Bacon Asparagus Pasta

     This amazingly colourful dish would be a GREAT dinner idea and we are thinking maybe something we should be making for our families tonight. What better way to fool the kids into eating vegetables than with something so pretty when on a plate combined with pasta and BACON! Who could resist a little bacon... I know we at Perfect Pans couldn't. If you want to bring this dish to the next level you could always swap out bacon for pancetta. We found this dish on our Twitter  feed from Gimmesomeoven and thought our fans would love it! Enjoy this dish and share it on our new recipe app.

     

Bacon Asparagus Pasta

Ready in 20 minutes
Serves 3-4

Ingredients

250g uncooked pasta (I used linguine)
8 strips uncooked bacon or pancetta, diced
250g fresh asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
120ml cup dry white wine
32g grated or flaked Parmesan cheese

Method

Cook the pasta in a Large Crafond or Castey Vulcano Stock Pot of salted water al dente according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, add bacon to a Crafond Sauté pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add asparagus to the pan and sauté in the bacon grease for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon, and set aside with the bacon. Slowly add the white wine to the pan, and gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon to de-glaze the pan and pick up all of those yummy brown bits. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by about half.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it. Then add the pasta, asparagus, bacon and 1/4 of the Parmesan cheese to the sauté pan, and toss until combined. Sprinkle pasta with the remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Chana Masala Recipe

End of summer Recipe from Perfect Pans

It's been a while since Perfect Pans did a Blog posting as our summer was very busy with several shows. We want to thank everyone who came out to see us and to let you know that our Autumn and Winter show schedule is just as busy and exciting!
 
To see if we will be doing our demonstrations at an exhibition near you, check out our show calendar located here :
PERFECT PANS SHOW SCHEDULE
  
 
We were in the mood for Indian Cuisine tonight so we went for making Chana Masala, a classic Indian dish of chickpeas slow-simmered with onions, tomatoes and spices. Adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey, this is delicately spiced bright orange Chana Masala is delicious topped with cooling yogurt or Cumin Seed Crème Fraîche. This recipe requires many different ingredients most which can be purchased at your local supermarket, but to make it authentic you may need to try your local Indian food store.
 
We will be having  it over white rice and with some Coriander Naan on the side.

Yum Yum, hope you enjoy!

Chana Masala
Serves 8

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chili pepper, minced
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp amchoor powder (if you can't find this you can use extra lemon juice)
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and ground
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
15-ounce can whole tomatoes with their juices, chopped small
2/3 cup water
4 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
6-8 kari leaves for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a Crafond or Perfect Pans Sauté (we recommend 28 cm or even 32 cm depending on how many you are feeding.)

 
Add onion, garlic, ginger and pepper and sauté over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to medium-low and add the coriander, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, cumin seeds, amchoor, paprika and garam masala.
 
Cook the onion mixture with spices for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and any accumulated juices, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the water and chickpeas. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then stir in salt and lemon juice.
 
Cover and keep on low heat until ready to serve with a garnish of fresh kari leaves.

Toasted Cumin Seed Crème Fraîche
Makes 1 cup

1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 cup Greek yogurt or crème fraîche
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Place the cumin in a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast until lightly golden brown. Place in spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until coarse. Stir it into the yogurt and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

 

 

Goats Cheese Skillet Gnocchi and Spicy Three-Cheese Cauliflower

Tea Time with Perfect Pans!
After a long day we wanted something quick that the whole family would love. Feel Free to let us know what you'd like us to cook for you next!

 

Goats Cheese Skillet Gnocchi and Cauliflower Cheese

Ingredients

1.      1 package pre-made gnocchi

2.      1 can tomato (peeled)

3.      2 teaspoons oregano

4.      3 tablespoons olive oil

5.      1 tablespoon parmesan

6.      3 tablespoon goat cheese

8.      1/2 cup fresh cherry tomatoes

Instructions

1.      Chop the cherry tomatoes. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a Non-stick Crafond frying pan, add the garlic thinly cut. After a couple of minutes add the fresh tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes.

2.      Add one can of tomatoes, stir and season with salt. Cook for 5 minutes more.

3.      Put the gnocchi in the pan. Drizzle over the goat cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.

4.      Gnocchi must be completely covered in sauce. Let them cook for 6-8 minutes. Finish with oregano and a sprinkling of finely grated parmesan.

 

Three Cheese Spicy Cauliflower Cheese

 

 

•     1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• Sea Salt/Pepper
• 3 tbl butter
• 2 tbl flour
• 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
• 1 cup milk at room temperature
• 1/2 pound Pepper jack cheese cut in small cubes
• 1 1/2 cup (divided) grated asiago (or parmesan)
• 6 ounces goat cheese, cut into small pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup sliced green onions and tops (reserve ¼ cup for garnish)

 

1. Place cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet. Coat with salt and pepper and toss and cover well on all pieces. 
2. Place in pre-heated 200 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Turn to grill for the last 5 minutes to get the pieces golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.  Over medium heat in a Crafond Elite Sauté pan, melt the butter.  Blend in the flour making a paste and cook, stirring so as not to burn, for about 5 minutes. Slowly add in heavy cream stirring and blending.  Do the same with the milk.  Reduce heat to low and add the cheeses (1 cup of the asiago) stirring and allowing it all to melt. 
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the roasted cauliflower and green onions to the creamy cheese mixture and blend well.
6. Place Crafond Sauté in oven to bake making sure to remove the detachable handle for 20 minutes in a preheated 180 degree oven or until the top is golden brown. 
7. Allow to rest about 10 minutes before serving.  (Now the longer you let it sit, the thicker the sauce becomes!)  Garnish with grated cheese and fresh green onions.

 

 

Sweet potato Extravaganza!

We have been looking for yummy alternatives to eating starchy potatoes and I think we have found our favourite! Sweet potatoes! Not only are they sweet, yummy and versatile, but they contain MANY vitamins, like Iron, B6 vitamin C, Vitamin D, potassium and magnesium.  Check out two recipes we have tried recently and LOVE. 

Sweet Potato Dauphinoise 

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. butter

500g sweet potatoes (orange fleshed)

500g Maris Piper potatoes

200 g half and half cream, more if needed

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. fresh thyme

black pepper to taste

Fresh grating of nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 Celsius . 

Pre oil with Sunflower or Rapeseed oil your Twin Handled Casserole Pan 

Wash, peel and slice potatoes. Layer potatoes into the pan alternating sweet and baking potatoes.

In a Sauce Pan add the rest of the ingredients and bring up to a boil. 

Pour over the potatoes. 

Dot the top with the remaining butter. Cover with lid and bake for 40 min.

Remove the lid and if the potatoes are dry add a small amount of cream drizzled on top if necessary. 

Continue to bake uncovered for 25 min. Cool slightly and serve.

Sweet Potato Orzo with Scallops

3 Tbsp butter

2 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

43G finely chopped shallot

2 cloves garlic, minced

250g Orzo

1 Tsp chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper

32G shredded Parmesan cheese

500G pound sea scallops, muscle removed

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot

1 garlic clove, minced

32G cup dry white wine

43G cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp chopped  toasted pecans

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Bring a Perfect Pot of salted water to boil and cook the orzo until al dente. 

Reserve 100 mL cooking water and drain.

While orzo is cooking, melt 3 Tbsp of butter in a Braise Pan or over medium heat. 

Add sweet potato and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add shallot and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until shallot is golden brown. 

Add garlic and thyme and cook until sweet potato is completely tender, about 2 more minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir cooked orzo, parmesan cheese, and reserved water into Saute Pan. Place lid on and keep warm.

Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. 

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a Saute Pan over medium heat. 

Add scallops and cook until browned on both sides and barely cooked through, approximately 1 1/2 minutes per side. 

Transfer to a plate.

Stir shallot and garlic into the remaining liquid in the skillet and add wine. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.

To serve, portion the orzo on 4 plates and top with scallops and sauce. Sprinkle with pecans and parsley.

Strawberry Angel Food Cake in a PERFECT PAN!

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 1 cup liquid egg whites

• 1 tsp cream of tartar

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 cup flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tsp almond extract

• sliced strawberries




 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180C

• Whip egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl using a mixer or a Novawhisk

• Add in sugar, a few tbsp at a time

• Add salt, and extract

• When firm peaks form (like a liquid marshmallow) stop mixing

• Sift in flour, 1/3 at a time, folding to combine

• Pour into freshley seasonsed Crafond Saute or Twin Handled Casserole Pan

• Top with sliced strawberries

• Bake for 25-35 minutes or until edges are golden brown

Garden Vegetable Pasta Bake

Yield: serves 4-6
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes


Perfect meal with our 2-Piece Set currently on sale for £125.00 click here!

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pasta, like rigatoni
1 zucchini, chopped
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, chopped
2 ears of fresh corn, cut off the cob
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 ounces freshly grated provolone cheese
fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare water for pasta and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta to cook. Drain when finished.
While pasta is cooking, heat a Crafond or Diamond Line Saute' Pan Add in olive oil, then add in onions, zucchini, corn and tomatoes with salt and pepper, stirring to coat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally, while softened.
While pasta and vegetables are cooking, heat a small saucepan oven medium heat. Add in butter and whisk constantly, stirring until bubbly and brown bits appear on the bottom, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Turn off heat under vegetables and add in pasta. Drizzle in brown butter and add in parmesan, stirring well to coat. Top with provolone, the place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, just until cheese is melted. Remove and serve immediately, garnishing with parsley and extra cheese if desired.

 

 

 

Company Review - Meals in Fields

Good day everyone, hope you are all keeping warm and dry! Good news, summer is on the way... FINALLY!

We wanted to do something different this week and give a review on a really great company that was recommended to us at a show. The company, Meals in Fields, not only lured us in with their interesting name, but pleasantly surprised us by their beautiful website and unique services.

After taking a good look through the site we fell in love. The real meat and potatoes of Meals in Fields, is that they want to provide a comprehensive directory for our camper, caravan, boating, rambler, and hiker community, with recommendations on where to stay, shop and dine whilst out and about in the UK.
The site contains so many features, but the one that we really loved was the online cookbook. The recipes were perfect for caravans, campers, and boaters as many were one pot dishes and were mindful that there is little space in a caravan or boating kitchen. Many of the recipes offered would be perfect for use with one of our Castey Plancha plates or Crafond Saute Pans as they are so versatile and because of their non-stick, the pans are able to be cleaned easily.
Another great thing about this cookbook is that the dishes are based on local ingredients from the retailers and farm shops nearest you. They even have a directory of all the farm shops per county and if a farm shop isn’t listed you can request to add it to their directory.

Needless to say we really think Meals in Fields is a great company and recommend their directory and recipe book to all our customers as the perfect companion to our Perfect Pans.