Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Thai Red Curry

This is fairly similar to the yellow curry recipe, only less sweet and a lot hotter. Like the previous recipes, the hardest part may be finding a good curry paste. If you can find one, it definitely makes things easier.




Prep. Time: 10 mins.
Cooking Time: 20 mins.


Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Fresh chopped Ginger
1 Tbsp Fresh chopped Lemon Grass
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
15 oz can of coconut cream
15 oz can of coconut milk
4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsp fish sauce
5 Tbsp red curry paste
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp Paprika
1 Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 Chopped Green Bell Pepper
4 large Carrots
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
2-3 Chicken Breasts (optional)


Directions:

Bring water to a boil in a vegetable steamer.

Dice carrots in 1/2" pieces and chop the bell peppers.

Steam the carrots and bell peppers for 5 mins. and set aside.

Saute the Ginger and Lemongrass for 3-5 mins. in the vegetable oil.

Put the coconut cream in the pot and fry for 3-5 mins. stirring continuously, until the oil begins to separate out.

Add the stock, red curry paste, fish sauce and paprika and stir fry for another 1-2 mins.

Add the peppers, carrots and coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Add the sugar and lime juice and simmer for about 5 mins.

Serve over rice.


Cooking the Chicken:

If you're adding chicken, simply cut the chicken breasts into thin slices and cook in a frying pan with a little olive oil. The chicken can then be added in to the curry with the individual servings.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Cannelloni

We basically split the sauce between two different dishes for this one. Half went to a more traditional cannelloni with a pork filling. The other half went to one with a ricotta cheese filling. Both were really good though...




Prep. Time: 1 hr.
Cooking Time: 1 hr. 30 mins.
Servings: 8-10


Ingredients:

Tomato Sauce
2 x 28 oz. Cans of Tomatoes
1 Onion - Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - Minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Thyme
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Meat Filling
1 Tbsp Butter
1 lb Ground Pork
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 Egg
1/4 tsp Sage
1/4 tsp Rosemary
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Cheese Filling
3 cups Mozzerella
2 cups Ricotta
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 Tbsp Basil
1 Egg

Besciamella
2 Tbsp Butter
1 1/2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Milk
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

24 oz. Cannelloni Noodles
1/2 cup additional Parmesan


Directions:

Tomato Sauce
Saute the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil until the onion becomes translucent (approximately 10 mins.)

Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil and thyme and bring to a boil.

Simmer on low heat for 60 mins.

Pork Filling
While the tomato sauce is simmering, saute the ground pork in the butter until browned.

Add the Parmesan, flour and milk and cook for 10 mins. on low heat, just under a boil, stirring frequently.

Add the egg, sage, rosemary and nutmeg.

Mix well and set aside.

Cheese Filling
In a large mixing bowl, mix the Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmesan, Basil and Egg and set aside.

Besciamella
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan.

Add the flour until smooth.

Continue cooking for 6 to 7 mins. until light brown.

Add the milk to butter mixture.

Cook on low heat, stirring continuously, for 10 mins.

Add the nutmeg and milk and set aside.

Cannelloni
Cook the cannelloni noodles for 10 to 12 mins. in boiling water.

Remove from heat and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F.

Spread approximately 1/2 of the pasta sauces across the bottom of two rectangular baking pans (1/4 to each pan) one will be used for the meat filled noodles and the other for the cheese.

Individually slice each of the cannelloni noodles open length-wise and fill with either meat filling or cheese filling. After stuffing each noodle, place in either the meat or the cheese baking pan, seam side down.

Divide the remaining tomato sauce evenly between the two dishes.

Divide the besciamella sauce evenly, pouring half over each of the dishes.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan on each dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 mins. and serve immediately.