Madhur Jaffrey’s Goan Shrimp Curry

Madhur Jaffrey’s Goan Shrimp Curry should have been a knockout, but to us it isn't.  But don't fret. If you like Goan Shrimp Curry (and we do), do I have a recipe for you. We have made this linked version of Goan Shrimp Curry multiple times. Try it you will love it! You can find the recipe on our blog of August 9, 2008: Click the date to get the recipe.

Madhur Jaffrey’s Goan Shrimp Curry
The New York Times

Madhur Jaffrey has published several iterations of this recipe in her cookbooks. This version, from her MasterClass course, is a full-flavored but very easy to prepare curry, perfect for a novice cook. The coconut milk-based sauce may be prepared in advance and the shrimp added just before serving.
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 to 6 servings
 
2       tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2       medium shallots, finely chopped
2       teaspoons hot paprika or Kashmiri red chile powder
½      teaspoon ground turmeric
½      teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼      teaspoon ground cayenne, or more if preferred
1¼    cups coconut milk (from a 13-ounce can)
1½    pounds large or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
2       teaspoons lemon juice
Steamed basmati or jasmine rice, for serving
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a wide skillet over medium-high. When oil is wavy, add shallots and fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in paprika, turmeric, pepper and cayenne. Stir spices to make a paste.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat and add the (well-shaken) coconut milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring well.

3. Add shrimp, season well with salt, and stir to coat. Add lemon juice and turn heat to low. Cook, stirring until shrimp are pink and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning, then serve immediately with steamed basmati or jasmine rice and cilantro (if using).

Who wants Turkey on Thanksgiving

Every year we host Thanksgiving for our friends. Every year we ask if they want Turkey. Every year they say: No. Of course they know if they say yes they would have to make it and provide something else for us. Turkey is a looser, except for being in a sandwiches. Pork always win. Miso-Marinated Pork Roast is a great recipe. The Pork is tender and the skin is crispy and tasty. If you like Pork this is a recipe for you. If you like Turkey on Thanksgiving you won't be eating with us!
 

Miso-Marinated Pork Roast
New York Times
 
Total Time:     4¾ hours, plus 4 hours' marinating
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook Time:    4½ hours, plus 4 hours' marinating
 
This pork roast tastes and smells like the holidays, savory with the scent of rosemary, cozy with a caramelized crust and warming with black pepper. Even though the marinade has only four ingredients, the finished roast has the wow factor of a restaurant dish. The best part about this centerpiece? You can’t mess it up. And though the accompanying cranberry sauce is optional, it brings a welcome fruity tang and pop of red to the table. The sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time and the pork can be marinated the morning you plan to roast it.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:12 to 16 servings
 
FOR THE ROAST
 
½      cup red miso (see Tip)
⅓      cup granulated or light brown sugar
2       tablespoons minced fresh rosemary, plus 2 sprigs
1       tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
One 4- to 5-pound bone-in or boneless pork shoulder roast
1       large onion, cut into wedges
 
FOR THE SAUCE (OPTIONAL)
 
24     ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (6 cups)
1⅓    cups light brown sugar
2       ripe but firm pears, diced
8       slices fresh ginger, smashed
Juice of 2 oranges
1       cup dry white wine, such as vinho verde
Pinch of salt
 
PREPARATION
 
1. Prepare the roast: Mix the miso, sugar, minced rosemary and black pepper until well combined. Unfurl the pork if it’s boneless and cut along its natural breaks to butterfly the meat without cutting all the way through. Rub the marinade all over the meat in an even layer.

2. If needed, roll the pork back into a somewhat cylindrical shape. Use kitchen twine to tie it in 1-inch intervals. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 4 to 8 hours.

3. If you’re making the sauce, bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a large pot, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue boiling, skimming off and discarding any pink foam that rises to the surface, for 10 to 12 minutes. The liquid should be syrupy and the pears tender. The sauce can be refrigerated in jars or airtight containers for up for up 1 week. You’ll have about 6 cups.

4. Remove the pork from the refrigerator an hour before you want to start cooking (about 4½ hours before you want to serve it). If the sauce has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature as well.

5. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Wipe off any thick patches of marinade from the pork and place on a roasting pan or sheet pan. Scatter the onion and rosemary sprigs around the meat and pour in ¼ cup water (or wine or stock).

6. Cook for 1 hour, then baste with the pan juices. Continue cooking, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thickest part, about 2 hours longer. Tent with parchment paper when the pork is dark brown.

7. Let rest on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes. Slice and serve, with the sauce, if you’d like.
 

TIPS
 
Red miso, generally made with a higher proportion of soybeans and fermented for a longer period, is strong and savory, making it ideal for meat. If you can find only milder white or yellow miso, which is also sweeter, you can use it instead and reduce the sugar to ¼ cup. 

Pork shoulder, which comes from the upper portion of a pig’s foreleg, is usually split into the fattier top, known as Boston butt, pork butt or just butt, and the lower portion, called the picnic shoulder, blade roast or picnic roast. They all can be labeled pork shoulder and they all work in this recipe.

The BEST Macaroni and Cheese Ever

Gratin de Macaroni a l’Ancienne is a bet your reputation on it dish. There is no Better Macaroni Cheese. If you like Mac and Cheese make this. I guess this is about as enthusiastic as I can be about a recipe. You can find the recipe on our blog of January 11, 2006 (wow we have been making it for a long time): Click the date to get the recipe.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Ginger

One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Ginger didn't do it for me. It wasn't really Chinese to me. It was ok but there are better One-Pot Chicken dishes we have made.

We started with Hungry Cat Salad. Even though Hungry Cat, the restaurant, has closed - we continue to make their Salad. I like the avocado, egg and lemon juice. It is a great salad. You can read about why it is called The Hungry Cat Salad on our blog post of: November 21, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

One-Pot Chicken and Rice with Ginger
New York Times
 
This one-pot dish was inspired by a dinner of ginger fried rice and garlicky stir-fried greens served at Uncle Lou, a Cantonese restaurant in New York. It’s both mild and full of flavor, which might sound contradictory at first, but it delivers subtle notes of fresh ginger, soy sauce and lime, rather than bold hits in each bite. Serve with extra soy sauce and lime on the side, so that everyone can adjust the seasoning as they would like. Fish out the ginger slices at the end or let everyone know they’re there.
 
INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 servings
 
2       tablespoons neutral or olive oil
1       (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin slices
2       pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Kosher salt 
3       large garlic cloves, minced or grated
2       cups jasmine rice, rinsed with cold water
3       cups low-sodium chicken broth or water, at room temperature
¾      pound quick-cooking greens, such as chard, kale or spinach, leaves removed from thick stems, if needed, and cut or torn into bite-size pieces (about 4 packed cups)
2       tablespoons soy sauce, plus more as needed
2       limes, 1 juiced (about 1 tablespoon juice) and 1 cut into wedges
2       scallions (optional), sliced
¼      packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems (optional), roughly torn or chopped
 
 
PREPARATION
 
1. In a large Dutch oven or pot with a lid, heat the oil and ginger slices over medium-high until the oil around the ginger starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Season the chicken with salt, then push the ginger to the side. Add the chicken to the pan and let cook, undisturbed, until the chicken starts to brown and easily releases from the pan, 5 to 7 minutes. (It’s OK if the pieces of chicken don’t all have color, as it will be crowded.) Stir in the garlic and rice, flipping over the chicken, and cook until the rice is coated with oil and starts to sizzle, about 1 minute.

2. Add the stock or water, then raise the heat to high to bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up anything on the bottom of the pot. Cover and immediately lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until most of the water has been absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. During the last 8 minutes, stir to make sure nothing is sticking on the bottom, then layer the greens on top, cover and finish cooking.

3. Remove from the heat, stir in the soy sauce and juice of 1 lime. Fluff the rice and let sit for 5 minutes, covered. Serve as is, or pull the chicken apart into bite-size pieces. Season to taste with salt, the lime wedges and more soy as needed or serve at the table. Top with the scallions and cilantro, if using.

 

Hungry Cat Salad

We started with Hungry Cat Salad. Even though Hungry Cat, the restaurant, has closed - we continue to make their Salad. I like the avocado, egg and lemon juice. It is a great salad. You can read about why it is called The Hungry Cat Salad on our blog post of: November 21, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

Soy Butter Fish with Peas

Soy Butter Fish with Peas turned out to be a keeper. The recipe is surprisingly simple (no need to even peel the Ginger), comes together fast, and delivers a deeply savory sauce that’s perfect over Rice. The Snap Peas bring freshness and crunch against the tender, flaky fish. You can find the recipe on our blog of Sept 11, 2025: Click the date to get the recipe.

Ginger-Scallion Steamed Fish

While writing this blog I saw we had made Ginger-Scallion Steamed Fish. It was so good I wanted it again. So we had it. It is easy, healthy and delicious. This is a perfect fish recipe! You can get it on our blog of April 28, 2023. Click the date to get the recipe.

Persimmons are in season and we made another Persimmon Salad (I love them) with Almonds, Raisons and Spec. This is a great Salad. We made a dressing with Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. 

Pappardelle Bolognese with Lentils and Sausages

The weather has been cool in Los Angeles, and what’s better on a chilly night than Pasta? We made the sauce first and then realized we were out of Pappardelle—but we did have Tagliatelle, so we used that instead. I’m sure it was just as good as if we had used Pappardelle. 

Pappardelle Bolognese with Lentils and Sausages
Dinner Changing the Game

I first envisioned this recipe without the sausage, as a warm-your-bones vegetarian pasta option for the depths of winter. And it was very good. But adding a little sausage made it great - the brawny flavor of the meat giving the lentils a deep complexity that makes them even richer and a little creamier. This said, you can make this without the meat, though don't stint on adding oil at the end to compensate for the loss of richness. Serve this with a sautéed, strongly flavored leafy green -kale, broccoli rabe, or even radicchio. And open a really nice bottle of red.

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

8 ounces sweet Italian sausage (either pork or turkey), casings removed

1 small onion, diced

1 small carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Pinch of red chile flakes

1½ tablespoons tomato paste

128 ounce can whole plum tomatoes, with their juices

¾ cup French green lentils (lentilles du Puy)

1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

1 pound pappardelle or other wide ribbon pasta

2 tablespoons butter (optional)

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more if desired

Chopped fresh parsley or chives,

1. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and onion, and cook until the onion has softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots and celery. Cook until the onion is well browned and all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. If the pan seems dry add a bit more oil.

2. Stir in the rosemary, sage, garlic and chile flakes. Cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Then stir in the tomato paste and allow it to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes and 1½ cups of water. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes. Stir in the lentils, the 1½ teaspoons salt, and the ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, and cook gently until the lentils are tender, 40 to 60 minutes,

4. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle and cook until it is al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package directions. Scoop out some of the pasta cooking water with a coffee mug and reserve it.Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl. Toss with the butter if desired and then add a splash of the pasta cooking water, the lentil-sausage sauce, and the cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil just before serving and garnish with the parsley and more black pepper.

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Apple, Fennel and Onion

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Apple, Fennel and Onion hits all the right notes for me. One pan cooking means easy to clean and Crispy Skin. Apples, Fennel and Onions are a natural. This is a good recipe! We recommend it. I liked this dish!

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Apple, Fennel and Onion
New York Times

Chicken thighs are roasted with classic fall ingredients for a quick, flavorful sheet-pan supper. The toasted fennel seeds subtly amplify the anise flavor of the roasted fennel and play nicely with the apples and onions. Look for an apple on the tart side as it will naturally sweeten as it cooks in the oven. If you want to use bone-in chicken breasts you can, just make sure to cut the cooking time by a few minutes so they don’t dry out. Serve with a bright, bitter green salad flecked with blue cheese and toasted walnuts.

INGREDIENTS
Yield:4 to 6 servings

2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups)
1 medium fennel bulb, tough outer leaves removed, cored and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tart apple, such as Mutsu (Crispin) or Granny Smith, halved, cored and cut into 8 wedges
4 sprigs rosemary
Flaky salt, for serving

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small skillet, toast the fennel seeds over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pound into a coarse powder with a mortar and pestle or, alternatively, roughly chop. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the fennel seeds and season well with salt and pepper.

2. Place the onion, fennel and apple slices on the sheet pan. Toss with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt. Spread in an even layer. Add the chicken skin side up on top of the vegetables and lay the rosemary (distributing evenly) on top of the chicken. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the onions, fennel and apples are softened and have begun to caramelize at the edge of the pan.

3. Turn the oven to broil and move the oven rack to sit right below it. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and broil the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes until the skin of the chicken is crispy and golden. Season with flaky salt.

Crispy Baked Tomato-Oregano Chicken

Crispy Baked Tomato-Oregano Chicken is a winner. I think it is the Tomatoes that put this dish over the top for me. They are so good in the sauce. Some dishes are just as good reheated in the microwave. This is one. This was a favorite fall dish of ours. We will definitely make again!

We served it with Wild Rice - which of course is not rice but a grain.

Crispy Baked Tomato-Oregano Chicken

New York Times

Baked in the oven and sealed with a layer of tomato paste and yogurt, this chicken — your choice: breasts or thighs — stays juicy as it cooks on top of a bed of tomatoes. The tomatoes deflate and collapse, becoming a little saucy, as the panko and Parmesan layer on top of the chicken crisps and melts. To maximize this dish’s appeal to kids and crowds alike, it doesn’t have any heat, but red-pepper flakes would be a welcome addition, as would grated garlic or chopped basil. You can serve the chicken with rice or bread, to soak up the pan juices, or bring it as is to picnics and potlucks.

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 servings

2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces, or breasts cut horizontally to form cutlets

Salt

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup grated Parmesan

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

PREPARATION

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, tomato paste, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon oregano. Add the chicken; season lightly with salt and toss to coat.

2. Add the halved tomatoes to a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, season with salt and the olive oil, and spread out into an even layer. Nestle the chicken on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the Parmesan and remaining 1 teaspoon oregano over everything. Cover with a layer of panko.

3. Bake in the oven until the top crisps and the tomatoes collapse and get saucy, 20 to 25 minutes for breasts and 22 to 25 for thighs, depending on the thickness.

Pork Tenderloin and Orzo with Butternut Squash

Brown-Butter Orzo with Butternut Squash is a delish one pot dish. We have been preparing Butternut Squash in many different ways. This recipe is a good one. It is interesting with the Orzo as opposed to Rice. Orzo as a softer texture than rice and absorbs the flavors of Squash. You can get the recipe for the Brown-Butter Orzo with Butternut Squash on our blog of February 19, 2024. Click the date to get the recipe.

One-Pan Pork Tenderloin With Mushrooms is such a good dish. Pork Tenderloin is always so tender (hence the name) and because the meat itself is bland it takes sauces well. You can find the recipe for the Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms on our blog of December 19, 2024. Click the date to get the recipe.

Lion’s Head Meatballs

We found this recipe for Lion’s Head Meatballs disappointing. The main reason is why have a recipe for Shu Mai Burgers that is similar but we think far better. It uses Shrimp while this recipe doesn't, so maybe it's not fair to compare them. However we will continue to make and enjoy Shu Mai Burgers and I doubt we will make this recipe again. You can get the recipe for the Shu Mai Burgers on our blog of June 30, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe, and make it if you never have, they are excellent!

Lion’s Head Meatballs
Lucky Peach

1 lb ground pork (preferably very fatty; have your butcher grind pork belly, for example)
1 C chopped scallions
2 T soy sauce
1 T sugar
1 T Shaoxing wine
1 T minced garlic
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 t kosher salt
½ t sesame oil
1 large egg
2 T cornstarch
neutral oil
1 lb napa cabbage or bok choy, leaves separated, chopped if desired
2 C chicken broth
white pepper
cooked rice noodles or rice, for serving


1. Put the pork in a large bowl and break it up with your hands. Add the scallions, soy sauce, sugar, wine, garlic, ginger, salt, and sesame oil and work the mixture to combine. Add the egg and cornstarch and vigorously mix, picking up and slapping the mixture back into the bowl a few times to create a tacky texture. Roll the meat into eight 2-inch balls.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch i' oven and add enough meatballs to fit comfortably in a single layer. Sear them until browned all over, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with any remaining meatballs. Remove the pan from the heat and wipe out the pan.

3. Line the pan with the cabbage or bok choy, arrange the meatballs in a snug single layer on top, and add broth to come within Va inch of the tops of the meatballs. Cover the pot and set over medium heat. Gently simmer until the greens are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with white pepper and serve over rice noodles or with steamed rice.

The dish is sort of a stew but lighter: The meatballs, greens, and a little broth are all spooned over rice noodles. It’s commonly known as lion's head meatballs, because the wavy greens or noodles ringing the meatballs look like... a lion’s mane? Maybe if you squint.

In Chinese, they're called shih tzu tou, which the non-Chinese speakers among us can't help but see as shihtzu tou, so maybe they're really supposed to look like little lapdog heads. Even if they are taxonomically ambiguous, they are inarguably good eating.

 

 

Miznon's Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Miznon's Whole Roasted Cauliflower is a great way to prepare Cauliflower. If you like Cauliflower you should try it. If you are like Barbara, who hates Cauliflower you should also try it, it might change your mind. It makes for creamy side dish for dinner.

Miznon's Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Food & Wine

 

With only three ingredients, this exquisite, world-renowned cauliflower dish is deceptively simple.

It's a timeless recipe to make again and again.

 

Active Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Yield: 2 servings

 

INGREDIENTS

1       (1 1/2- to 2-pound) head cauliflower with leaves

2       gallons water

7       tablespoons sel gris, divided

3       tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil, divided

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1.              Preheat oven to 550°F with oven rack in center of oven. Trim stem of cauliflower, keeping leaves intact, so it will sit level on a rimmed baking sheet. Bring 2 gallons water to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. Stir in 6 1/2 tablespoons sel gris until dissolved.

2.              Add cauliflower to water; place a heatproof ceramic plate on top of cauliflower to keep it submerged. Boil until tender and a fork inserted in cauliflower meets no resistance, 12 to 13 minutes. Using a spider, gently lift cauliflower from water and let drain in spider, allowing water to drip back into pot. Place cauliflower, stem side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Let stand until cauliflower has cooled slightly and is dry to the touch, about 15 minutes.

3.              Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil between your hands, then rub over cauliflower to apply a thin, even layer. (Alternatively, use a brush to spread oil evenly over cauliflower.) Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sel gris over cauliflower (salt might clump in some places). Bake in preheated oven until browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully rub with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Serve hot.