Category Archives: Main Courses

Malaysian Rendang Curry with Tofu

Posted in Main Courses, Pasta & Rice Dishes, Vegetables by

This is a great curry dish similar to delicious takeout versions, with a curry paste made from scratch. Making this was also the first time I ever got the tofu right in a dish I cooked at home.

The recipe comes from a booklet I picked up at a supermarket in London (I’m pretty sure it was the John Lewis Food Hall on Oxford Street, where I shopped nearly every other day on the way home from work!). It was printed by a tofu company, and looking now on their website, I see they have lots of other good-looking recipes there. No doubt I’ll be trying those very soon, especially now that I know how to cook tofu.

Serves 4

300g (10.5 oz.) firm tofu
3 Tbsp. dessicated coconut
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, peeled and sliced (or substitute 1 inch of lemongrass paste from a tube)
1 Tbsp. chili flakes
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 can coconut milk
125 ml (1/2 cup) water
1 tsp. tamarind pulp, dissolved in 1 Tbsp. water (pulp available at Asian supermarkets)
1 Tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 Tbsp. cilantro (fresh coriander), roughly chopped, plus extra for garnish

First, prepare the tofu. Rinse the block and wrap in a dishtowel, then place it on a plate with a cutting board on top. Put something heavy like a big cookbook on top to press out the water.

After about 10 minutes or so, unwrap the tofu and cut it into cubes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat and fry the tofu pieces, turning often, until browned. Set aside.

Separately, heat a small, dry frying pan and add the coconut. Toast until lightly golden.

In a bowl, blend together the coconut, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, chili flakes, ginger, turmeric, salt, and sugar.

Heat a small amount of oil in a large pot or deep frying pan. Add the paste and stir for a few minutes until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, water, tamarind water, and five-spice powder, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and stir for another five minutes, then add the tofu and red pepper. Continue to cook gently for another 10 minutes, then stir in the cilantro.

Serve atop steamed rice (jasmine or even basmati). Garnish with cilantro.

Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Sauce

Posted in Poultry by

A gourmet-tasting recipe that’s easy to make, great for a weekday night or as an easy way to impress guests. It’s another old one from my cookbook that I’ve never made — I clipped it from the newspaper more than eight years ago. It originally called for turkey cutlets, but I made mine with chicken and served stuffing alongside it to soak up the sauce.

Serves 4 (or 3 hungry people)

16-20 oz. turkey cutlets, or chicken breast cut into wide strips
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium lemons
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch (cornflour)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley (I used dried parsley to save time)

Pound cutlets between plastic wrap/cling film to 1/4-inch thickness. Rub them with salt and pepper.

In a large nonstick pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot, then add the cutlets. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden. Transfer to platter and keep warm.

Thinly slice one lemon and place slices in a bowl. From the other lemon, grate 1/2 tsp. zest and squeeze two tablespoons juice, then add both to the bowl. Whisk the cornstarch in the broth, then add to the bowl along with the garlic.

Pour the bowl into the same pan the chicken was cooked in and boil for about 2 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the parsley.

To serve, lay chicken on a plate and pour the sauce on top, making sure to put some lemon slices on each plate as a garnish.

Freezing Chicken Breasts

Posted in Cooking Tips, Poultry by

I just read about a great way to freeze chicken breasts that makes it easier to defrost only the portion you want, rather than the whole pack. The idea is similar to freezing ice cubes in a tray, where you freeze them separately and then take out only the ones you want later. Thanks to The Arnette Table for the idea!

Here it is.

Swiss Chard & Sausage Lasagna

Posted in Casseroles & Savory Pies, Main Courses, Pasta & Rice Dishes by

This lasagna is simply amazing. It tastes as special as the name implies, with a few small ingredients making the difference to the overall flavor. It is also straightforward to make — if you plan well. (More on that below!)

The recipe had been sitting loose in my binder since I ripped it from a magazine a couple of years ago. I plugged away at it quite happily until I realized it was from Martha Stewart Living. I never have luck with her recipes, and I was sure it would be a disaster, now that I noticed it was hers. But I was so far down the road at that point that I had to finish, and I’m happy to say it is now my first Martha Stewart recipe success.

One note about the cheese: It calls for fontina, which I couldn’t find when shopping, and I was at a loss to think of a substitute. (There probably isn’t one.) It sounds terrible, but I ended up using sliced white American cheese because I unapologetically like it and thought it would melt well. It was fine. I would use fontina if I can find it in the future, but I wouldn’t be ashamed to use white American again.

Use a 13×9-inch pan.

For the filling:
14 oz. lasagna
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and meat crumbled into pieces (in a pinch, I used bratwurst sprinkled with oregano)
3 lbs. Swiss chard, stems removed and leaves cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
3 shallots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest (crucial!)
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

For the bechamel:
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 onion, diced fine
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (crucial!)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 1/2 cups milk
8 oz. fontina cheese, grated

With a baby around, I had to make this in distinct stages, which may also be useful for people without a lot of time on their hands in general. Here are the steps I used:

1. Get everything prepared: Take the sausage from its casings and crumble it into a bowl. Wash and drain the Swiss chard, trim and cut it, then put it in a bowl. Cut the shallots and garlic and put them into another bowl. Grate the lemon zest, then put it into a small bowl with the salt and pepper. Cut the onion for the bechamel sauce and save it separately.

2. Cook the noodles: Put the lasagna noodles into a large pot of boiling water for nine minutes. Remove the noodles immediately so they don’t stick to each other, and set them aside. (If it will be more than a few hours until you use them, put olive oil in your hands and stack the cooked noodles so a little bit of oil gets smeared on each one, then refrigerate.)

3. Cook the fillings: Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Fry the sausage until browned, then transfer onto a paper-towel-lined plate. Reduce heat to medium and add the shallots and garlic to the drippings in the pan. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes, then add the chard. Cook, stirring frequently, until it just starts to wilt, then add the lemon zest with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the chard wilts completely. Stir in lemon juice, then drain in a colander.

4. Bechamel: Once you cook this, you must immediately proceed to step 5 and bake the dish, otherwise the sauce will be ruined. So melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are slightly translucent. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute. Whisk in the milk a little at a time, until incorporated. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

5. Layer the ingredients in the pan: Put a small amount of bechamel in the bottom of the baking pan, tilting the pan around until the bottom surface is covered. Put down a layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half of the chard mixture evenly on top, then half of the sausage mixture, and half of the remaining bechamel. Lay down more noodles, then top with the rest of the chard, sausage, and almost all of the bechamel. Lay down the rest of the noodles, pour the rest of the bechamel on top, then cover with cheese.

Bake until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling, 30-45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Nacho Casserole

Posted in Casseroles & Savory Pies, Poultry by

This is a recipe I’ve had in my cookbook since sometime before 1997. Its previous title never inspired me, but tonight I decided finally to make it, to see whether I’d keep it or rip it out. The result: I’m keeping it.

I have renamed it Nacho Casserole because it really is that good — though it’s much healthier than that name implies. It takes about half an hour to make and half an hour to bake.

Serves 6

1 11-oz. package corn tortillas
1 Tbsp. margarine
3 Tbsp. flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of ground pepper
1 10-oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes with chiles
1 lb. ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Place tortillas on baking sheets in a single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they’re crispy. Let cool, then break them apart and reserve. Leave the oven on.

Melt the margarine in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for a minute. Do not brown. Add the chicken stock and milk and, using a whisk, stir until it comes to a boil. Add the seasonings and diced tomatoes, mixing well. Set aside.

In a skillet, brown the turkey and chopped onions. Drain well.

When everything is cooked, lay half the tortilla chips at the bottom of a 2-quart casserole. Spread the turkey over the tortillas, add the chicken stock mixture, then sprinkle with cheese. Top with remaining tortilla chips and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Yellow Squash Minestrone

Posted in Pasta & Rice Dishes, Soups & Chilis by

When we lived in London, we had a wonderful selection of fresh produce from all across Europe and Africa, but one thing I always missed was the yellow squash we have here in the South. Zucchini (or courgettes, as they are known in the UK) was a substitute, but I still missed the squash, which I have loved since I was little.

Now that we’re back, I’m buying it whenever I can. The other day, I came upon a farm stand selling yellow squash grown in Lawrenceville, just outside Atlanta. I bought a punnet and can’t wait to use it.

I also made this recipe, which I think is a great soup for spring. It’s another one that I’d never tried, despite it being in my cookbook for years. And now that we’re back in the beautiful South, I was finally able to make it — and it turned out great.

Makes 6 servings

1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups small pasta, like ditalini or stellini
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 medium to large yellow squash, diced
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained but chopped
4 to 6 cups vegetable broth or water
1 15-oz. can white beans, like Great Northern, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the chicken broth in a stock pot and add the onion, simmering until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, green pepper, pasta, herbs, squash, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and beans; simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add enough stock or water to the pot to make the mixture as soupy or as thick as you like. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Kale Chips

Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Vegetables by

I discovered these via a very cool food blog, A Thought for Food. They are a wonderful way to make one of the healthiest vegetables around, delicious and full of flavor. And they’re so light they practically disappear in the mouth.

The recipe calls for smoked paprika, which I used and really enjoyed, but the blog says you can also change the seasonings to suit whatever taste you like — from chili powder to cinnamon and sugar.

They are a terrific, healthy snack. They might also make a wonderful garnish, maybe on top of a creamy soup or on the side of an entree.


1 bunch of curly kale
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt, to taste
Smoked paprika, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F/175C degrees.

Wash kale and pat dry with a paper towel. Remove the stems and ribs of the kale. Rip into 2-inch (or larger if you prefer) chunks and place into a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top of the kale and mix, making sure each piece is coated. Sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika, or whatever seasonings you are using.

Spread the mixture across baking sheets that have been covered with either parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until each piece has dried up. Let cool before transferring to a bowl.

Five-Spice Chinese Marinade

Posted in Beef, Condiments/Sauces, Poultry by

I made this with some chicken tonight and everyone loved it. It was easy, fragrant, and delicious, bite after bite.

I adapted the recipe from one I found at Epicurious.

2/3 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup dry Sherry
2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl and add sliced chicken (or beef). Cover and refrigerate, marinating between one and three hours before cooking.

When ready to cook, heat a small amount of oil in a pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and fry over medium heat until cooked through. At that point, you can serve it straight over white rice or Asian noodles, or add it to vegetables that you stir-fry until warmed through.

Spaghetti al Crudo

Posted in Pasta & Rice Dishes by

Literally, spaghetti with a raw, or uncooked, sauce. It’s typically made with tomatoes, capers, olives, and anchovies. It’s a great dish to make during the summer because it requires a minimum of cooking and uses beautiful, fresh, quality ingredients. I made it over the weekend as a sort of last goodbye to the warm weather this year.

This recipe comes from London star chef Giorgio Locatelli. He says that on a hot day in Italy, many people add a tin of tuna to the sauce.

Serves 4

2 Tbsp. capers (baby ones if possible — if they’re very large, chop them up a little)
4 Tbsp. pitted back olives, quartered
5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 very large tomatoes, or 3 smaller ones (the best quality you can find), finely chopped
2 Tbsp. tomato passata
400g spaghetti
1 bunch basil
5 Tbsp. olive oil

Put all the ingredients except the spaghetti, basil, and half the oil in a wide bowl and mix together, but don’t heat. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper — though go easy on the salt, as the anchovies will add plenty.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, then drop in the pasta. Cook it for about a minute less than the time given on the package so it will be al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, place the bowl with the tomato mixture over the top of the pasta pot, so that the ingredients gently heat without being cooked.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it, but reserve the cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl with the tomato mixture and toss, then add the rest of the oil and toss again. Add a touch of the cooking water if needed to loosen. Tear the basil leaves, sctatter on top, and toss again. Serve immediately.

Simple Vegetable Curry

Posted in Leftover Ideas, Vegetables by

This thick curry is a great way to use up any leftover vegetables. I had a bunch of cut vegetables leftover from a weekend cookout, and I was able to use them all. I found the recipe on one of my favorite food sites, LoveFoodHateWaste.

I recommend scaling the recipe based on how many vegetables you have to use. Serve it over rice, and bon appetit.


675g leftover vegetables of any type (I used zucchini/courgettes, eggplant/aubergines, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and even celery. Other ideas include potatoes or sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, baby corn, cauliflower, and green beans.)
2 tablespoons canola/rapeseed oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (yes, you do want to use this many)
100g block creamed coconut*, diluted in 200ml of warm water
4 Tbsp. red curry paste, such as Madras or Masaman
14 oz./400g can chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Cilantro (coriander sprigs) to garnish, if available (don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand)

If using potatoes, boil them in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside. Chop them and all the vegetables in big chunks and set them aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a large splash of the coconut “water” and curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until mixture resembles a very thick paste.

Add the vegetables, salt, and the remaining coconut water. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the vegetables are tender. Ganish with cilantro, if you have it, and serve atop basmati rice.

*I was new to creamed coconut when I began this recipe, but I found it easy to use and with a fresher coconut flavor than coconut milk. Here is a great explanation of coconut ingredients.