Coconut Milk

Linda Randazzo of Winchester, Va., was searching for a recipe for a tomato-coconut soup similar to the one she had enjoyed at a restaurant years ago. Jane Clark of Morristown, Tenn., sent in a recipe that she found on the Internet and likes very much. This flavor-filled soup starts simply with a can of crushed tomatoes and ends up with an exotic Indian flavor. The individual servings are garnished with toasted coconut, which helps to mellow the acidity of the tomatoes and provides a nice crunch.

Typically when planning the menu for a company dinner, I choose the main course first and then decide on the side dishes. Sometimes, however, when I have a special accompaniment in mind, I reverse this process. That's exactly what I did several days ago while deciding what to serve my son and his girlfriend for Sunday-night supper.Earlier in the week I had cooked long-grain jasmine rice in coconut milk and then stirred in some diced mangoes, grated lime zest, chopped pistachios and cilantro.

If asked to choose my favorite shellfish, without hesitation I'd pick scallops. These sweet, succulent morsels were a discovery I made as a young adult. My family indulged in shrimp and crab dishes and, for occasions, we ordered lobsters, but scallops never graced our table.I was in my 20s on a visit to France when I tasted these sublime mollusks for the first time. I've been a fan ever since.Today, when entertaining, I love to include scallops in my menus. I offer as appetizers skewered scallops wrapped in prosciutto with seasonings of lemon and rosemary.

The funny thing about tofu is that, despite its long history as a dietary staple (records of its use date back as far as the 10th century) and the news touting it as a nutritional powerhouse (it's packed with protein and disease-fighting phytochemicals), it is still a culinary laughingstock.But the joys of tofu are no joke. All it needs is some serious seasoning. Pair it with the rich spiciness of coconut-curry broth, the salty sweetness of miso or the nutty bite of tahini and ginger and you may just find yourself eating tofu for the pure pleasure of it.Tofu, like other protein sources, is a perishable item that must be handled with care.

While in Portland, Ore., a few months ago, I dined at Zefiro, an innovative restaurant serving cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian accents. The food was superb. In fact, my main course of Steamed Halibut With Indonesian Coconut Sauce was so impressive that I asked our waiter if the chef would tell me how it was prepared. Much to my surprise and delight, the server returned with a printed recipe.On my own, I would have never been able to unravel the different tastes in this delicious creation.

A wedding celebration brought us to our latest discovery -- Anne Arundel's southernmost restaurant.The party was held at the Herrington Harbor Marina Resort, on the Chesapeake Bay in Rose Haven. Many of the guests were lingering around the large, heated serving trays of crab dip, which also got our attention.Intrigued by the dip and the subsequent wedding buffet, we checked out the menu in the adjoining Herrington on the Bay restaurant and found it -- with careful ordering -- to qualify in our $50-and-under range.

*TC The long wait for that sublime summer pair, basil and tomatoes, is over.Fresh, fragrant basil and rich, ripe tomatoes complement each other not just on the plate, but also in the garden. They grow in the same temperatures, in the same fields, and, if one is doing well, the other will, too.Basil and tomatoes are available year-round, but summer ushers in a season of abundance and variety, from tiny yellow pear tomatoes to ruffly purple basil.Ethan Milkes grows culinary herbs and edible flowers year-round in the field and in greenhouses.

The first Thai restaurant I went to was so good that over the years I've been reluctant to experiment with any other, especially when I'm not working. That's why I may be the only person in Baltimore who loves Thai food, but up until last week hadn't been to Thai Landing, which some aficionados consider the best Thai restaurant in town.Let's call it a tie, no pun intended. At its best, Thai Landing offers elegant food, although it advertises itself as having "home-style cooking." Very little on the menu costs over $10; it's one of the best bargains around.

If something sweet to eat is on your mind, then these recipes -- an egg custard pie and an old-fashioned coconut cake made with coconut milk -- should send you full steam ahead into the kitchen.Doris C. Griffin of Baltimore asked for the cake recipe. She writes that she is retired and has moved to Charlestown Retirement Community and lost her recipe in the move.Carolyn Dickerson of Abingdon responded with the coconutcake choice.Dickerson's fresh coconut cake2 whole coconuts2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour1 2/3 cups sugarCoconut milk from 2 coconuts1 teaspoon salt2/3 cup butter3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons vanilla3 eggs separatedNote: To prepare coconuts.

804 N. Charles St. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays; 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. (410) 752-5857. Squeezed in a block of larger restaurants, Thairish is like that Volkswagen that spurts out clown after clown: How can so much come out of something so small?The cafe/carryout (there are two counter tops with stools for eat-ins) serves up splendidly flavorful Thai specialties, prepared right before your eyes by the genial proprietor. A veteran of other restaurants in town, such as the Museum Cafe, he's great fun to watch in his tidy kitchen, which is bravely in full view of customers: With the precise, no-extra-movements style of the well-trained, he splashes ingredients into a pot on one burner and shakes a sizzling skillet on another.

When veteran restaurateur and chef Robert Kinkead decided to open a seafood restaurant in Annapolis where Phillips was, the news created quite a stir. After all, his Washington establishment, Kinkead's, has been one of D.C.'s best-known eating places for decades. Here was someone with a known record coming in, taking over a dead space and planning to offer fresh, classic American seafood dishes, everything local when possible. It would be less expensive than his original restaurant, but the quality would be the same.

What's to love about coconut? It's rich and creamy, an addictive staple in Thai, Indian and Caribbean cuisine. Coconut is high in immunity-boosting lauric acid, which is touted (though not proven) to lower cholesterol and rev metabolism. What's not to love? Coconut is high in saturated fat. However, your body digests it more readily than animal fats, so don't shun the coconut. Add lushness to vegetables and whole grains with canned coconut milk. This is no sugary pina colada mix, but a solution of grated, squeezed coconut meat and water.

NEW DELHI, India - A religious festival in northern India turned into a horrific deadly crush yesterday as thousands of Hindu pilgrims stampeded at a temple shrine, piling into each other on a treacherous walkway slick with spilled coconut milk. Officials said at least 168 people, most of them men, suffocated. Television images showed dead pilgrims strewn on the narrow walkway near the Chamunda Devi temple, at the southern edge of the 15th-century Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur, in the western state of Rajasthan.

Afew months ago, while my husband and I were in Paris working for several weeks, I noticed an unusual soup listed on the chalkboard outside a cafe in our neighborhood. I wasn't planning to eat lunch there but was so intrigued by the sound of a carrot-and-coconut soup that I stopped in. The waitress asked if I wanted the potage cold or warm, and I opted for the latter. Several minutes later, she returned with a bowl of piping-hot soup that was thick, creamy and a lovely orange hue. One sip and I knew I wanted the recipe.

Thai peanut sauce and coconut milk add an intriguing flavor to tilapia. For this recipe, they are simmered to gently coat the fish. Peanut sauce is the base for many Thai dishes and is made from roasted peanuts, soy sauce and spices. I choose a thick one when it is available. Coconut milk is made by mixing shredded coconut with boiling water, letting it steep and then straining it. Fortunately, both peanut sauce and coconut milk are available ready-made. Serve this dish with basmati rice.

Linda Randazzo of Winchester, Va., was searching for a recipe for a tomato-coconut soup similar to the one she had enjoyed at a restaurant years ago. Jane Clark of Morristown, Tenn., sent in a recipe that she found on the Internet and likes very much. This flavor-filled soup starts simply with a can of crushed tomatoes and ends up with an exotic Indian flavor. The individual servings are garnished with toasted coconut, which helps to mellow the acidity of the tomatoes and provides a nice crunch.

Fish on a First-Name Basis By Rob DeBorde Simply Shellfish By Leslie Glover Pendleton William Morrow / 2006 / $24.95 This book features 125 easy shellfish recipes, most of which take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Oysters, shrimp, crab, clams, mussels, lobster and squid are the main ingredients of dishes with Latin, Asian and Italian accents. You'll also find advice on purchasing, cleaning, storing and serving sizes for various types of shellfish. liz.atwood@baltsun.com Iron-skillet mussels with coconut-carrot sauce Serves 4 COCONUT-CARROT SAUCE: 2 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 1 cup canned coconut milk 1 cup carrot juice 10 fresh basil leaves 5 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves 1 tablespoon palm sugar (available at Asian markets)

When you are making quick soups or stews, those packages of already cooked sliced meats in the market certainly are handy. Alternately, of course, leftover sliced roasts can become the star of any stew. Here's one fast entree that takes its cue from classic Thai curries. Take your pick of meat choices and add them to coconut milk, broth and green curry paste. Squeeze in fresh lime juice and serve it with rice. Carol Mighton Haddix writes for the Chicago Tribune. Quick Thai Green Curry 4 servings -- Preparation time: 10 minutes -- Cooking time: 16 minutes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 shallots, minced 1 piece (1-inch)

Over the past year, Howard County's thriving restaurant scene grew even more diverse with the addition of a sophisticated vegetarian restaurant, a dim sum palace and two Ellicott City brick-oven pizza parlors. Great Sage (5809 Clarksville Square Drive, Clarksville, 410-535-9400), which opened in June, is a vegetarian restaurant serving flavorful, imaginative food in an elegant environment. The menu is coded so diners can tell if the meal is vegan, soy-free or gluten-free. Entrees - which include a Tuscan stack of polenta, spinach and roasted vegetables, and a Thai dish with the rich flavors of lime and coconut milk - are about flavor as much as health.

Fans of Thai cooking, rejoice. With Nancie McDermott's new cookbook, Quick & Easy Thai (Chronicle, due out April 1, $18.95), you can have a Thai dinner on the table in less than an hour. About all you need are a few pantry staples, a couple of cans of coconut milk, fish sauce and red curry paste. McDermott, who learned Thai cuisine as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, is true to her word in delivering quick and tasty recipes. The instructions are easy to follow, even for the novice cook, and many recipes are accompanied by tempting photographs of the finished dishes.