Recipe, Seafood/Fish, Soup

Coconut Curry Shrimp & Scallop Soup

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Coconut Curry Shrimp & Scallop Soup (with Baby Bok Chop and Butternut Squash). (Recipe modified from Nigella Bites “Pumpkin & Seafood Curry)

Made out of necessity because I had no pumpkin, lime leaves, lemon grass, nor salmon, and while I made my own Curry sauce, I’m simplifying for you, the average home cook.

1 can of coconut milk
2 tbsp mild curry paste (or make your own curry with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne)
1 medium sized butternut squash, cut into 1.5″ cubes
2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 lb of 25-30 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lb of bay scallops
2 heads baby bok choy

In a large soup pot, stir together curry paste and coconut milk until combined. Bring to a simmer, add butternut squash, chicken stock, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until squash is tender, but still has a bite to it. Then, add shrimp and scallops. Stir occasionally for 3-4 minutes until shrimp is pink and cooked through. Cut bok choy into 1″ pieces and then stir in, cooking for 1 more minute until wilted.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and ladle into bowls. Serves 4.

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Main Course, Recipe

Chicken Chorizo…Caliente!

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Easy, peasy, tasty, and even better the second day!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 links of skinless chorizo sausage
2 lbs fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and dried
1 large red onion cut into wedges
zest of 1 unwaxed orange
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F.

Cut chicken and chorizo into about 1 inch cubes. Cut fingerlings in half, if needed, to make all about the same size. In a large bowl, toss chicken, chorizo, potatoes, and onion with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle orange zest and oregano overtop, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Serve with fresh lime to squeeze over, and your favourite veggie as a side dish.

Serves 6 generously, 8, reasonably.

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Main Course, Recipe

Lemon Chicken with Mushrooms and Angel Hair Pasta

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Who says you have to have high fat or even high sodium to have huge flavour? This dish goes to show that the addition of spices, and minimal oil help keep everything down to quite a low calorie count.

1 medium onion, sliced thinly
3 cups button mushrooms, sliced
6 tbsp water, divided
olive oil (see directions)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more, depending on how hot you like it)
3 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz broccoli florets, blanched and heated through
3 portions of angel hair pasta, cooked al dente
3 tbsp lemon juice (the juice of one whole lemon)

In  a large pan, place 1 tsp olive oil. Using a paper towel, wipe the oil around to lightly coat the surface of the pan, and remove the excess (retain this paper towel). Place over medium heat and add mushrooms, onions, and 3 tbsp water. Place a lid on the pan, and allow them to steam in their own liquids. Stir occasionally until they are tender. Remove from the pan and cover to keep warm.

Using the oil soaked paper towel, wipe down the pan again, and add garlic, chicken cubes, crushed red pepper flakes, and remaining water. Cover to allow chicken to steam and cook through, stirring occasionally.

Return the mushrooms and onions to the pan, along with the blanched broccoli and the al dente pasta. Add lemon juice overall, toss to combine and heat through.

Serves 6 as dished, or 4 with larger appetites.

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Personal

2011 in the kitchen

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Jonathan Everyday here — it’s been a little over a month since my last post, but I’ve not stepped back from cooking. I’m retooling some recipes to make them lighter, tastier, lower in sodium, etc.

Like most people, I’ve used the change in years — not for resolutions, but to actually MAKE a change in my life. I’m not giving up eating tasty foods. I’m certainly not giving up cooking in my kitchen (in fact, thank you Chef J for the gift of the Calphalon cookware! I’m humbled!).

I will say that the reason I’m continuing on my path of lower fat/sodium healthier cooking is that I like the way I feel after having a meal full of flavour, that leaves me feeling satisfied, yet not stuffed.

What goals have you set for yourself over the next year?

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Appetizer, Recipe

Hot Virginia Dip

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Hot Virginia Dip (Courtesy of the Virginia Hospitality Cookbook and the Junior League of Hampton Roads)

Original recipe:

1 cup pecans, chopped
2 tbsp butter (Unsalted)
16 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp milk
5 oz dried beef, minced
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 cup sour cream
4 tbsp onion, minced

Recipe as created above:

4 eight-ounce blocks of cream cheese, softened
16 oz cream cheese
10 oz dried beef, diced
4 tbsp milk
2 medium onions, diced
2 tbsp garlic salt
3 cups of pecan halves
1 stick unsalted butter

Either way you make the dish, the process is the same – I just needed to make it in much larger quantities.

In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, diced dried beef, garlic salt, diced onion, and milk and using a stand (or hand) mixer, beat to combine thoroughly (this is most easily done if your mixer has a paddle type attachment.

Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add pecans and toss to coat. Continue to cook until just scorched (the original recipe just says to saute). This does not add a burnt flavour or taste, but does add a je ne sais quoi flavour to the topping.

The original recipe makes enough for a 1 1/2 qt baking dish; the larger recipe makes enough for a 3 qt baking dish.

Turn out the cream cheese mixture into the appropriately sized baking dish; cover with sauteed pecans. Place in a 350 oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with bread sticks, crackers, Wheat Thins or Triscuits.

(N.B. – This dip does reheat well, but is one of the very few things The Wannabe Gourmet has found that does not have a pleasing taste if served cold. A chafing dish (solid fuel, alcohol based, or even electric) works wonders, and for smaller amounts (1 1/2 quart), I’ve found that even the chafing dishes that are heated by votive candles alone will keep the dip at a sufficiently heated temperature for all to enjoy — it goes QUICKLY.)

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Main Course, Recipe

Chicken Picatta with Lemon and Pickled Peppercorns

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A little bit of a change from your traditional chicken picatta, using pickled peppercorns instead of capers (find them in your supermarket in the same area — normally next to the olives). They give a great flavour without adding heat. Please don’t be put off by the length of ingredients — it’s really a simple dish to create!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves pounded to 1/4″ thickness
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter (separated)
2 lemons (one juiced, one cut into slices)
1 cup dry white wine (if you choose not to use alcohol in your cooking, you may substitute chicken stock)
4 tbsp pickled peppercorns (drained from brine)
cooked brown rice

In a shallow dish, beat egg and water until combined; set aside. In another shallow dish, add flour, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil and 2 tbsp of the butter. Once that has melted and begins to sizzle, dredge chicken first in the beaten egg (allow excess to drain off), then in flour mixture. Place in pan. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until brown and slightly springy to the touch. Once chicken has been cooked, remove pieces to a warmed serving platter and cover to keep warm. Take pan off the heat and add the wine. Place back over heat and allow to come to a slight bubble. Add juice of one lemon and the peppercorns. Allow to reduce slightly then remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Swirl until melted.

Serve by placing brown rice on your plate, then a chicken breast cutlet, a slice of lemon, and pour some of the peppercorn pan sauce over top. Add a green salad for a complete meal.

Serves: 4.

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