Shrimp with Red Thai Curry and Vegetables

 

Serves 2 people but can be stretched to 4 by increasing shrimp by 1/2 more and another 1/2 cup of chicken stock.

1/2 lb P&D (peeled and devained) Shrimp any size will do

4 lg stalks of bok choy sliced 1/2"

1/2 onion sliced lengthwise

1 can of water chestnuts sliced

1 cup baby bella mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced carrots

2 stalks sliced celery

1 Tbs Red Thai curry paste

1 can coconut milk

1 Tbs fish sauce

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 Tbs soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp Agave nectar or sugar

Chives

Cooked rice of any kind

Separate a little coconut milk and mix in the red curry paste.  You can also add that back into the other coconut milk once the paste is thoroughly mixed in.  Add the agave(sugar), lime, fish sauce, chicken stock, and soy sauce to the coconut milk mixture.

Saute onion, carrot, celery, mushroom, water chestnuts and shrimp for a few mins.  Add coconut milk mixture and bring to a boil.

Add bok choy and chives and cook for a couple more mins.  Serve with rice on the side.

Grilled Lamb and Curried Mushrooms

3 Lamb chops per person
Spike seasoning
1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms per person (quartered)
Curry Seasoning
White wine
Chicken Stock
1/2 head of escarole (for 2 people)
4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Chop escarole into @ 1" pieces.  Finely chop garlic.

Quarter mushrooms.
Season Lamb with Spike seasoning and get grill hot.  Wait till lamb is room temp before grilling.  Get two saute pans hot and add a small amount of oil.  Put lamb on the grill and cook @ 4mins. per side.
Add mushrooms to one pan and sprinkle with curry powder and S&P.  You can use your own blend of curry spices or a pre-made one.  I used a combination of both.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook a few mins before adding a couple splashes of white wine.  Reduce wine to au sec(almost dry) and add a couple splashes of chicken stock.

In the other pan add escarole and garlic. S&P  After a min add lemon juice and a splash of chicken stock.  Cook a couple more mins and remove from heat.

Remove lamb from the grill and let it rest at room temp or warm place for a few mins so the juices redistribute into the meat.

Mushrooms should be done by now and the liquid should be almost gone.  Remove from heat and plate everything.

This meal only takes about 20 mins start to finish.  There aren't a lot of ingredients which makes it simple.  Pair it with a full bodied red wine like Cabernet or Zinfandel.

Sweet n Spicy Grilled Flat Iron and Lemon Rice

1 Flat Iron Steak

Lg head of broccoli

1 cup Short Grain White Rice

1/2 cup frozen peas

Juice of 1/2 a lemon and its zest

2 Sprigs of Thyme

1 Sprig of Rosemary chopped to fine

Spice Rub (equal parts brown sugar, chipotle powder, minced garlic, chili powder, rosemary 1/2 portion cumin, salt and pepper)

Rub flat iron with olive oil and coat with spice rub.  Let sit until room temp.

Cook rice with sprigs of thyme.  When done add peas, lemon juice and zest.  Hold warm covered.

Add chopped broccoli to boiling salted water.  About 5-8 mins til al dente.

Grill flat iron about 7 mins on each side and let rest for 5 mins before slicing against the grain in 1/4" slices.

White Fish with Spaghetti Squash

Most of the recipes I've been posting lately have come from my "quick, you have a half an hour to cook something before work" files.  They are simple and I think most people wouldn't have trouble replicating them.  This one is sauteed white fish (any will do) and sauteed asparagus.  The spaghetti squash is steamed, shredded with a fork and topped with spaghetti sauce.

Citrus Sesame Chicken Lettuce Wraps

A super easy and healthy lunch.

Ingredients:

Mirepoix (diced onion, carrots and celery)

1lb Chicken -diced

1 Minneola (or orange) Juice

1 Lime Juice

Black n White Sesame Seeds

Chix Stock

Red Pepper Flakes

Soy Sauce

Szechuan Seasoning

Fish Sauce

Ingredients

Mirepoix

Diced Chicken

• Season chicken with S&P and szechuan seasoning.
• Saute chicken first and then remove and set aside.
• Saute mirepoix til softened and add soy sauce, fish sauce, red pepper, sesame seeds, orange and lime juice.
• Add chicken back in to it and cook a few more mins.

I paired it with some sauteed cabbage and brown rice.  Spoon chicken into Boston lettuce and enjoy.



Dover Sole with Spinach Duxelles

Ingredients

Baby Bella Mushrooms - fine chop

Fresh Spinach - chopped

1/4 diced onion

White wine

Dover Sole Filets

Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)

After sauteing mushrooms and onions a few mins

Add white wine and reduce to au sec (almost dry)

Remove from heat and mix with spinach and a little panko

Form golf ball sized amounts in your hand.  Press together firmly.

Flatten top and bottom of ball slightly

Roll dover sole filet around ball mixture

Secure end with a toothpick

Place on pan covered with tinfoil

Bake uncovered at 400 about @ 8 mins

Makes a nice first course or entree.



Recipe for Shrimp with Garlic and Asparagus

My friend asked me for the recipe of one of the pictures I posted in an earlier blog.  When I cook I definitely just wing it.  I don't write down measurements because I am usually too focused on the cooking.  What I'm trying to do is take pictures as I'm cooking.  This way I can show ingredients as well as amounts.  I find visual learning easier as I'm sure most people do.  If the recipes read to "cheffy" let me know.  I can translate.  :)

Ingredients
Shrimp @ 1 lb (cooked and peeled no tail)
Roma Tomatoes (guts removed and julienned)
Asparagus (peeled if large and cut into 1" pieces)
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2Tbs Fresh minced Parsley
1 tsp Red Pepper Flake
Chix Stock

Saute garlic in olive oil for 2 min
Add asparagus and saute for a few more
Add a little chix stock and reduce a min
Add shrimp, red pepper flake, and tomatoes
S & P and cook @ 2 min