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.

Shrimp with Black Lava Salt and Pepper

Ok well you start off by shelling and veining your shrimp. I know it takes a little time but they are cheaper and you get the shells to make fish stock... and the fish stock for your rice...

Throw the shells into a pot not the garbage. (add fish bones etc if you have them, you con sometimes get them at the meat counter cheap) with 1 cup dry white wine, some onions (preferably roasted for richer flavor),3 cloves whole Garlic, a couple spigs fresh Thyme and Parsley, some pepper corns ( maybe 10), celery seed and bay leaf. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for only 20 minutes or it will get bitter. remove from heat strain out solids (cheese cloth or a colander unless its been on someones head recently) and allow to cool to room tempature.

Make jasmine rice replacing the water with the aromatic fish stock.

bring 1 3/4 cup fish stock to boil add 1 cup jasmine rice cover and reduce heat to simmer in 15 minutes she should be ready.

Slice baby Portabellos and saute.

slice baby Bok Choy and steam 7minutes

toss the two together in a bowl.

In a dry skillet cook shrimp to desired doneness (c's not o's)

plate and top with fresh cracked black pepper and Black Lava sea salt

Enjoy!

Panang style Thai Curry with Shrimp

Oh my goodness this stuff is to die for!

Matt's Basil Wrapped Seasoned Meatballs

Take 1 lb very lean ground beef (93/7) 10 tsp fish sauce (or more to taste) 4 large cloves minced Garlic, 2 tbsp sugar and a bunch of fresh cracked Pepper

Knead this mixture to a smooth paste. For this you really have to use your hands. Pinch off a small portion of meat and fry in a non stick skillet. Taste for seasoning and adjust (sugar/salt). Mixture should be rich and highly seasoned.

Cucumber salad.
peanuts, smashed with the side of a cleaver. 1 english cucumber, ran thru a fine mandolin. 1/4 large Vidalia sliced super thin. 3 tablespoons or so rice vinegar. 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar. 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a serving bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Vinegar, Sugar and Salt are to taste so...

Taste for seasoning, adding sugar or salt as you see fit, deem nescessary or whatever.

Stir in the cucumber and onion.

Sprinkle the salad with the peanuts and serve.

Bean Sprout Salad
Dig up some garlic, salt, sugar, rice vinegar, Toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, bean sprouts

then

1. Mash the garlic with 3/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon sugar,

3 tablespoons vinegar

the sesame oil

and hot pepper flakes

Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

Stir in the bean sprouts and let stand for 5 minutes.

Just before serving, taste for seasoning, adding salt, sugar, crushed red or vinegar as you see fit.

So I show up and Matt is wrapping up petite little seasoned meatballs... how cute.

Wrap small balls of meat mixture in large Basil leaves. Thread 5 wrapped balls on each Bamboo Skewer. Grill. Top with chopped dry roasted Peanuts.

Actually, these meatballs were really rich since they were seasoned so well.

I was working most of the day with Cameron, and when Matt called and asked for me to pick up some peanuts... well, Cameron and I had a pretty decent laugh.
Anyway, Cameron HAD some peanuts, and sent me on my way.

A special shout out must go out to Cameron,"Hey Cameron, thank you for the Peanuts!"

Now, throw all this stuff on a plate and consume with wild abandon.

Grilled Pork Chop and stuff

Season up some Swine...


Fire up some Charwood...


Don't forget the Chard...


Serve with some Jasmine rice. Yum!

Pineapple Rum Caribbean Shrimp with Jasmine Rice and Red Chard

Even if I say so myself, this was incredible.

Rare beef with soy curry sauce, Khao Gram Purple Jasmine sticky rice and steamed Asparagus

Season steak to your liking and grill to desired doneness.

Fry Curry spices in a little oil until bloomed and fragrant.

Add chicken stock and small amount soft tofu and puree till smooth. For a variation you could use Soy milk (unflavored).

Steam your Asparagus.
Slice beef thin and drizzle everything with curry sauce.
Eat.

Kalbi Marinated Flank Steak

Lightly score flank steak on both sides

Rub 1 tbsp brown sugar on each side. Let sit 10 min.

While waiting, mix your marinade. Some low sodium soy sauce, garlic, mirin and toasted sesame oil.

Slice a Kiwi and rub each side of flank steak with 1/2 Kiwi.

Drop in a ziplock bag with marinade and let it soak for 2 hours. Turn once halfway thru.
reserve used marinade and bring to a simmer until reduced to make a drizzle sauce.

Grill to desired doneness and let rest.

Slice Flank Steak thinly across the grain and serve on a bed of Jasmine Rice topped with Scallions and drizzled with reduced marinade. Appropriate sides: Steamed Baby Reds with Balsamic and fresh Cracked Pepper, Steamed Bok Choy and your favorite Amber