A Curried Winter Night!

I love curries, but it is a lot of work. We decided this year, on Christmas, to all cook together. In years past, I have been the one to cook, and perhaps I am getting a bit tired, but I was not crazy about cooking a whole curry dinner by myself. I was surprised when everyone loved the idea of cooking together. We had our dear friends Nancy and Peter and their daughter Emily home for the holidays and our two sons. I created the recipes and the menu.  Nancy and I divided up the shopping list.

I gift you this menu and recipes.  It was so easy for the 7 of us to all jump in with so little prep, and really all I did was supervise!

We assigned everyone a task with a copy of the recipe. The day before, Emily and Nancy came over and we made the crème brûlée, the curry base and the stocks. We also prepped some of the vegetables. It took the three of us two hours tops with loads of leisure time!

When everyone arrived on Christmas day, we spent 1.5 hours together in the kitchen, each with our own assignments.

I made the curry sauce the day before and seared the meat on Christmas.  There was little for me to do except make sure everyone had their ingredients and help when needed.

It was a great success. It was delicious. Oren oversaw the fireplace crème brûlée.  There was an iron in his stocking and he was proud to put it to work!

Here I share with you our menu, our recipes, and also our shopping list. This would make a perfect winter dinner. We were 7 for dinner and we had plenty of leftovers. This would generously serve 8-10, although I would probably add a few more oysters.  We served a dry rosé with dinner, but if I had a good Gewürztraminer, I would have served that as well.

Our Menu:  A Curried Winter Night!

Oysters with Spinach and SpicesCabbage, Carrot, Radicchio Salad with Pomegranate & Curried NutsCoconut Curry Shrimp SoupSweet Potato and Spinach FrittersPork CurryRed Lentil DalBrussels Sprouts with Turmeric and Black Mustard SeedsFragrant RiceFireplace Cardamom Crème Brûlée

 OYSTERS WITH SPINACH AND SPICES1/4 cup butter½ onion minced1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric1 teaspoon ground coriander½ teaspoon salt, or to taste15 ounces fresh chopped spinach24 oysters freshly shucked and on the half shellSauté onion with butter until soft and add spices. Cook for 3 more minutes, Add spinach until just wilted and mix well. Place a teaspoon on each shucked oysters on the half shell and roast in 375° oven for 4 minutes.CABBAGE, CARROT, RADICCHIO SALAD WITH POMEGRANATES & CURRIED NUTSThis is a perfect winter dish!Serves 5-63 medium carrots, shaved or shredded1 medium fennel, trimmed and shredded 3mm thick5 tbsp lemon juice½ savoy cabbage, shredded very thin2 large radicchio, shredded very thin1 red or orange pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced1 hot pepper thinly sliced1 cup yogurt½ cup mayonnaise2 tsp Dijon mustard2 tsp honey2 tbsp olive oil½ cup parsley, chopped¼ cup dill, chopped1/8 cup tarragon, choppedFor the spiced cashews:1 cup cashew or pecans nuts, roughly chopped1 egg white whisked until frothy1 tsp ground turmeric1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp curry powder1 tbsp sugar1 tsp saltSeeds of one pomegranateHeat the oven to 350°In a large bowl, mix the carrots, fennel and two tablespoons of the lemon juice. Add the cabbage, radicchio, pepper and mix well.For the dressing: whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, remaining lemon juice, mustard, honey, olive oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and an eighth of a teaspoon of white pepper. Pour this over the vegetables and mix well. Add the herbs and spiced nuts, stir to combine.For the spiced nuts: mix the nuts and egg whites in a bowl. Add the turmeric, cumin, curry, sugar and the salt. Mix well so the spices cling to the nuts, place on a baking tray and roast for 10-12 minutes, until golden and crunchy. Remove and set aside to cool.  Sprinkle the top of salad with pomegranate seeds and cooled nuts before serving.SWEET POTATO AND SPINACH FRITTERSMakes 24 small one-bite frittersDisclaimer: This recipe may come out differently dependent on method of cooking sweet potato/spinach, etc. I made these a couple of times — sometimes more rice flour or peas may help to make the texture more cake-like. Be sure to taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. The first time I made these, they were perfect. When I made them again, the fritters needed a bit more stiffness, so I added rice flour (you can grind rice in your coffee grinder to make rice four).  I had to add rice flour to give the fritters a bit more substance. I made them a third time and added both peas and rice flour, so use your best judgement.2/3 cup coconut oil split:  1/3 cup and 1/3 cup1 leeks, thickly sliced2 shallots, finely chopped1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp nigella seeds or onion seeds1 tsp ground coriander1/2 tsp ground cardamom1/4 tsp ground cinnamon1 large sized sweet potatoes - steamed and cooked1 tsp salt or to taste1 green chili (de-seeded and finely chopped)17 ounces spinach (leaves and fine stems), finely chopped (can substitute cooked, frozen and drained)2/3 cup fresh cilantro (leaves and fine stems), finely chopped2 whole eggLemon wedges for servingHeat the oven to 200°. Put 1⁄3 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the leeks and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, cardamom and cinnamon and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl and add the chili, spinach and cooked sweet potatoes and cilantro, and salt. Allow to cool.Beat the egg and fold it into the mixture.Put the remaining oil (1/3 cup) in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, form mixture into small patties and add to pan. Fry them until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a platter in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding more of the oil as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature, with lemon wedges or with a coconut curry sauce.COCONUT CURRY SHRIMP SOUPSERVES 8We used 20-25 wild shrimp in the shell. We removed the shells and reserved the shells the day before serving and made a shrimp broth with onions, mushroom stems, lemongrass stalks and fennel fronds. Finding a good fish sauce is key. We used Bliss.1 tablespoon coconut oil2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger1 stalk lemongrass, minced1 tablespoon red curry paste4 cups chicken or shrimp broth3 tablespoons fish sauce1 tablespoon light brown sugar2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut cream – you can use coconut milk1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined2 tablespoons fresh lime juicesalt to taste1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantroHeat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute. Slowly pour the broth over the mixture, stirring continually. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp; cook until no longer translucent about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice; season with salt; garnish with cilantroPORK CURRY4 tablespoons coconut oiltwo onions, finely choppedtwo apples cut into small pieces4 garlic cloves, finely chopped2” ginger2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon chili powder2 teaspoons ground coriander2 teaspoons ground cumin1/2 teaspoon turmeric2 teaspoons curry powder4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped1/2 cup stock or water1 can coconut cream1 green chili, seeded and sliced4 lb lean pork, cut into 1-inch cubes1 teaspoon paprika1 teaspoon each salt & pepperHeat a pot and melt the oil.  Sauté the onions, apple and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the ginger and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, chili powder, coriander, cumin and turmeric, stir and cook for 2 minutes.Add the chopped tomato with the water, mix well, add the chopped chili and coconut cream.Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and curry powder. Heat a hot skillet with coconut oil and sear the meat until just browned. Pour the curry sauce over the meat and reduce the heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.This may be made a day or two ahead of time and reheated.RED LENTIL DAL1.5 lb split red lentils2 medium onions, finely chopped3 ounces butter6 cloves garlic, minced2 medium carrots, peeled and very finely chopped1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds1 tablespoon ground turmeric20 ounces chicken broth1 14 ounce can coconut milk4 thin slices fresh ginger, unpeeled and minced1 pounds tomatoes, peeled and roughly choppedjuice of 1 large lime2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantroIn a deep skillet, fry onions in butter until pale golden. Add half the garlic, the carrot and the whole spices and cook gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the lentils and 10 fluid oz. water or chicken broth, coconut milk, ginger, tomatoes, a heaped teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Simmer and cook gently uncovered for 40-50 minutes until lentils are tender and all but dissolved into the liquid. You may need to add more water during this time to stop the mixture from drying out. Remove from heat. Melt remaining butter in a small pan and when it starts to froth, add rest of garlic, stir vigorously until it colors slightly. Immediately add into lentils, constantly stirring, add the lime juice and cilantro. Cover and leave to mellow for 10 minutes before serving.ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH SPICES2 lbs Brussels sprouts trimmed and cut in half3 tablespoons coconut oil2 shallots minced2 teaspoon curry powder1 teaspoon nigella seeds1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds1 teaspoon sea saltPreheat oven to 350°.Melt the coconut oil in a large cast iron skillet. Add shallots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the spices and mix well. Add Brussels sprouts and coat with oil and spices and turn the skillet on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly .Remove from stove top and place in preheated oven and cook for 30-40 minutes until just brown and cooked through. Serve warm.FRAGRANT RICEWe used coconut milk, water, 2 cloves cardamom, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 2 bay leaves and 2.5 liquid to 1 rice ratio and simmered in a covered pot until cooked through - about 40 minutes.CARDAMOM Crème BrûléeCan be made several days prior to serving.Makes 9 servings10 large egg yolks, beaten1 cup granulated sugar1 cup heavy cream1 cup coconut cream1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom1 cup light brown sugarPreheat oven to 325°.In a large heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.Place the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Warm just until little bubbles form around the edge. Remove from the heat and, whisking constantly, pour into the egg and sugar mixture. Add the cardamom and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is well combined.Pour the mixture through a very fine sieve into 6 crème brûlée dishes, filling them only half full. Place the dishes into a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them without crowding. Place the dish on the middle rack of oven. Working quickly to preserve the heat, finish filling the dishes with the custard mixture, making sure that it comes right to the top of each dish. Then carefully fill the baking dish with very hot tap water so it comes halfway up the sides of the filled dishes. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the custard is set in the center.Remove the custards to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to use.We used a round iron heated in the fireplace, but I suspect that most folks do not have an iron.  I will add that this makes for a fun experience, so you may want to splurge!  Otherwise, use your broiler:  When ready to serve, preheat the broiler.Generously sprinkle the top of each chilled custard with a tablespoon of brown sugar, taking care to cover all of the custard, so that it gives an even finish. Heat the irons in the fireplace and sear the tops of the crème brûlée or place in the broiler and allow to brown.What fun!OUR SHOPPING LIST:24 Oysters1 pound (or about 4 shrimp per person) Wild Shrimp to peeled and deveined (make stock)2 lbs Brussels sprouts2 large Sweet Potatoes5 cans coconut cream1 jar coconut oil6-7” fresh ginger2 garlic bulbs3 shallots2 stalks lemongrassRed curry paste4 cups chicken broth plus shrimp stock3 tablespoons fish sauce (We love Bliss)light brown sugar5 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut cream or milk1/2 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced1.5 lb split red lentils6 medium onionsbutter6 medium carrots2 radicchio headsSavoy cabbage (we also had a little bit of red cabbage that we through in the salad)Tomatoes (we used frozen 3 lbs) or fresh or cans3 lbs spinach (left over we put in our cabbage salad)dilltarragonparsleycilantro2 pomegranates12 eggsheavy cream2 peppers hot and sweet4 lbs local porkwhole cumin seedswhole mustard seedsground turmeric (we used fresh)3 cups Rice blend (we used brown, and wild)