Ingredients

• 1 pound baby spinach, cleaned of any sand or grit
• Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
• 8 ounces paneer, halloumi, feta (drained), or queso fresco
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 to 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Basmati rice and/or naan, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the spinach, reserving a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Place the spinach and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid in the jar of a blender or the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Set aside.

Step 2

Cut the cheese into 1-inch cubes. (If the cheese is damp, dry it on paper towels first.) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil as well as the cheese cubes. Sauté the cheese in a single layer (work in batches, if necessary), until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to paper towels (again, in a single layer).

Step 3

Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the oil that remains in the skillet. Add the onion and chile and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 3
minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the reserved spinach mixture and the cheese and heat gently. Stir in the lemon juice and cream and add salt to taste. Serve warm with basmati rice and/or naan.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• 2 large bell peppers (any colors), seeded and cut into wide strips
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• One 4-ounce can green curry paste
• Two 13.5-ounce cans coconut milk
• Two and a half pounds shrimp, peeled
• One 8-ounce can water chestnuts
• Rice or Asian noodles, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Heat a wok or a large, deep frying pan over high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then the onions and about half the peppers, depending on what fits in your pan. Stir-fry until the onions are slightly brown but not yet completely soft, about 5 minutes; transfer to a large bowl. Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the wok and stir-fry the rest of the peppers with the carrots, about 5 minutes. Return the cooked vegetables to the wok and cook over low heat for another 3 minutes; transfer all the veggies back to the bowl.

Step 2

Add the final tablespoon of the oil to the wok and add the curry paste, whisking it into the oil to soften it. Add the coconut milk and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add back all the vegetables along with the shrimp and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, until the shrimp are pink, stirring occasionally. Stir in the water chestnuts, cover the wok, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.