Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Pasta Recipes: Italian Food: Italian Food Recipes: Gluten Free Vegetarian Pasta Dish



This is a gluten free and vegetarian pasta dish that anyone can eat and enjoy especially if you are gluten free or vegetarian. The products in this dish are so good that even someone who is not vegetarian nor vegetarian will not know. I hope you make this dish. The recipe can be found below. Enjoy!

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Pasta With Artichoke hearts sausage and gorgonzola cheese

12-16 oz. oil-marinated artichoke hearts or frozen artichoke hearts.
1 Lb Vegetarian soy protein Italian sausages.
8oz of Gorgonzola cheese or your choice of Italian cheese.
2--4 tablespoons olive oil
1 Slivered brown onion.
4-6 tablespoons minced garlic
2 28-oz. cans plum tomatoes, crushed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste
1-2 Tbsp. Lemon juice(Optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar to balance the acids in the tomato sauce and lemon juice if the lemon juice is used.
16 oz package of gluten free pasta of choice. I am using brown rice and quinoa pasta.

Drain artichokes and cut them in half lengthwise if using marinated.
Or if using frozen just defrost them.
Cut vegetarian Italian sausage into 1/4- 1/2 inch sized pieces. Heat 2 tablespoon Olive Oil over medium high heat and add sausage cook until brown on all sides then remove and set aside.
Add onions, mushrooms and cook until onion is softened and starting to caramelize.    
Add the garlic during the last two minutes.
Stir in the crushed plum tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, rosemary, sugar and red pepper flakes. (Rub the herbs quickly between you hands to release their oils, before adding)
Simmer medium high 10-15 minutes then add 2nd can of sauce.
Simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes adding some chicken stock if needed to keep the sauce running.
Add 1-2 Tsp. sugar if desired to balance acid in the sauce
Add the artichoke hearts and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add salt and pepper if needed. Adjust sweetness, if needed.
Now let sauce simmer on low as you cook your gluten free pasta according to instructions.
Once the pasta is done it is your choice as to how you want to serve this dish. You can plate the pasta on a large charger and pour the sauce on top and serve family style or plate pasta individually and sauce over the top as necessary and serve. Top with gorgonzola or your choice of Italian cheese.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Thai Recipes: Thai Red Curry Paste: Panang Curry Paste: How To Make Thai Red Curry Paste



I have been making a lot of curry recipes lately that I was contacted by some viewers in Malaysia and Thailand asking me to make the curry paste that is used in curry recipes instead of using the "bagged" stuff. So this week here is my take on Panang Red Curry Paste. The recipe can be found below.

The Knives I Use In My Kitchen
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How to Make Panang Curry Paste (Nam Prik Kaeng Phanaeng)

15-20 Dried Chilies use all large or all small dried chilies or combo of each depending on your spice level.
1 tsp coarse sea salt.
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds toasted.
1.5 tsp toasted coriander seeds.
1/2-1 Tsp black/white peppercorns depending on your spicyness level
1-2 Cardamon pods toasted unitl browned.
3 Tbsp chopped lemongrass
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
2-4 Whole curry leaves they are very strong.
4-5 Kaffir lime Leaves or Lime peel can be substituted.
1 tsp cilantro/coriander root or cilatro stems and leaves at 2 Tbsp.
4 Tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped shallots or purple onion
1-2 tsp shrimp paste the hard stuff from the brick. Blacken shrimp paste.
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp toasted candlenuts ground
1-2 Tsp. sugar depending on how much sweet  you want if at all.
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. nutmeg is optional.
Optional: Paprika to add more red color if desired.
Just enough water to keep it all moving in the blender/processor

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process well to create a fragrant Thai red curry paste.
If too thick, add a little bit or water at a time to keep the mixture moving or you could add some coconut milk to help blend ingredients but then the paste will not last as long in the fridge as the coconut milk will turn before the other ingredients go bad.
Note that it will taste very strong at this point. The curry paste will mellow out when you add coconut milk and other ingredients to make a curry recipe.

This paste would be excellent on the BBQ on meat. This paste can make a killer grilled cheese or Quesadilla. The uses for this paste are just about unlimited! Enjoy!