Lucky 7: Shrimp Curry with rice

Are you of the "simple is better" school of cooking? Me too...depending.
There are times when I want to complicate my life in the kitchen
(mainly pre C-boy), throwing various meaty bits & other goodness into a pot for a slow braise. Other times, not so much. This absurdly satisfying shrimp curry recipe definitely attends the "not so much" school. Seven ingredients. That's it. I've made cocktails that had more ingredients. Oh, and it took about 20 minutes to throw together. You have twenty spare minutes, don't you? Well, if you're like me trying to keep a four month old entertained while you cook, just barely. The rest of you, get cooking, because this dish killed it. It supposedly makes enough for four. However, once w and I started in we couldn't stop ourselves and pretty much ate the whole damn thing. Plan accordingly!
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Shrimp Curry with Rice
adapted from Bon Appétit

yield: Serves 4 (maybe)

ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup bottled clam juice
3 tablespoons mango chutney

Cooked white rice
Chopped green onions

method:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to skillet and sauté until
almost opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer
shrimp to bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Add onion and
sauté 3 minutes. Sprinkle with curry powder. Stir until onion is tender,
about 1 minute longer. Add cream, clam juice and chutney. Boil until sauce
is thick enough to coat spoon, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
Return shrimp and any collected juices to skillet. Cook until shrimp are
just opaque in center, about 1 minute longer.
Spoon rice onto plates. Top with shrimp, sauce and green onions.

NOTE: the recipe called for serving this with small bowls of chopped peanuts, toasted coconut, raisins and chopped bell pepper. I used the roasted cashews and red bell pepper I had on hand. I highly recommend the additional options!

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever!

You want to know a relationship deal breaker? If you start talking about dessert and somehow this wonderful person you thought was so cool suddenly blurts out "Oh, I don't really like chocolate cake." Suddenly a flashing red light goes off, and you're surprised they can't read the "WTF" blinking above your head. I mean, how much can they really enjoy life if they don't like chocolate cake. What are they going to say next "Oh, I'm not really into oxygen." Or the ultimate deal breaker: "I'm a vegan." I don't care how good the sex is, the chocolate cake rule has to be in effect.

Taking that into account, if you need to get your chocolate cake on, then this is absolutely the way to go. I was leafing through the April '10 Bon Appetit and saw the picture, then read the recipe. The cool thing about this one...well, there actually two cool things...is that it uses mayo instead of oil. I've had mayonnaise chocolate cakes before and they invariably are so moist and rich. Then the second thing that said "you must make me" was that the frosting calls for THREE STICKS OF BUTTER!!! Are you fucking kidding me? How could that ever be bad?? Then the best part: my birthday was coming up, and w, who is the baking queen of our house, kindly consented to make this for my dinner. To say that people were swooning would be a gross understatement. Cake this good defies description. Go ahead. Make it. One bite and you'll get it!
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Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
from Bon Appetit

ingredients:
Cake:
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups boiling water
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 1/3 cups mayonnaise (do not use reduced-fat or fat-free)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Special equipment: Three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high
sides

method:
For cake:
1-Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans
with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in
medium metal bowl. Add 1 3/4 cups boiling water and whisk until chocolate is
melted and mixture is smooth.

2-Sift flour, baking soda, and baking powder into another medium bowl. Using
electric mixer, beat both sugars and mayonnaise in large bowl until well
blended, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until well blended
after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 4 additions
alternately with chocolate mixture in 3 additions, beating until blended
after each addition and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Divide
batter among prepared cake pans (about 2 1/3 cups for each).

3-Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32
minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes. Run small knife around
sides of cakes to loosen. Carefully invert cakes onto racks and let cool
completely.

For frosting:
1-Place chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl; set bowl over saucepan of
simmering water and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully
remove bowl from over water; let melted chocolate cool until lukewarm,
stirring occasionally.

2-Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth and creamy.
Sift powdered sugar over butter and beat until well blended, about 2
minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add melted chocolate and beat until well blended
and smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.

3-Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake
layer to edges. Top with second cake layer; spread 3/4 cup frosting over.
Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting decoratively over top
and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome
and let stand at room temperature. Cut cake into wedges and serve.

Thai Fish Curry: healthy food for a growing family!

Tired of looking at that piece of fried chicken from the previous post that has been staring at you for the past week and a half? Me too, so it's time to get off the blogging slacker seat and get some fresh material up here. I mean it's not like I've been going hungry the last few weeks. With plenty of deliciousness backed up in the blogging pipeline, I'll start off with this excellent bit of Thai-ishness that w and I had last night. We've been hitting the heavy food thing pretty hard right now, and with w carrying the next generation eating obsessive inside her ever expanding belly, something lighter for us and brain-healthy for the young 'un seemed in order. I was in the mood for something easy and flavorful, and since Thai curry always satisfies those needs, I jumped on the epicurious app on my iPhone (have I ever mentioned how much I love this app? Oh, yeah, I did here) to see what they might come up with. The first hit back was this Thai Fish Curry that was printed in Bon Appetit in 1992 (1992?? I am constantly amazed at the internet!). After reading the recipe and the comments, I did a little adapting, took a very few minutes to throw it together, and out came two very attractive and palate satisfying platefuls of southeast Asian flavors. It really is ridiculously easy, and the incredibly aromatic dry rub (pic at right) you process will leave you enough for another go, maybe with some chicken or shrimp subbed in for the halibut.
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Thai Fish Curry
adapted from epicurious/Bon Appetit
yield: Serves 2

ingredients:
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro stems
2 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass (from bottom 6 inches of stalk)
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 large garlic cloves, halved
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/4 pound 1 1/2-inch-thick halibut fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 cup bottled clam juice
Minced fresh cilantro

method:
1-Blend first 9 ingredients in processor to dry paste, stopping frequently to scrape down sides of work bowl. (Paste can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

2-Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 rounded tablespoons spice paste; stir 1 minute. Add fish and cook 2 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs. Add coconut milk and clam juice and simmer until fish is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 4-6 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Transfer fish to plate. Boil liquid until reduced to thick sauce, about 8 minutes. Season with salt. Return fish to sauce and heat through. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over rice.

In the palm of my hand.....

...without having to own a Palm. BTW, does anyone still buy Palm pda's? How is it possible that company is still in business? Buying a Palm right now would be the equivalent of running out and buying a Pontiac, don't ya think? You're about to become irrelevant and don't even know it. Anyway, I digress. The point of this post is that last night I happened across what has instantly become the coolest app for the food obsessed iPhone owner (although using "obsessed" and "iPhone owner" in the same sentence is somewhat redundant). How would you like to have the entire contents of The Gourmet Cookbook in your hungry little hands? How about every recipe from virtually every back issue of Gourmet or Bon Appetit magazines? The newly released epicurious app has it all, and I am stoked. I've used epicurious for inspiration innumerable times, with usually more than a little success (hint: if it has less than 90% approval, skip it. and be ready to make adjustments). This app will also make a shopping list for you when you've picked your recipe, allows you to save your faves, and will even provide cocktail recipes because who really likes to cook sober? Best of all, due to the fact that it has hardly noticeable 5-second ads you get all this for the most reasonable price of ZERO DOLLARS!! Sorry crackberry owner, you don't get to swim in this pool, but hey, enjoy all that really fresh emailing you get to do!
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Grant Achatz of Alinea can cook...read all about him!!

Simple cooking: Thai Green Curry Shrimp

I'm not saying that cooking is simple. I mean, simple is doing your multiplication tables, frying an egg, or taking out three pirates in a bobbing boat in the ocean at dusk. There was a time before I got the cooking bug when I would go to some Thai joint and absolutely marvel at the flavors and wonder how they jammed so much complexity into the bowl. It seemed almost magical, and something I couldn't ever imagine doing myself. That is one of the things I love most about exploring cooking....learning that some of the most interesting, deliciously full flavors come from the simplest of ingredients and quickest cooking methods. Last night was yet another classic example. w and I were both in the mood for something light after a(nother) weekend of overindulgence. I was at work with no idea what to make, and started checking out epicurious, inserting different search terms looking for inspiration. Shrimp was sounding good, curry always makes us happy, and suddenly, thanks to the scientific genius that is Al Gore's invention of the internet, this popped up on my screen. Simple? Check out that ingredient list. Fast? Put your rice on and by the time it is done you will have completed your prep and have this steaming bowl of Thai goodness in front of you. Is cooking simple? Apparently so!
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Thai Green Curry Shrimp
adapted from epicurious/Bon Appetit
yield: Makes 6-8 servings

ingredients:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup chopped green onions (about 8 small)
1 to 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste*
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk*
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)*
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup diced plum tomatoes
2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined (I used 25-30 count shrimp-bb)
salt
Chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

method:
Heat peanut oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion; stir-fry until soft and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add green onions and curry paste; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and sugar; bring to boil. Add tomatoes and boil 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook just until opaque in center, stirring often, about 3 to 5 minutes depending on size of shrimp. Add salt to taste. Transfer curry to large shallow bowl. Garnish with cilantro. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.
Note: the lime wedges are essential to really make the flavors pop. Make sure you squeeze in a healthy amount in your bowls!-bb

It may not be twinkies and bacon, but it's pretty damn good!

I know you all wanted to see the Bacon Twinkie Stonehenge recipe here today from the post below. Not only don't I have it, I wouldn't give it to you if I did. You think I don't care about you? Well, I do. I also care about all those pigs who gave their all to become what every pig dreams of (when they're not dreaming of becoming this), a nicely cooked piece of bacon, and preferably one not wrapped around a fucking Twinkie.

So, even if you don't know what's good for you, I do, and the recipe below while devoid of pork fat will definitely satisfy you in so many other ways. Plus it is guaranteed not to cause your heart to explode. Your stomach maybe, 'cause you won't be able to stop eating it! In fact, I would hazard a guess that this is one of healthiest and tastiest fish dishes you'll ever cook. And it is so fast, it makes a perfect last minute dinner. Once you have all the ingredients, you can do this start to finish in 20 minutes easy, including the roasted asparagus (asparagus recipe tomorrow...not that you need it it's so simple). You could also sub cod or any other firm white fish. I posted this halibut dish a couple of years ago, forgot about it until w mentioned it a couple of days ago, and since E.D.T. has thousands of new appetites to satisfy, it's time to share the love again!
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Halibut With Capers, Olives, And Tomatoes
from Bon Appetit
makes 4 servings.

ingredients:
4 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets
All purpose flour
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
1 tablespoon drained capers
1/3 cup bottled clam juice
1/4 cup dry white wine

method:
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sauté until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 3 to 3-1/2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add shallots and crushed red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup basil, and capers. Add clam juice and wine. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over fish.

Out of the archives, onto my plate!

This is another of those recipe finds that make all that shredding and tearing up of food magazines worthwhile. In fact, I tore this one out about two years ago on one of my futile magazine recycling binges, where I swear I'm going to whittle down that pile of saved Gourmet's, Bon App's, Saveur's, etc, tear out the recipes that look good and file them away under the proper heading (dinner/dessert/soup/blah-blah-blah). Unfortunately all I end up with is another over-stuffed file folder with this mish-mash of unorganized recipes from various sources, and within a few months another pile of neglected food magazines.

But every now and then I actually do look through the folder, and find something that reminds me why I go through this exercise in seeming futility. The other night I pulled out this oldie from the September '04 Bon Appetit. w and I always love whole fish when we go out (the fried fish at Malay Satay Hut here in PDX with what is basically a Thai fruit salad on top kills!), but I rarely make it at home. Yet almost every time I do it turns out pretty freaking good and reminds me to quit being such a whole fish slacker, especially when we have ABC Seafood so close to our house. ABC is a wholesale/retail Asian market that supplies a lot of other markets (like Uwajimaya) and the savvier restaurants around town. Their prices are amazing, and it is also the best place around to get whole live Dungeness crab for home cookin'. Anyway, that's the back story. The main point is this was really delicious...spicy, savory, really complex and rich yet not heavy. I subbed whole tilapia for the red snapper (cook about 5-8 minutes longer if you go this route) since ABC was snapper-less and it worked just fine. This is one of those really fun, interesting dishes that I used to dream of making but never thought I would (or could). Now I smugly have it in my repertoire, and can't wait to show it off again!
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Red Snapper Baked in Indian-Spiced Yogurt
From Bon Appetit

ingredients:
2 cups (lightly packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups (lightly packed) fresh mint-leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 jalapeno chiles, seeded, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 2-pound whole red snappers, scaled, gutted, or one 4-pound side of salmon

method:
1-Using on/off turns, puree cilantro, mint, lime juice, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger in processor. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in yogurt, sour cream, cumin, chili powder, sugar, and salt.

Ready to stir cilantro puree into yogurt mixture








Putting yogurt "schmear" on fish to marinate







2-Cut 3 diagonal slits (in picture at top of post) through skin down to bone on each side of both whole fish (do not cut salmon if using). Pour half of marinade into 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Place fish in dish. Pour remaining marinade over fish to cover. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Properly marinated and ready to pop into oven





3-Preheat oven to 450 F. Transfer fish to large rimmed baking sheet (do not scrape off marinade). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake fish until flesh is just opaque in center, about 25 minutes for salmon and 30 minutes for snapper. Using 2 large metal spatulas, carefully transfer fish to large platter and serve.

Heavenly Halibut!

I've always been one of those people who say, "I really need to eat more fish." The problem is, one look at that meaty, bloody red rib eye in my butcher's case, or a fleeting thought of bacon-cheeseburgers, and I'm running out to the grill, hunk of meat in hand, all too ready to succumb to millenia of evolution. But last night, more because of the rain that was steadily falling here rather than any will to actually improve my diet, I grabbed a couple of halibut filets from the meat case at our market, which were fortunately located far enough away from the steaks so I could ignore their siren call.

Since grilling wasn't an option as I didn't want to schlep the Weber up to the covered part of our porch, I checked online for inspiration, and came across what seemed to be a perfectly delicious, seasonal halibut preparation at epicurious. Cooked in my big sauté pan, which is always a bonus, because since I'm not a "power tool guy" I get my fix from heavy cookware. Anyway, to cut to the chase, this was a super simple recipe that has instantly found a place in our regular repertoire. Throw a couple pieces of this halibut on your plates with some rainbow chard or other greens, a scoop of rice, and in less than 30 minutes start to finish you'll have yet another silly smile on your face!

Oh, and as for drinking material, we had a super chilled bottle of 2005 Loimer Gruner-Veltliner, a fresh, dry, crisp, vibrant white from Austria that was the total deal with the fish, matching up perfectly to the sweet cherry tomatoes and savory olive flavors in the sauce. Okay, now you're set...the rest is up to you!

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Halibut With Capers, Olives, And Tomatoes
Serve the fish and sauce over rice or couscous

ingredients:
4 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets
All purpose flour
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
1 tablespoon drained capers
1/3 cup bottled clam juice
1/4 cup dry white wine

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish and sauté until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 3 to 3-1/2 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add shallots and crushed red pepper; sauté 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup basil, and capers. Add clam juice and wine. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup basil. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over fish.

Makes 4 servings.
Adapted from Bon Appetit