Featured Recipe: Sweet Basil's Thai Coconut Chicken Soup with Candied Peanuts

I am happy to share another recipe from Chef Dave Becker of Sweet Basil located in Needham, MA. 

Taken right from Stewed, Chef Dave's newest cookbook, today's featured recipe is Thai Coconut Chicken Soup with Candied Peanuts. A second in a trio of posts you will find here for the next few Thursday's centered around Sweet Basil and Chef Dave's Stewed cookbook, this recipe looks more intimating than it actually is.

So break out your largest stock pot and try this recipe out for yourself!

Photo credit: Nina Gallant

Sweet Basil's Thai Coconut Chicken Soup with Candied Peanuts:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 cup carrots, scrubbed, ½” dice
• 1 cup red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup Spanish onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup celery, diagonally sliced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, halved
• 1 or 2 really spicy peppers (such as bird’s beak chiles)
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 ½ quarts Chicken Stock (page 72 of Stewed)
• Meat of 1 Roasted Chicken, pulled (page 111 of Stewed)
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• ½ cup snow peas

Garnish

• 6 sprigs chopped fresh cilantro
• Candied Peanuts (page 23 of Stewed)
• Chopped scallions

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the grapeseed oil, and heat it until it begins to smoke. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and bird’s beak chiles (see note). Stir fry this combo for 1 minute, and then add the white wine. Bring the wine to a boil, and immediately add the rice vinegar, coconut milk, chicken stock, and the pulled chicken. Bring the soup to a boil, check for flavor, and season it with the salt and pepper. Add the snow peas, and remove from the heat.

To serve, evenly distribute the soup among serving bowls, and garnish with the cilantro,
Candied Peanuts, and scallions.


**Note from Chef Dave**

The bird’s beak chile is a Thai chile commonly used in Asian cuisine. These chiles are long and red and their heat intensifies when dried. On a hotness scale of one to ten, bird’s beak chiles fall at around an eight to nine.

When you add the bird’s beak chiles will depend on how spicy you’d like the soup. If you prefer a more rounded, mellow spice, add them in the beginning, with the vegetables. If you crave torture and like a good burn, cut them up and add them at the end.

Sweet Basil is located at 942 Great Plain Ave., Needham, MA 02492.

If you are interested in purchasing Chef Dave's newest cookbook, Stewed, or any of his cookbooks, you can find them here: www.sweetbasilneedham.com/cookbook

Pinterest Faves: Week of 2/10/13 - 2/16/13

 I've been on a cookie kick lately and these might just be the next ones I bake:

Raspberry Thumbprints

I want this whole set for my kitchen:

Wooden Cooks Tools

This is actually a really easy way to make your nails look really cool!

Gradient Nails

Is it spring yet?

I found my next DIY project:

Nutella Stuffed Funfetti Cookies

We got 20+ inches of snow this weekend...

...so this happened.

If you love Funfetti cake I think you will be obsessed with the cookies! 

Sometimes the recipe is on the box but not always. If it's not on yours just go here. That is the original Funfetti cookie recipe that I normally top with Funfetti frosting and sprinkles.

However,

I found this recipe on Pinterest and knew I had to try it out. They were really easy to make and I've included some tips on what I will do next time to make sure they are 100% perfect. The greatest thing about this recipe? You could really make any kind of cookie and put the Nutella filling in them and they would be delicious!

Recipe from Not Your Momma's Cookie

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 box of Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Approximately 1/2 cup Nutella (about 1 teaspoon per cookie)

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil (or parchment paper). Scoop teaspoon size balls of Nutella onto the sheet. Freeze for about 20 minutes.

Next time I'm going to make my scoops a little smaller

When the 20 minutes is almost up pre-heat your oven to 350 F. Mix together the Funfetti mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.

Remove the Nutella from the freezer. 

With your hands, roll a walnut sized ball of dough and place a frozen Nutella ball into the center. Roll the dough ball in your hands until it is smooth and no Nutella is exposed. 

Place on the cookie sheet.

I sprayed my cookie sheet with non-stick spray but you can also use parchment paper

Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

They might look too soft when you pull the sheet from the oven but they are fully baked

Pinterest Faves: Week of 2/3/13 - 2/9/13

I can't find the original site these rings came from but I really want the little bird one!

Animal Rings

I love these because you can make them with whatever you have in the fridge. Serve them with these.

Spinach and Mushroom Egg Cups

Then serve this for dessert. #PerfectBrunchmenu

Raspberry Chocolate Coffee Cake

I want to do this project under my bathroom and kitchen sink.

Self-adhesive vinyl tile under used under sinks

Every summer we see Kenny Chesney play at Gillette Stadium. This year's countryfest tailgate is going to have to include these pre-made drinks in mason jars, chilled on ice.

Can't wait to drink one of these while tailgating next to this.

Featured Recipe: Sweet Basil's Onion Soup

I am really excited to be sharing this recipe with you today courtesy of Chef and owner Dave Becker from Sweet Basil located in Needham, MA. 

Featuring an ever-changing menu of Italian cuisine with hand-made pastas and ingredients sourced from local New England farms, Sweet Basil has a loyal following of repeat customers who come back time and time again for the quality food and comforting atmosphere.

Chef Dave recently launched his brand new cookbook, Stewed, featuring handmade takes on classic soups, stews, and braises. Using simple fresh ingredients, he builds on flavor and focuses on fundamental cooking techniques. 

This kicks off a trio of posts you will find here for the next few Thursday's that will be focused around Sweet Basil and Chef Dave's Stewed cookbook. With what seems like never ending cold winter weather what's a better way to warm up than with some hearty soup recipes?

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Photo credit: Nina Gallant

Sweet Basil's Onion Soup:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 Spanish onions, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ cups tawny port wine
• 1 quart Veggie, Beef or Chicken Stock
• 2 tablespoons plum tomatoes, ¼” dice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 4 slices stale bread, ½” dice
• 1 ½ cups grated Gruyère or Manchego cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Garnish: Sliced scallions, Grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. As soon as it melts, add the onions, increase the heat to medium-low, and saute for 30 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic, sage, and rosemary, saute for 1 or 2 minutes or until the garlic just begins to brown, and then stir in the balsamic vinegar. Add the port wine, and reduce until the pan is almost dry. Add the stock of your choosing, along with the plum tomatoes and the maple syrup. Bring the soup to a boil, remove from the heat, and season to your liking with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, arrange the bread chunks on a broiling pan, sprinkle with the grated Gruyère or Manchego cheese, drizzle with some olive oil, and toast until the cheese is bubbling and brown.

Evenly distribute the soup among serving bowls, top with the cheesy bread, garnish with
scallions and Parmesan, and serve.

Sweet Basil is located at 942 Great Plain Ave., Needham, MA 02492.

If you are interested in purchasing Chef Dave's newest cookbook, Stewed, or any of his cookbooks, you can find them here: www.sweetbasilneedham.com/cookbook

Chef Dave will also be hosting a cooking demonstration and book signing on Wednesday, February 27th from 6:00 - 9:00pm at Boston University. If you are interested in attending you can purchase tickets here: www.bu.edu/foodandwine

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I've had this recipe pinned from How Sweet It Is for some time now. I pinned it so I  could try my hand at brown butter.

With the help of Jessica's step by step instructions browning the butter was an easy task and gave the cookies such a depth of flavor.

While I am usually a straight forward chocolate chip cookie lover, this recipe is definitely going to make it into the mix from now on!

Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

makes about 15-18 cookies

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup chocolate chunks

optional: 1- 2 tablespoons milk, if dough is crumbly

Preheat oven to 375 F.

First you need to brown your butter...

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking constantly, cook butter for 5-6 minutes or until bubbly and small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan. Keep your eye on the butter the entire time and immediately remove from the heat once you see the brown bits. Whisk for an additional 30 seconds once off the heat. Set aside and let cool completely. 

**The butter goes from a light yellow color to bubbly, then a clear brown but can burn quickly. Make sure you remove the pan from the heat as soon as you see it start to clear and the brown bits are forming at the bottom of the pan. (See How Sweet's step by step instructions with photos of the process)**

While the butter is cooling...

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, oats and cinnamon. Set aside.

Once butter has cooled, add to a large bowl. Whisk in sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla until smooth. 

Slowly stir in dry ingredients - mix gently with your hands if necessary.  If your dough is dry and crumbly add in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. 

You will notice these cookies don't spread out as much as regular chocolate chip cookies during baking. At first I thought they were taking longer to bake which was not the case. Make sure to keep your eye on them so they don't burn.

Pinterest Faves: Week of 1/27/13 - 2/2/13

Oh yeah!!

I got my weekly Pinterest faves up two weeks in a row...and only 1 day behind the Sunday schedule I want to stick with :)

First up...my next DIY project. All you need is some fabric, styrofoam boards and a stapler. Dress up any boring wall with your very own art work.

Now if I could only find some fabric I really like...

Suggestions on where to look?

These are my dream kitchen colors and textures:

urbankitchenandbath.com

Once I have my dream kitchen I will definitely want to have a pantry that looks like this:

The Farm's Chicks Pantry - an organizational dream

This scarf is from the site Three Bird Nest and I bought it as soon as I saw it. I was so happy to find out this scarf was only $24! Check out their site they have really great clothes and accessories!

Two-toned infinity knitted scarf

This weekend's excitement included a broken washer machine and a laundry closet in desperate need of a cleaning out. While looking at new machines online I got side tracked looking at ways to update the laundry closet so it gets the best use.

Which lead me here...this isn't a closet but I love the wicker bins and the table on top of the machine to make folding clean clothes so easy.

I hope everyone had a great weekend (and how AMAZING Beyonce?!?!)