creamy carrot and coconut milk soup with thai red curry

it's me! i'm here! i haven't been gone far, not at all-- i've been in my kitchen, cooking away, but seem to have let post-to-blog time slip out of my schedule. in fact, i'm sitting on 5 blog posts right now, just waiting for me to feature a pic and do the typy-typy thing to get them out. hopefully i'll make it through that pile in the next couple of weeks!

the next post in the queue was supposed to be a braised cabbage dish, but today is valentine's day, and even on my very best days i'd have a hard time making braised cabbage seem sexy. this carrot and coconut milk soup with red curry, on the other hand, is a different story entirely. it is velvety, spicy, creamy and rich, and, dare i say, exciting.

as usual, rob's reaction to what i cook is part of my evaluation of the dish. i'm almost always a minute or so behind him to sit down to eat because i hang behind to put away cat-temping ingredients and perishables. normally, once i get to the table i get the assessment from rob. this time, he left the table and met me in the kitchen to tell me how "freakin' awesome" this soup was. i agree! it's a thick, savory soup with a hint of sweetness from winter carrots (they're sweeter after the frost), and the creamy coconut milk balances the heat from the curry and chili sauce perfectly. it's so thick and rich that, if we'd had leftovers, i'd have considered serving them over rice like a curry dish.

the spices can be adjusted according to your own heat and spice preferences. use veggie broth for a vegan version.

carrot and coconut soup with thai red curry
from PCC natural markets, also printed in edible seattle's january 2009 issue

3 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
7-8 large carrots, cleaned and sliced
1/2 tsp thai red curry paste
1/4 cup thai sweet chili sauce (we used chili sauce, not labeled as "sweet")
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup coconut milk (we used light)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
lime wedges

heat oil over medium heat in soup pot. add garlic and ginger and saute one minute. add broth and carrots and simmer about 15 minutes, or until carrots are softened. let cool slightly and puree in blender or using an immersion blender in the pot.

return mixture to pot and add red curry paste, chili sauce, soy sauce and black pepper. simmer 5 minutes. stir in coconut milk and cilantro. adjust seasonings to taste, and serve with lime wedges.

sources:
carrots from nash's organic produce
garlic from anselmos farm
chicken stock made from stokesberry farm chicken

moroccan chicken with green olives & preserved lemons

i don't think i've mentioned here yet that my super-sweet boyfriend surprised me on my birthday with-- wait for it-- a 3.5 quart, cherry red, enameled cast iron, le creuset dutch oven! mine. all mine. when i told my facebook friends about it, one said, without hesitation, "now go get molly steven's book, all about braising." i did as he instructed and am so impressed with this book! it's a wonderful step-by-step explanation of braising techniques and principles, and every recipe i've made has been mouth-wateringly perfect.

i recently added to my braising equipment when, through a serendipitous series of factors including a gift card (from super-sweet boyfriend two birthdays ago) and a massive after-christmas sale, i bought a 4-qt. all-clad braiser for less dough out-of-pocket than i'd spend on a couple of packages of bacon from skagit river ranch. hellz yeah.

so now, let's cook.

one of the first recipes i made was a moroccan chicken with green olives and preserved lemons. it's difficult to get a good photo of braised meat, but trust me, it was better than it looks! tangy, briny and bright, with a rich, savory sauce. all of the cooking is done on the stove top, so i used my all-clad pan, which was plenty big to accommodate a 3-lb cut-up chicken.

moroccan chicken with green olives and preserved lemons

adapted from all about braising by molly stevens

for spice mix:

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

for the braise:

1/2 cup unpitted green olives

1 3 to 3 1/2 pound chicken, cut into eight pieces (save back, neck, feet, etc for making stock)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

kosher salt

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup chopped cilantro, parsley, or a mixture of both

1/2 (4 eighths) preserved lemon (the recipe calls for discarding the pulp and using only the peels, but i decided to just chop the pieces with pulp. next time i'll even add a little more because they are SO delicious. *note: molly says if you don't have preserved lemon, do not substitute regular lemon peels as they will not be the same thing at all. rather, squeeze in juice from half a lemon during the first braise step, and stir in the rest as you finish the sauce.)

the spices: in small bowl, stir the spices together. in separate bowl, cover the olives with water and let them soak.

the chicken: rinse chicken pieces with cool water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. season with salt and pepper. heat oil and butter in braising pan, or large saute pan, over medium-high heat. add half of chicken to pan, skin side down, and leave to brown without disturbing them, 4 minutes or so. lift with tongs to see if skin is browned and crispy, then turn and brown other side, about 4 minutes. transfer to plate and repeat with rest of chicken. remove to plate and set aside. 

the aromatics: pour off all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the pan, and lower heat to medium. add onion and garlic, stirring, and cook about 3 minutes to soften. (don't burn the garlic! if it starts to brown too fast, move on to the next steps.) add spice mix and saute about one minute more.

the braising liquid: pour water in pan to deglaze, scraping up browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

the braise: when water boils, return the chicken to the pan, wings, legs and thighs only, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 minutes. if liquid is at a lively simmer, reduce heat so that it's a slow simmer. turn legs and thighs over with tongs and add chicken breasts, placing them skin-side up on top of the other chicken pieces. sprinkle with half of chopped herbs, cover, and braise 20 minutes more. 

the olives and lemons: drain the olives. remove pits by smashing olives with the flat side of a knife, open olives like a book, and remove the pit. (this is surprisingly fun. i thought so anyway. oh, and i have to imagine there's a reason why she calls for unpitted olives that she then tells you to pit-- maybe less salty this way? higher quality olives have pits? dunno. but i did as i was instructed.) rinse the preserved lemon pieces and chop into chunks. 

after the chicken breasts are added and the 20 minute braising time is over, add olives and preserved lemons and turn chicken pieces again. cover and braise another 10-15 minutes, making total braise time 40-45 minutes. check for doneness-- juices should run clear when pieces are pierced with a sharp knife. transfer chicken out of pan and cover to keep warm. 

the finish: increase heat under braising liquid to meduim-high and bring to a boil. simmer sauce until it thickens a bit. add the rest of the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. serve sauce spooned over chicken.

sources:

chicken from stokesberry sustainable farm

onion from willie greens organic farm

garlic from anselmos

our new favorite pecan pie

i've never been much of a dessert person. fat, salt-- these are my cravings, but sugar? not so much. that said, there are some occasions that demand dessert, and christmas is definitely one of those. 

i went to georgia to visit my family a little early  this year, and since i wasn't going to be there over the 25th, we rescheduled "christmas" for a couple of days before. it was great. we had a totally low-key potluck, featuring my dad's smoked turkey, my brother's mac & cheese (mac & cheese is a requirement of all family get-togethers, no matter the occasion), aunt jane's amazing zipper peas and creamed spinach (i'll post about this soon!), and i contributed a pie. a pecan pie. because christmas cries out for pecan pie, and because i love it. 

i followed a recipe from the final issue of gourmet from november, 2009. they, of course, made their own crust, but i didn't bother because 1) i don't bake, and 2) it's christmas-- i don't want to spend it in the kitchen, i want to stay in pjs all day long and watch football with my dad! besides, the whole thing is basically corn syrup-- why not pile a little partially hydrogenated lard on top of it, eh?

the pie was amazing. aunt jane declared it the best she's ever had. dad told us a couple of times that he doesn't even like pecan pie, but that he really liked this one. he requested i make another one before i left for seattle. aunt jane wouldn't leave the house without the recipe, and was telling her neighbor about it a couple of days later. i made the pie again as soon as we arrived back home in seattle because, yeah, it's that good. 

the magic comes from the light corn syrup and light brown sugar, so it avoids the heavy, molasses-y experience that comes from their dark counterparts. add to that the best pecans you can get your hands on (hooray for georgia pecans!) and a hint of orange zest, and you've got a really spectacular pie with very little effort.

now, i have had two friends make either this pie or add orange zest to another pecan pie recipe and report mixed results. fair enough-- holidays are personal, and we all have expectations about holiday meals. i'm just saying, WE think this pie RULES. 

dad and aunt jane's favorite pecan pie

from old fashioned pean pie, gourmet, november 2009

3/4 stick butter (i used salted)

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar (i actually used a little less)

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp grated orange zest, orange part only

1/4 tsp salt (if you are using UNsalted butter)

3 large eggs

2 cups pecans, half of them chopped

1 deep dish pie shell

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

melt butter in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. add brown sugar and stir/whisk well until smooth.  remove from heat and add corn syrup, vanilla, orange zest, and salt (is using), stirring well to combine. allow to cool briefly (adding the eggs to hot syrup will cause them to cook). lightly beat the eggs and add to the syrup mixture, mixing to thoroughly combine. 

put pecans in pie shell and pour syrup/egg mixture over pecans. bake on a baking sheet until filling is set, 45 minutes to an hour. 

winter solstice, december 21

apply the fire with kindling now
i'll pull the blankets up to my chin
i'll lock the vagrant winter out
i'll fold my wandering in

-- joni mitchell, "urge for going"

roasted pear and delicata squash soup

fall is the season for soups made of squash and fruit. last year i posted about a butternut and apple soup-- this time, it's roasted pear and delicata squash, and it's scrumptious. i can always tell how well rob likes something i've cooked by whether or not he reaches over and rubs my leg while he eats-- this soup got two pats! he had the best description of it, too, that it tasted like something starbucks would brew up as a seasonal drink. he then astutely observed, "i feel like i need something to make me not feel like i should be drinking this out of a mug. maybe some croutons floating in it or something?" well, as a matter of fact, rob, the original recipe called for just that!

the soup is rich, delicate, and charmingly, lightly sweet. because the squash and pear flavors are fairly subdued, i can't imagine this soup with overpowering store-bought broth. i'd only use homemade, or substitute water. we had it with a fresh loaf of bread, but making some rustic croutons really would be a great addition.

roasted pear and delicata squash soup
serves 2-4
from pear and delicata soup with parmesan croutons

1 1lb delicata squash
1 pear
olive oil
2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock, or water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
grated parmesan cheese

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. cut pear in half lengthwise and core. rub squash and pear flesh with olive oil, and roast, cut side down, about 30 minutes, or until tender. cool.

scrape the flesh out of the squash and pear and process it in food processor until smooth. add some of the stock or water to the processor and puree. move squash mixture to a soup pot and stir in the remaining broth, the cream, sugar, and nutmeg to taste. bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering, 10 minutes. season to taste with salt and pepper. (i added close to a couple of teaspoons of salt because, again, these flavors are pretty mild.)

serve with fresh grated pepper and parmesan cheese, and/or crunchy croutons.


sources:
delicata squash from boistfort valley farm
pear from martin family orchards

delicious salad and a fruity side built from what was in the fridge

you know what it's like. you're pumping away on the exercise bike, watching an episode of "the office" on the ipad, and going over the list in your head of produce that will go bad if you don't act fast. this time, the scene lead to two successful side dishes-- the watercress and pear from the ravioli dish i never made were split up and turned into a salad using fennel leftover from the pickled fall veggies, and a zingy side of pear and roasted beets with apple-mustard vinaigrette. 

this salad is out of this world. spicy watercress and cool fennel take on a vinaigrette sweetened by dried cranberries, and are perfectly complimented by nutty, toasted pecans. absolutely delicious, quick, and special enough to serve to guests or for the holidays. 

fennel and watercress salad with cranberry vinaigrette 

adapted from allrecipes.com

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup olive oil

1 bunch watercress

1 fennel bulb

1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted

mix the two vinegars in a bowl and add the cranberries. let the cranberries soak for about a half an hour, then whisk in the salt and olive oil.

shave the fennel bulb into thin slices using a mandoline. combine watercress with fennel, toss with some of the cranberry vinaigrette, and top with toasted pecans.

this pear and roasted beet combo is really nice and is a great way to sneak some fruit into your diet. (somehow, i love to buy fruit, but when i get it home the appeal vanishes. so i kinda *have* to trick myself from time to time.) the oil-free dressing using apple jelly and mustard would be wonderful on just about anything, i've decided. and, bonus, the pears turn PINK!

asian pear with roasted beets and apple jelly-mustard vinaigrette

adapted from beet and asian pear salad, gourmet, january 1995

1 bunch small beets

1 asian pear

2 Tbsp apple jelly (we used a cinnamony apple cider jelly-- sooo good)

4 tsp white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

preheat oven to 400 degrees. remove the beet greens (save these to saute in olive oil or toss in a casserole or soup!), scrub the beets, and wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil. roast them on a cookie sheet or baking dish until they are tender. this takes FOREVER. allow more than an hour, even for small beets. when beets cooked, allow to cool and slip the skins off. slice thin using a mandoline or knife. 

peel the pear and cut into chunks.

to make the dressing, heat the jelly, balsamic, and mustard over low heat in a tiny saucepan until jelly is melted. combine with pear and beets and serve. 

sources:

pear from rockridge orchards

beets from alm hill gardens

fennel from willie greens organic farm

georgia pecans from my wildly awesome aunt jane!

cranberry-infused vodka

quel autumnal treat. cranberries get their tough skins popped with boiling water, then surrender their color and tart cranberry flavor to a bottle of vodka. the result is delicious, and absolutely beautiful.


cranberry-infused vodka

1 pint fresh cranberries
750 ml vodka (we used finlandia-- guy at the liquor store said it's best for infusions)
big ol' jar with tight-fitting lid

wash cranberries and remove any stems and leaves. in a large bowl, cover the berries with boiling water in order to pop the skins. they even make a popping sound!

drain the berries and put them in a jar big enough to hold 750 ml of vodka. pour in the booze. cover with tight-fitting lid, swish around, and let sit in a dark spot for about 3 weeks. taste periodically.  

this is the color after 23 days. so lovely!

line a colander with two layers of cheesecloth and position it over a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout. i used my 4-cup measuring bowl. strain vodka and pour it into a clean bottle for storing. 

i was serious about it being tart! this has a ton of cranberry awesomeness, but it needs a little something sweet added to any cocktail you make with it. i've imagined muddled sweet orange and a sprinkle of cinnamon, maybe a dash of simple syrup, but haven't tried anything yet. i gave half of this batch to rob's sister-- she's an adventurous cocktail mixer, so i'm hoping she'll come up with something great and tell me about it!

cranberries from eatonville farms