Hot Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs small new potatoes
  
• 1 jalepeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
  
• 1 1/2 inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced
  
• 1 garlic, peeled and minced
  
• juice of 3 limes
  
• 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
  
• 3 Tbsp. Spicy Island Hot Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. honey
  
• 6 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  
• 4 oz montery jack cheese with peppers
  
• 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Directions:

Drop potatoes into a large pot of boiling water.
Cook for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are tender (but not falling apart).
Combine jalepeño, ginger, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce and honey. Slowly add oil, whisking constantly.
Drain potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.
Toss warm potatoes with dressing.
Set aside to cool for 20-30 minutes.
Add onion, cheese and cilantro to potato mixture.
Toss and serve.

Spicy Island Hot Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 papaya
  
• 1 mango
  
• 1 yellow onion
  
• 1 garlic
  
• 4 habañero peppers
  
• 1 inch fresh ginger root
  
• 1/3 cup dark rum
  
• 1/3 cup lime juice
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoons honey
  
• cardamom
  
• anise
  
• cloves
  
• tumeric
  
• nutmeg
  
• cinnamon
  
• black pepper

Directions:

Peel, seed and chop papaya.
Peel, pit and chop mango.
Peel and chop onion and ginger.
Peel garlic.
Stem, seed and chop peppers.
Purée all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Transfer mixture to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for ten minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Bottle in a glass jar and refrigerate.

Coconut Cream Pie

This is the real deal.

Ingredients:

• 2 coconuts
  
• 1 cup graham crumbs
  
• 1/2 cup melted butter
  
• 1 inch piece ginger root
  
• approximately 1 cup hot water
  
• 4 egg yolks
  
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
  
• 3 tablespoons coconut rum
  
• 1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

Drill through the eyes of the coconuts with a 1/4 inch drill bit.
Drain water from coconuts, sieve and reserve.
Bake coconuts at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Smash coconuts open with a hammer.
Pry flesh away from the shell.
Peel brown skin off coconut flesh.
Finely grate half of one coconut.
Peel and grate ginger root.
Mix graham crumbs, melted butter, ginger root and finely grated coconut together.
Press graham crumb mixture onto the bottom and sides of a buttered pie plate.
Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Chill crust in refrigerator.
Chop flesh of one coconut into small chunks.
Pour water from coconuts into a blender with enough additional hot water to make 1.5 cups total volume.
Add coconut chunks to blender and purée.
Allow puréed coconut mixture to stand for 15 minutes.
Press coconut mixture through a fine sieve to extract milk.
Whisk egg yolks and 4 tablespoons sugar together until sugar is dissolved.
Add corn starch and 1 tablespoon coconut rum, mixing until smooth.
Bring coconut milk to a boil.
Add hot milk to corn starch mixture, stirring constantly until smooth.
Return mixture to pan and continue to heat until custard has thickened.
Pour custard layer over base and chill until set.
Whip the cream with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons rum until stiff peaks form.
Spoon cream over top of pie.
Coarsely grate remaining half coconut.
Sprinkle coarsely grated coconut over pie.
Serve chilled.

Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread is simple to make and wonderfully versatile. Try some of the additions suggested in this recipe for a delicious variety of flavours.

Basic Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1/4 cup corn starch

Additional Ingredients (choose one combination):

• orange zest & finely grated dark chocolate
  
• lemon zest & minced candied ginger
  
• ground pecans & finely grated dark chocolate
  
• peppermint oil & crushed candy canes

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Stir in flour and corn starch until incorporated fully.
Stir in additional ingredients, if using.
Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick sheet.
Cut into rounds or shapes with cookie cutters.
Arrange cookies on cookie sheets lined with waxed paper.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for five minutes.
Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Store cooled cookies in airtight containers at room temperature.

Sesame Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

Sesame and ginger compliment one another perfectly in this simple chicken stir fry.



Ingredients:

• 2 lbs fresh or 1 lb dry rice noodles*
  
• 1 garlic, minced
  
• 2 inches ginger root, minced
  
• 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into strips
  
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
  
• 1 bok choy, shredded
  
• 2 tablespoons soya sauce
  
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  
• 1/4 cup sweet chili pepper sauce**
  
• cilantro
  
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• sliced spring onions for garnish

Notes:

* I use fresh udon noodles when I can get them. If not available, a dry rice stick noodle is an acceptable substitute.

** Amount of chili pepper sauce can be adjusted depending on the heat level of your sauce and your personal taste. I use President's Choice "Memories of Thailand" Fiery Chili Pepper Sauce in my dish.

Directions:

If using dry noodles, place them in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. (Fresh noodles do not require pre-soaking.)
Allow noodles to soak 5-7 minutes (or as directed on package for preparing noodles for stir fry).
Drain noodles and set aside.
Heat olive oil in large skillet or wok.
Add garlic and ginger and stir fry 1-2 minutes.
Coat chicken strips in corn starch.
Add chicken to pan and fry until heated through (5-6 minutes).
Add shredded bok choy and continue stir frying, 1-2 minutes until cabbage has wilted.
Add soya, sesame oil, chili pepper sauce, cilantro and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and mix well.
Stir in noodles and heat through.
Serve immediately, garnished with spring onions and reserved sesame seeds.

Sushi

Sushi takes some time to prepare but it's not difficult. Once you learn the process you can have fun experimenting with many different filling combinations. Some of my favourites are shown below.



Ingredients:
Basic ingredients:

• 2 cups short-grained Japanese-style white rice*
  
• 2 cups water, plus additional for rinsing
  
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  
• 4 tablespoons sugar
  
• 8 sheets nori (roasted, pressed seaweed)
  
• sesame seeds

Suggested fillings:

• cooked shrimp, tails & shells removed
  
• fresh mint leaves
  
• green onion
  
• cooked crab (or crab-flavoured pollack)
  
• avocado
  
• carrot
  
• smoked salmon
  
• cream cheese

Serve with:

• soya sauce
  
• sesame seeds
  
• wasabi
  
• pickled ginger

Notes/Substitutions/etc.:

* I have had good results with President's Choice brand Sticky Rice but any short-grained Japanese-style rice should work well.

Directions:

Prepare the sticky rice:

Rinse rice with water, scrunching the rice around with your hand, until the water coming off the rice runs clear.

Place cleaned rice in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cover with an equal volume of water and allow rice to soak for 30 minutes.

While the rice is soaking, dissolve sugar into rice vinegar. You may need to heat the vinegar gently to help the sugar dissolve, but be careful not to boil your mixture. Once sugar is thoroughly mixed in, remove vinegar from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Bring rice to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Keep the lid on the rice throughout the cooking process -- the steam trapped inside the pan is crucial to cook the rice properly and give it the desired consistency.

Remove rice pan from the heat and allow it to stand -- with the lid on -- for 15 minutes.

Turn rice out into a shallow, wide-bottomed, non-metallic bowl. (The shape of the bowl is important to ensure that the rice cools down quickly and evenly.)

Pour vinegar/sugar mixture over the rice and mix in using a non-metallic spatula or large spoon. Continue mixing vinegar into rice until it is thoroughly incorporated and rice has cooled to room temperature. You can use a hand-held fan to fan the rice while you are mixing and encourage the cooling process.

Once rice is thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, it is best to work with it immediately. If you are not ready to work with the rice yet, leave it in the bowl at room temperature and cover with a damp cloth. Do not refrigerate the rice or allow it to dry out.

Assemble the sushi:

Place one sheet of nori onto a bamboo sushi rolling mat.
Spread a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving the far edge of the nori bare.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice.


Arrange your desired fillings in a thin line on top of the rice, approximately 1/3 of the way in from the near edge. Many wonderful combinations of seafood and vegetables are commonly used to prepare sushi. Here are some of my favourites:

Shrimp, fresh mint, and green onion:


Smoked salmon and cream cheese:


Crab and avocado:


Avocado and carrot:


Starting at the edge closest to you, use the bamboo mat to roll the sushi. Apply gentle pressure with your hands to the outside of the rolled mat to ensure a nice, tight sushi roll.


Remove the bamboo mat from the outside of your sushi roll and slice roll into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife.

Arrange sushi pieces on a platter, with the fillings displayed.
Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, soya sauce and sesame seeds on the side.

Shrimp Curry

A wonderful succulent and savoury shrimp curry, great as a crêpe filling or served over rice.



Ingredients:

• olive oil for frying
  
• 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  
• 2 inches ginger root, peeled and diced
  
• 2 tablespoons hot curry paste*
  
• 250 g carrots, julienned
  
• 250 g snow peas, sliced on the diagonal
  
• 2 cups coconut milk
  
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
  
• fresh cilantro leaves
  
• freshly squeezed juice of one lime
  
• 500 g shrimp**

Notes/Substitutions/etc.:

* I favour Patak's Madras curry paste, but there is a wide variety of excellent prepared curry pastes available for those of us without the time to prepare our own.

** If you are preparing the curry for use in crêpes or will be serving it to people who are squeamish about handling their food with their fingers, peel the shrimp and remove their tails before adding them to the curry.

Directions:

Stir fry onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil.


Add curry paste and mix well.

Add carrots and snow peas, continuing to stir fry until carrots soften slightly.


Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.


Reduce heat and simmer.

Add mango, chopped cilantro leaves and freshly squeezed lime juice.


Continue to simmer curry until flavours are well blended and the sauce has thickened.

Add shrimp during final few minutes of cooking and heat through.

This dish is best served fresh!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

I just cannot get enough of thick, hearty soups in the winter time! This soup provides a double dose of heat from its warmth and its spice. It's perfect for chasing away the winter chills!

If you cannot get a hold of fresh habaneros, substitute a favourite, flavourful hot sauce such as Susie's Calypso.



Ingredients:

• 1 buttercup squash
  
• 1 butternut squash
  
• 5 - 6 habanero peppers
  
• 1 large yellow onion
  
• 1 stalk celery
  
• 2 carrots
  
• 1 garlic
  
• 2 inch piece ginger root
  
• olive oil
  
• 4 tablespoons honey
  
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1/2 teaspoon each ground: cardamom, anise, cloves, turmeric & cinnamon
  
• 1 mango
  
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  
• 1/2 cup peanut butter*
  
• 1 cup whipping cream
  
• juice of one lime
  
• sour cream
  
• fresh cilantro

Notes/Substitutions/etc.:

* Real peanut butter is made from peanuts and nothing but.

Directions:

Wrap squash in tin foil and bake at 400°F for an hour (or more if needed).
Peel onion, garlic and ginger.
Remove stalk and seeds from habaneros.
Dice habaneros, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and ginger.
Sauté in oil until soft.
Peel and dice mango.
Cube squash, discarding skin, stringy pulp and seeds.
Place vegetables, spices, honey, mango and stock in a large pot and cook until squash is soft.
Purée soup in a blender or food processor and return to the pot.
Bring to a boil.
Stir in peanut butter, cream and lime juice.
Simmer soup for 1/2 hour or more to allow all flavours to blend nicely.
Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro leaves.

Pumpkin Crème Brulée

This is a classy dessert but it's very rich. Use small custard cups and/or plan to share each one!



Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup sugar
  
• 4 egg yolks
  
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  
• 1 + 1/2 cups puréed pumpkin
  
• 1 + 1/2 cups whipping cream
  
• 2 tbsp. Cointreau
  
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

Directions:

Beat sugar and egg yolks together until creamy.
Add spices and pumpkin and mix well.
Stir in cream and Cointreau, incorporating fully.
Divide mixture evenly between eight custard cups.
Cover each cup with tin foil and place in large deep baking dish such as a lasagna pan.
Pour boiling water into the baking dish, filling to 1/3 the height of the cups.
Bake at 325°F for 35-40 minutes (until custard is set).
Remove from heat and remove foil.
Sprinkle brown sugar over the top of each custard.
Place under broiler until sugar caramelizes.
Serve immediately.

Coconut Mango Smoothie

This recipe makes a delicious, thick drink.

Ingredients:

• 1 coconut
  
• 1 mango
  
• 1 peach
  
• 1 inch ginger root

Directions:

Drain, filter and reserve water from coconut.
Bake coconut at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Break coconut open and pry flesh away from shell.
For best juice extraction, peel brown skin off coconut flesh.
Remove peel and pit from mango.
Remove stone from peach.
Juice coconut and ginger on high speed.
Juice mango and peach on low speed.
Add reserved coconut water.
Shake smoothie to mix well.
Enjoy fresh-squeezed or chilled same day.

Chicken Curry

This recipe is a favourite at my dinner parties as a crêpe filling. It is also excellent served over rice. I take it wilderness camping, preparing the curry ahead of time and freezing it in airtight plastic freezer bags. The curry then serves as an ice pack for the rest of my food during the first couple of days of my trip. Once it has thawed out, it is time to enjoy it. Cook the rice over an open fire, then stir curry mixture into cooked rice and heat through.



Ingredients:

• 1 coconut
  
• approximately 1 cup hot water
  
• olive oil for frying
  
• 1 garlic, peeled and diced
  
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
  
• 1 inch ginger root, peeled and diced
  
• 1 lb chicken breasts *
  
• 2 tablespoons hot curry paste **
  
• 1 red pepper, seeded and diced
  
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced
  
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
  
• fresh cilantro leaves
  
• freshly squeezed juice of one lime
  

Notes:

* I often work with chicken breasts pre-cut into strips for stir frying. This makes for quick, even cooking throughout without drying the outside of the chicken, and speeds up the work of dicing the cooked chicken.

** I favour Patak's Madras curry paste, but there is a wide variety of excellent prepared curry pastes available for those of us without the time to prepare our own.

Directions:

Drain and reserve water from coconut.
Bake coconut at 400°F for 15 minutes.
Break coconut open and pry flesh away from shell.
Peel brown skin off coconut flesh.
Purée coconut flesh in blender or food processor with reserved coconut water and enough additional water to make liquid up to 1.5 cups.
Allow pureéed coconut mixture to stand for 15 minutes.
Press coconut mixture through a fine sieve to extract milk.
Stir fry onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil.
Add chicken and continue stir frying until chicken is cooked through.
Dice chicken with spatula while continuing to cook. (Once cooked, it should slice easily with a plastic or rubber spatula.)
Add curry paste and mix well.
Add peppers, continuing to stir fry.
Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer.
Add mango, chopped cilantro leaves and freshly squeezed lime juice.
Continue to simmer curry until flavours are well blended.

To fill crêpes:

Prepare crêpes.
Spoon curry mixture in a line across crêpe, 1/3 of the way in from one edge.
Fold near edge up over curry mixture and roll up crêpe to surround curry.
For best results, serve crêpe immediately.
When large quantities are required, place filled crêpes in a singler layer in a large baking pan (such as a lasagna pan) and warm in oven to heat through just before serving.