Lamb Banana Curry

Recipe adapted from Joseph Wrede, The Palace Restaurant, Santa Fe, NM via Tasting Table

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

• INGREDIENTS
¼ cup sweet yellow curry powder
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger (about 1½-inch piece of ginger)
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
2½ pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 bananas, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 cup dry red wine
6 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Place a small skillet over medium heat and add the curry powder. Toast for 1½ minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the curry powder from the heat and set aside.

2. Place a large braising pan over high heat and add the olive oil, moving the pan around so the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and stir for 3 minutes, then lower the flame to medium and add the garlic and ginger, stirring until the garlic begins to brown, another 3 minutes. Add the lamb shoulder and the banana slices and stir to combine. Add the cumin, coriander and toasted curry powder and stir until the pan's contents are aromatic, about 4 minutes.

3. Increase the temperature under the braising pan to high heat; add the red wine and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, cover and remove from the stovetop. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes, until the lamb is tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot over the jasmine rice.

Low Fat Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya with Wild Rice

Ingredients

14oz andouille sausages, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes
6 oz tasso or smoked ham (such as Black Forest), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large onion chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 8-to 10-ounce red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 8-to 10-ounce green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
3 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs), cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 T paprika
1/2 T chopped thyme
1/2 T chili powder
1/4 teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
6-ounce can diced green chillis
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups wild rice (or long grain white for a quicker cook time)
4 green onions, chopped
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

Place andouille and tasso in non-stick 6quart stock pot. Sauté until meats start to brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Add onions, celery, and bell peppers. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Mix in chicken. Cook until outside of chicken turns white, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes. Mix in paprika, thyme, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Cook 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes, chiles and broth; stir to blend well. Add more cayenne, if desired. Mix in rice.

Bring jambalaya to boil. Cover pot. Simmer until rice is tender and liquids are absorbed, 1 hour and 40 minutes (45-50 minutes for long grain white rice). Remove from heat and Let sit ten minutes. Uncover pot. Mix chopped green onions into jambalaya; sprinkle jambalaya with chopped parsley and serve.

Yeild 10 servings

Nutritional information per serving (calculated with wild rice)
Calories 292
Fat 7g
Carbohydrates 25g
Protien 30g

This recipe adapter from epicurious iPad app. You can see the original here:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-and-Sausage-Jambalaya-364172?mbid=ipapp

Whole Wheat Foccacia

From dindintonight.wordpress.com

Recipe: 100% Whole Wheat Focaccia
(Adapted from Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads)
(Makes 13 x 9 inch focaccia)

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour (preferably fine grind)
1/2 + 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 + 1/8 tsp dry yeast
1 cup + 1 Tbsp water (room temperature)
3/4 tsp agave nectar
3/4 Tbsp olive oil

For Olive oil topping

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp sea salt

Method

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, yeast, water and agave nectar for about 2 mins.The dough will be sticky, but smooth. Add olive oil to the dough and mix for another 15 sec. Let the dough rest, uncovered for 5 mins and then mix again for 2 mins. If the dough is too wet, add a small amount of flour.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to grease the parchment paper including the side walls. Place the dough on the sheet pan. Rub the top of the dough with 1 tsp of olive oil. Flatten the dough using the palms of your hands. The dough might not cover the entire pan. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.

The next day remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit out for 4 hours. While the dough is resting, pour 1/4 cup of olive oil in a pan. Add all the dried herbs mentioned in the ingredients. Heat the oil for 3 mins. Let the oil sit at room temperature.

Remove the plastic wrap covering the dough and drizzle 1 tsp of olive over it. Using your fingertips, starting in the middle, press the dough so as to fill out the pan. The pressed dough may still not fill the pan. Loosely cover the pan and let it sit for 20 mins. Repeat this procedure again. The third time, pour the herbed oil and using your fingertips again press the dough. You will see air pockets as you press. This time the dough should fill most of the pan. Cover the pan and let the dough sit for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven at 500 degrees F. Add sea salt on top of the dough and place it in the oven. Reduce the oven temperatutre to 450 degrees F and bake for 15 mins. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and let it bake for another 11 mins.

Remove it from the oven and let focaccia cool on a wire rack. After 10 mins. slice it and serve with some olive oil.

EGGPLANT ROLLUPS

These are amazing! Lactose free variation is in parentheses.

Taken from: Claro's Italian Market

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants

1/3 cup grated romano cheese (Pecorino Romano)

1/3 cup shredded fontina cheese (Manchego)

1 egg

1 cup ricotta cheese (Goat cheese)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

olive oil

white pepper, to taste

fresh sweet basil

2 ounces pinole nuts

1-28ounce can chopped tomatoes

 

Slice the eggplant into about 1/8th inch slices.  Dip the slices quickly into olive oil and place on a baking sheet.  Pop into a preheated 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and slightly golden.

Meanwhile, place the ricotta cheese, egg, pinole and romano cheese in a mixer and whip until creamy.  Stir in the fontina cheese, parsley and white pepper.  Spoon filling into a small plastic bag and tie the top.  Cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners and gently squeeze a little of the filling into the center of each eggplant slice .  

Roll the filled eggplant slice slightly and place it, seam down, onto an ovenproof baking dish.  Cover with some chopped tomatoes and top with a little more romano cheese.  Place uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until they are hot and bubbly.  

Garnish with fresh sweet basil and serve.  

Makes about 30 rollups.

Cranberry Pumpkin Upside-Down Cake

The best thanksgiving dessert EVER!

I made this the first time it appeared in sunset magazine and have made it every year, several times a year since. Absolutely delicious! I have put my lactose free adaptations in parentheses next to the actual ingredient...

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, plus more for pans (margarine)
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon dark or light rum
1 1/3 cups cranberries (see Notes) use fresh!
2/3 cup toasted coarsely chopped walnuts (see Notes)
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Lightly sweetened softly whipped cream (not even necessary but you can use cool whip to be lactose free)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-in. square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar until blended. Remove from heat and whisk in rum. Pour mixture into prepared pan, evenly covering the bottom.
3. In a small bowl, combine cranberries and walnuts; arrange evenly over brown sugar mixture.
4. In a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, pumpkin, oil, and granulated sugar until smooth. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Spread batter evenly over cranberries and walnuts.
5. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes in pan. Run a thin-bladed knife between cake and sides of pan, then invert cake onto a serving platter. Remove pan and parchment, and let cool at least 20 minutes. Serve slightly warm or cool, with whipped cream.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.


Adapted from Sunset Magazine
NOVEMBER 2007

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 423
Calories from fat: 43%
Protein: 5.2g
Fat: 20g
Saturated fat: 4.9g
Carbohydrate: 56g
Fiber: 2.1g
Sodium: 225mg
Cholesterol: 62mg