Tom Yam Kung

Fresh Whole shrimp -10 large, use prawns or tiger shrimp
Galangal 2 or 3″ piece peeled and sliced thin
3-4 stalks lemongrass remove the outer layer and cut in 2 or 3″ chunks then bruise with the flat of a knife.
6 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
6 straw mushrooms quartered
2-3 limes –for sour
3 or 4 kaffir lime leaves
Fish sauce, to taste
4 cups water
Small handful cilantro leaves, thinly sliced or coarsely chopped
5 or 10 Bird chilies roughly chopped and smashed with the side of a knife. –for heat

 

Rinse, behead, peel and de-vein the shrimp, reserving the shells and heads. put the shrimp in the refrigerator.

 

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add shrimp shells and heads mashing them to release the flavor. Simmer for about five minutes then strain the water in to a bowl and discard the shells.
Return the broth to the saucepan, bring to a boil and add galangal, lemongrass, shallots and lime leaves, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer. Then add just a few drops of Thai fish sauce to give the broth a slightly salty taste.

 

After a few minutes add the shrimp and mushrooms and simmer until the shrimp are done and the mushrooms are soft. Squeeze in the lime juice and add a small amount of chili and cilantro. –Add more fish sauce if necessary.
Put the rest of the chili and cilantro in small bowls so people can add more if they desire.

 

Serves two

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Sea Kitten Recipe

This is dedicated to the folks a PETA.

 

Chilean Sea Kitten in Moho Sauce: –If you can’t find anything labeled Sea Kitten at your favorite fish monger use any fresh looking Sea bass with the skin on.

 

Start with enough Chilean Sea Kitten fillets to serve 4

 

Marinade:
Juice of 4 or 5 fresh limes
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed

 

Moho sauce:
4 or 5 cloves of garlic thinly sliced and chopped
1/4 cup onion very thinly sliced and chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp or so apple vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat the oven to 425 deg F.

 

Place the Sea Kitten in a covered bowl and coat all sides with the marinade. Let it sit on the counter while you make the Moho.

 

Heat oil in a small sauce pan and mix the onion, garlic salt pepper and cumin in a small bowl. Pour this into the hot oil and stir constantly until the onion starts to become translucent, then add the lime juice and vinegar, stir well turn down the heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

 

Remove the Sea Kitten from the marinade, pat it dry with paper towels and cut into serving size pieces. Score the skin side of each piece a couple of times.

Heat a non-stick frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of oil add the fish, skin side down and sear until brown and crispy. (You may need to hold each piece down with a spatula to keep them from curling so that the skin is evenly browned. –Use a long handled spatula to avoid getting spattered by hot grease.)

Move the fish to an oven proof pan, skin side down, and bake for about 10 minutes. –Until it’s just cooked through.

Gently reheat the moho sauce, put each piece of fish on a plate with rice and peas and top with the warm moho.

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Ginger Scallion Sauce

Makes 2 cups. –Use it sparingly.

2 ounces ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1-2 bunches of whole scallions, coarsely chopped
1 cup peanut oil
Salt –lots

Grind up the ginger in a food processor until it’s about the size of BBs. Put it in a large heatproof bowl.

Grind up the scallions in the food processor until they’re about the same size as the ginger toss it into the bowl with the ginger.

Salt the ginger and scallions until they are too salty.

Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke and pour it into the bowl. Avoid breathing the fumes. And don’t be surprised if it spatters a little bit.

Let it cool then refrigerate in a jar with a lid.

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Haggis

I was searching for a good Haggis recipe when I found this.

From Gumbo Pages
1 sheep’s lung (illegal in the U.S.; may be omitted if not available)***
1 sheep’s stomach
1 sheep heart
1 sheep liver
1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!)
3 onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup stock

Wash lungs and stomach well, rub with salt and rinse. Remove membranes and excess fat. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Turn stomach inside out for stuffing.

Cover heart and liver with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Chop heart and coarsely grate liver. Toast oatmeal in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Loosely pack mixture into stomach, about two-thirds full. Remember, oatmeal expands in cooking.

Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Put into boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell; this keeps the bag from bursting. Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Serve with a spoon. Ceremoniously served with “neeps, tatties and nips” — mashed turnips, mashed potatoes, nips of whiskey.

*** As near as I can tell lung meat is for “export only” because of concerns about bacteria and abscesses.

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Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 cup shortening
1 cup sour cream
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
Mix, chill, roll to 1/4″ bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet at 350F until not quite brown (8-10min) dust with a little more granulated sugar and cool on a wire rack.

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