This is the fall book season…lots of Canadian cookbook authors are traveling across the country to promote their latest offerings. Here in Vancouver, we’re lucky enough to most of them coming through, and they’re always happy to indulge me with an interview, even if I make them work a bit.
Last week Chef at Home Michael Smith visited my Vancouver condo, rummaged around in the fridge and pantry, and came up with a great dish for me to cook.
He had me cut up some chorizo sausage, then brown it in a heavy-bottomed pot. Then I added some chopped onion and red bell pepper. When the veggies had softened, I added a can of chicken bouillion and 3 cans of water, and then slowly stirred in one cup of cornmeal and a healthy wallop of freshly ground cumin, a bit of salt and pepper. Then I kept stirring the mixture until it thickened. He also had me working on a salsa made with fresh avocado, tomato, bell pepper, cilantro and hot sauce. Delicious!
The good news about these visiting cookbook authors is that they always leave a couple of cookbooks behind for me to give away. So, if you have a favourite dish that you just whip up without a recipe, tell me about it in the Comments section below, and you could win one of two copies of Chef at Home. Contest closes November 11th. Good luck!
Hi, just listened to your column on Radio Noon in Montreal and I’d like to enter your contest. Here’s a meal I make regularly for me and my 2 kids (10 and 13).In fact we ate it last night. I started it at 6:15 last evening and we sat down to eat at 7:00. We all enjoy it and any leftovers go into thermoses in the kids’ lunchbags the next day. There is no recipe and it changes depending on what’s in the kitchen. (I’d like to add that I enjoy cooking and try to make nutritious meals for me and the children, using good ingredients, (organic if possible, but I don’t make a religion about that part). However like most working parents sometimes I lack inspiration, particularly weeknights, which is why cookbooks and cooking shows, online recipes, etc. are always helpful.)
Tomato and Lentil Soup or Stew
Put about 1 cup of any kind of lentils (brown, green or red)into a pot with about 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Lower to medium-low or slow boil. Cut up 2 or 3 potatoes into bite-size pieces and add to lentils.
Chop up one onion and some stalks of celery. Brown in a large pot. Add water to a couple of inches deep. Add a can of diced tomatoes and some sliced carrots. Heat to low boil for about 20 minutes.
To flavour the stock I like to add either a cup of chicken stock (that I make from chicken leftovers whenever I roast a whole chicken)- or a cube of vegetable bouillon – or a couple of spoonfuls of Salted Herbs. I also add some crushed garlic cloves and some dried herbs or spices. Most times I go for Italian flavouring, adding basil, oregano, and thym. Other times I try more of an Indian flavour with some ground tumeric, cumin and curry, as well as some fresh grated ginger. Taste to adjust seasonings. Add the lentils and potatoes when they are cooked (since they got started first they can be added after having cooked for 20 minutes and still have time to cook together with the other ingredients to take on the flavours).
That is the basic soup/stew. To that I add whatever I have handy – a can of corn is nice, a few flowerettes of cauliflour or broccoli, some green beans cut up – all add interest. Note the quantity of liquid determines whether you call it a soup or a stew – they are both good!
hi there -great interview -michael is one of my favorite chefs –
here is my recipe
roast about 100 grams of pine nuts and set aside
boil any type of short pasta that you have -i like to use farfale(bow ties) or fusili .
slice into thin slivers 3 large cloves of garlic and one small hot pepper (you can use dried red pepper flakes)
pour a small amount of olive oil into a large pan and stir fry the garlic and hot peppers
slice about 12 or more aparagus stalks into 1/2″ long pieces and add to the garlic
if you dont have asparagus you can use red bell peppers
slice them thin
take about 5 pieces of sundried tomatoes and soak them in hot water for 5 minutes to soften – and then drain
chop the tomatoes and add to the pan
if you dont have sundried tomatoes then use fresh tomatoes
use 3 medium sized tomatoes chopped into small chunks
add them to the pan
pour in 1/2 a cup of chicken broth and cover the pan and allow to simmer for 15 minutes
chop a stalk of parsley or water cress
when the ingredients in the pan are ready combine the m with your cooked pasta and add the pine nuts and the parsley and stir on medium heat until well blended
if it seems a bit dry add more chicken broth –
add salt and pepper to taste
and then serve
make sure the proportion of pasta to sauce is well balanced too much pasta and you will lose the great taste of this dish
either serve on individual plates
or for an informal dinner -put it into a large pasta bowl and let everyone help themselves
sprinkle parmessan on each serving
you will see that it will all be gone it is delicious
serve with a nice green salad and some garlic bread
enjoy!!!!!
Michael Smith has inspired me in the same manner that James Barber inspired me when I was a teenager – to get into the kitchen and be creative! The following is my recipe for a fall/winter time warm up.
Roasted Root Vegetable Wonder:
What you need:
1 squash
1 sweet potato
1 head of garlic
1 large onion
1 rutabega
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Thyme (fresh if you can)
Allspice
Vegetable Stock
Preparation:
Cut up veggies into chunks. Add garlic pealed and in cloves. Reserve 1/2 of onion. Coat remaining veggies with oil. Add fresh thyme. Put into 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.
After veggies are done roasting and smell wonderul and look tasty fry onion in olive oil until soft. Heat up stock and add to onions in pot. After stock is boiling at roasted veggies, remove fresh thyme. Add allspice, salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend, but leave a little rough for a rustic style.
Return to pot.
Add salt and pepper if it needs it.
Yum.
Michael Smith has inspired me in the same manner that James Barber inspired me when I was a teenager – to get into the kitchen and be creative! The following is my recipe for a fall/winter time warm up.
Roasted Root Vegetable Wonder:
What you need:
1 squash
1 sweet potato
1 head of garlic
1 large onion
1 rutabega
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Thyme (fresh if you can)
Allspice
Vegetable Stock
Preparation:
Cut up veggies into chunks. Add garlic pealed and in cloves. Reserve 1/2 of onion. Coat remaining veggies with oil. Add fresh thyme. Put into 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.
After veggies are done roasting and smell wonderul and look tasty fry onion in olive oil until soft. Heat up stock and add to onions in pot. After stock is boiling at roasted veggies, remove fresh thyme. Add allspice, salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend, but leave a little rough for a rustic style.
Return to pot.
Add salt and pepper if it needs it.
Yum.
Enjoyed your piece today on CBC about your time with Michael Smith! Your regular features are most interesting. Thrilled to hear his Chef at Home series will continue and appreciate the chance to have a crack at a copy of his book! Here is a dish I tasted years ago and have re-invented, bastardized and constantly re-adapted according to ingredients available, and perhaps more imporantly, according to whim! It is called Moroccan Chicken, though I have no idea how authentic it is to its implied place of origin!
3 lb. chicken (or two smaller fryers)
4 peeled and flattenned garlic cloves (I use a whole head)
1 or 2 lemons halved & juiced
Seasoning Powder
1 part each of:
ground cumin
ground coriander
paprika
salt (sea is best)
ground pepper
.5 part each of:
ground cinnamon
cayenne powder
(Make lots of this in a batch and store for future use. I find it a lot more interesting and versatile than somebody else’s rather more famous “Essence!”)
Clean and pat dry chicken. Rub with garlic and place it in cavity.
Pour lemon juice over chicken, putting rest of juice and rind in cavity.
Sprinkle spice powder generously over skin and inside cavity.
Roast in pan at 375 till done, basting as you wish.
The lemony-spicy-garlicky juice makes a fantastic pan gravy – it really is a highlight!
Michael Smith talks my kind of cooking. While I have learned the value of consistent measurement and careful management in order to maintain a reliable outcome, my preference is to raid the pantry and fridge for whatever is available.
My favourite item is seafood or other protein potato cakes. My wife was raised in a Christian household and I swear she picked up the idea that Jesus may come back any day and he will test her to see if she merits salvation. He will test her by presenting himself at the door for a meal and she needs to be ready to respond. Thus, even though most of our meals are for just the two of us these days, she always seems to cook more than we need. The problem with this strategy is she doesn’t like to eat left- overs so I am stuck with that job.
When we have a huge pot of left-over mashed potatoes or other root vegies, I like to make potato cakes and freeze them for my favourite meal of the day: breakfast.
Seafoods or bacon or sausage that are approaching stale date make a good source of protein. I add at least one egg beaten in milk and whatever greens I have on hand, preferably green onions and/or parsely. In addition to pepper and a little salt, my preferred spices are garlic (which I grow and process myself), cumin, turmeric (not necessarily together) and just a touch of nutmeg. (I find dried spices work best for this mix because the greatest challenge is finding the right consistancy.)
I add flour and baking soda until I get a mix that is stiff enough to resist pouring. After spooning out the required amount, I tap the pan on the counter to help the cake to spread out a bit. If I am planning to freeze the cakes, I like to cook them just under what I would like to eat so I can finish them in the frying pan when I am ready to use them.
Enjoy
Hi- Just heard your interview with Michael Smith and would like to share one of my favourite quickie bachelor meals. The main goodie is the oven roasted spiced potatoes and they can be served with any of the following taken directly out of the freezer and placed on the same cookie sheet as the potatoes – pork chops, chicken strips, battered fish, etc.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Take the meat or fish out of the freezer and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
Place baby potatoes or larger ones cut into small pieces (1 inch or so) into a bowl. Add enough olive oil to coat well and then start adding all or any combination of the following: sesame seeds(1Tbs), black or brown mustard seed(2 tsp), salt(1/8tsp), chili or cayenne pepper(1/8tsp), oregano(1/2tsp), cumin seed or ground cumin(1tsp). The amounts in brackets are what I use for 1 serving but will vary with your taste. I use all of the above! Sometimes I use curry powder just for a change.
Toss well while still in the bowl to coat all the potato pieces and then spread the spuds evenly on the remainder of the cookie sheet. Spread any leftover seeds in the bowl on the potatoes.
Roast at 400 F for 20 minutes and then turn over potatoes and meat or fish. Roast for 10-15 more minutes until the potatoes are brown and cooked well.
Serve with a tossed salad with an oil garlic and lemon juice dressing.
You can be feasting only 30 minutes after walking in the door.
Eat and enjoy!
Hi Don,
Here’s my “Pasta and Black Beans” recipe to add to the mix. I never make this the same from one time to the next. I think the original inspiration came from one of Anne Lindsay’s cookbooks but without the beans.
1 bag fresh pasta (penne, rotini or wheels) Cook this until al dente. (Substitute dried if fresh not available.)
Meanwhile, chop one or two onions, mince some fresh garlic and chop fresh basil or parsley (or dried if fresh not available). Chop some fresh tomatoes and a red pepper or green pepper if available. Put these veggies in the serving bowl. Add about a tablespoon of good quality olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and a little salt.
Open a can of black beans–drain and rinse (or any other type of beans). Add to the veggies.
Drain pasta, and add to the above. Stir well, and taste. Adjust seasonings (maybe add some oregano, hot chile paste or more salt and pepper) and serve.
Sprinkle chopped feta over each serving.
I also add leftover cooked or grilled veggies if I have them (grilled eggplant and zucchini are excellent as are roasted tomatoes and garlic). This is wonderful as a pasta salad the next day–I might add a little more olive oil at that point. I would say the essential ingredients are the pasta, beans, garlic and olive oil and even these vary depending on what I’ve got on hand. Everything else is based on what’s in the pantry or fridge at the moment.
Dear Don…Here is a recipe that I invented when following a low fat diet to lose weight. It is so simple and quick and tasty.
White fish fillets….Snapper or Basa or similar.
Low fat Italian dressing.
Low fat cream cheese.
Lemon juice.
Lemon pepper.
Salt.
Non stick spray.
Season fillets with salt,lemon pepper and a little lemon juice.
Spray non stick frying pan with cooking spray and heat.
Add fish fillets to pan and brown lightly on both sides.
Add Italian dressing to the pan, cover and poach fish gently until just beginning to flake.
Remove fish from pan and put aside.
Add low fat cream cheese to the Italian dressing in the pan and whisk until the cheese has melted and heated through.
Pour sauce over fish and serve with pan fried potatoes (Recipe to follow) and a green side salad.
No guilt Fried Potaoes.
Cook baking potato in the microwave.
Let cool and cut into 1/2 inch slices.
Spray non stick pan with cooking spray and heat.
Add potao slices and sprinkle with paprika.
Cook until brown on one side and turn sprinkle with paprika.
Cook until browned on second side.
I was making my favourite meal without a recipe as I was listening to your show on BC Almanac today, hence I was inspired to share it.
It’s called Pasta with Whatever You’ve Got.
I set the water to boil and chose my pasta from an extensive collection. Today I decided on my old favourite, spaghettini. I used Lancia, because that’s that is available in our local, small-town grocery store. I’ve been experimenting with fancy Italian brands we buy when we go to Vancouver. Unfortunately, we’ve eaten them all, so I can’t remember the brands, but they are worth the extra dollar or two!
Anyway, while the water is coming to a boil, I do some of the dishes that I dirtied during my last meal without a recipe!
When the spaghettini goes in the water I start digging in the fridge. Anything is game. Before I got ambitious, I used to buy those Oliveri (sp?) Pesto packages and that was the essence of the sauce, but now I make my own pesto. There was a time I was super-ambitious and grew 20 plants or so in a greenhouse, but then we moved to Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands) and realized there is a man who lives on a island in the inlet who grows basil and tomatoes! So I buy his products.
The pesto is frozen in cubes and stored in a baggy in the freezer.
Today I used one of above mentioned Island Joe’s tomatoes, green onions and a few hot, spicy marinated eggplant slices from a jar. I looked at the mushrooms but decided that would have meant using a pan to fry them. If I’d had a zucchini and a red pepper too, I may have taken the trouble.
All of the ingredients are tossed in after the pasta was drained and back in the pot. Sometimes I grate carrots and stir them in. In more summery months I might have gone without the pesto, but snipped marjoram, oregano, parsley and basil from my little herb garden. I add a bit of olive oil, salt, cracked pepper (I used to squeeze lemon too, but stopped that for some reason) and voila, on the plate. The fresh grated parmesano is the finishing touch. Delicious.
well here is my no fail, never the same, alway interresting tomato non recipe. about the only thing that stays the same in this one is that i use 2 tins (28 oz. of tomatoes, 1 oinion (which is sauted over a low heat for 10 to 15 min, patients here), and tomatoe paste to thicken. other than that, it is what ever is in the fridge and how i feel that governs what it ends up as.
sometimes i will add sredded carrots, celery, mushrooms, green oinions, and spice it with oregano, galic(at the end and at the beginning), basil, salt and pepper to taste and for extra flavour melt a dash of strong goat cheese or cream cheese into the sause. then serve it over noodles(for meat eaters throw in a pre boiled(therefore already cooked) hot italian sasage sliced thinly).
And other times i will throw in a can of chick peas some cauliflower,celery, peas and corn (fresh if possible),a potatoe cubed .5 can of coconut milk and a touch of curry powder, salt to taste and serve it over rice.
the beauty of this is that anything goes so it is never the same and almost always edible
brendan shields
vancouver,bc
A favourite throw-together meal is my polenta casserole;
-Make polenta and pour in a loafpan; cool and slice. (Or buy premade polenta from the store but it won’t be as good.)
-In a casserole pan, layer slices of polenta with any kind of tomato sauce (or salsa), canned beans, cooked veggies and cheese, whatever you have on hand. Top with more cheese and bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
I get numerous requests for my “recipe” and it annoys the heck out of people when I tell them I don’t have one. (I come by it honestly – my mother is the same way!)
Hi Don:
I recently moved to Gabriola Island, B.C. after a five-year stint in Halifax, and have vowed to live by the sea forever, if for no other reason than access to fresh fish.
Halifax has one of the country’s best farmer’s markets, and the highlight of each Saturday morning was a trip to Mike’s to check out the week’s catch. Line-ups were always three-deep, as customers peered over one another’s shoulders to see what was fresh and new. The displays where Mike had stuck exuberant “Really Fresh” or “Caught Yesterday” signs sold out first.
His haddock was the best I have ever eaten, and the famous Digby scallops, heaped in a slithery pile on crushed ice were an inspiration.
If it was haddock, I would pan-fry it with salt and pepper and a spritz of lemon or roll it in fresh breadcrumbs and parsley and bake it. This beautiful fish deserved simplicity to be at its best. Anytime I hauled out cookbooks and tried to fuss with a complicated recipe, the intrinsic flavour of the fish was lost.
Digby scallops are the best in Canada (maybe the world?) The texture is a little chewy, but not too chewy; soft, but not too soft – just buttery and rich, and the taste is so distinctive – pure Bay of Fundy.
I usually fried them in butter, garlic and fresh ginger, and served them with a rice dish and salad. Much like lobster, they need to be the star attraction on the table, so there is no need for elaborate side dishes.
I also put them on skewers, marinated them in a light vinagrette, with garlic, and broiled them. My mouth waters just thinking about them.
Then there are P.E.I. mussels…One memorable camping trip at North Rustico, we visited a nearby fish pound and brought home two net bags of mussels, caught that morning. We boiled up a pot of water on the campstove, added white wine, onion, celery, peppercorns, and simmered our mussels for just a few minutes. A big bowl of mussels, a lovely broth, and great chunks of local bakery bread made for a special camping treat.
Salmon? I just coat it in a mixture of hoisin sauce, soy, a litle rice vinegar,garlic and ginger and broil six minutes each side. The fish is absolutely moist and the outer edges have a lovely crispy coating to them – a great contrast of taste and texture in the same mouthful.
I have lots of favourite dishes that I have adapted without recipes over the years, attempted to copy from restaurants, or discovered by accident. But I have always found fish and seafood to be a cook’s dream – they are so perfect in their own right, that with almost no effort, they make the home cook look like a genius.
Hey folks! I just heard the piece with Michael Smith on your show. Michael is my favourite TV chef and the one chef whose show I watch and whose recipes I consult most.
My recipe is a sweet treat that my son (and my wife) love. It’s a comfort food and a great “bednight snack” according to my son.
I call it my “Peanut Butter and Banana Grill”. You will need:
2 thick slices of sweet raisin bread (or any type of bread);
margarine or butter (spreadable);
1 to 2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth is best);
1 banana;
1/2 tsp dark brown sugar;
something to drizzle over top.
Slather the peanut butter on the 2 slices of bread (one side each). Slice the banana into thick slices (about 1/2″ slices cut on a diagonal, use more bananas if needed to cover the bread surface) and arrange on one piece of bread (on the peanut butter) in a single layer. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Place the other piece of bread on the bananas. In the meantime, spread the margarine or butter on the outside surfaces of the sandwich. Saute the sandwich in a non-stick saute pan on both sides until browned (squish the sandwich down from time to time with a spatula).
Slice, serve hot. I also sometimes drizzle the sandwich with some maple syrop, honey, molasses, pancake syrop or whatever strikes my son’s fancy at the time. I’ve also drizzled some chocolate over top as well just before serving (microwave 1 tsp margarine or butter with 2 squares semi-sweet chocolate for 45 – 60 seconds, stir until smooth). You can also reduce the calories, sugar and fat by using reduced fat peanut butter and less of it, olive oil for sauteing, whole grain bread and leaving out or reducing the brown sugar and the drizzling agents.
Enjoy!!!
I like to use the remains of a roasted chicken or turkey dinner to make one of my favorite on the spot dinners–Thai chicken or turkey curry. I make stock and debone the carcass of the chicken or turkey that has some meat left on it. In a large frying pan I saute vegetables–my favorite are eggplant or zuccini, but it depends on what is in the garden at the time. I add chunky sliced garlic. When the first batch of vegetables are sauteed, I push them to the side of the pan and add thai red or green curry paste which is available in any Chinese grocery these days. It’s hot, so a mild curry will only need a teaspoon or two, add more for a spicier taste. I stir the curry paste around in the pan while slowly adding the chicken stock (about a cup and a half of it) and stirring to dissolve the paste. Then I add a can of coconut milk and a couple of tablespoons (or to taste) of thai fish sauce. A little sweetening is nice to balance the saltiness of the fish sauce. At this point I add the deboned chcken, some green beans or peas or cauliflower–(vegetables that you don’t cook too much) and when they are still crunchy but cooked the curry is ready. Peanut butter can be added before you add the chicken for an extra taste treat. Serve with some rice and you have a fabulous dinner!
We both enjoy Greek food for its straightforwardness. This is a regular special occasion meal for us that is easy to expand and enjoy with a larger group! I have found preparing the ingredients ahead of time helps because the dish comes together quickly. We call it Greek Shrimp – this is how I cook it for two.
• Heat some good olive oil in a medium frying pan – a similar sized pot, or casserole will also do
• Sauté a diced medium (2”) onion & 2-3 chopped cloves of garlic for a few minutes in the oil
• Add a 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes & some dry white wine, about ½ to 1 c, to the pan and bring to a boil. We like to use, Apelia, a dry, inexpensive Greek wine – a dry white Italian would also be good
• Season with some oregano & basil, about a teaspoon each, more or less, & some freshly ground pepper
• Add ½ lb shelled & de-veined large shrimp (about 8-12 each), to the boiling liquid & tomatoes – turn down the heat to a simmer
• After two minutes, turn the shrimp to cook for two more minutes to a pinkish white – don’t overcook or the shrimp will toughen
• Add some crumbled Feta cheese, a handful or more, some chopped green onions for colour, salt to taste, stir and simmer for another minute
• Serve in bowls while warm with crusty bread and butter, a green salad, another glass of wine and enjoy!
When I want to cook something a bit special and very easy, I use this basic recipe for a cream sauce. It uses cream cheese as a base, and then I vary what I add, depending on what I have in the fridge. I will post one of my favorite ways to use this basic recipe, using chicken – but please know that this dish can be used with shrimp, salmon or just veggies for a vegitarian meal. Also, use whatever veggies/spices you have on hand – curry or whatever moves you. The following recipe feeds approximately 4 – my kids love it. Serve it on pasta (or if you make it with curry, use brown basamati rice).
1 lb. chicken breast meat, cut into cubes
a bit of oil to saute it in
1/2 sliced onion plus a couple of cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 block cream cheese
1 cup milk or as much as you need to make sauce the right consistancy
1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese
1 t. dried basil
pepper and salt to taste
veggies (I like thinly sliced carrots, broccoli stems, red bell pepper, etc)
Directions: Saute the chicken, onions and garlic in oil – add the mushrooms. Add ‘hard’ veggies (sliced carrots, broccoli stems, etc)and a bit of water – cover and let steam for about 2-3 minutes. Add cream cheese in chunks and a bit of milk – stir until cream cheese melts – add more veggies (broccoli tops, green beans, etc) the parmesean cheese and spices. Cook until all are tender and serve over pasta.
I have a great never-the-same salad that I make for my busy wife and kids all the time. It is a quinoa salad, that can be cous-cous salad, or millet salad, or whatever wonderful grain you have on hand. I add any selection of the following items/vegetables that I have in the fridge or garden:
chopped green and/or red peppers
chopped onion or green onion
ch radishes
ch carrots
diced tomatoes
sprouts
chopped cucumber
black olives
feta cheese
garlic
chopped raw cashews
fresh chives
fresh parsley, oregano &/or basil
Start with a quick easy dressing: whisk together olive oil, flax oil, lemon juice, apple cider or balsamic vinegar, a smidge of stevia or a small dollop of molasses, and salt/pepper.
Mix dressing in the bottom of the bowl first, then add all the chopped veggies and mix with the dressing. Add all the herbs and cheese as well. When all is tossed nicely, add the cooked grain and mix well. Top with a sprig of fresh parsley.
For a Waldorfy variation, add diced apples and raisins, sunflower seeds and chopped almonds.
We like using quinoa, because it is the perfect grain, and has the nicest flavour. Sometimes, you can lean toward a certain ethnicity, and choose herbs and spices that match Greek, Mexican, Indian or Italian style cooking. It is best made fresh, but I always make extra for instant leftovers.
I whipped this recipe up one evening when I thought there was nothing to eat. Now it’s one of my favourites.
Here’s what I used:
– garlic, minced
– ginger, minced
– sesame oil
– can of bamboo shoots
– can of water chestnuts
– can of baby corn
– left-over pork chop, sliced thinly in small pieces
– can of coconut milk
– flavourings, such as oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and/or soy sauce
– a bit of Thai green curry paste (to taste) – careful, it’s hot!
– brown rice
Saute the garlic and ginger in some sesame oil until tender and lightly browned. Add the veggies and meat and saute. (I used pork chops because that’s what was available I’ve also added beef and chicken. If you’re using raw meat, cook it in the ginger and garlic before any other veggies are used.)
Add the coconut milk and other flavourings, include the curry paste. Heat thoroughly and simmer gently.
Serve over brown rice (or basmati, or sticky rice, or white, or…) and enjoy!
We love a local restaurant called the “Italian Kitchen”. My easy last-minute version of a tasty pasta is called “Italian Kitchen pasta” (in tribute).
Amounts of each ingredient vary according to what is in the fridge, and how many people are eating. We usually use the following general amounts to feed four people and there’s leftovers for the next day.
Cook pasta in generous amount of salted boiling water.
In large pan, saute(in olive oil) 2 stalks diced celery, one medium diced onion, half of one diced red (or yellow or orange) pepper,2 cloves garlic, fresh oregano, fresh basil ( dried herbs in winter), salt and pepper to taste. When golden brown add at least 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, and at least 1/2 cup kraft cheeze whiz (not kidding!). Add at least 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese ( the kind in the shaker is fine, hence our family name for parmesan “shakey cheese”). Pour all this sauce into cooked pasta and toss. Sprinkle with extra “shakey cheese” and enjoy. It’s fabulous!
My wife and I have a seven year old. between two jobs, and all of the activities for the seven year old, we are always looking for quick meals- sometimes to eat on the road. This is one of our favorites; we call it Indian Tuna Grill. Here are the ingredients : Can of Tuna, Curry powder, Fat free sour cream (or mayonnaise), shredded cheese, Chutney, bread.
So I start with a can of tuna, empty in a bowl, mix with two or three tablespoons of no fat sour cream ( or you could use mayonnaise), and curry powder to your taste. I then put in a half cup of shredded cheese (usually cheddar but I also used asiago with good results). Mix that all up. Butter slices of bread on both sides (four slices (for two healty sandwiches) or sux slices), heat frying pan at medium high, place one slice butter side down. Spread slice of bread with chutney ( I use my home made peach salsa), add the tuna and spread, and top with one slice of bread, butter side up. Grill until golden brown, on both sides. Cut and serve. Recipe serves three .
My wife and I have a seven year old. Between two jobs, and all of the activities for the seven year old, we are always looking for quick meals- sometimes to eat on the road. This is one of our favorites; we call it Indian Tuna Grill. Here are the ingredients : Can of Tuna, Curry powder, Fat free sour cream (or mayonnaise), shredded cheese, Chutney, bread.
So I start with a can of tuna, empty in a bowl, mix with two or three tablespoons of no fat sour cream ( or you could use mayonnaise), and curry powder to your taste. I then put in a half cup of shredded cheese (usually cheddar but I also used asiago with good results). Mix that all up. Butter slices of bread on both sides (four slices (for two healty sandwiches) or sux slices), heat frying pan at medium high, place one slice butter side down. Spread slice of bread with chutney ( I use my home made peach salsa), add the tuna and spread, and top with one slice of bread, butter side up. Grill until golden brown, on both sides. Cut and serve. Recipe serves three .