Spaghetti with orange sauce and Dijon mustard

Spaghetti with orange and mustard .

It is perhaps the first recipe with mustard on the blog, and not because I do not use it, as it is usually a classic vinaigrette in many of my salads.

Mustard is a great resource, a homogeneous sauce made from seeds, salt, vinegar and different aromas.

Actually this mixture is a preparation, since the mustard as such refers to the small seeds, white or black and of very small size that are used as a spice.

If you have the opportunity to get them, do not hesitate to grate them to give a final touch to any of your dishes.

This is a recipe with a long Garofalo paste, the Spaguetti à Figliata perfect to grab the sauce well. Although it is a dish with a touch of improvisation, the truth is that my sister gave me in Nadal a jar with orange mustard and I thought that it could well work the other way around: orange with mustard, 2 ingredients that Monica had at home.

The base is the same as always, a sauce of garlic and onion but with an exotic touch of citrus and the spicy flavor of Dijon mustard.

I added the bacon and the chicken to give it a little more flavor and the result was very tasty.

The dish was a success, this is the “super power” of which we cook daily, being able to improvise a recipe from anything we find in the fridge.

I hope you like the recipe and that you try it at home, do not forget to accompany it with a good wine, better red, I assure you that everything was delicious.

Preparation of orange sauce with mustard

This sauce is a variation of an orange duck sauce with a hint of mustard.

The secret of the sauce is the reduction time and the balance of the mustard, you should not miss the point so that the sweet and citric flavor of the orange is not lost.

1. Chop the onions and garlic into very small pieces. Add extra virgin olive oil to the casserole and fry all over low heat for about 10 minutes until the onion is almost transparent.
2. We squeeze the oranges and heat a saucepan with its juice. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and let reduce for 12 minutes over medium-low heat.
3. When it starts to stay as syrup we add 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and mix the sauce well. Let it sit for two minutes before adding it to the meat.
4. Cut the bacon and the chicken breast into more or less equal pieces. Add it to the onion and garlic and brown for 2-3 minutes. We pour the orange sauce and raise the heat until it begins to boil. Let it reduce the sauce for about 10 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper if necessary, since it has bacon and is usually salty. We remove everything with a wooden spoon and lower the heat, 2 more minutes, stir again gently.
6. Once we have the sauce we reserve and then combine it with the spaghetti.

Preparation of spaghetti

1. The first step is to have the sauce ready before the pasta touches the water. Orange and mustard sauce should wait for spaghetti and not the other way around.
2. We heat in a saucepan a liter of water for every 100 g of pasta, it is the recommended measure per person, except if we are passionate about spaghetti at home (in this case, since we already had 2 other dishes, I only prepared one package).
3. These proportions, which are normally indicated on the packaging, help the paste not stick together. And always try to use a large casserole, the largest in your kitchen.
4. If you cook pasta many times it will be very useful to buy a casserole for those occasions, a good investment.
5. When it begins to boil in spurts we add 1 generous handful of salt, about 2 level tablespoons for every 500 grams of pasta.
6. Then we add the pasta, always all together. Stir with a wooden spoon so that the spaghetti does not stick and are loose.
7. On the back of the package of pasta comes the cooking time, we must be guided by these instructions because for each type it is different, in this case it is 9 minutes.
8. In this way we will achieve what is called pasta “al dente” or at its right point, that is, it does not pass. Once the time has elapsed, drain the pasta immediately and combine it with the sauce.

Presentation of the dish

1. Add the freshly made spaghetti to the sauce and mix everything with a spoon so that the flavors are well combined.
2. We decorate each plate with a little freshly ground black pepper and serve them warm. You will tell me …

If you do not want to miss a detail on how to prepare this recipe for spaghetti with orange and mustard cream . Click on the photos of the step by step.

I explain the different types of mustard

• Bordeaux or Bordeaux mustard: Made in the Bordeaux region, it is sweeter than the others because it is made with grape juice. Dark in color but mild in flavor, a mixture of vinegar and spices. It is ideal for dark and marinated sauces.
• Dijon mustard: Coming from the French region of Dijon, it is more yellowish than any other variety. It is the first type of mustard that was prepared as we currently eat it (in paste form). Its flavor is strong and somewhat spicy, the texture smooth and unctuous on the palate.
• English mustard: made with tiny seeds that for their flavor, spicy and aromatic, are highly appreciated. Its flavor is stronger and darker in color. It is made up of ground black and white mustard grains with a pinch of turmeric, and is used as an accompaniment to roasted meats such as the famous roast beef or for making meats in sauces. It is also usually consumed, with a spicy touch, as an accompaniment to smoked fish.
• American mustard: Perhaps the most introduced for being a regular accompaniment to hot dogs and hamburgers. American cuisine has reached all corners of the world with its mustard in a pot, soft and creamy yellow sauce and sweeter than European mustard. It is also ideal for barbecues and roasts.
• Meaux mustard or old fashioned (moutarde à l’ancienne): This cream with an earthy texture of seeds without being completely crushed has a grainy appearance and a very mild flavor. Maybe this is the one I like the least but to accentuate and give strength to a sauce it is great. Even to accompany soft fish.
• German mustard: Granular cream with a very strong flavor. Perfect as an accompaniment to its meats such as knuckle of pork or the wide variety of German and Central European sausages: bockwurts, bratwurst, frankfurter, wienerwust, blutwurst, bierwurst …
• Herb Mustard: More than one type it is a mustard to taste, with the flavored herbs that you like the most: parsley, coriander, basil, tarragon, mint, peppermint, green pepper, lemon, honey … They are the ones that go best for dressings of salads and to cook baked fish. Imagination to the power.