Author: Scott Schalin

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Shrimp in Red Curry Sauce

shrimp curry

There’s nothing more comforting and warming on a cold, winter night than a bowl of curry served over warm, fluffy rice. 

This classic take on the timeless dish can use either shrimp or chicken as the primary protein. 

If using chicken, be it breasts or boneless thighs, cut the chicken into spoon-sized pieces.

Brown in oil for about 5-6 minutes, turning often until slightly browned on all sides. Then remove to a plate and prepare the rest of the dish, returning the chicken to the pot after the veges and curry sauce has been reduced.

But let’s build this meal with shrimp.

Ingredients

1lb shrimp. Shelled and rinsed

1 small red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 small green bell pepper, chopped same as above

6 round, green Thai eggplants. Cut into small quarters

Handful fresh Thai basil, roughly chopped

Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

 

Curry sauce 

1 can coconut milk

1C vege broth

4T fish sauce

2T red curry paste

1 lime, juiced

1T brown sugar

1T fresh grated ginger

 

Actions 

Mix all curry sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Heat a glut of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. No need to salt the shrimp. Place the shrimp in the pan and cook for no more than two minutes per side.

Remove shrimp. Add another glib of oil and keep on medium heat.

Place all veges in the pan and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.

At the same time, boil a cup of water in a small pot and dump in a half cup of white rice. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 18 minutes.

Add the curry sauce liquid mixture to the pan. Lower heat to create a low boil. Keep this aggressive simmer going for 10-15 minutes to reduce the liquid. 

Add the shrimp back into the pan and stir to combine.

Serve the curry mixture over rice in a deep bowl. 

Top with the fresh cilantro and basil herbs. 

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Blistered Green Beans With Garlic & Capers

 

 

This is an excellent and robustly flavorful side dish for any main dish. The capers add a nice tang along with the chopped garlic. A dash of red pepper flakes also brings a bit sneaky heat.

I’d also consider this an easy side dish for complex holiday meals where your focus is on the mains.

Ingredients

Green beans (as many as your serving crowd requires)

olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 T capers, with a dash of their juice

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Action

Mix garlic, capers, its juice and pepper flakes in a small bowl. Heat oil in a cast iron pan over medium until hot.

Add washed green beans. Let sit on that side for a good couple minutes, then flip. Keep stirring until the beans approach blistering/browning.

Add caper mixture and stir in. Reduce heat so as not to scorch the garlic.

Sprinkle with pepper and serve imediately.

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Achiote Verde Marinade

Traditionally achiote paste is a deep, red brick color and is key for marinating many succulent South American dishes and especially the Mexican classic cochinita pibil where its earthiness richness combined with tangy fresh orange juice make any protein, but especially pork shoulder with flavor.

The green, or verde, form of this paste is more reclusive and creates a more citrusy flavor especially when applied to chicken thighs.

The Marinade
In a small cuisinart combine:

2 inches achiote verde paste split off the brick
2 limes, juiced
Olive oil, a healthy glug
1T garlic powder
1T onion powder
Black pepper
Cilantro, handful roughly chopped (stems are okay)
Dash worschester
2 tomatillos, broiled in a toaster oven until lightly browned. Skins mostly removed.
1T white sugar

Whip all ingredients in the cuis, then pour into a plastic bag containing the boneless, skinless thighs.

Let sit overnight. Remove an hour before cooking to bring to room temp. Then grill on a non-stick sprayed BBQ for 8 minutes per side. Internal temp should be 160 when removed.

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Let Me Introduce Myself

Many revered analogies have a flavorful component. We strive for the taste of success. We eat up a good movie or book. A terrific new band sounds tasty. And a good comedian has his audience eating out of his hand.

So my name is Scott Schalin, and I’d like to swallow as much of this planet as I can before it escapes me.

Background nonsense…I began my communications career working for Stephen J. Cannell Productions as a Production Coordinator for such TV shows as 21 Jump Street, Wiseguy and The Commish.

At the same time,  I also worked as a freelance writer and editor for such publications as SPIN, Billboard, RIP, BAM, Request and Music Connection. I wrote hundreds of features on sports stars and some of the most popular bands of this era, including Metallica, Van Halen, AC/DC, the Ramones, Stone Temple Pilots, Motley Crue and Tool.

While working on some of Larry Flynt’s music magazines, I was offered an Editorship at Hustler (yes, they really do have articles) and worked my way up Flynt’s Fortress of Fantasy in Beverly Hills. I helped launch several new, successful magazine titles and was soon promoted to Executive Editor of Chic and Pure.

I migrated to a fledgling online entertainment company in 1996, where I became the Creative Director of a newly formed online corporation called, Interactive Gallery Inc. (IGI). IGI created a slew of sports, info and entertainment websites, and I was proud to eventually become the President of the company overseeing more than 100 employees. As sales grew, IGI was courted and eventually purchased by the publically traded media giant New Frontier Media.

After the purchase, all operations were moved to Boulder, Colorado, and I remained near my family in Los Angeles. I partnered with a former business ally to become the President and partner of Herbal Groups Inc., a marketing company specializing in selling a variety of all-natural health and fitness products. I worked with the company for 16 years before recently deciding to move to Seattle and pursue my first passions of writing and photography.

Throughout my marketing career, my writing continued as I embraced my love of travel, food and football. I was a restaurant critic for Examiner.com. I also was named the first Executive Editor for the Green Bay Packers website (www.packers.com).

When I’m not tapping at the keys, I’m sipping martinis while creating new culinary concoctions in the Seattle kitchen I share with my best friend and beautiful wife, Leslie, the kindest nurse on the planet. There’s usually a gaggle of rescue cats milling around the cutting board searching for scraps.

But then, in a way, we’re all searching for scraps. But I digest…

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