A Gifted Cookbook

Everyone knows how much I treasure my cookbooks. It’s no secret. The word is out. In fact, just this morning, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted some of her cookbooks that she no longer wanted. I actually had to decline her generous offer because my bookshelves are over crowded as well. Believe me, it took a lot of restraint to not say yes. That being said, I am still a believer in the wise words one of my old co-workers said to me many moons ago “you have never purchased your last cookbook”. I have been good though and have NOT purchased any new cookbooks in awhile. However, I was gifted a great cookbook not all that long ago by yet another blogger friend of mine, Sandy Axelrod, from “The Traveling Locovores”. Thank you Sandy. There are oh so many fantastic recipes in this fabulous book. My only problem is there are way to many delicious recipes I want to make and not nearly enough time to get them all done. Woe is me. 🙂

Sandy gave me this book, Lands of the Curry Leaf by Peter Kuruvita.

When I received this wonderful new gift, I was busy going in a whole bunch of different directions at the time. I actually made a dish, very loosely inspired by one the recipes from the book, but then Thanksgiving came and I have been busy posting recipes and ideas about the holidays. I am just now getting to share my recipe with you, at long last. When I say very loosely, I mean it too. About the only things in common with the actual recipe and mine were that they were both curried and they both called for pumpkin. But it did inspire me to create my dish. Often, this is exactly how I use cookbooks and recipes too. I look at the pictures, I read the ingredients, and then off I go and to do my own version of what I have just seen and read. That’s just how I roll. What can I say? 🙂

Larry said he wanted shrimp and I had pumpkin and spinach I needed to use, but I also wanted to make the dish that I had earmarked in this fabulous new book. So I did what I always do and created my own dish instead.

Curried Shrimp and Vegetables

1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 cups fresh spinach, stems removed, chopped

1 red or orange bell pepper, sliced very thin

1 green bell pepper, sliced very thin

2-3 sweet peppers, sliced very thin

1- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

1-1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced

1 cup cooked asparagus

1 red onion, sliced very thin

1 can coconut milk

1 1/2 TBSP garlic

1 1/2 TBSP ginger

1 TBSP yellow curry

1 TBSP red curry

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil and lime olive oil (optional) for cooking

Get a large pot very hot then add the oils. Saute the shrimp for about 5 minutes, or until it is completely pink and cooked. Once they are cooked, remove them from the heat and set aside.

Add more oil if needed, then add the vegetables, except for the spinach and the cooked asparagus, and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until they are tender.

When the heartier vegetables are tender, add the spinach and asparagus and combine well.

Combine the coconut milk with all the spices and add to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Re-add the shrimp.

Serve immediately over rice. I served it over a combination of both white rice and black rice, with some Naan bread and a glass or two of smooth buttery chardonnay on the side. I love all kinds of curries, and they are my favorite Asian dishes.

Sorry it took so long to get this one to you, but I promise you it was worth the wait. Once again, many thanks to Sandy for her generous contribution to my ever-growing culinary library. it is greatly appreciated.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas Everyone. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.