Spicy Curry Love

Let me start off by saying that I fall for everything. I have recently found myself in a most peculiar situation that is challenging me to be bold... to be the proverbial "fireball" in a situation that is so outrageous and fascinating... Let me just say, horse races are involved.

Ultimately, I am gullible... Someday I'll wise up, I'm sure of it. Until then, it's best that I continue to pursue my evolving and revolving list of short-term goals. Explore tide pools, pet purple starfish, slip around on some green algae shag carpet... check. Hot tub hop around the campgrounds and hostels of northern California... check. Picnic in the park... check. Thanksgiving, in fact (pictures coming soon!). My dear friend (same friend from brunch!) & I adventured our way up to San Francisco for a superbly lovely Thanksgiving Picnic in Golden Gate Park, with a few of the finest people I know. Check out the view.

Superbly delightful is an understatement. Look at the view.

Picnic time!

We don't need no dang turkey!

We walked to Strawberry Hill after dinner. Perfection.

We had ants on a log; Shepherd's Pie with lamb and curry; heart-shaped beets; marinated green bean, red bell pepper; cornbread & salted honey butter (salted butter + organic "beach blossom" honey from my hood); roasted fingerling potatoes & shiitake mushroom gravy; walnut sourdough bread from Arizmendi; $2 bottle of red wine; seasonal holiday Anchor Steam ale; pumpkin pie with whipped cream! So dang delicious y'all. I am spoiled.

Anyway, shit happened once I returned to real life. I have been working non-stop. Can't stop, won't stop. I gotta pay bills, and I'm too young & poor to be a cougar in cougar town. The holidaze is in full force all around me. Parties, presents, and fanciness.

I had to make something spicy! I need a slap in the face and a kick in the pants. I made a festive holiday curry, using non-perishable ingredients. A recipe we can all use... it's bright, it's cheery, and spicy as hell. It's especially great when you feel like you're coming down with something. When it rains, it pours.

Funny enough, this curry was made possible by a can of curry paste I brought with me all the way from Sarasota, FL. If you reside in the wonderful city of Sun Coast, please stop by Phuoc Loc Tho Oriental Supermarket on 12th to pick up a can of this spicy ass curry.

So effing hot.

It astounds and delights me to know I can make a profoundly delicious meal from a few fresh veggies and three non-perishable food items - coconut milk, curry paste, and rice.

Fortunately and unfortunately, no one was around to be assaulted by this hot mess, but of course I brought it for lunch the next day. It's so hot it made the girls get all flushed at lunch. Especially Ciena!

Festive curry & baked Basmati rice. Hot shit.

Obsessed.

The recipe for the rice came from my stunning new cookbook, My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur. Nepenthe is my dang dream house. Good lord. Can I please live in a baller tree house with an amazing fire pit, in the middle of the redwoods with a wide open view of the ocean?!

Spicy Hot Holiday Curry

• 1 can Maesri green curry paste (or your favorite spicy blend)
• 1 can coconut milk for those who are brave; 2 cans for everyone else
• 1.5 - 2.5 cups of your favorite fresh veggies - I used a leftover baked potato, sliced; a big handful of fresh broccoli; a small handful of fresh cauliflower; 1 small bunch of baby bok choy; handful of lacinato kale
• 2/3 cup (or to taste) diced tomato - trust me
• Salt & pepper to taste

Combine curry paste and coconut milk. Stir in chopped veggies and simmer until cooked al dente.

Baked Rice
from My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur.

"Perfect rice every time with no attention."

• 1.5 cup water
• 1 cup of your favorite rice

"Preheat the oven to 375 F. For every cupful of rice, either brown or white, use 1.5 cups water. Place in a baking dish, add a knob of butter if desired, and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving." 

Notes: I made Basmati rice and it was done after 40 minutes. Also, this recipe fits well into a standard-sized loaf pan.

That's it! Challenge yourself to bold & spicy y'all.

I heart Sunday Brunch

I love Sunday brunch so much I want to marry it. I mean, if we're talking about Sunday brunch with truly adorable friends, homemade cornbread, eggs from the farm, my favorite kale salad, pork sausage, homemade apple butter, and maple syrup, well...

Tell me you're not kind of falling in love right now.

If I remember correctly, these eggs were fried in bacon fat. Saving bacon fat has been a new thing for me, and I'm really happy about it. When I ran out of olive oil for a whole week, bacon fat saved the goddamn day, not to mention that it's insanely delicious. If you're gonna eat bacon, you damn well better save your bacon fat.

Have I mentioned that I work at a beautiful organic farm in town? Dang, I love that place so much. At the farm we grow some incredibly delicious kale. In fact, the following recipe, for the kale salad shown above, was given to me by one of our customers when I was a cashier at the farm stand back in 2004.

Kale Salad

• 1 bunch of kale

• 1/4 cup roasted pine nuts*

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins

• 1 lemon, squeezed (you may only need half, depending on the size of your lemon)

• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Allow the cranberries to sit in warm water for approximately 10 minutes. Rinse the kale and remove the stems. Layer and roll kale into easy-to-manage roll-up. Slice into ribbons. Drain the water from the cranberries and add to kale. Add salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Massage the dressing into the kale until it is well coated. Let sit for 10-20 minutes.

Top with pine nuts and drizzle with more olive oil.

*I roast my pine nuts in 350 degree toaster oven, for about 10 minutes.

The cornbread is also worth mentioning... the cornbread was covered in real butter, apple butter, and maple syrup. Out of control. My cornbread recipe came from this book.

Brunch is a leisurely event in my house - in other words, it takes forever for me to get it going. We were halfway starving while my friend gave me a sneak-peak preview of a new book being released by the local Gold Lamé Bandits - absolutely stunning. We needed to have breakfast before brunch: peanut apple butter-tastic oatmeal. I used whole oat groats, which take so much longer to cook compared to rolled oats, but are so worth it. Totally the bees knees.

Peanut Apple Butter-tastic Oatmeal

• Whole oats groats*
• Your favorite peanut butter (to taste)
• Homemade apple butter (to taste)
• Suggested: Organic raisins, sliced fruit, nuts.
• Your favorite milk (I used raw cow's milk, milked 2 days before!)

Combine. Enjoy. Smile.
*I cooked my oats according to the directions on the bulk container at the grocery store. I forgot to write them down. Details to come.

Sunday brunch with neighbors and friends should be an institution, no matter where you are. Viva community Sunday brunch!