Recipe: Thai Coconut Soup, Ham & Cheese Dutch Baby, Hot Milk Cake

NEW ORLEANS — Did you know that June is National Dairy Month? Add some milk to your week with these three recipes from Chef Kevin Belton

Thai Coconut Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. ginger, grated
• 1 stalk lemongrass, minced
• 2 tsp. red curry paste
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 3 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk
• ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• salt to taste
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the ginger, lemongrass, and curry paste in the heated oil for 1 minute. 
2. Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture, stirring continually. 
3. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar; simmer for 15 minutes. 
4. Stir in the coconut milk and mushrooms; cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the shrimp; cook until no longer translucent about 5 minutes. 
6. Stir in the lime juice; season with salt; garnish with cilantro.

Ham and Cheese Dutch Baby

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• ¼ cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 4 Tbsp. ham, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan or white cheddar cheese, grated
• Juice of 1/4 lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Combine eggs, milk and Parmesan. Sift flour, Creole seasoning, and salt then, mix the wet into dry by whisking.
2. Place 1 Tbsp. butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet and place on stove over medium heat. Render ham until it becomes crispy, about 2 minutes. Add remaining butter to the pan, watching for it to just begin to foam. Add the Dutch baby batter to the pan and grate the Parmesan or white cheddar on top. Add the pan to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden.
3. Remove pancake from oven and garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This can also be made without the ham and cheese, served with berries and dusted with powdered sugar.

Hot Milk Cake

Ingredients: 

• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 10 Tbsp, butter, cubed
• Whipped cream and berries for serving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat eggs on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to batter beating on low speed until smooth.
2. In a small saucepan, heat milk and butter just until butter is melted. Gradually add to batter; beat just until combined.
3. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
4. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.