Tag Archives: thai red chile

Ricotta Stuffed Pattypan Squash

blog pattypan

 

I love how cute pattypan squash looks. I can’t resist food this pretty and cute. So I found myself faced with a bag of pattypan squash along with the question, how should I prepare this sweet little vegetable.  My answer was no further than preparing my favorite filling for zucchini flowers and adding an egg and some cheese to make it firmer. A quick bake in the oven and you have the perfect little appetizer. If you find tiny ones the stuffing will fill more than 12 , think of this as a summer version of a stuffed mushroom. Or you can serve slightly larger pattypans on a bed of lightly dressed greens as a first course, or a light summer lunch or dinner. Enjoy!

From by the bay , wishing you cute pattypan food memories!

Maryann

blog pattypan veg

Ricotta Stuffed Pattypan Squash

Serves Six

Ingredients

12 small patty squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients for filling

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon thai red chili, minced

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 egg

Optional: Dress with additional olive oil and flake sea salt such as Maldon

blog pattypan scoop

Directions

To prepare squash rinse and cut off the tops with stem leaving approximately 3/4 of the squash remaining on the bottom. Use a teaspoon and gently scoop the flesh and seeds making a small circular hole. Make sure not to break the remaining outside of the squash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a small bowl mix the ingredients for filling until blended.  Brush each squash with olive oil. Place on the foil lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use a teaspoon to fill each squash with cheese filling. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for approximately 5 minutes longer to brown the tops of the filled squash. Remove from oven. Serve warm or room temperature on a bed of you favorite lightly dressed greens, such as arugula.  Once the pattypans are assembled on the lettuce drizzle lightly with additional olive oil and sprinkle with flake sea salt.

 

Rib Eye Steak with Pineapple Marinade

Give you marinade a tropical twist using pineapple juice for sweetness balanced with little soy for a salty taste. Red Thai chiles  add a little heat countered with the coolness of fresh chopped ginger. It’s so simple to prepare and adds some much flavor to your steak. You could use this marinade with chicken or pork chops just as easily. Enjoy!

From by the bay, wishing you tropical food memories!

Maryann

blog pineapple steak

Rib Eye Steak with Pineapple Marinade

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 rib eye steaks

2 cups pineapple juice

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves chopped

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 fresh thai red chili, chopped ( approx. 1 tablespoon) or 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

Directions

Combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, sesame oil and brown sugar stirring until sugar dissolves in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag, set in a baking dish.  Add ginger, garlic, chili and scallions. Add steaks. Seal bag, and  massage steaks carefully in the marinade. Chill at least 4 hours or up to overnight, turning occasionally. Remove steak from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Optional: Serve with grilled skewers of pineapple and red onion

Charred Spicy Sugar Snap Peas

Here is a wonderful side dish that celebrates some  of my favorite flavors – fresh sugar snap peas, sauteed until they start to brown , adding heat from using rounds of thai red chiles cooled by the use of some fresh chopped mint! It’s a perfect dish and simple to prepare. Enjoy!

From by the bay, wishing you sugar snap food memories!

Maryann

blog charred sugar snaps

Charred Spicy Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients

1 pound sugar snap peas

1 red thai chile, sliced in small rounds or finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon mint, chopped

fine sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saute pan heat the olive oil, when it’s hot carefully add the sugar snap peas to the pan. Cook , stirring the sugar snap peas . When the peas start to soften add the thai chile and continue to saute until the sugar snap peas start to char and brown in places. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh mint.