This recipe comes from the May 2016 Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and it’s such an outstanding and easy dinner, I make it once a month! There are two things I changed: I do not put the lime zest in, but I do squeeze in the juice from the lime, and I do not put in the fish sauce. Sandy put together a beautiful grapefruit and avocado salad which was a perfect compliment to this spicy dish. Enjoy!

2 Tbsp. peanut or canola oil (I use peanut)

2 shallots, sliced

1 lime

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 to 2 Tbsp. red curry paste

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 lb. fresh or frozen medium shrimp in shells, peeled and deveined (I use fresh)

8 oz. rice vermicelli noodles (don’t forget to soaked them for 2 minutes in room temp. water before adding)

1   13 1/2-14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk

fresh basil leaves and lime wedges

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until crisp and browned. Remove shallots, set aside. Using vegetable peeler, remove zest from lime in strips; cut lime in half. Add garlic, ginger and curry paste to Dutch oven; cook and stir 1 minute. Add broth, fish sauce and 2 cups water. Squeeze lime into broth; add strips of zest. Bring to boiling.

Stir in shrimp and noodles. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 3-4 minutes or just until shrimp turn opaque. Stir in coconut milk; heat through. Remove lime zest. Top bowls with shallots and basil; serve with lime wedges. Makes 6 servings.

If you want a dish that tastes sinful, but is healthier than a walk in the woods, this is the dish. This is a homerun. I’m not going to go on about it….just make it, and enjoy! By the way, I used a moderate Bordeaux in the dish, and drank it with the finished meal!

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb. monkfish, cut into 1 inch pieces

Kosher salt and pepper

2 shallots, thinly sliced

3 carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Generous pinch of saffron threads

1/3 cup dry white wine

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Season the monkfish with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, turning, until light golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and the shallots to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in the thyme, saffron and wine and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water along with the monkfish and any accumulated juices. Add more salt and thyme leaves if needed. Bring just to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

I served the dish with little finger biscuits to butter up and dunk in the broth.

This recipe comes from “Thailand, The Cookbook”, published by Phaidon. One of the things that drew me to this book, outside of the recipes, are the National Geographic style photographs of Thailand throughout it’s covers. In any case, the book claims this dish feeds two, but I think it would easily feed four. You be the judge. As usual I find a recipe that sounds worthy to serve, then use whatever we have in the house and fridge to accomplish my goal. Here, I didn’t have Chinese kale so I used a baby Napa cabbage that we had, and where it calls for onions, I used the last leek that we had available. And, I wish I could tell you I popped open a stellar bottle of Chablis or Riesling to accompany our meal, but I didn’t. I just kept working away at my bottle of Courtney Benham, Vin D’Eliza. Sometimes you just gotta do what you just gotta do! Enjoy!

1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 garlic cloves

5 oz/150g pork loin or shoulder, cut into thin pieces (I used thin cut chops)

3 cups (525g) cooked jasmine rice

1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp. granulated sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped Chinese kale

1/3 cup sliced onions

1 tomato, cut into small wedges

To serve:

1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

lime wedges

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, add 2 of the eggs, one at a time, and fry for 2 minutes. Remove, cover to keep warm, and set aside.

Drain all but 2 Tbsp. oil from the wok and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the pork and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until cooked. Add the remaining egg, gently beat, and cook for 40-50 seconds until the egg is lightly cooked. Add the rice and stir-fry for another 1 minute until well mixed, then season with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar and stir-fry for another 2 minutes until well combined. Add the kale, onions, and tomato wedges and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

To serve, place the rice on serving plates, top with a fried egg, and arrange the cucumber and lime wedges on the side.

First off, let me say I served this dish with a wonderful 2012, Vaucoupin, 1er Cru Chablis, and now that I’m a little “relaxed”, I’ll let you know what I made for our Sunday lunch. The one thick-cut pork chop we shared and pineapple slices were simply brushed with olive oil, salt and peppered and put on the grill. The curried penne salad recipe comes from The Silver Spoon cookbook. Everything was easy, and everything, together, hit the right spots on the palette. The only thing I did differently than the book calls for is I did not dice the cucumbers; instead, I used cucumber shavings made with my peeler. Enjoy!

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp. curry powder

1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

scant 1 cup meat stock

12 ounces penne

scant 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 small cucumber, peeled and finely diced

salt

Heat the oil in a pan, add 1 Tbsp. water, a pinch of salt, and the onion, and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the curry powder and cook for a few seconds, then stir in the flour and cook for an additional few seconds. Gradually stir in the stock, bring to a boil, stirring continuously, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Cook the penne in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente, then drain, pour into a serving dish, and mix with the cream. Let cool, but do not chill in the refrigerator. To serve, spoon the curry sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with the cucumber.

From La Cuisine, by Francoise Bernard, comes yet another recipe from her book which highlights everyday French home cooking. And there are two qualities to this dish that I adore; deep, rich flavors and simplicity. With having no more than the bouquet garni, one garlic clove, and salt and pepper for seasoning, this dish manages to taste like it’s been pampered and will make you and your guests feel indulged! When in reality, you basically throw it all together and let it simmer for a couple of hours. If I had five thumbs….they’d all be up. Enjoy!

2 Tbsp. oil

2 Lbs. boneless short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise (she only called for 1 carrot)

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups red wine

Salt and pepper

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 bouquet garni made with parsley, thyme and bay leafs (I used fresh parsley and thyme from the garden and 3  medium sized dry bay leaves)

2 Lbs. potatoes, halved or quartered if large (I quartered)

Chopped parsley for sprinkling

1. In a flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook until browned all over. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Stir in the carrots, onions, and flour and cook until lightly browned. Return the meat to the casserole, then add the red wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Season with salt and pepper and add 3/4 cup of water, the garlic, and bouquet garni. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, steam the potatoes or cook them in boiling salted water for 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a warmed serving dish. Strain the sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the potatoes.

This recipe comes from the most recent copy of Food and Wine magazine, and in fact it’s featured on the front cover of the magazine. Mine is not quite as pretty as theirs, but that’s not to say the food wasn’t magnificent! What stands out the most is the creamy coconut sauce that develops and while eating it,  you feel it’s OK that fall is here, that leaves are once again falling, and that the air is cooler. There are two minor things I did differently than their recipe: I did not make the gremolota at the end. I simply accented my dish with chopped cilantro, and I used chicken thighs instead of legs.  Enjoy!

2 Tbsp. canola oil

6 whole chicken legs (2 lbs.)

Kosher salt and pepper

1/2 lb. fresh Mexican chorizo

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 dried chile de arbol, broken in half

3 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Gremolata:

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

7 coffee beans, finely crushed (1/2 tsp.)

2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, brown the chicken over moderate heat, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a large plate. Add the chorizo and onion to the casserole and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic and chile and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, potatoes and chicken to the casserole and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in the oven for about 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the lime juice and butter and season with salt.
2. Meanwhile, make the gremolata in a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
3. Spoon the braised chicken and potatoes into shallow bowls. Garnish with the gremolata and cilantro sprigs and serve with lime wedges.