I didn’t know that I like Nam Prik until recently. Nam Prik is a Thai Chili, Lime, Fish Sauce that is usually based with tamarind. I looked up on how to make the sauce. Mine is pretty basic but based with mango that goes really well with fish. Then I read another recipe where they marinated the fish and then used Nam Prik, I didn’t have the ingredients to do their marinate so I came up with something else that is also delicious. This recipe is only two servings.

Ingredients for two servings

2 meal sized white fish filets

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 cup shallots – sliced extra thin on a mandolin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon anise seeds

1/2 teaspoon garlic confit

1/2 cup mango – puree

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic confit

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 hot red pepper – minced

1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

1 lime – juice and zest (optional save some zest to sprinkle on top)

1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce (preferably Red Boat Brand)

2 Tablespoons fresh mint – torn or chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro – torn or chopped

fresh crushed sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil to spray on pan and fish (guessing around 2 Tablespoons)

2 Tablespoons butter

Directions

Heat up the canola oil on medium high heat in a sauce pan. When the oil is hot add the shallots. Keep cooking till the shallots are caramelized. Take out heat and add the ginger, turmeric, anise and garlic confit. Mix well. Leave out on counter till cool. Get out the fish and lay them on big pieces of plastic wrap. When the marinade is cool you can pat the mixture evenly over the fish. Wrap the fish in the plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerater 4-5 hours.

While your fish is marinating make the Mango Nam Prik.

You need around 1/2 cup of pureed mango. That might be one-three mangos depending on their size. The pureed mango gets mixed in a small bowl with the garlic confit, ginger, hot pepper, vinegar, lime juice, some or all zest, and fish sauce.

Now it’s time to cook the fish. (you can do this in either fry pan or oven) I think a fresh fish is better in a fry pan but a fish from frozen comes out better in the oven.

Spray the fish and either fry pan or baking sheet with olive oil.

If you are doing it in the oven pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Put your fish on oiled baking sheet and top each fish with dabs of unsalted butter.

Your fish stays in the oven till cooked threw. Timing will differ. In my oven this took 15 minutes.

Serve the fish splashed with mango nam prik fresh mint and cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.

It’s FORKING Delicious!

I never would have thought up parsley pesto before. But I got gifted with a bunch of parsley so I did parsley pesto and man it’s a FORKING PLATE LICKER. Can’t judge how many servings too well because you will use a lot on pasta or only small amount as a spread. I’ll guesstimate around 8-4 servings.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

4 cups parley leaves (packed)

1 cup parmigiano reggiano – shredded

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic confit (when I buy bags of garlic I cut the heads across in half drizzle well with olive oil, cover, and roast at 350 around one hour, blend cloves and it is a delicious sweet mild garlic paste.)

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon course sea salt

Instructions

Blend

Enjoy!

I’m always looking for new ways to do beets. I came across Gordon Ramsey’s recipe for Beets Wellington. I didn’t have most of the ingredients that he used so I made up my own way to do it including the pastry…(and my pastry came out extra delicious too!). This recipe make about 6 portions.

Ingredients for around 6 portions

1 cup flour + more for dusting – pastry

1/4 teaspoon sea salt – pastry

1/4 teaspoon baking powder – pastry

8 Tablespoons sweet butter cut into pats – a colder than room temperature – pastry

1/4 cup cream cheese – pastry

1 lb beets – trimmed and peeled (I had three beets)

2 cups red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 oz. scant star anise

1 Tablespoon mustard seeds

1 Tablespoon sweet better – duxcelle

10 oz mushrooms – chopped small – duxcelle

1 small leeks – trimmed – sliced extra thin on a mandolin – small chopped – duxcelle (If desired reserve around a Tablespoon of leeks for finishing pastry)

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste – duxcelle

1 teaspoon dried thyme – duxcelle

optional – 2 Tablespoons smoked mushroom powder – www.SunValleyHarvest.com – duxcelle

sea salt – to taste – duxcelle

ground black pepper – to taste – duxcelle

3 rice paper wrappers (you need one wrapper for each beet)

I Tablespoon everything bagel seasoning – for sprinkling on the pastry.

1 beaten egg yolk

non stick spray

Make the pastry.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Use an extra large fork or pastry masher to hand cut up the butter pats in the flour mixture till the butter is around the size of peas. Stir in the cream cheese and give it a few kneads. Dust the dough with flour and roll it out and fold it into thirds. Leave this chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. Cover with plastic wrap.

Braise the beets.

Beets go in a sauce pot with vinegar, wine, water, sugar, star anise, and mustard seeds. Give it a stir and bring to boil and then reduce to simmer and continue simmering until beets are fork tender. (You will need to add more water to the pot as the water goes down) Depending on the size and freshness of your beets timing will differ……could be less than 30 minutes and could be more. When beets are done remove them from the braising liquid. Set beets to the side and cover with plastic wrap.

Make Duxcelle

Melt butter in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and leeks and cook till slightly brown. Lower heat to medium low and add salt and pepper. Cook till all the liquid is evaporated. Add thyme and smoked mushroom powder (if using). Blend and set to the side.

Wrap beets with duxcelle and rice paper.

Rice paper gets pliable when you set it in a bath of warm water for a second. Take the rice paper out and spread it with 1/3 of the duxcelle (or 1/4 if you have four beets). Place beet in the middle and wrap. Repeat for each beet.

Get baking sheet(s) ready for the beets. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and spray paper with non stick spray and set to the side.

Set oven to 400 degrees F and have a middle rack ready for your pans.

You pastry gets cut in thirds. One third for each beet. Wrap each beet with pastry the best you can and place on sprayed parchment lined baking sheet.

Paint each pastry with egg yolk

Sprinkle each pastry with everything bagel seasoning

If desired sprinkle each pastry with some leeks

Place sheet pan in pre-heated 400 degree F oven till pastry is golden brown and looks done. Timing will differ. Mine were done in around 30 minutes.

Enjoy!