Coconut Red Curry With Tofu

We made Coconut Red Curry With Tofu from a recipe in The New York Times. Once again the magic wasn't there for us, but it is always fun to try a new recipe. Sometimes you find a real winner. This one wasn't for us! Maybe our veg friends will like it.

Coconut Red Curry With Tofu

New York Times

This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.

INGREDIENTS

•                14 ounces extra-firm tofu

•                1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil

•                1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced

•                2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced

•                2 garlic cloves, minced

•                1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

•                2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems

•                8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered

•                ½ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

•                3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste

•                1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

•                2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce

•                Zest and juice of 1 lime

•                1 cup snow peas

•                Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish

•                Brown or white rice, for serving

PREPARATION

•                Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

•                Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.

Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.

Papa Al Pomodoro

Papa Al Pomodoro, is a very thick tomato and bread soup. We use the recipe from Italian Country Cook Book by Rogers / Gray. They have the fabulous River Café in London. This is almost a soup that you can eat with fork. In every respect you would think it should be a winter dish it is such a hearty soup, but it is best made with fresh tomatoes. I really recommend this dish! You can get it from our blog of: August 2, 2006. Click the date to get the recipe. Unfortunately for us, we had just had the soup at Barbrix for my birthday and their version was so much better! We need to figure out what Don did!

Chicken with Figs

We continued to eat summer fruit salads. This one is with Nectarines and  Burrata.

Figs were now in season, so it was time for Chicken with Figs served over cous-cous. This is regular for us when figs our in season. We really like this recipe from Zuni Café. You can get the recipe from our blog of: July 27, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Bathazar Swordfish

Tomato Salad with Olives, Burrata and Pesto

Beautiful Swordfish from McCall's

Grilled Swordfish with Beurre Noir   

It was a warm summer night and we invited Tom and Scott to join us for dinner outside on our deck overlooking the city. We purchased swordfish from McCall’s and made a wonderful recipe: Grilled Swordfish with Beurre Noir. This is a great fish recipe. Balthazar in New York City is a favorite of ours and their cookbook is excellent. You can get the recipe for the fish from our blog of: September8, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

We have been eating A LOT of tomatoes this summer. We started with a Tomato Salad with Olives, Burrata and Pesto. It was a beautiful night.

Clam Pasta with Scallops

We wanted to make Clams with Pesto, however there were no clams in the market. We decided to substitute Scallops for the Clams. We enjoyed the dish but decided next time we would try it with shrimp. The delicate Scallops taste of the sea is overwhelmed by the Pesto. The pasta (with Clams or possibly shrimp) is excellent and you should try it. You can get the recipe from our blog of: September 10, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Prosciutto and Melon Salad.

Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant

Eggplant with home made Creamed Corn is a wonderful summer dish. This is another winner for all our vegetarian friends. We really like this dish. you can get the recipe on our blog of: August 11, 2011. Just click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Fig Salad with Prosciutto and Almonds. A dinner that celebrates summer!

Salmon with Mustard Sauce

Sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn't. We made Roasted Salmon Glazed with Brown Sugar and Mustard from a recipe in The New York Times but we weren't thrilled with it. Try it, let us know what you think. We served it with leftover Brussel Sprouts from Republique (a favorite) and Rice.

Roasted Salmon Glazed with Brown Sugar and Mustard

New York Times

We all want to eat more fish. Here's a quick and easy recipe for sweet and savory salmon. Once you try it, we bet you'll add it to your weekly menu rotation.

INGREDIENTS

•                Salmon fillets, preferably wild or farmed organically

•                Dijon mustard

•                Brown sugar

•                Salt and black pepper

PREPARATION

•                Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

•                Make a mixture of Dijon mustard and brown sugar to the degree of spicy-sweetness that pleases you. Salt and pepper the salmon fillets.

Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Slather the tops of the fillets with the mustard and brown sugar glaze and slide them into the top half of your oven. They ought to be done in 12 minutes or so, and they pair beautifully with simple braised greens.

Signora Bimbi's Peppers

In summer when Peppers are at their peak and beautifully colored,  I love to make this recipe. If for no other reason than I like its name: Signora Bimbi's Peppers. This is a great side dish that can be served for several days with different main courses. You can get the recipe on our blog of: May 19, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

Miso Cod

We started with a Tomato and Mozzarella Salad this is such an easy salad to make when tomatoes are at their peak.

We then made Black Cod with Miso Sauce. This is a great recipe! We have made it many times. You can get the recipe from our blog of: May 12, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe. We served the cod with Rice seasoned with Ochazuke Wakame (Seaweed and Rice Cracker Mix) and Pickled Ginger on the side.

Scallops with Plums

Tom and Scott joined us for dinner. We started with fresh Melon and Prosciutto I always squeeze some fresh Lime Juice over the melon. I think it brings out the flavor of the melon.

Tom and Scott joined us for dinner. We started out with Prosciutto and Melon. The melon is fantastic right now. Our cat Polenta loves to lick the melon after we have eaten the flesh. Parsifal ignores it.

For the main course we made: Grilled Scallops and Plums with Sweet Mirin Barbecue Sauce. This is a wonderful preparation. We serve it with Rice. The plums are heated on the grill and make a delicious accomniment to the scallops. You can get the recipe from our blog of: August 18, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

Peach Salad

Fresh Peaches, Burrata, Almonds: What more do I need to write?

Tomato and Balsamic

Shumon came over for dinner. We started with a salad of Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella Balls and Pesto.

We followed with one of my favorite pastas: Penne with Tomato and Balsamic Vinegar. This makes for a very rich tomato sauce. You can get the recipe from our blog of: October 26, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

Lentil Pasta

A Perfect Summer Drink: Gin and Tonic!

Tomato Salad with Burrata, Pesto and Bagel Chips

Lentil Pasta made with Candied Tomatoes

I went to the Silverlake Farmer’s Market and bought lots of Tomatoes. We wanted to make Lentil Pasta. This is a dish we always make in the summer. The key is making the Candied Tomatoes first. They are very easy and a great way to preserve tomatoes. You can find the recipe in our blog of: July 22, 2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

It was a hot night and I started with a delicious Gin and Tonic (although I don't need a perfect summer night to justify drinking one), using my favorite Gin: Old Tom. We then had a Tomato Salad, topped with Burrata and Pesto. We love the Bagel Chips from Joan’s on Third, and I used a few as Croutons in the salad.

Salmon Bowl

We had left over Salmon and made a traditional Japanese Rice Bowl. We topped the rice with Pickled Ginger and Ochazuke Wakame. We started with a Tomato, Burrata and Pesto Salad.

Salmon, Corn and Faro

It was a beautiful warm night and we ate outside. The sunset was spectacular. 

We had leftover Salmon and served it with Creamed Corn and Faro. I picked up corn at the Silverlake Farmer’s Market. We used Judy Rodgers recipe for Creamed Corn that is in the Zuni Café Cookbook. You can find the recipe on our blog of: Sep. 16, 2013. Click the date to get the recipe.

Dates and Pasta

Cocktail Hour

Date, Arugula and Cheese Salad

We saw a recipe for Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil in the New York Times. Shumon joined us for dinner. It was a warm night and we started with cocktails on the front patio then moved to the back patio for the dinner. We started with a Date and Arugula Salad.

The Pasta was ok, but not great. Probably won’t make again. But if you like the ingredients give it a try. The drinks and the wine were great!

Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

New York Times

Fresh Ricotta Turns a Simple Pasta Dish Sublime

A recent trip to Sicily reminded me just how marvelous fresh ricotta can be. I had the chance to visit a family-run sheep dairy to observe a cheese master at work. The farm produces pecorino cheese, both young and aged, and ricotta too, which is essentially a by-product of the cheese-making process.

Twice each day, 500 sheep are milked by hand, which produces 400 liters (about 100 gallons) of milk, enough to fill a giant vat. After the cheese curds are ready and scooped into molds, the remaining whey — a thin, watery-looking liquid — is transferred to a huge kettle, heated beneath by a wood fire. When the whey reaches the proper temperature, after about an hour, the most incredibly delicate ricotta floats to the surface. The name ricotta means recooked, but it still seems miraculous that this second cooking could achieve such ethereal results.

Sheep’s milk ricotta is becoming more available in the United States, both from American producers and as an imported product. Better cheese shops and Italian delis stock it. The ricotta needs to be ultrafresh, so try to buy it as soon as it comes in, and use it within two days. Or ask for fresh cow’s milk ricotta, which can also be divine. Both are far superior to the generic type found in most supermarkets.

In Sicily (all over Italy, for that matter), ricotta has a variety of uses, both savory and sweet. It is a common filling for ravioli and lasagna, or it can be turned into tender gnocchi. Lightly sweetened, it is also an element in desserts — for ice cream, or ricotta cream for cannoli, or for the traditional cake, cassata.

Credit Karsten Moran for The New York Times

But fresh ricotta is perhaps best when employed to make a wonderful rudimentary pasta, especially this time of year, when garden-fresh, just-picked vegetables abound.

Here is the technique: While your pasta is boiling, you soften a diced onion in olive oil. Then you add chopped zucchini (or peas, or split cherry tomatoes) and let it soften as well. When the pasta is al dente, it joins the zucchini in the pan, followed by a good dollop of ricotta and a splash of the pasta’s cooking water. The ricotta melts to a creamy cloak, and a handful of grated pecorino or Parmesan brings it all together. I also add a touch of lemon zest and a spoonful of basil pesto.

It is a dish of utter simplicity, yet it tastes, to me at least, like the height of luxury.

Recipe: Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

A summer pasta should be simple and fresh, ideally made with vegetables straight from the garden or market. Look for the best artisanal ricotta; top-quality ingredients make all the difference here.

INGREDIENTS

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces (for larger zucchini, cut in half lengthwise before slicing)

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced, or 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic

1 ounce basil, about 2 cups loose leaves

1 pound ziti or other dry pasta

8 ounces ricotta, about 1 cup

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

2 ounces grated Parmesan, pecorino or a mixture, about 1 cup, plus more for serving

PREPARATION

1.   Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

2.   Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.

3.   Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

4.   Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

Iftar Dinner

Traditional Iftar Dinner

The wine is not traditional

Aloo Gobi (my favorite)

Chicken Curry

Shumon joined us for dinner. It was Iftar the first night of Ramadan and the Iftar dinner is the dinner at night breaking the fast at Sundown. The moon was a perfect crescent. He brought a traditional Iftar dinner of from his favorite Bangladeshi restaurant. We added the wine to westernize it a bit. Actually many Muslims drink alcohol.

Shumon also cooked us two dishes: Chicken Curry and my favorite: Aloo Gobi (Potatoes and Cauliflower).

We really enjoyed sharing the holiday with him.