Recipe: Green Curry with Brown Rice Noodles and Swiss Chard

Green Curry with Brown Rice Noodles and Swiss Chard
Bon Appetit Magazine, Nov 2016, p. 66
4 stars

My first green curry from scratch!  This was pretty good and flavorful but didn't quite have the oomph as other curries I've had in restaurants.  Perhaps it's because I 'healthied' it up by using lite coconut milk and I didn't add one of the ingredients (green peppercorns in brine).

I'd make this again unless I find another recipe to try out.

Ingredients:  thin brown rice noodles, cilantro, mint, swiss chard, scallions, garlic, green Thai chiles, ginger, green peppercorns in brine, ground tumeric, coconut oil, unsweetened coconut milk, lime juice, lime wedges, lemongrass stalk, coconut sugar or honey, Kosher salt

Tips:

• Couldn't find green peppercorns in brine so didn't add them.
• Couldn't find Thai chiles so added red pepper instead; will add a jalapeno or serrano next time.
• Used regular thin rice noodles instead of brown rice noodles.
• Added tofu after the swiss chard.
• Needed a bit of salt to bring out the flavor.
• Took more than 25-30 min to reduce; allow up to 45 min.
• Next time, use less water -- perhaps 2 cups instead which might cut down on the cooking reduction time.
• This makes more than 4 servings (maybe 6-8 depending on portion size?).
• Would be great over rice.

Recipe: Pork-and-Ricotta-Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Recipe:  Pork-and-Ricotta-Stuffed Jumbo Shells
Food and Wine Magazine, Jan 2017, p.92
4.5 stars

We're making this recipe the next time we go skiing and need a hearty, delicious and yet simple dish to make.

The added cream was a nice touch.  We've made a dish like this before, but this recipe is the best large pasta shell dish we've made so far.

Ingredients:  jumbo pasta shells, marinara sauce, ground pork, fresh ricotta, panko, garlic cloves, egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, heavy cream, fresh mozzarella, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips

• We made our own marinara.
• Not sure about the fresh mozzarella on top.  I love the idea, but it was a little too chewy -- perhaps we baked it for too long.
• Try ground sausage next time.

Recipe: Fennel Risotto with Crispy Lamb Sausage

Fennel Risotto with Crispy Lamb Sausage
Food and Wine Magazine

I saw this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine (can't remember which month's publication - but see above for the link to the recipe) as part of a Beringer vineyards ad.  I normally don't cook recipes that are part of ads, but the photo looked so appetizing.

We made the Fennel Risotto only which was incredibly easy and FLAVORFUL -- a restaurant, quality dish -- and bought sausages to accompany it.

Ingredients:  fennel bulb, chicken broth, arborio rice, dry white wine, extra-virgin olive oil, butter, ricotta salata cheese, Kosher salt, pepper

Tips:

• Made 1/2 the recipe (2 cups of arborio rice makes a LOT of risotto!)
• Used regular ricotta cheese
• Added parmesan cheese
• Used white pepper
• Used all broth instead of a combination of broth and water
• It went great with Jalapeno cheddar sausages!