coconut curry with yam, shiitake, and tofu

Yes, I said tofu. Don't freak out; it's not that scary. Tofu doesn't have to be scary, or inedible. I'll admit there are things I like better, but tofu can be yummy too. It just takes a bit of creativity and some big, bold flavours. I like tofu for its versatility. But it's also fabulous since it can sit in the fridge a good while longer than most meats can, and therefore saves an emergency trip to the store before dinner. Plus, it's super budget friendly. Can't beat that. This is best served with a grain of some sort. I like quinoa. Basmati rice, barley, or kamut would be delicious too. I didn't mix the tofu into the mix, but might be a better idea to help out any picky eater you might have. Coconut Curry with Yam, Shiittake, and Tofu 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves of garlic 1 tbsp curry powder 1 tsp Hungarian paprika 1 tsp ginger powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground coriander 4 small crushed red chili peppers 1 can of coconut milk, full fat 5 cups yam or sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1 cup shiitake mushrooms 1 package firm tofu 1/2 bunch of cilantro 1. Pre-heat a deep sided sauté pan. 2. Finely chop the garlic. 3. Add the extra-virgin olive oil to the pan, followed shortly by the garlic. 4. As soon as the garlic has a little colour to it, add the curry powder, paprika, ginger, garam masala, coriander, and chili peppers. It might be time to lower the heat to medium low, if things are getting too much colour. 5. Add the can of coconut milk, and stir. Once the coconut milk begins to simmer, add the diced yam and cover. 6. Cook the yam until tender, adding a little water or broth as necessary. Season with salt to taste. 7. Meanwhile, remove the tofu from the package and drain. Wrap in a couple paper towels, and weight it down between two plates to help remove any excess moisture. Let sit as long as it takes for the yams to become tender. Then cube into bite size pieces. 8. In another nonstick sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the shiitake's. Let them sit for thirty seconds before turning, or they will stick. Repeat. Then add the mushrooms to the yam mixture. 9. Be sure to keep the pan hot, and add the tofu. Do not stir it until each piece has formed a golden brown crust (turn the heat up if necessary). Season with a little salt to keep your fingers occupied. Allow to brown on each side before transferring to serving plates or adding to the yam mixture (your choice). 10. Add some chopped cilantro to the yams and shiitakes. Stir, and serve with the tofu, and alongside a grain or rice if you prefer. Enjoy!
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pasta like a rock star

Party like one too. The recipe could also be called Penne with Mushrooms and Asparagus, but I figured that sounded about as enticing as pasta with vegetables. Pasta with drunk mushrooms, seemed to have a little more promise, but pasta is kinda like a party, which is sort of like the song which inspired the name of the dish. I will admit that I'm not one to apologize for every little mistake that I make, but I just could not resist calling this pasta recipe just what it is, cheesey or not. Albeit delicious. I insisted on preparing this dish, ages ago, much to my Mother's chagrin because she still used to nag me about dirtying the entire kitchen when I cooked (still do, but it's not her kitchen!). I found it in issue of InStyle Magazine, and I still had a tape-playing-walkman, and I obsessively memorized the phone numbers of friends, because it took too long to painstakingly flip through the pages of an address book. Hopefully that gives you an idea of the date of the magazine issue, as sad as it may be that I remember ridiculously useless details. Now I'm lucky if I even know the area code I'm dialing, since the invasion of the cell phone, but I am still making this pasta dish, which apparently used to be Ben Afflecks' favourite pasta (I know you're swooning, but I was always more of a Matt Damon fan). Apparently, Ben adored with a drizzle of white truffle oil over the top. At the time, I had most certainly never heard of truffle oil, but did recall that my grade eight science teacher went to France, tried a truffle (this is what he told us), and said he couldn't believe what a waste of money it was to eat mold. hmmmm.... then again this was the same science teacher who gave me an 8 out of 10 on a project which was supposed to benefit the environment in some way. Not knowing about the internet yet, and the year was 1991; I said that instead of newspapers, we should read the news on the computer because newspapers themselves were a waste of paper. So I proceeded to draw a little computer with the news on it. I was thirteen. I thought it was a good idea then, and now? Well, I am a tad perturbed, because at this point, I'm solidly believing it is a freaking fantastic idea! It's okay, I've gotten over it, and I like truffles too. In any case, back to the pasta. Penne is so common, and so are mushrooms, and asparagus. But with the nicest, pencil thin asparagus asparagus you can find, it is quite refreshing. But mushrooms with wads of butter, olive oil, and marsala? I lick my little chompers just thinking about it, because the resulting mushroom is full of lustrous delicious flavour. A nice spring pasta, especially good for entertaining. Pasta Like a Rock Star Adapted from InStyle Magazine, creator unknown (4-6 servings) 1-450 g package penne 3 tbsp butter 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup chicken broth 2 tbsp dry marsala (or madeira) 1 bunch asparagus, cut to 3/4 inch pieces 1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs - flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, chives 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano drizzle of white truffle oil (optional) 1. Bring to a boil a small pot, with 1 inch of boiling water. Add the asparagus for thirty seconds, only to blanch it briefly. Remove into a strainer, and briefly rinse with cold water just until cool. Set aside. 2. Cook the penne according to package directions, but more al dente than suggested (there is ample liquid in the sauce for it to absorb) Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining. 3. Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it is bubbling, add the mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes. Lower the heat, and add the shallots and garlic; cook 4-5 minutes until the shallots soften. 4. Add the wine, and cook until evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the pan is almost dry. Add the marsala, and salt. 5. Add the cooked penne, asparagus, reserved pasta water, chopped herbs, and parmigiano to the saucepan. Continue to cook until heated through, being careful not to overcook the pasta, but trying to have most of the liquid absorbed by it, 3-4 minutes (depending upon personal taste). Check for seasoning. Drizzle with white truffle oil, but truffle salt is nice too. Serve.
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