Thai Green Curry Paste

• 15 large fresh green hot chilies
• 3 shallots, sliced
• 9 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp finely sliced fresh galangal
• 1 tbsp sliced fresh lemon grass
• 1/2 tsp finely sliced kaffir lime rind
• 1 tsp chopped coriander root
• 5 white peppercorns
• 1 tbsp roasted coriander seeds
• 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp shrimp paste

Korean Pork Bulgogi-style Rice Bowl

• 2 lbs pork shoulder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 T grated gingerroot
• 1 small pear or green apple (Asian pear/Nashi is ideal)
• 1 medium onions
• 2-3 scallions, chopped (for serving)
• 1/4 c sake or Soju
• 3 T mirin
• 2 T soya sauce
• 1 T fish sauce
• 1 1/2 T sesame oil, divided
• 1 T sesame seeds
• 2 T gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
• 1 T gochugaru (Korean red chili powder)

Cut the pork into 1/2″ x 2-3″ long strips. Season the pork with a salt, 1/2 T of sesame oil, the garlic and the ginger and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Peel the apple and onion and very roughly chop. Put into a food processor and process until a paste forms. Mix all the remaining ingredients except scallions together to form a sauce and set aside.

Brown the pork well on all sides in a large sauté pan. Once the pork is browned, add in the onion and apple mixture and cook for a couple minutes until cooked through and lightly browned. Add in the sauce and simmer on low until the sauce reduces and coats the pork and the pork is tender. If the sauce gets too thick before the pork is ready just add in some water and keep simmering.

Serve with hot short-grain rice and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve with a side of kimchi, pickles and any other banchan you like.

 

Pot Roast

• 4-5 lb beef chuck roast
• 1 1/2 T vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, medium dice
• 1 red bell pepper, medium dice
• 2 carrots, medium dice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 3 c beef or chicken stock
• 3 T flour
• 2 T brown sugar
• 3 T tamarind concentrate
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T soya sauce
• 1 T fish sauce
• 3 bay leaves and/or 3 fresh stems of thyme
• 1 1/2 c 2″ cubed yellow potatoes
• 1 1/2 c 2″ cubed turnips

Preheat oven to 225°F.

Season the roast on all sides with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Sear in an oiled very hot cast iron skillet or large dutch oven on all sides until well browned. Sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and carrots aromatics until soft and browned. sprinkle the flour over the veggies and cook until the flour is very slightly toasted. Once the vegetables are done, deglaze pan with brandy and pour over roast with the onions carrots peppers and garlic. Add all the remaining braise ingredients including the bay leaves and thyme.

Braise with the lid slightly ajar until the roast is very tender but not falling apart. Leaving the lid slightly off ensures that the temperature of the roast and liquid never goes over about 185°F, ensuring that you don’t overcook the roast. This can take anywhere from 3 – 6 hours depending on your roast and your oven. Start checking it around 2 hours in to see how it’s progressing. Around an hour and a half before you think the roast will be done add in the potatoes and turnips. Once everything is cooked let it come to room temperature and then sit overnight in the fridge. The next day skim the fat off the top remove the roast, and check the potatoes and turnips for doneness. If they’re still a bit firm, you can cook them further in the sauce as you reduce it. If they’re done, remove them and keep warm in a 200°F oven and continue to reduce the sauce by at least half or until it is flavorful and thickened but not too strong. Once sufficiently reduced and thick, slice the roast against the grain in thick slices and place in a pan. Spoon the sauce over the meat and heat on low until the meat is warm through. You can do the same for the potatoes and turnips. serve over buttered Spätzle and top with freshly minced parsley.

 

Jalapeño-Cheddar Biscuits

• 3 c soft white flour
• 4 1/2 t baking powder
• 2 t kosher salt
• 1 7/8 c heavy cream
• 1/2 lb very sharp cheddar, cut into small cubes or coarsely grated
  • plus an extra 1/4 c (opt.)
• 2-4 jalapeños, minced, about 1/4-1/3 c total, depending on your preference

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add in the cubed cheese and jalapeños. Be sure to check the chilies’ heat level and decide how much of the inner membranes you want to leave in, if any. Make sure the cheese and chillies are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture. Add in the cream and mix with a large wooden spoon until it just comes together in a shaggy ball. Be very careful not to overmix or else they will become tough instead of tender and flaky. Using either a dough/batter scoop or a large spoon, scoop balls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with more shredded cheese if desired. Bake until golden brown at 450°F for about 12-15 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Makes 24 1 1/2″ small biscuits or about 12-16 large ones.

Gazpacho

• 8 thick slices of French or Italian bread, cubed
• 2 1/2-3 pounds very ripe tomatoes
• 1 English (seedless) cucumber
• 1 large red onion
• 2 bell peppers, red, orange or yellow
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 2 to 3+ T red wine or sherry vinegar
• 1-2 c tomato juice
• kosher salt
• extra-virgin olive oil

Chop up all the vegetables into a large dice, about 1″. Place in a large bowl along with the bread, minced garlic, and tomato juice. Drizzle with olive oil and add a generous amount of kosher salt. Allow to sit for 2 hours mixing every half hour.

Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender with the vinegar. Blend in more tomato juice to loosen the mixture, if needed. Remove soup to a large bowl and stir in about 1/4 cup of good extra virgin olive oil. Taste for salt and acidity and add more salt or vinegar if needed.

Chill for several hours.

When serving, drizzle a little olive oil and vinegar, and add fresh cracked black pepper to each bowl. Optional garnish: finely diced cucumber, bell pepper, and onion.

Banana Nut Pineapple Cake

• 3 c flour
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 1/4 t cloves
• 2 1/4 c raw sugar
  • OR 1 c each white and brown sugar
• 3/4 c yoghurt
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 c crushed pineapple, drained
• 4-5 ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 c shredded coconut
• 3/4 c chopped raw pecans

Icing:

• 16 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 c unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 – 3 c icing sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1-2 T lemon juice

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a bowl and sift to combine. In another bowl combine the eggs, sugar, yoghurt, oil and vanilla until well mixed. Stir in the mashed banana, pineapple, and coconut. Mix in the dry ingredients in 3 batches until just barely incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Mix in the pecans.

Divide into 2 prepared 8″ round pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 325F for 30-40 minutes.

Icing: Combine butter, sugar, and vanilla in a mixer until light and fluffy, about 7 min.

Once the sugar is mixed in add the cream cheese in pieces and combine. Don’t over-mix after adding the cream cheese else the icing may turn runny.

Thai Cabbage and Tomato Salad

Salad

• 1/2 head green cabbage, shredded finely
• 3 large tomatoes, cut into 12 wedges, then cut in half
• 3-4 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 c roasted peanuts
• 1/2 c cilantro, chopped

Dressing

• zest of 1 lime
• 1/3 c fresh lime juice
• 1/3 c fish sauce (for fresh uses I like Red Boat, but 3 Crabs is great too)
• 2 T raw sugar
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3-5 fresh bird’s eye or Thai chillies OR dried chillies soaked in boiling water for 5 min.

Cambodian Grilled Lemongrass Skewers

• 4 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass
• 15 Kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade
• 1 T minced fresh ginger
• 1 T minced fresh galangal
• 8 medium garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 medium red onion, diced OR 4 scallions
• 1 T turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 t fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2-3 T Three Crabs Vietnamese fish sauce
• 1 T vegetable or canola oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c Panko

Place all ingredients aside from the meat, egg, and breadcrumbs into a food processor and pulse until a thick paste forms.

Combine with the meat, breadcrumbs and egg until thoroughly mixed.

Mould onto bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water overnight. Grill over medium-high heat until charred on the outside and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

• 8 c strawberries (about 2 1/2 lbs)
• 2 1/4 c sugar
• 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
• 1 pk low sugar pectin (3 T)
• 1/4 t kosher salt

Hull strawberries and cut into 1/4″ slices. Combine sugar and pectin together, add lemon juice and pectin to strawberries, let macerate for one hr.

Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Pour into freshly washed freezer containers or freezer-safe jars. Keeps in fridge for a month or in freezer for a year+.

Cherry Chocolate Cake

• 1 C white sugar
• 1 C dark brown sugar
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 C butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 3/4 t almond extract
• 1/2 C ground almonds
• 2 C flour
• 2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 C very strong black coffee, freshly boiled

• 1 24-28 oz jar sour cherries in juice
• 1/3 c sugar

• 1 C heavy cream
• 1 T icing sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/4 t almond extract
• shaved dark chocolate, for garnish

In the large bowl of a stand mixer add the sugar and half of the butter. Mix until combined. Meanwhile chop the baking chocolate into rough chunks. Melt the remaining butter in a small bowl and then add in the baking chocolate, mixing with a rubber spatula until the chocolate has fully melted. Add to the sugar/butter mixture. Beat until the chocolate is fully incorporated and it has cooled down some. Next beat the eggs in one at a time. Add in the buttermilk and extracts, mixing slowly so it doesn’t slosh over the rim.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, and soda together. Slowly add to the batter, alternating with the almonds, mixing slowly after each addition until the dry ingredients are just barely incorporated.

Add in the boiling hot coffee and mix until a uniform consistency, making sure to use a rubber spatula to get any thick bits of batter up from the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Pour into 2 prepared (greased and floured) 8″ or 9″ round cake pans. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until just done in the centre.

Whilst the cake is baking, drain the juice from the cherries and pour into a small saucepan. Add water or another unsweetened fruit juice (cherry, cranberry, apple) to make about 1 C. Add in the sugar and bring to a boil, and reduce until a medium syrup is formed – it is noticeably viscous, but pours easily. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool.

Beat the cream in a very cold bowl until soft peaks form, add the sugar and extracts, and beat until stiff.

Once the cake is out of the oven, allow to fully cool. Once cool, trim the cakes so they are flat on top and then invert one onto a cake stand. Prick all over with a skewer and brush about half the cooled cherry syrup all over the cake. Add half the whipped cream spread evenly. Top with half the cherries. Place the next layer on top and do the same as with the bottom layer, prick with skewer, brush with syrup, add whipped cream and then add the cherries. You can either place them all in the middle for a more rustic looking cake, or arrange them in a pattern. Top with shaved dark chocolate.