Sri Lankan Chicken Curry & Rice Flour Rotti

This curry is very very delicious. An instant fav. We will make it again and soon I bet. Both it and the rice flour rotti are from this book.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry-

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely sliced
1" piece fresh ginger, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground garam masala
400g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tomatoes, quartered
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a med. saucepan, add the onions and cook until golden brown. Add the ginger. garlic and ground spices. Mix for 1 minute, then add chicken. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 5 minutes.

2. Pour in 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Turn down heat to lowest, add the coconut milk. Cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook for 5 more minutes. Serve with rice or rotti. Nice with mango chutney.


Akki Rotti

Ingredients:

2 cups rice flour
50g freshly grated coconut (or dried coconut)
2 Tbsp cilantro chopped fine
10 curry leaves chopped fine
2 green chilies, chopped fine
2 1/2 shallots, very finely sliced
10 cashew nuts, roasted and ground
salt, to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center and gradually (slowly) stir in 1 to 2 cups of water until it forms a soft dough. With floured hands, knead the dough to mix and shape into small balls.

2. Roll out balls on a surface dusted with rice flour to make discs as thin as possible. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

3. Heat a large frying pan and coat the bottom with oil. Place one disc of dough in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Turn over and brown the other side. Remove from pan and keep warm while cooking the remaining breads. Serve hot.

I have decided that I am going to get myself a new graphic banner for my Etsy shop.  Back in August, when I set it up I just used the one Etsy supplied.  Nice, but no banana.  Since I am out there with hundreds of thousands of sellers on this one marketplace, I want to be a bit memorable.  Sellers on Etsy sell the graphics to you for this and the other stuff you need to do business for about $15.  Not much, since I refuse to do it myself.  

I went looking for a banner graphic that depicted bags, purses, shoulder bags...and the like because that is what I sell.  Well....lemme tell ya...I have spent hours of Google's time and Etsy's resources trying to find anything that would work.  No way...I found birds (lots) flowers, hedgehogs, skulls, and squiggly stuff..I do not sell birds, flowers or squiggly stuff.  I have never met a hedgehog!

I went ahead and bought one that was very simple and had some pop.  It will arrive any second now via email with an attached file.  

In the process of this search I found a gal who offers free blog page graphics.  I tried one .... the one you see now.  Do you like it?  Does is make reading my blog more interesting?  or annoying.  Please respond via comment section.  I know I only have two followers....I would like to hear from both of you.  If anyone is interested, click on the upper left hand corner of this page and it will take you to http://aquapoppydesigns2.blogspot.com/  where you can check it out. 

Tomato-Olive Stew for Scallops: 10.30.2009

1 cup olive oil
2 1/2 cups small diced red onion
1 cup small diced, peeled celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp salt
1/4 tsp rosenthal pepperoncino

- sweat above ingredients, covered, for 10 minutes

Add:

8 cups minced tomato pulp from pio angelini
4 qts strained fresh tomato juice

- bring to boil, lower heat and stew for 45 minutes
- stir in 3 Tbsp powdered gelatin bloomed in 12 ounces cold water
- remove from heat, allow to cool, then add:

1/2 cup agridulce cabernet vinegr
2 cups chopped taggiasche olives
1 cup basil chiffonade

Smoky Saffron Mousse for Scallops: 10.30.2009

1 cup amontillado sherry
4 shallots, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tsp saffron
1 tsp turmeric
1 qt cream
4 tsp salt
4 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 cups falconero olive oil
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp agar agar

- reduce first 5 ingredients until almost completely dry
- add cream and bring to a simmer; reduce heat and cook 10 minutes
- remove to blender, add remaining ingredients bit by bit to emulsify; keep warm

The Buttercup Bag

The Buttercup Bag,
originally uploaded by SquareBag.

I love this bag. I made it today and it was a lot of fun.  The fabric makes the bag and it is easy to modify and customize. A real winner!  I put it up in my shop and I know someone will take it  but  have enough fabric to make one for myself.  Sort of like the Bee Bag.  This wonderful pattern is courtesy of Beki Lambert over at ArtsyCraftyBabe .... take a look and download the pattern. 

Anti- flu diet

I haven't posted a new recipe for a while. That's because I am concentrating on eating fresh fruit, steamed and raw veggies, eggs and fish. Many of my friends have fallen ill and tons of my clients and contacts have contracted the flu. Eating an exemplary diet is part of my plan to stay healthy, as is going to bed at a reasonable time and getting enough exercise. I also plan to go get a flu shot, possibly next week. Until then, I have been sauté crazy. Mushrooms, leafy greens, (like spinach, pea shoots and Mâche), peppers, and any other veggie I can cook in minutes. Today I grilled a bell pepper with a little olive oil in a cast iron pan. When that was done, I threw in several handfuls of mâche and quickly wilted it, a little dash of course salt and lunch was ready. A handful of nuts for protein and I'm back to work.

Stay healthy!

Ocean Avenue Silks

This scarf, 
titled Adobe Closeup,was 
 hand painted by Becke of OceanAveSilks.

I have been watching the fabulous work by this exceptional artist for some months now.  I follow her on Flikr and browse her Etsy Shop. Her scarves are currently being sold in the gift shop of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City during their Georgia O'Keeffe Abstractions exhibit!

The Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach, California, has wrapped up their exhibit Illuminations during which they featured her exclusive designs inspired by O'Keeffe in their gift shop. http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanavesilks/sets/72157622390672002/

Also, the latest post on  California Crafter's Club of Etsy - CCCOE, features her work.  Be sure to look down to the right in my blogroll.

I know where I am going for Christmas shopping.

 

Salvaged Selvedges

Salvaged Selvedges (2009),
originally uploaded by lindarobertus.

Click the photo to see more on flikr's photostream. There is a Selvedge Quilt Group! I am intrgued....but where would I get all the selvedges?
Quiltmaker, Linda Robertus' caption: Queen-sized quilt-as-you-go quilt made from hundreds of selvedge strips, sent to me by lots of Dutch and Australian quilters.

Don't Send Me Away

Don't Send Me Away ,
originally uploaded by SquareBag.

I was packing up some items to take to my consignment shop, I came across a very nice Liz Claiborne long wool skirt. Instead of selling the skirt, I cut it up and recycled the fabric into a bag. I just knew it would sell in my shop, but I cannot upload the listing. So it hangs in my sewing room sort of in a netherland.  I am starting to look at Garth's Pendleton shirts with a new eye....hmmm.

Today, for some reason, I needed to sign into Blogger again.  At the bottom of the page I saw a link that said 'blogs of note.'  Well, click it I did, and I came across the most fanciful and romantic site I have ever seen.  Artists, gypsies new technology......The blogger,  Rima,  writes tales of their days and thoughts of her stories and songs of her paintings here on this blog for you to smile at.  It is called:  The Hermitage  Please click the link and go and see!

Ridiculously Easy Brown Basmati Pilaf

This is a "whatever you have in the fridge" type of recipe. It would be just as nice with broccoli and mushrooms, or cauliflower and spinach.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water

2 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup mâche (or spinach)
1/2 cup fresh pea shots
1/2 large bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1/4 cup almond slivers (or pine nuts)
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 lemon, juice of
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste


Directions:


1. Combine the water and rice in a med pot. bring to boil, stir once, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 50 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

2. Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add the carrots and bring to a boil again, cook on med with lid slightly off for about 10 -15 minutes (or until the carrots are cooked but not mushy) set aside.

3. Heat a large skillet over med. heat. Add slivered almonds and toss until toasted. Be careful not to let the almonds burn. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. Return the skillet to the burner and heat the oil. Add the onions and sauté until nearly soft (about 3 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Stir in the bell pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.

5. Stir in the lemon juice, white wine and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cooled brown rice, carrots, mâche and pea shoots. Cook until heated through (about 2 minutes) sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve.

African Plantain Curry

I like to try new things. I saw this recipe and wanted to try it right away as I have not really eaten much plantain in my life. I have had some African cuisine but I have never attempted to make it. This recipe comes from my favorite new book, Curry Cuisine
Anyhow, it was easy to make and I'm quite certain I liked it. It's a totally new taste for me but yes, I liked it and I would make it again.

Ingredients:

4 plantains
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp curry leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-4 green chilies, seeded and chopped
pinch of ground tumeric
fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish
lemon juice, to sharpen

Directions:

1. Put the unpeeled plantains in a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water. Steam for 10 minutes. They should still be quite firm to the touch.

2. While the plantains are cooking, make the masala. Heat the oil in a wok or pan and toss in the mustard seeds, followed by the cumin seeds and curry leaves. As soon as the seeds begin to pop, add the onion, ginger & green chilies. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes (until the onion is softened)

3. When the plantains are cool enough to handle, strip off the peel with a sharp knife and grate them lengthwise into thick coarse shreds.

4. Add the turmeric to the masala while still on the heat, stir to combine. Add the grated plantains and fry for another 5-7 minutes. You want to make sure the plantain still has texture and bite. If it is sticking, add a little water.

5. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and add a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rice. Good with pickled relishes, spiced chilies etc.

From Amy Butler Design

Contest Entry,
originally uploaded by amybutlerdesign.

Chris Campau has made a an entire bed set from my favorite AB fabric!

The Bees are back!

See this bag?  Well, let me tell you what happened....After I made it I put a photo of it up on my flikr page.  Then I listed it in my shop.....it was not there but a day and a lovely lady from Georgia saw it on flikr and ran all the way to my shop and bought it.  I had some fabric left, and while on a quilt retreat with my quilting friends..I took time out to make another bag.  One of the gals in my mini-group bought it before it was even finished, let alone listed in my shop! OK, I am getting the message.  Went directly over to Linda's shop to get more.  But I didn't see a full yard there!!!!  I convo'd 

her pleading and weeping digital tears.......and lo and behold she found some and sent it out to me.  Right now I am making another bag....seeeee? There is it on my cutting table...all cut out and pinned.

Note the little pincushion.  I have been buying these adorable emery pincusions from Dottyral on etsy. For myself and gifts for friends who sew.  Nowadays we all

have these computerized sewing machines and using the magnetized pin holders is apparently not safe for our on-board electronics. This is a  plug for Dotty's shop , www.dottyral.etsy.com and her fun pincushions. She is involved in a whole lot more and a great esty supporter and long-time member handmade community.  Believe it or not, this huge online bunch of sellers is both supportive and fun. 

Mushroom Spumante for Scallops: 10.16.2009

2 cups juice from roasted mushrooms
1 tsp organic truffle oil
1/2 tsp soy lecithin powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum

- heat ingredients together gently until emulsified
- using immersion blender, make bubbles. Whoopee!

Fresh Corn 'Polenta' for Halibut: 10.16.2009

2 qts shredded corn and its milk
1/4 lb Plugra
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp sweet smoked paprika

- melt butter over low heat and add remaining ingredients
- raise heat and stir very often for 12 minutes; cool

Pumpkinseed Sauce for Halibut: 10.16.2009

6 jalapeños, charred, peeled, seeded and ribs removed, diced
1 large onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups roasted/salted pumpkin seeds
1 cup roasted garlic cloves
6 cups chicken stock
3 cups packed pea tendrils
salt and pepper to taste

- sweat jalapeños and onions in olive oil until onions are soft
- add pumpkin seeds and garlic cloves and stir to coat; saute 5 minutes
- add stock and bring to a rolling boil; boil 5 minutes
- remove from heat, add pea tendrils and puree thoroughly in blender

Thai Food

Love Thai Food? Here are some of my favs

Thai Green Curry From Scratch

Pad Thai-alicious!

Curried Chicken Roll with Sweet Thai Basil

Thai Spicy coconut squash Curry

Coconut Rice

Thai Spicy Coconut Squash Curry

Ingredients:

2/3 cup organic coconut milk
1 tsp. salt
4 cups (about 1 small butternut squash), peeled and cubed (use a peeler to peel the squash, then cut it in half where the bulbous end meets the narrow end. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut into cubes.
3 tsp. sucanat
1/4 cup light gluten free soy sauce
4 deep fried red shallots (peel, slice into very thin slices lengthwise, and deep fry until golden on med/high heat in peanut oil. stir constantly and when they are deep gold, remove and drain on paper towels)


Curry Paste Ingredients:


4 red chilies, seeded and chopped fine. (less if you can't take the heat)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp. tumeric powder
1 tsp. finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red shallots
1 bulb garlic, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground white pepper
1/4 cup water

note- this will make extra curry paste, you can store the rest for a few days in the fridge


Directions:

1. Make the curry paste. Place all of the curry ingredients in a blender and blend on high until a thick paste has formed and everything is fairly homogeneous. 3-4 minutes.

2. Deep fry the shallots, lay out on paper towel to cool and set aside.

3. Place the butternut squash cubes in a medium pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and turn down heat to medium and cook for another 6-9 minutes until the squash is tender. Take off heat and set aside.

4. In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut milk and 1/4 cup of the curry paste to boil over med/high heat, stirring constantly. Lower heat a bit so it doesn't burn and keep stirring. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and sucanat and stir. Season with salt and return the cooked butternut squash to the coconut milk/curry mixture. Heat through.

5. Spoon into serving bowls, sprinkle with fried shallots and serve with rice.

Maggie Likes The Quilt

I finally finished the binding on my log cabin and put it on the bed.  This quilt has the whole Kaye England Spice Market line of fabric in it!  

I asked Maggie what she thought....she came up,  sniffed  it good and gave it her rolling squiggle of approval!  

I tried to get some good photos of it yesterday, but fall is upon us and natural light just doesn't do it.  

I can run in and try again with flash, but I am too lazy.  It is raining today, and I feel like a slug.  Anyway, there it us, comfy for us to sleep under until I put out the Christmas quilts.  

I put out my fall leaves lap/wall batik quilt too.  It is just appliqued leaves on point. This was a good take-along project.  

Now that fall is here and the rain and wind have come, we fired up the wood stove and are making Thanksgiving plans with family.  

A couple of weeks ago we had temperatures in the 90s, now I am trying to find long jeans and at least one sweater!  Outside, I found one lone rose on the grape arbor.  I guess you could call it the 'last rose of summer.'  If you zoom in on the little teeny red flower down in the garden... you can see it. Bye, bye summer.

By the way....does anyone know how to set the default font and color for blogger?  I have to change it each paragraph from times/black to trebuchet/green which is (I hope what you are seeing).  

Thursday Rant!

Today,  I am reading the front page of our local paper about folks rebuilding homes destroyed in the the fire our town experienced on August 30th.  63 homes were lost and open brush area burned very fast.  Right into town.  On page A5 there is an article about a fire safety online petition having to do with funding of brush reduction on federal land adjoining the city.  Then there is the letter to the editor on page A4 asking the county to please reinstate the chipper service. 

This is a high-risk wild fire area.  We have 3 acres to maintain (which here in the foothills is not huge), however we must clear brush away from our homes for 100 feet (defensible space) or we are in violation of California Department of Forestry and CAL-Fire regulations.  In order to do this, Garth clears what he can with his chainsaw and tractor, then he drags it up to our road making huge piles of brush and tree limbs. The County Chipper Service comes by with a chipping machine that grinds all this up and shoots it back onto our land.  We then compost the chips or use it for mulch.  

If there is no chipper service then we are going to have to try to burn it bit by bit when burn restrictions are lifted.  Now....that sends smoke into the air, no compost or mulch for us and there is built-in risk of creating a wild fire....which is why we have to limb-out and clear our property in the first place creating these huge piles.  We could spray our property so nothing grows....only slightly better that setting the county on fire.



You can see that we have piles on either side of a road that runs through our property nearly 4 feet high!

So....why can't homeowners pay for this service?  We would gladly do so.  Multiply this dilemma by  thousands of homes and properties in Placer County and the result is a catch- 22 that I simply don't understand.  

Our county extends from Lake Tahoe to Sacramento.  Huge and diverse.  Chipper service is not a big deal in downtown Roseville or maybe Tahoe City where the money and political base resides. 

If I end up publishing this post it will be because I can't let it go.  I may send it to the county, the supervisors, the newspaper or maybe God, but this move is about the dumbest thing I have heard since this morning's national news.

Crispy oatmeal & cacoa nib cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 sticks of butter (1/2 cup sticks), room temperature
1/4 cup Agave syrup
3/4 cup sucanat
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (wheat free -uncontaminated) rolled oats
1/4 cup organic cacoa nibs (raw chocolate)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 °F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

3. Using a paddle attachment on your mixer, at med low speed, beat the butter and the sucanat and agave syrup for a minute or two until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat again for half a minute. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the oats and continue mixing on low until everything is combined well. Add the cacoa nibs and stir to combine.

4. Using your hands, make balls with slightly less than 2 Tbsp of dough and spread out on parchment leaving at least 2 1/2 inches between each cookie. Flatten slightly with your fingertips before baking for 11- 14 minutes. Bake only one cookie sheet at a time. When the cookies are flat and deep golden brown, remove from oven and cool the cookies while still on the cookie sheets at least 15 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. You will get about 8 cookies on each sheet for a total of 24 cookies. Cookies are crispy and not overly sweet.

This recipe was adapted from a cooks illustrated recipe. I have made mine gluten free, and limited the processed sugars. The cacoa nibs are a special addition and taste great in the cookie.

Cargamanto Cranberry Bean & Green Kale Stew

Vegetarian Tuscan Bean Stew
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Rancho Gordo Cargamanto Cranberry Beans
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cup onion, chopped coarse
1 cup carrots, chopped coarse
1 cup celery stalks, chopped coarse
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
2 1/2 cups gluten free vegetable broth
2 Bay leaves
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
6 loose cups kale, ends trimmed, hard stems removed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Directions

1. Soak our beans over night (8 hours at least) in large container filled with water.

2. Rinse mushrooms quickly and then soak them in 1 cup of warm water for 30 minutes. remove the mushrooms and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer, mince the mushrooms and set both aside for use later.


3. Preheat oven to 250° F. adjust rack to lower middle position.

4. Heat some olive oil in a large Dutch Oven over med. Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes (until vegetables are lightly browned and softened). Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the remaining water, bay leaves, soaked beans, mushrooms, vegetable broth and reserved mushroom water and stir. Increase heat to high and simmer stew for a few minutes. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for an hour or until the beans are nearly tender (still firm inside). (if it is taking too long to cook, turn the heat up to 275 and check it every 15 minutes)

5. Take the pot out of the oven and add the tomatoes and the kale. Return to oven and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour (or until beans are fully tender).

6. Remove the pot from the oven and throw in the rosemary sprig, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.

And A Good Time Was Had By All!

Our annual quilting retreat was a great success. As usual, on the first week in October, our mini-group takes off for the high country and enjoys sewing Monday thru Friday. This would make year seven for most of us.....Kay could not come, but Elly, Irene, Susan, Carol and Me (Kathy) marked another year together staying at Lois and George's getaway home at Tahoe-Donner.  

Units turned into block and then into competed tops.....

Irene's  Log Cabin....

Susan's Christmas top..

 Elly's Liberated Wedding Ring (Freddy Moran).

Kathy got the blocks done, but the layout never made itself into a quilt top.

...Elly brought great echilladas...Susan, her  lasagne, Irene her famous granola. 

Carol cooked Terriyaki on skewers with miso soup, rice and spinach. 

I helped, I think.

It was fabulous!!!

Even though we do get together every week to sew, this is special...sort of a week-long middle-aged slumber party.


Our guys really don't get why we go to all this trouble...but we know.   We enjoyed great meals, munchies and hours of sewing together.  The date is marked on our calendars for next year as always.The stuff of memories!

Meat & Seafood Internal Temperature Cooking Chart- illustrated

I got my illustration on tonight and made you this chart. Use a quality instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your meat and you should be able to cook it perfect!

Mulligatawny Soup

Adapted to be gluten free from another super Cooks Illustrated recipe.

Ingredients:

4 med. cloves garlic- 2 peeled and 2 finely minced
1 piece ginger, peeled & grated so that you have about 1 1/2 Tbsp.
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. butter
2 med. onions, chopped medium coarse
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Bobs Red Mill, all purpose gluten free flour
7 cups gluten free chicken broth (homemade is best)
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped coarse
1 rib celery, chopped course
1 banana, very ripe, peeled.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
fresh plain goats yogurt (or cows yogurt)
fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1. Place the 2 peeled whole garlic cloves, 2 tsp. of grated ginger & water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Leave this mixture in the blender jar and set aside for the last step. (you will puree the soup right in the blender with the garlic and ginger)

2. Heat butter in a large stockpot over med. heat until foaming. Add the onions and tomato paste and cook, stirring often until the onions are soft and beginning to brown (about 5 minutes). Stir in the coconut and cook for about a minute. Add the minced garlic, remaining 2 1/2 tsp. ginger, curry powder, cumin, cayenne & gluten free flour; stir until evenly combined for around a minute. Whisking constantly & vigorously, slowly add the gluten free chicken broth.

3. Add the carrots, celery & whole banana. Increase heat and bring to a boil, add the chicken breasts to the pot. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for around 20 minutes (until chicken is cooked through). Remove the chicken breasts with tongs and set on a cutting board, cool slightly and cut into bite size pieces.

4. Puree the soup in small batches in the blender (with the garlic and ginger mixture still in the blender). Wash & dry the pot. Return all of the pureed soup to the freshly washed pot, salt and pepper to taste. Add the cut chicken pieces and heat the soup on low until warmed through. don't boil.

5. Ladle into bowls, dollop with yogurt and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with saffron rice.

Truffle Tomolive Aioli for Sole: 10.02.09

2 cups Pio's tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup pitted taggiasche olives in oil
2 tbsp gremolata
1 tsp rinsed capers
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
fresh ground pepper
1 qt poached egg mayonnaise made with blanched lettuce, neutral oil and truffle oil

- process all ingredients but mayonnaise in robot coupe
- add mayonnaise and process until thoroughly blended

Caraway-Brown Butter Crumble for Scallops: 10.02.09

1/4 cup caraway seeds
2 Tbsp fine ground sel gris
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 lb Plugra
3 cups tapioca maltodextrin
1 cup fine ground panko

- grind caraway, salt and celery seed together
- dry-toast this mixture in a hot skillet for 1 minute, shaking often
- cut butter into five or six pieces and add to the caraway mixture in the skillet
- melt butter completely and continue to brown over medium-high heat five minutes
- strain through chinois into robot coupe
- with machine running pour in 2 cups maltodextrin and 1 cup panko
- remove from machine to a work bowl and using hands, incorporate remaining cup of maltodextrin
- chill completely and crumble into random small pieces

Deglaze for Scallops: 10.02.2009

1 1/2 gal water
750ml prosecco
1/2 cup banyuls vinegar
1 cup toasted onion
1 cup toasted garlic
1/2 cup sugar
1 bunch celery, chopped
1 handful thyme
1 handful rosemary
2 bay leaves

- combine all ingredients over medium-high heat and reduce by 1/3. Strain
- for scallops: sear on both sides, then deglaze with 2 oz liquid; reduce, mount with butter and glaze scallops
- remove to towels