Tamarind Shrimp With Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons sambhar masala or garam masala
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt (skip the salt as spice has it)
  
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste or concentrate
• 1 pound large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 12 medium-size to large fresh curry leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
  

  Preparation

  1. Combine masala, salt and tamarind paste in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup water. Add shrimp and toss them with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. Do not over-marinate, as the acidic tamarind will make the shrimp rubbery after 2 hours contact.
  2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer. Reserve any excess marinade. Sear the shrimp for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side.
  3. Pour coconut milk and any residual marinade over shrimp, add curry leaves and stir once or twice. Cook curry uncovered, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are salmon-orange and curled but still tender and the sauce is slightly thick, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately.

Cacio e Pepe

Ingredients

65g finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for dusting completed dish
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for finishing the dish
Salt
150g fresh long pasta like linguine or spaghetti (2 x recipe)
Olive oil

Optional: add asparagus, dash nutmeg (cook for 1-2 minutes in boiling water then add the pasta to cook; drain together)

Directions

Pepper corns, coarsely grate.

Boil fresh pasta in lightly salted water for 1 minute (max).

Put 2-3 ladles of pasta water into hot pan, add some olive oil and salt to the water and have it come to a boil. Add pasta directly from boiling pot and stir to heat pasta thoroughly. Coat the pasta with a LIGHT* layer of cheese and pepper and stir quickly to blend, making a creamy sauce making sure it stays very hot. Add more cheese and stir repeating to taste. Add pasta water as necessary to maintain creamy sauce consistency. (*if too much cheese is added and the pasta is not hot enough then the cheese will clump; add cheese slowly)

Place pasta on warmed plate and sprinkle with grated cheese and pepper.

Watch demonstration video here.

Carol’s Blue Ribbon English Toffee

1 pound best available butter
2 cups sugar
1 (8 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate drops
½ cup slices almonds

Put butter and sugar in a large pot over medium heat. As butter melts, stir constantly. Continue to stir for 20 to 30 minutes as mixture goes through several stages to hard crack, about 300° on a candy thermometer. Test by dribbling a small amount from a spoon into cold water. It is done when the sample has a crunchy toffee texture. Remove from heat immediately and pour onto a cookie sheet. When toffee is cool, melt half of the chocolate chips gently in a pan, stirring constantly over low heat to prevent burning. Spread chocolate over one side of the toffee with a spatula. Use a wooden mallet to break the almond slices into small pieces and sprinkle half over the chocolate before it hardens. Pat almond slices so they adhere to the chocolate. After chocolate hardens, flip the toffee over and cover second side with chocolate and almond slices as above. When completed, break toffee into bite-size pieces.

Carol Morley’s recipe won the blue ribbon at the San Diego County fair two consecutive years.

Black Bean and Almond Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups finely chopped red onion
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 cans (about 15 ounces each) black beans, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted, plus more for serving
Sliced avocado, plain yogurt or sour cream, for serving

Directions

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 8 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until beans are heated through and creamy, about 15 minutes; let cool.

Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender and add some cilantro and almonds. Pulse until beans are coarsely chopped but not pureed. Season with salt and pepper and rewarm in pot. Serve soup with remaining cilantro, almonds, avocado, and/or yogurt.

Chicken Salad with Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients
2 cups fresh cilantro
2 limes juiced (add enough water for 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
salt and ground pepper
1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
1/4 medium red cabbage (8 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup cashews

Directions
Make dressing: In a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, cabbage, bell pepper, and scallions; season with salt and pepper. In another large bowl, toss lettuce with 1/2 cup dressing. Divide among four bowls, and top with chicken mixture. Drizzle all with remaining dressing, and sprinkle with cashews.

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, plus 1 apple, finely diced and tossed in lemon juice, for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups apple cider
2 cups water, plus more if needed
1/2 jalapeno pepper minced

Directions
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally about 10 minutes.

Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, 1/4 of the minced jalapeno and 1 cup water, 1 cup cider (just enough to cover). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.

Puree in batches in blender until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with water and cider as necessary. To serve, ladle into shallow bowls; garnish with diced apples and jalapeno if desired.

Arugula and Farro Salad

Ingredients
3/4 cup farro (TJ’s “10 minute” farro works well)
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon salt, more as needed
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
3/4! cup chopped pistachio nuts
2 cups arugula leaves
1 cup parsley or basil leaves or combo, torn (1/2 and 1/2 works best)
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced radish
avocado (optional)
ground pepper (optional)

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring farro, apple cider, 1/2 tsp salt, and bay leaves to a simmer, uncovered. Simmer until farro is tender and liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes. If all the liquid evaporates before the farro is done, add a little more cider. Let farro cool, then discard bay leaves.

In a salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and a 1/2 tsp of salt. Add farro, cheese and pistachio nuts and mix well. Just before serving, fold in arugula, herbs, tomatoes, radish, avocado and salt to taste. Season with freshly ground pepper, if desired.