This recipe is admittedly a little basic, but sometimes, basic is good. Basic is a garlicky, white winey, tomatoey broth that will take care of your expensive seafood, cook it gently, and make everything taste delicious.
Collards are quickly becoming the new “it” green and for good reason. Easy to find and packed with nutrients, they are unusually satisfying and hearty. Here, I give them a fast stir fry and then finish them in a red coconut curry. The sweet gentleness of the coconut plays beautifully off the richness of the dark green. I top the greens with crispy rings of fried shallots.
This is a simple stew that delivers big flavor.
We prefer the subtler flavor and larger size of lamb labeled “domestic” or “American” for this recipe.
It is thicker and more concentrated than most curries. It is not overly spicy, and should have a slightly sweet taste.
This is perhaps one of the most assertive, yet versatile ways to serve the simple shallot.
Ingredients
This butter fried chicken recipe is in my head more often than not. That's saying something. It's one of our monthly meals at the Zimmern house, and it's yet another brilliant way to do chicken for a crowd that includes kids. Paired with a bright citrus punch and salty capers, this fried chicken entrée makes everyone happy. My son starts screaming "butter chicken" and runs up and down the hallways when he comes home from school and learns what's for dinner. I first ate this dish 30 years ago, served for a family meal one night at a restaurant in Florence where I was a stagiaire. I hadn't seen butter during my first few weeks in Italy and almost fainted when I tasted this.
Crispy fried shallots are an essential condiment in Vietnam. They turn up in soups (pho) and on salads, sprinkled onto dumplings as a garnish, and minced and added to meatballs. Crispy, sweet, and salty, they are indispensible. You may want to make double batches, as people have a hard time resisting the urge to snack on them. Strain the oil you used to fry the shallots and use it in other recipes or to fry more shallots. The strained oil, called shallot oil, will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks. The shallots should be used the same day they are fried.