Wednesday 27 January 2016

Penne in Creamy Saffron Sauce

Queen Cleopatra knew a thing or two about love magic. Before seeing her lovers she used to take long steamy baths scented with fragrant threads of saffron. She knew that they were filled with lust awakening properties and to this day she is known as one of the best lovers in history. Saffron's aphrodisiac properties are also confirmed by modern science. It's been proven not to only enhance one's libido but to also aid in reducing high blood pressure and respiratory problems. 
Saffron is the world's most expensive spice but it does not take too much of it to transform your dish and to give it that exotic, luxurious and unforgettable aroma. Only few aromatic threads are potent enough to elevate your meal and subsequently - your spirits in the bedroom. Cooking with saffron is that exciting foreplay filled with mystery, surprise and pleasant delights to come.

This pasta may very well become one of the most popular dishes in your repertoire. It's creamy, satisfying, unusual and exotic. Perfumed with floral notes of saffron, rich cream and the most surprising spice of them all - sweet vanilla. Garnished with invigorating lemon zest and chives that masterfully add another flavour nuance to this unforgettable dish. I like to add a couple of drops of rose water on the plate, around the pasta for another layer of floral aroma. It makes the dish that much more luxurious, striking and mysterious. It's like taking that once in a lifetime trip, a honeymoon where everything is about the adventure, lust and magical new discoveries. 

Ingredients: 

1 shallot, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, pinch of saffron threads, 1/2 cup heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups of Penne pasta, 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest and chives for garnish. 

Method: 

Boil water for your pasta. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and saffron and cook, until the shallot is softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste; increase the heat to medium high and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Reserve some pasta water, then drain the pasta and transfer to the skillet with the sauce. Add the reserved cooking water and half of the chives and toss to coat. Serve topped with the lemon zest, remaining chives.

Wednesday 6 January 2016

Chicken with Chili Peppers and Beans

Chili pepper is a powerful aphrodisiac. Its spicy and striking and it heats up your body almost immediately. First your lips touch the food prepared with chili peppers and they become warm, pulsating and inviting. Then your heart starts to beat faster and your chest, your neck and face get pleasantly flushed. Your sweat glands produce a dewy glow on your skin, your breath fastens... And that masterfully mimics how your body feels when you are sexually aroused. Your senses are heightened, your body is invigorated and the meal turns into a wild fantasy. The key is to allow yourself to be carried away by the fantasy and to experience it with all five of your senses. 



This dish is a perfect foreplay for your party for two or a party of self-indulgence. Juicy chicken, hearty beans, tomatoes and chorizo, basking in the glorious aroma of chilli peppers, zesty lime juice and exotic notes of ginger. Serve it with toasted bread for another layer of texture. Dip the crispy bread into the sauce and suckle on the flavourful spicy liquid. Feel that unforgettable spicy bite with your lips, let it caress your tongue, the back of your throat and your chest. And see what happens to your body. As your heartbeat fastens, as your skin becomes flushed, let your breath to be taken away and go with the fantasy. But before you go there, turn off your phone. Unless the fantasy is on the other end of the line.

Ingredients:

15 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 2 large onions, sliced, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 chorizo sausages, sliced in big chunks, 4 red peppers, cut into chunks, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 chicken stock cubes, 1 tsp of chili flakes, 2 tsp. dried oregano, 1 can of red kidney beans, a touch of ginger and juice of 1 lime. 

Method:

Preheat oven to F400. Fry the onions in the oil for 5 minutes until they become soft and start to colour. Add the chorizo and fry for a few minutes more. Stir in the peppers, then pour in the tomatoes, followed by a can of water, the stock cubes, chili and oregano. 

Arrange the chicken thighs on top of the sauce, pushing them under the liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover, then cook in the oven for 40 minutes. Add the beans, stir, then cook for 20 minutes more. Drizzle with lime juice and ginger. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve.