Snow Peas And Chicken Green Curry

This is a perfect recipe for those of us who are trying to cut back and get in shape for the summer!

Made throughout Southeast Asia, curry paste usually includes fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, garlic, onions, green or red chilies, and cilantro. Green curry paste, called for in this recipe, is available at Asian markets and well-stocked grocery stores.

Serves 4


Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil

1 tsp. Thai green curry paste

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast,

thickly sliced crosswise

1/2 tsp. Asian fish sauce

1 cup light coconut milk

3 Tbs. low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 long green chili, seeded and minced

1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed

1/2 lb. button mushrooms, thinly sliced

Steamed rice for serving

Directions:

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for about 45 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry until opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the fish sauce and a little coconut milk and stir to scrape up the browned bits. Add the remaining coconut milk, the broth and chili and cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced to 2/3 cup, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the snow peas and mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Serve the curry hot over steamed rice.


Adapted from New Healthy Kitchen Series, Main Dishes, by Georgeanne Brennan (Simon & Schuster, 2006).
© 2012 Williams-Sonoma Inc. All Rights Reserved

Baked Halibut With Fingerling Potatoes, Corn And Herb Pesto

Fresh Halibut is in season and you can pick some up this week at Costco.  While you are there, you might also want to pick up a bottle of their Soy Ginger Marinade which is terrific on everything from fish to vegetables.

This recipe is adapted from one I saw a few years back on CBS News with Chef Lynn Crawford of the Four Seasons.


Serves 4

Soy ginger marinade

4 piece 6 oz. Halibut filets

4 tablespoons Olive oil

1 tablespoon Butter

2 piece Shallot, finely diced

 1 cup Mexicali canned corn

 1 cup Fingerling potatoes, cooked and sliced into ½ coins

Directions

Marinade the halibut in a soy ginger marinade, for a couple of hours, which you can buy or make from scratch. Discard the marinade and pat dry the fillets with paper towels.

To cook the halibut, place a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Season the halibut with salt and pepper. Add the halibut to pan and sear on one side until golden brown. Place the skillet in a preheated 350 degree  oven and finish cooking  for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven, place on top of the stove, flip and "kiss" the other side. (This is the way Thomas Keller describes this procedure!)

To cook vegetables, in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat add 2 tablespoon of olive oil and butter. Add the diced shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes,  then add the corn, and the cooked potatoes. Toss together, season with salt and pepper.

To serve divide the potatoes and vegetable onto plates. Top with halibut and drizzle the herb pesto.


Herb Pesto*

¼ cup Dill, chopped

¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped

¼ cup Mint, chopped

2 piece Garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

8 piece Anchovy filets

3 tablespoon Capers

¼ cup Olive oil

2 tablespoons Lemon juice

If you don't have all the ingredients, just use the mint, parsley, lemon, worcestershire sauce, olive oil mustard, garlic and salt and pepper and still come out with a fantastic dish!.