So let me begin in praise of yesterday's lunch, which, thanks to Jim, was simply one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. I came home on my lunch break to find warm, toasty ciabatta bread (Jim toasts the inside of the bread so that we don't scratch up our mouths) topped with thick slices of roasted turkey from the Dekalb Farmers Market, a little mayonnaise, perfectly crisped bacon, and parsley. (This is one of those instances where the whole is much, much greater than the sum of its parts... we've been talking about that sandwich since yesterday, and we're about to have another round for lunch today.)
Even when we're not experimenting with a month without restaurants, we probably eat out less than the average couple. Part of this is financial -- we live on a fairly tight budget, and we'd rather spend our food dollars on a few good meals than waste them on forgettable food. A bigger part, though, is that we keep finding meals we like, then realizing we can recreate them more healthfully at home, with tastier results.
Last night's dinner is an example of this. We used to frequent a Thai restaurant that served a delicious red curry with pineapple. On a visit to Jim's family, I discovered an "improvisational" curry recipe in one of my then-future-mother-in-law's cookbooks. Given my reluctance to follow a recipe precisely, this was right up my alley. I copied the recipe down on a sheet of scrap paper, took it back to Atlanta, and have been making my own red curry with great success ever since. My version uses beef, fresh pineapple and red peppers. It's a nuanced dish -- sweet, spicy, a little salty. We always say that we're going to make a vegetarian version with more veggies, but this is so good the way it is we never seem to vary it.
The beauty of this dish is that it's never the same way twice, because the sweetness or tartness of the pineapples and the juiciness of the limes is ever-changing.
Here, I attempt to reproduce my faded scrawled notes of the original recipe, with some commentary by me. The ingredient list looks long, but it's really quite easy to make, and many of the components are optional. We use a large electric skillet for the curry and serve this over jasmine rice.
Improvisational Red Thai Curry
originally from James Peterson's Sauces
2 lb beef, cut in 2 inch by 1/2 inch strips (sirloin strip, sirloin or flank)
2 TBS peanut oil (if browning meat -- optional but encouraged)
1 TBS peanut oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup red curry paste (we hope to start making our own paste soon, but for now we use an excellent imported red curry paste... adjust for spiciness here)
1 cup or so broth or water
2 to 6 TBS fish sauce (I prefer 5-6 TBS)
1 14-ounce can coconut milk (to reduce the fat, I use a 14-oz can of light coconut milk but also add a very small can of the full-fat variety)
Juice of two limes, or 2 TBS wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 to 2 TBS sugar (optional, but I always find I need it)
1 fresh pineapple, cut in chunks
2 red peppers, seeded and diced
(This is our version of the curry... you may prefer mushrooms, bell peppers, beans, eggplant, etc.)
Thai basil or cilantro for garnish
Optional Aromatics: 6 kefir lime leaves and thick slices of galangal
Directions:
1. Brown meat in skillet or wok. Set aside and pour off oil.
2. Heat fresh oil over medium heat. Stir in curry paste and heat until fragrant. Stir in broth and fish sauce and simmer.
3. Stir in coconut milk and sweet and sour ingredients (lime, sugar, optional aromatics). Return to simmer.
4. Add pineapple and red pepper (or your choice of vegetables) and simmer until almost done.
5. Add meat and simmer until done/cooked through. (This is a dish that tastes better and better as the flavors marry.)
6. Garnish with Thai basil or cilantro and serve over rice.
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