Red Ox Inn-Inspired Lime Posset with Coconut Chantilly Cream

My first fine dining experience when I moved to Edmonton almost ten years ago was at the Red Ox Inn. My parents were in town for a visit and my mom, the original foodie in the family, had been recommended the little ten table affair. I hadn't had any exposure to contemporary food in the city and was keen to dive in. That first meal was a goodie. Good enough to have me return a number of times in a few short years.  Eventually I got swept away by the burgeoning food scene invading Edmonton and nearly forgot about it. Nearly. One always finds their way back to the scene of the crime and I managed to do just that.

Ruedi and I had an early meal there a few weeks ago and realized we had waited too long. Ruedi indulged in a pork belly appetizer with a parsnip puree, while I ate a modern caesar salad with garlic aioli and brioche croutons. As beef lovers, we both chose sirloin as our main, but were provided a deliciously prepared rib eye instead, cooked medium at the recommendation of the chef, which ensured the marbling didn't render the meat too chewy. But the celebrity of the evening was a delicate lime posset which we shared, served with a coconut chantilly cream and a dusting of pistachios.

Posset is an egg-free custard and likely the easiest dessert you will ever make. It's light, generally perfect and was paired at Red Ox with what I believe was a coconut flavored (extract? ground? milk?) whipping cream. I tried making my own version at home and was mighty pleased with the results. This is a nice, light treat following any meal, particularly a heavy dish.

Serves 4

Adapted from:http://www.epicurious.com

Ingredients

Posset

• 500 ml whipping cream
• 50 ml fresh lime juice (keep the skin for zest)
• 2/3 cup berry sugar

Coconut Chantilly Cream 

• 250 ml whipping cream
• 2 T icing sugar (approximate-add by the teaspoon to suit your tastes)
• 2 T coconut milk (the thick white goop at the top of the tin)
• Pistachios
• Lime zest

Method

To make the posset, heat the whipping cream on medium heat and add the sugar, whisking until dissolved. Bring to a boil and then simmer for three minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the lime juice, stirring vigorously. Transfer the cream mixture into about 4 individual serving dishes. Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

In a bowl combine the 250ml of whipping cream, coconut milk and icing sugar.  With an electric beater or standing mixer, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks. Spoon heapfuls of the cream on top of the posset dishes and top with a few pistachios and lime zest.

Roasted Curried Eggplant

It took me eons to get into cooking with eggplant for the simple reason that I didn't know why I should.  I have no recollection of eating it as a kid and wasn't sure what a good eggplant should look or taste like.

I now eat eggplant semi-regularly and like the slightly sweet flesh and gooey texture in combination with other ingredients. It's also full of good nutrients like antioxidants and fibre. Think cancer fighting, poop annihilating material!

If you are unfamiliar with eggplants and looking to buy some, choose small ones as they tend to be younger than their larger counterparts and their youth translates to sweeter flesh and less/no bitterness. The leaves should be green and the skin, a uniform color with no damage to it's surface. Go ahead and give your eggplant a good poke. The flesh should spring back when pressure is released. These rules apply to many a vegetable. In conventional supermarkets, I don't often come across a worthy eggplant, but I've had better luck at H&W or markets.

From: http://bojongourmet.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 4 large eggplants
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 T coconut oil/ghee
• 2 small onions, diced
• 2 dried chiles
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2 T coriander seeds
• 1 t peppercorns
• 8 cardamom pods
• 1 T turmeric
• 5 tomatoes, diced
• 1, 400ml can of coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• salt to taste

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• cilantro to serve
• Greek yoghurt to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the eggplant in one inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil overtop of the eggplant and sprinkle a little salt overtop. Roast for 10 minutes, remove from oven, flip the pieces and roast for another five minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat the coconut oil until melted. Add the onions and crumble in the chiles. Saute on medium heat for ten minutes. While the onions are cooking, peel the cardamom pods, removing the black seeds and blend the seeds with the coriander and peppercorns in a grinder or food processor. Add the spice blend, the turmeric, ginger and garlic and combine well with the onions, allowing the spices to heat.  Add tomatoes, eggplant, coconut milk and water and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

For the rice, rinse until the water runs clear. Simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with yoghurt and cilantro.

Buckwheat & Coconut Muffins

Count 'em down, folks! We're seven weeks away from the most body-punishing event of the year: Christmas. I'm already hyped up on Halloween candy and pumpkin pie. Now comes the downward spiral of unwinding..or unraveling with cinnamon rolls, chocolates, christmas cookies, eggnog and liquor.  By January 2nd, I'll feel like I've been hit by a sugar truck.

This muffin recipe is low in sugar and a candida diet favorite. Candida is a yeast that grows naturally in the intestine. Excess consumption of sugars and yeast can apparently spark its' overgrowth, which some natural medical practitioners link to a myriad of symptoms, from bladder and yeast infections to acne and fatigue. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, there isn't much scientific evidence to support this ailment which could either mean not much research has been done and/or the research wasn't conclusive. Whether candida overgrowth is a real condition or not, consuming less sugar and processed foods in one's diet is supported by both the science-based and alternative medicine fields and I'm heeding their advice.

I've been eating these with Greek yoghurt in the morning. Ruedi added sliced banana and dried cherries to his serving today. Also remember to buy the unsweetened versions of the ingredients below.  I know the coconut was available sweetened, as was the almond milk. If you want a little more sweetness to the muffin, I would double up on the stevia instead.  I vow to feel a little better this Christmas. Lord knows there will still be plenty of opportunities to overdo it. 

From: http://www.thecandidadiet.com

Makes about 15 muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup walnut pieces
• 2 T chia seeds
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1/4 cup of almond butter
• 1.5 t stevia
• 1 T alcohol free vanilla

Method

Preheat oven to  375 F.  Oil or butter a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.  Soak the buckwheat groats in water will a pinch of salt for 6-7 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Mix all dry ingredients except the stevia in a bowl. Mix all wet ingredients and the stevia in a bowl and whisk until frothy. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and spoon a third of a cup of the mix into each cup of the muffin pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are brown around the edge and firm to the touch.

Khow Suey: Burmese Noodle Soup

Check out my bowls for a minute. Yes, I said my bowls! BOWLS!! Home Sense, people! Get on it!

On to the subject of this post: Khow Suey.  Apparently Khow Suey is an egg noodle dish served with either curried chicken or beef, coconut milk and an assortment of condiments. This particular version is more of a soup with a number of colourful vegetables in it. While it has deviated somewhat from its roots, it looks and tastes like a hot damn.

Wait for it......

Another bowl shot! Those colourful vegetables sure compliment my lovely new bowls.

On the subject of colourful vegetables, my friend Scott started growing peppers on his patio this year. His interest in all things pepper-related got a little out of hand, as his patio and indoor plant growing operation could be a candidate for the next episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive. One night, we were rummaging through the fridge looking for a snack and wound up preparing a dish of cheese, crackers and sliced jalapeños. I tried not to be impressed, but the flavour combination was pretty terrific. Now I can't seem to get enough of the hot stuff in almost everything I prepare. I can't eat enough heat.

I wouldn't call this dish a hot number, but there is plenty of opportunity to heat things up. Garnishing each serving with jalapeños is a great way to use up the insane number of chili peppers I seem to have on hand. The coconut-curry combination helps combat the heat and just compliments the flavour altogether.

Whether heat is your thing or not, Khow Suey offers a wholesome chicken and vegetable soup with a ton of dimension. Frankly, nothing will make your new bowls 'pop' in photographs quite like it either.

Adapted from: http://www.spicechronicles.com

Ingredients

• 2 T vegetable oil,
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1T fresh ginger, minced 
• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 t dried coriander powder
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup pureed tomatoes
• 2 T tamari
• 750ml chicken broth
• 250ml coconut milk
• juice of one lime
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• rice noodles

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and spices, cooking until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and tamari and combine well. Pour in the broth and coconut milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice into the pan and pour in the chopped cilantro.

Boil 3 cups of water in a large pot. Add rice noodles and simmer for two minutes. Use a set of tongs to remove the noodles and place them in serving bowls. Ladle portions of the soup on top and add handfuls of cilantro and sliced jalapeños to garnish.

Making Tofu More than Tolerable: The Lemongrass Tofu Bowl

It is Monday and this recipe is meatless: how timely! If you're not on the tofu train for its' reputation as a heavily genetically modified product, that's fair. Beans, nuts, fish and/or meat can be inputed in lieu of tofu. I have some concerns about tofu, but not enough to nix soya products from my diet altogether. So, if this dish gives me a third nipple, it will almost be worth it due to its sheer deliciousness.

Honestly, I use tofu as a substitute for beans because nobody wants or needs to be exposed to that many farting fits at my office. I am also an impressionable eater and in an attempt to consume less meat for health factors as expressed by friends, family and the media, I experiment with vegetarian recipes. This is an example and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

From: http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 12-14 oz of firm tofu
• lemongrass paste (fresh was unavailable, but always best)
• 2 t sriracha or chile paste
• 1 T lime juice
• 2 t rice wine vinegar
• 1 T fresh grated ginger
• 1 T coconut oil
• 2 T broccoli florets
• 2 large carrots, julienned
• 1/2 cup chopped, green onions
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 2 T soya sauce
• 2 T sesame sauce
• 2 large avocados, sliced

Method

Cook brown rice according to package instructions. 

Cube the tofu into bite size pieces. Combine the lemongrass, chile paste, garlic, lime juice, vinegar and tofu into a bowl. Toss the tofu well and set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes. I marinated the tofu overnight. 

Warm the coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a pan over high heat. Pour in the tofu and marinade and cook until the edges have browned; about five minutes. Add the broccoli, carrots, remaining sesame oil, soya sauce and coconut milk, tossing well to coat with the oil mixture and allowing to cook for about 3 minutes. Spoon in the green onions and mix with the existing ingredients. Serve over rice and top with sesame seeds, avocado and cilantro. 

A Soup Affair

Thai sweet potato bisque

 On this do-nothing October weekend I have defied the odds and done something: cook! Soup is on the menu and it's going to be a doozy, due to the multitude of soup recipes I've found that I must try. Ruedi is sporting his baking hat and is all over the bread. One cannot experiment with soup without plenty of crusty bread.

First off is a Thai-inspired sweet potato bisque. For those of you who don't do spicy, omit the jalapeño. Heat or no heat, you'll still get a delicious soup. I opted to add sambal oelek in addition to the jalapeño because I'm on a heat kick. After tasting this soup I added minced basil to it. I felt it needed a bit more oomph and basil was the ticket.

Italian parsley soup with ricotta spaetzle

Following this, I experimented with an Italian parsley and ricotta spaetzle soup. Spaetzle is a German pasta or dumpling which is often served as a side dish. This time, it was added to a clean-tasting, but flavourful soup. The recipe calls for watercress leaves, but I had spinach on hand. Just make sure to trim your greens' stems well to avoid the stringy remains in your blended soup.


Thai Sweet Potato Bisque

From: http://jillyinspired.blogspot.ca

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1, 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 reduced salt bouillon cubes
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top of the soup
• 6 cups of water
• Canola or coconut oil for cooking
• 14 oz can of coconut milk (I chose light)
• Sea salt to taste
• Lime zest from half a lime
• 2 T, minced fresh basil
• To serve, wedges of lime, basil (thai if you have it), ground cinnamon and sea salt

Method

Place the red pepper face down on a foil-covered cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-15 minutes. The skin should be blackened at that point, but if not, keep broiling until blackened. Remove from cookie sheet and place in a bowl, covering to allow to steam for a few minutes longer. Once cooled, remove the skins, chop and set aside.

In a large pot, saute the onion and jalapeño in a little oil until the onion has softened. Add the potatoes, ginger, bouillon cubes and water to the pot. Cover and bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes have softened, about 10 minutes. Add a dash of cinnamon to the pot. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add the lime zest, basil and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with lime wedges and any combination of the seasonings mentioned in last bullet of the ingredients section. While this soup can be served immediately, it ages quite well. 

Italian Parsley Soup with Ricotta Spaetzle

From: http://www.playinwithmyfood.com

Serves 4-6

For the Soup

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 large red potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 bunch of watercress, washed with stems removed (I used spinach)
• 2 cups fresh italian parsley, washed with stems removed
• 1 t sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add onions, sautéing until softened, but not browned. Add the potato and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. If the mixture starts to stick, add a little stock to loosen the vegetables. Add the spinach, parsley, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Set aside while you make the spaetzle.

For the Spaetzle

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1/4 t ground all spice
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Sift the flour, salt and pepper in one bowl. In another, whisk in the remaining ingredients until blended. Add the flour in batches until completely combined. 

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Spoon some of the batter into a colander placed over the pot (I used a slotted spoon since I didn't have a colander with large enough holes). Push the batter through the colander. The batter will drop into the pot in chunks and once blanched, rise to the top of the pot. With a slotted spoon, scoop the spaetzle out of the pot and into the soup. Continue cooking the batter until all of it has been blanched. 

I ended up with more spaetzle than I knew what to do with, so I set some aside for other, yet to be determined uses. This soup can be eaten immediately. I topped mine with a bit of leftover parsley and served with some crusty parmesan french bread.

Blackened Salmon with Mango Salsa & Coconut Yam Mash

I'm very leery of open flames, unless my cooking tool is a stick and my food is in wiener form. Guaranteed this girl would lose her eyebrows if left in charge of the barbecue. Thankfully, I have a co-chef for recipes such as this. His challenge this evening was to get the salmon on one end of the fillet the same kind of delicate, grilled consistency as the other side. This is difficult when the ends vary in thickness.  The level of difficulty increases further when you add the fact that the salmon is sitting above an open flame. We usually wrap ours in foil for this reason and/or watch our fish like a hawk. Anyways, the co-chef conquered and this dish made the we should make this for guests-list. The yam mash doesn't sound very summery, but I happened to have leftover coconut milk and a yam and I found a recipe combining the two. The combination was heavenly, by the way. Coconut rice would rock this dish too. Don't have a recipe? Well, look at that: http://www.lefork.com. The internet delivers yet again.



From: http://www.againstallgrain.com

Serves 4

Blackened Salmon

• 750 g of filleted salmon (skin left on one side)
• 3 t melted butter
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 t paprika
• 3/4 t salt
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1/4 t cayenne
• 1/4 thyme

Mango Salsa

• 1 large mango, diced
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 T red onion, finely chopped
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 t sea salt

Method

Remove the salmon from the fridge to allow it time to reach room temperature. Heat the bbq to medium-high heat. Combine all the spices, garlic and melted butter and paint both sides of the salmon with the mixture. Place the salmon skin-side down on your top grill for 1-3 minutes, depending on the the thickness of the fillet. Carefully lift and flip on its' skin side and continue to grill for up to five minutes. Remove from the barbecue.

For the salsa, combine all your ingredients and toss lightly. Serve on top or with the salmon.

Coconut Yam Mash

From: http://eatwelllivefree.com

Serves 4

• 2 large yams
• 2 t butter
• 1/3 cup light coconut milk
• 1 t thyme

Method

Preheat the oven to 425F. Poke the yams with a fork and place in the oven until the interior is soft (mine took about 45 minutes). Remove from oven and peel off the skin while still hot. Place in a bowl with the butter and beat with an electric mixer. Add the coconut milk and thyme and blend until the consistency of the yams is smooth. 

The Black Rice Diaries

Here's what you should know about black rice: its hull contains more vitamin E, a known immune system booster, than brown rice and it has more anthocyanin antioxidants than blueberries. Does it sound like I know what I'm talking about? Well I don't, but someone at Health.com does (http://www.health.com).

The health benefits of black rice had nothing to do with my decision to experiment with it this week. I liked the look of it and found a bag of Thai glutinous black rice at Superstore. Chinese black rice is another type worth looking into. In fact, the black rice bowl may be better served with this type of rice.

Black Rice Bowl

Adapted from: http://kidcultivation.blogspot.ca

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups black rice (recipe calls for Chinese black rice, but I used the Thai version)
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 T sunflower oil, plus 2 T for cooking the chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 2 serrano chili peppers, diced
• 1 T fresh lime zest
• 3 T fresh lime juice
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1 T fish sauce
• kosher salt
• 1/2 cup fresh snap peas ( I didn't have them)
• 2 small, ripe avocados
• cilantro to garnish
• sambal oelek to garnish

Method

Note: The original recipe prepares this dish as a salad. I chose to turn it into somewhat of a rice bowl. If you want to prepare and serve it as a cold salad, let the rice cool for an hour or so before mixing it in with the dressing and other ingredients. Note the original recipe did not include chicken.

Combine 2  and 3/4 cups of water and the rice into a large pot. Bring the water to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover, cooking for about 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. 

To prepare the chicken, heat the 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a frying pan. Cut the breasts into bite size pieces and toss them in with the oil. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until all the pieces are well browned. Set the chicken aside. 

In another pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and add the onion, cooking for about 1 minute and then the chili peppers. Cook until the onions become translucent.

In a large bowl, combine the lime zest, juice, vinegar, fish sauce and salt in a bowl. Stir well and set aside.

Pour the rice and chicken into the bowl with the dressing, tossing well until all the dressing has coated the rice.  To serve, spoon the rice mixture into individual bowls and top with slices of avocado, cilantro and sambal oelek or whatever chili sauce you have on hand if heat is your thing. 

Coconut Black Rice Pudding

Makes 6 servings

From: http://www.thekitchn.com

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup black rice
• 3 T brown sugar
• 3 T shredded coconut
• 1/2 t salt

Method

In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer , uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Meanwhile, to toast the coconut, preheat the oven to 350F and spread the shredded coconut across a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

Once the rice is cooked, add the sugar and salt and simmer for a few more minutes until the rice reaches your desired texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required. Serve in individual bowls, topped with the coconut. I had a few almonds hanging around that looked like a good addition, so used them as a garnish as well.

This Week's Snack Stash

With the exception of my father's peanut butter and dill pickle sandwiches, our house was a nut free one while I was growing up. Both my sister and mother suffered from severe nut allergies, and avoided all contact and consumption of them. I didn't miss them. Seeds and other substitutes were used in dishes that called for nuts and my mother's love of great food made for great meals. As I learned to cook, my assimilation with the nut world grew gradually. Nuts were a cheaper protein and incredibly versatile. Today I throw them into virtually any type of dish. I can't help but wonder though, what would make a useful substitute when I am cooking with nuts. In the back of my head, I'm always attempting to adjust the recipe in the event I end up serving the dish to someone with allergies.


The next time I make these no-bake energy bites, I'll be using tahini instead of peanut butter. I can bet that the combination of honey with the crushed sesame seeds will make a terrific combination. I'll also be able to share these with my nut-sensitive hiking buddies, which I'm sure they'll get a kick out of. 

No-Bake Energy Bites

Adapted from: http://gimmesomeoven.com

Makes about 16 balls

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (I'm using the kind without sugar, so if you're thinking of using sweetened stuff...don't)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of wheat germ or ground flax
• 2 T honey
• 1 t vanilla

Method

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Throw the mixture into the fridge for at least a half hour, giving the mixture time to bind. Once chilled, form the mixture into balls the size of your choosing and refrigerate until ready to eat. These snacks should keep for a week.

Chicken with Coconut Lime Peanut Sauce

You'll be seeing other Thai-inspired meals shortly, but since I've now made this dish twice in the last month it was time to post it. Ruedi and I prepared this dish for extended family and their neighbours without any knowledge of food preferences. Luckily their weren't any allergies to consider, but we felt pretty confident they would love the meal. They did!


Adapted from: http://tastykitchen.com/


The Sauce:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1 T Thai red curry paste
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 T fish sauce
• 2 t toasted sesame oil
• 1 t honey
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch cinnamon

The Chicken:

• 1 t canola oil
• 1/2 cups diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 lbs chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup chopped asparagus

Garnishes: cilantro, toasted peanuts, green onion and/or toasted coconut flakes.

Sauce: In a medium bowl whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, curry paste, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, honey and spices to form a sauce. Taste and change anything if you want to. Set aside.

Chicken: Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until softened. Add chicken, cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally for even cooking. Stir sauce into the chicken. Partially cover and simmer for about 5 minutes to let the flavours combine. Add asparagus during the last few minutes of cook time.

Serve with garnishes mentioned above.

Thai Red Curry Chicken

Adapted From: Stern, B. Heart Smart 2006. p 238. Random House of Canada Limited. Canada.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 t vegetable oil
• 2 T red thai curry paste
• 1 large onion, thickly chopped
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cups green beans, cut in half
• 2 potatoes cut in 2-inch chunks
• 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut in chunks
• 2 jalapenos finely chopped (seed and chop only one if heat is a concern)
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 stalk lemongrass, cut in 2-inch pieces smashed (Use 1T lemongrass puree if you can't find the real thing. The puree is in the produce section of the grocery store)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 T Thai fish sauce
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 6 cups cooked white rice
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large, deep non-stick skillet or Dutch over on medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces for about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet.

Add curry paste and cook for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant. Add onion, carrots, garlic, potatoes, red pepper, green beens, jalapenos, mushrooms and lemongrass. Cook for about 1 minute. if vegetables begin to stick, add 1/4 cup of stock now.

Add stock and fish sauce to skillet. Bring to a boil. Add chicken pieces. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. 

Remove chicken and vegetables from skillet (discarding lemongrass if you used the real thing), cover and keep warm. Return skillet with stock to heat. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until 1-1 1/2 cups of stock remains. Add coconut milk and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until thickened.  Serve over warm rice.