Ingredients

Porcini mushroom 5 gm

Button mushroom 50 gm

Oyster mushroom 30 gm

Garlic, chopped 1 tsp

Onion, brunoise 1 tbsp

Parmesan cheese, grated 30 gm

Cream 60 ml

Penne pasta 100 gm

Olive oil 1 tbsp

Salted water 500 ml

Method

Soak porcini mushroom in a cup of hot water to hydrate for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid using a fine strainer.

Wash all the mushrooms under running water, pat dry.

Heat olive oil in a pan, and add the onion and garlic.

Add porcini mushroom and sauté over high flame; continue adding the oyster mushroom and sauté till golden brown. Set aside.

In the same pan, sauté the button mushroom over high heat and season. Mix the mushrooms and set aside. Add cream and cook for 3-5 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. It should taste like sea water.

Add the penne pasta and cook till al dente (to the bite).

Toss the pasta in wild mushroom sauce, add parmesan and mix. To adjust consistency, add a touch of pasta water, if required. Check seasoning and serve hot, garnished with Parmesan flakes and thyme sprigs.

Pan-Fried Sea Bream with Asian Vierge Sauce

Serves: 2

Ingredients

Sea bream fillet, skin on 220 gm

Tarragon sprig, chopped 2 gm

Salt to taste

White pepper to taste

For Asian vierge sauce:

Olive oil 6 tsp

Garlic clove, lightly toasted ½ tsp

Ginger, finely grated 2 ½ cm

Tomato, peeled, chopped 4 pc

Sambal olek 1 tsp

Lemon juice 2 tbsp

Parsley flat leaf, chopped 1 tbsp

Mint, chopped 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Method

Marinate sea bream with salt, pepper and tarragon.

Heat a pan and sear the sea bream skin side till golden brown, flip and finish with a touch of butter.

For Asian vierge sauce: Heat pan over medium flame. Add olive oil and sauté ginger and garlic for a minute.

Add tomato and cook for 3-4 minutes until they soften.

Add sambal olek, lemon juice, parsley and mint. Season to taste and serve.

Baked macaroni in Mushroom, fava bean, cherry tomato and creamy cheddar cheese sauce 


Serves: 2

Ingredients

Macaroni, cooked, drained 120 gm

Cheddar cheese, grated 30 gm

Spinach leaf 100 gm

Fava bean 20 gm

Cream 60 ml

Tomato 20 gm

Sea salt 5 gm

Pepper 3 gm

Mushroom, quartered 50 gm

Olive oil 10 ml

Cherry tomato, quartered 10 gm

Method

Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté the quartered mushroom and cherry tomato, and fava bean. Season with salt and pepper.

Add cream in the same pan and allow it to reduce a bit. Stir in the spinach leaves and allow it to wilt.

Continue adding the macaroni and toss to coat. Check for seasoning.

Place in a bowl and spread generously with grated cheese. Bake it in an oven pre-heated to 180°C for 3-4 minutes.

Serve hot.

Rajiv Ranjan
Sous Chef, Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments, Bur Dubai