Barbecued Calamari Noodle Salad with Litchi Dressing

A gorgeous, light and healthy way of serving calamari without all the heavy lemon buttery stuff! The litchi’s add an incredible element to this dish! You will go back for more and more! This is a perfect starter as its light and fresh and you can stretch the calamari further!

250g dried flat rice noodles

1 can litchis, halved and 1 cup (250ml) syrup reserved

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

8 baby calamari (squid)  tubes, cut and scored

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup Thai basil leaves

1 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 cup Vietnamese mint leaves

1 cup spearmint leaves

2 cups (160g) bean sprouts

lime wedges, to serves

–       Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 6 minutes or until softened. Drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside.

–       Place the litchis and reserved litchi syrup, fish sauce, lime juice and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.

–       Place the squid, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to coat. Heat a char-grill pan or barbecue over high heat. Add the squid and cook for 30 seconds each side or until just cooked.

–       Place the noodles, basil, coriander, Vietnamese mint, spearmint, bean sprouts, and squid in a bowl and toss to combine.

–       Drizzle with the litchi dressing and serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4–6.

Recipe by Donna Hay

Open Mushroom and Shrimp Lasagne

Open Mushroom and Shrimp Lasagne – From the Taste Mag

This dish was responsible for diagnosing my seafood allergy. (BOOHOO!) It is the last seafood dish I made. But it’s a winner! I’d highly recommend it as a starter at a dinner party. I got this recipe from the Woolworths Taste Magazine.

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs butter, plus extra for greasing

3 cloves garlic, crushed

250g portobellini mushrooms, halved

3 baby roasting leeks, very finely chopped

200g shrimps (defrosted and patted dry)

12 sheets fresh lasagne (if you can make it yourself! big difference)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup good quality chicken stock (I use the Nomu liquid chicken stock)

1 cup cream

2 Tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

In a large pan over a medium heat, add the oil and butter and, when the latter has melted, fry the garlic, mushroom and leek until softened.

Toss in the shrimps and remove from the heat.

In the base of a greased 25cm round ovenproof dish, spread a bit of the veggie-shrimp mixture and cover with a layer of lasagne sheets.

Top with the remaining mixture, season to taste and pour over the cream and stock.

Scatter with parsley and both cheeses and bake for 25 mins, or until golden and bubbling.

Serves 4

 

Recipe from the Woolies Taste Magazine