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Tag: shallots

Healthy Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque

  • 12 ounces jumbo shrimp, deveined and shelled
  • 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt

Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Saute the shrimp on high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Sprinkle salt and take out onto a lined platter. Cut each shrimp into three and keep aside.

  • ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
  • 2 large shallots, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • ½ cup carrots, chopped
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1½ cups seafood or shrimp broth
  • 1½ cups low-fat milk
  • Salt
  • ¼ cup half and half
  • Juice of half a lemon

Add the pancetta into the same saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and carrots. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the thyme and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and scrape off the brown bits from the bottom. Add the broth and milk. Whisk the liquid on high heat and bring to a boil making sure all the lumps are smoothed away. Lower the heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the shrimp pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes making sure the shrimp is cooked. Add the half and half and turn the heat off. Check for seasonings and add salt if necessary. Add the lemon juice and serve hot with crusty bread.

Morel Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto
I served the risotto with lamb chops- yum!

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 pack wild mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 3 to 4 cups mushroom broth
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 3 to 4 dried morel mushrooms
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1/3 cup half and half
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup Pecorino cheese, grated

Soak the mushrooms in the warm water for 3 to 4 hours. Take the mushrooms out and strain the water of any sand/impurities. Keep the water aside. Chop the mushrooms and add the wild mushroom heap.

Heat the morel broth and the packaged mushroom broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm (use 3 cups of packaged broth in addition to the morel broth; use 4 cups of packaged broth if not using morels).
Heat a wide frying pan with the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wild and morel mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat. Add the rice and sauté for a minute. Add a half cup of warmed broth to the rice mix and stir on medium low heat. As soon as the liquid is cooked off, add the next half-cup. Stir and cook till the rice grains are cooked through- it should take about 20 minutes. Add half and half, butter, cheese and salt. Mix well and check for seasonings. Add pepper and serve hot.

Spiced Shredded Cabbage with Coconut

Spiced Shredded Cabbage

Spice Mix

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoons fennel seeds

Roast the seeds in a small cast iron skillet on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the seeds are aromatic. Take off the heat and grind in a spice grinder. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 to 5 curry leaves
  • ½ cup grated frozen coconut
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage
  • Salt
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with olive oil. Add the shallots and ginger. Saute 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the curry leaves and coconut. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the cabbage and turn the heat up. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and cover with lid. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Add salt and check for seasonings. Add cilantro for garnish and serve warm.

Malaysian Style Pork Coconut Curry

If you are in the mood for a really, really yummy dish and don’t mind turning the oven on for a few hours- this recipe is for you… truly one of my favorites…I had a version of this at a yummy Singaporean restaurant in the city and I still dream of the yumminess….

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2-3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces with excess fat taken off
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • Salt
  • 1 star anise
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 10 to 12 curry leaves

Spice Paste

  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup chopped shallots
  • 3 to 4 dried red chilies, seeds taken out and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon shrimp paste (Asian store)
  • 2 lemongrass (white part), chopped

Process all spice paste ingredients in a food processor until a paste is formed. Keep aside.

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 3 to 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Salt
  • Sugar

Heat a large, heavy saucepan with the peanut oil. In the meantime, dredge the pork pieces in the flour and then sprinkle them with a bit of salt. Brown the pieces in the hot oil, in batches for at least 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Set the pork aside and add the star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Saute on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the spice paste and sauté on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pork pieces, coconut milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer and cook with the lid on for at least 3 to 4 hours. Add the potatoes half an hour before serving. Reduce the gravy according to taste and serve with coconut rice.

 

Bolognese Garlic Bread Sandwiches

I watched Rachel Ray make these on her show and loved the idea. I changed up the recipe a bit and added mushrooms to make the dish healthier. I also jazzed up the ricotta cheese. These sandwiches were absolutely delicious. My daughter gave them two thumbs up!

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup chopped pancetta
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 5 ounces Cremini mushrooms, grated
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 small bunch, thyme
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup tomato sauce, preferably home made
  • 2 cups milk
  • Salt

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the pancetta and sauté for a minute or two. Add the ground turkey and separate the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Saute on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Saute on high heat for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer with the lid on. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or till the meat is cooked through. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Keep aside.

Ricotta Topping

  • 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Place the olive oil, garlic and parsley in a small frying pan. Heat over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes- just enough time to cook the garlic without browning. Add salt and let cool. Add to the ricotta, mix well and keep aside.

  • 4 ciabatta rolls
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Add the garlic, oil and salt to a small frying pan. Cook on a very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t get brown. Take off the heat and drizzle the garlic mixture all over the four rolls. Toast in the oven until fragrant and golden brown. Take out and assemble the sandwiches. Place about half a cup of the ground meat. Top with ricotta mixture and serve.

 

Pasta Arrabbiata with Herbed Breadcrumbs

Just a simple plate of pasta can be so delicious- you don’t need a whole lot of ingredients… just really good ones!!

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 to 3 medium shallots, chopped
  • 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (seeded depending on how spicy you want)
  • 3 cups fresh tomato sauce or canned tomatoes
  • ½ pound penne, cooked al dente with 1 cup pasta water
  • ½ cup fresh basil, chopped

Heat a saucepan with butter and oil. Add the shallots, garlic and jalapenos. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer with lid off for 30 minutes. Add basil and pasta. Mix well and check for seasonings and add salt. Adjust consistency of sauce by adding pasta water if needed. Serve warm with a garnish of herbed breadcrumbs.

Breadcrumbs

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Zest of one lemon

Mix all the ingredients and serve on top of pasta.

 

Green Curry with Tofu

This is the first time I have attempted green curry at home. We always order it in Thai restaurants and really enjoy the flavor. My problem with attempting Thai recipes at home was the numerous ingredients. I finally went to an Asian grocery store and stocked up on galangal which comes frozen and can be stored in your freezer for a long time. It is nice to have fresh kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass but they are not always available. So, I bought frozen lemon grass and stored the fresh lime leaves in the freezer as well. They may not be as aromatic as the fresh ones but it is better than not having them at all. This was a good first try- will keep improving….

  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 medium shallots, chopped
  • 1 inch galangal or ginger
  • 2 tablespoons lemongrass or zest of 2 limes
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 2 teaspoons honey

Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and process till a paste is achieved. You may need to add some water to process. Keep aside.

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 to 4 heads small bok choy, whites and greens separated and chopped
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • Salt
  • 3 or 4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Heat a wok like saucepan with the coconut oil. Add the green curry paste and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bok choy whites and sauté for 2 more mintues. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add salt and water if needed. Cook on a simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Check for seasonings and garnish with kaffir lime leaves and cilantro. Serve with soba noodles.