African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

African Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
Serves 6

1.5 lbs beef stew or chicken thigh
4 larger sweet potatoes, cubed. Microwaved 8 minutes.
olive oil, divided
1 leek or some onion, diced
1 inch ginger, minced
1 qt beef stock
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 jalapeno, minced
1 anaheim, minced
1 red bell, minced
2 habanero, minced
1 can coconut milk
1/2 small cabbage, shredded, optional
salt
pepper

Slice beef it thinly (smallish, bite-size strips) and brown it on both sides for roughly a minute or two in a large pan. Set this aside.
In the same pot, sauté the finely minced leek and peppers in olive oil. Add the finely minced garlic and ginger for a minute further. Finally, deglaze with the stock and add the sweet potatoes. Raise this to a boil.
Once boiling, drop the heat to a bit below medium and add in the peanut butter and brown sugar. After about 20 minutes (or when the sweet potatoes are getting mushy), puree. Add in the coconut milk, season with
salt and pepper, and return the beef to the pot. Add cabbage if doing so. Continue to simmer the soup for 20-30 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro, scallion, peanuts.

Soba with Braised Chicken and Cabbage

Soba with Braised Chicken and Cabbage
Serves 4-6

12oz Soba, cooked and washed.
2lbs Chicken thighs, cut up.
2 tbs soy
2 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs hot sauce/chile sauce/sriracha/etc
Some ginger/garlic
1 small onion, chopped fine
Dried chiles
10oz mushrooms, sliced
1 small head savoy/napa cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 cup chicken broth
Scallions

Marinate the chicken.
Cook the aromatics for a minute, and then add the chicken. Once browned, add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a minute or two.
Add the broth and oyster sauce and braise 30 minutes. Add the cabbage and braise another 15.
Mix in with the soba and garnish with scallion and sichuan peppercorn.

Ziti with Roasted Peppers, Green Olives, and Salami

Ziti with Roasted Peppers, Green Olives, and Salami
6 to 8 servings

1 Jar roasted red peppers, in strips
1 green pepper, roasted and skinned, in strips

2 garlic cloves
1 small shallot, halved
1 cup pitted green olives in brine, drained
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
5-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1 pound ziti
10 ounces salami, cut into matchsticks
1 Pint grape/cherry tomato
Parmesan cheese

Process garlic and shallot through processor feed tube and chop coarsely.
Add olives, parsley, olive oil, and oregano and chop finely. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Basically this is olive pesto/tapenade.
Cook pasta, and return pasta to pot; stir in peppers, tomatoes, and olive
mixture. Add salami and cheese; toss to combine. Serve warm or room temp.

Coconut Sweet Potato Soup With Collard Greens

Coconut Sweet Potato Soup With Collard Greens
Serves 3-4

1 chicken breast, strips
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 tsp kosher salt
2 smaller sweet potato, cubed
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 jalapeno, finely minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 can coconut milk
3 cups chicken stock
1 bunch of collard greens, strips
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Cook the chicken in a pot, and reserve.
In the same pot, cook onion and a pinch of salt and saute until soft,
about 3 minutes.
Add the sweet potato, garlic, jalapeno, ginger, coriander and tumeric and
saute for about 2 min. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, 2 tsp of salt,
raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered,
for 15 minutes.
Add the collards and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Sri Lankan Lamb Curry

Lankan Lamb Curry
Serves 4

2 lb goat/lamb stew cut, into pieces
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
1.5 tbsp cayenne
1 tbsp coriander
1/2 tbsp black pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Salt
2 cups chopped onions
4 chopped chilies
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
a few curry leaves or some curry powder.
1 can coconut milk
1 tsp garam masala
Juice of a lime

Marinate the meat with the ingredients thru salt, and keep aside for
15-20 minutes.

Heat oil in a or a deep pan and add the fenugreek seeds , onions, green
chilies and curry leaves/powder. Cook till the onions start to brown. Add
the marinated meat pieces and stir well.

Add 2 cups water and mix well. Cover the pot and simmerfor about 20
minutes tightly covered. Add the coconut milk, mix well, and keep cooking
till the meat is really tender, for about 30 more minutes.

Add the garam masala and the lime juice and mix well just before removing
from the heat. Serve with rice.

Mac and Cheese with Ham and Peas

Mac and Cheese with Ham and Peas
Serves 6

Salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 12-ounce cans reduced-fat evaporated milk
1.3 cup cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 lbs 50 percent light cheddar cheese , grated
4 oz ham, diced large
1.5 cup frozen peas

Cook the pasta.
Add the evaporated milk, 1 cup of the 2 percent milk, mustard, celery
salt, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt to a now-empty saucepan. Bring the
mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Whisk the cornstarch and
remaining 1/2 cup milk together, then whisk it into the simmering
mixture. Continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has
thickened and is smooth, about 2 minutes.
Off the heat, gradually whisk in the cheddar until melted and smooth.
Stir in the ham, peas, and macaroni, and let the macaroni and cheese sit
off the heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 5 minutes,
before serving.

Scarola

Scarola
Serves 6 – 8

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lbs. hot Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 19-oz. cans cannellini beans, drained (liquid reserved from 1 can)
1/4 cup rough chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and finely ground black pepper
6 cups chicken broth
2 heads escarole, trimmed and cut into strips
1 tsp dried basil
lots of parmesan

Heat the oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage
and cook until brown all over, 12–15 minutes. Let cool and slice into
rings.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add beans
and their liquid, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until hot, 5–7
minutes. Add sausages, parsley, pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to
taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer briefly.

Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil in a large pot. Add escarole, reduce
heat to medium-low, and add a big handful of parmesan. Simmer until
escarole is completely wilted, 4–5 minutes.

Stir escarole mixture into bean mixture. Cook, partially covered, until
thickened slightly, about 1 hour. Serve with remaining cheese.