Curried Zucchini and Swiss Chard

This is super quick to make and very good. If you have surprise guests and happen to have chard and summer squash available, this makes an impressive and quick meal. The chives can be substituted with a quarter chopped and caramelized onion (about 25-50 grams). The success of the dish hinges on how the zucchini is prepared. It needs to be in paper-thin slices, and cooked enough to be tender but not cooked enough so that it turns to mush. I've tended to undercook it, but the few times I've managed to get the right amount of doneness, the summer squash becomes buttery and flavorful with a bit of an al-dente bite to it.

* Serves 2 lumberjacks or 4 delicate ladies

1 recipe Savoury Rice
1 bunch of swiss chard (1lb)
2 medium summer squash, very thinly sliced (10 to 12 oz)
a fistful of fresh chives (equivalent to 3 green onions), minced
½ tsp curry powder
1 (½ oz/14gr) + (½ oz/14gr) 1 Tbsp butter
1+1 Tbsps mild oil
Salt and pepper, to taste.
a squeeze of lemon

1. Start by starting the Savoury Rice.
2. Remove the stems and the large center veins of the Swiss chard. Start with the stems and slice them stems very thin.
3. In a large sauté pan heat half the butter and oil over medium-to-low heat. Add the thinly sliced stems and sauté about 4 to 5 minutes, until starting to go tender. 
4. Meanwhile, fold the leaves together and slice very thin.
5. Before adding the sliced leaves to the sauté of stems, add the chives and cook about 1 minute more. Gradually add the leaf strips a handful at-a-time and cook until tender (about 4 to 5 minutes more). 
6. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
7. In the hot pan, melt the remaining butter and oil. Add the curry powder and warm it through to bring out its flavor, about 1 minute or until it becomes very fragrant.
8. Add the squash and sauté for about 3 to 5 minutes (the thinner they are, the faster they'll cook). Essentially, stop when they're all covered with the curry but still have a bit of bite and the denser flesh hasn't quite become transparent. If you let it cook too long they'll turn to mush. 
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Your rice should be ready now. On a platter, spread the rice as your base, followed by the chard on top, and top of that the squash. Apply a generous squeeze of lemon on top and serve immediately.

Custard Pie - for the clowns in your life

I live in a household that loves custard. To eat, that is, not to throw in someone's face - we're not clowns. But that was part of the inspiration: how does one make a custard pie worthy of throwing in someone's face that would be welcomed by the receiver. I don't know if I got it right, but we sure like this version.

1 recipe blind-baked Cookie Pie Crust
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup (2oz/58gr) butter 
⅓ cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 egg

1. Heat the oven to 325°F.
2. Bring the cream and milk to a very slow boil in a saucepan.
3. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and the nutmeg. 
4. Cut the butter into small chunks and slowly whisk them into the hot dairy until it all dissolves. This part is important to do thoroughly otherwise the butter will separate and rise to the top as the pie bakes creating a weird crust.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the yolk and sugar until the yolk turns a pale yellow. Whisk in the extra whole egg.
6. Very slowly whisk the flavored dairy into the egg mixture. Do this slowly; this is to gradually increase the temperature of the egg and avoid making scrambled eggs with the hot liquid.
7. Strain the mixture into the baked tart shell.
8. Bake about 35 to 40 minutes or until set. The pie will puff up a bit when it is cooked, and will settle again as it cools.
9. Let it cool completely, which can take several hours.
10. Delicious accompanied by a fresh sprig of currants or other tart fruit.