CHEF JOHN ASH

John Ash: Cooking One on One:
Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food
from a Master Teacher

"Teaching has come to be the thing I love most in life..." Chef John Ash

Laksa comes from Indonesia and usually it refers to a spicy noodle soup flavored with a nut based coconut curry paste. In that part of the world they use candle nuts which you can sometimes find in Asian markets. They are somewhat toxic raw and must be thoroughly cooked by roasting before eating and for that reason I'm substituting almonds which are equally delicious. The spice paste that can be made ahead and refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 3 months and has many delicious uses.

Shrimp and Noodle Soup with Laksa

Serves 4 – 6

• 3 cups low salt, defatted chicken stock
  
• 1 pound large (16 - 20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined and shells reserved
  
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  
• 3 tablespoons rice wine or sake
  
• 3-1/2 cups coconut milk, well stirred
  
• 1 cup laksa paste (recipe follows), or to taste
  
• 2 cups peeled and diced butternut or other hard squash
  
• Olive Oil
  
• 2 small zucchini, cut in long julienne
  
• 4 ounces thin rice vermicelli soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
  
• Fresh lime juice to taste
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• Garnish: Cilantro leaves and green onions sliced on the bias

In a deep saucepan heat the stock to boiling and add the reserved shrimp shells and simmer for 5 minutes covered. Strain discarding shells and return stock to pot. Halve the shrimp lengthwise. Stir soy sauce and rice wine together and toss with shrimp to lightly coat. Set aside to marinate for 3 minutes or so.

Heat the stock and coconut milk in a deep saucepan and whisk in the laksa paste. Add the butternut squash and simmer for 5 minutes until squash is just tender. Meanwhile add 2 tablespoons or so olive oil to a wok or large skillet and heat over high heat. Add shrimp and stir-fry in batches until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add zucchini and noodles to warm bowls. Top with shrimp. Taste stock mixture and add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle hot stock over and serve immediately garnished with cilantro leaves and green onions.

Laksa Paste

Makes a little more than a cup

• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (or to taste) See note
  
• 1/3 cup chopped shallots
  
• 1/3 cup chopped and toasted blanched almonds
  
• 1/4 cup peeled and finely chopped ginger
  
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
  
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste or 2 tablespoon fish sauce (or to taste)
  
• Juice and zest from 2 limes
  
• 2 teaspoons sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  
• 1/2 cup or so coconut milk

Add all ingredients except coconut milk to a blender and process for a minute or two or until very smooth. Add mixture to a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Should be very fragrant. Stir in coconut milk and cook for 2- 3 minutes more. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

*Note: Chili garlic sauce is available in the Asian markets and the Asian section of some supermarkets. Lee Kum Kee from Hong Kong is a widely distributed brand.

Cookbooks Authored by Chef John Ash
Winner of the Julia Child "Cookbook of the Year" from the IACP One of California's foremost chefs, in association with Fetzer Vineyards, celebrates the bounty of the garden and the vine with a collection of more than 300 recipes that pay magnificent tribute to fresh and healthy high-flavor food--plus a a helpful--and fun--approach to testing and evaluating wines. Color photos.	Winner of the 2005 James Beard Foundation Award John Ash: Cooking One-on-One: Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food from a Master Teacher	American Game Cooking: A Contemporary Guide to Preparing Farm-Raised Game Birds and Meats Game farms have made exotic fowl and meats widely available to the non-hunter, and this is an excellent resource for those who want to cook on the wild side. From boar-based borscht to roast lacquered duck with muscat-tamarind sauce, the recipes contained herein are delicious.

"It's the process of cooking that's so much fun — the bonus is that you get something at the end to eat." Chef John Ash

Nut Recipes from Several Cuisines:

• Dukkah
  
  
• Wild Mushroom and Nut Pate
  
  
• Frittata with Bacon, Potatoes and Walnuts
  
  
• Shrimp and Noodle Soup with Laksa
  
  
• Thai Beef Salad with Almonds and Sweet Chilli Dressing
  
  
• California Four Nut Tort
  
  
• More Recipes

(Chef John Ash)