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.

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.

Ma Po Tofu

Ma Po tofu is a spicy, Chinese dish from Sichuan. It's a combination of tofu set in a spicy chili and bean curd sauce. Pork is commonly added in, but can be left out, based on personal preferences.

Prep. Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 15 mins.
Servings: 3-4
Wine Recommendation: Gerwurtztraminer


Ingredients:

1 lb. Tofu
1 Tbsp chopped Ginger
1 clove chopped garlic
Green Onions, chopped
2 Tbsp Hot Red Bean Paste
1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder
4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
2 cups Vegetable Broth
4 tsp Cornstarch
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb Ground Pork (Optional)

Directions:

Cut the Tofu into bite size pieces.

Stir fry the garlic, hot bean paste, chili powder, black pepper and ginger in the vegetable oil for 2-5 mins.

Add in the sugar, soy sauce, stock and tofu and cook for 5 mins.

Thicken with the cornstarch, green onions and sesame oil and cook for 1-2 mins. longer.

Serve over rice.

Cooking the Pork:
If you're adding in pork, that can be cooked in a separate frying pan until browned and added into each dish individually.

Lentil and Tomato Soup

Prep. Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 1 hr.
Servings: 6-8
Wine Recommendation: Rioja


Ingredients:

1 cup lentils
8 cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 chopped Onion
2 cloves Garlic
28 oz. can Tomatoes
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Cayenne
4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 lb cubed Lamb (optional)


Directions:

Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil for 5-10 mins. until the onions become transparent.

Add the tomatoes, broth, lentils, salt, cumin, coriander, black pepper, tumeric and cayenne and cook for 45 mins.

Remove from heat, add lemon juice and serve over rice.


Cooking the Lamb:
Saute the lamb in olive oil with 1/4 tsp each of turmeric, salt and black pepper.
Add to individual servings of the stew as needed.

Seafood Etouffee

Prep. Time: 20 mins.
Cooking Time: 1 hr. 15 mins.
Servings: 6-8
Wine Recommendation: Pinot Grigio


Ingredients:

3/4 cup Peanut Oil
1 cup Flour
1 large chopped Onion
1 chopped Green Pepper
2 cups chopped celery
2 cloves Garlic
14.5 oz. can Tomatoes
4 cups Fish or Shrimp Stock
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 lb Shrimp
1 lb Crawfish
1 lb Lump Crap Meat
1 bunch chopped Italian Parsley
1 Bunch Green Onions


Directions:

Mix the peanut oil and flour in a large pot.

Stir continuously over medium heat until the roux turns the color of peanut butter (approximately 10 mins.).

Add the onions, green peppers, celery and garlic and cook for 10 mins. longer while stirring.

Add the tomatoes, stock and spices.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 mins.

Add the shrimp, Crawfish, Crab, Italian Parsley and Green Onions and cook 10 mins. longer.

Serve over rice.