2009 Pocono Garlic Festival - Thai Recipes from Cooking Demo

Pork and Garlic Stir Fry in Spicy Tamarind Sauce

Tamarind Sauce

1/4 cup tamarind concentrate, Thai product found in all Asian markets

1/4 cup water  

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fish sauce
 

1 lb pork loin, trimmed of all fat, cut into ½ inch dice

3 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil

10 garlic cloves sliced

2 shallots chopped

3 jalapeno peppers, minced;  use less or more depending on your tolerance for heat

1 red pepper, sliced

1 cup baby corn, drained; canned product found in Asian section of supermarket

½ cup thawed frozen peas

2 tablespoons  lime juice

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup unsalted peanuts or cashews, chopped

In a medium bowl stir together sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Heat two tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat until it is just about to smoke. Add the pork and stir fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Remove pork from wok.  Add remaining tablespoon of oil to wok. Add the garlic, shallots and jalapeno peppers and cook for one minute, stirring often; do not allow the garlic to burn.  Return pork to wok. Add tamarind sauce and bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Add the vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Add lime juice and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty and hot. Garnish with chopped peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Garlic Fried Rice

Serves 6

4 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic

6 cups leftover cold cooked long-grain rice

1 egg,  beaten

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until barely golden. Remove garlic from wok.  Add remaining two tablespoons oil to the wok, increase heat to medium-high and add the rice, stirring frequently, for about two minutes.  Using a spatula or large spoon, make a well in the center of the rice, and pour in beaten egg.  Allow egg to set for 30-45 seconds, then break egg apart into small pieces,  stirring it throughout rice.  Add garlic and cilantro.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I am winding down from this past weekend at the 2008 Greater Pocono Home Show at Split Rock Resort. My husband, Bob, and I had a great time chatting and feeding so many great people during the cooking demonstrations. Food has a wonderful way of bringing people together. Belwo are just two of the crostini topping recipes which I prepared for the show. I hope you give these recipes a try.

Crostini: Easy Antipasti for All Seasons
By Chef Alice
Crostini means “little crusts” or “little toasts” in Italian. The great thing about them are their versatility. The varieties of toppings, both sweet and savory are virtually endless. They make excellent “antipasti”; what the Italians refer to as appetizers or hors d’oeuvres. You may also use them as a topping for soups or serve a few with a salad.
Crostini may be served through out the year. Like all cooking, try to use the best seasonal ingredients available for the crostini toppings. For example, a topping of pear and gorgonzola would be more suitable in the Winter, while a topping of fresh marinated Roma tomatoes and basil would be wonderful during the summer months when tomatoes are at their peak. There are different ways to serve them. You can set up a crostini bar where your guests can assemble their own by choosing from a variety of toppings that are placed in bowls or you can assemble them just before your guests arrive as they can become soggy if made too far ahead. Try to incorporate colorful toppings with varying textures to entice the senses. The variety of toppings is endless, including the classic Tuscan fegotini (chicken liver), marinated tomatoes, grilled or roasted vegetables, various cheeses, mushrooms, roasted garlic and white beans, kale, tuna, shrimp, anchovies, mixed herbs, proscuitto, figs, ricotta, smoked salmon, vegetables, artichokes, beef, just to name a few! Really, they are a blank canvas for your culinary imagination.
You can make crostini ahead of time. They will keep in an airtight container for a few days or freeze up to a month by placing in a ziplock bag or freezer container. If doing the latter, you can recrisp them in a 350 degree oven for a minute or two. This is why they are perfect for last minute entertaining. If you have a well-stocked pantry, you can put together a few toppings in very little time.

Basic Crostini Recipe
1/4-inch-thick slices cut from a long thin loaf of Italian or French bread, such as a baguette; this will yield between 24-36 slices depending on bread.
For Crostini: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay out bread slices in single layer. Rub the bread slices with cut garlic. Brush with the olive oil, salt, pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Garbanzo Beans, Arugula, Roasted Garlic Crostini
Makes 48 Crostini

1- 15ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup arugula
1 head, roasted garlic, cloves removed by squeezing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons water or lemon juice, if necessary, for thinning out bean mixture
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Add all ingredients except water to a food processor or blender. Pulse or blend until arugula is chopped, but do not puree. Add water, if necessary by tablespoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Olive & Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade Topping for Crostini
Makes 24
2 tablespoons finely chopped sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
2 tablespoons pitted and finely chopped oil cured or Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon capers
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Mash the sun dried tomatoes, olives, capers, 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and pepper together. If you own a small food processor, pulse a few times until finely chopped

Variations:
White Bean, crumbled cooked Italian sausage and roasted red Pepper
Mashed sauteed chicken livers, caramelized onion and wilted arugula
Fresh tomatoes, marinated in balsamic vinaigrette, basil with Parmigianno Reggianno
Fresh fig and gorgonzola cheese

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