Wine Club: On the Road to Mandalay!

The theme for the February Wine Club comes from a poem by the English poet, Rudyard Kipling.  After having spent several years in India, Kipling was headed back to England.  Kipling took the "eastern route" through Southeast Asia and across the United States.  His trip was by steamship and the first port of call was Rangoon, a city in what was the British Protectorate of Burma.  After spending one day in Rangoon, the ship set sail and there was an unscheduled stop in Molmein. After coming ashore at Molmein, Rudyard Kipling was apparently struck by the beauty.  Not by the amazing golden pagodas in that city, but by the Burmese women.  

It was that inspiration that led to Rudyard Kipling to pen the poem, On the Road to Mandalay.  The stanzas clearly reveal Kipling's inspiration:

By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' eastward to the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say:
"Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay!"
Come you back to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay;
Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay,
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!

While Kipling's poem is about British soldiers' longing for Burmese women, this is wine club and the longing should be for the food of Burma:

No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells;

On the road to Mandalay, etc.

That's better.  The inspiration for this wine club dinner are those "spicy garlic smells" ... or the food of Burma, also known as Myanmar.  For this wine club, there will be a three course dinner of Burmese food based upon the recipes of Naomi Daguid's book, Burma, Rivers of Flavor.

FIRST COURSE
Ragoon Mohinga

Our gastronomic tour begins at the "End of Strife," also known as Rangoon or, now, Yangon. The former capital of Burma (or Myanmar) started as a small fishing village at the convergence of the Bago and Yangon rivers and around the most sacred of Buddhist temples for the Burmese people, the Shwedagon Pagoda.   The first course will be Rangoon Mohinga, which is a dish of broth poured over rice vermicelli noodles.  Mohinga is the Burmese version of Vietnamese phở, but with one significant difference.  Whereas phở is made with beef broth, mohinga is made with a delicate fish broth.  The mohinga is served with fish and shallots, along with some optional toppings and condiments. 

SECOND COURSE

Khua Haeng (Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills)

The tour continues northward to the Shan Hills, which stretch across Eastern Burma and lead the way to the city of Mandalay.  For the second course of this Burmese gastronomic tour, we will be serving Khua Haeng or Aromatic Chicken from the Shan Hills.  This is a relatively simple dish representing the Shan people, which live predominantly in the Shan state in eastern Burma, but also in the central regions of Burma, including the city of Mandalay.  Khua Haeng involves the frying of chicken in a large pot or wok with certain spices (tumeric, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, chiles and tomatoes) and then some aromatics toward the end of the cooking process.  The fried chicken will be served with perfumed coconut rice and a tender greens salad with crispy fried shallots.

THIRD COURSE

Shwe Gyi Mont (Semolina Cake)

For our final dish, we will be serving Shwe Gyi Mont, which is the Burmese version of an Indian semolina halva.  The semolina flour is toasted first, with liquids added and cooked over low heat and baked.  The result is described by Daguid as a "delicious cross between cake and sweetmeat."

So, that is the menu.  As always, it is subject to change depending upon the availability of ingredients. Any changes or updates will be added to this post.  Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

ENJOY!

Spicy Pork Sausage Sandwiches

Every year, the Savage Boleks host a Super Bowl party; and, for our seventh such party -- Savage Boleks Super Bowl Party VII -- we decided to prepare a recipe from each of the cities or states represented by the two teams playing in the big game.  Super Bowl XLVIII was a contest between Seattle and Denver.  The obvious choice for Seattle is a salmon burger, and, I found a recipe for Salmon Burgers from Pike's Place Market.  The only question was what would me make that represents Denver or the State of Colorado.

I did some research for sandwiches or snacks that are quintessential Denver or Colorado.  My efforts produced of videos of people eating fried Rocky Mountain oysters.  Needless to say, I don't have access to those "oysters" and, even if I did, I do not think I would have had guests willing to eat them.  Bottom line, I had very little to go with. 

In such a case, where I have nothing, I have my "last resort."  It is a book called Sunday Night Football Cookbook.  This cookbook has recipes for each of the teams.  There are some recipes from players, like Fred Taylor's Shrimp Gumbo and Shawne Merriman's Shepard Pie.  However, for the most part, the recipes are provided by chefs who have restaurants in the host cities.  Denver was represented by two recipes: (1) Spicy Pork Sausages with Mustard and Horseradish; and, Warm Bittersweet-Chocolate Cupcakes.  Given I don't bake, the process of elimination was fairly easy.

The sausage recipe comes from Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, who is the chef of Frasca Food and Wine in Denver.  A winner of the James Beard Foundation's award for the Best Chef Southwest, Chef Mackinnon-Patterson is inspired by the cuisine of Friuli, which is part of the region known as Friuli-Venezia Giuli.  The food and wine of this region has influences drawn not only from Italy, but also neighboring Austria and Slovenia.  Chef Mackinnon-Patterson's sausage recipe gives a nod to Friuli cuisine with its use of prosciutto, because Friuli is well known for Prosciutto San Danielle.  I decided to give a further nod to the region with respect to the wine.  While the recipe calls for 1/4 cup of a non-descript "white wine," I found a Chardonnay from Friuli, which seemed like the best wine to use given the source of the recipe.  

Finally, this relatively simple recipe calls for making the sausage into patties.  If you want a challenge, you can do what I did.  Apart from tripling the recipe for the party, I used a meat grinder to stuff the sausage in casings.  I had always wanted to use the old school meat grinder that was given to me as a present from my sister and brother in law.  This recipe provided the first opportunity for me to use the grinder and, coincidentally, the first time that I made sausage by hand. Fortunately, Clare's parents were in town and they provided some very invaluable assistance as we worked to make nearly ten pounds of handmade sausage.  I am very grateful for their help.  Without their assistance, the sausage would never have been completed in time for the party.

SPICY PORK SAUSAGE SANDWICHES

Recipe from Frasca Food & Wine, 

from the Sunday Night Football Cookbook, pg. 124

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds of ground pork loin

12 ounces prosciutto or speck or combination, minced

1/4 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 to 8 Kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Dijon-style mustard

Prepared horseradish

Directions:

1.  Prepare the sausage.  In a large bowl, combine the pork, prosciutto, wine, salt, cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, and cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Form the pork mixture into 6 to 8 patties and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.  Alternatively, you can buy some pork casings and stuff the sausages, which is what I did in this case.   Just soak the casings in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then rinse them very well.  I have an old school meat grinder, the cast iron kind that you crank by hand.  Follow the instructions for the meat grinder and stuff the sausage. 

2.  Bake or grill the sausage.  Bake the sausage patties for about 20 minutes until cooked through. You can also preheat a grill to about 350 degrees and cook the sausages for the same period of time, flipping the sausage once after about 10 minutes. 

3.  Plate the dish.  Serve hot on the rolls with mustard and horseradish.

ENJOY!

Pike's Place Salmon Burgers

The Pike's Place Market is one the most well known symbols of the city of Seattle.   It opened on August 17, 1907, the result of a proposal by Seattle City Councilman Thomas Revelle, who proposed the idea of a public market where both farmers could sell their goods directly to the city's residents.  According to the market's website, Councilman Revelle proclaimed, "the Market is yours. I dedicate it to you and may it prove of benefit to you and your children. It is for you to protect, defend, and uphold and it is for you to see that those who occupy it treat you fairly. … This is one of the greatest days in the history of Seattle."  For more than 100 years, I think the citizens of Seattle have upheld their responsibilities to protect, defend and uphold that market and, during that time, the market and its vendors have provided a lot to the citizens, including this one particular recipe for Pike's Place Salmon Burgers.

I happened to find this recipe when I was preparing for our annual Super Bowl Party.  With each game, the challenge is to make sandwiches or snacks that are representative of the city or state whose teams are playing in the game.  Super Bowl XLVIII featured the Denver Broncos vs. the Seattle Seahawks.  As the conference championships came to a close, I immediately knew that I would be making a salmon burger to represent the city of Seattle.  I just needed a recipe.

I found that recipe on the NBC Today website.  The recipe comes from the Pike's Place Fish Guys, Justin Hall and Anders Miller, and can be found in their cookbook, In the Kitchen with the Pike's Place Fish Guys.  The  Fish Guys give a relatively straightforward introduction to the dish: These are the very same patties that seem to fly out of the case at Pike Place Fish. They are great served on their own or with your favorite sauce, such as tartar or dill sauce. We think the best way to serve them is on a brioche bun, with a little arugula, tomato, and a slice of Walla Walla sweet onion on top. This might be the best salmon burger ever. 

The "best salmon burger ever"?  That is a pretty bold claim. I will say that this recipe produces a great salmon burger.  It is definitely better with the tomato, sweet onion and arugula.  While it is a great burger, and perhaps the best Northwestern-style salmon burger, I personally think my beautiful Angel's Salmon Burgers are the best salmon burgers ever, especially smoked on a cedar plank and served with ancho guacamole. 

 

PIKE'S PLACE SALMON BURGERS

Recipe from NBC Today 

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the burgers):

1 pound boneless, skinless, wild salmon, finely chopped
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon rub (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon Northwest Seafood Seasoning (see recipe below)
1 cup panko crumbs

Ingredients (for the rub):
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seed
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ground celery seed
1/4 cup dried granulated onion
1 1/2 tablespoons of ground chipotle chile

Ingredients (for the Northwest Seafood Seasoning):
1/3 cup dried minced garlic
1/3 cup dried granulated onion
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
4 teaspoons granulated lemon peel
1/3 cup dried dill
1/3 cup paprika
2 tablespoons celery seed
1/2 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup medium grind black pepper

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub: Combine all of the ingredients (brown sugar, paprika, cilantro, fennel seed, garlic pepper, salt, celery seed, onion, and chipotle) in a bowl and mix well. Store in a covered container for at least 6 months.

2.  Prepare the Northwest Seafood Seasoning: Combine all of the ingredients (garlic, onion, salt, lemon peel, dill, paprika, celery seed, parsley, and pepper) in a bowl and mix well. Store in a covered container for at least 6 months.

3.  Prepare the burgers. Place the chopped salmon in a large bowl and add 2 teaspoons of the oil, the rub, and the seafood seasoning. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Add the panko crumbs and mix to combine.  Form the mixture evenly into 4 patties, packing them firmly around the edges so they don't fall apart. Each patty should be between 1/2 and 3/4 inch thick.

4.  Cook the burgers.  Preheat a skillet (cast iron works well) over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is nearly smoking, add the patties and cook for 3 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The patties may also be grilled over medium-high heat for the same amount of time.

5.  Plate the dish.  Toast the ciabatta buns or sandwich buns for a couple of minutes.  Place a burger on the bottom half of the bun and top with a slice of tomato, some thin slices of onion and some arugula.

ENJOY!

Apple Crumble

I am not the only one who cooks in our family.  My beautiful wife, Clare, is also a great cook and a great baker.  Every once in a while, I ask my Angel to provide a guest blog post so that I can share some of the amazing and delicious things that she makes for family, friends and, of course, me.  She has already provided guest blog posts about Cuban Bread, Loyalist Bread, Salmon Burgers, Peach Cobbler, Parmesan Soufflé with White Wine Butter Sauce and Meatballs with Orechhiette, Kale and Pine Nuts.   So, without further ado,

A Guest Blog Post by Clare ...

When it comes to desserts, I am the one that makes them in our family.  Keith does not really make a lot of desserts; and, I think that is because he is not really into baking.  When it comes to cooking, he does not always measure things exactly.  He likes to "eyeball"the measurements.  This does not lend itself very well to baking, where exact measurements are much more important, particularly if you want to have a good dessert.

Then there are desserts that are more "Keith-friendly," that is, ones in which being off on a measurement or two would not spell ruin for the dish.  One such dish is this apple crumble, which I made as part of our Wine Club dinner back last September.  (Keith has been really busy at work and at home, which has left some recipes, like this one, waiting to be posted.)  The theme of the Wine Club dinner was The F Word, which was a dinner based on recipes by Gordon Ramsay.  This is Gordon's take on an Apple Crumble.  

The key to this recipe is that the apple is presented in two forms ... puree and chunks.  This helps to provide some interesting texture to the fruit in the dessert.  Gordon adds dried cranberries, which add some interesting flavor to complement the apples.  The granola topping, which adds that crunch one would expect with a crumble rounds out the dish. 

Over all, this is a delicious dessert and a great way to end that particular wine club dinner. 

APPLE CRUMBLE

Recipe from Gordon Ramsay's Cookery Course

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the apples):

6 tablespoons of caster sugar

Pinch of ground cinnamon

1 vanilla pod, seeds only

6 apples, cored but not peeled, 3 of them grated

     3 of them cut into chunks

3 tablespoons of dried cranberries

Zest of one lemon, juice of 1/2 lemon

Ingredients (for the crumble topping):

6 2/3 tablespoons of plain flour

2 tablespoons of demerara sugar

3 1/3 tablespoons of butter, chilled and cubed

Pinch of ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons of nutty granola or muesli

Directions:

1.  Prepare the apples.  Heat the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit.  Heat a small hob-proof baking dish. Add the caster sugar and heat for about 5 minutes until it caramelizes.  Add the cinnamon, vanilla seeds and grated apples and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Stir in the apple chunks, then mix in the cranberries, lemon zest and juice.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2.  Make the topping. Place the flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add the granola and mix fully until incorporated. 

3.  Bake the crumble.  Scatter the crumble topping over the fruit and heat the dish on the hob.  Once the apple mixture is bubbling, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes until the topping is a deep golden brown.  Remove and serve warm.

ENJOY!

The Perfect Crime

When two gypsies team up with an arrogant bastard, there is bound to be some criminal activity... better to view this project as a conspiracy rather than a collaboration. The strengths of all involved were utilized to break the laws of style guidelines... dark with deception, mysteriously smoked, unexplainably dry, and intriguingly hopped ... maybe it is best not to talk about it.  

If we did not talk about "The Perfect Crime," then I'd have one less blog post.  The conspirators are three of the most innovative breweries in the craft beer scene ... Stone Brewing, Stillwater Artisanal Ales and  Evil Twin.  I have reviewed beers produced by each individual brewer, such as Stone's Double Bastard, Stillwater's Eschatalogical Ale, and Evil Twin's Freudian Slip.  The Perfect Crime offers an opportunity to review the one collaboration of these three breweries.

The Perfect Crime is a rather unique beer.  It is a black smoked saison.  Those three words -- black ... smoked ... saison -- do not appear together very often in the beer world. Nevertheless, they work very well together.

This black smoked saison pours a dark brown, almost black color.  There is a decent foam that recedes to the edges of the glass.  According to the brewmasters, the first aromas are of dark roasted, mildly smoky malt, with the saison yeast fighting through with a fruitiness and spiciness that presents a nice side-by-side complement to the malts as the beer warms.  This description was fairly accurate, because I found that the smoked aromas were clearly present up front, but a little more fruit and spice behind that smoky barrier. 

When it comes to the taste, The Perfect Crime is described as having a light roast and blended smoky character, which is followed by that Belgian saison yeast, which adds fruit, pepper and spice flavors that outlast the smoke flavors.  The brewers suggest hints of citrus and bananas in the finish with a bitter hop aftertaste.  I could definitely sense the roast and smoky character, as well of some of that fruit, pepper and spice.  There was a bitterness in the finish, but I did not get the citrus or bananas in the finish. 

When it comes to food pairings, the brewers at Stone suggest coconut shrimp, deviled eggs, and smoked salmon blinis, along with Chinese chicken soup, caramelized fennel and apple flatbread, quail, roasted chicken and turkey.  If you wanted to pair the beer with cheeses, the brewmasters suggest triple crème Brie, Cowgirl Creamery Devil’s Gulch, Muenster, Morbier.

This beer was given to me to try, so I don't know if and where it is available.  Given it is a collaboration, it is most likely not being produced anymore.  Here is to hoping that another conspiracy is in the offing....

ENJOY!

Thai Shrimp with Red Curry

A few weeks ago, I posted a recipe for Kaeng Kiao Wan Kung  or Thai Shrimp in Green Curry.  In that post, I noted my many efforts to make the dish, all of which technically failed due to my failure to procure one of the most vital ingredients of the dish ... green curry paste.  Whenever I was at the store, the shelves were stocked with red curry paste, but no green curry paste.  I would inevitably leave with a jar of red curry paste.  However, red curry paste does not make for a good Thai Shrimp in Green Curry.

Nevertheless, I used that paste and made Thai Shrimp in Red Curry.  This dish most resembled the curry dishes that I would order whenever we went out to eat at a Thai restaurant.  The aromas were very similar, as were the tastes.  The combination of the red curry paste, coconut milk, brown sugar, and, the fish sauce work very well with this dish.  This curry dish was a good consolation for all those times that I failed to find the green curry paste.

This leaves the question of the moment: which is better ... Thai Shrimp with Green Curry or Thai Shrimp with Red Curry?  I think it is a draw.  I have to admit that I just about love any curry that I eat.

THAI SHRIMP WITH RED CURRY

Recipe adopted from from Whats4Eats

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup of coconut cream
2-3 tablespoons of red curry paste
3 cups of coconut milk
1/4 cup of fish sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
Shrimp, peeled and deveined -- 1 pound
1/2 cup of basil
3 kaffir lime leaves
2-3 serrano chiles, sliced into thin rounds

Directions:
1.  Simmer the cream and paste.  In a large saucepan or wok, simmer the coconut cream over low heat until most of the moisture boils away and the oil separates out. Stir in the curry paste and simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes. Do not allow to burn.

2.  Add the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.  Add the shrimp. Stir in the shrimp and simmer another 5 or 6 minutes, or until the shrimp is just cooked through. Adjust seasoning adding more fish sauce or sugar if you like and stir in the basil and lime leaves.

4.  Plate the dish.  Serve in individual bowls with steamed rice or rice noodles and garnish with the sliced chile pepper.

 ENJOY!

The 8th Wonder of the Trappist World

For many years, there were seven wonders of the trappist beer world (i.e., the world were the beers are made by or produced under the strict supervision of trappist monks). Six of them are found in Belgium: Chimay (Bières de Chimay), Orvan (Brasserie d'Orval), Rochefort (Brasserie de Rochefort), Westmalle (Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle), Westvleteren (Brouwerij Westvleteren) and Achel (Brouwerij der Sint-Benedictusabdij de Achelse Kluis).  The seventh wonder is found in the Netherlands: La Trappe (Brouwerij de Koningshoeven).  It is one of my goals to try beers from each of the trappist breweries.  To date, I have tried and reviewed beers from three of the breweries: the Westmalle Tripel, the Orval Trappist Ale, and the La Trappe Quadrupel.  (I have had Chimay beers, but I have not done a review of any of those beers). 

As I struggle to achieve my goal of trying beers from the seven trappist breweries, more such breweries have emerged.  Indeed, there is now an eighth trappist brewery: Stift Engelszell.  (There is also a ninth and a tenth trappist brewery, including one in the United States.)  Unlike the older trappist breweries, which are found in either Belgium or the Netherlands, Gregorius brews its beer at the Engelzell Abbey, which is located near Engelharrzell and der Donau in northern Austria. It is the only trappist brewery in Austria. 

The abbey was founded in 1293, although it was dissolved by Emperor Joseph II in 1786.  German monks, who were expelled from Oelenbery Abbey in Alsace after World War I, re-founded the abbey in 1925. Having being originally established as a priory, Engelszell was elevated to an Abbey with Gregorius Eisvogel named as the abbot. In 1939, the Engelszell monks were evicted by the Gestapo (with four monks being sent to the Dachau Concentration Camp). 

Fast-forward over 70 years, and we come to the first beer to be produced by Stift Engelszell.  The beer is a dark ale brewed in the Belgian style, with an ABV of  9.7%.  The beer is named "Gregorius," which is a tribute to Abbott Gregorius Eisvogel who was at the Abbey for 25 years (1925-1950). The monks produce Gregorius with honey that is local to the monastery and a unique Alsacian wine yeast. 

The Gregorius pours a dark brown color, that is typical of the Belgian dark ale.  The aroma is malt driven, with bready tones that are accentuated by the alcohol and yeast.  Some dark fruit, perhaps some raisons or plums, are present in the aroma.  As for the flavor of the beer, there is a noticeable, sweet Belgian candy element to the beer.  The candy is complemented with a light chocolate taste and a little bit of bitterness on the finish, which reminds you that there is more to this beer than just malts.  

Although I could venture some food pairing for this beer, I think that the beer is best enjoyed on its own ... as, in my humble opinion, are most trappist beers. 

This beer was available in the Chicago area, which is where a bottle was picked up and given to me.  I have not seen it around where I live.  If you happen to come across a bottle, it is worth trying.

ENJOY!

The "Italian" Ribeye

Three words always appeal to me ... Bistecca alla Fiorentina.  Those three words speak of a recipe that is among my favorites.  One starts with a huge porterhouse steak.  The steak itself must be at least two pounds, but often times it will be larger.  Then there are the fresh herbs ... usually rosemary and thyme ... that are combined together with salt and black pepper to make a simple, but incredibly tasty rub.  After that rub is pressed into the meat, the steaks are left to rest, which allows the flavors to develop. After a couple hours, or overnight, then the steak is grilled over charcoals until it has a nice crust, while a pink to red interior.  

That recipe is one of my go-to recipes for my Steak Nights.  It is also perhaps my most favorite preparation of meat. While many steak lovers simply swear by salt and pepper, there is something about the addition of rosemary and thyme that transforms a piece of meat into something much more than a steak.

For this particular recipe, I decided to start with the "Fiorentina" and add more herbs to the rub.  In addition to rosemary and thyme, I added dried oregano, parsley and sage.  I also grinded the dry spices until they were a fine powder, and, rubbed that powder into the meat. (I used a little olive oil to help keep the powder on the meat).  The end result was a rub that incorporated some of the most basic, but most flavorful spices used in Italian cooking.

For this recipe, I found a two-pound ribeye, which keeps with the classic Fiorentina-style steak ... a massive hunk of meat rubbed with herbs.  The only deviation is that it was cooked under the broiler.  It was simply too darn cold outside to start a charcoal fire, let alone cook the ribeye. 

THE "ITALIAN" RIBEYE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves Several

Ingredients:

1 very large, very thick ribeye (about 2 to 3 pounds)

2 teaspoons of dried thyme

2 teaspoons of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of dried sage

1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

Olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate the ribeye.  Salt and pepper all sides of the ribeye several hours before adding the spice rub.  Prepare the rub by combining all of the dried ingredients (thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary, oregano, and crushed red pepper).  Grind in a spice grinder until it is very fine and powdery.  Apply some olive oil on each side of the ribeye and then rub the spice mixture into the meat.  Refrigerate the ribeye for at least a couple of hours, if not overnight.

2.  Grill/broil the ribeye.  Heat the charcoal in a grill (or heat a gas grill) to high.  Add the steak, cook over direct heat for about five minutes on each side, for about fifteen minutes until you reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  Alternatively, grill the ribeye over high heat, turning so that every side of the ribeye faces the heat for at least four to five minutes each (less time on small sides), until you get an internal temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which is medium rare.  Remove and let rest for ten minutes.  Slice and serve.

ENJOY!

Kaeng Kiao Wan Kung (Thai Shrimp in Green Curry Sauce)

This particular recipe -- Kaeng Kiao Wan Kung (Thai Shrimp in Green Curry Sauce) -- has a little backstory to it.  I found this recipe on one of the websites that I regularly visit (Whats4Eats) several months back.  This recipe was high on the priority list of things to make for my beautiful Angel, because I thought she would really like it.  I tried to make it several times; however, each time failed.  It was not because I screwed up the recipe.  Each meal turned out well and we enjoyed the food.  

The meal failed because every time I made the dish, I made with red curry paste.  What was supposed to be Thai Shrimp in Gren Curry Sauce ended up being Thai Shrimp in Red Curry Sauce.  (Don't ask me how that translates in Thai.)  The reason was simple: every time I went to a particular grocery store after work, I would go to the Asian foods section.  As I stood before the shelves, basket in hand, my eyes always fixated on the one gap -- the one open space -- on the shelves. Sure enough, the little tag read "Green Curry Paste."  There were lots of jars of red curry paste, but no jars of green curry paste.  I would reach to the back of the shelf, hoping that there was a stray jar of green curry paste.  Each time, I left ... with a jar of red curry paste.

However, on one occasion, I checked that shelf and there it was ... green curry paste.  A bottle of water, green chilies, onions, lemon grass, galangal, garlic, sugar, salt and tamarind.  All of those ingredients pureed into the one paste I needed to make Kaeng Kiao Wan Kung.  I purchased a jar and a pound of the larges shrimp I could find.  I headed home to make the dish for Clare.

Overall, the dish turned out well, although the green curry sauce did not end up as green as I thought it would.  The lack of a greenish hue is most likely due to the color of the green curry paste that I used.  Still, we both really enjoyed this dish.  It is simple to make and has those Thai flavors that appeal to both of us.

KAENG KIAO WAN KUNG 

(THAI SHRIMP IN GREEN CURRY SAUCE)

Recipe from Whats4Eats

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup of coconut cream
2-3 tablespoons of green curry paste
3 cups of coconut milk
1/4 cup of fish sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
Shrimp, peeled and deveined -- 1 pound
1/2 cup of basil
3 kaffir lime leaves
2-3 serrano chiles, sliced into thin rounds

Directions:

1.  Simmer the cream and paste.  In a large saucepan or wok, simmer the coconut cream over low heat until most of the moisture boils away and the oil separates out. Stir in the curry paste and simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes. Do not allow to burn.

2.  Add the coconut milk. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.  Add the shrimp. Stir in the shrimp and simmer another 5 or 6 minutes, or until the shrimp is just cooked through. Adjust seasoning adding more fish sauce or sugar if you like and stir in the basil and lime leaves.

4.  Plate the dish.  Serve in individual bowls with steamed rice or rice noodles and garnish with the sliced chile pepper.

 ENJOY!

A Brief Break ...

As followers of the blog have probably noticed, the posts have become fewer and fewer.  It is not that I have not been cooking or that I don't have posts, it is just that I have not had enough time to write the posts about my cooking.  There is a backlog, but I have been very busy with my beautiful Angel and my little big guy.  I have also been very busy at work. 

I have decided to take a brief break from posting on this blog until the new year.  I hope that this will give me some time to work on some posts.  

I hope everyone has a happy holiday! See you after the new year.