Thai-Style Crab Mushroom Pumpkin Curry

Thai-Style Crab Mushroom And Pumpkin Curry

Adding fresh Thai herbs to commercial curry paste and canned coconut milk really lifts this dish to another level, while the inclusion of sweet pumpkin and earthy mushrooms makes this dish rich and satisfying enough for the darkest winter evening.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons peanut or coconut oil
2–3 tablespoons red curry paste (about half a small jar)
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 stalk lemongrass (cut into 3 x 2 inch pieces and bruised with the flat of a knife)
2 cups pumpkin or winter squash, cut into 1-inch dice (kabocha squash works very well and does not need to be peeled, just cut out any blemishes)
10 Thai basil leaves, shredded
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (or palm sugar if you can get it)
3 lime leaves, shredded
2–4 heads bok choy or 2–4 cups spinach
6 ounces fresh white crab meat (or canned crab, cooked shrimp, or cooked salmon)
cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish
lime wedges to serve

Directions:
Heat the oil and red curry paste in a large pot or wok over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 3 tablespoons coconut milk and cook for 30 seconds. 

Add the mushrooms and stir until cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

Add the water, fish sauce and lemongrass, and stir in the diced squash or pumpkin and simmer 8–10 minutes over a medium heat, or until the pumpkin is cooked through and tender to the fork.

Stir in the rest of the coconut milk and return to a simmer. 

Stir in the basil, sugar, lime leaves, and green vegetables, and cook for another minute or two until the greens have wilted. 

Stir in the crab and simmer for another 30 seconds to warm through.

Remove the lemongrass pieces and serve the curry sprinkled with cilantro and accompanied by lime wedges. This curry is perfect ladled over fragrant jasmine rice.    Serves: 4–6 | Prep time: 20 minutes

Warmed Camembert With Warm Mushroom Fricassee

 Warmed Camembert With Warm Mushroom Fricassee

This is the original recipe which was the beginning of Dine With Donna!

Ingredients

1/2 cup English walnuts

1 8oz. wheel of Camembert

1 tablespoon walnut oil

3/4 pound fresh wild mushrooms

salt and pepper

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 large sage leaves, minced

Sour dough toasts 

Warmed platter

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet 7 minutes or until lightly browned.

Reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. Remove Camembert from the box and remove the wrapper. Put the cheese back in the bottom half of the box and set on a baking sheet or cake pan to warm. Bake about 10 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile in a large skillet heat the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until lightly browned, 3 minutes or longer. Add the shallots and cook about 2 minutes, until softened. Stir in the parsley and sage, season with salt and pepper.

Invert the warmed Camembert onto a platter. Stir the walnuts into the mushrooms and spoon mixture over cheese.

Serve with Sourdough toasts. 

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My Recommendations: Since this recipe goes together very quickly with minimal effort, I would suggest mincing the parsley, sage, and shallot prior to beginning to prepare the recipe. Serve on a warmed platter (not hot). The walnut oil really enhances the flavors and I would highly recommend not substituting it with vegetable oil. Do not use dried mushrooms reconstituted as they always remain "tough". We also did not toast our baguette and found the thin slices of bread to be acceptable.