Penne Puttanesca

This is a slight variation on the classic. I find capers too salty on top of everything else, and opt to add capsicum instead.
 
Ingredients:
packet of penne pasta
1 capsicum, finely sliced
generous handful of kalamata olives
6 anchovy fillets
tin of crushed tomatoes
lots of garlic
lots of finely chopped continental parsley
slug of olive oil
salt and cracked pepper
parmasen to serve

Bring pasta water to the boil. While it's heating, fry up the garlic and anchovies in olive oil, add capsicum and olives and fry on high heat for a minute, then add tinned tomatoes and half the parsley and the salt and pepper, and simmer. Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and then add to sauce and stir through. Top with parmasen and devour with a glass of delicious red wine.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:
chicken fillet, sliced (can also be made with fish, seafood, or just vegies)
some vegies (broccoli, carrot, bok choy or mushrooms are all good)
packet of rice vermicelli noodles
500 ml of stock
splash of rice wine vinegar
splash of fish sauce
cinnamon stick
lemon grass (or a few strips of lemon rind)
star anise
chilli
ginger
coriander and spring onion

Utensils: bamboo steamer (cheap cheap cheap from asian supermarkets)

Place the stock, fish sauce, vinegar and spices in a wok on a high heat. Once hot add vermicelli. Place steamer on the wok with chicken and cover.  Leave on high heat about 5 mins, then add vegies. Steam another minute or two.

Pluck out spices from the liquid, and pour the soup and noodles into a bowl, and serve with chicken and vegies on top. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and spring onion.

Serves two.

* This recipe is delicious in its vegetarian incarnation, and is MOST delicious with jumbo prawns.