Spicy Coconut and Peanut Noodle Soup

I have been sick with the worst cold this past week, and this is all I have felt like eating! Something warm, spicy, comforting... For some reason I always feel like noodles when I'm sick! I am lucky that I have had two very amazing men taking care of me.. my dad and boyfriend! Both have been making sure that I have lots of fluids, kleenex, soup and cold medication! Well, I'm all better now and will be posting more meals! Heres my favorite "sick" meal..

Ingredients

-1 can of coconut milk
-2 limes, juiced
-3 large spoonfuls of peanut butter
-2 large spoonfuls of sambol (more or less depending on how spicy you would like this)
-lemon grass (two 4 inch sections)
-1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
-1 inch portion of ginger, grated
-1 onion, finely sliced
-1 red pepper, finely sliced
-2 tbsp sugar
-rice noodles, 1/3 of a bag
-enoki mushrooms (they usually come on a small bag, I used all of them! )
-coriander, chopped to garnish

Method


Sweat off the onions, red pepper, ginger, and garlic in a large pout until translucent.  Add the sambol, then add your coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, lemon grass, sugar and and some extra water (I used 2 cups full) and season with salt.  Simmer this for about 10 minutes.  In the mean time, soak your rice noodles in hot tap water until soft.  Add your noodles and enoki mushrooms to the soup right before you are ready to eat it.  Garnish with lots of coriander, and enjoy!

Greg and I got most of the Asian ingredients for this soup at Vihn Phong. I find that that they have amazing prices, and since they turn over much more Asian produces than your average grocery store, Its better quality. Enoki mushrooms are a fun thing to buy from the Vihn Phong.  They are cheap, but give a very sophisticated look to food.  They are great raw, but also nice cooked in soups and pastas.  Just make sure if you are cooking them you add them RIGHT at the end, as they are better with less cooking.  Sambol is something I think everyone should have in their fridge.  Its great for when you want to add a little kick of spice to a dish..  I LOVE it, and can go a little crazy with it sometimes..  Hope you guys enjoy this soup! :)

Rustic Apricot and Date Chicken Stew with Cous Cous and Brown Sugar Creme Fraiche

In the winter, I always crave rustic hearty food to warm up to.  I like things that can be made in big batches, then warmed up for a quick meal when you come in from a snowy day.  I think the dried fruit adds a nice sweetness to this dish.  The dates give the stew a nice rich colour, and the dried apricots re-hydrate to give the stew a beautiful texture.  The creme fraiche was Greg's idea, and I think adds very nicely to the dish.  We made this stew after seeing an afternoon showing of Tron (I definately didn't fall asleep...), followed by Greg killing me in air hockey.

Ingredients 

For Stew
-1 onion, diced
-fresh thyme, leaves picked
-1 clove of garlic, chopped
-4 or 5 chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces and seasoned well with salt and pepper
-1/2 cup red wine
-1/2 cup dried apricot, roughly chopped
-1/2 cup dried date, roughly chopped
-1 large can diced tomatoes
-1 cinnamon stick
-2 bay leaves
-salt and pepper


Creme Fraiche
-1 small individual sized plain yogurt
-2 tbsp brown sugar
-1/2 lemon, juice and zest
-salt and pepper


Cous Cous
-1 cup instant  cous cous
-1/2 lemon, juice and zest
-1 1/2 cup boiling chicken stock
-salt and pepper



Method


Mix the ingredients for the creme fraiche, and set aside.  In a large pot, saute the onion, garlic, and thyme in a generous amount of butter. Add the chicken and dried fruit and saute until golden brown.  Deglaze the pan with the red wine, and cook out until the wine is reduced to half.  Add the canned tomato, with the cinnamon and bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper, and bring pot to a slow boil.  Once the stew has boiled, reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook for 20 minutes or so.

Put the cous cous in a large bowl and add boiling chicken stock, lemon, and salt and pepper and cover tightly with seran wrap.

When everything is ready to go, serve the stew in bowls over a generous bed of cous cous.  Garnish it with a nice spoonful of creme fraiche, enjoy!!  :)

(Greg and I picked up these bowls from the West End Zehrs for 2.99... I am in love with them!!)

Maple Potato and Leek Soup with Bacon, Cheddar and Sour Cream

Mmmmmm.... Potato and Leek Soup! One of Greg's favourite meals, and the perfect thing to eat on a freezing cold day.  This a nice meal to eat few days before Christmas, after pushing your way through the crowds at the mall for a few last minute gifts.  I think that the maple is a nice little Canadian touch.. and a nice way to jazz up a very basic soup.




Soup Ingredients

-6 large Potatoes, sliced roughly (I like using Yukon Gold potatoes.. because they were created in GUELPH)
-2 Large Leeks, sliced
-1 Onion, sliced
-2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
-1 cup Cream (or milk)
-Herbs- rosemary and thyme, picked off the stem
-1/4 cup Real Maple Syrup





Garnish


-grated cheddar cheese
-bacon
-a generous spoon of sour cream












Method

Fry bacon in a pan until crispy.  Set the bacon aside to garnish soup with, and pour the bacon fat into a pot. Fry the leek, herbs, garlic, and onion in the fat until the onion gets translucent.  At this point, add the potatoes.  I don't often peel potatoes, and this soup is no exception.  I think that leaving the skins on in soups and mashed potatoes gives a nice "rustic" look, and the skin is very good for you! Just make sure that you wash them very well. After the potatoes are added to the pot, add enough water until everything is just covered.  Bring it to a boil, and then lower to a light simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked, then blend mixture.  As you are blending, add the milk or cream.  Blend until the mixture is smooth.  Spoon soup into bowls and garnish with LOTS of bacon, cheddar, and sour cream! YUMMM!  This recipe makes TONS of soup, we have loads left over.. Looks like soup for lunch for the rest of the week!!
                                                                                                

 

Mattar Paneer and Mango Lassies

In my opinion, Paneer is one of the most amazing foods EVER.  I can't even possibly describe how delicious this Indian cheese is.  I love the creamy, rich taste of it and it's smooth texture.  It has this beautiful delicate flavour that I can't get enough of! It comes in a small "brick", and when you cook it, it stays solid and doesn't melt.

Mattar Paneer is a tomato based paneer curry with peas.. and here is my version!  I think this curry turns out extra tasty if you dance around to Jai Ho before making it.. I don't think that Greg agrees though!



Ingredients
- one 400 g package of paneer, cubed
-one clove garlic, chopped
-a one-inch portion of ginger, grated or chopped
-one very small onion, diced
- one 796 ml can of diced tomato (the large can!)
-one heaping spoonful of vindaloo curry paste (this is spicy, get a milder one if you can't handle the heat!)
- frozen peas, as much as you want
- 35% whipping cream, 1/4 cup
-roti to serve (Greg and I buy it uncooked and frozen, you fry it up in a pan and it gets crispy and puffs up... sooo yummy!! You COULD make rice instead though.)

Method


Saute onion, garlic and ginger in a large pot with a liberal amount of butter.  If you happen to have ghee I would use this instead, but butter works just fine!  When the onion becomes translucent, add the diced paneer and gently saute for a few minutes.  Add the vindaloo paste, and saute for another minute or so.  Next, add the diced tomato with a small amount of water if it is too thick.   Let this simmer for 10 minutes.

After it has simmered, add your peas!  After I added my peas, Greg said that he had never seen so many peas in his life! I REALLY like peas, so if its up to me, I add lots! For that reason.. I leave it up to your discretion! Bring the curry back up to a light simmer, then slowly stir in the cream.  Turn the curry on low until you are ready to eat it!

Greg and I buy our Roti at an amazing Asian store downtown called Vihn Phong.  I love going here because the owners are so friendly.. Their young son will often bag up your groceries as he  takes a quick break from his game boy. Any Indian store would have it... but for some reason I love getting it from Vihn Phong!

To cook the roti, warm a non-stick pan on medium.  Add the roti and cook till golden brown, then flip! This may be easier said then done, as they are very easy to over-cook!  It takes practice, but I love roti with curry!

Where to buy Paneer


My favourite Indian store is in the Willow area of Guelph.  It is called Quality Indian Food and Spices.  It is located on 500 Willow St. in Guelph, Ontario. They also have amazing Samosas.. They sell them for like 75 cents! We like to warm them up while we are making curry and eat them as a little appetizer!












I really enjoy mango lassies when I am eating out at Indian Restaurants, but they are surprisingly easy to make at home! We didn't make these tonight, but I think this Indian smoothy is the perfect accompaniment to a curry meal! I could sure go for one now....

Mango Lassies


-frozen or fresh mango
-plain yogurt
-a teaspoon vanilla
-ice
-honey

Blend ingredients to taste and enjoy :)

Mushroom Tomato Pasta with Herby Garlic Ricotta

We have a dish very similar to this at work... The dish at work is usually the go-to when the cooks are tired, hungry and need a snack.  I always want to eat it, but wouldn't like to go in their section and use up their prep.  So here is MY version which Greg and I had for dinner last night! I think this is the PERFECT dish to seduce someone with.. Make it with your favourite tunes on (I think Leonard Cohen is good if you are going for romantic...) and a BIG glass of wine! Have fun :)


Ingredients

-Your favourite type of pasta (we used fusilli)
-Your favourite tomato pasta sauce (I like presidents choice "Marinara" )
- a sliced shallot
-a handful of sliced mushrooms (I used cremini, but any kind would be nice!)
-A small tub of Ricotta
- a clove of garlic- chopped as finely as you can!
-chopped herbs (use whatever you like, or what you happen to have on hand.  Greg and I had some thyme in the fridge.  Thyme, oregano, basil, parsley, or rosemary would all be great!)
-A small spoonful of honey
-A spoonful of extra virgin olive oil
-Salt and fresh ground pepper

Method


In a bowl mix two extra-large spoonfuls of Ricotta with the chopped garlic and herbs.  Add the honey and olive oil, mix and season to taste.. Don't forget the fresh ground pepper!  You can now set this aside.. It will go on top of the pasta at the very end.

Find a large pot to boil your pasta in, fill it with water and add a generous amount of salt.  Put the pot on high and cover.


Next, Take the sliced mushroom and shallots and saute them off in a pan.  When they get a lovely golden colour, add your pasta sauce.  Let this lightly simmer while you cook your pasta.

When your water comes to a boil, add the pasta and give it a good stir.  Pasta needs a few good stirs as it  cooks or the pasta will stick to the bottom.



Pasta should be cooked to al dante.. The problem with this is that Greg and I have a very different idea of what exactly al dante means.  Greg likes his pasta with a bit of a chew in the middle.  I like my pasta cooked a bit more than what al dante probably is.   We usually compromise in the middle.. but it usually takes us both trying the pasta a few times before we are both satisfied.

When the pasta is cooked the way you like it,  drain the pasta well, then put the pasta back in the pot.  Add the pasta sauce and mix well.  When all of the pasta is coated well, scoop the pasta into a bowl (or plate... whatever!) and add a nice big spoonful of the garlicy ricotta on top.  Enjoy!!!