Thai Salmon Curry

 My son-in-law made this for me first

from a Christian Science Monitor recipe.

Simply pretty amazing

In a deep skillet, heat

• 2 tsp peanut oil

Add

• 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into strips

and cook one minute.

Stir in

• 1 (14 fl.oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 Tbs freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbs brown sugar (or palm sugar or turbinado)
• 2 Tbs fish sauce
• 2 Tbs red curry paste
• 2 Tbs lime juice

Place skin down in pan and bring to a boil

• 1 lb fresh salmon fillets

then reduce heat and cover. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add to pan

• 3 scallions, sliced into 3-inch pieces

and cook 2 -5 minutes more.

Stir in, just before serving

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 2 Tbs chopped cilantro
• 1 -2 minced Thai bird chiles

Serve with

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Steamed green beans
• 3 - 4 lime wedges

Basic Passover

My family has come to love celebrating Passover as we work through this week building up to Easter. After a simplified Seder with a retelling of the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, we eat a simple meal inspired by the traditional Seder plate, to remember Jesus' Last Supper and as a gesture of unity with those yearning for freedom everywhere.

And now that daughters are away during this time of year, they've asked that I post the  basic recipes our family has come to love so we can be united even from a distance.

(For more authentic Passover menus,
please look at Epicurious)

Seder Plate
sprigs of parsley
salt water
horseradish
radicchio pieces
charoset
lamb shank (which is not eaten by modern observant Jews, see more info)
3 matzah bread wrapped in a napkin

This year I think we'll try making chicken soup with matzoh balls (which is traditional) and griddled eggs (which are not) though salted hardboiled eggs are. But the following are the recipes that have lasted our several years of experimenting.

Barley and Lamb
(2 hours in oven)

Roasted lamb is not kosher for Passover
ever since the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed,
but would have been included in Jesus' historical meal.
Barley is not kosher for Passover, especially cooked wet like this,
but Passover was timed to coincide with the barley harvest.
Butter is dairy, so never kosher with meat.

We still like this.

It's nice that it can finish unattended in the oven
while we go through the lengthy
Passover festivities before the meal.

2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup barley, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound lamb stewing meat, boneless and trimmed of fat, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chicken stock, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 ̊.
2. Brown barley in butter. Set aside in 2-quart casserole dish.
3. Saute garlic and onion mixture and add to barley.
4. Generously sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper.
5. Brown lamb in olive oil then place atop barley mixture.
6. Pour 3 cups chicken stock over the meat. Cover casserole dish and bake for approximately 1 hour.
7. Add the last 3 cups of chicken stock, recover, and bake for 1 more hour.
8. Dish is done when the lamb is tender with some chicken stock remaining. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Parsley, Radicchio, and Napa Cabbage Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

This was surprisingly tasty -- we loved the lemony dressing. 
Honey was my change from the original found in Gourmet 2003.

1½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
¼  teaspoon honey
¼  teaspoon salt
¼  teaspoon black pepper
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (½ lb; from 1 head)
4½& cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (3 large bunches)
2 cups thinly sliced radicchio

1. Whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, salt, and pepper until sugar is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
2. Just before serving, toss cabbage, parsley, and radicchio in a large bowl with just enough dressing to coat, then season with salt and pepper.

Charoseth (spicy)

Also spelled haroseth, a dried fruit and nut paste 
that symbolizes the mortar Israelite slaves used 
when they labored in Egypt. 
Used as a condiment, rather like chutney, 
this very spicy version is from Yemen. 

⅔ cup dried Mission figs (6 oz)
⅔ cup dried apricots (6 oz)
⅓ cup pitted dates (4 oz)
1⅓ cups walnuts (4 oz), finely chopped, and cooled
¼ cup kosher grape juice (part can be balsamic vinegar for more zing) 
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger

1. Chop together figs, apricots, and dates. 
2. Mix with walnuts, juice, and vinegar.
3. Sprinkle spices evenly over mixture and stir until combined well. 
4. Can be made 3 days ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

 I'm very fond of this pan-Mediterranenan Sephardic version
based on a recipe by Adeena Sussman,
Epicurious March 2006.

Charoseth (banana)

20 pitted dates (preferrably Medjool) 
3 bananas
½ cup golden raisins, chopped 
¼ cup kosher grape juice (part can be balsamic vinegar for more zing) 
3 Tablespoons date syrup (silan) or honey  
½ cup walnuts, toasted
½ cup unsalted shelled pistachios, toasted
½ cup whole almonds, toasted
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves

1. In food processor, purée dates until smooth.
2. Add bananas, raisins, grape juice, and honey and process to combine.
3. Add walnuts, pistachios, almonds, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves and process until smooth.
4. Keep covered, in refrigerator, until ready to serve.

Or if you want something more tame, try this traditional
Ashkenazi version based on a recipe by Adeena Sussman,
Epicurious March 2006. 

A pinch of salt is sometimes desirable.  

Charoseth (traditional)

3 medium Honeycrisp, Gala, or Jonathan apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced 
1½ cups walnut halves, lightly toasted, cooled,and coarsely chopped
½ cup kosher grape juice ((part can be balsamic vinegar)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins, chopped (or more)
zest from one orange (optional but sensational)&nbsp

1. Mix everything together.  
2. Keep covered, in refrigerator, until ready to serve. 

In addition, we usually serve honey or vanilla yogurt 

with pomegranate mixed in, if available. 

Otherwise,  just the yogurt with chopped mint. 

And then, of course, dessert . . .
which we have decided over the years simply must be
  Almond Pomegranate Thumbprint Cookies.

Kung-pao Stir-fry

Just yum.  
Also very veggie.

                     

chicken marinade

1 Tablespoon pineapple juice

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

2 chicken breasts, diced (alternatively, tofu chunks, marinate overnight)

1 Tablespoon peanut oil

1.       Combine juice, starch, salt, and pepper. 

2.       Add chicken and oil, stirring to coat.

3.       Let stand 15 minutes.

cooking sauce:

2 Tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

2-3 teaspoons cornstarch

(optional coconut milk)

¼ cup liquid: pineapple juice, mandarin juice, a touch of honey; or broth or water with 2 tsp sugar

1.       Mix and put aside.

stir fry:

3-4 cups vegetables, chunked: broccoli, carrots, bok choy, onions, celery, cauliflower, green beans, etc.

4-6 small dried hot chili peppers

½ cup peanuts or cashews

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

2 green onions

(optional: pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, bean sprouts, water chestnuts)

3 Tablespoons peanut oil

1.     Heat wok over medium heat.  Add 1T oil. 

2.     Add hot peppers and nuts, stirring until peppers just barely char.  Remove and set aside.

3.     Add 2T oil, heat to high.

4.     Add ginger and chicken, stir fry until chicken is opaque (3 min).

5.     Add raw vegetables and stir fry.

6.     Add peppers, nuts, green onions and optional fruit, etc. 

7.     Stir cooking sauce and add to pan until sauce bubbles and thickens.

8.     Serve with rice.  (Brown basmati is best.)

Makes 4-6 servings

Pie in the Sky: Best Pie Crust + Ginger Pear Pie + Danish Cherry + Ohio Lemon (week of Nov 23-29)

What would Thanksgiving be without pies?

Significantly less festive, if you ask me.  

Pumpkin, of course, is a classic and expected.  

But here are the three pies I most dote on:

Ginger Pear, Danish Cherry and Ohio Lemon.

(The lemon pie is best started
the day before you plan to bake it.)

Best Pie Crust
I used to like the pastry recipe in Joy of Cooking best of all.  That was until my husband bought me Sweety Pies by Patty Pinner for my birthday (clever purchase that) full of womanish wisdom and some of the most delicious pies ever.  I've combined the best of both my best-loved recipes and here is my go-to pie crust recipe.  The secret to pie crust is to be impatient, imprecise and haphazard -- which comes naturally to some of us.  Just move quickly and roughly and not at all thoroughly.  You want to handle the dough as little as possible:

for one 9-inch double crust:

Sift together

• 2¼ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Measure and combine

• ¾ cup chilled lard
• ¼ cup chilled butter (which is the same as 4 Tablespoons, or half a stick)

and then cut the fats into the flour until it all has the texture of a bowl of peas.

Sprinkle in, one tablespoon at a time

• 2½ - 3 Tablespoons ice-cold heavy cream or evaporated milk

Keep the dough as dry as possible -- tossing until it holds together when lightly pressed.  Gather into a flattened ball and refrigerate, tightly covered in plastic wrap (30 minutes - overnight).

When you're ready to roll it out, divide into two balls (keeping the other ball wrapped and refrigerated until you're ready for it).  Sprinkle a little flour on your pastry cloth and on the cotton sleeve covering your rolling pin.  Press into a small, flat disk and then roll out from the center to the edge, all the way around the disk.  Roll until you have a uniform circle a little larger than the pie pan, about ⅛ - ¼inch thick.

for 5 double crusts (if you're making multiple pies like we do):

11¼ cups flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
2½ teaspoons salt
3¾ cup chilled lard
1¼ cup chilled butter (which is the same as 20 Tablespoons or 2½ sticks)
5-6 Tablespoons ice-cold cream or evaporated milk

***to prebake crust***
 which you'll want to do for many custard pies and meringues

• Roll out crust and line pie pan.  Flute the edges, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.   
• Preheat oven to 425.  
• Line the formed crust with parchment paper and sprinkle parchment with pie weights or dry beans.  
• Bake until the fluted edge begins to turn a very light brown, 8-10 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 350.
• Remove weights and parchment.
• Bake crust another 5-10 minutes until golden brown.  (Depending on whether you'll be putting the crust back in the oven to cook when filled.)
• Cool pan on a wire rack.  

Ginger Pear Pie
adapted from Epicurious "Pear Pie with Maple and Ginger"

Whenever whenever I make this pie, someone asks for the recipe.  There is just something so perfectly balanced about the lemon with the maple with the ginger with the pear.  If you are using very ripe pears you may want to increase the amount of tapioca to soak up the extra juice.

Prepare pie dough (top & bottom, recipe above). Line pie pan with dough. Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom ⅓ of oven and preheat to 375°.

Peel, quarter, core, then cut into ⅓”thick wedges:

• 3 pounds firm but ripe Bosc or Comice pears

Toss in large bowl with:

• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 3 Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca (less if pears are quite firm)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon minced crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Transfer filling to crust. Place top crust. Cut several slits in top to allow steam to escape during
baking.

Place baking sheet on bottom rack to catch any juices that may bubble over .

Bake pie on center rack until crust is golden brown and juices bubble thickly, tenting pie with foil if crust browns too quickly, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Transfer pie to rack and cool. Serve pie slightly warm or at room temperature.

Danish Cherry Pie

Inspired by recipes for cherry soup and other Danish desserts, I made my own subtly spiced cherry filling to honor family heritage and take the place of the humdrum, over-sweetened canned cherry filling. The varied amounts in flavorings depend on how flavorful the fruit you use - so taste as you go along. You may substitute an undrained bottle of home-canned black cherries for the 2 cans of cherries - in which case you would not add any additional sugar.

Line pie pan with dough (recipe above).

Combine in medium saucepan - DO NOT DRAIN:

• 1 can Oregon Pitted Red Tart Pie Cherries
• 1 can Oregon Pitted Bing Dark Sweet Cherries
• 1½ Tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• ½ - 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 2 drops - ½ teaspoon almond flavoring
• sugar to taste, if necessary (less than 1 cup - I use none)

Let sit 10 - 15 minutes.
Bring to a simmer and cook until fruit begins to thicken.
Transfer filling to crust. Dot with:

• 2 Tablespoons butter

Cover with lattice. Bake 10 minutes at 450°, then reduce heat to 350° and bake about 40 minutes longer or until golden brown



Ohio Lemon Pie
from Joy of Cooking, "A very tart Shaker favorite."

I love this pie! 
But do use the whole amount of sugar - 
speaking from experience - it's still very tart!

Grate and reserve the yellow peel from:

• 2 large lemons

With very sharp knife remove the white inner peel from the lemons and cut them into paper-thin slices. Remove seeds.
Combine in a bowl the lemon slices, grated peel, and:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

let stand 2 to 24 hours—the longer the better.

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a pie pan with dough (recipe above), brush lightly with butter or give a light sprinkling of flour.

Add to the lemon-and-sugar mixture:

• 4 well-beaten eggs

Stir well. Pour into pastry-lined pan and cover with top crust.
Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° and bake about 45 minutes longer.
Cool pie before serving.