February 2008—Amber & Elizabeth

February 2009—Amber & Elizabeth
Thai Chicken Marinade and Dipping Sauce

Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
Wild Rice
Celery Root and Potato Puree
Thai Pork

Chocolate Strawberry Tart


Thai Chicken Marinade and Dipping Sauce
Today Show Guest Host

1-2 pounds chicken or drumsticks
2 Tbsp garlic
2 Tbsp Thai chilies (depending on how hot you like it)
2 Tbsp shallots
2 Tbsp cilantro
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup Maggi Thai sweet chili sauce (set aside the bottle)
1/8-1/4 cup Thai chili sauce HOT
Ginger root to taste

Blend in blender—place chicken in bag with marinade for 24 hours. Bake, grill, stir fry, or deep fry.

Save some of the Maggi sauce for dipping, once the meat is cooked.


Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
Giada De Laurentis

2 1/2 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups bite-sized cauliflower florets
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 to 1 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups lightly packed fresh spinach leaves
1/2 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place the broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl. Toss with the beaten eggs to coat evenly. Place the Parmesan in a large tray or baking dish and dredge the vegetables in the cheese, pressing to coat evenly.

Pour olive oil in a large heavy skillet until the olive oil is 1/4-inch deep, about 1/2 cup depending on the size of your skillet. Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add the Parmesan-coated vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, if necessary. Let the vegetables cook until a crust forms, about 3 minutes per side. Turn the vegetables only when they easily release from the bottom of the pan. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

Place the spinach in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the spinach with the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add the Parmesan coated vegetables. Toss and serve.


Wild Rice

1 box long grain and wild rice (cooked with seasoning)
Juice from 1 lemon
4 green onions, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
3 oz peapods (Chinese/snow)
2 medium avocados
1 cup chopped pecans (candied with sugar)
Optional—3 chicken breasts (cooked and cubed)

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

Make dressing in blender and refrigerate. Mix all ingredients except avocado and pecans. Combine with dressing and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Add avocado and pecans before serving.


Celery Root and Potato Puree
Martha Stewart Living, March 2007
Serves 4

1 medium celery root (also called celeriac; about 14oz.), peeled and cut into 1/2–inch dice
1 fresh thyme sprig, plus more for garnish
1 garlic clove, crushed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small russet potato (about 9 oz), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for serving

Put celery root, thyme sprig and garlic into a small saucepan. Cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add 2 teaspoons salt and the potato. Simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 10 minutes. Drain; discard thyme sprig. Transfer vegetables mixture to a food processor. Add milk and butter, and process until just pureed. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with thyme. Serve with a pat of butter.


Thai Pork
Hull Family

1 1/2-lb pork tenderloin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp chili-sauce OR 1/4 cup Thai red curry base
4 tsp minced garlic
3 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably longer.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat one tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet to brown on all sides. Transfer to oven to cook to 160°F, about 30 minutes. Boil Marinade and add some cornstarch to thicken.


Chocolate Strawberry Tart
Hull Family
2 pints large ripe strawberries, washed, halved and stem ends cut off
1 baked tart shell
Chocolate sauce (below)
1-2 cups heavy cream

Arrange strawberries in the shell cut side down; pour warm chocolate sauce over the berries. Place in refrigerator until chocolate is set. Serve with whipped cream.

Sauce:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (Callebaut or Trader Joe’s Pound Plus, I have tried Scharffenberger and didn’t like it as well)

1. Chop the chocolate into chunks
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, lightly caramelize the butter
3. Pour in the cream and heat until the mixture begins to bubble stirring often
4. Add chocolate and stir until smooth (there will be left over sauce, which is always a BONUS!)

Tart Shell
Gourmet, November 2001

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Special equipment: a pastry or bench scraper; an 11- by 1-inch fluted round tart pan with a removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice.

Blend together flour, sugar, salt, butter, and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle evenly with 3 tablespoons ice water and gently stir with a fork (or pulse in food processor) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until just incorporated, then test again. (If you overwork mixture, pastry will be tough.)

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion. Gather dough together with scraper and press into a ball, and then flatten into a 6-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface and fit into tart pan. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then fold overhang inward and press against side of pan to reinforce edge. Lightly prick bottom and sides with a fork. Chill 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line tart shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake in middle of oven until pastry is pale golden along rim, 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and bake until pale golden all over, 10 minutes more. Cool in pan on a rack.

Active time: 25 min, Start to finish: 3 hr
Makes 1 (11-inch) tart shell.