Author: Chef Cloud Wine

Ingredients

Filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 (3/4 inch thick) slice fresh ginger root, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 red onions, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups diced leftover roast lamb

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sweet white wine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
salt to taste

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
6 tablespoons shortening
3 tablespoons cold water, or as needed

Directions

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large pie plate or baking dish.

Place olive oil, garlic, ginger, curry paste, cilantro, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon into the work bowl of a food processor, and process into a paste. Place the curry paste into a large mixing bowl, and stir with red onions, eggplant, celery, and red bell pepper to coat all the vegetables with curry mixture. Turn the vegetables into a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the cooked lamb, and cook and stir until the lamb is hot and coated with spice mixture, 2 to 3 more minutes. Turn off the heat under the skillet.

Heat milk, butter, and wine in a saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling, and the butter is melted. Whisk 3 tablespoons of flour into the hot milk mixture, and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened. Turn the heat under the skillet of lamb and vegetables to medium, and cook and stir until hot, about 2 minutes; pour the sauce into the lamb and vegetables, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt, and pour the hot filling in

Ingredients

1 serrano chile pepper, seeded and minced
5 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 pound firm tofu, cut into strips
1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoot strips, drained
1 cup bean sprouts
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, leaves picked from stems
1 egg, beaten

Directions

Place the minced serrano and chicken broth into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Stir in the garlic and ginger, simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the shiitake mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo strips, simmer for 2 minutes to soften mushrooms.

Stir in the bean sprouts, tamari, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and black pepper; simmer for 1 minute to soften the bean sprouts.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the mirin, and stir into the simmering soup; cook for 30 seconds to thicken. Remove from heat and pour in beaten egg while stirring slowly. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with green onion and cilantro leaves.

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sweetened chestnut puree
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
8 marrons glaces (candied chestnuts)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round layer cake pans.

Beat eggs and white sugar together with an electric mixer. Add oil, wine, flour, salt, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

Pour batter into pans and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes. Turn them out on wire rack and let cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before frosting.

Using a cake slicer or a serrated knife cut each layer in half lengthwise. Arrange one layer on serving dish and spread with one third of the chestnut puree, top with second layer spread 1/3 of chestnut puree on top, top with third layer and spread remaining chestnut puree. Arrange last layer on top and set cake aside.

To Make Icing: Melt butter and chocolate together in the top part of a double boiler. Once melted remove from heat and whisk in cream, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour warm chocolate icing over top of cake and garnish with whole candied chestnuts.

Ingredients

3 pounds rabbit meat, cleaned and cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon currant jelly
10 black peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Sprinkle rabbit with salt and coat with 1/3 cup flour, shaking off excess. Brown rabbit in remaining bacon fat. Remove from skillet, along with all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, and reserve.

Saute shallots and garlic in skillet for about 4 minutes, until tender. Stir in wine, 1 cup water and bouillon. Heat to boiling, then stir in jelly, peppercorns, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme. Return rabbit and bacon to skillet. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 1 1/2 hours or until rabbit is tender.

Remove bay leaf and discard. Place rabbit on a warm platter and keep warm while preparing gravy.

To Make Gravy: Stir lemon juice into skillet with cooking liquid. Combine 3 tablespoons water with 2 tablespoons flour and mix together; stir mixture into skillet over low heat. Finally, stir in thyme. Pour gravy over stew and serve, or pour into a gravy boat and serve on the side.