Sri Lankan Inspired Coconut Chicken Curry with Cashews

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This is exactly the sort of semi-ambitious dish which appeals to my palate and my ego in equal measure. Any old suburban hausfrau can whip up some Indian food these days, but Sri Lankan cuisine propels one to that next level of cooler-than-thou. Take that, Fancy Nancy!

This is a bit more labor intensive than my usual dishes, but truly flavorful and worth the extra effort. The sauce is heavenly and would go well with jasmine rice. I was lucky to have most of the spices on hand already; I shudder to think what this would cost if you were buying everything exclusively for this recipe. Even though the author admits parsnips are not part of Sri Lankan cuisine, I agree that they really are the perfect touch.

coconutcashewchicken

David Tanis’s Coconut Chicken Curry with Cashews, New York Times (1/4/2013), original recipe here

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut in 3-inch chunks
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons grated garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice berries
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut
  • 1 pound small parsnips, peeled and cut in 2-inch batons, optional
  • 2 tablespoons ghee, coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups finely diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
  • 3 cups chicken broth or water
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk
  • A few sprigs mint and cilantro for garnish, optional

Preparation

1.
Season chicken generously with salt and pepper and put it in a mixing bowl. Add ginger and garlic and massage into meat. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cloves, fennel, cardamom, allspice, cumin and coriander until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Grind the toasted spices to a fine powder in an electric spice mill and add to chicken. Add turmeric, cayenne and lemon juice and mix well. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 1 hour.
2.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put cashews on a baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. Spread the shredded coconut on the baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then let cool. Grind the coconut with 1/4 cup cashews in a spice mill or small food processor to make a rough powder. Reserve 1/2 cup roasted cashews for garnish.
3.
Bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a simmer, then add parsnips and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
4.
In a wide heavy-bottomed pot, heat ghee over medium-high heat. Add cooked parsnips, if using, and sauté until lightly browned. Remove and reserve. Add chicken pieces to the pot, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then remove and set aside. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes more. Add tomato paste and let it sizzle with onions for a minute or two. Add broth and bring to a brisk simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up any caramelized bits from the pot. Add cinnamon stick, chicken and the ground coconut and cashew mixture. Adjust heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until chicken is tender. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary.
5.
To finish the dish, stir in coconut milk and add reserved parsnips. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until parsnips are heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with reserved cashews. Garnish with mint and cilantro sprigs, if using.

Ode to Downton Abbey

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downton-abbey

Are you a fan of Downton Abbey? I am a shameless lover of television and all things English. Needless to say, I can hardly contain myself that Downton Abbey Season 3 is starting in just two days, nine hours and thirty-two minutes here in the US (1/6/2013).

Confession: I “know a guy” and managed to watch the first episode of season 3 on my computer back when it first aired in the UK, but I just couldn’t continue watching it after that. A) I’m too much of a Girl Scout and don’t like to break the rules or cheat; B) It’s more fun having the communal experience of watching and discussing it with fellow US fans; C) If any show deserves to be watched on a large television screen, it’s Downton Abbey, and D) I don’t fancy myself one of those tiresome people who glibly reports she’s already viewed the whole entire season when her friends are super excited for the premiere.

If I wasn’t all partied out from November and December, I would throw together a little viewing party. For those of you inclined to do so, I highly recommend checking out Downton Abbey Cooks for authentic suggestions and interesting historical food facts. While I won’t be hosting a party, I am thinking of trying this recipe from BBC for Cock-a-leekie soup to get into the spirit of things. Plus, hello, cock-a-leekie soup! Who can resist chicken and leeks? What?

As I always say, the show is worth watching for the clothing and wallpaper alone. Yes, it is basically Masterpiece Theater’s version of a soap opera — cheesy, sometimes predictable and frequently overwrought, but immensely satisfying nonetheless. It makes my heart happy. And there is simply no one on television better than Dame Maggie Smith. She steals every single scene.

Cheers to my fellow Downton Abbey fans! I have a feeling there are many of you here.

Maple Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Gorgonzola

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Perhaps you, like me, feel a bit of detoxing is in order after six solid weeks of turkey, wine, cheese, cookies, chocolate, ham, ham, ham, more wine, eggnog, more cheese and a splash or two of limoncello. With January now upon us, the party is officially over. It’s time to clean up our act or purchase larger clothes.

I’ve learned years ago to write my New Year’s Resolutions with the savvy of a trial lawyer — vaguely and with plenty of loopholes. For example, “Eat more vegetables.” I can do that! After feeling utterly unsatisfied after today’s lunch of Lean Cuisine spring rolls, I decided to play around a bit with some Brussels sprouts. The maple glaze is courtesy of Weight Watchers, but don’t be alarmed. I’ve still managed to trash it up a bit. Who says eating more vegetables has to be dull and tasteless?

brusselssprouts

Maple Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Gorgonzola

1 to 2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved

olive oil

kosher salt

2 tablespoons real maple syrup

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 to 3 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese (optional)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. On baking sheet, drizzle Brussels sprouts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat well. After about 10 minutes in oven, give a good stir and roast another 5 to 10 minutes.

In small saucepan, heat maple syrup and balsamic vinegar over medium heat for about five minutes. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir well. Drizzle on top of Brussels sprouts, and add Gorgonzola if desired. Trust me, it will be desired.

Red Caviar Dip

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Happy New Year, friends! I know 2012 has been a tough year for some people, and I’m sincerely sorry about that. If this hasn’t been your best year, I hope 2013 is happier, healthier and more fulfilling. However you are spending the night, please have fun and be safe.

We are lucky, once again, to be ringing in the new year with our special friends. Nothing too elaborate as far as food this year, but I am excited to be serving my first dish with a wee bit of caviar. As a dedicated sushi lover, I have enjoyed sprinkles of caviar here and there over the years, but I never have used it in my own recipes until today.

Salmon roe, often referred to as red caviar, is the star of this dish. We are fortunate to have caviar from New York City’s Caviar Russe offered at our grocery store. Since this recipe only uses 50 grams of salmon roe (1.75 ounces), you probably won’t need a home equity loan to serve this at your next party. Assuming you are able to acquire just a small amount of caviar, for under twenty bucks you will have a delicious dish that will dazzle your guests and make you feel like Robin Leach himself!

CaviarRusse

Red Caviar Dip, inspired by Barefoot Contessa Parties

4 ounces cream cheese, softened (about half a normal sized package)

1/4 cup full fat sour cream

Juice of half a lemon

1 whole scallion, finely chopped

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons whole milk

1 tablespoon fresh dill

50 grams (1.75 ounces) salmon roe or caviar of choice

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, lemon juice, scallion, salt, milk and dill until well combined. With mixer turned off, gently fold in about 7/8th of caviar with rubber spatula. Spoon into serving dish, and garnish with remaining caviar and sprig of dill.

caviardip

 

The Gift of the Magi

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The gift of the Magi is to hold what you have and not think a minute of what you are missing. — Garrison Keillor’s interpretation of O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi

I was in 8th grade the first time I read O. Henry’s short story The Gift of the Magi. We were learning about irony, and that was the example my teacher used. While I thought the story was sweet, I lacked the worldliness to truly appreciate it at the time.

A couple weeks ago, I heard Garrison Keillor on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion reading his own interpretation of the Gift of the Magi, and thought it was so beautiful that I knew I’d want to share it with you. Don’t be alarmed by the time on the link; the story is only a couple minutes at most, and it starts playing right away. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Gift of the Magi

Ina’s Caramelized Bacon

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An Ina book signing is like the Grateful Dead for suburban stay-at-home-moms. My friend and I arrived to stand in line at 9:30 for the book signing of Barefoot Contessa Foolproof which begun at noon. We gathered en masse, a line of Burberry and Tory Burch and Maclaren strollers as far as the eye could see, giddy with anticipation to see our mutual idol. We swapped stories of favorite recipes and little known Ina facts. We paid respect to Jeffrey. The general atmosphere was a strange mixture of reverence and exuberance.

When it was finally our turn, I could hardly breathe. Suddenly I understood how people could join a cult. If Ina had asked me to sell all my worldly possessions and move into her East Hampton compound as a dishwasher, I probably would have done so at that moment. She radiates goodness and light and is so beautiful in person. I don’t just love her, I looooovvvvvvveeeee her, and seeing her up close was almost like looking directly into the sun; I was a little dizzy.

Believe it or not, I don’t own any Ina cookbooks aside from her latest (ahem, autographed copy). This recipe was the first to catch my eye, and I couldn’t wait to have a moment to try it. I have been so busy this season, and I realize that I need to start getting my New Year’s Eve appetizers picked out since we are hosting again. (Click here for more info on how I spend my New Year’s Eve).  I thought I would preview these before serving them to guests.

I thought they were fabulous, though Ed didn’t really care for them…but he’s always like like blah blah blah cholesterol. I know I will served them again at some point in the future, but probably for a more casual affair than New Year’s Eve. The sweet/spicy/crunchy/salty combo is a winner in my book.

InaSigning

caramelizedbacon

Ina’s Caramelized Bacon adapted from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup pecans

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 pound thick cut bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In food processor, combine sugar, nuts, salt, pepper and cayenne until finely ground. Add maple syrup and pulse until moistened.

Ina suggests using a wire baking rack on top of a sheet pan lined with foil, but I used a slotted broiler pan lined with foil with good results. Whatever you use, be sure the fat has a place to drip to prevent sogginess. Cut bacon in half and spread evenly with sugar mixture. Bake 25 to 30 minutes and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Easy Butter Toffee

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For the first time in many, many years, I am working a lot during the holidays. Well, let me rephrase that. I am working a lot for me. I am used to having all the time in the world to shop and bake and read and work out (not that I ever did much of that) and have lunch with friends, and suddenly I’m…what’s that word called when there’s not much time to do whatever you please?…busy! Yes, I’m busy. Almost every second needs to be used efficiently these days. I kind of like it, but I kind of hate it, too.

On the plus side, I’ve managed not to eat my weight in cookies this season. On the minus side, my creative time in the kitchen has really suffered. I miss cooking and I miss blogging. Eventually, I will figure out a way to make it all work out, but for now it’s a bit overwhelming. Last week, for example, I purchased Williams-Sonoma’s ridiculously overpriced Handcrafted Toffee as part of a hostess gift. Back in the day, I would sooner sell a kidney than pay thirty bucks for a small amount of toffee. But these days, with minimal spare time in the kitchen, I had to pony up the cash. I did, however, make a promise to myself to attempt to make my own toffee the next time I had a chance.

Can you believe I don’t own a candy thermometer? I had to borrow one for this recipe. In reading the comments of the many different recipes I browsed, I suggest you do the same if you don’t already own one. Unless you’re an experienced candymaker who can eyeball the color of 300 degrees, invest in obtaining a thermometer. Other than that, I’d venture to say you already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen right now. This is easy and delicious, and it would make a great holiday gift.

Easy Butter Toffee

1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter

2 teaspoons water

1 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)

In a deep and heavy saucepan, slowly melt butter, water, salt and sugar over LOW HEAT. Once completely melted, raise heat to medium, and stir occasionally. When the water boils off and thickens, insert your candy thermometer in mixture. Watch carefully, and continue to stir. As soon as thermometer passes 300 degrees but before 320 degrees, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or buttered, spread mixture evenly into a rectangular shape. Sprinkle chocolate chips over mixture and after about 30 seconds, gently spread with back of spoon or a spatula. Top with slivered almonds, if desired. After about ten minutes, move to refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Once completely cooled and hardened, break into pieces and seal in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated until serving.

candythermometer

This is how it looked right around 300 degrees. Don’t be alarmed.

chocchips

This is what it looked like spread onto parchment paper. Notice the rich color.

avecalmonds

This is what it looked like before going into the refrigerator.

buttertoffee

The final product, ready to be boxed and shared.

The Birds: A Photo Essay in Three Pictures

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I was just about to get into the shower when I heard what sounded like ten people walking around in my attic. While I wanted to write off the sound as mice, the noise was simply too loud. Whatever was up there was a few pounds, not a few ounces. I am not normally the skittish type with an over-active imagination, but taking a shower with an unknown thumping in my attic was starting to freak me out a bit. Then our dog Teddy started to bark at the ceiling, so I took him outside to have a look around.

Birds1

At first, when I noticed the scene above, I was rather relieved. Oh, look, I thought, these big guys can probably make some serious noise through the vent. THAT explains what I heard! And they’re a pair — perhaps a couple mating for life with a nest near by. Isn’t nature grand? I’m so lucky to live here!

And then, slowly, like in a movie, I walked a few inches to the right and saw this:

Birds2

Two birds? Sweet. Six birds? Freaky. Here is where I admit to the world I have a bit of a frog and butterfly phobia. Anything jumpy or fluttery or with the potential to unpredictably land in my hair makes me very uneasy. I don’t want to kill them, but I do want to keep a healthy distance. Of course, most of my friends find this phobia of mine delightfully charming charmingly quirky completely nuts. Birds are in the same category as frogs and butterflies, but they usually have the good sense to keep their distance from humans.

So there I was, outside in the rain with a fluffy white delicious looking dog, and as I’m about to head to the front door to walk back inside, I see this over the doorway:

Birds3

You’ll have to excuse the poor photo quality, for at this point, I was across the street at my neighbor’s house, shaking and crying and pointing at my roof like a full fledged crazy person. That’s the thing with phobias — they go from rational to irrational in the blink of an eye. I needed to explain to my neighbor that no, I could not simply walk through the front door of my house like a normal person, because you see those six birds up there? And their four friends on the side of the house, too? They are going to swoop down and eat me and Teddy the second we get too close to the house.

In an overly calm tone favored by those in the hostage negotiation business, my neighbor told me to sit tight while she honked her horn to scare them away. It took a good forty-five seconds of honking before one of them flew off or even flinched, but they finally left my rooftop so I could safely return to my house. The end.

It’s a Marshmallow (Fudge) World in the Winter

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It seems every holiday season there is a different song I favor, and this year it’s Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra’s cover of the 1949 classic “Marshmallow World.” There are many great versions of this song, but the one below is by far my favorite.

After hearing Marshmallow World approximately one hundred times this past week, I started to have strong cravings for a marshmallowy treat. I found so many recipes I want to try, but today is Wednesday. Thursday is my weekly food shopping day, so the pickings are always slim by Wednesday. Sure, I could just run to the store three miles away and buy what I need for whatever recipe strikes my fancy, but where’s the sport in that? I’d rather make due with what’s on hand. More often than not, I am determined to wait until Thursday to do my shopping — it’s an odd mixture of laziness, discipline and stubbornness.

Lucky for me, the folks at Real Simple have the perfect three ingredient recipe for marshmallow fudge: semi-sweet chocolate chips, one can of sweetened condensed milk, and mini-marshmallows. I added a teaspoon of vanilla because I wanted to put my own stamp on it, but you don’t need to. These sit for about twelve hours in the refrigerator to set, but I had to sneak a piece or two right away for a picture and quality endorsement. I know my expectations were low, but I am really impressed with how delicious these are. In fact, I may need to hide them from plain sight for my own good — and pick another holiday song for 2012.

Marshmallow Fudge from Real Simple:

12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
1½ cups miniature marshmallows

Heat the milk and pour over the chocolate; stir until melted. Stir in the marshmallows. Pour into a parchment-lined 8-inch square baking pan and refrigerate until firm, at least 12 hours. Cut into 36 squares.

marshmallowworld

Dr. Rebecca Lancefield’s Eggnog Recipe

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I love to find recipes from unlikely sources, but I never expected to find one on NPR’s Science Friday. If you’ve always wanted to make spiked eggnog, but you were afraid of wiping out your family with salmonella, do I have the recipe for you! The lab at The Rockefeller University has been making this recipe for forty years with happy results. Before embarking on your eggnog journey, please take a couple of minutes to review the video below.
You will need to get started soon if you want to serve this by Christmas or New Year’s Eve. The most important thing to remember is to give this eggnog three weeks to sit refrigerated before drinking. I know the original recipe below says two to three weeks, but the experiment posted above shows it 100% bacteria-free by week three, so let’s err on the side of caution, shall we? And moderation, of course. Cheers, friends!
Dr. Rebecca Lancefield’s Eggnog
1 dozen eggs
1 quart heavy cream
1 quart light cream
1 pint bourbon
1 quart rum
nutmeg
1/2 to 3/4 pound sugar

Beat eggs, add bourbon and rum slowly with stirring to prevent precipitation of egg proteins. Beat heavy cream separately until it peaks and add to the egg/bourbon/rum mix.

Add the light cream with stirring. Add the sugar, then add nutmeg to taste.

Leave standing overnight with lid slightly ajar in refrigerator, then seal with plastic or lid completely.  After three weeks, strain to remove any egg solids, then serve.

NOTE: If you are looking for an eggnog that has less of a kick (but why would you?) Cook’s Illustrated suggests following the recipe below and adding the cream right before serving:

Cook’s Illustrated Eggnog December 2013

1 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups bourbon
1/2 cup cognac
1/2 cup dark rum
1 1/2 cup sugar
Refrigerate above in airtight container for three weeks, then strain. This mixture contains 18% alcohol.

Add to above mixture:
6 cups whole milk
1/2 cup cream

The mixture now contains 8% alcohol, according to Cook’s Illustrated. Their rule of thumb is to that for every egg, use 1 1/2 ounces of 80 proof liquor and leave out the dairy until serving time.