ cups)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ¼ cup red wine
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (400-gram) can crushed tomatoes
• ¾ cup water or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• sugar, salt, and pepper to taste

Method

1 Place eggplants in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover in plastic wrap and place another bowl on top to weigh it down; let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot. Add eggplants and fry for 5 minutes or until golden. Add wine and simmer for 5 minutes.

3 Add the remaining oil and onions, and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and water or stock. Mix well and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until slightly thick.

4 Add the heavy cream and season with oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Chunky Seafood Sauce

Perfect for hot summer days! Serve it with fresh fruit smoothies or ice-cold beers.

Serves 4
Preparation Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 20 minutes
Noodles to Match fettuccine, linguine, penne, spaghetti, spiral

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup clam stock (liquid used to boil clams)
• 1 (400-gram) can crushed tomatoes 2 bay leaves
• ⅓ cup chopped shrimp meat
• ⅓ cup sliced squid rings
• ⅓ cup boiled clam meat
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Saute onions until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add wine and reduce to one-third.

2 Pour in clam stock and crushed tomatoes. Mix well. Add bay leaves and simmer for 10 minutes. Add shrimps, squid, and clams. Season with thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Spicy Shrimp with Feta Sauce

Use marinated feta cubes in this dish for a little extra special flavor.

Serves 4
Preparation Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 20 to 30 minutes
Noodles to Match penne, rigatoni, spiral, tagliatelle

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 300 grams shrimps, shelled, deveined, with tails left on
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ½ cup chopped tomatoes
• ¾ cup tomato sauce
• 1½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (add more for extra heat)
• sugar, salt, and pepper to taste
• ⅓ cup cubed feta cheese to serve
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish

Method

1 In a medium saucepan, heat oil and fry the shrimps just until they turn pink. Remove from pan and set aside.

2 Using the same pan, sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

3 Add tomato sauce and stock. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

4 Add shrimps and mix well. Add thyme oregano, and chili flakes. Season to taste with sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for 1 more minute.

5 Just before serving, add feta cheese and parsley.

Smoky Bacon Tomato Sauce

Add this sauce to your weeknight cooking repertoire-with bacon, it's a surefire heat!

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 20 minutes
Noodles to Match fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti

Ingredients

• 300 grams honeycured bacon strips or bacon chunks, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• ½ cup finely chopped carrots
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 (800-gram) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons dried thyme
• ½ tespoon chili flakes
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat a large saucepan and fry bacon until lightly golden. Remove bacon but leave the rendered fat. Set bacon aside.

2 Heat oil in the same pan. Saute onions until translucent. Add carrots and garlic; cook until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

3 Add bacon, thyme, and chili flakes and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Walnut and Mushroom Sauce

The flavor of this sauce is boosted by a combination of fresh and dried mushrooms, while chopped walnuts add texture and crunch.

Serves 2 to 3
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 12 minutes
Noodles to Match bowtie, shell (conchiglie), spiral, penne

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 table spoon minced garlic
• 1¼ cups sliced fresh mushrooms (button, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms)
• ¼ cup dried mushrooms (shiitake or porcini), rehydrated in ¼ cup hot water and sliced
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup all-purpose cream
• 2 tablespoons mushroom water (liquid used to rehydrate dried mushrooms)
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh sage, chopped
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and white pepper to taste
• fresh sage leaves and basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Method

1 Melt butter in a medium saucepas. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add fresh mushrooms and cook over high heat until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add dried mushrooms and cook for another minute.

2 Add walnuts and mix well. Pour in cream and mushmoom water, and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the fresh basil, sage, and Parmesan cheese. Cook for another minute. Season to taste with salt and white pepper; cook for 1 more minute. Garnish with basil and sage leaves, if desired.

Malunggay Pesto

Increase your intake of this local super-food through this delicious, easy-to-make pesto. It's great for gift-giving, too!

Serves 3 to 4
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Noodles to Match angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti

Ingredients

• ½ cup malunggay leaves, washed and dried
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped roasted cashew nuts or toasted pine nuts
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• malunggay leaves for garnish (optional)

Method

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with malunggay leaves, if desired.

Chicken and Broccoli with Gorgonzola Sauce

Gorgonzola cheese adds a decadent twist to your ordinary cream sauce.

Serves 4
Preparation Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time 18 to 20 minutes
Noodles to Match bowtie, penne, rigatoni, shell (conchiglie), spiral

Ingredients

• 4 deboned and skinless chicken breast halves
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1½ tablespoons butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup diced Gorgonzola cheese
• ¾ cup broccoli, cut into florets and blached
• 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• sugar and white pepper to taste

Method

1 Lightly season chicken with salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron pan or griddle. Cooki chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until fully cooked. Slice into cubes and set aside.

2 In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add cream and Gorgonzola cheese. Stir until smooth and cheese has melted. Add the cooked broccoli florets and basil. Season with salt, sugar, and white pepper. Mix well.

Roasted Squash and Brown Butter Sauce

The nuttiness of brown butter is the highlight of this dish. It pairs well with the subtle sweetness of roasted squash.

Serves 2 to 3
Preparation Time 25 minutes
Cooking Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 500 grams squash, peeled, deseeded, and sliced into 1⁄2-inch cubes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground hazelnuts or walnuts
• 2 tablespoon heavy cream
• 4 sage or basil leaves, chopped into thin strips
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150 grams angel hair spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method

1 In a heatproof dish, drizzle olive oil over squash. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Roast until tender in a turbo broiler, set at 175°C for 40 minutes; stir halfway through cooking. Set aside.

2 In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add nuts and continue cooking until butter is golden brown. Add the heavy cream and sage and cook for a few seconds. Add the roasted squash and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3 Toss in noodles and transfer to a serving dish. Top with dried cranberries and grated Parmesan cheese.