mussels with coconut curry lime sauce and cilantro...

does this include every delicious flavor in the world?...possibly...

Mussels with Coconut Curry Lime Sauce and Cilantro

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 whole Shallots, Roughly Chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, Finely Sliced
• 3 Tablespoons Curry Paste
• 1 can (about 13.5 Oz. Size) Coconut Milk
• 1 cup White Wine
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 whole Lime, Zested
• 1 whole Small Green Chili, Deseeded And Finely Sliced
• 1 teaspoon Ginger, grated
• 2 pounds Mussels, Washed And Closed
• ¼ cups Fresh Cilantro, Roughly Chopped
• 
  

  i prefer regular coconut milk, not light, if you're feeling particularly naughty, coconut cream...

Preparation Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add in the shallots and garlic. Cook for a minute. Add in the curry paste and the thickened top half of the coconut milk and stir until really fragrant, another minute.
2. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk along with the wine, lime juice and zest, green chili and ginger. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes to let the flavours infuse.
3. Add the closed mussels and increase heat until a soft boil starts. Cover the pot and boil softly for about 8 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened up.
4. Place mussels in bowls and pour sauce over top. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

greek potato salad...

so...i'm looking at recipes, imagine that, and 'greek potato salad' catches my eye...i love greek food, all sorts, so i read on...very disappointing...let's try this...

greek potato salad...

4 lbs potatoes, your choice, whatever your favorite might be, boiled, skinned, cubed...
3/4 cup celery...because celery makes me happy...
1/2 cup minced green onion, use red if you like, i get burpy...
1/2-3/4 cup kalamata olives...i love them and think the more the merrier...
3/4 cup good feta cheese...
garlic, fresh, in oil, or garlic salt, again use your preference...as much as you like without spoiling it...roasted would be nice too...
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice...
1/4 cup good olive oil...

herbs...some people think it's not greek without oregano, i prefer thyme, fresh thyme, preferably lemon thyme...oh so good...

toss, salt and pepper to taste...

serve with fried squid, grilled fish or lamb...

greek heaven...

mystic mountain...

maybe as i get older i have a better appreciation of space...

certainly of my place in space...

mystic mountain...

how that influences my food sensibilities i'm not quite sure...

but i know as surely as every aspect of ourselves drive the whole, somehow it does...

sooo....how about a moonpie?... 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup marshmallow creme

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
2. To Make Cookie Crusts: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine and white sugar. Add egg, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Add flour mixture slowly to sugar mixture while stirring. Mix just until all ingredients are combined.
3. Drop the dough onto greased cookie sheet by rounded tablespoonfuls. Leave at least 3 inches in between each one; dough will spread as it bakes.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until firm when pressed with finger. Allow to cool at least one hour before filling.
5. To Make Marshmallow Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, blend together 1/2 cup butter or margarine, confectioners' sugar, flavored extract, and marshmallow creme. Mix until smooth. Assemble pies by spreading 1 to 2 tablespoonfuls of filling on flat side of a cookie crust, then covering filling with flat side of another cookie crust.

i am not a huge black bean fan...raised on pintos, they are my bean of choice...i also like white beans (with ham and carrots for soup), kidney (for chili, or spicy sweet), garbanzos, limas and most of the wide and colorful varieties available world-wide...but not necessarily black beans...


this recipe is the exception where only black beans will do...i make in the summer and really enjoy it...hope you do too...

black bean salad/salsa

2 cups cooked black beans, well rinsed
1 cup chopped, fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup white corn, fresh or frozen
1 large jalapeno, chopped finely
1/4 cup minced carrot - optional
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
black pepper to taste
salt if necessary

toss all ingredients together...
at this point you can decide to add salt, the rice vinegar is salted, so it may not be necessary...
you can add...
1 cup of finely cubed firm tofu
1 cup cooked chicken
1 cup shrimp (bays are good as they are small and blend well)
anything that pleases you

allow flavors to blend and mellow...
this can be served with good corn chips as a salsa or as a side dish...

tyler florence is god...

not only is tyler florence easy on the eyes, he's just that guy that your mama told you to wait for...seeing him now a husband, father and owner/creator/chef of an organic baby food line, well...she was right...plus he always made me feel i could conquer any recipe i set my mind to, no pressure, cooking should be fun...maybe with tyler...naked...                                               

this is his recipe...thanks tyler...

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken broth, low sodium
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, diced, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 1 pound fresh portobello and crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil
• 1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
• Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Directions

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 onion and 1 clove garlic, cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, herbs and butter. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle in truffle oil then add the dried porcini mushrooms which were reconstituted in1 cup of warm chicken broth. Season again with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Saute 1 minute then remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a saucepan with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the remaining 1/2 onion and garlic clove. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well-coated and opaque, 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

Now, with a ladle, add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cook briefly until melted. Top with adrizzle of truffle oil and chopped parsley before serving.




i'm adding his recipe for risotto with scallops...yum...

Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, crescent-shaped muscles removed and discarded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as Portobello, crimini, andshiitake, stemmed
• Leaves from handful fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
• 8 cups canned chicken stock, heated
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

Place a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with a 2-count of oil. When the oil is hot, sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper and brown well on both sides, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm while you make the risotto.

Reduce the heat to medium. Drizzle in another 2-count of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft. Toss in the mushrooms and herbs and cook until the mushrooms lose their liquid and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir 2 minutes to coat with the oil; the grains will turn opaque. Season again. Stir in the wine and cook 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol.

Now pour in 1 cup of the warm stock and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. Add another cup of stock. Continue in this way, stirring constantly and adding the stock 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. (You may not need all of the stock; therisotto is done when it is slightly firm but creamy.) Fold in the scallops with the last cup of stock to warm them up. When the risotto is cooked, fold in the butter and cheese, and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve hot. Garnish with parsley.

carne asada...easier than you think...

so many people are intimidated by things that are surprisingly easy...carne asada is one of those dishes...the secret is in the marinade, which is no secret at all...

Carne asada shown wrapped up in a flour tortilla with pico de gallo and avocado

Carne asada is the thinly sliced, grilled beef served so often in tacos and burritos. It is also commonly served as is, with rice and beans on the side. Although almost any cut of beef can be butterflied into thin sheets for the carne asada, typically it is made from flank steak or skirt steak. It can be grilled just with salt and pepper for flavorings, or it can be marinated. The following is a recipe for marinated carne asada.

Carne Asada Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds flank or skirt steak
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Marinade:
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed (best to lightly toast the seeds first, then grind them)
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped (great flavor in the stems)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

METHOD

 

1 Lay the flank steak in a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak. Make sure each piece is well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

2 Preheat your grill over medium-high flame (you can also use a cast iron grill pan on high heat for stove-top cooking). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Remove the steak from the marinade. If you are cooking indoors, you may want to brush off excess marinade as the bits may burn and smoke on the hot pan. Season both sides of the steak pieces with salt and pepper. Grill the pieces for a few minutes only, on each side, depending on how thin they are, until medium rare to well done, to your preference. You may need to work in batches. Remove the steak pieces to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

(Optional) Serve with warm tortillas (flour or corn). Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. Alternatively, you can warm tortillas in a microwave: heating just one or two at a time, place tortillas on a paper towel and microwave them for 15 to 20 seconds each on high.