Pad Thai with Tofu and Purple Cabbage

What a beautiful day. I got home just in time to take Barnaby for a quick run to the park before the sun set, and it was amazing to feel the 72 degree breeze. For dinner, I was in the mood for something reasonably light, and I had no desire to go to the grocery store. Luckily, I have a ton of veggies on hand. Combine with tofu, ginger, garlic, peanuts, rice noodles, and a quick, spicy peanut sauce and we have Pad Thai. Well, kinda. My colorful version, at least.

1 8 oz. package rice noodles, linguine width 

1 package hard tofu

1/4 head of purple cabbage, sliced into thin strips

3 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 onion, diced

1 small thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and grated

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, sliced into 2 in. pieces

1/3 cup peanuts, crushed

1 lime, halved, 1 half sliced into wedges

1/4 cup Satay Sauce (I used Central Market brand, any peanut sauce would work, or you could substitute peanut butter in a pinch. I've used it before and it's actually tastier, but I didn't have any on hand.)

1/4 cup chicken broth

3 Tbsp. Siracha Asian hot sauce (this is medium hot to me, feel free to use less or more according to preference)

3 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

canola oil

Wash and prep all your veggies. A food processor really comes in handy with the carrots, and even the onions and garlic. I wanted my cabbage to be in neat, thin strips, so I sliced that with a knife. Peel your carrots, cut off the ends, process in the food processor with the grating attachment, remove. Now attach the chopping blade to cut up your onions and garlic, and give it a couple of whirls. Peel your ginger and grate with a Microplane. Chop the green onions and mince the cilantro. To crush the peanuts, put them in a plastic baggie and just pound them a few times with a pint glass. Be careful not to break the bag, though. 

Heat a wok with 1 1/2 Tbsp of canola or vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, cook half of the tofu cubes until golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Salt and pepper, set aside on paper towels. Repeat the process with the other half. 

Now put a separate pot of water to boil and cook rice noodles according to package directions. While the water is heating to a boil, heat up the wok again, add 1 Tbsp. of canola oil. When hot, add the chopped onions and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes, then add the cabbage and carrots. 

I love cooking with purple. It just makes everything so pretty and festive. Cook at a medium heat until cabbage is softened a bit, about 8-10 minutes. Add ginger and stir to combine, and turn off the heat. 

Now time to make the sauce. In a bowl, combine the satay sauce, chicken broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, Siracha, and a squeeze from half a lime. Stir to combine completely with no lumps. 

Now turn the wok back to high, combine with the noodles, stir to incorporate, then add the sauce. Stir, then add tofu cubes. I douse it again with just a splash of soy sauce and Siracha. Top with chopped cilantro and green onions, turn off heat. Plate with a garnish of crushed peanuts, fresh cilantro and squeeze of lime.

Listening to The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, The Golden Age:

Deerlicious! Venison Chili and Rise of Deer-Named Bands

I love deer. Living in Austin and the hill country, we are graced with their presence in our backyard and on the greenbelt. 

I love eating deer, too. Mmmm, tasty. There's nothing like some good Axis venison sausage or a backstrap steak from meat bestowed upon you by a friend from a recent hunt. It's a gift, twice over. Thanks Garrett and Katy for being awesome friends with a pretty fantastic Hill Country ranch with a healthy deer population.  

Additionally, it has recently dawned on me that I like bands with the word Deer in the name. (And many more with the word Dear, but that's another post.) 

A snippet of a recent conversation:

Jason: What are you listening to over there?

Me: Deerhoof

Jason: Deerhunter?

Me: No, Deerhoof

Jason: Deertick?

Me: No, Deerhoof

There are several Deer-monikered indie bands out there now, and I thought it would be fun if we had a good old fashioned Deer pickin, to decide our favorite. What, you don't know any Deer-named bands? Well, lucky for you, you came to the right place. Read below for Synopses on Deer music (and if you are just interested in the Chili Recipe, scroll down). 

Deer Tick - Definitely more towards the indie folk side. I like this genre, but too much of it starts to make me zone out. Excellent road trip music, though. A 5-piece from Providence, RI, Deer Tick also has been compared to bands like Bright Eyes and Modest Mouse. I can see a little of The Decemberists in there as well. 

Deer Hunter - Really great chill music. Melodic, songs vary from poppy/catchy to kinda dreamy California 60's rock. They describe themselves as Ambient Punk.  The lead singer is sort of scary skinny. Revelation: I should feed Deer Hunter my Deer Chili!

Deerhoof - So this band is interesting, disjointed beats, feedback-y guitar, a-la-Sleigh Bells. And they kinda sound like that Japanese pop band that was playing in Kill Bill. But is it authentic or forced? You judge:

I think the lead singer is adorable, and she gets the Asian points.

Covered the music, now for the Mouth...

5 Alarm Venison Chili (so spicy it will make your ears ring)

Feel free to tone down the spice in this recipe, or substitute the venison for ground beef, bison, turkey, or tofu, if that's how you like your chili. But it sure is mighty tasty with deer meat. Oh, and you should know there is a deer processor right on S. Congress where you can pick up some fresh deer meat: Hudson's Sausage Company. It's on S. Congress & Annie, next to Woodlawn. Yep, right there. 

This is also a great recipe to use up your farmer's market peppers. For a while there, I was buying a couple of all the varieties I could find. They are just gorgeous, I couldn't help myself. If this happens to you too, know that you can use your chile-abundance to infuse vodka for bloody marys :)

2 lbs. ground venison
3 small sweet peppers (feel free to use 1 large bell pepper), diced
3 small poblano peppers, fire roasted, then peeled and diced
4 small Banana, Anaheim or Hatch peppers, seeded and diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can San Marzano Tomatoes
1 can of chipotle peppers (you'll use 1/2 - freeze the rest in a plastic baggie for later use)
1 Dark Beer (you know that one from the back of your fridge that your friend left over? Use that)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 Tbsp. of Cumin
1 Tsp. Paprika
1 Tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Put your oven to broil to roast the poblano peppers. On a cookie sheet, broil the peppers for about 4 minutes or so on each side, make sure you turn the peppers so they blister evenly. When the peppers are charred, remove from oven and place in a brown paper bag (or a plastic bag) for about 10 minutes or so. Once softened and warm enough to handle, peel the skins, they should slide right off. Now cut out the top and the seeds, dice the peppers into small strips. 

Heat a dutch oven or pot to medium heat and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and heat. Saute together the onions, sweet peppers and banana peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they start to get soft, and remove and set aside. In the same pot, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil and brown the venison. While venison is cooking, hand crush the San Marzano tomatoes with their juice. I recommend using a large, deep bowl because this could get messy. That's right, just pour the can contents in a bowl and get in there. Squeeze through your hands a few times until you have small chunks. 

When the venison is almost browned, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. (Oh, I think I put a little sprinkle of Chinese 5 Spice. It has awesome depth with cinnamon and cloves.) Stir that together for about 3 minutes, and add back in the sauteed peppers and onions, and cook for a few more minutes. Now open up the can of Chipotle peppers and separate half in a plastic bag and set aside. Scoop the chipotle juice from the can into the sauce, and dice the chipotle peppers and add to the pot. Cook together for a few more minutes, then add the crushed tomatoes and the roasted poblanos. Stir together for a few more moments and add the beer. I say to eye-ball it to determine how chunky you want your chili. I basically added 1/2 the beer first, cooked for about 30 minutes, then added another 1/4 of the beer with the black beans, cooked for an additional 15 minutes. Serve with cornbread, crackers, cheese, sour cream - whatever you like.  Be prepared for your ears to ring - it's that spicy. 

So now that we've had our chili and we're all warm and toasty inside, let me introduce you to our friend, Jam. Jam lives in NYC and plays guitar in a pretty rockin band, I Am The Heat. (Totally apropo for this post, don't you think?) They just filmed their first music video, and I want to tell the world - or my small but freakin phenomenal blog audience, at least - Jam + band, you rock.

Enjoy!

Listening to: I Am The Heat, Flash or Confess

Tuna Salad Nicoise

I wish I had a fabulous story to tell you about this salad, like, "I savored my first Tuna Salad Nicoise at a cafe in Nice, accompanied by a crisp Sancerre, overlooking the Mediterranean in the late afternoon sun..." Sadly, I've never been. Someone should take me there.

Now, I know it's 30 degrees outside and you would really prefer some warm soup, but this salad, with Ahi Tuna, potatoes and eggs is a wonderful, hearty mix of flavors and textures. Exquisite in the summer with peak-season farmer's market produce, but still really great in the winter. (And besides, I made soup yesterday.) 

Tuna Salad Nicoise is something that I've been making for years, and it's sort of the French take on a Cobb Salad, for instance, where every person and recipe book makes theirs slightly different. My version below.

Ingredients:

Salad
2 small Ahi Tuna Steaks
5 cups of chopped romaine lettuce (usually Butter Lettuce is used, but I used what was on hand)
1 medium ripe tomato, cut into 8 wedges
1/4 lb. green beans, french cut (on the bias)
2-3 small new potatoes
2 eggs
10 Kalamata Olives (traditionally Nicoise Olives are used, but I had what I had)
Anchovies (optional, but they are super tasty with this salad)
Olive Oil

Dressing
Juice of 1 lemon (yielded 2 Tbsp)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp parsley, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 heaping Tsp honey
1 pinch of Herbs de Provence
salt and pepper to taste

First wash and pat your tuna steaks dry, marinate in about a Tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. For just about everything, I use this great mix of course salt, pepper and herbs that I bought from Callahan's General Store. If you haven't ever been there, it's on 183 South, on the way out of town to Lockhart (for barbeque, of course). It's a pretty awesome place where you can get a french press, fertilizer, hunting supplies and a backyard chicken all in one place.

Start a large pot of water on the stove to boil while you chop your lettuce, tomato and green beans for the salad and parsley and garlic for the dressing. Once you have the water rolling at a boil, delicately drop in the eggs and potatoes, cook for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs (leave in the potatoes) and drop in the green beans. After 4 minutes, remove the green beans and the potatoes. Shock the green beans in ice water to stop cooking. Peel the eggs. Cut the eggs and potatoes into halves.

Now make the dressing. In a jar or bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, garlic, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence and olive oil. I tend to save all my old jars to reuse for dressings and relishes and stuff (I know, it's the Filipino in me). If you don't have a jar to shake up the dressing, you can certainly whisk it all together, just make sure to continuously whisk while streaming the olive oil so it emulsifies. 

To sear the tuna steaks, put a heavy-bottomed pan on the stove at medium high heat with  about 1 Tbsp of olive oil. When pan is hot, sear the steaks on each side for 4 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Slice into strips. 

Now put it all together. I like to pile the tomato, eggs, potatoes, olives in little mounds for aesthetic appeal. Place the tuna on top, drizzle with dressing, and pepper and salt to taste. 

Listening to: Grizzly Bear, Two Weeks

Saturday Recap - Chili Cookoff, W Austin, The Pharcyde @ Mohawk

Saturday, January 22

1:00ish - We arrived at the Chili Cold Blood Chili Cookoff, benefiting Caritas of Ausin, at Jo's on South Congress. Gorgeous, sunny day, and lots of chili to be had. There was the usual good looking, South Congress crowd - young families, dogs, 20-30 something bearded guys and fashionable girls,  tattoos and piercings sprinkled throughout. Something that sounded like hard rock country was playing by on the stage surrounded by hay bales. As we grabbed our Lone Stars, we heard that the winner would be chosen in 45 mins. Oh no! By the time we got there and purchased our tickets, about 1/2 of the contestants already ran out of chili. The winner of the cookoff also ran out, so we didn't get to taste theirs either.

Multi-Tasking

Our Faves:

Contigo Austin - Yummy Brisket Chili. All around delicious, excellent texture, good depth. Modest spice, but nevertheless delicious. Garnished with avocado and Fritos.

Our second favorite was actually a combo of La Condesa cornbread (that's all they had left) and Bubblin Red's chili with fresh grated cheddar, creme fraiche and green onions. Really good flavor and depth, the cumin and chili powder and matched perfectly with the sweetness of La Condesa's cornbread.

3:00ish - Continued on with our Saturday eating and drinking festivities with a stop at the new W Hotel Austin. Swanky place...there are multiple bars, lounges and restaurants areas, with modern design and nice pops of color and texture. We wanted to check out Trace, as we've heard great things, but The Living Room Lounge was the only bar/food area that was open at the time we arrived. 

 

The Record Room - Vinyl Galore

We enjoyed drinks and an appetizer over a game of checkers. (I whooped Jason, of course.) I had the Strawberry Stormy - Goslings Rum, fresh Strawberries, sugar, lime, mint and Ginger Beer ($11), and Jason ordered a Fireman's 4. (Side Note: no Lone Star, 512 or Live Oak beers. This is a travesty in Austin. Someone needs to tell them to change this before SXSW.) The Butchers Sliders with House made Fries ($15) were perfect; tasty rolls, dressed with lettuce ribbons and tomato relish, served with crispy, well-seasoned, home made fries. 

The W Austin is sleek, refined and cool, just as suspected, and I can't wait to hang out when the pool area is open. 

5:00ish - Called Olivia's to make a dinner reservation, no dice. I think I might fare better on a weekday or maybe calling ahead. Bonus: I found my belt in Jason's truck! I bought this really cute gray leather knot belt from Anthropologie that I wore on NYE, and I totally thought I left it at Boomerz and someone stole it. My bad.

I read that Pharcyde was performing at the Mohawk, and I could not pass up the opportunity to see them live. You remember their song from back in like '93, She Keeps on Passin Me By. My brother had the CD, so Ya Mama and Other Fish in the Sea all bring back great memories. 

We purchased our tickets from Waterloo, $17/ea. (not bad) and checked out some used vinyl. Went home and watched the Fantastic Mr. Fox and napped. 

10:00pm - Dressed in layers for the outdoor show, practiced my hip-hop moves, then headed to The Mohawk. 

Ahhh, I remember this place when it was the Velvet Spade and we had our Decemberists birthday party here. Awesome venue, we should definitely come here more often. They removed the stuffed grizzly bear in the front (bummer) and tented the outdoor stage area, which is nice. 

They had some opening bands/DJs before Pharcyde, we arrived just in time to get warmed up to some hip hop remixes before they hit the stage.

Pharcyde was the off the hook! And the show was totally old school, like, "When I say HIP, you say HOP!" Their stage presence was awesome, 3 of the original 4 members, one looking like he came out of a Soul Glo commercial with some awesome Jerry Curl action and tight leather jacket. Fatlip talked about his kids told him to wear some skinny jeans for the show and how he's a fan of Bikram Yoga. They are still rockin it out after all these years! AND, I met Fatlip out side Mohawk at the end of the show :) 

1:00am - Breakfast @ 24 Diner - Hit the spot. Jason ordered the 24 Hash with 2 eggs over easy with potatoes, garlic, onions and jalapeno and sausage, super tasty. I had the waffles, which were good, but strangely tasted of Bourbon. This wouldn't be such a bad thing if I didn't already have 3 gin and tonics, beers and that strawberry stormy thing earlier. 

Note to self: salad tomorrow.

Listening to: The Pharcyde, Ya Mama

Food & Drink Events in Austin - Weekend of Friday, Jan. 21 - Sunday, Jan. 23

Friday, January 21

2 Dine 4 Supper Club - Supper Friends Sorry I'm a little late getting the word out on this one (actually I RT on Twitter earlier this week, just have too many things to write in the blog!) Sign up to receive Supper Friends Newsletters for future information on food events.

Saturday, January 22

5th Annual Chili Coookoff and Benefit at Jo's Coffee Shop on S. Congress, 1am - 4pm. 2 Step Dance Lessons Starting at 11am. Event festivities include a Dance Contest.

Sunday, January 23

42 Below Cocktail World Cup at Lustre Pearl

Ongoing Events

Sip & Savor Austin, January 16 - 30

My picks:

El Arbol - $35/4 course Menu: First Course: Selection of empanada, Second Course: Salad, Third Couse: Entree (Seared Escolar or Braised Beef Shortribs), Fourth Course: Dessert.

Max's Wine Dive - 1/2 Price Burgers during Sat. Brunch and all day Sunday.

Snack Bar - Events every day of Sip & Savor including High Tea and Wine Tastings on Saturday, and Tarot readings and Waterloo Listening Hour on Tuesday.

Sagra - $35/3 Course Menu with an optional wine pairing for add'l $15. First Course: Selection of pasta, salad or crudo, Intermezzo, Second Course: Selection of Seared Scallops, Filet Mignon or Sundried Tomato and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Third Course: Dessert.

Gumbo's - $35/3 Course Menu. First Course: Selection of Gumbo or Salad, Second Course: Options of Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken, Beef Tenderloin, Blackened Shrimp or Catch of the day, Third Course: Dessert.

Future Food & Wine Events

Tuesday, February 1, 7pm - Jack Allen's King Estate Wine Pairing Dinner. 5 courses, $65 all inclusive. http://www.jackallenskitchen.com/events.html

Fun in Fredericksburg

Last weekend, my girlfriends I headed out to Fredericksburg for a much-needed weekend away from the boyfriends, husbands and family. Our itinerary was filled wineries, restaurants and relaxing in hot the tubs back at the cabins (the hot tub was a prerequisite, of course). Everything a girl could want for a Hill Country getaway.

Some Resources to plan the trip:
The Texas Hill Country - A Food & Wine Lovers Paradise
Fredericksburg Wine Road 290
Absolute Charm Luxury Bed & Breakfasts
First Class Bed & Breakfast Reservation Service

Drink.

Becker Vineyards Becker is known in the Hill Country for award winning wines from French Bordeaux varietals (along with a few others), aged in French Oak and American Oak. $10 for a tasting of 6 wines. They have an excellent selection of gifts made from local lavender, as well as artisan cheeses and meats to enjoy a simple meal on their beautiful patio with a glass of wine.  There was live music there on Saturday afternoon.

Our faves:

2008 Claret - Made with a blend of traditional Bordeaux grapes (cab, merlot, cab franc, petit verdot and malbec), this wine was subtle and dry, with notes of currant and a hint of vanilla from the American Oak.

2009 Malbec - This was the wine steward's fave, as well, a good, full-bodied wine with a taste of dark chocolate smokiness.

Grape Creek Vineyards - This was our third vineyard on the list, Grape Creek bills itself as, "Tuscany in the Hill Country." Also a great outdoor space with a fire pit (perfect for this cold day), with a selection of cheese, chocolate and cracker accompaniments for your wine.

Our faves:

2008 Bellisimo - "...Super Tuscan style red wine... a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon yield characteristics of cherries, spices and toasted oak with hints vanilla."

2008 Mosaic - "...blended using traditional Bordeaux grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, aged in small oak barrels..expresses flavors of blackberries, black currant, and chocolate..." 

 

Silver Creek Beer Garden & Grille - Pretty good Bloody Marys. I believe we had 15 between the 5 of us. They serve food, too.






The Buffalo Nickel seems like a local bar, cozy and off the main street. They also serve food, but we had excellent Micheladas.





Other Drink recommendations:

Lincoln Street Wine Bar

Auslander Restaurant & Biergarten

Eat.

Silver K Cafe in Johnson City was our first stop. A cute place for tasty and inexpensive salads, sandwiches and soups.  I had a $3 chicken salad sandwich and a $2 beer. Can't beat it.

Cabernet Grille was our dinner spot, embracing simple, Hill Country cuisine of grilled steaks, chicken, fish and quail, along with some pretty tasty sides. We all liked that it offered local wines, so we were able to get a glass of the favorite wines we tasted earlier in the day. Also, this place has several well manicured cabins on the property and a beautiful outdoor courtyard with fountains. This would be a pretty amazing place to stay for a Winemaker's Dinner, or even in the summertime to enjoy the outdoors. It's a few miles from Main St., but worth the (short) drive.

Rathskeller Basement Restaurant - What an awesome find. Delicious breakfast, strong coffee, mimosas. I had the Hill Country Duck Hash. This is some serious breakfast love.

All in all, a pretty awesome weekend (despite less than perfect weather), spent chatting, drinking, shopping and eating with the girls I call my best friends. Its always  a great experience to enjoy good food and wine with those that appreciate it as much, if not more, than you do.  Love you girls!

Listening to: Rolling Stones, Under My Thumb

Rainbow Swiss Chard, Butternut Squash & Hazelnut Ravioli

I am always so excited about making this recipe. What an amazing mix of flavors, colors and texture...the chewiness of the butternut squash, the crunch of the hazelnuts, and the big mouthfuls of swiss chard laced with lemon zest and parmesan. Too good. 

Jason, of course, was in slight withdrawl from the deliciousness because I spent the Saturday and Sunday in Fredericksburg with the girls, drinking and eating the Hill Country. That sounds about right...let's see, 3 wineries (but 4 wine tastings) 3.5 restaurants (if you count the ice-cream shop/sandwich place), and a bar/cafe for morning Marys. Oh, and the Buffalo Nickel for Micheladas. So we have lots to catch up on, and some excellent places to recommend. More on that soon. 

I have some gorgeous farmer's market Rainbow Swiss Chard that I've been waiting to use for just this dish. Last year, my good friend Megan came to Austin with some items from her winter CSA crop, and I believe we were supposed to cook this but forgot. She emailed me the link to the recipe from the 101 Cookbooks website: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/hazelnut-chard-ravioli-salad-recipe.html. 

As always, my (just slightly) modified version below:

 

Ingredients
12 oz. raviolis (I used Central Market package in the  Arugula and Ricotta)
2 cups of butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into small 1/2 in. cubes
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 bunch rainbow Swiss chard, de-veined and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons, (I saved about 1/4 cup of the fuchsia stems from the chard, diced small)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
fine grain sea salt, pepper
1 Tbsp lemon zest

First start the butternut squash. I went and used the entire squash so I would have leftovers for salads and soups for the rest of the week. If you choose to cook the entire squash now, cook in 2 batches. You only need 2 cups of these for this recipe.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the butternut squash and toss so they are coated with the oil. Sprinkle with the salt. Now cover the skillet and let the squash cook through, this will take about three minutes. The water in the squash will help steam and soften them. When the squash is just cooked through (not mushy or falling apart), remove the lid and give them a good toss. Turn up the heat to medium-high and stir every minute or so until golden and crisp on the outside. I put these in the oven at 200 degrees, just to keep warm while I'm cooking everything else. Oh, and this is the part that I wrapped the hazelnuts in foil, sprinkled with salt, and put them in the oven too, to get nice and toasty.

Put a large pot of water on high heat to cook the ravioli. In another burner, heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet, add the onions, shallots with a pinch of salt.

Side Note: This is where I added the fuchsia stems of the Swiss chard for a shock of color with the onions and the shallots. If you use regular chard and not rainbow, I would skip this part, as it is mainly aesthetic and doesn't really affect the taste. If you did get the rainbow, it turns pink!

Doesn't it look like little hot pink flowers? I'm totally swooning. Back to the carmelizing...cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and turn deeper in color.

Water in the pot should be at a rolling boil now, generously salt and add the raviolis. My Central Market version only took 5 minutes to cook, so I just fished them out of the pot with a slotted spoon and added them to the skillet with onions, shallots and stems. Stir to combine, add the the chard. Wait until the chard begins to wilt, then stir in most of the cheese and most of the hazelnuts. (Save 1/2 cup of pasta water to add if necessary, but only if necessary, and not all at once. Start with 1 Tbsp at a time after - you don't want it to get watery, just a bit moist.) Gently fold in the butternut squash and lemon zest. Remove from heat. Garnish with remaining hazelnuts and grated parmesan.

Listening To: The Brazilian Girls, Me Gusta Cuando Callas

New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

My dad was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, so I consider myself half Cajun. Yep, I have etouffee and gumbo in my veins, and I truly believe there are few things in life more satisfying then a big ol' pot of spicy boiled crawfish and a cold beer. Mmm, mmm, Mmm!

The city of New Orleans has a special place in my heart, and I try to make at least an annual voyage to the Crescent City, if not for drinking and gambling, then for the amazing food and music.

Red beans and rice sounded just the thing for a cold winter night. Like many recipes, I have the basics flavors down, and look to cookbooks, apps and the web to provide the cooking times and approximate measurements. I found this recipe below from Epicurious, used less beans and meat, added more veggies, added more spice, and I changed up the preparations. The recipe provided includes my revisions.

If you have an iPhone, you should totally download the Epicurious app. Out of all the food apps, I use this one the most, almost on a daily basis to come up with new recipe ideas. (On a related note, you should also get the iGarageSale app to search for nearby Estate Sales. If you're into that, of course.)

New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice

• 2/3 pound dried red kidney beans, picked over
• 1/2 pound smoked link sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch thick half moons
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 pale-green inner celery ribs (with leaves), chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, or to taste
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme, crumbled
• 2 Tsp dried oregano, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp Tabasco
• 3/4 Tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 Tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 Tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 Tsp cayenne, or to taste
• 2 Tsp salt, or to taste
• 3 cups cooked brown rice

Preparation

In a bowl soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight. Rinse and put into large, heavy pot with salted water, cover and cook at a high boil. In a separate pan, heat to medium high, add oil and brown the sausage. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, add the diced celery, onions and green bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until getting soft, add salt and pepper to taste, along with the bay leaves and garlic. Saute for about 2 more minutes, add the sausage to the mixture, stir to combine. Once the flavors have blended, combine with the beans, which should be at a rolling boil. Combine and continue cooking at a rolling boil for about 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to soften. Add the cooked rice and chicken stock. Continue cooking for 15 more minutes, or until beans are tender.

My music clip of the day is a tribute to this soulful city. If you've ever seen a Second Line in New Orleans, celebrating a wedding, or even a funeral, it's an experience you won't forget. Everyone on the street - young, old, black, white - takes a moment out of their day to join the second line, to unite in rhythmic celebration, and also to remember those that have passed.

Green Coconut Curry Stir Fry with Brown Rice

Stir fry is a great way to incorporate a ton of veggies into your meal, and a mildly spicy green coconut curry sauce is just the vehicle to deliver that Southeast Asian tastiness. This is great dish if you are feeding a few people, and you can easily substitute ingredients according to preferences for veggies, meat or no meat.

My good friend Megan gave me the cookbook, The Best 30-Minute Recipe, and it has a great section on stir frys, offering several super easy versions, as well as tips. For instance: When stir frying the veggies, cook the heartiest first, then push them to the sides of the pan, so you have an empty circle in the middle. Cook the next round of veggies in the circle before you mix it up, then clear a space for the aromatics last.

I have been making variations of stir fry since as long as I can remember and I've never tried this nifty trick, so I decided to give it go tonight.

Green Coconut Curry Stir Fry with Brown Rice
1 lb Beef Sirloin, sliced into thin strips against the grain (or stir fry cut beef)*
1 lb Broccoli, chopped into 1-2 inch tall threes (I'm using my gorgeous farm fresh broccoli shoots with leafy greens)
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped into 1 in. squares
16 oz. Mixed Stir Fry Mushrooms, sliced into strips
1 Onion diced
1 thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and grated
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup Green Onions, green parts sliced into 1 in. long pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 1/2 cups Coconut Milk (Regular or Reduced-Fat)
2 heaping Tsp. Green Curry Paste (used Thai Fresh brand)
1 heaping Tsp. Asian Chili Garlic Sauce (used Tuong Ot Toi Viet Nam brand)
1 Tsp. brown sugar
Canola Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

*Feel free to use only veggies in this recipe, or substitute the beef with chicken or shrimp. 

So stir fry is all about the mis-en-place, or things in place. Once everything is prepped, the meal comes together really quickly, thanks to cooking at a high heat and tender crisp vegetables.

There are some stir fry purists who say all vegetables should to be cut to the same size, so everything cooks evenly. I don't think it matters, but if you are eating with chop sticks, you should consider cutting the veggies in chopstick-friendly chunks. 

If you are making this dish with brown rice, start that first, since it takes the longest. Next, season the beef with salt and pepper, toss and set aside. 

Prep your veggies and aromatics. Peel ginger and grate on a Microplane, mince garlic, cut broccoli, onion, red bell pepper, mushrooms, green onions.

Make the sauce. In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the coconut milk, curry paste, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar and fish sauce. Whisk with a fork, breaking up any lumps.

Now, heat a wok to medium high and put in about 2 tsp. of canola oil. Wait until the pan gets really hot, then add the beef, stir fry at a high heat until lightly browned, but not cooked all the way (3 mins), set aside. Don't worry, the meat will continue cooking in the sauce.

Wipe out the pan, add 2 Tsp. of canola oil, wait for a few seconds until pan gets hot again, then add the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper, stir fry for about 3 mins, then make a space to add the onions and the red bell peppers in the center.

Stir fry for about 3 more minutes, make a space in the middle again, then add the mushrooms. Stir fry about about a minute then make a space for the garlic and ginger. Cook for just one minute, then stir all together and add beef.

Now add the sauce and combine mixture really well, continuing to cook at a high heat for about 5 more minutes. Turn off heat and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with brown rice.

On another note, check out these awesome Land's End duck boots I bought today for $34.75 (plus shipping)! Thanks Lucky Breaks! With rainy springtime ahead of us, SXSW and festival season, I have a feeling I'll wear these suckers out. To get them at the discounted price - for tonight and tomorrow am only! At checkout, enter in the Promotional Code: luckydaily2, PIN: 1111

Listening to: The Beatles, 1967-1970 on vinyl. My love to Amanda and Tony for the awesome records. I dedicate this song to my little baby neice, Brooklyn.

Tomato Basil Soup

I stopped by HEB on my way home, battling cold, drizzle (fo shizzle) and hunger, so wouldn't you know it, I forgot the tomato juice. Of course. I really wanted to share this awesomely rich and reasonably healthy Tomato Basil Soup recipe from Cooking Light. So I made it anyway, with a few modifications, and it worked great! Here is my adapted version below:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Tomatoes (I used 6 small and 1 medium big)

1/2 Onion, diced

1 large Shallot, diced

2 cups Chicken Broth

1 cup Milk

1/3 cup reduced fat cream cheese

1/4 Tsp. Herbs de Provence

2-3 oz. of Basil, Chiffonade-ed

1 Tbsp Olive Oil or Butter

Salt & Pepper to Taste

To peel the tomatoes, first drop them in boiling water for 3-5 mins, or when the skin starts to wrinkle a bit, then cool them in ice water. Once tomato is cooled, cut a slit, then peel. Also core the top part of the tomato. 

Heat a dutch oven/pot with either 1 Tbsp of olive oil or butter, then saute the onions and shallots 5 mins. Add 1/4 Tsp of Herbs de Provence, stir. Rough chop the tomatoes and keep all the juice, adding to the pan as necessary. Salt and pepper to taste, and let the natural tomato juices thicken, about 5 minutes. (Picture below before broth)

Now add 2 cups of chicken broth and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Blend/puree the tomatoes, onions and broth in a blender with 2/3 of the basil. Do this part in 2 batches, or it could get messy. I actually prefer my tomato soup a little chunky, so I just pureed half. Put back in the pot, set to medium heat, then add 1 cup of milk and 1/3 cup of the cream cheese. Whisk the soup a little get the cream cheese completely blended. Cook for about 5-8 more minutes, then serve. Topped with the remaining 1/3 of the basil. 

Link to original recipe for Cooking Light Tomato Basil Soup

Next time I think I will add some carmelized carrots to this recipe...Yum. Just think of the sweet savoriness. Carrot Tomato Basil Soup in the works, folks.

Speaking of carrots, last night I made some Honey and Ginger Glazed Carrots to go with our Kadhi Pakora (Indian Chickpea Stew) and naan from Lamba's. Super simple: Peel carrots, cut in 1/2 inch chunks. I had a small bunch, probably about 1/2 a pound, so I cooked with 1/2 cup of chicken broth 1 Tsp of margarine, stir and cover until soft, about 5 mins.  Then add 1 Tbsp of honey, a few dashes of ground ginger, salt and pepper to taste. Stir until a glaze is developed, take off the heat and serve.

Listening to: Wilco, Spiders: