Echoing previous posts in that it was colder than a witch’s teat today…perfect for a bone-warming, blisteringly hot Thai red shrimp curry with the usual suspects: Aldi’s BTS, Chinese eggplant, baby bok choy, red pepper.
Shrimp stock made with the shells I always keep a bag full of in the freezer provided a flavorful base for the coconut curry, 6 extra bird peppers delivered the ‘appropriate’ amount of heat, and TPSTOGAG added extra zing to the curry paste. Lime leaves from a friend simmered in the curry for extra limyness, fish sauce & lime juice were added to taste at the end. Thai basil & Sinatra for herbalicious freshness.
Post-move, I haven’t found my plates or tablecloths but I know where my rice cooker is! Carnitas and chard courtesy of a favorite local place - delicious! Plus okra pickles.
Sunshine & I got home late from (yet) another doctor’s appointment, so I had to do a “throw together” dinner (from the freezer). Leftover Ground Turkey Hamburger Steak, instant mashed potatoes, envelope gravy and peas (from a can). Ehh… It was a hot meal.
Thai inspired Red Curry Chicken - using red curry paste, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves, thai basil, galangal, fresno chili, shallots, fish sauce, lime juice and coconut milk to build the foundation. And cooked eggplants, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, rotisserie chicken, pineapple and lychee in it. Served over jasmine rice
I roasted some poblanos and made quesadillas with whole wheat tortilla, queso quesadilla, and refried beans. Served with assorted toppings leftover from Viet tacos, salsa de aguacate, and yogurt.
Dinner was a new-to-me NYT recipe that caught my attention, adapted from Jamie Oliver — bc who doesn’t love ragú and/or papppppppardelllllllle?
We used to occasionally zap into his show back in the day, and I remember his ‘rustic’ approach to cooking, which is apparent in the instructions to “cut the onion into chunks, and the carrot & celery into thick slices,” (I may have taken the thiccc part too literal, as the veg def did not turn soft after just 5 minutes of sautéing. Surprisingly, he had you finely mince the garlic….
I doubled the amounts of everything except for the tomatoes, as the smallest chuck roast I could find was twice the weight given in the recipe. That also meant using up an entire bottle of a $16.99 Cab Sauv someone gifted us, as I had no Chianti inda house….no fava beans, either
Of course, a whole bottle of wine vs. 2 cups also didn’t reduce in just 15 min — more like 45 for a slight reduction, so I’m doubly glad I started this totally unfussy, easy-peasy recipe mid-afternoon.
I didn’t add butter or parm to the pappardelle, as I didn’t think they needed extra fat, given how much the chuck released while cooking, making it already a very rich dish. The grated Parm Reg went on top where it belongs.
Would I make it again? Probably not. We both found the rosemary/orange zest topping overpowering what turned out to be a fairly bland meat sauce, so we’d likely leave it off next time we have the STOL. Not worth the time, TBH
I made another salad with spring mix and baby butter lettuce, toasted walnuts, Bosc pear & blue cheese in my spiffy new pear & walnut vinaigrette.
Speaking of $4.99 per lb for pot roast cuts this week. I missed out at Kroger yesterday. Completely sold out a few days into the sale. The meat manager told me you had to be there at opening time . You win some you lose some.,
Scallion-roasted BC King salmon filets, served with a blackberry reduction of berries, cider vinegar, sugar, and ground Datil peppers. Salad greens in vinaigrette with caramelized pecans and Fuji apple bits.
