Indian Chicken Curry

A traditional Indian curry.  You can ad meat, chicken, fish or tofu.  I made this dish for the kids the other night, served with rice and puppodums, a big hit it was!

Recipe for four:
1 13oz can organic tomatoes
1 13oz can organic stock (homemade is better)
1 large red onion chopped
4 carrots chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
4 cloves garlic skin removed
2" ginger skin removed
2 Tablespoons mild curry powder
2 Tablespoons coconut or olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 pack organic chicken tenders (optional)
8 Sharwoods plain puppodums available at gourmet galley
1 bunch cilantro
1 cup plain yogurt
2 three finger pinches of salt and pepper
Mango chutney

First turn your oven on to 325*  In a blender puree tomatoes.  place in a roasting pan along with the stock and cover with foil, place in the oven for two hours, checking once and a while making sure it doesn't dry out, adding more stock if needed.  Don't hurry this step, this is what gives the curry an intense flavor.  Tip: don't let the foil touch the tomatoes, tomatoes are acid and it will eat the foil!

Rough chop, onion, carrot, celery garlic and ginger.  Now place in the food processor or blender and puree,  if you use a blender you may need a little olive oil to make it work!  This will become the sauce.

Place a heavy saute pan over medium high heat with the oil or butter, when the pans good and hot, add the mixture and fry it, stirring so not to brown about 2-3 minutes.  Now add the curry powder and cook for another minute, season with salt and pepper.

When the tomatoes are done, add the vegetable mixture and stir, adding more stock if needed.  Place back in the oven for another hour.  Make sure there's enough liquid, don't let it dry out, add more stock if needed.  When it's almost done, start your rice.  While rice is cooking season the chicken tenders and saute in olive oil, browning both sides.  When cooked, add to the sauce.  If you're making this dish with beef or lamb,  flour and brown all sides, and cook with the sauce for about an hour.

Now cook the puppodums by frying in olive oil.  As soon as you put one of the discs in the oil, turn it and keep turning them.  They will cook very quickly!

When the rice is done, pull the curry out of the oven,  add the yogurt and cilantro and stir...  Serve over rice, with a little mango chutney on the side!  This sounds like a lot of work, but it's not, it takes time.

Bon Appetit!

Good Fats - Bad Fats...

Whether you want to believe it or not, FAT is essential to our existence!

In the photograph are some good fats.  Coconut oil, olive oil, extra virgin olive oil and butter!  According to my research, (which by the way you can see who's saying what in the side bar of my blog, entitled Research), these are the only fats that are good for us, and they help keep the heart and joints happy!

We are so lied to in this country, by people that just want to sell you something to get rich!

According to Dr. Mercola, at www.mercola.com,  Wesson Oils has a class action suit against them.  Apparently 95% of their oils, including vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil and best blend, contain GMO!

Incidentally, you should never consume canola oil, which is made of rapp seed oil, which is a member of the mustard family!  Like what mustard gas was made of!  You gotta love corporate greed...

Bon Appetit!

Portabella Mushroom, With Laura Chenel's Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This is a wonderful, holiday-time dish, that can be used as a appetizer, a main meal, or as a burger.

Recipe for one:
1 Portabella mushroom
1 Tablespoon tapenade
1 Tablespoon Laura Chenel goat cheese
1 teaspoon sun dried tomatoes sliced thin
1 pinch salt and pepper
A drizzle of balsamic reduction
A few arugula leaves

First wipe your mushroom clean and remove the black lungs with a spoon, being careful with the edges.  Brush with olive oil and bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes at 325*.

While that's cooking, make your tapenade, by throwing a handful of kalamata olives in the blender (pits removed), with a good glug of olive oil, one clove of garlic, pinch of salt and pepper, and a little squeeze of lemon or orange juice.  Now puree.

Arrange arugula leaves on a plate.  When the mushroom is done, take out of the oven and pat dry.  Place it on the bed of arugula and add the tapenade.  Shave a little lemon or orange zest on at this time.  Now add the goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes.  Drizzle with balsamic reduction...

Bon Appetit!

Mushroom Monday!

How to clean, prepare and store mushrooms.  Did you know that a brown crimini is just a young portabella mushroom!

Delicious Screaming Hot Shrimp, Louisiana Style

The heat in this dish can be adjusted to fit your tolerance to spicy food.  Don't be put off by the heat, this dish is the most fantastic shrimp recipe you will ever have.   Recipe by Master Chef Paul Prudhomme.  Recipe adjusted by Chef Alan "Hobbes" Buchanan

Recipe for two:
1 yellow onion chopped finely
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup shrimp, fish or vegetable stock
2 dozen large shrimp, if you can get spot shrimp leave them whole, otherwise peel and de-vein
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
2/3 stick butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin)

OK I'll come clean, in the video I forgot the onion...:-0)"

Start your rice, and set aside when cooked.  Put two plates into a warm oven.

Put a nice large heavy saute pan over high heat with the oil and 1/3 of the butter.  When the butter has melted and is really hot, add the onion and soften but don't brown.  When cooked add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  Stir to mix and then add the shrimp.  With the heat still on high shake and toss the shrimp.  When the shrimp looks almost done add wine and reduce by two thirds, then add the stock and reduce the same way.

When done turn the heat off and add the rest of the butter shaking the pan (not stirring) until you achieve a nice shine on the sauce.  Serve over rice on warm plates, and prepare to be totally satisfied!

Bon Appetit!

Gourmet Turkey Sandwich...

Turkey sandwich with mayo, arugula and cranberry orange sauce...  Yum!   The one on the left is toasted...

Awesome Turkey Soup

Shear comfort food!

Make this soup with leftover turkey bones to make the stock, and this dish will be killer...   This is a quick dish to make, it's the stock that takes the time, but is well worth it, both in flavor and your house will smell wonderful.  If you want to make stock from scratch, see my basic chicken stock recipe in an older post.  It's the same recipe to make turkey stock!

Recipe:
4 cups turkey shredded
6 cups stock
4 carrots chopped
1 large onion chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
1 leek chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 three-finger pinches sea salt
1 three-finger pinch pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup +/- olive oil (not extra virgin)

Place the onion, celery, leek and carrot on a cutting board and roughly chop it together to infuse flavors.  This is now called Mirepoix.  Put a heavy saucepan on a burner over medium high heat, add olive oil.  When oil is hot add the Mirepiox, and cook until soft, but don't brown.  Then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.  Now add all the other ingredients except the stock, and stir until the mixture is all mixed.  Now add the stock and cook.  You may need to adjust or add more stock when the barley is cooked.  The same goes for salt.

Bon Appetit!

Shredded Brussel Sprout Saute, With Pear And Orange

Just a heads up, tomorrow's post will be a killer turkey soup recipe.  If you want to make turkey stock, just follow the same recipe that I used for chicken stock in an older post...

Recipe for two:
Juice and zest of one orange
1/2 cup white wine
1 small red onion chopped
1/2 cup sweet potato
1 small pear chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
12 or more brussel sprouts shredded thinly
1 Tbsp coconut oil

In a heavy saute pan, over medium high heat, melt the coconut oil.  When oil is hot add onions and sweet potato, stir to coat with oil, then add pears.  Cook until almost soft but don't brown.  Add the garlic and stir, then add the wine.  When almost all the liquid has evaporated add the juice.  When liquid has reduced add sprouts and lower the heat to low.  When cooked to your liking, serve and garnish with zest.

Bon Appetit!

Potato, Sweet Potato Cakes, With a Vegetable Saute

This is a fun little breakfast (or dinner) idea, and a good way to use up leftover mash!

Recipe for two:
1 cup leftover mash
1 small red onion chopped
1 small apple chopped
1/2 cup sweet potato chopped
1/2 cup Madeira wine
1 large handful spinach or other greens chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Divide your potato into two equal balls, and form into cakes.  Place butter in a saute pan, and heat over low heat, place cakes into pan when butter has melted.  What you're doing here is warming the cakes through and giving them a little color as well.

While cakes are cooking, prep all the other ingredients.  After turning your cakes, add coconut oil to a saute pan over med-high heat.  When oil is hot, add onion, sweet potato and apple and cook, turning so not to brown.  When they're almost soft add the Madeira wine.  Cook until almost all the wine has evaporated, then add the greens and melt.


Bon Appetit!

Talking Turkey...

Think before you eat that turkey!

Has it ever seen a sunrise, or walked on grass?  Has it ever felt a rain drop on it's back, or laid out in the morning sun?

Or has it been raised in a cage, with a million other birds?  Raised in a building where the lights never go out!  Has it been fed nothing but corn, soy and other grains that have been so heavily laced with chemicals, so the animals don't get sick?

Birds raised in this manner can't even stand up and walk around, because they're so weak!

PLEASE DON'T SUPPORT FACTORY FARMING!

Choose only organic pasture raised animals.  Not grain fed!

Happy Thanksgiving,  Hobbes

Lamb Shanks in a Red Wine Sauce

Vegetarians turn away!

This dish takes a bit of time, but it's worth the wait...

Recipe:
1 onion finely chopped
2 carrots finely chopped
3 stalks celery finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 small can tomatoes
5 cups stock
1 bottle red wine
2 lamb shanks
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
olive oil

First set your oven to 325*.  Puree one small can of organic tomatoes, and place in a roasting pan, add one cup of stock.  Cover with a lid or foil, then place in the oven for one and a half to two hours.  The flavors will really intensify by taking the time to do this step.  Make sure not to dry it out, add more stock if needed.

Take the shanks out of the fridge an hour before cooking them.  Place your chopped onions, carrot and celery on a cutting board and chop together a little more to infuse flavors.  This mixture is now called mirepoix.  Saute the mirepoix in a little olive oil until soft, add the garlic and then set aside.

Empty one bottle of red wine into a pan.  Over high heat bring the wine up to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer and reduce the liquid by two thirds.  Now do the same thing with the rest of the stock.

When the tomatoes are done, remove from oven and set aside.  Now season the shanks with salt and pepper.  Using a saute pan over high heat with a little olive oil, brown all sides of the shanks.

Add the shanks, rosemary, mirepoix, wine, stock and a good pinch of salt and pepper to the tomatoes.  Cover and return to the oven for 3 hours.  After 3 hours, if there is a lot of liquid left in the pan, cook for another half hour with the lid or foil removed, but be careful not to dry it out.  A cast iron dutch oven works well for this.

Serve over sweet potato and potato mash...

Bon Appetit!

Sushi Night at Coho...

Deb and I went to Sushi Night last week at Coho, and what a great time we had!

We started with a seaweed salad and then moved on to a softshell crab roll, and a spicy tuna roll.  Fantastic meal in a warm, cozy environment.

Every Wednesday starting at 5:00 pm.

Check out these bad boys...

Tools of the Trade

Here's a few kitchen tips on pots, pans, knives and steels!

Kale Chips for My Friend Rose...

So here's a great little snack food dish that my friend Cynthia turned me on to.

Set your oven to 350*. Wash and dry a bunch of fresh kale, the flat leaf variety works better for this, like red Russian, Dino or white Siberian.  Now remove the stems and tear leaves into nice big or bite size pieces.  Place in a bowl and season with salt, pepper and chili flakes, and a good drizzle of olive oil.

Place leaves on a baking sheet and cook for around 15 minutes, turning the pan once.  They will crisp up like potato chips, but they are way better for you!

Kale can also be cooked like chard; see my older blog on chard with apples for the recipe.

Bon Appetit!