Thai Mussels in Coconut Broth

 

Harmony is the guiding principle behind this dish. Influenced by Thai cuisine,  this mussels recipe is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something that is uniquely delicious. In  less than 30 minutes, you can have a seafood feast that is just as good, if not better, than any sophisticated  five- star restaurant.

Enjoy!

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup green beans, ends trimmed, sliced thin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup red bell peppers,thinly sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled grated
1 stalk of lemongrass, crushed
1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon curry powder
One 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 Tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)
1 cup chicken stock
3 pounds Pei mussels, scrubbed, beard removed
Zest and Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil, potatoes, green beans, peppers, garlic, ginger,lemongrass, red pepper flakes and curry powder. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender but still have a bite, about 10 more minutes. Add the mussels, lime zest and juice, and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook over high heat until all the mussels open.

Remove from heat and discard any mussels that did not open Remove and discard the lemon grass. Season with salt and pepper. Add the basil and scallions and stir to combine.Serve from Dutch oven into individual bowls, and garnish with cilantro.

TODAY.com Parenting Team FC Contributor

 

 

Limoncello Fish and Chips

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Adapted from a fabulous fish recipe  from British Chef Shaun Raking proves forever that homemade is always better. Chef Rankin uses lemonade in his batter, which may seem a bit odd at first but is actually an inspired choice as the bubbles give a beautiful lightness.
Given the seasonal products that I  can find at my  local supermarket, I am always willing to try new things. So, there was a carton of Limited Edition Limoncello Soda, sitting on the store shelf and  I decided to give it a try in this recipe, substituting for the lemonade found in Chef Rankin’s version. On it’s own, the Limoncello Soda was way too sweet for my taste, but it worked perfectly in the batter.

This dish is best served on a platter with plenty of tartar sauce for a summer get-together, or with your choice of sides for lunch.

Adapted from Chef Shaun Rankin
Great British Chefs, 2015

Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the Fish:
Canola oil, for deep frying
Eight 4-ounce cod fillets, skinned and cleaned
One 12-ounce bottle of Limoncello Soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
2 Tablespoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

For Serving:
1 lime, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
Tartar sauce
Waffles Fries

Directions:
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
Preheat the deep fat fryer to  365°F  (180°C) . Alternatively, fill a deep saucepan with the canola  oil to halfway and, using a cooking thermometer, heat to 365°F  (180°C).
Rinse fish, pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Limoncello Soda, flour, garlic powder, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper, baking soda and baking powder to make the batter. A thin batter is formed. Set aside.

Dip each fish piece in the batter until completely covered. You should be able to see the fish through the batter after it has been dipped.

Carefully lower the fish into the deep-fat fryer or saucepan and cook for 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Deep-frying should not make food excessively greasy. The trick is to keep the oil hot enough and not leave the food in it for too long.Remove the fish  from the fryer using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Lightly season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with the lime  and lemon wedges and some dollops of tartar sauce and seasoned waffle fries.

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