Double Parmesan Cauliflower Mash

I only call it double parmesan cauliflower mash because I usually add more cheese :) This tasty recipe is a staple for us - Serve with any protein and of course a pat of butter on top. To make it special for your holiday celebrations, crisp up some proscuitto and fresh sage leaves to place on top.

Double Parmesan Cauliflower Mash
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 whole head of cauliflower, cut up into florets
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional - sometimes 1tbsp sour cream is a great substitute)
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (honestly, just add as much as you like it’ll actually thicken things up too)
pinch of nutmeg
kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method:

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1-2 teaspoons salt. Add cauliflower florets and cook for 15 minutes or until very soft. Drain cauliflower very well using a colander over the sink, then allow to sit for 2-3 minutes on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to drain even more water from them.

Add cauliflower florets to a food processor with remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth. Scoop into a serving bowl and reheat before plating.

Shawarma Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Feta Sauce

There’s not much to say about these other than they are delicious, and the addition of kalamata olive hummus really loosens the texture of these shawarma spiced lamb meatballs and provides a great flavor. All you need is five minutes to combine ingredients and 12-15 minutes under the broiler of your oven. No oven? No problem - Sear them in a skillet over medium heat until they are golden on the outside and slightly pink inside.

Shawarma Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Feta Sauce
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb (20% fat 80% lean)
2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons shawarma spice (or an equal combination of ground coriander seeds, cumin, smoked paprika, dried thyme and chili powder)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup kalamata olive hummus (My absolute favorite is Boar’s Head)
Feta sauce (recipe follows)
To serve: Fresh lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, lemon wedges and dill.

Guidelines:
Preheat the broiler of your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine lamb, garlic, seasonings and hummus in a medium bowl. Gently work until everything is evenly incorporated but not too much because you don’t want them to be tough. Use clean hands to roll into 1 -ounce balls (makes about 16) and broil for 12-15 minutes until they are golden on top and slightly pink in the middle. Serve with fresh salad and feta sauce.

Feta Sauce:
4 oz. creamy feta like Valbreso
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon garlic paste (or one clove made into a paste with the side of your knife)
the zest and juice of 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (dill, chives, oregano)

Add everything to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Season to taste and I usually add more chopped herbs for good measure. Sometimes 1-2 tablespoons of good quality mayonnaise gives it more body. Scoop into a bowl and add some extra virgin olive oil on top.

Cape Malay Chicken Curry with Onion and Tomato Sambal

During the darker early days of South Africa’s history, the Cape was colonized by the Dutch East India Company who required labourers to establish the infrastructure. The people of Indonesia, Malaysia as well as India were highly skilled and were therefore brought to live and work as slaves in the area. These people who later became known as the Cape Malays, brought with them their traditional cooking techniques, adapting recipes by using ingredients commonly found in the Western Cape at that time - mainly deciduous fruits. Though South Africa has many different ethnic groups and cultures, these people were my ancestors and this Cape Malay Chicken Curry is a good example of how a classic Malaysian curry is transformed with the addition of fruit or preserves. It’s served with a deliciously crucial element, a very easy onion and tomato sambal made with punchy raw onion, sugar and malt vinegar (Vinegar is used liberally in Cape Malay Cuisine). I’ve noticed that sweet and sour flavors reign supreme in South Africa, diverse as we are.

Coming back from a recent trip to South Africa, I realized just how integral a good chicken curry is to any social gathering. I watched carefully as my mother made her sambal, the steps taken to ensure a good balance of flavor that perfectly complements the curry and rice. Our people have made this for generations and so it’s done with a sort of graceful ease…We know what we are doing and rarely rely on a recipe. Our hands chop the vegetables to a very old rythm and the sound of a metal spoon stirring the pot is one indication that we are about to taste happiness itself. Even though it is not my typical 15 minute recipe, I hope that you can find some time to make and enjoy this approachable version because it is so very dear to my heart.

A few tips:

Traditionally, whole pieces of chicken is used since the bones impart a wonderful flavor. I’ve made an adjustment by using skinless boneless chicken thigh pieces that are easier to eat. In this case, chicken stock is used instead of water to create more depth of flavor.

The sambal is absolutely important. In their book Cape, Curry and Koesisters by sisters Fatima and Gadija Sydow, they mention that guests usually complain when it’s not on the table. I fully agree and I hope that you make it as well! Malt vinegar can be found at most grocery stores now, and the South African spices and chutney served on the side can both be found on Amazon. I will link those in the ingredient list.

If you are following a low carb diet, the potatoes can easily be replaced by radish or even cauliflower florets. The apricot jam can be replaced with sugar-free apricot jam. Onions, garlic and curry powder usually contain quite a bit of carbs so you can reduce the amounts and serve your curry over strips of green cabbage sautéed in butter with a pinch of nutmeg instead of rice. Delicious. For the sambal, use monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar.

The sambal is best after all the juices are allowed to meld in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Make it before you start the curry so that it’s ready to serve once everything is done.

Cape Malay Chicken Curry with Onion and Tomato Sambal
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 4-6

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
1 fresh bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 cardamom pod
2 whole cloves
1 1/2 tablespoons Rajah Curry Powder
1/2 tablespoon yellow curry paste
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 -inch cubes
3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 teaspoon salt + more to taste
1 teaspoon white pepper
2-3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro, divided
2 tablespoons smooth apricot jam
To serve: Mr’s Balls Peach Chutney is a classic condiment that goes very well with any curry!

Onion and Tomato Sambal
1 cup thinly sliced yellow or white onion
1/2 cup thinly sliced persian cucumber
1/2 cup chopped tomato (I use cherry tomato but any variety is fine)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/3 cup malt vinegar
white sugar to taste (about 4 tablespoons)

Guidelines:

Add oil to a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and green pepper for 2-3 minutes until translucent. If it starts to brown too quickly please reduce your heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of water at a time to continue the cooking process as needed. Add garlic, ginger, whole spices and curry powders/paste, stirring for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Place chicken, potatoes, salt and pepper and the pot. Use a spoon to toss chicken and potatoes until coated with spices then add chicken stock, half of the cilantro and the apricot jam. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are very soft and sauce thickened. Add remaining cilantro and adjust seasoning. Remove whole spices right before serving over fluffly basmati rice and sambal (recipe follows)

Add all sambal ingredients to a medium bowl and stir to combine. The balance of sweet and sour depends on how you like it, please add enough sugar until you feel it’s reached the correct taste. For me that’s usually 4 tablespoons.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Patties with Dill Yogurt Sauce

This recipe is inspired by and adapted from one by my friend Danielle Kartes, who recently published her recipe for Turkey & Chickpea Greek-Style Pitas with Dill Yogurt Sauce in her book, Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table. If you’re interested in a speedy and delicious supper, look no further! The great thing about it is that you can use ground chicken as well, and substitute any vegetables that you have on hand. Danielle’s recipe calls for chickpeas but since we are cleaning out the fridge before a trip to South Africa, I had some roasted red pepper hummus on hand and used it instead. Turns out it’s a great binding agent and the pieces of roasted red pepper really were delectable! The great thing is, any hummus will do and even the roasted red pepper can be replaced with any marinated vegetables you have lingering in your fridge. Some great add-ins are: chopped marinated artichoke, chopped kalamata olives, chopped marinated mushrooms, chopped giardiniera, banana peppers and spinach!

Turkey & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Patties with Dill Yogurt Sauce.
Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 - 20 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup roasted red pepper hummus (I love Boar’s Head Brand) OR your favorite hummus
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 medium egg, beaten
Dill Yogurt Sauce (Danielle’s recipe follows below)

Optional sides: Freshly sliced tomato seasoned with smoked sea salt, fresh dill/basil/mint leaves, kalamata olives, sliced red onion, feta cheese, cucumber, pita bread. During Winter I love to serve these with roasted squash or kale greens.

Method:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Combine garlic, pepper, salt, onion powder and chili powder in a bowl and stir. Add turkey, hummus, roasted red pepper and beaten egg. Mix gently with a fork until everything is well incorporated, then form into 8 patties and cook until golden brown on both sides (about 4 minutes per side). Serve with dill yogurt sauce and optional sides.

Dill Yogurt Sauce (Recipe Courtesy of Danielle Kartes, from her book Rustic Joyful Food: My Heart’s Table)

1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Mix and allow melding in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving. That’s it!

Roasted Tomato Cheddar Pie

Ms. Dixie and I stood in the kitchen that she had cooked in for 20 years on the day that we decided to purchase her home in Mississippi. “I promise to take care of this home and love it just the way that you did,” I said. In that moment tears started streaming down her face and mine, so we hugged for a while before the others walked in.

I had found the listing a month before very randomly online, and instantly knew that we would be making a life there. A few weeks later when we moved into our new (old) home; it was just as she had left it. Her personal items removed and the house immaculately cleaned, a few hard-to-remove traces of their life together remained. Tiny ceramic mice carefully placed inside gaps of imperfect doors, a painted cat waiting on the wall by the front door, so many garden trinkets. I once found a note while cleaning the top shelves in our hallway that read “Have a great day, I love you! ~ David.” He had left it there for her to find but I suppose she never did. Finding that note felt like I had something precious to her, finding a collection of recipes perfectly stuck to the kitchen cabinet doors felt the same. One of those recipes was “Tomato Pie.”

I’ve been wanting to share this tomato pie recipe with you for a while but it only felt right to wait until I could find local tomatoes at their peak ripeness. Even better as part of a partnership with Tillamook using their Farmstyle Thick Cut Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese, which I’m so happy to be able to purchase locally now. Try this store locator to find it near you! I was so excited to test it, taste it and now to present it to you. Making it felt nostalgic and wonderful, the kitchen is still mostly unchanged with its original creaky wood floors and baked in the oven that they left here for us. It’s not a complicated recipe, it contains only a few simple ingredients that you can enjoy slightly cooled or at room temperature on your front porch on a late summer evening. I imagine that’s what Ms Dixie and Mr David did when they lived here.

Cheddar is a very important part of any Southern tomato pie, and come to think of it so many other Southern foods including pimiento cheese and homemade cheese biscuits. For me, Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese is the perfect choice because of the quality. It is aged for over 9 months and really delivers a wonderful sharpness that perfectly complements the tomatoes and herbs. The shreds are a generous size and I feel that this makes the pie cheesier, more toothsome and just a delight to eat.

A few notes:

Using a quality pre-made pie crust will save you some time. I used to be a person who never chose convenience over making everything from scratch, but lately there are many amazing products that help when time is short. (Back To School!)

Most classic tomato pie recipes, like this one, include mayonnaise, but you could absolutely use sour cream or even ricotta instead.

Roasting the tomatoes removes a lot of the moisture that might have seeped out of fresh tomatoes, causing the pie to become soggy. If you choose not to roast the tomatoes, drain them for at least 10 minutes on a paper towel lined cooling rack.

Try your best to avoid cutting into the pie immediately, let it sit until it gets closer to room temperature - This will make it very easy to slice into and serve.

Roasted Tomato Cheddar Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 8 -inch pre-baked pie crust
2lbs heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
4 strips bacon
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 lb Tillamook Farmstyle Thick Cut Sharp Cheddar Shredded Cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped herbs (basil, chives, oregano) plus extra to serve
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Guidelines:

Preheat oven to 400F (200C).

Place tomato slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Work in batches if your oven is unable to accommodate all the tomatoes at once. Roast for 15 minutes until most juices have evaporated. Remove from oven, set aside, and lower heat to 350F (180C).

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crispy and drain on a paper towel. Discard most of the fat from the skillet, add onions and sauté for 5-10 minutes until golden. Allow to cool.

Add chopped bacon, onion, cheese, mayonnaise, herbs, sun dried tomatoes, garlic powder and red pepper flakes to a medium bowl. Use a fork to gently combine. Spread one half of this mixture at the bottom of your pie crust, followed by a layer of roasted tomatoes. Repeat with final layer and bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing, topping with fresh herbs when serving.

This sponsored post was written by The Daley Plate on behalf of Tillamook but all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that I love!

Roasted Sausage, Tomato and Peach Supper with Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Mash

Heya! Here’s a delicious and easy to prepare supper for the stone fruit lovers out there! I grew up eating peaches and apricots in savory dishes and love the flavor combination with salty meats like sausage or chicken. Peaches that are quite firm work best in this recipe because they hold up better during the roasting process, so save the very ripe peaches to eat instead and try to do the same if you can. Paired with in season cherry tomatoes, red onion, sweet Italian sausage and a few fresh herbs this recipe comes together very quickly in the oven or even on your grill.

I chose to serve it over my parmesan spaghetti squash mash for two reasons: It’s delicious, it’s lower in carbs than polenta but it has great texture and visual appeal. It’s relatively inexpensive and available year-round at most grocery stores. I first shared the simple parmesan spaghetti squash recipe in the caption under this post on Instagram and was so happy to hear how many people loved the idea. It came about randomly one day during my 6 month stint on keto mostly because cauliflower mash was getting boring. Unfortunately that post took off and in turn got reshared by hundreds of accounts looking to make a profit from my image and recipe, selling diet plans to unkowing people without any credit to me. I removed the recipe (It was too late at that point but still) and add it here to live on my blog as my creation.

Some pointers:

Prep and cook the spaghetti squash while the sausage is roasting in the oven so that everything is ready at the same time. I find the Instant Pot to be a lifesaver when it comes to making sure the squash is tender. You will either need a food processor or immersion blender to purée the squash, I prefer the latter because washing all the food processor parts feels like a waste of time to me :)

Roasted Sausage, Tomato and Peach Supper with Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Mash
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

19 -ounce package sweet basil Italian sausage links (substitue any sausage links of your choice)
1 medium red onion, sliced into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cups cherry tomatoes
2 large firm peaches, sliced into wedges
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Parmesan spaghetti squash mash (recipe follows)

Guidelines:

Preheat oven or grill to 400F (200 degrees Celsius)

Place sausage and onion on a sheet pan and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes then add cherry tomatoes and peaches, remaining olive oil and season to taste. Continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes until sausage is golden, tomatoes are bubbling and peaches soft. Remove from oven and sprinkle with herbs. Serve on top of Parmesan spaghetti squash mash or polenta.

Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Mash

1 large whole spaghetti squash
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Optional to serve: butter, fresh chives

Place whole squash in the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes. This makes them super easy to cut through.

Prepare your Instant Pot (A pot on the stove works as well but takes longer) by adding 2 cups of water to it, along with the steaming rack. Carefully remove from the microwave, use a long serrated knife to cut in half and place on steaming rack with the flesh side up. Do not remove the seeds before cooking, removing it afterwards is best to get the most flesh from the squash. We are steaming it so that we aren’t adding any more moisture to the squash, which will cause a watery mash.

Place the lid on and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Do a quick pressure release, remove lid and carefully remove seeds from squash using a spoon. Scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. Serve with more butter on top (Who doesn’t love a butter pool?) and freshly chopped chives.

Apricot Garlic Butter Salmon

If you love sweet and savory flavors together, then apricot garlic butter salmon might just become your next go-to meal this Summer. Salmon is a good choice because it’s fatty and will remain juicy, but so is milder arctic char or even steelhead trout. Traditionally we use a fish called snoek in South Africa, a kind of mackerel from the cold waters surrounding the Western Cape. Pairing fish or other meats with stone fruit in recipes is very common because the Western Cape is also considered the agricultural hub of South Africa. Smaller towns are often surrounded by deciduous fruit farms and vineyards, so it only makes sense to use what’s available and this has been the way of life for generations. Many of my favorite South African meals are ones that contain fruit as an ingredient…Bobotie, Cape Malay Chicken Curry, Malva Pudding.

Ideally, this fish would be cooked over a fire outside for it to get that lovely smoked flavor and to allow the apricot preserves to caramelize. If you prefer, cook it over a wood fire (medium coals) in a grill basket and use the sauce to baste. On Friday’s we would sit around a fire while my uncle prepared a whole fish this way, singing songs as he carefully crafted his signature dish. This fish is delicious served simply with steamed haricots verts and boiled fingerlings. If you’re following a ketogenic way of eating, use sugar-free apricot preserves and replace the fingerling potatoes with roasted radish or a crunchy salad.

Apricot & Garlic Butter Salmon
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb side of salmon, scaled and bones removed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic paste (or 2 cloves fresh garlic cloves, finely minced)
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon smooth apricot preserves
1 tablespoon malt vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Guidelines:

1. Preheat oven to roast at 375F.  Line a 17 1/2 x 12 1/2 -inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Place salmon on parchment paper, skin side down. Season with salt and pepper. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic paste, melted butter, apricot preserves, vinegar and red pepper flakes until smooth. Use a pastry brush to spread this mixture evenly onto the salmon. 

4. Place salmon in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and cook for another 5 minutes or until slightly caramelized on top. Remove from oven, carefully lift from parchment paper and serve warm. Sometimes I like to toss my boiled potatoes in the juices remaining on the sheet pan and broil them gently for 5 minutes for extra flavor.

Keto Friendly Chicken Piccata Meatballs

Hi! I have just finished licking my plate after eating these delicious chicken piccata meatballs, cauliflower mash and steamed green beans. No shame in my game, they are delicous. I had bookmarked the original recipe by Little Spice Jar months ago and finally decided to give it a go. You should too! Marzia’s recipe was used as a guide here, because I’m currently following a ketogenic way of eating and wanted to reduce the amount of carbs. Making a few swaps didn’t take too much effort and allowed us to enjoy a keto-friendly meal with all the flavor of the original. Serve it with my double parmesan cauliflower mash and steamed green beans or whichever green vegetables are in season or available to you. It’s an easy, fuss-free meal perfect for weeknights! I hope you give these keto friendly chicken piccata meatballs a try, and if you do please tag me @thedaleyplate on Instagram so that I can share it with everyone else!

A few notes:
When cooking with herbs, always opt for fresh instead of dried. the flavor just carries through so much better.

In her blog post on this recipe, Marzia mentions combining seasonings in the mixing bowl prior to adding the ground chicken. This way the spices are already combined and you will not have to overwork the chicken, which sometimes causes the meatballs to be dense.

I have found that sour cream is a great ingredient to use instead of eggs or bread crumbs when trying to combine ground chicken. It works well if your meat is very cold and you work quickly - The meatballs, just like my popular lemon chicken patty recipe, stay delicously juicy because of the sour cream addition.

You’ll notice that I use cornstarch in this recipe. One tablespoon of cornstarch = 9g of carbs, and I use one teaspoon which divided between four people shouldn’t affect your daily carb limit too drastically. If you prefer, use 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum instead (Update: I tried xanthan gum recently and honestly the cornstarch is the best option here).

Keto Friendly Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Prep time: 5-10 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 4

Meatballs:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
zest of 1 medium lemon + set the juice aside for sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon Cavender’s Greek Seasoning (Trust me on this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp sour cream
1 lb package ground chicken

Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (reserved from earlier)
2 tablespoons capers
To serve: chopped parsley

Method:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

For the meatballs, combine all ingredients except sour cream and ground chicken in a medium mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine. Add sour cream, followed by ground chicken and use a fork to mix until just combined. Roll chicken mixture into balls that are about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, then add to skillet. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes to ensure an even color. I like to gently shake the pan so that they roll around instead of me having to flip with a fork. Transfer meatballs from skillet to a plate and tent with foil while finishing the sauce.

With the same skillet still over medium heat, add butter and garlic. Sauté until fragrant (1 minute), using a wooden spoon or whisk to scrape the golden chicken bits from the bottom of the skillet.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1-2 tablespons of the chicken stock until smooth. This is to prevent any lumps from forming since cornstarch reacts differently than flour. Add this to the skillet first and whisk, followed by remaining stock, lemon juice and capers. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add meatballs and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes, tossing meatballs to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Easy Lemongrass Shrimp Skewers

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with FeedFeed and LouAna Oils, using their Liquid Coconut Oil. LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil stays liquid for easy pouring, measuring, sautéing and baking. With no coconut aroma or taste, it’s a perfect substitute for margarine or other cooking oils in recipes. I use it mostly to sauté because it’s keto-friendly and has four times the medium chain triglycerides (mct’s) as virgin coconut oil.

These flavorful shrimp skewers contain very few ingredients, all of which you can find online or at your local Asian grocer. Thai curry paste, lemongrass, garlic, lime juice and zest, Thai basil and the optional chopped red chili all come together with shrimp for a very easy meal that everyone can enjoy.

I’m fortunate to live in the South where Louisiana shrimp are delivered to just about every local seafood shack in town, especially this time of year. While I recommend high quality fresh shrimp for this recipe, frozen is perfectly okay, just thaw them completely in your refrigerator before using.

Using Thai curry paste in these shrimp skewers means you’re adding an ingredient that’s already packed with flavorful aromatics like lime leaf, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and sometimes shrimp paste. It’s a great time-saver for those days when you want delicious in a hurry! Serve with rice, noodles or your favorite side. We prefer cooling cucumber slices, mint, basil and a dash of vinegar.

Easy Lemongrass Shrimp Skewers
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8-10 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6-8 long lemongrass stalks
2lbs fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Thai Panang or Red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Optional: 1 tablespoon finely minced Thai red chili (deseed for a milder taste)
1-2 tablespoons LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil (find it here!)

Method:

Prepare lemongrass by soaking in cold water to remove any impurities. Using a sharp knife, cut each stalk into 6-8 -inch pieces and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment in place, add shrimp, curry paste, garlic, basil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes and optional red chili. Pulse 8-10 times until the shrimp is minced and the mixture is evenly combined.

Wetting your hands prevents the shrimp mixture from sticking to them during the next step. Use your hands to evenly wrap 4 oz portions of the shrimp mixture around the cut lemongrass stalks until all the skewers are made. Press and shape the mixture to make sure it sticks to the stalk.

Heat a large skillet to medium and pour in 1-2 tablespoons LouAna Liquid Coconut Oil. Sauté shrimp skewers in batches for 8-10 minutes until cooked through, rotating every 2 minutes to ensure an even golden color. Serve immediately.

Mom's Red Beans and Rice

Recipe:

1 lb package Camellia Brand red kidney beans
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium vidalia onion, finely diced
1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons garlic paste (4-6 fresh cloves)
1 lb Andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced 
1 1/2 lbs smoked turkey wing pieces (About 1 wing - I always use Royal brand)
2 fresh bay leaves
10-12 cups light chicken stock or water
1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Slap Ya Mama is the best)
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
To serve: steamed long grain rice, hot sauce, chopped green onion, chives or parsley

Method:

Sort and soak beans in cold water overnight. Drain before starting the recipe and set aside.

Heat a large cast iron pot over medium-high heat then add butter, onion, bell pepper and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent, then add garlic and sausage. Cook until sausage is evenly browned. At this point, I remove half of the sausage and set aside until serving but this is optional. You could also sauté some separately toward the end, just get extra.

Add beans, bay leaves and smoked turkey wing pieces to the pot. I leave the skin on because a lot of the collagen and fat will break down and contribute to a creamy texture later. Almost like how it works when you make refried beans. Pour enough stock or water over to cover the wings, stir and increase heat to high. Bring to a rolling boil for 5-10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and place the lid on your pot. Cook for 1 1/2  to 2 hours, stirring with a wooden spoon a few times while cooking to ensure that you do not scorch the beans at the bottom of the pot. This is the worst! If things look too dry, please add 1-2 cups water. I do not add salt until after the beans are tender enough to taste because the smoked wings and andouille sausage is salty and creates a wonderful flavor on their own.

Once the beans are tender and meat from the wings are falling off the bone, remove any skin, bones and bay leaves - discard. Use a potato masher or fork to mash about 1/2 of the beans that are still whole. Stir gently over low heat. It should be very creamy now. Add Cajun seasoning to suit your taste, pepper and a dash of hot sauce. I sometimes stir in some fresh parsley as well. 

Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice, extra sautéed sausage and chopped green onion or chives.

Serves 8-10 people.