Spicy Italian Sausage Sauce with Penne

This is a variation on the traditional marinara pasta sauce, as it has the addition of hot Italian turkey sausages, and an abundance of colorful vegetables. The sweetness of the carrots and yellow pepper combines wonderfully with the hot peppery sausage.

You can use pork or turkey sausage, and both taste great. We chose turkey as it is the healthier option with less calories.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

• 3 hot Italian sausages, skinned and sliced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3-4 small carrots, diced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1/2 small yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 tablespoons red wine
• 1 can chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste
• basil leaves for garnish (optional)
• 8 oz dried penne

Method

1. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the crushed garlic. Add the tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaves, and red wine and bring to boil. Cook for 2 minutes at high heat. Reduce the heat and stir in the tomato paste, salt and pepper.
2. Simmer the sauce for a further 6 minutes, then remove from the heat.
3. Meanwhile, heat a pan of boiling water for the pasta, and add the dried penne. Cook according to the instructions (about 10 minutes for al dente).

4. Skin the sausages, and cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Heat the sausages in a pan, adding a little water, if necessary - no oil is usually needed with Italian sausages. Cook for 5-6 minutes.

5. Add the chopped onion, carrot, bell pepper and celery to the pan and cook with the sausage meat for a further 5 minutes - 6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

6. Add the marinara sauce to the sausage and vegetable mixture, and heat through.

7. When the pasta is cooked drain, and add to the sauce mixture.

8. Serve immediately, and garnish with the fresh basil leaves.

Gourmet Fusion's Mediterranean Diet

We at Gourmet Fusion have long been advocates of the Mediterranean diet - mainly because we love Mediterranean food, and most of the meals we cook at home have a Mediterranean influence. We also carry several types of virgin and extra virgin olive oil in the Gourmet Fusion store, and oil and vinegar dressings are always the first choice on our salads.

Many of us have read of the benefits of a diet rich in olive oil, whole grains, fish and fruit, because of its low cholesterol and benefit to a healthy heart, but a new study finds that such a diet may also protect aging brains from damage linked to cognitive problems.

The latest study was carried out at Columbia University Medical Center, New york City, and all of the participants, who averaged 80 years old, had no history of strokes, and had MRIs to look for brain infarcts - that is, tissues that have died because of reduced or cut-off blood supply (these infarcts are in fact strokes, but are so small that they escape notice).

The participants were divided into three groups - those who followed the the diet to a high degree, those who followed to a moderate extent, and those who followed very little at all during the previous six years. The people who strictly adhered to the Mediterranean diet had a 36 percent reduced risk of stroke compared with those who followed in the least.

Other studies have already found that this type of diet also lowers the risk for depression, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's and premature death, and as it tastes so good anyway, it is probably something we should all consider including as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Lobster Cocktail

I recently read a survey that said 79 percent of American people believe that Valentine's Day is romantic because they eat special food that they have prepared for, or with, someone special. It also found that 65 percent of those questioned were planning to celebrate Valentine's Day by cooking and sharing a romantic evening at home this year, rather than going out to eat in a restaurant.

With that in mind, I thought I would share this recipe that I have made many times over the years for special occasions, and its elegant simplicity has never failed to impress and delight our guests. The recipe uses lobster, which is expensive, and may be difficult to obtain in some areas, so the lobster could be replaced with large shrimp (fresh or frozen) with equally good results.

Ingredients

• 1 lobster (about 1 1/2 lbs), boiled
• 1 lettuce heart
• 4oz mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon cognac, or brandy
• 2 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
• generous pinch of ground ginger
• 12-15 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• salt to taste
• 4 slices lime
• 4 black olives

Method

1. Shell and slice the lobster.
2. Arrange the lettuce leaves in four glasses and top with the lobster slices.
3. Beat the mayonnaise with the tomato puree, cognac or brandy, and lime or lemon juice.
4. Season with ginger, Tabasco, paprika and salt.
5. Stir in half the whipped cream.
6. Pour the dressing over the lobster and garnish with the remaining cream, the lime and the olive.

To make sure this cocktail is a winner, choose to serve it in tall, elegant glasses.

You can prepare these cocktails ahead of time, and refrigerate for up to an hour, then simply add the remaining cream and garnishes just before serving.

To make the evening really special serve with champagne, or a dry white wine, and melba toasts or crispy bread.

This recipe, along with many other delicious shellfish recipes and cooking tips can be found in the amazing book, Shellfish, by award winning chef Anton Mosimann.

Strawberries at Little Italy's Mercato

One of the great things about living in San Diego's beautiful climate is that strawberry season starts at the end of January. How awesome is that? As Gourmet Fusion is a vendor at the local farmers' markets on Saturdays and Sundays, this means we have first pick of the freshest, tastiest food San Diego County has to offer.

At the Little Italy Mercato on Date Street, Kawano Farms of Oceanside is selling these juicy, field-fresh strawberries every Saturday morning. They are great to use in smoothies, desserts or just to snack on, and as well as their amazing taste, strawberries are full of goodness too, falling into the category of foods known as "super foods".

If you are looking for a yummy snack on super bowl Sunday, why not try this favorite that we published in our blog some time ago, but that proved to be so popular it is worth mentioning again.

This recipe is from "The Deen Brothers Cookbook", who if you didn't know, are Jamie and Bobby Deen, the sons of the Food Network's Paula Deen.

This simple, yet wonderful recipe, makes use of the abundant strawberries at the farmers market (or supermarket) right now.

They make an elegant looking dessert as part of a buffet, or can be served at a fancy brunch or as part of a cheese tray.

Ingredients

• 32 whole large strawberries, hulled
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Method

1. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut sides down, on a serving platter. Carefully, cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms. Fan the wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The Little Italy Mercato takes place every Saturday between 9 am and 1:30 pm on Date Street, San Diego, between India and Union Street.

Healthy Green Tea at the Gourmet Fusion Store

At Gourmet Fusion we love green tea, as not only is it a great pick me up in the middle of the afternoon, it is also now very well known for its anti-oxidant properties.

Today I saw a report that the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has published research showing that green tea could be beneficial in the treatment of uterine fibroids. The research carried out at Meharry Medical College in Nashville has shown that green tea extract can eradicate fibroid lesions in lab animals, and shows great promise as a treatment in humans.

Clinical trials will begin soon, and we hope that they prove successful, as this could lead to the self-treatment and self-management of this condition by millions of women.

Gourmet Fusion carries four types of green tea in its Leaping Lotus store in Solana Beach, and also online.

Jasmine Petal, our most popular tea, is available as a loose leaf tea in a cylinder, and also in biodegradable tea sachets.

Our other green teas - Orange Sencha, Tropical Goji Green, and Tamayokucha Extremely Green Tea are all available in biodegradable tea sachets.

We also carry some of these teas in a convenient tea traveller size, ideal for those on the go.

All have a slightly different flavor, but all have a great taste. Why not try them all and see which you like best?

More Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries are always on the top of everyone's list when we think of super foods, and they are a great antioxidant, but recent research has shown yet another benefit.

According to the findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, blueberries may be associated with improved learning and word recall, and may be of potential benefit to older adults at risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

We love blueberries and always use them as a topping for cereal at breakfast time, and they make a colorful addition to fruit salad. If you cannot find fresh blueberries, benefit can also be obtained from frozen blueberries, and preserves, such as Gourmet Fusion's organic blueberry preserve from Spain that can be found in the Gourmet Fusion store at the Leaping Lotus, Solana Beach.

Gourmet Fusion Goes to the Cats!

Everyone who knows the Gourmet Fusion store knows that we have a very popular line of ceramic products featuring the mischievous Cattitude cats, and many of our dish towels feature cats, too.

Knowing that many of our customers are cat lovers, we couldn't miss the opportunity to meet with them at the Cat Fanciers' Show when we heard it was being held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar this weekend.

We will be there with all our cat favorites, plus some of our regular kitchen products to join in the fun and games. We will also be giving samples of some of our most popular teas and coffee.

If you don't know what the Cat Fanciers' show is, it is a "best in show" for cats. At the Del Mar show more than 30 breeds of cats will be represented, and there is also a class for Household Pets. This is the first time we have been part of this show, and we are really excited about it.

The event is taking place on Saturday 23 / Sunday 24 January at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, CA 92014.

The show is open between 10 am and 5 pm both days, and costs $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for children. More information can be found at the website of the Del Mar Fairgrounds.