Rarotonga -Best Fresh Produce- A Wee Gem

I  have my cooking Mojo back. I have been swanning about on the coat tails of

Dan and various restaurants but the now the call of the kitchen and the budget!

Has brought me back.

Yesterday I made two excellent dishes worth repeating.

These dishes were compiled with the ingredients on hand.

Dan left some Pantry and  Fridge items, along with a little shopping I had done.

So it was a take on “Pasta Cabonara” for lunch

And Tuna Fish Cakes for dinner

But first let me introduce you to Brenda and Craig, our next door neighbours here at The Cooks Oasis

They like us, love Rarotonga and have visited at least 6 times.

The difference is, that they come all the way from Toronto.

That’s love for you

So I prepared the fish cakes earlier in the day. Giving the ingredients time to meld

2 Tuna steaks

1 tablespoon of finely chopped Green Capsicum

1 tablespoon chopped Dill

½ red onion finely chopped

1 birds eye chili chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg white

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Just blend together, using your hand to get a good mix

Set aside and chill for a few hours

Heat a pan

Add olive oil

Dopple in the fishcake mixture

And fry each side, till just golden brown

A little lemon squeezed over the top

Quick grind of Salt and pepper

Dinner Done

While I cook Dale is watching Jamie Oliver cooking Italian

They really have the best produce here in Rarotonga.

It is not hard to make gorgeous food.

So here is My Pasta

As I had an egg yolk leftover, 

I decided to let it emulsify the sauce with it 

adding a little Feta cheese for extra flavour

This was so good.

When I make it again I will add some of the lovely fresh herbs grown here on the island

Quite simple, So So Simple in fact

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic smashed with some sea salt

2 little birds eye Chilis, topped and left whole

‘We have come to feed Caesar, not to kill his taste buds”, Apologies to you know who

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large tomato chopped

1 egg yolk

50 gms Feta cheese

Knob of butter

2 cups Penne cooked to Manufacturers instructions in salted boiling water

Gently heat oil in pan

Add garlic and chilies and let them cook slowly to infuse the oil with all their delicious flavours

After about 10 minutes

Add lemon zest, tomatoes

Toss around

Season with Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add cooked Pasta

Toss

Meanwhile beat egg yolk,

crumble in the feta cheese

Mix and add to the pan

Toss

This would be the time to add some freshly torn basil

It would look much prettier

Serve

The bonus of tthe small kitchen

Dinner dishes

Who would complain about unloading this dishwasher?