Thai Steamed Mussels

This recipe could be a main course if served with a salad, but if you are having a buffet why not put it on the table and let your guests help themselves. In any case put some nice French bread beside it for dipping! As this is THE season, you will not necessarily receive a new recipe EVERY Monday. In sending these a bit early I hope it helps with your holiday planning!

THAI STEAMED MUSSELS

2 T vegetable oil
2 large sweet onions diced
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 T fresh grated ginger
1 Thai chili, finely chopped
3 stalks lemon grass sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 orange zested and juiced
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 lb.PEI mussels bearded and scrubbed OR buy a bag already to go…
1/4 cup freshly chopped coriander
salt and pepper

Heat vegetable in wok. Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes. Add ginger, chili and lemon grass, crushed coriander and orange zest. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add coconut milk, juices and mussels. Cover and steam over medium heat for 5-7 minutes (more if using frozen mussels). Remove from heat immediately and stir in chopped coriander, salt and pepper.

Notes

Frozen mussels will lengthen steaming time.
Serve with crusty bread…the sauce is great for dipping.

Warm Brie with Fruit Puree

With the approaching holiday season upon us all, I am going to offer some great appetizer recipes over the next three weeks. Let me know if you try any of them and what you thought. If your name is Larry, let me know what changes you made to the recipe when you made it…LOL

Warm Brie with Fruit Puree

Ingredients:

4 portions of Brie
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
4 oz. mixed herbs – basil, mint and thyme
12 oz. black currant jam
1 oz. Sambucca liqueur (Anise)

Preparation:

Make an egg wash. Place bread crumbs in large bowl and add
herbs. Bread one portion of Brie by placing in (i) flour
(ii) egg wash (iii) bread crumbs. Place on tray in fridge.
Mix jam and Sambucca in a saucepan and heat until slightly
thick.
Place Brie in oven on a non-stick pan for 3-5 minutes @ 350
degrees.
Pour the sauce over the Brie on a large dinner plate. Serve
with melba toast and mint garnish.

Notes

Increase the sambucca as desired.

Honey, Mustard and Rosemary Pork Roast

With the cooler weather coming in, I went searching for a great and easy pork roast recipe. Simple and yet very tasty. The leftover pork and sauce made great open face sandwiches for lunch today…if you are watching your sugar intake, cut back on the honey…I used only 4 Tablespoons…

Honey, Mustard and Rosemary Pork Roast

3/4 cup beer
1/2 cup Dijon mustard (I used the peppercorn version)
6 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 2-pound boneless pork loin roast

1/2 cup whipping cream

Whisk first 6 ingredients to blend in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Add pork and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour or cover and refrigerate overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer pork to rack set in roasting pan; reserve marinade. Roast until thermometer inserted into center registers 150°F., about 55 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes.

Strain marinade into heavy medium saucepan. (Not really necessary to strain). Add cream and juices from roasting pan. Boil sauce until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice pork; arrange on platter. Drizzle some sauce over. Serve, passing extra sauce separately.

Barefoot in the Sand Cheese Ball – courtesy of Mary Walberg

I have hesitated in sending out this recipe as the McLaren’s cheese is not yet available here in Mexico. Yesterday we found a similar cheese at Superama in the Deli section made by Alouette. It is called Sharp Cheddar and is spreadable! For me it tasted very similar to the McLaren’s! No more need to bring it from Canada as long as they continue to stock it (If you want it you better get it before it is gone).

So here is our friend Mary’s recipe for the upcoming holiday seasons…the name refers to the name of Mary and Weldon’s place here in Mexico…

“BAREFOOT IN THE SAND” CURRIED CHEESE BALL

1 TUB OF McLAREN’S IMPERIAL CHEESE {red tub}

2 PACKAGES OF PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE

RAISINS ¼ cup (optional)

CHOPPED RED ONION -1/2/ cup

CURRY POWER —to taste

CHUTNEY {mango ginger}

TOASTED ALMOND SLIVERS

So at room temp blend cheeses together {if you cannot find McLaren’s Imperial cheese use the strongest cheddar cheese you can find and grate}

Add raisins, red onion and curry powder.

Roll in the toasted almond slivers…

Serve with the jar of mango chutney poured over the top of the ball

The best crackers to serve with this ball are the “rice” crackers, which you can find at Superama in Merida!

NOTE: I have made a similar one to this using a third cheese – soft blue cheese. If you like blue cheese, try Mary’s recipe, add a small amount of blue cheese, omitting the raisins, curry and chutney, and roll in chopped walnuts. I usually wrap mine in wax paper until I am ready to use it.