Cambodian Fish Coconut Curry

This is a mostly sweet, somewhat spicy fish curry.  As written, the recipe will serve 6 small portions, or two big ones (for dinner) and two smaller ones (for lunch the next day).  It is gluten-free and diary-free.

Ingredients

• 4 frozen tilapia fillets or other white fish, thawed and chopped into 1x1 in. pieces
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, outer husks discarded, roughly chopped
• 1 can coconut milk or cream (the cream is thicker but either will work)
• 1 t. turmeric powder
• 1 t. smoked paprika
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 2 T. fish sauce
• 4 Thai chilies, finely sliced
• juice of 1 lemon
• cooked white rice for serving

Instructions

Boil the lemongrass in 1/4 c. water for 10 minutes to soften the pieces.  If the water evaporates away, just add a little more.

Put the onion, garlic, ginger, and softened lemongrass into blender or food processor and process into a pulp.  It's okay to add a little water to help it along, but not too much.

Heat a little bit of oil in a wok and fry the onion-garlic-ginger-lemongrass pulp for about 5 minutes.  Add the coconut milk, turmeric, paprika, brown sugar, fish sauce, and Thai chilies and bring to a boil.

Add the fish pieces and cook until they are done, about 3 minutes.  Add the lemon juice and remove from heat.

Ladle the curry over rice in a bowl.

Rapini Tepitana

This is a flavorful egg and greens soup which can easily be made gluten- or dairy-free.

Ingredients

• 1 white onion, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 large jalapeño, diced
• 1 32-oz carton chicken stock (such as Trader Joe's)
• 3 cups water with one bullion cube or stock packet dissolved in it
• 1/4 dried epazote*, hard stems removed
• 1 bunch rapini, lower portions discarded
• 1/2 t. salt or so
• 1/2 t. pepper or so
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 3 serranos, diced
• 2 links chorizo or spicy sausage, sliced into medallions
• 6 eggs
• sour cream for serving
• rustic bread for serving

*You can find dried epazote in the dried herbs section of your local Latin market.  It has an aroma similar to mint.

Instructions

In a large pot, saute the onion in oil for several minutes.  Then add garlic and jalapeño and continue to saute until just before it burns.  Pour in the full carton of chicken stock and water plus bullion/stock packet.  Once it starts a low boil, add the epazote, rapini, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook until the rapini is quite wilted and soft.  Add the frozen corn and remove from heat.

In a large frying pan, heat some oil and saute the serranos for a minute or so.  Then add the chorizo.  When the sausage is cooked, remove from heat immediately and set aside.

Return the rapini broth to the burner and bring up to a low boil again.  Quickly break all six eggs into different places of the pot so they don't fuse as they cook.  As soon as the eggs are poached to your liking (runny or firm as to your tastes), pour the serrano-chorizo mixture into the soup.

Ladle the soup into bowls so that each bowl gets at least one egg.  Top with a dollop of sour cream (omit for dairy-free).  Serve with a torn piece of rustic bread for dipping and soaking (omit for gluten-free).