Change of plans

Hello, readers! Sorry I haven't written. I have been doing some serious soul searching and have made a very big decision in my life.

So, as my new banner states, I am going to Taiwan to teach English. Projected date is January 30. Yikes, it is so soon! This blog is going to be repurposed as a chronicle of my adventures, good and bad. I hope to still work in some culinary goodness- after all, there will be all the new and exciting food over there to review, attempt, and describe!

In the mean time, I hope to post as often as I can about the process of getting there and the trials and tribulations of becoming an expat!

Thanks for your attention and support, guys.

Elegant junk

Yikes! I forgot to post on Thursday! Bad Rebecca.

Well, that's beside the point, because over the weekend I invented a new recipe that I am very much enjoying, so the delay gives me an opportunity to share it with you! Now, in case you haven't inferred from my writings, I am not a fan of fried food. Typically, I find it greasy and far from satisfying. Not to say that I am a health-food nut - on the contrary, I love burgers and pizzas sometimes - but something about the whole idea of deep fried junk being in my body doesn't make me happy.

You know you just get those insane cravings for something sometimes, though? Well, yesterday I was DYING for fried shrimp. I just couldn't bring myself to drive all the way to Ashland for a Captain D's or Long John Silver's to satisfy a craving for nasty, greasy breaded jumbo shrimp, so I decided to get a little inventive in the kitchen. I ended up combining my recent affinity for all cuisines South Asian and my complete and utter need for something fried.

The result! Fabulousness. However, it was a bit spicy! So I whipped up a yogurt sauce and some couscous. Perfection ensued. And now, I pass perfection on to you!

Indian-Spiced Fried Shrimp with Cilantro "Raita" and CousCous
Serves one fairly hungry person

1-2 handfuls of 41-50 shrimp, thawed, shelled and de-tailed
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2-3 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cayenne
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2-3 tbs olive oil

"Raita"
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp coriander
2 tbs fresh cilantro, shredded
1 tbs fresh chives, chopped finely

Couscous
1/2 cup water or chicken broth
1/4 cup couscous
Optional: 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 small handful golden raisins


In a small saucepan, heat chicken broth for couscous over a high flame. If using, add lemon juice and raisins now. Bring to a boil, add couscous and remove from heat, covering. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high flame. In a shallow bowl, combine flour and all of the spices for the shrimp. Shrimp are naturally damp, so you shouldn't have to dredge them to get the breading to stick. Turn shrimp in the breading until thorougly coated, then carefully place in the hot oil. Once the bottom edges turn an orangey-gold, flip with tongs (about a minute). Cook for a minute or so on the opposite side, then remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for "raita". Serve alongside shrimp and couscous or combine for a really ugly dish.

Park it on the couch (if you're anything like me) and Enjoy!

Across the Universe

Curry: From the southern Indian word kari , meaning "sauce," comes this catch-all term that is used to refer to any number of hot, spicy, gravy-based dishes of East Indian origin (The Food Dictionary).

I am an inherently curious person. Trying new things, from a doomed foray into fencing to a band suggested by my best friend to a style of cuisine I’ve never heard of, is something that I really enjoy. Experience and experimentation help us grow and develop as humans, which is exciting to me. A few years ago, I was introduced to Thai cuisine by my best friend, Carrie. While I am usually wary of extremely spicy foods, what I found was some of the most flavorful, fragrant, delectable curries I had ever tasted.

Now, if you’re anything like me, when someone says curry, the first thing you think of is India. While, as noted above, curries did originate in India, it has become one of the few truly Pan-Asian foods. From India and Pakistan to Malaysia, China, and Nepal to Thailand, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, the British Empire picked up these spicy, flavor-filled gravies and carried them to the far reaches of Asia and beyond. Each nation added its own unique, regional spin to the sauces, which vary from the fiery red curries of Malaysia and Indonesia to the docile, turmeric based curries of India.

Though I am still experimenting and learning about South Asian cuisine and all of the joys therein, right now, Thai is my favorite. That is partially because Thai restaurants are ubiquitous in Richmond – there are 6 in Carytown alone. However, there is something about the sweet and spicy interplay that I find really appealing.

Not to mention I make a mean Panang.

So, without further ado, here is my variation on a traditional Panang curry.

Thai Panang Curry with Coconut Saffron Rice

Curry:
2 small green chiles, chopped and deseeded ****
2 stalks lemongrass, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs honey
1 tsp each cardamom, cumin, coriander, cinnamon and turmeric
1 tbs ginger paste
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 cans coconut milk, stirred
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 cup dried lentils
1 medium pineapple, diced
1 bunch cilantro (optional)

Rice:
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 cup orange juice (NO PULP)
1/2 can coconut milk
3-4 strands saffron
2 cups long grain basmati rice


*** A note about chiles: when handling fresh peppers, make sure to wear gloves or to turn the plastic bag in which they are stored inside out over your hand. The juices from chile peppers can and will burn your hands. ***

In a medium saucepan with a lid, combine all ingredients for rice. Cook just below medium heat, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.

In a small food processor, combine peppers, lemongrass, fish sauce, ginger, spices, honey, onion, garlic, and lime juice. Pulse on hi until a rough paste is formed.

In a large wok or deep skillet with scrapable sides, heat vegetable oil over medium flame. Saute curry paste from food processor until lightly browned and very fragrant. Add coconut milk, whisking until paste is incorporated fully. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes.

Add lentils, saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add chicken, saute for another 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Stir in pineapple and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until pineapple is heated through.

In four shallow bowls, layer rice and curry and top with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

Stocking up

Since I have started this blog, a lot of my friends have come to me to share their loves, fears, and individual victories in the kitchen. It's very gratifying, and as I love food, it's nice to hear other people's stories and get their recipes.

In the last few months, though, I have heard one story over and over again. "I know how to follow a recipe really well, but I just never know what to do with what I have." Over and over, people would tell me that they never really know what to have on hand, what you could sling together, how to branch out from the page into something that is unique to you. The more I thought about this, the more I realized the secrets to my ability to cook on the fly.

First off, I have a list of about 20 things that I try to have in my pantry/refridgerator at all times. Now, as I make a lot of more ethnic dishes, my must haves are a bit different than most, but it's a point of reference.

The list :
Shrimp
Chicken
Starches: Couscous, pasta, rice, arborio rice (if I'm feeling fancy)
Juices: Orange, lemon, lime
Onions - Red and Yellow
A head or two of garlic
Red wine vinegar
Soy sauce
Ginger
A couple of chiles
Coconut milk
Cream
Chicken Stock
1-2 cans crushed tomatoes
Baby spinach or spring mix
Almonds
Cheese: mozzarella, parmesan, chevre
Avocado

Second off, I know my herbs. More to the point, I know which ones will work with just about everything I make and I try to keep them on hand. If I had a bit of sense, I'd grow my own, but alas, I am not so good at living things.

The herbs:
Basil
Oregano
Cilantro
Chives
Lemongrass
Mint

Lastly, I have aquired over the last year or so an utterly rocking spice cabinet. Dried herbs and spices are great for quick, easy, last minute additions to any meat or veggie dish. My absolute cannot-live-without spices are:


Cumin
Coriander
Nutmeg
Cayenne
Oregano
Thyme
Basil


Basically, in my mind, your pantry (and fridge and spice cabinet) is your toolbox. If you have your basic college graduate toolbox like the one that lives under my bed - hammer, a couple of screwdrivers, a tape measure, and maybe a staple gun - you can only do so much. However, if you have the fancy, seven drawers of state of the art tools organized just so set up that my friend Charles has, well, you can get a lot farther when it comes to repairs. Stock your pantry well, and you can get a long way in the kitchen. Another tool, if you want to delve further into the hows and whys as well as the whats of cooking is the book Cooking Around The World For Dummies. It has a lot of really useful information about how to cook different types of cuisine, not just recipes.


Enjoy the tips, and happy cooking!

Fruit and Fall

Ah, September. Summer is wonderful and all that, but frankly, I am glad to move away from the sweltering heat and into the pretty leaves! Virginia really is gorgeous in the fall. I can't wait.

A great thing about September particularly is that you get the best of all worlds when it comes to fruit. The strawberries and blackberries of summer are still ripe and delicious, but you can also get the peaches, figs, and apples of fall. Now is a wonderful time for pork, because it goes so well with all kinds of fruit, many of which are abundant right now.

I made this recipe for the first time last night and it was absolutely out of this world. The peaches and figs are perfect together, and the textures are all very interesting. This serves four and comes together in a little under a half an hour, chopping time included.

Poached Peaches and Figs

1 cup red wine (I used a Chilean Cabernet Savingon to very good effect)
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbs honey, preferably good orange blossom honey
1/2 tsp dried thyme, allspice, and cardamom
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 lb figs, quartered
1/2 lb white and yellow peaches, sliced
1 8 oz container mascarpone cheese
2 tbs lemon zest

In a medium saucepan, bring wine, juice, honey, spices, and vanilla to a low boil for about 3-4 minutes. Add peaches and figs, simmering for 5-8 minutes until sauce has thickened a little and fruit is very soft.

In four wine glasses or deep bowls, spoon 2 oz of cheese. Carefully ladle fruit and syrup over cheese and top with lemon zest.

Enjoy!

Viva La Risotto!

So, I have been on this huge risotto kick the last couple of months. It started out as a challenge. I mean, if it's one of the dishes that consistently shows up on Iron Chef, Top Chef, and Hell's Kitchen, then it's not exactly the easiest thing to throw together, now is it? What it has become, however, is pretty much one of my favorite foods. I found this really great lemon risotto recipe on Epicurious.com, and I have been using it as a starting point for all kinds of really interesting variations.

Risotto is defined in the Food Lover's Dictionary as "An Italian rice specialty made by stirring hot stock into a mixture of rice (and often chopped onions) that has been sautéed in butter. The stock is added 1/2 cup at a time and the mixture is stirred continually while it cooks until all the liquid is absorbed before more stock is added. This labor-intensive technique results in rice that is delectably creamy while the grains remain separate and firm." It is a northern Italian dish and a centerpiece of Milanese cooking. Risotto can be made with three different types of short-grain Japonica rice: arborio, carnaroli, and vialone nano. Arborio is considered the lowest quality, but it is the most widely available and is called for in most risotto recipes.

What I have discovered is that risotto is not particularly hard to make. The real difficulty comes from the fact that, if you are doing anything else while you're making it, you either need four arms or a sous chef, because it requires almost constant stirring to turn out properly. However, it is so intensely worth the effort, because the creamy texture and delicate flavor are absolutely to die for. Plus, once you get the general technique down, risotto lends itself to neverending variation.

About a week ago, I came up with just about the best variation on risotto I've had. Because it was THAT AWESOME, of course I must share!

Risotto Fabuloso

4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups water
1-2 tbs olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup - 1 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup each fresh basil, fresh oregano, fresh chives, all chopped finely
1 small tomato, diced
1 lb 31-40 shrimp
3-4 slices prosciutto, chopped coarsely
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat broth, lemon juice, and water on medium-low. Set aside.

In a very large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium flame. Saute shallots until translucent. Add rice and stir constantly for about a minute. Stir in the wine, lemon juice and lemon zest until evaporated wine has evaporated, then start adding the broth mixture, a half cup at a time, stirring regularly until desired texture is achieved.

In another smaller skillet, saute prosciutto and shrimp. Salt and pepper, and cook for a minute or two until prosciutto is slightly crisp and shrimp curl up and turn pink.

Remove risotto from heat. Stir in cheese, tomato, and fresh herbs. Add shrimp and prosciutto.

Enjoy!

It's all Greek to me....

No excuses. No more dallying. I AM going to start updating this at least once a week again, even if it is just a blurb and a recipe. People have been giving me trouble for slacking, which means WOOHOO I have an audience! Good times.

So, without further ado, I am going to introduce the best recipe I have come up with recently. I love Greek and Mediterranean food, but for some reason, I never really make it. I guess growing up with Lebanese and Iraqi neighbors who owned a deli will refine your palette when it comes to hummus and tabouli, though I do make a mean hummus. Well, about a week ago, I decided to dabble in lamb. Normally, I don't cook red meat. This is partially because I don't think I do it very well and partially because I like fish better. Either way, this time, my lamb turned out absolutely fantastically. As a side note, I use goat cheese in my recipe. You can substitute feta if you like. I just thought the milder chevre complimented the dish more effectively, and I like it better anyway.

Amazing Greek-spiced lamb (serves 2)

1 tbs olive oil
1 pita pocket, cut into corners
1-2 tbs hummus
1 tbs olive oil
2 boneless lamb chops, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 medium sized red onion, sliced thin
1 tbs each of cumin, coriander, savory
1 tsp each of ground mustard, cinnamon, white pepper
Cayenne to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 medium English cucumber, diced
1-2 handfuls chopped spinach
1 tbs chopped mint
Crumbled chevre to taste

Preheat broiler. Brush pita corners with olive oil, then broil for 2-3 minutes until crisp. Spread in bottom of shallow bowls or plates and cover with hummus. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in good sized skillet over medium heat. Add onions, saute until slightly browned.

In a small bowl, mix all spices together. Slowly stir in lemon juice to make a paste. Coat lamb in spice paste, then add to skillet.

Saute until browned and cooked to desired doneness. At last minute, stir in spinach. Wilt down just a little, then remove from heat.

In the bowls with the pita and hummus, layer meat and onion mixture, tomato, cucumber, mint and cheese.

Serve and Enjoy!