Crazy Good Chicken Curry

I love Thai and Indian curries and my husband's recipe is one of the best. I use the word "recipe" lightly because he cooks to taste and doesn't write anything down. When I make curry it takes me about two hours due to washing, chopping, slicing, simmering, and reducing. You can modify the curry spice, vegetables, and protein to your preference. We serve our curry with jasmine rice and fresh naan bread.

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil
Pepper, to taste
1 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 lb green beans, cut ends
2 yellow zucchini, sliced
2 chicken breast or thighs, cubed
3 tablespoons medium curry
2 tablespoons hot curry (we like it spicy!)
1 can coconut milk

Directions:
 In a large saute pan warm enough vegetable oil to coat surface. Cube chicken and cook in saute pan. Set aside in large mixing bowl. You will cook eat vegetable independently and add to the large mixing bowl. I like the order of onions, then zucchini, then green beans. Heat oil again in saute pan and fry the curry paste. This will release aromatics and make the house smell amazing! Next, slowly stir in the coconut milk. Simmer over low heat to reduce slightly. Then add back in your chicken and vegetables. Let all the ingredients simmer together until the curry flavor has evenly dispersed.

Criss-Cross Applesauce

I loved applesauce as a kid and had a craving for the rustic version this week. This recipe is from the James Beard American Cookery cookbook of 1972. I had no idea applesauce was so easy!

Ingredients:
6 to 8 cooking apples, 4 to 8 ounces each
1/2 to 3/4 cup water
Sugar to taste

Directions:
Peel, core, and cut apples into sixths. Place in a heavy saucepan and add a small amount of water - just enough to create necessary to soften the apples. Cover, and cook over medium heat till the apples are done. Then stir with a wooden spoon or spatula and add sugar to taste, along with whatever spice you like, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, or ginger. Apples vary so much in sugar content that it is folly to sweeten them before they are cooked.

Notes: My apples were sweet enough so no sugar was added. After apples cooked I pressed through a ricer.

Hatch Chile Festivals

The hatch chile is grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. During the month of August in Texas hatch chiles are everywhere, super cheap, and good! Whole Foods, Central Market and other grocery stores host Hatch Chile festivals and events.

The hatch chile is tasty roasted and peeled by itself or chopped up for salsa, enchiladas, tacos, macaroni and cheese, etc. We roasted a bunch of peppers for the freezer. Now we will have winter dishes with summer flavor! 

Directions: 

Over direct flame (grill, fire, or stove top) lay fresh chiles on grill. You can also broil hatch chiles. Turn chiles frequently to allow skin to blister and become evenly charred. Be careful not to overcook flesh though. You want the hatch chile under the skin to be cooked, but not mushy. When ready put all chiles into a paper bag and roll top down to steam. You can also use a bowl and a kitchen towel. Once cool, peel the skin off. Your hatch chiles are ready to enjoy immediately.

If you choose to freeze your hatch chiles let cool after roasting and leave the skin on. When you defrost for future use you will peel the skin at that time. This preserves the flavor. 

Fresh Pasta is Worth the Work & Wait

Fresh pasta is worth the work and the wait! My husband gave me a pasta machine for my birthday several months ago. We've made spaghetti and ravioli, improving our efficiency every time, but it still takes about two-three hours. This recipe is from the Pasta Bible published by Das Grosse Buch der Teiwaren, 1994.

Ingredients:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs (room temperature for best results)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water, if required

Directions:
Sift the flour onto the work surface in a mound and make a hollow in the middle. Break the eggs into the hollow. Add the olive oil and salt to the eggs. With a fork, first mix the ingredients in the hollow together and then start to mix the flour from the edge.

Gradually incorporate more of the flour until a viscous paste begins to form. Put the fork to one side and using both hands, heap the remaining flour from the outside over the paste in the middle. Work the flour into the paste. If the paste does not absorb all the flour, and if the ingredients cannot be easily worked, add a little water.

Work in the water with both thumbs, then press the dough into a ball and work the rest of the flour. Now the actual kneading begins. Push out the dough with the heels of the hands, then form it into a ball again. Repeat this kneading action until the dough has a firm but slightly elastic consistency and no longer changes shape when you remove your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest about 1 hour.

Notes:
After the dough rests roll out to desired thickness. At this point you can use a ravioli cuter or chefs knife to cut dough. You can also roll through a pasta machine as seen in my photo above. If you're in the market for a spaghetti rack to dry your pasta I found mine at Williams-Sonoma.