roasted red curry carrots

This is another recipe I found first in Food & Wine. I thought it would add a little zing to our Thanksgiving table.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry pas

In a 1 1/2 quart shallow baking dish, mix the oil, butter, and curry paste together.

1 pound baby peeled carrots
1 tablespoon julienned fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt
1/4 cup water

Add the carrots, ginger, and garlic to the paste mixture and toss to coat. Season with a little salt and add the water. Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for about 30 minutes in a 425 oven. Remove the foil and cook another ten minutes, until the water has evaporated.

Can be served hot or at room temperature.

Peace,
Milton

state fair pecan pie

This is an adaptation of the recipe that won the 1996 State Fair of Texas.

1 1/2 cups pecan halves (5 1/2 oz.)

In a pie plate, toast the pecans for 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool.

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, milk, flour, vanilla, and salt. Cook over moderate heat just until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

4 large eggs

In a heatproof bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually whisk in the hot sugar mixture until thoroughly blended. Mix in the toasted pecans and pour into a pie shell. Bake for about 45 minutes in a 350 oven, or until the center is just barely set and the crust is golden brown. Transfer the pie to a rack to cool completely.

Peace,
Milton

black and blue berry pie

These are Ginger's two favorite berries, so why not put them in a pie?

Thaw and drain

5 cups frozen blueberries
2 1/2 cups frozen blackberries
(since we are not in the season for fresh ones)

Add the following ingredients after mixing them together well:

1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons corn starch

Pour the mixture into a pie shell and sprinkle with

1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter

Cover with a second pie pastry round and cut slits in the top. Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes.

Peace,
Milton

green bean casserole

Ginger loves green bean casserole and I'm doing my best not to use canned soups, so here is my version.

1 pound green beans, rinsed and trimmed
(I also use a "french cutter" I got at Williams-Sonoma years ago that cuts them into shreds)

Bring a large saucepan full of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Cook for about five minutes and then drain and plunge the beans into a big bowl of ice water to stop their cooking. Set aside.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 oz. sliced mushrooms
(I like the Crimini mushrooms)
1 large shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add shallot. Cook until it is translucent (just a minute or two) and add the mushrooms and the garlic. Cook for five or six minutes, until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and are beginning to brown. Add flour and stir until you have a kind of thick paste.

3/4 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup half and half

Add the broth and cook until it is warm, then add the half and half. Keep cooking and stirring the mixture until it thickens. I then take about two-thirds of the mixture and puree it in my food processor and then return it to the sauce pan. Place the green beans in the bottom of a casserole dish and pour the mushroom mixture over the top and bake in a 350 oven for about fifteen minutes.

NOTE: The traditional casserole has onion rings on top. Ginger is allergic to them, so I don't add them at our house. If you want to add them, slice them as thinly as possible. Toss them in flour and then in water and then in flour again. Fry until golden and add when the casserole comes out of the oven.

NOTE #2: To add a little crunch to the rings, Grind about a cup of dry arborio rice (Italian rice used to make risotto) and add the to second batch of flour.

Peace,
Milton

rachel's nut brittle

My mother-in-law is crazy about peanut brittle. For Thanksgiving I'm going to make her this special version adapted from a Food & Wine recipe in their December issue.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz. roasted peanuts, cashews, and pecans

Comine the sugar, water, butter, and corn syrup in a large sauce pan and brint to a boil. Cover and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until it registers 300 on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the nuts and quickly scrape the mixture on to a rimmed nonstick baking sheet (0r, if you baking sheets are like mine and not nonstick, one that has been sprayed with Pam). Working quickly, spread the mixture into an even layer. Let it cool completely before breaking it into pieces.

Makes about 2 pounds.

Peace,
Milton

sweet potatoes and apples in browned butter

This is a new dish for our table this Thanksgiving.

2 large sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Peel the potatoes and cut into half inch dice. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a 450 oven for about half an hour, or until potatoes are tender to touch.

4 semi-sweet apples (Macintosh, Fuji, Braeburn or the like)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Stand the apple on end and cut down one side close to the core. Lay the apple flat, cut side down, and repeat the process until you have a square core piece left. Throw it away and cut the apple pieces into a half inch dice. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on the same sheet with the sweet potatoes. Cook in a 450 oven for the last fifteen minutes with the potatoes.

3 tablespoons butter
6 strips crispy bacon
(if you want to get fancy, use pancetta or prosciutto)
1 small bunch sage leaves, chopped

Heat a large skillet until it’s very hot and add butter. (The butter will melt quickly and spatter a little) As soon as it begins to brown, toss in the bacon, apples, and sweet potatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook for a couple of minutes until potatoes and apples are heated through. Add sage and cook about thirty seconds more.

Serve as soon as possible.

Peace,
Milton

pilgrim punchers

This is an adaptation of tear jerkers, a recipe I posted at the beginning of the year.

3 16 oz jars of sliced jalapeños, drained
2 cups sugar
1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple
2 cups dried cranberries

Mix the ingredients in a large saucepan and heat until sugar is melted and mixture is bubbling. Set aside and let cool completely, then put into whatever containers you wish. The jalapeño jars are great if you want to share the relish with friends. Keeps well in the refrigerator and makes a great substitute for cranberry sauce.

Peace,
Milton

king ranch chicken

3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 dried ancho chili, chopped fine
(or 1/2 teaspoon chili powder)
1/2 onion, diced small
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup buttermilk
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and ancho chili and saute until the onion is translucent -- a minute or two. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to mix, making a roux. It should look like a thick paste. Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken broth, stirring quickly to remove the lumps and then gradually add the rest of the broth and the buttermilk. Puree the mixture in a food processor and return to the stove. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of gravy. Don't bring the liquid to a boil; keep it simmering. Add salt and pepper to taste. When it reaches the consistency you want, remove from heat and set aside.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, diced small (the other half)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced small
1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
(or 1 can Ro-tel tomatoes with green chilis)
1 small jar chopped green olives and pimentos
4 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and tomatoes until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken, olives, and scallions. When they are heated through, pour the sauce into the skillet and mix well. Remove from heat.

8-10 corn tortillas
2 cups chicken broth
2-3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Slice the tortillas into 1/2 inch wide strips and soak in broth for a couple of minutes to soften. Grease a 9x13 baking dish or a 3 quart casserole and ladle just enough broth to cover the bottom. Take half the tortilla strips and cover the bottom of the dish. Pour half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas and then top with half the cheese. Repeat the procedure to make a second layer. Cook in a 350 oven for about thirty minutes, until the cheese is nicely browned and the casserole is bubbly.

Serves six to eight -- allegedly.

Peace,
Milton

oven roasted salmon, crisp potatoes, & asparagus

Here's a dinner you can prepare on one baking sheet.

4 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Combine the potato slices, 1 T of the olive oil, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, and 1 T of rosemary in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to make sure the potatoes are well coated. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a large non-stick baking sheet (or put down a piece of parchment paper) so they blanket the sheet and roast at 400 for about 30 minutes. The potatoes should be browning on top. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn it up to 450.

4 skinless salmon fillets (about seven ounces each)
1 bunch asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
salt and pepper

Carefully turn the potato slices over with a metal spatula, and group them into four "blankets".
Toss the asparagus in 1 T of olive oil, divide into four groups and lay on top of each potato blanket. Combine the rest of the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary and spread it over the salmon. Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper and return to the oven for 12-15 minutes, depending on how well done you like your salmon.

Using the spatula, lift each stack on to a plate and serve.

Serves 4.

Peace,
Milton