Hi Pat & Friends,

As you all know, I do love all kinds of Fish. I also prefer exceptionally spicy dishes. Although certainly not for everyone's taste buds, these two favorites combine both, for me at least.

The fish and squid rings in this superfast curry cook in just minutes; and the cherry tomatoes add color and sweetness.

Thai Yellow Curry With Seafood

1 (13.5- to 14-oz.) can coconut milk
1/4 cup yellow curry paste
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth, or homemade chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbs. light brown sugar or light brown palm sugar; more as needed
1 tsp. fish sauce; more as needed
3/4 cup sliced carrots (sliced 1/8-inch thick on an angle)
3/4 cup sliced onions (1/2-inch-thick slices)
6 whole fresh or thawed frozen wild lime leaves (or substitute 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest)
3/4 cup sliced button or cremini mushrooms (1/4-inch-thick slices)
1/2 lb. sea bass (or other firm white fish), cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 lb. squid, tubes cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings and tentacles cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
Whole basil leaves (Thai or Italian), for garnish

Shake the can of coconut milk or stir it well (this creates a consistent thickness, since the fat often solidifies at the top of the can).

In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan or wok over medium heat, simmer 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. It will get very thick and shiny and may or may not separate; either is fine.

Add the curry paste, whisk well, and cook, continuing to whisk, for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth, sugar, fish sauce, and remaining coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add the carrots, onions, and lime leaves and continue to simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary. After 2 minutes, add the button mushrooms and continue to simmer. After another minute, add the sea bass and simmer for 1 minute more. Finally, add the squid and cherry tomatoes and simmer until everything is tender and cooked through, about 1 minute more.

Remove the curry from the heat. Season to taste with more sugar and fish sauce, and add the cilantro. Transfer to a serving bowl (or serve right out of the pot). Remove the lime leaves or tell your guests to eat around them. Garnish with the basil leaves. Serves 4.

Next, in this dish, the mild white fish gets a jolt from some fiery green curry paste, while balanced by sweet chunks of pineapple and basil.

Thai Green Curry With Fish & Long Beans

1 (13.5- to 14-oz). can coconut milk
1/4 cup green curry paste
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth, or homemade chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbs. light brown sugar or light brown palm sugar; more as needed
1 tsp. fish sauce; more as needed
1 cup bite-size Chinese long bean pieces
1 cup sliced onions (1/2-inch-thick slices)
3 1/8-inch-thick slices fresh ginger or galangal
1 lb. halibut (or other firm white fish), cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup bite-size pineapple chunks
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh Italian or Thai basil leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish

Shake the can of coconut milk or stir it well (this creates a consistent thickness, since the fat often solidifies at the top of the can).

In a 3- to 4-quart saucepan or wok over medium heat, simmer 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. It will get very thick and shiny and may or may not separate; either is fine.

Add the curry paste, whisk well, and cook, continuing to whisk, for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth, sugar, fish sauce, and remaining coconut milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add the Chinese long beans, onions, and ginger slices and continue to simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary. After 3 minutes add the fish and continue to simmer. After another minute, add the pineapple and continue to simmer until everything is tender and cooked through, about 1 minute more.

Remove the curry from the heat. Season to taste with more sugar and fish sauce and stir in the basil leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl (or serve right out of the pot). Remove the ginger slices or tell your guests to eat around them. Garnish with the lime wedges. Serves 4.

Finally, finish off with some steamed rice.

Steamed Jasmine Rice

1 cup jasmine rice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (optional)

Wash the rice well by putting it in a bowl and covering it with cool water. Swish the rice around with your hand until the water gets cloudy. Drain and repeat until the water gets only slightly cloudy; usually it takes about three rinses.

Drain the rice, put it in a small (1-qt) metal bowl, and stir in 1 cup cold water and the salt, if using. Fit a rack or steaming trivet into a pot large enough to accommodate the bowl. Pour about an inch of water into the pot. Put the bowl of rice on the rack (it shouldn’t touch the water in the pot), cover the pot, and bring the water in the pot to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water in the pot begins to boil, set a timer for 25 minutes and reduce the heat to maintain a steady amount of steam. When the timer goes off, take the pot off the heat and use tongs or a hot pad to remove the hot bowl from the pot. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve. Serves 3-4.

Have A Wonderful Weekend,

Phil

Hello Friends,

Since most my day tomorrow will be tied up with a Church gathering, here's a Sunday Dinner on a Saturday night. This is a real Kiev recipe, with seasoned butter rolled up in breaded chicken breasts, for a richness fit for royalty! Although this recipe takes a bit of time, it is well worth the effort.

Ukrainian Chicken Kiev

Ingredients

• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 lemon, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place each chicken breast between a sheet of wax paper and pound, using a mallet or rolling pin, to about 1/8 inch thickness; be careful not to 'break' the chicken. Wrap and refrigerate until seasoned butter is frozen.
2. To Make Seasoned Butter: In a small bowl combine the softened butter, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic powder and mix well. Spread mixture into a 2x4 inch rectangle on a piece of aluminum foil; freeze until firm.
3. When butter is firm, cut into 6 equal size pieces and place one piece on each chicken breast. Fold in edges of chicken and roll to encase butter completely. Secure with toothpicks.
4. In a small bowl, beat eggs with water. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, dill weed and flour. Place bread crumbs in a separate shallow dish or bowl. Dip chicken rolls in seasoned flour, then egg mixture, then crumbs. Place coated chicken in a shallow dish, cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot, deep fry chicken rolls for about 5 minutes, then turn over and deep fry for another 5 minutes until golden and cooked through, with no pink showing inside. Drain on paper towels, garnish with lemon slices and parsley and serve. Serves 8.

Also, try this creamy, crunchy, feel good side dish. Goes great with chicken or pork chops. Sometimes on a rainy day I'll just eat a great big bowl of it. You can save on calories by using water instead of milk and going a bit easy on the French fried onions.

Ultimate Side Dish

Ingredients

• 1 (15.5 ounce) can French-style green beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can sliced potatoes, drained
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
• 1 1/8 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons French-fried onions, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• 1 (8 ounce) package dry bread stuffing mix

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the green beans and potatoes into a 2 quart casserole dish. Stir in the cream of celery soup and milk. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and stir in 1 tablespoon of the French fried onions. Sprinkle the remaining onions on top.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. While the casserole is baking, prepare the stuffing according to package directions. Spread over the top of the casserole. I like to mash it flat with a spatula so that it covers the entire dish.
4. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until crunchy. You can also broil for a few minutes for extra crunch. Serves 6-8.

Finally, since there's a lot of hearty eaters at my house, this second side dish is optional. Considering how fast my family usually finishes off these cheesy carrots at Sunday suppers, the 'Zippy' in the title is appropriate.

Zippy Baked Carrots

Ingredients

• 5 cups sliced carrots, cut 1/4 inch thick, divided
• 6 slices Swiss cheese, divided

SAUCE:

• 1 small onion, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups milk

TOPPING:

• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions

1. On stovetop or in a microwave oven, blanch the carrots in covered dish until tender-crisp. Layer half of the carrots in shallow 2-qt. baking pan; cover with half of the cheese. Repeat layers. To make sauce, saute onion in butter for 2 minutes; blend in flour and seasonings. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add milk all at once; cook, stirring, until thickened. Pour sauce over carrot-cheese layers. Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over all. Top with bacon. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Serves 8.

Have A Blessed & Beautiful Sunday,

Phil

Hi Myrna,

So good to see you here at the Forum. Glad you like the Chicken recipe.

For the true "Russian" experience, here's one you might want to try. This is hot chocolate with vanilla-flavored vodka and amaretto. It keeps you warm on a cold day. Try it topped with whipped cream.

Moscow Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 fluid ounce vanilla flavored vodka
• 3/4 fluid ounce amaretto liqueur
• 1 tablespoon instant hot chocolate mix
• 4 fluid ounces hot milk

Directions

1. Into a coffee mug, pour in the vanilla vodka, amaretto, and add the hot chocolate mix. Pour in the hot milk and stir to blend well.

Enjoy Your Weekend My Friend,

Phil

Hello Friends,

Seems that I've gotten a little behind. This is by far one of my family's favorite recipes. I followed the recipe exactly and it was easy, spicy and healthy. The only change I made was adding red and green bell peppers. Best served with some simple White Rice.

Spicy Basil Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chili oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 hot chile peppers
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the garlic and chile peppers until golden brown. Mix in chicken and sugar, and season with garlic salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, but not done.
2. Stir oyster sauce into the skillet. Mix in mushrooms and onions, and continue cooking until onions are tender and chicken juices run clear. Remove from heat, and mix in basil. Let sit 2 minutes before serving. Serves 4.

Have A Great Week My Friends,

Phil