Pork Panang with Kabocha Squash

This is a take on the SheSimmers.com recipe here; as always her recipes are spectacular, and she has a couple of cookbooks out that are worth looking in to.  I do make a few changes, as well as telling you how to break down a kabocha without that pesky little loss of fingers.  It's delicious, filling, and the kabocha adds a nice sweetness which lets you skip adding sugar.

1 lb trimmed and sliced pork loin
1 small kabocha (you really want one about the size of a grapefruit, larger ones should be halved or mixed in to a double recipe)
4 oz can panang curry paste (or to taste if it's too spicy)
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Thai chiles to taste, minced (optional)
1 can coconut milk, unshaken
1 T oil
Fish sauce
 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced (if you can find them)

Take a small thin knife, like a paring knife, and vent your frustration on that squash (it's shockingly cathartic).  You want to punch a bunch of slits in to the center of the squash to vent it so it won't blow up in the microwave.  Microwave the squash for 3-5 minutes (depending on size) so you can cut it apart without losing fingers.  Take a spoon and remove the seeds, then cut it in to bite-sized pieces.

Take the top creamy part off of the coconut milk, and combine it with the shallots, garlic, curry paste, Thai chiles (if using), and oil in a large skillet.  Saute until mixed and fragrant.  Add in the rest of the coconut milk, the pork, and the squash, cooking until both are done but the squash isn't falling apart.  If you find the sauce is reducing too much thin it out with stock or water.  Season with fish sauce to taste, and the kaffir lime leaves.  Remove from heat and serve with jasmine rice.

Beef and Corn Tacos

A lighter version of taco filling, with culantro and lime instead of dried chiles.  Culantro is very similar to cilantro, but stronger, so it gets added in during the cooking instead of at the end.

1 lb ground beef
1 can corn, drained
2 small onions, minced
4+2 cloves garlic, minced
Jalapenos or serranos to taste, minced
oil or bacon grease to cook, approximately 2 T
1 t ground cumin
2 t oregano
2 t ground coriander
1/2 t paprika
handful oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
10-12 leaves culantro, chiffonade (or cilantro, but add cilantro at the end of cooking)
lime juice to taste (approximately 3 T)
1 bay leaf
cayenne to taste
2 t corn starch
1-2 T chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions, jalapenos, and 4 cloves garlic in the oil until starting to brown.  Add in the beef and cook until starting to brown.  Add in the culantro, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne, paprika, and coriander, as well as the sun dried tomatoes if using.  Cook, stirring, for several minutes than add in the corn and the the lime juice.  Add in the two extra cloves of garlic, cook for several minutes then season to taste.

Pastitsio

A rich dish of ground lamb and pasta seasoned with Greek flavors and covered in a cheese sauce then baked until golden brown.

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb
3/4 lb macaroni, cooked a little less than al dente
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14.5 ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 t dried basil
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
3 eggs, separated
1/2 pound of cheese shredded, preferably kefalotyri or myzithra, but white cheddar makes a good substitute as those cheeses are hard to find
6+3 T butter
6 T flour
3 C whole milk
dash nutmeg

For the meat:
Saute the onion and garlic in 3 T of butter until translucent, then add in the lamb and brown.  Add in the tomatoes and the cinnamon stick, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.  Remove the cinnamon stick and add in the basil and remove from the heat.  Allow to cool, then add in the egg whites.

For the cheese sauce:
Make a roux with the flour and 6 T butter.  Add in the milk and simmer until thickened, whisking occasionally.  Whisk in the cheese and nutmeg and remove from the heat.  Allow to cool before adding in the egg yolks.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Preheat your oven to 350 F.  While that is heating mix together the macaroni and meat mixture, and adjust for seasoning if necessary.  Spread this evenly in the bottom of a baking dish.  Spread the hard boiled egg on this layer.  Spread the cheese sauce evenly over the top of the meat.  Cook in the oven for approximately an hour, finishing under the broiler for a couple of minutes if the top hasn't browned.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato Basil Soup

An easy but rich tomato soup, perfect with a grilled cheese.

1 28 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3 C chicken stock
1/3 C butter
3/4 C heavy cream
large handful of basil leaves, chiffonade
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter and saute the onions and garlic until translucent.  Add in the tomato and the stock and bring to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes or so.  Add in the basil, salt, and pepper and simmer for another couple of minutes.  Drop heat to low and add in the cream; stir briefly then remove from the heat.