Garlic Squid Salad

Ok here goes, cut open mantles and lay flat score mantles with sharp knife diagonal in 2 directions. Cut mantles into 2" squares. Leave tentacles whole. For the marinade... 5 cloves minced garlic. 2 Tbsp white wine. Fresh cracked pepper. 2 Tbsp fish sauce. 1 Tbsp low sodium Soy sauce. 1 Tbsp Sugar. 1 Tbsp corn starch. Heat pan. add 2 Tbsp oil. fry squid quickly. When all the squid has curled up it is done. this happens rather quickly. Make sure not to overcook. It will make it rubbery which is no good. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serve on top of salad made with green or red leaf lettuce, Tomatoes, Carrots and Cucumbers.

Spicy Shrimp Soup

Shell 1/2 lb shrimp. rinse shrimp and shells. put 4 cups water in pot with shells and bring to boil. Strain out shells. you now have shrimp stock.

Add Shrimp. 1/2 lb ish

Add Mushrooms 1/2 cup sliced or so

Bring Shrimp and Mushrooms to boil.
Reduce heat to medium.

Add Kefir Lime leaves. about 5

Add 1 stalk lemon grass. bottom 1/3 only cut into 1 inch pieces.

Minced garlic. say 2 cloves

Fish Sauce. 6 Tbsp

Lime Juice. 6 Tbsp

Red Curry paste. 1/4 - 1/2 tsp or so.

Cilantro.

Remove lemon grass and lime leaves. Top with a drizzle of Chili oil. Serve.
Relish the delicious flavour.

Phad Thai

Ok soak your rice noodle in cold water 2-3 hours or in warm water 45minutes to 1 hour.

While noodles are soaking you can prep the other ingredients. Which is a good idea because the cooking goes fast

So, shell about 1/4 lb. Shrimp. Mince 1 clove garlic. Crack and mix 1-2 eggs. Measure 1/4 cup fish sauce. Measure 1 Tbsp Paprika. Measure 1/4 cup sugar. Chop 1/4 cup unsalted roasted Peanuts. Measure 1 cup Mung bean sprouts. Slice 1 green onion in 1 inch peices. Shred some Carrot and slice a Lemon.

Ok heat 3tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or skillet. Add Garlic, Egg and Shrimp. Scramble until done. Reduce heat to medium.
Add well drained Rice noodle and cook until noodle is transluscent.

Add Paprika, Sugar and fish sauce. Cook until sauce is thickened and coats the noodle.

Add Peanuts, Mung bean sprouts and Green onion. Finish cooking Garnish with Carrots and Lemon wedges.

Serve. Enjoy.

Do you know the mushroom man?

I got Matsutake.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

Ok this is so simple. Over medium heat, fry about 1 Tbsp Red Curry Paste in 1/2 can of coconut milk. Add 2 oz. Fish sauce, 2 Tbsp Granulated sugar and the protein of your choice. here mine is chicken... Continue cooking until chicken is done. Throw in some Keffir Lime leaves, straw mushrooms and your choice of veg like bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, water chestnuts or those little corn. Whatever you like. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Heat thru. garnish with basil. serve hot with Jasmine rice.

I have to say, This turned out amazing!

Matts homemade Paneer

Paneer, a non melting cheese used in Indian food is easily made at home.

Boiling all equipment to be used for 5 min should kill any unwanted bacteria.

4 oz. fresh lemon juice. we will use its acid to curdle the milk.

1 gallon whole organic milk. Make sure it has not been ultra pasteurized.

Bring milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring to prevent scalding. Once the milk reaches a gentle rolling boil reduce heat to low and add lemon juice while stirring. The milk will seperate forming large curds leaving clear Whey.

Let the curds sit until they sink to the bottom of the pan.

Ladle curds into a colander lined with cheese cloth or butter muslin. Tie corners together and twist to remove excess Whey. Untie corners and wrap neatly. the nicer you wrap the nicer your final cheese will look.

Press curds/cheese under weight 1-2 hours. the longer you press the firmer the cheese.

End result should be a nice fresh mild cheese somewhere between 1-2 lbs.

This one weighs 1 lb. 5 1/2 oz.

Hearty Chicken Soup

Matsutake in Kombu Bonito Dashi

Ok so we got some Kombu (seaweed) and Bonito (dried fish) Flakes.

heat water to simmer removing kombu just before it boils.

Turn off heat, add Bonito flakes and let sit until bonito sinks to the bottom.
strain with collander lined with cheesecloth. Return to heat. Add Matsutake and shrimp

To dress this one up I added Scallions and tiny amount of Cilantro.
light fresh and the smell is amazing.
I also made Matsutake Gohan.
Yum!

Pan seared Mahi-Mahi with Black Bean Salad and Jasmine Rice

O.k. let us start with the Jasmine rice bring 1 3/4 cup water to a boil and add 1 cup ricestir gently as it returns to boil. reduce heat cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. I like to finish the rice by putting a paper towel under the lidfor about 5 minutes after I take it off the heat. While the rice is steaming lets try to make this black bean salad...

Rinse well and drain 2 cans of organic black beans. Throw them in a big bowl. Now we need 1 1/2 cups of corn. If it is frozen make sure it is thawed. fresh is also nice but a little more to deal with cob and everything. Thawed? O.k., throw it in the bowl. Now find some roasted red pepper, either from a jar or the barbque in the backyard. chop it into 1/2 inch or so pieces. Throw em in the bowl. Now grab a handful of bannana peppers. Chop em up and yes, throw them in the bowl.
Now see that beautiful bunch of cilantro sitting on the counter. Chop it up and throw it in. Now, Juice 2 medium limes over the top. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix together by hand while trying not to get it all over the counter. taste again and adjust your lime, salt or pepper.

find that nice piece of Mahi-Mahi you purchased tonight. Rinse and dry it. Make sure it is very dry. Season it generously with Salt and Pepper. Heat oil in a skillet until it starts to have shimmering ripples across its surface. Gently lay the fish into the pan away from you. (so if oil splashes, it splashes away) sear the fish on both sides. now remember when I told you to make sure it was dry? If the fish was dry and the pan was heated just right it kind of works like a none stick pan. when the fish is ready to turn you should be able to gently grab it with a pair of tongs and turn it to cook the other side. I will usually turn off the burner at this point. There should be enought heat in the pan to finish the fish. Now step back and admire the crisp crust on your finely seared fish. plate up everything and enjoy...

Dinner with Kady

A little blue cheese, sliced pear and crusty bread.

A salad of spring greens and tomatoes with White Balsamic dressing, steamed Mushrooms, Jasmine rice and pan seared Halibut.

Salt and Pepper Prawns with Spinach Salad

Spinach salad consists of Spinach, Bean sprouts and Rice vinegar marinated Red Onions topped with a dressing of 2 parts Mirin, 1 part Soy sauce, 1part Toasted Sesame Oil, Toasted Sesame Seeds with minced Garlic to taste

For the Shrimp Marinade let it sit for 10 minutes in a drizzle of Olive oil and Lime Juice with salt and pepper. Since these are in the shell ( shrimp in the shell taste better) it was a heavy drizzle.
Then grill until done.
Delicious.

Crepes

Basic Crepes filled with Nutella topped with fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of powdered sugar

or

filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon.

You decide but don't eat too many...

Brie Pasta

Ok, start by boiling your pasta. You want something large to be able to hold up to the Brie.

Slice your Tomatoes.

Make a double boiler and gently melt your cheese. Go slowly and make sure the cheese melts but doesn't break. You don't want gritty pasta.

Chopp your fresh Basil

Toss it all together then serve immediately with a side of Herb salad, some crusty bread (this is Rosemary bread) and a little vino.

Delicious.