Papillon/Tropical Mango Coconut Chicken

This movie/dinner combo was spawned by a few things: Eric (who read the book Papillon years ago and loved it--and who I get to go visit in Oklahoma tomorrow!), tropical food (I'm off to Costa Rica in a week and can't stop thinking about it), and an overall desire--or should I say demand--for spring to take hold here in Philadelphia. That 70+ degree day a week and a half ago was such a tease! I can only hope that when I return in a week and a half that Philly will be warmer.

Papillon (1973) is a gritty prison film starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. Parts of the movie reminded us of Life is Beautiful and there was a cameo by Matthew Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables (Richard Farnsworth)!

Movie rating: 3.75

I searched for mango + coconut dishes and came up with our version after reading comments from others who had made the recipe. This was a really tasty meal and would be good with shrimp, fish, or chicken. It got even better as leftovers the next day!

Dinner rating: 4

Mango Coconut Chicken

adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 TB canola oil

2 TB curry powder

1/2 c thinly sliced onion

1 1/2 lb chicken, cubed

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1 mango, peeled and cut into thin strips

1 cup light coconut milk

2 TB fish sauce

1/2 tsp sriracha

1 tsp sugar

1/3 c chopped fresh basil

Sprinkle potato pieces with 1 TB water; microwave, covered, until fork-tender. (In my tiny microwave, this took 5 minutes.) Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Push onion to sides of skillet. Add chicken; cook until done, about 8 minutes. Stir in potatoes and bell pepper, cook until peper softens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add mango, coconut milk, fish sauce, sriracha and sugar. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve atop cooked basmati rice. Top with a generous sprinkling of basil.

Animal Kingdom

Here is an archive entry from last month, enjoy!:

February 16, 2011 we watched Animal Kingdom, with Oscar-nominated supporting actress Jackie Weaver. To accompany the movie, we served up something from the 'animal kingdom:" Spicy Sauteéd Shrimp with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes (which tasted a lot better than it looks in this photo! We are working on improving our photography...)

This is the first time I had seen a film written by David Michôd, who is also the director of Animal Kingdom. I thought both were jobs well done. The movie tells the story of a teenage boy who was born to a drug-overdosing mother, nephew to a set of bank-robbing brothers, and grandson of a seriously mentally detached grandmother (kudos to Jackie Weaver for her much-deserved Oscar nod!). The family is being hunted by the police and "J" lays in wait for seemingly the entire movie before making his move... I really enjoyed the subtle directorial links between human and animal behavior which made for really great suspenseful action.

The fish recipe was really easy, which made the depth of flavor spiciness sort of a surprise. I would highly recommend it with any type of white fish:

Spicy Sauteed Fish with Olives and Cherry Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lbs tilapia, red snapper, or orange roughy filets - we used tilapia

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper

4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

6 garlic cloves

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add half of fish to skillet and sauté until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fish to platter. Repeat with remaining fish. Add parsley and crushed red pepper to same skillet; sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, and garlic; sauté until tomatoes are soft and juicy, about 2 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper; spoon over fish.

Brussel Sprouts with Buttered Pine Nuts

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup pine nuts

3 TB butter

3/4 teaspon salt

2 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed

1/2 TB minced garlic

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Toast the nuts in a shallow baking pan at 350 degrees until fragrant, or in a toaster oven as we did.

Cook the sprouts in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain sprouts and pat dry.

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to moderately high, then add sprouts and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt, then stir in nuts and serve.

Adapted from this epicurious recipe.

The Secret of Kells

Top o' the mornin' to ya! In honor of St. Patrick's Day we watched The Secret of Kells this week and stirred up something in the Irish spirit: Potato, Green Cabbage, and Leek Soup with Lemon crème fraîche.

Disaster almost struck as I went to the Whole Foods yesterday and found the Green Cabbage bin empty! Luckily the produce guy came through for me with fresh heads from the back-phew.

The Secret of Kells was an animated feature nominated for an Oscar in 2010. In the story the young boy, Brendan, is appointed by the Irish abbey to protect and complete the legendary Book of Kells from the invading Vikings. Barb and I have watched several acclaimed animated features and while the background detail of the Abbey and the forest surrounding it was gorgeously drawn, the more simplistic drawings of the characters was a little jarring for me. The story was flat and thus, while i didn't fall asleep, I won't I will be recommending this one as one to watch.

The soup was delish! I am a big fan of pureed vegetable soups and this one is a great way to get in some fresh greens. The reserved cabbage, chives, and crème fraîche really makes it a winning recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 c. créme fraîche or sour cream

1 TB fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp finely grated lemon peel

2 TB butter

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

6 c. diced green cabbage (1/2" dice)

3 c. chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only, 3–4 large)

3 large garlic cloves, pressed

3 c., 1/2". cubes peeled Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/4 lbs.)

1, 2" x 2" piece Parmesean cheese rind (optional) - we left this part out

1 bay leaf

6 c. (or more) low-salt chicken broth

2 TB chopped fresh chives (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

Whisk creme fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a small bowl to blend. Keep chilled up to 4 hours ahead.

Melt 1 TB butter with 1 TB olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage; sprinkle with salt and freshly-ground pepper and sauté until cabbage is almost tender but not brown, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1 cup cabbage to a small bowl and reserve for garnish.

Add 1 TB butter to pot with cabbage; add leeks and garlic. Sauté over medium heat until leeks soften slightly—about 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes, Parmesean rind (if using), and bay leaf. Add 6 cups broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until all vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard Parmesean rind (if using) and bay leaf. Working in batches puree the soup, return to pot. We just used our handy immersion blender right in the pot. Simmer until heated through, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin the soup to your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with reserved cabbage, chives, and drizzle with creme fraiche.

Life is Beautiful/Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans

Inspiration for this week's recipe came from the setting of Life is Beautiful: Arezzo/Tuscany, Italy. While researching, I found so many tempting, rustic possibilities, from Ribolita Stew to Tomato/Bread Soup to Panzanella or maybe Tuscan Kale and Bean Salad... I finally settled on Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans for its light, bright flavors and quick prep/cook time.

The Roxborough Acme actually impressed me with a delightfully crusty yet chewy round loaf of Italian bread, perfect for wiping our bowls clean. A few spears of springtime asparagus, quickly sauteed in a bit of olive oil with fresh lemon and parmesan, and a glass of white wine rounded out the meal.

This meal was extremely pantry-friendly--in fact, most of the ingredients are things I typically have on hand: frozen shrimp, canned beans and canned tomatoes. Pick up some fresh basil, a quick-cooking veg and bread at the market and a healthy dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes.

Other meal ideas and foods that would pair nicely with the storyline: eggs (especially a frittata/omelette), chicken, lobster, salmon with a side salad and glass of white wine, chocolate ice cream, coffee, and pink cake (bonus points if it's iced to say "Buongiorno, Principessa!").

Speaking of bonus points, did I neglect to mention the ever-impressive celebration cake, complete with taxidermied ostrich topper holding a real ostrich egg? 1,000 points straight to you if you can pull that one off.

Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cans Cannellini beans

4 TB olive oil, divided

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen)

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 small serrano chile, thinly sliced

1 can diced tomato, drained

1 cup whole fresh basil leaves

1 TB lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Directions

Drain the beans over a bowl and reserve the liquid. Transfer the beans to a large skillet with just enough of the reserved liquid to moisten. Add 2 TB olive oil and bring to a low simmer. Keep the beans warm while you prepare the shrimp.

Heat the remaining 2 TB olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook until opaque, about 1 minute, tossing frequently. Remove the shrimp with tongs to a bowl. To the hot pan, add the garlic until brown. Add the chile and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, basil, and lemon juice until incorporated and basil begins to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp back to the pot, toss well to warm through.

Spoon beans into serving bowls and top with shrimp mixture.

Hannah and Her Sisters

In an effort to rebuild our archive, here is the entry from March 2, 2011:

Now that the 2011 Academy Awards are over, I thought I would choose an older film this week. A little fact emerged from this years awards; this is the first year since 1987 when the Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor were from the same film. This year it was Melissa Leo and Christian Bale winning the top nod for "The Fighter." In 1987 the awards went to Michael Caine and Dianne West for "Hannah and Her Sisters." This Woody Allen film won Best Original Screenplay and was also nominated for a slew of other awards that year.

The story takes place in NYC where three sister's relationships seem to become intertwined in a love triangle–squared. Hannah (Mia Farrow), Holly (Dianne Wiest), and Lee (Barbara Hershey) can't seem to keep their hands off each other's men. Labeled as a comedy, there were inevitably some dramatic moments. The beginning scene takes place at the family Thanksgiving and ends the following year at Thanksgiving and so we made some turkey for dinner.

Turkey Meatloaf and Wild Rice, Apple, and Dried-Cranberry Stuffing were on the menu for dinner. The meatloaf was tasty and classic, but I really loved this "stuffing," which was mainly a rice dish with all of the smells and taste cues of a traditional stuffing.

Turkey Meatloaf

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)

2 TB olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp finely ground black pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (1/2 tsp dried)

1/3 cup worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 tsp tomato paste

5 lbs ground turkey breast

1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

3 extra-large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup ketchup

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an un-greased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold in a sandwich.

Stuffing

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups water

1 cup wild rice

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 lb crusty bread, cut into 1/2" cubes (6 cups)

1 stick butter, plus 2 TB melted butter

2 cups diced (1/3") onion

2 cups diced (1/3") celery

2 cups diced (1/3") apple

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 TB finely chopped fresh sage (or 1 1/2 tsp dried)

2 tsp finely chopped marjoram (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 tsp finely chopped thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup turkey stock or chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

Bring the water to a boil in a 2-qt heavy saucepan, then add rice and 1/2 tsp salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and most grains are split open, 1 to 1 1/4 hours (not all of the liquid will be absorbed). Drain well in a colander and spread out in a baking pan to cool completely.

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Spread bread cubes in a shallow baking pan and bake in upper third of oven until dry, about 20 minutes – we skipped this and just toasted the bread in a toaster oven.

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, then cook onion and celery, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add apple and cook, stirring until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in herbs, pepper, and remaining teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with rice, bread, and dried cranberries.

Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees and butter a shallow 3-qt. baking dish (13 x 9).

Spread stuffing evenly in dish and drizzle with melted putter and turkey stock. Bake, covered tightly with foil, for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is browned 10–15 minutes more.