Is there any basic set of recipes that can be adapted to various ingredients?

Question

I have not the time or the money to go out and by various specific little items, i would like to know some basic and tasty recipes that i can adapt depending on what ingredients i have availible

Answer 1

Noodles/Pasta
Meat
Sauce
Cheese

Brown the meat, boil the pasta, stir together with the sauce, place in a casserole dish, cover with cheese, and pop in the oven till the cheese is melted. I've done it on many occasions. You can also add whatever you like to the mix. This recipe is applicable to any type of whatevers mentioned above. Just use your imagination.

Answer 2

Make a bechamel sauce and then you can use it for:

- Tuna mornay by adding tuna, corn and cheese
- cheesy macaroni by adding cooked macaroni, tasty cheese and parmesan
- creamy pasta sauce by adding pasta of choice and bacon/mushrooms/sundried tomatoes - whatever takes your fancy
- White wine sauce by adding white wine and pouring over steak and veges.
- casserole by adding precooked veges and chicken and sticking it in the oven for a while.
- Cauliflower cheese sauce by adding any cheese and pouring it over cauliflower then cooking in the oven.

Bechamel sauce is very easy...

Melt about 2 table spoons of butter, add 1/4 cup of plain flour, cook slightly, then add about 2 cups of milk and stir over heat until thickened. If it is too thick add more milk. If not thick enough add some parmesan cheese.

Answer 3

Fried rice; you can add any ingredients you want. It can be vegetarian, seafood, meat, whatever leftovers you have, etc...

Likewise with pasta and basic tomato based sauce; you can add whatever you fancy to the sauce.

Answer 4

Stir fries.

Meat, veggies, spices. chop em up, toss em in a pan with a little oil or butter.

You can make them asian, latin, southern, middle eastern, whatever.

Serve with rice or noodles or potatoes, on a bun, etc.

Answer 5

Here are some recipes for salad dressings which you may apply to various vegetables, eg. cucumber, lettuces, tomato, celery, ..etc,

<<<< Olive oil Dressing >>>>>>

2 tablespoons extra vrigin olive oil
1 tablespoons of sesame oil / hazelnut oil (optional)
2 gloves of garlic, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 juice of fresh lemon
1 tablespoon of sugar (adjust the sweeteness)
black pepper to taste

(Yield salad dressing for 4 portions)

1) mix oil, vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice in a big bowl, add sugar to adjust the taste.
2) Add sesame oil / hazal nut oil and freshly grounded black pepper in the vinegar mixture. (if you add garlic in this recipe, soak the garlic in olive oil for about 30 minutes before you mix it with other ingredients)

<<<<< Green apples, raisin, peaches Salad >>>>

2 green apples, cut into bite size
1 big canned peaches, drain well, cut into bite size
5 tablespoons raisin
2 mangoes, cut into bite size
butter lettuce, separate leaves
some fresh blueberries (optional, as garnish)

Mango dressing
1 mango, chopped
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
2 tablespoon canned peaches syrupy
lemon / lime juice

1) Put all ingredients of mango dressing in a blender or food processer, blend till smooth, adjust taste with lemon juice and peaches syrupy.
2) Mix mango, green apple, raisin, peach cubes with mango dressing, gently toss to combine.
3) Put lettuce leaves in the salad bowl, pour fruit mixture on the leaves, sprinkle blueberries on top. Chill for at least 2 hours.
4) Serve with vegetable sticks (celery, carrot, cabbage)

<<<<<< Papaya, Cucumber, Walnut salad >>>> Serves 2

1 papaya, seeded, skined, cut into big cubes
1 cucumber, cut into cubes
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
2 stalk of celery, cut into bite size
some roasted walnuts

Red wine vinegar dressing
1 tablespoon of extra vrigin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed (optional)
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/2 zest of lime
1 teaspoon of sugar
a few drops of lime juice (adjust the taste)

1) Mix papaya, onion, cucumber, celery in a salad bowl, then pour dressing on salad (right before you serve), sprinkle roasted walnut on top.

<<<<<< Pan-fried Salmon filet>>>>>>> Serves 1

(You may adapt this cooking method on any other white fish)

1 inch thick Salmon filet
1 glove of garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon of olive oil or cooking oil
1 tablespoon of white wine or sherry
garlic powder
white pepper, freshly grounded
salt
lemon juice

1) Sprinkle garlic powder, white pepper and salt on both sides of the salmon, marinate for 10 minutes.
2) Heat some oil over medium heat, stir fry some garlic slices to make a fragrance, add salmon to the pan, pour 1 tablespoon white wine in the pan, fry each side for about 2 minutes, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the cooked salmon.
3) Turn off heat, serve salmon with mayo or tartar sauce.

<<<<< Pan-fried cube steak >>>>> Serves 1

1 inch thick prime steak
garlic, sliced thinly (a few fresh cloves)
salt & black pepper
red wine or sherry (around 2 tablespoons)
fat (from the steak)
butter + olive oil

1) sprinkle some sea salt on cube steak right before you start cooking, set aside
2) heat fat on frying pan over very low heat till the fat turned golden and you got oil on your pan.
3) Add olive oil and butter on the frying pan with garlic slices, turn heat to medium, stir fry for a while till garlic slices are golden in colour.
4) Add cube steak in pan, fry both sides for 1 minute, add red wine, stir fry the steak till how you like it to be done.(I like medium rare). Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper.

(You may adapt this recipe to lamb chops then serve it with mint jelly)

If you want to try some basis Chinese recipes you may contact me via YM

Cheers! Happy cooking!