Platinum Chef Challenge #7

I wanted to take part in the Platinum Chef Challenge this round. The ingredients are panko, bok choy, mint, mango, and yogurt. After much thought I decided to go with Panko Crusted American Red Snapper With Mango and Baby Bok Choy and a Spicy Red Curry Sauce for the first dish and Mint Yogurt Dessert with Marinated Fresh Fruit for the second dish. My husband and I really enjoyed taking part in the challenge and the food was really good. Definitely something we have never tried before!

Panko Crusted American Red Snapper With Mango and Baby Bok Choy and a Spicy Red Curry Sauce

4-6 ounces red snapper fillets, boned and skinned

4 heads of baby bok choy

6 mangoes

1-1/2 pound lobster

1 leek, diced

1 onion, diced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (Mae ploy) *

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 shallots, medium size

Kosher salt

Togarashi (Asian pepper flakes) *

Panko (Japanese honey bread crumbs) *

3 tablespoons melted butter

For the sauce:
Break lobster into pieces. Saute with diced onion, leek and ginger. Add tomato paste and cover with water. Simmer for approximately three hours. Add red curry paste. Strain through fine mesh strainer. Reserve.

To prepare snapper:
Season fillets with salt and togarashi. Brush the top of fillets with melted butter and crust with panko bread crumbs. Saute encrusted side of snapper until golden brown. Turn over and finish in 350 oven until medium rare or desired temperature is achieved.

To prepare bok choy and mango:
Split bok choy in halves. Wash to remove all soil. Skin and dice all mangoes. Reserve three for puree. Peel and mince shallots. Saute bok choy and shallots in saute pans. Finish with 1/2 of mango. Put remaining mangoes in blender and puree into a pulp.

Presentation:
Place baby bok choy and mango on bottom of plate. Top with snapper, panko side up. Sauce around and finish with mango puree.

Serves four.

* Available in Asian markets.

Mint Yogurt Dessert with Marinated Fresh Fruit

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Mint Leaves

1/4 Cup Water

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1 Cup Whipped Cream

Place sugar, mint leaves and water in a sauce pan over low heat. Let simmer for five minutes and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Let stand for five minutes and let cool. Place the yogurt and whipped cream in a mixing bowl. Add mint syrup mixture and beat until light and creamy.

Marinated Fresh Fruit

4 Cups of Diced Fresh Fruit of Choice

3 Tbs. Sugar

1 Tbs. Vanilla

Splash of Dark Rum (Optional)

Mix diced fruit with remaining ingredients in a bowl. Let marinate in the refrigerator for two hours before serving. Scoop on top of mint yogurt to serve.

Recipe Swap: Sloppy Joe's

It is time for another recipe exchange. I really enjoyed the last exchange and couldn't wait to see what recipe I would get this time. Lucky for me (and my son) I got a really easy and yummy recipe for an old favorite. My son had two sandwiches last night and laid claim to the leftovers. He asked me to make it often. See the update below. :)

Ozzie's Sloppy Joe's:

2 lbs mid grade hamburger (you want some fat to hold in the flavor)

1 small yellow onion diced
1 1/2 c. Ketchup
1 T. Yellow mustard
1 t. French brown mustard
1/4 tsp. Dill
1/4 t. Tarragon
1/4 t. Basil
1/4 McCormick Cajun seasoning
2 T. Parsley

Fry hamburger and onion together. Drain. Place in slow cooker with seasoning, cook for 3-4 hrs at least, but for best taste cook for 6-8. It best to cook for 2 or so hours, taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

UPDATE:

I have made a few changes to the recipe and the guys in my life say the following recipe is the perfect one for them.

2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
Minced garlic (I use at least 3 cloves)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp prepared mustard (squeeze kind works for me)
1/4 t. Tarragon
1/4 t. Basil
1/4 McCormick Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)
2 cups of ketchup
1 can of tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat, drain. Add to crock pot with other ingredients and mix well. Cook for 6-8 hours on low.