Lamont St Garden 2010

One day I'll live in a house with a yard and a nice big garden. Until then, I'm going to plant whatever herbs and veggies can grow happily in containers, and put them all over my porches and balconies. There aren't many things more satisfying in life than eating something you've grown from a seed.

This year, I had success with:
Red Swiss Chard -too much success in fact. I am getting a bit sick of it to be honest and am going to cut back from 4 to one plant next year! But it is partially shaded and did very well this cool summer. the heat spikes can make it wilt easily so i have to alter the watering according to temperature more than with other plants.

Spinach- the seeds didn't start well and i only got one plant, but it is delicious. Popeye would be proud.

Oregano, thyme - easy and plentiful. And great to cut and dry when you need to thin the plant out a bit.

parsley -flat and curly- they grew slowly and struggled a bit, but i had plenty around for pesto with 3 plants. they're pretty hearty as well.

Green onions - i grew them in a plastic kids sand bucket that i punched holes into for drainage. the handle makes it easy to move around if i have to, and it's very light. They are AMAZING.

Mixed results with:
Lettuce- One batch of the cut and come again variety grew wonderfully. and i ate my own salads for about 2 weeks. i think it has one more growth spurt left in it.
but the other batch got some icky orange mold. sort of like pieces of those circus peanuts i devoured as a kid. so i didnt eat that batch.

arugula - when it sprouts it is more packed with flavor and spice than any other shoot i've grown. and the first round of greens are mind blowing. but it seems to get tough as it goes on. i need to work on this because i'd love to have arugula in my life everyday.


On the struggle bus:
basil- it bolted and flowered. and one pot got the orange circus peanut mold thing. so now i'm trying to harvest the seeds from the clean one.

cilantro- was great for 2 weeks. i ate it everyday. and then,wham-o,overnight, gone. a few plants bolted afterwards, and i have some great fat seeds from them.

chives - they are more like angel hair than linguini. i don't think i got the moisture right. let's call them a work in progress.

rosemary- this one is a super slow grower. and likes to be left to dry out. my seedling from april is now about 4 inches tall. and gives off an insanely potent scent that i catch when i walk up the stairs. but i may be 50 before i get to eat it.

would love any san diego gardening tips! i'm still trying to figure out these crazy micro-climates!

What to Eat When You're Sick - 2009

For the first time since moving to San Diego (0ver 1 yr now) I am officially sick. As in, if I had health insurance, I might go to the doctor for some useless antibiotics and 7 minutes of distracted sympathy. But my application has been pending for a good month now, so I'm resorting to the one-two punch combo of Dayquil and Nyquil. Coupled with some airborne. But I'm just not hungry. Rumor has it these cough meds have some appetite suppressants in them, so they may deserve partial blame. But I know I need to eat to rebuild my body machine and get better, and am thinking Rehydration and Energy So I put together a list of my favorite (questionably healthiest) easiest-to-eat get better foods, and a few drinks. And then asked my wonderful boyfriend to pick them up on his way over.


1) FLAT WARM GINGER ALE
Ginger is supposed to have healing properties. blah blah blah. I like the way it tastes, and it does happen to make my tummy feel better.
Get rid of the fizz by pouring the soda back and forth in 2 cups. Carbonation can make the tummy go fizz fizz fizz as well, and we're trying to prevent that.

2) Think BRAT.
Bananas - Rice - Applesauce - Toast
This was around in our youth, and according to a brief internet search, I found that it still holds true in many circles. They're some basic whole foods that aren't too rough on the tummy, and don't need much prep time.
BANANAS - make sure they are ripe when you buy em. You want em today, not next thursday.
RICE - Brown rice, specifically. While sick, I am really digging those 90 second micro pouches of Uncle Ben's / Trader Joe's.
APPLESAUCE - I didn't look up why this is healthy. but, an apple a day, right? I think that one's been around for awhile, so i'll stick with it. Am guessing the sauce form is easier to digest.
ORGANIC ALERT - Apples are on my Top 10 ALWAYS (try to) BUY ORGANIC List. So try to find an organic applesauce variety. Unless you enjoy pesticides.
To cover up any pesticide flavor, I recommend a sprinkling of cinnamon powder. This works well on pesticide- free varieties as well.
TOAST - Ok to substitute saltines or wheat thins here. But think whole grain and easy on the tum-tum. I also dig whole grain english muffins with a shmear of butter and fruit preserves.

3) BOIL A POT OF WATER for
a- JELLO JUICE!! This is an old family favorite, and one of the only times mom allowed sugar products in the house. Just pour a few tablespoons of powder into a mug. Pour about 1/2 cup hot water over it, or however much more it needs to dissolve. Then add ice and cold water to fill the glass. My favorites are Lime Green and Black Cherry.
b- HOT TEA - Since you made a pot, you might as well pour a few mugs of tea that you can drink throughout the day so you don't have to keep making stuff. Getting up has been overwhelming for me lately. Using the microwave seems really difficult at times. So I like to have 2 or 3 teas, ready to go. Think green tea, ginger, chamomile. Honey is good if you have a sore throat. Try to avoid milk products if you have a cold unless you want to produce even more mucous.

4) (CHICKEN OPTIONAL) NOODLE SOUP- try to get your hands on one of the more whole varieties like boston market makes, or at the hot section of the deli counter at the grocery store. I like to amuse myself and think they're a wee bit fresher than the canned variety. Look for nice thick noodles, plenty of veggies, specifically onion, which should help heal you. Add some garlic if you have it around too. That will help heal you *and* keep the vampires away just in case. And if you have any of that turkey carcass soup from the holidays left in the freezer, now would be the appropriate time to break it out. I would kill for one of those daily soup / hale & hearty type places right now.

5) GATORADE
My recent favorites are the Blue and Purple Gatorade Frost ones from Costco- Officially called Cascade Crash and Riptide Rush, respectively. Although those might sound like things I prefer to avoid while home sick, they seem to hit the spot. I think Gatorade should partner with a soothing spa or medicine company, and come up with slightly less adventurous-sounding names for illness-wrought times like these. I would prefer Tranquil Nourishing Oasis or Restored Breezy Spirit. But they might sound a bit like bath products.


Happy Healing!

Sunday is Fun Day. And also Pierogi Day.

So we've been making pierogies for about 6 hours now.
It seems to be a day long event, but the good news is they are very freezable, so we can enjoy them for the next few months. It's also a good lazy Sunday afternoon event for a small group of friends. And since you're making the mess, you might as well make a few dozen. You should have a large clean table or prep space available for the dough rolling and filling process, preferably with seats, since they do take awhile. And don't wear nice clothing, as you'll be flour covered in no time.

We found a recipe for the dough for 2 dozen, so we quadrupled it.
Then we needed more dough so we made it again and doubled it.
So we should have 144 according to the recipe, but I think we used a bigger glass to cut them with than they did, so we probably only have about 100. And some of ours were *huge* (ahem, AK), and our figure has been adjusted for 4 or 5 casualties, a surprisingly small number, given our completely novice pierogi making abilities at the start, and initial rejection percentages during pierogi inspection. The first few may not be so pretty, but trust us, you'll get better after making a few.

We're doing potato and onion, potato onion and ricotta cheese, potato onion and sauerkraut, and blueberry for dessert.

For the basic potato fillings:
For our 100 or so, we used a 10 lb bag of potatoes. It cost $1.50.
But we didn't need that many potatoes. Buy the bug bag anyway. It's only $1.50.
2 large sweet yellow onions
1 large container ricotta cheese
1 regular16 oz. jar of sauerkraut

Peel potatoes
In a large pot(s), boil whole peeled potatoes until soft when pierced with knife.
Drain water.
In the same pot(s), mash potatoes, add salt & pepper. (Don't bother with butter, as the onions will be cooked with a lot.)

In a small saucepan, warm the sauerkraut.

Dice onions and fry over medium to high heat with a stick of butter until soft and not yet brown.
Dump onion butter mixture into potatoes and
Divide potato mixture into 3 large mixing bowls. Or however many fillings you are preparing.

In bowl # 1 - just potato onion mixture
In bowl # 2- potato onion mixture, add sauerkraut
In bowl # 3 - potato onions. Wait for it to cool. Add cheese. mix to blend

For the dough:
for 2 dozen

2 cups flour
1/2 cup water
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
(multiply recipe as desired)

In a large mixing bowl,
blend dough ingredients together lightly with wooden spoon.
Then knead for a few minutes until blended very well .
Add flour if dough is sticky and continue kneading.

Rip a big chunk of dough off to roll out.
Roll dough out onto floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick, adding flour as you need to.
(It shouldn't be be as thick as a pancake, but don't make it too thin, or filling will tear through)
Dough should not be sticky. If it is, add some more flour.
Using a wide mouthed glass, press the top surface down into the dough to cut out pierogi circles.
Rest them on a floured surface while you prepare the other batches.
Don't leave them too long, as they will start to dry out.

Return the cutout dough part to the rest of the batch and knead it together to reuse.

In a small bowl, beat an egg with a teaspoon of water, for sealing pierogies.

Filling the pierogies:
**While you are filling the pierogies, boil a large pot of water.

Working on a floured surface, take one dough circle, smooth it out, stretch it a bit, and brush off any excess flour.
Fold it loosely like a taco in your palm.
Take a heaping tablespoon of filling and put it
in MIDDLE of dough.
Leave a small area clear around the outer seam of dough. Don't let filling get into seam area or it will not seal properly.
Press filling into smooth, air bubble free lump in middle of dough.
Pull dough over filling (it will have some room to stretch) and make preliminary edges, smoothing out any remaining air bubbles.
Open pierogi, and spread a fingertip full of egg mixture around inside seam of pierogi dough and seal edges together firmly.
Smush dough edges between your fingertips so the 2 sides of the dough become one.
Using your fingers, get rid of any holes around the seam and make the edges look pretty.
Also make sure there are no air bubbles, and that the dough over the filling is not too thin.
Have napkins nearby, it gets messy.

Boil pierogies, about 8 to a pot.
They are done when they float at the top.
Cool them off on a plate,
Spacing them out so they don't stick to each other.
Flip them over after a few minutes so they dry better.
Remove any exploded pierogies / rejects from the batch.

After they have cooled. you need to fry them with some onions.
Cut an onion into large slivers (they are going to shrink) and out into a large skillet with butter.
Fry them up for a while over medium heat until they become a bit translucent.
Add pierogies to pan and cook for a few minutes on each side.
Season with some salt and pepper.

Don't forget the sour cream when serving, it makes theme extra specially delicious.

Comments on the pierogies and pierogi experience in a nutshell
Fulfilling - brandy
crowderific- AK
Rewarding - Rita, Alex
Painstaking - Steve

Tips to Aspiring Pierogi Makers:
Bring as much help as possible - Brandy
And provide ample free food and drink for aforementioned help - Rita.
Roll the dough well, and get someone to do the dishes - Steve
Get there 7 hours late. Then you only have to do the dishes, and eat the food. - Alex & Rachel
a power nap afterward is a great way to top off the day - AK

Dziękuję! Jedzenie! Wyśmienity! Przemyślany! Śniadanie! Ziemniak! Obiad! Żywy inwentarz! Szczęśliwy! Bawcie sie Niedziela!

Aren't online dictionaries fun?! (polish uses a lot of z's eh?)
It says something like happy delicious breakfast dinner thankful potato have fun Sunday. And a few other things I forget.

Photos to follow...

Turkey Carcass Soup

Mmm sounds appetizing, no?
So the Fallones sent me home with the turkey carcass in a plastic garbage bag this Thanksgiving. I figured I could attempt to make some sort of soup out of it, but have never attempted something involving bones, so I stuck it in my freezer until tonight, and then made Steve rip it into pieces for me so it would fit nicely into 2 pots.
I checked the interweb for recipes, and ended up combining a few of them.
Basically, here's how it went....

Chuck carcass into large pot, or 2 if it doesn't fit into one.
Cover carcass with water and a cup or 2 of chicken or vegetable broth
Add some salt pepper, and about 4 mashed garlic cloves.
Chuck in a small handful of parsley and cilantro.
If there isn't a lot of meat on the carcass, add about 6 extra turkey breasts, and some dark meat if you're into it.
Bring to a boil and skim the white foam crap off the top as it forms.
Reduce heat to simmer and leave it for half hour to an hour.

Meanwhile, cut up your veggies into chunks (they'll be cooking awhile)
I added about...
6-8 carrots
4-6 celery stalks
4 turnips
2 parsnips
1 large red onion
1 decent sized leek

and then some seasoning...
about 4 more garlic cloves
cup plus of chopped parsley (Add more as you go to season to taste)
cup plus of chopped cilantro (Add more as you go to season to taste)
about 1/4 cup chopped lemongrass if you have any (Add more as you go to season to taste)
a bay leaf or two
and more salt and pepper
veggie or chicken bullion cubes don't hurt either, but you'll be fine without one

You can do the turkey removal part 2 ways...
1) I just chucked all the veggies into the pot and let the whole thing simmer for about 2 hours, and then picked through to remove bones, skin etc. It makes straining out the bones a bit more challenging, but I wanted to get as much turkey flavor as i could out of mr carcass.

2) you can strain the broth, remove the carcass and bones, and then put the veggies into the broth and cook for another hour or so.

Regardless, the meat will mostly fall off the bones as it cooks. You can use tongs to pull off any remaining nice meat pieces from the carcass and put them back into your soup.

The whole thing should simmer for at least an hour, and 3 if you have them. Make sure you taste as you go, and season to your liking.

When there are about 15-20 minutes left, get a pair of tongs and a big spoon and take out the carcass. Then go through the pots to strain out any remaining bones / huge floating flabs of skin / nasty looking rubbery parts. (You can do this with a strainer too, but I saw a huge opportunity to either make a complete mess or burn myself. So I just stirred through the pot. It was quite soothing.)

After you think you've gotten out the stray nasty parts, add your uncooked noodles to the soup and let them cook, according to package directions, probably 5-10 minutes.

Let the soup cool a bit so you don't burn your tongue.

You can freeze this stuff too, and break it out when the sniffles hit.

Some Days I Just Can't Be Bothered With Cooking... TRADER JOE'S FAVORITES ...(part 1)

I don't know what I would do without my boyfriend Trader Joe. So many tasty things under one roof, and I *always* get sucked into those freebies in the back of the store. Who knew I liked and could cook (ok, reheat) lentils? Fontina Chicken Sausage? Beets?

For those days when you want to keep kitchen prep time to a minimum, here are some of my favorite things that basically need to be reheated and served. I am a big fan of the toaster oven, and most can be cooked in there but some may require you to perform the complicated task of boiling water.

What are your TJ favorites?


VEGETABLE MASALA BURGERS and DR PRAEGER'S VEGGIE BURGERS


Conveniently, my two favorite items are usually located right next to each other in the freezer section. They take a few minutes on each side in the toaster oven, and voila! The masala ones have a nice indian spice kick to them. And Dr. Praeger, thank you. I've eaten a lot of veggie burgers in my day these are my favorite. And they happen to be good for you too.

COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN STICKS



Also in the freezer section, these tasty little guys are a great snack. I like them with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce. MMMMmmmm.


SUN DRIED TOMATO & PESTO TORTA


I'm not a huge sun dried tomato fan, but I could (ok, do) eat this by the spoonful. It's great (but a little tough to spread )on those thick wasa-like crispbread crackers. (Gotta get your fiber in...) You can also put a few scoops over some pasta for an instant sauce that makes you seem a bit fancy. Or you can just be like me and eat it with your finger.


NASI GORENG!!!


I was so excited to find this at TJ's when I returned from Bali. It's a classic Balinese dish that's got rice, carrots, snap peas, mushrooms and some other stuff...a whole little rainbow of veggies. You can just dump it into a frying pan for a few minutes, and it's an instant meal. It's also good if you crack an egg in the pan and give it a good stir. Or just serve it with a fried egg on top of it. In Indonesia, they served a huge plate of the rice with a piece of shrimp toast, a chicken skewer, and a beef skewer. (All for about $1.20)


Trade Joe, will you marry me?

Chicken Time # 2 - WINGS!!! - Classic Hot Wings & Black Pepper And Garlic Sticky Wings

Since the NBA Finals are going to another game, and Tiger decided to stay and play another day in SD, you may have run out of game time recipes. Here are 2 of my all time favorite wing recipes. If you have a deep fryer, congratulations, here is an excuse to break it out and figure out how to use it. If not, a large, deep sided frying pan or wok will be just fine. You can even just use a pot.

Warning to the calorie conscious - the sauce for the classic wings is *so* not good for you. I usually eat creamy white sauces by the spoonful with a smile, but had no idea how bad this one actually was for you until I made these a few months ago, so dieters, be forewarned, eat a light lunch, and you can enjoy them without guilt. Or just load up on the carrots and celery and dip lightly with no worries.

CLASSIC HOT WINGS & BLUE CHEESE DIP

THE DIP - can be prepared a day or two in advance
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 c buttermilk
4 oz blue cheese - danish blue, maytag.... crumbles are fine as you'll be mushing it up

In a medium bowl, mash the cheese up with the back of a fork. Add mayo and buttermilk and keep mixing, with a whisk or fork. Add some salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Do some situps or go for a run.

THE WINGS

1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken wings or boneless chicken pieces
A lot of canola oil - about 1/2 to 3/4 qt if using frying pan, almost 2 qts in a deep fryer or pot
1 c. flour - i used whole wheat unbleached and they were great, none of the boys noticed
1/4 - 1/2 c hot wing sauce - frank's red hot is great
2 tbsp butter

Put oil in deep fryer, skillet, pot, or wok, and heat until really hot. 375 if you are fancy and have a thermometer. If not....Until it sizzles a lot when you put stuff in. Stand back and cover your arms.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200, line a baking sheet with paper towels and put it in there.

Put flour in a bowl with some salt and pepper. Mix. Put in chicken wing, shake off excess, repeat until all chicken wings are floured.

Put a few wings into hot oil and fry until crispy, about 10 minutes. I did about 8 at a time in the pan and then transferred them to the paper toweled baking sheet in the oven to keep them warm.

While last batch is frying... put butter and hot wing sauce in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring, until butter is melted. Remove from heat.

Take chicken pieces out of oven and put in a medium bowl, pour hot wing butter sauce over and mix to coat.

SERVE IMMEDIATELY WITH: Blue Cheese Dip (above), Celery, Carrots, Beer
SUBSTITUTE: You can also do these on the grill if the pieces are large enough to not fall through the grate. About 4 minutes then flip and cook another 4 minutes

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BLACK PEPPER AND GARLIC CHICKEN WINGS

This is from my favorite chef in Napa, the wonderful, warm, and talented Pablo Jacinto, co-author of the book Big Small Plates, by Cindy Pawlcyn, of Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, and Mustards Grill. They are very very tasty, and very very sticky, so get the handy wipes ready.

Per Cindy - Marinate for 12 - 24 hours if you want them to be really delicious. You can grill them, but they tend to get crispier in the oven.
They leave a mess, so you can line a roasting dish with foil or put them on a rack above a foil lined baking sheet when cooking them.

SHOPPING LIST

3 lbs chicken wings or small boneless tenders

1/2 c mushroom soy sauce ( in asian grocers, use regular soy if you don't have)
2 tbsp brown or palm sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp freshly ground pepper (seems like a lot, but be brave...)

garnish with minced garlic, chives, or scallions

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Put wings in a large ziploc bag or flat container and pour in marinade. Make sure all surfaces are coated. Close bag and marinate 12-24 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 450. Put wings on rack as described above. Roast 12-18 minutes for wings, a few minutes less for tenders. Wing skin will turn crispy and start to shrink away from bone ends. If you pierce them with a knife, the juices should run clear when they are done.

Chicken Time - BARCELONA PESTO GRILLED CHICKEN

Warm up the grill, and thaw out that chicken from the freezer... a few of my tried & true chicken recipes...hope you enjoy!

BARCELONA PESTO CHICKEN

this is a variation of 2 of Weber's grill recipes because I just didn't have the right stuff, and it was delicious. everything is going into the blender / food processor so don't be concerned about chopping too much. Prep time about 10 minutes, then marinate in the fridge and grill.

SHOPPING LIST
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - about 1 lb

2 Scallions - chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves (stems included)
1/2 c. loosely packed fresh parsley (stems included)
a few leaves of fresh oregano or about 1/2 tsp of ground
2 large garlic cloves - chopped in half
1 small handful of walnuts
2 hot peppers - roughly chopped, include seeds if you want it hot- thai work, so do serrano chilies
2 tbsp sherry vinegar or cooking wine
a few dashes of salt
about 10-15 cranks cranks of fresh black pepper
a squirt of lime
1/4 - 1/2 c olive oil - pour it in as you blend until you get a smooth paste

Dump everything but the oil into a blender or food processor. Mix well for a bit, stopping to scrape down sides with a small spatula when it gets stuck. Pour in olive oil as you go. It will look guacamole-ish and smell delicious.

Put chicken into a plastic bag and scoop green mixture from blender on top. Marinate in the fridge for 2-12 hours.

Cook over medium heat, side of grill is fine. About 6-8 minutes per side, then check to see if middle still looks salmonella slimy. Mine took about 18-20 minutes to finish the thick pieces, about 15 for the smaller ones.

GREAT WITH: Corn on the cob, lime wedges
SUBSTITUTE: Cilantro for basil if you'd like

Citrus Grilled Swordfish with Avocado Citrus Salsa

My dinner tonight was so delicious I just have to share. I combined a few different recipes and came up with this yummy light concoction that I think I will make weekly this summer.
Buon Appetito!

CITRUS MARINATED SWORDFISH

16-24 oz swordfish steak (or 2-3 8 oz steaks)

1/2 c orange juice (use the juice from the can below if you don't have fresh)
1 tbsp grated orange rind
1/2 cup oil (olive, canola, vegetable, whichever you like best)
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sherry
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
a few twists of fresh ground pepper
a splash of any other citrus juice you have on hand- pineapple from the canned fruit below
works great, or that orange-peach-mango juice blend is delicious too

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl, dump into a bag or dish and immerse swordfish.
Refrigerate for at least an hour, up to overnight.
Grill on medium heat for about 10-15 min per inch, flipping halfway through grilling.
Baste with leftover marinade.
Cook fish until middle is opaque and not slimy and jelly like.
I cut mine in half after 12 minutes to check the middle and then let them cook a bit longer.
Put swordfish on a plate, pour some of the fruit salsa (below) on top, garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs to make it look fancy.

SERVE WITH- Avocado Citrus Salsa (recipe below) poured on top, and don't forget a nice glass of white wine, maybe a fruity New Zealand Sauvingnon Blanc, like our dear friend Kim Crawford makes

ALSO WORKS WITH- Chicken, Mahi Mahi


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AVOCADO CITRUS SALSA

1 large avocado, diced
1 small can mandarin orange segments (use fresh if you can find...about 4-6)
3 tbsp orange juice (use can juice if you don't have any, or substitute another citrus)
1 can pineapple chunks (use fresh if you have)
2 large mangoes, diced (get the precut ones if you see them, i think they're a pain to cut)
1/3 c diced red onion
2 small hot peppers, thinly sliced, remove some seeds to control heat
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
juice from a lime
1 tbsp zest from above lime
2 tbsp olive oil
a sprinkle of sugar
a sprinkle of salt
a good sprinkling of pepper

Gently mix all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for awhile. Pour over grilled swordfish. Eat. Enjoy.

This also works nicely with a red bell pepper, if you like them, and happen to have one around.

SERVE ON TOP OF - Grilled Swordfish, Chicken, Mahi Mahi
or just eat it alone as a cold salad.

Marinade Madness!!! Asian Soy Ginger, Jamaican Jerk, Panang Curry, and the Most Delicious Peanut Sauce ever

So before you slap your meat on the grill, you have to rub it with or soak it in something first.
Some favorites:

ASIAN SOY GINGER MARINADE

1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c sweet sherry
3 tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 tbsp honey
2 scallions- white and green parts, chopped
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c dark sesame oil (available at asian grocer/ asian section)

Whisk together everything except the oil. Then slowly add oil and keep mixing.
Can prepare 1 day ahead and keep covered and refrigerated.

WORKS WELL WITH- Tuna, Chicken, beef, pork, shrimp

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JAMAICAN JERK MARINADE

2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, ground if you can't find it whole
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
5 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
optional- I like to add a healthy pinch of cinnamon

2 onions, chopped
1 1/2 c chopped scallions, green and white parts
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 hot peppers, chopped (if you don't have scotch bonnets...habanero, thai chile are both good)

You can marinate by simply dumping the ingredients above into a bag or dish with the meat, but I find it works a bit better if you use a blender or small food processor....

Put the first batch of ingredients (up to onions) into blender and mix well
Add onions, garlic, and hot peppers and blend until almost smooth, and a bit pasty
Pour marinade over meat and mix to coat, reserving a little marinade for basting.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours

WORKS WELL WITH- Chicken, shrimp, pork
SERVE WITH- side of rice and beans or some mac-n-cheese, and a cabbage salad or some grilled greens or plantains
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PANANG CURRY MARINADE

1 c unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp pre-made panang curry paste (or 4 tbsp if prepared fresh)
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp thai fish sauce
1 tbsp whole coriander seed, ground (they are a pain to crush)

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well, making sure sugar gets dissolved and curry paste is blended

Cover meat with marinade in bag or dish
Cover and refrigerate from 2 to 3 hours, to overnight

WORKS WELL WITH - Chicken satays / kabobs, veggie kabobs
GOES GREAT WITH- Peanut dipping sauce below
SERVE WITH- cucumber salad on the side
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THAI PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE

1 14 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
6 tbsp massaman curry paste
2/3 c chunky peanut butter
7 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp thai fish sauce

In small saucepan, bring coconut milk to gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally
Add curry paste and stir until well blended, about 3 minutes...it will smell great
Add peanut butter and stir constantly over heat, another minute (a little messy)
Reduce heat to low, add brown sugar, and stir
Cook and stir about another 2 minutes until sauce is smooth and well blended
Remove pan from heat and stir in fish sauce

WORKS WELL WITH- thai chicken satays (marinade above) , dipping sauce for veggies (carrots, celery, snap peas) and dumplings....i hear it's good with pork as well

honestly, it's so addictive, i just eat it by the spoonful (ok, fingerful) out of the fridge...it keeps for a good 2-3 weeks.

Winning Entry in the 2008 Cambodian Restaurant Marketing Competition

That's all I really look for in a fine dining establishment. And you?


And a special mention to Angkor Wat Restaurant for being pioneers in the Cambodian Restaurant market and trying new things on the menu in 2008

Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts and Chili Recipe

One of the best salads EVER!!!

Prep time - about 20 min
Marinating time - 45 min to overnight (it ages really well over the next week)
Serves 4-6
Vegetarian if you omit the fish sauce

SHOPPING LIST
3-4 medium cucumbers

2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp (fine) white sugar (Caster works great in this recipe, Chunky raw brown doesn't)
1-2 tbsp red chili sauce (I dig Sriracha or Sambal Oelek, or,make your own... see bottom)
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus, reserve small handful to sprinkle before serving)

1 tbsp fish sauce
1 c roasted peanuts, chopped (can chop in blender / food processor, but i use a potato masher like a mortar and pestle, or just put them in a ziploc bag and whack them with something ) (reserve a small handful to sprinkle on top)
2 tbsp crisp fried garlic (avail prepackaged near produce dept at Jimbo's if you don't feel like frying/ roasting your own)
1/2 tsp chopped chili (little red guys, fresh is best, dried works fine, but add some before marinating and taste. they get hotter with time)


HOW TO
1- Peel cucumbers...Slice them in half lengthwise...Use a spoon or melon baller to scoop seeds out
2- Slice cucumbers...Thinly works, but i find I like them chunkier, about the width of my pinky (thicker chunks will keep better longer so use them if storing. if serving immediately, thinner slices will marinate faster. If you mix up the thickness a bit,you get a nice varied texture)
3- In a small bowl, slowly add white sugar to vinegar, stirring until dissolved
4- In a larger serving bowl, pour in vinegar sugar mixture... Mix in chili sauce, onion, cilantro,and cucumbers (Try adding a little chili sauce at a time...2 tbsp can be nice & spicy)
5- Let it marinate for awhile... The longer it sits, the tastier it gets. An hour is totally fine, 2-3 would be ideal
6- Just Before Serving, add the Fish Sauce, Crisp Garlic, Chopped Chili, Chopped Peanuts ... Mix well,and sprinkle some peanuts and cilantro on top


CHILI SAUCE

SHOPPING LIST
6 Large fresh red chilies
1/4 c white vinegar
1/3 c caster sugar (superfine white)
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp fish sauce


HOW TO
1- Trim stems from chilies, cut chilies open ( For milder flavor, remove some seeds)
2- Soak chilies in hot water for 15 minutes
3- In food processor or blender, combine chilies with everything else, except the fish sauce...
Blend until smooth
4- Transfer mixture to small pan and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes...Stir frequently
Mixture will thicken
5- Allow to cool, then stir in fish sauce

**To make sweet chili sauce, just increase sugar to 1 cup

Hungry? Maybe we can help...

Since the move to San Diego, I've been cooking quite a bit, and some of it has actually turned out to be quite tasty. My new roommate, Steve, happens to be a great cook, and we decided to share the recipes for some of our most successful concoctions. Mine will probably included a lot of veggies, pasta, and some fish, and the spices I smuggled back from Bangkok. Steve will likely contribute to the carnivore, pierogi, and grill departments. With grill season upon us, we'll try to post some fabulous grill recipes in the next few weeks as well. Buon Appetito!