How you doin’? How would you like to spend a weekend in India? Oops, so sorry that kind of travel is impossible during the worldwide pandemic. But here is the next best thing… my Instant Pot Peanut Chicken Curry recipe.
 
There are so many bad curries out there (almost as many as crappy Indian restaurants). Some recipes are lacking in the layers of flavors leaving a non-descript curry flavor; others are so overpowering it’s like licking the cap of the spice bottle. Some recipes just use a mono-flavored curry powder that doesn’t bring out the layering of a mix of spice and herbs. A good curry should have many different spices, i.e. turmeric, coriander, cumin, garlic, black pepper, fenugreek, cinnamon, fennel, nutmeg, white pepper, cayenne, cilantro, cloves, cardamom and ginger.
 
There are some recipes that suggest that you put your final curry over a bed of rice. They don’t tell you what kind of rice to use. Please don’t use Uncle Ben’s—that’s okay for some things. For this recipe, use a good long-grain rice with a slightly floral aroma and a soft, sticky texture, like Jasmine or Basmati rice. Plan your cook time accordingly so you can rinse and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
 
Prep time:  35 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes / rice and curry can cook concurrently
Yield:  4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
 
For the rice
2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and soaked
 
For the curry
4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1-pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
1 cup yellow onion, minced
3 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2-1/2 tablespoons curry powder (I prefer Penzeys’ Curry Powder)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 10-oz. can Ro-Tel dice tomatoes and green chilies
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
5 oz. spinach, room temperature (thawed and drained, if frozen)
For the garnish
6 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
6 tablespoons toasted sweetened coconut
6 tablespoons mango chutney
 
Directions
To make the rice

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions. 

To make the curry

1. Set an Instant Pot to SAUTÉ.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil over medium heat; add the chicken, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3. Add the onion and potatoes and sauté until the onions begins to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. 
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil, ginger, garlic, coriander, curry powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
6. Add back the chicken and stir to coat the chicken in spices.
7. Add the Ro-Tel with juices and stir to scrape up any of the bits of chicken or spices stuck to the bottom of the pot to deglaze. 
8. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar—stir well.
9. CANCEL SAUTÉ and put the lid on the Instant Pot making sure to close the vent.
10. Set the Instant Pot to PRESSURE for 25 MINUTES.
11. Do a NATURAL RELEASE for 10 MINUTES and then fully vent the Instant Pot.
12. Open the lid and add the spinach and stir to fully bend.
13. Serve the chicken curry piping hot on a bed of rice.
14. Garnish with chopped peanuts, coconut flakes and mango chutney on the side.

ChefSecret: 

• In dishes like this I often use chicken thighs because they have a little more flavor and do not dry out when reheated. If using chicken thighs increase the amount to 1-1/2-pounds.
• If you like your curry a little spicier, sparingly add cayenne pepper—a little at a time—until you get the heat level you prefer.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Just wait a second—so you’re telling me that my chance of surviving all this is directly linked to the common sense of others?”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe, be kind and always give thanks to our many first responders on the front line who risk their lives for us. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#InstantPot #ChickenCurry #InstantPotCurry #Entrees #Peanuts #NationalPeanutBoard #NPB #JasmineRice  #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020

How you doin’? We have another great Instant Pot meal to share with you, but before I share Joan’s favorite meal in the world—Mac & Cheese—we want to thank many of our friends for their responses to our Covid-19 Survival Guide Cooking Lessons.
 
To Jayne and Kathy, your quiches looked great—thanks for the pix. We especially like to hear that you both included additional vegetables to make this your own recipe. That’s part of the fun of it all. Our cooking lessons are flexible, and you can always feel free to add and subtract ingredients at the whim of the chefs.
 
Brad, your comments on cocktails have been fun to read. I didn’t know you were of Portuguese descent so you can really appreciate my references to Lisbon-siders drinks and pastry. Bob and Will, thanks for the photo images on our Texas Cowboy Casserole—you proved once again that Bisquick is a great fallback ingredient. And, Nel, I’m glad you saw the wisdom and convenience of our Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatball dinner. Linda, thanks for trusting us enough to go out and purchase a new Instant Pot. I’m sure it will bring you lots of cooking joy.  We know many of you were skeptical of everything tossed into one pot turning out dishes that are so delicious. We can’t call out everyone for your cooking efforts, but you know who you are—thank you and stay tuned.
 
There must be thousands of recipes for mac and cheese, not to mention the boxed products from Kraft, Amy’s and others. A classic homemade stovetop macaroni and cheese often has you make a cheese sauce that requires making a roux and at least two cups of milk or half-and-half. But while it might be hard to believe, in this Instant Pot version, the pasta and cooking water do most of the sauce work, so all you need is a little half-and-half added together with the cheese at the very end.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cooking time:  20 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces dried pasta shells or elbow macaroni
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3-1/2 cups shredded cheese, such as sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack (about 16 ounces)
1/2 cup half-and-half
 
Directions

1. Turn on an Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and add the butter.  Once the butter is melted, turn the Instant Pot off.
2. Add the pasta, water, and salt.  Seal the Instant Pot.  Use the manual setting to set the pressure cooker to cook for 6 minutes on HIGH pressure.  It will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure.
3. When the cook time is done, immediately QUICK RELEASE the pressure being careful not to burn yourself on the steam.
4. Turn the Instant Pot OFF.  Open it, add the cheese and half-and-half, and stir until combined.
5. Put the lid back on the Instant Pot again and let sit for 3 minutes for the cheese to melt and the sauce to thicken. 
6. Give it a quick stir and serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  If you are like me and like a sharper finish on your mac and cheese sauce, add a couple of teaspoons of blue cheese for a more adult finish. Take it to the next level with a little cooked lobster, shrimp, chicken or bacon.
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe, be kind and always give thanks to our many first responders on the front lines who risk their lives for us.

If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#InstantPot #Macaroni&Cheese #Entrees #SideDishes #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica

                                          © Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? How is your Stroganoff IQ? Who was Count Pavel Stroganoff? You don’t know much about it, you say? Here’s a brief primer on Stroganoff 101. The Stroganoff (or Stroganov) family didn’t gain fame on beef and noodles fare, but it is now their legacy. History tells us Count Pavel Stroganoff made his fortune in 18th century Russia trading salt and furs, but nowadays the name is mainly associated with the popular Russian beef dish. Stroganoff (the dish) probably goes back to a much earlier time as peasant fare, sans the beef.
 
Although written after the Count’s death, Tolstoy’s War and Peace paints a vivid picture of a Russian society of the time which was fascinated with French culture, language and food. The chefs of day, within the great households, were striving to create dishes in a more elegant and refined style to outdo one another. The reinvention of Beef Stroganoff probably came about because of these dynamic changes in society. The first recorded documentation of the dish was in a cookbook in 1871. By the middle of the 20th century Stroganoff had become popular fare in America, with variants such as Turkey- or Hamburger-Stroganoff making their way to tables across the land.
 
Maybe you’re feeling the pandemic budget squeeze a bit? Not many ingredients are as versatile and budget friendly as ground beef. You couldn’t begin to think about how many recipes from sandwiches to casseroles, and everything in between require ground beef.
 
Joan is a fan of most comfort foods and Beef Stroganoff fits the bill. Usually Beef Stroganoff is made from thin slices of round steak—I didn’t have on hand for this recipe but I know I can always use ground beef as a replacement. This is an easy one-pot version of a classic recipe that comes together in minutes—noodles included. You can almost have it done in the time it takes for the water to boil and the thick egg noodles to cook. This is recipe is perfect for most anytime. Maybe not for breakfast unless you’re making a Stroganoff omelet (interesting idea). 
 
Keep the stress down to a minimum—you have most of the ingredients on hand, it’s easy and everybody loves Stroganoff.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2-pounds lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
1-pound sliced white mushrooms,
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
8 ounces (half package) uncooked thick egg noodles
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 tablespoon cold water
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, plus optional dollop for serving
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon fresh cut parsley, garnish
 
Directions

1. Set the Instant Pot SAUTÉ.
2. Add the oil; when it shimmers brown the beef with the onions until the beef is no longer pink.
3. Season with the onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic and mustard and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes longer until they start to brown.
5. Add the wine and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pot.
6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in the uncooked noodles.
8. CANCEL the SAUTÉ function and lock the lid in place.
9. Set the Instant Pot to HIGH PRESSURE for 15 MINUTES.
10. While waiting, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth to make a thickening slurry.
11. After the pressure timer is done let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes; set a time. Then carefully OPEN THE PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE and then open the lid.
12. Turn on the SAUTÉ function and while beef mixture boils, slowly add the cornstarch slurry stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.
13. Stir in the sour cream throughout.
14. Dish up, garnish with parsley and serve.

ChefSecrets: 

• I like my Stroganoff creamy and saucy. This is the amount of corn starch and water I use to thicken the Stroganoff the way I like it. You might need more or less depending on your tastes. Always use equal amounts of corn starch and water.
• You can easily use strips of beef instead of ground beef using the same recipe for an excellent result.

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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind.  If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.

#Stroganoff #BeefStroganoff #Beef #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods #FeedingAmerica
                                            
                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? I have a great idea for your 4th of July backyard picnic. It seems that every region of the United States has a “boil” of some sort—New England has a lobster boil, Maryland has a crab boil, Louisiana has a crawfish boil, the Carolina’s have their shrimp boil and in California, we mix things up to make a seafood and sausage boil—and I love it.
 
Though it may look complicated at first glance, please read through the entire recipe. It really is quick and easy “plug and play” Instant Pot holiday recipe. You will need a 6-quart Instant Pot— you may need two, depending on the number of people invited—and a very long extension cord to reach out to the backyard. Plug in your Instant Pot and get ready to Play with your food!
 
A seafood boil can be served as-is, but many people like to add a few side dishes to round out the meal—green salad, French or sourdough bread, coleslaw or potato salad. You can feed about four hungry people with this recipe and it can be ready in 30 minutes. Before you start mixing herbs and spices, read down the ChefSecret for a simple, zesty spice mixture. This recipe is sized for a 6-quart Instant Pot.
 
By the way, a few things I learned going down this path.

• There is not a green vegetable that works in this recipe. The pressure process makes them mushy and icky. You may see some green beans in my photo, but I learned my lesson—stick with the corn. It is simply sweet, tender and delicious.
• If you choose to add a lobster or lobster tails make sure they have not been pre-cooked. You will see a lobster in my photo; crayfish were not available and I wanted to get this recipe posted. Crawfish season can last from November to July, especially during an exceptionally warm and wet winters, but the most reliable months—and the time you'll find the best crawfish—are in the springtime and early summer, from late February through May.
• You can change or add other ingredients like chicken, duck or pork. Flaky fish and lamb… not so much.
• Lastly, please trust me—it really only takes 1 minute cook time on your Instant Pot’s timer. It does 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, but the results are fantastic, tender, plump shrimp, great sausage, tender sweet corn and fully cooked, buttery potatoes.  

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  1-minute; Instant Pot will take about 10 to 15 minutes to come up to pressure.
Yield:  4 big servings
 
Ingredients
For the homemade boil seasoning
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed (optional, if you can find it.)
3 tablespoon minced garlic
1 seeded lemon, cut in quarters
 
For the boil pot
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1-pound petite red potatoes, washed, halved
1-pound smoked sausage—mild or hot, sliced into 1/2" rounds
6 ears fresh corn, husked, cut into thirds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1-pound shrimp, peeled and de-veined (21-25)
1/2-pound of clams or mussels
1-pound crawfish
 
Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the boil seasonings—herbs, spices and parsley.
2. Pour the stock into the bottom of the Instant Pot and add the bay leaves.
3. Begin to layer all the ingredients in the pot by adding the potatoes in an even layer. Sprinkle about half of the boil seasonings over the potatoes.
4. Next, add the sausage in an even layer. Sprinkle the sausage with half of the remaining seasonings.
5. Add the corn in an even layer. Top the corn with the butter. Sprinkle the corn with the rest of the seasoning.
6. Add the shrimp, clams (or mussels) and crawfish to the top of the pot.
7. Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the valve is set to seal.
8. Set the PRESSURE cook button to 1 MINUTE. The pot will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure.
9. When the one minute of pressure cook time is up, immediately VENT.
10. Remove the lid.
11. Toss the contents of the pot with tongs.
12. Spoon up the boil ingredients into serving dishes and drizzle some of the boil liquid over each bowl.

ChefSecret:  If you like your boils on the Louisiana spicy side, you can save time shopping and mixing all the herbs and spice and use a bag of Zatarain's Crawfish, Shrimp & Crab Boil seasoning instead (it’s in a boil bag inside the box). Just drop the whole bag into the stock in the Instant Pot in place of the seasons, add 2 teaspoons of salt and an additional cup of stock. Your lips and tongue may sing a bit. 

#SeafoodBoil #Entrees #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #InstantPot #ComfortFoods #Lobster #Crawfish #Clams #Mussels #Zatarains #July4 #IndependenceDay