24 February 2011

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

I got this recipe from Terry Meihaus. Maybe it is a secret recipe, but her restaurant is doing so well, she probably will not care that I am putting it on the internet :)

Ingredients
6 c. chicken broth
1" piece fresh ginger
2-3 stalks lemongrass
small red hot pepper, seeds and veins removed, finely chopped (divided)
2-4 cloves coarsely chopped garlic
2 14-oz cans coconut milk (Trader Joe's has the best kind)
5 raw chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp. sugar
salt to taste
chopped chives & cilantro

Method
1. Boil broth, ginger, lemongrass, some of the hot pepper and garlic for 20 minutes. Strain out solids.

2. Stir in coconut milk. Bring to a boil again; add raw chicken and remaining hot pepper. Boil for 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add sugar and salt; adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle chives and cilantro on top just before serving.

Ricotta Recipe

I suppose I'm a cheesemonger now. OK I just wanted to say that word. But really, I have been making cheese in my kitchen. Does that sound amazing to you, or gross, or somewhere in between?

I love it. I've been using this recipe and it works great! I'm going to use the ricotta I made in a casserole for Sunday's potluck lunch. I'm not going to tell anyone until after they eat it. Do you think that's mean? I think I'm going to put it in Baked Ziti with Sausage. Hopefully no one will die.

When you make the ricotta, after the curds separate out you are left with all this whey. I know what you are going to say Dad. "No Whey!" ha ha, very funny. But seriously, what are you supposed to do - just throw all this lovely byproduct of your cheesemongering down the sink? So I tried an experiment of substituting the whey in place of water that I usually use when making Grandma Dingler's bread. It's really good! I was hoping it would taste more like sourdough, but it doesn't. It just has more of a depth to the flavor, if that makes any sense. Notes of oak and blackberry and all that, blah blah.

I just revamped...

this recipe and it is oh-so-tasty.

Highly recommended if you're in the mood for something Greek-flavored, cheesy, or just downright comforting.