Pasta with Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Fresh Herbs

I have been cooking pasta for about ten years now. I font even remember how it used to taste like but I probably can not even eat the first pasta I ever cooked. After all we are not all born gifted. Although, pasta is a simple dish to cook in my opinion it is tricky to male one. I manage to get some clues from the itallian fair on how to cook the dry pasta. Apparently for all those years I have been over cooking the pasta and it turns if it is cooked al dente pasta would be more delicious and al dente is also good for your digestive system. You want to have a big pan preferably tall one especially if you are making spaghetti with loads of water to cook the pasta. The pasta should be able to move freely in the pot. You don't want to put oil into the pasta water but you want to add some salt into the water. Also another common mistake is not waiting for the water to boil perfectly. You want the cook the pasta in a boiling  water not hot or warm water. Now I don't want to mislead with saying that I boil my pasta for 5 - 8 mins because there is so many different pasta varieties out there and I don't think I am an authority to make a generalisation on that but I would say make sure it is al dente check the instructions on the pasta package if necessary and taste your pasta to check whether it is done.

Tips for cooking the dry pasta:

• use a big pot
• add good amount of water check the packaging of the pasta for instructions
• do not add oil to the boiling water
• add salt before adding dry pasta
• cook the pasta al dente 

Pasta

I was searching on the web for a good mushroom sauce. Most of them are using bacon in the sauce so i decided to add a meaty flavor which in my opinion can be added with using asparagus. And this recipe turned out to be very chili i don't think Italians would appreciate spicy pasta:) The  Crème fraiche  was very sour so to mask its taste i had to add a strong flavor. I would use double cream instead as a sauce.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Asparagus

Ingredients : (2 serving ) 

• Dry spagetti for two (from the instructions on the package split the pasta)
• 4 button mushrooms
• 5 chestnut mushrooms
• 8 asparagus tips
• 1 spanish onion
• 3 garlic cloves 
• 3 tbsp olive oil<\li>
• 125 ml crème fraiche (i would use single or double cream instead  crème fraiche  was very sour)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (optional)
• 1 bird eye chili (optional)
• salt for taste 
• 15 grams of fresh dill for garnish
• 15 grams of fresh  flat leaf parsley for garnish

Reci. pe:

1. put 1 LT water to a large Pam and bring it to boil 
2. chop the mushrooms and dice the onions 
3. wash and finely chop the dill and parsley and set aside 
4. add the olive oil and onions to a nonstick pot, stir and cook until they are brown
5. add the mushrooms and let it cook until the mushrooms loose their juice 
6. when the water started the boil add some salt and the dry pasta with the help of a fork twist the pasta into the water
7. let it cook for 5-8 mins and check it to see if it is done you want it to be cooked al dente 
8. drain the pasta and set aside
9. add the cremè   fraiche  or double cream to the mushrooms  and let it boil for 3-5 minutes 
10. add black peppers and chili to  the sauce
11. add the pasta into the mushroom sauce and mix let it boil with the sauce for 15 -30 seconds 
12. boil or steam asparagus until tender, i boiled them for 2-3 mins
13. serve the pasta in mushroom sauce and place asparagus on top and sprinkle some  dill and parsley

Ingredients chestnut mushrooms, button mushrooms, asparagus, crème fraiche, onion, garlic, dill, flat leaf parsley

Creamy Mushroom Soup

It is a grey and gloomy day here in London, so are the pictures in this post. Mushrooms are a big part of my diet especially chestnut and portobello mushrooms are the ones that I use probably the most. But shitake mushrooms are my favorite in terms of taste and texture. I used to make this soup with shitake mushrooms back in States as they were available in local grocery store all year long. But they are harder to find in London at least in my local grocery store. So I used button and oyster mushrooms instead. It is a very tasty soup and I highly recommend you to try this recipe if you are a mushroom fan like myself. I have been making this soup since 2008 and the recipe is originated from the blog called Ev cini.

Oyster mushrooms, button mushroom, Spanish onion

Chopped onions and mushrooms sizzling with olive oil

Mushroom soup with toasted bread 

Ingredients (4 serving):

• 10 button mushrooms
• 12 oyster mushrooms
• 500 grams of warm/room temperature milk
• 500 grams of warm water
• 4 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 tbsp flour (i used self raising)
• 1 medium size spanish onion 
• 1/2  tsp freshly grounded black pepper

Recipe

1. Finely chop the onions
2. Chop the mushrooms in small sizes 
3. In a non-stick pan/pot caramelise the  onions with 2 tbsp olive oil 
4. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan 
5. Let them cook until the mushroom juice is evaporated (at this point mushrooms should be more brownish and much smaller in size)
6. Take the cooked mixture out of the pan
7. To an empty pan (i recommend non-stick again) add 2 tbsp olive oil and 4 tbsp flour
8. Cook it in low by stirring until the flour looks tanned
9. Add the cooked mushroom and onion mixture to the pan with flour 
10. Add the black pepper and keep stirring
11. Add the milk slowly to the pan and stir heavily, bring the stove to boil
12. Add the  warm water
13. When the soup is boiled serve it to the bowls and add some chopped parsley on top