The Ultimate Recipe Thread!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
301

INGREDIENTS:
dough:
[li]1/2 c. oil[/li][li]6 c. flour[/li][li]1 c. instant potato flakes[/li][li]1 c. milk[/li][li]2 c. hot potato water[/li][li]salt[/li]
filling:
[li]2-1/2 lb potatos[/li][li]1 lb cheese[/li]
alternative fillings:
[li]sour crout and back bacon[/li][li]fresh berries and sugar[/li][li]cottage cheese and eggs[/li]
DIRECTIONS:
The filling:
[li]Wash, peel and boil the potatos.[/li][li]Chop or grate cheese.[/li][li]Drain potatos (keeping water for dough).[/li][li]Mash potatos slightly, add cheese and let sit covered so the cheese melts.[/li][li]Mash with salt and pepper and any other spices (e.g. garlic).[/li]Cover with damp towel and leave till dough is ready.

The dough:
[li]Mix oil, milk, salt, instant potatos and water.[/li][li]Pour over flour and knead.[/li][li]Let rest at least two hours: divide into sections of a[/li]good size for rolling out, flatten a bit, oil the outside,
and put in plastic. (This can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge.)

The construction:
[li]Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/8th[/li]inches thick.
[li]Cut 2-1/4 inch diameter circles (e.g. with top of drinking glass).[/li][li]Put roughly a rounded teaspoon of filling in each circle and pinch to close; be sure edges are thoroughly sealed.[/li][li]Place on cookie sheets covered with wax paper and[/li]lightly floured. These trays can be frozen and later packed in plastic bags when completely solid.
To cook:
[li]Boil large pot of water with oil and salt.[/li][li]Add perogies and stir to avoid sticking.[/li][li]Cook about 5 minutes past when they rise to surface.[/li](It takes longer when they’ve been frozen.)
Fry with melted butter, oil and fried onions or bacon.

302

You guys are so busy with your steaks and pasta and whatnot, I’m going to volunteer my favorite dessert recipe:

Baklava

1 1/2 c. honey
1 c. lemonade
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole allspice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 box phyllo dough
3/4 lb. butter
2 c. pecans
2 c. coconut
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice

Combine the first five ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Combine pecans, coconut, cinnamon & allspice and run it through the Cuisinart until it’s very finely ground. Be careful–it’s easy to make paste.

Melt the butter. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in a 13"x9" baking pan. Brush with butter. Add three more sheets, brushing each with butter. Then add a layer of the coconut/pecan mixture. Continue alternating layers until all dough is used (usually 5 4-sheet layers of dough and 4 layers of the coconut/pecan mixture).

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until top layer is golden brown. Cut into 1 1/2" diamonds. Pour honey mixture over the top.

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family and friends do.

303

What you’ll need:
3-4 lb. broiler chicken
a dry rub
a can of beer

Take your chicken and get rid of all the innard stuff, you won’t need it for this one. Whip out that dry rub and rub it in. I recommend rubbing it underneath the skin. It’s a bit more trouble and involves something of a surgical attitude but its worth it. The skin prevents the rub from doing it’s job and by rubbing it on underneath the skin will trap it, not block it. Throw the bird in the fridge overnight.

The next day…
FIRE UP THE GRILL!! You’re gonna wanna use indirect heat on this one, I think I kick it up to approx 450 degrees but I don’t really recall. Take your bird, take your rub, take your beer. Drink 1/3 of the beer, put a teaspoon of rub in the can, shove the can up the chicken’s ass (hence ass chicken). Set the bird up on the grill like a tripod with the can and the legs holding it upright. Grill it for about an hour and a half. The beer will evaporate into the chicken thereby marinating it. The bird should be done and you should get a nice crispy skin to boot.

This is a great dish for parties, during the summer I’d set an army of these gals on the grill to feed everyone. I serve it with corn on the cobb. Soak the corn in salt water overnight. When you grill it you’ll know it’s done when the husk chars.

304

This is a super easy recipe, and it tastes great. Sounds Thai or Indonesian, but not quite.

4 Chicken Breasts (I prefer skinless/boneless)
2 8 oz cans enchilada sauce (use 1 medium and 1 mild for a moderate amount of spice, use imagination)
a few spoonfuls creamy peanut butter
season

Brown chicken (use a little oil if skinless) with some salt and pepper and a little garlic, maybe a clove or two. Add enchilada sauce so that it covers the chicken. Simmer in sauce for 10-15 minutes (or until rice is ready). Turn heat real low or off and add oh, about 3-5 tablespoons peanut butter. Be sure that the sauce isn’t too hot! The PB should just melt, not separate. I’ve always eyeballed it, so just put in enough PB to turn the sauce from red to a nice ruddy light brown. Smear it over both sides of the chicken and just barely have the heat on. Serve over Spanish rice, or rice and red beans (I haven’t come up with my own recipe yet-- Rice a Roni is good). Be sure to spoon plenty of sauce on top. Once, in a pinch, I used chunky style, and I was quite happy with the outcome.

305

Only for real cheese fans, take a whole camembert, sorry but it has to be one in its little wicker box, and remove the wrapping. rub a blanched clove of garlic across the top, fill the dimple with some white wine and then pop in the oven untill it has melted, eat with breadsticks and try to relax, the paramedics will show up shortly.

306

Here (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=58296) I explain my final practical final in culinary school, in which I had 4 hours to create a 3 course meal with the ingredients at hand (with some special stipulations). Since there has been requests for recipes, I said that I would post them here. I’ve adjusted my amounts to make this a dinner for two.

Menu

First Course: Poached Striped Sea Bass on a Bed of Wilted Baby Spinach and Lemon-Thyme Beurre Blanc

Main Course: Pan-Roasted Chicken with Wild Mushroom Compote and Herbed Red-Skinned Potatoes

Dessert: Baby Apple Tarte Tatin with Vanilla Ice Cream and Blackberry Sauce
Poached Striped Sea Bass

Special Equipment: pot large enough to poach both fillets at once, without “stacking” them

2 3-4 oz. Sea Bass fillets

Poaching Liquid (also known as Court Bouillion)
1 quart water
1 quart white wine (use cheap wine, IMO–this is the only good use for those “box wines”)
1/2 lemon, sliced
4 cracked peppercorns
1 large sprig thyme
1 bay leaf

Bring all ingredients to a boil, then reduce to a light simmer. Check temperature–best poaching temperature is 165° to 180°

Season your fillets with salt and pepper, and poach for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets. Check for firmness to see if they are done.

Note: while you’re poaching your fish, you will have plenty of time to wilt your spinach for the dish

Lemon-Thyme Beurre Blanc
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 cup white wine (now, you can use a better wine)
squeeze of lemon juice
sprig of thyme
1 stick of butter, cut into small pieces
salt & white pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, heat shallots, lemon zest, wine, lemon juice, and thyme to a simmer, and reduce slightly. Add butter slowly, a piece at a time, and whisking until each piece melts before adding another. The sauce is ready when it is just slightly thinner than hollandaise sauce. Hold warm until ready to serve (if it begins to seperate, warm up and whisk in another small bit of butter).

Wilted Baby Spinach
2 cups washed baby spinach leaves
Olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Heat a skillet on high heat, and add oil. Add spinach leaves and toss lightly, turning until leaves wilt and turn bright green (about 2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble plate: Make a “bed” with half of the spinach, and place fillet atop spinach. Drizzle some of the beurre blanc atop the fish, then around the plate, encircling the spinach.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts

Special Equipment: a skillet that can go from stove to oven

2 Chicken Breasts (bone-in, with skin. It’s better that way)
Salt & pepper
2 T. Canola oil (or any neutral vegetable oil)

Heat oven to 450°
Heat skillet on high heat, and add oil. Heat to near smoke point with the oil. Season both sides of the breasts, with salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to pan, skin side down. Let breasts cook until skin begins to brown, then put skillet in oven. Roast until chicken tests for doneness (about 15 to 20 minutes)

Wild Mushroom Compote
1 lb. mixed wild mushrooms, chopped (shiitake, oyster, chanterelles, with a few plain button mushrooms)
1 shallot, minced
1 T. veg oil
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 T. butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat skillet with oil, add shallots and mushrooms. Let cook for a while, until mushrooms have sweated for a bit. Add red wine, cook until dry. Add chicken stock, and cook until almost dry, then add butter and emulsify to make a nice sauce. Season to taste.

Herbed Red-Skinned Potatoes
1/2 lb. Red Skinned Potatoes, washed and quartered
2 T. Olive oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste

In an ovenproof dish, toss all ingredients together until potatoes are evenly coated. Roast in 450° oven until edges of potatoes are turn brown and are fork tender (about 30 minutes)

To assemble plate: Make a bed of the mushroom compote, and place potatoes to the side. Prop chicken breast atop mushrooms. Garnish with a few leaves of thyme.
Baby Apple Tarte Tatin

Special equipment: 6" skillet that can go from stove to oven

2 Granny Smith Apples (Fuji apples are nice, too), peeled & cored, and cut into 12ths
2 T. butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Using skillet, cut a circle of puff pastry about 1/2" larger than the circumference of the skillet. Hold puff pastry in freezer until needed.

Melt butter in skillet on the stove, then add sugar, and arrange apple pieces in the sugar in a circular design. Simmer on stove on medium-high heat until the sugar has begun to caramelize and turn a nice amber color (don’t panic, this will take some time, about 45 minutes to an hour). When the apples are ready, place puff pastry circle atop skillet, and when the pastry softens (will take about a minute), curl edges into the skillet to circle the apples. Place in 450° oven, and bake until puff pastry is golden (about 20-25 minutes). Let cool for 15 minutes, then invert tarte onto plate.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Special Equipment: ice cream maker

1 cup whole milk
1 cup cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean

Heat milk & cream to simmer. In a seperate bowl, lightly whisk yolks. Add some of the hot milk (about 1/4 cup) to the egg yolks and whisk, then add yolk/milk mixture slowly back to the milk, whisking constantly. Add sugar and vanilla seeds. Heat slowly back to a simmer, and let thicken. Cool mixture (best to do this in a bowl set upon an ice bath). Pour mixture into ice cream maker, and prepare as per maker’s instructions.

Best to do this early in the day, and to let freeze for several hours to firm up the ice cream (since it usually comes from the maker pretty soft).

307

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

1 c. milk
3/4 c. sugar
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. canned pumpkin
2 c. bread crumbs (3 slices)
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. butter flavored oil
In medium bowl, mix milk, sugar, egg whites, butter oil, salt, vanilla & pumpkin until thoroughly blended. Stir in breadcrumbs. Pour into greased 1 1/2 qt baking dish. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Mix brown sugar & cinnamon and sprinkle on surface of pudding. Return pudding to oven for 10-15 minutes/until a knife inserted in middle of pudding comes out clean.

And since weets are NEVER out of line:

Breakfast Cookies

Mix in big bowl:
1 c. raisins/dates, 1/2 c. prunes, snipped 1/2 c. dried apricots, snipped 1/2 c. sliced almonds, 2 c. raisin bran cereal, 2 c. uncooked oatmeal

Cream together:
1-1 1/4 c. margarine, 1 1/2 c. brown sugar, 4 egg whites ,2 tsp. vanilla

Beat in:
2 c. whole wheat flour, 1 c. white flour 1/2 c,. wheat germ 1/2 c., oat bran 1/2 tsp., salt 1 tsp., baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda

Combine dry ingredients with creamed mixture. Preheat oven to 375. On lightly greased baking sheets, place 1/8 c. dough for snack-size or 1/4 c. dough for breakfast-size and flatten. Bake for 9-12 minutes and cool on racks. Makes about 4 dozen snack-size. These freeze well.

308

Wow! This page is coming along just fine. Lots of new contributers and all sorts of great recipes.

Hats (toques) off to you Java for such a fine meal menu. I can only hope that your instructor feels the same as I do about it. Please let us know the grades that you got.

To all new posters at this thread. I have not been able to single each of you out for a special welcome, but I wanted to say how glad I am to see so many new faces show up recently. I am considering establishing a cooking forum at another site and will have to contact each of you concerning use of your recipes at that time (with this board’s administrative approval, of course). If anyone (yoo-hoo Mods) has suggestions about this idea or the pubilcation of a printed version of this online recipe file as a “Straight Dope” cookbook, please let me know.

309

An excellent use for those last turkey leftovers, this recipe is very felxible when it comes to measurements. Just dump what you have (within certain guidelines, of course) in the pot and go. It also stores well in the fridge and reheats like a dream. This soup is beloved in my family to the point that my mom claims to have had dreams about it. Hence the capitalization; in this household, this is the one and only Soup.

The Soup (really Turkey-Barley Chowder)
Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients
4 cups chicken broth
3 large carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 medium onion, chopped very fine
1 3/4 Tbs. dried sage [sub][sup](I probably use more than this. Adjust to your tastes.)[/sub][/sup]
1 cup quick-cooking pearl barley
3 cloves garlic, chopped very fine
3 cups half and half
3-4 cups cooked turkey or chicken [sub][sup](I find that 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts will do the trick nicely.)[/sub][/sup]
6 oz. carrot baby food [sub][sup](Gerber step 3 is good)[/sub][/sup]
Dash of pepper
Dash of salt

Cooking Instructions
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine chicken broth, carrot strips, onion, barley, sage, garlic, pepper and salt. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in half and half, turkey or chicken, and baby food. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until soup thickens.

Makes 6 servings

310

I will admit that I stole the idea for this recipe from Emeril, but I have made it my own. The name, Caldo Verde, means “green soup” or “green broth”. It is a Portuguese soup that is usually, in and of itself, purely vegetarian, but is garnished with sausage. My version, instead, incorporates chicken.

This is a light, healthy soup that is very flavorful.

Caldo Verde with Chicken

Serves 6

1/4-cup high quality olive oil
1 tbs. crushed red pepper
5-10 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 medium white onions, diced
3 lbs. white or red potatoes, peeled and cubed, about 1/2"
2 cans Campbell’s Chicken Broth
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into roughly 1" chunks
1 bunch of kale greens, trim the greens from the stalk and chop into bite sized pieces
a pinch of salt

In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and add the crushed red pepper. The color of the pepper should permeate the oil. Add the garlic cloves and diced onion, stirring and cooking until the onions start turning translucent. Add the cubed potatoes, then add just enough hot water to cover the top of the ingredients in your pot. Stir in the two cans of chicken broth, and bring the pot to a simmer. Toss in a pinch of salt. Cook until the potatoes start to soften (test with a fork), then add the chicken chunks and return to simmer. Skim off the olive oil and chicken fat that will accumulate at the top of the pot. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, then add the chopped kale greens. Cook the soup until the greens are tender. Try to avoid overcooking; you want the kale to be a bright green color. If you cook it too long, the greens will turn an olive drab, and you will lose flavor.

Serve in large bowl with a slice of a crusty sourdough bread on the side. Very tasty!

311

I tried not ONE but THREE recipes from the list and they were fantastic.

In another thread, I was trying to find some ways to save money - one being a way to bring my lunch to work, sometimes possibly grabbing something from the freezer on the my way out the door. Zenster recommended that I make some burritos and so I gave it a try.

I layered the burritos with rice, beans and either chicken or beef, wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag - I have one for lunch today, even. Here are links to those recipes (for the chicken, I just used shredded chicken):

All of the following recipes were submitted by Zenster - many thanks to him!

Spanish Rice

Rice Review

The rice is very easy to make - and the dash of cumin powder really makes a difference, not only in taste but the aroma.

Beans

Bean Review

I used Pinto beans because I couldn’t find cranberry beans (as Zenster recommended). He did say Pinto should be okay and I found that they were great - of course, I haven’t tried the cranberry yet - they are probably fantastic. When I took the beans off the stove, they had a nice, thick sort of…gravy. Good stuff.

Shredded Mexican Beef

This was really tasty and added a great flavor to the burritos. If you like beef burritos, this is a must.

Thanks go to Zenster for the great recipes! All come highly recommended.

Tibs.

312

I was instructed to repost this here recipe for Posole, which was first posted on a thread called Hominy, anyone?

Cook a pork roast (about 4 lbs.) in crock pot until tender. No need to add water. It will cook in its own juice. Reserve juice. Strip pork off bone, discarding any fat or gristle. Freeze half the meat for use another time or to put into another dish. Cook dried posole in crock pot or pressure cooker until tender. Use pork drippings as part of the liquid, adding water until posole is covered + 15%. If no dried posole is available buy two large cans of white hominy. Drain. Madk a mixture of stripped pork, hominy or cooked posole, pork seasoning, salt, pepper, and red chili paste. Red chili paste is made from boiling 14 large pods of dried red chili pepper in water until moisture is re-absorbed. Peel peppers discarding seeds and peelings. (Wear gloves to peel peppers). Put peeled peppers into blender with a few tablespoons of water and puree. If red peppers are unavailable, pure ground chili powder may be substituted to taste. (Start with 1 Tb.) Serve with Tabasco sauce for those who want it really hot. (Chile powder at the grocery store is a mixture thatcontains garlic and other undesirable ingredients. Ideally look for genuine Chile powder at Mexican grocery store).
Disclaimer: recipe typed by my Mom, whose concept of “really hot” is a few quantum levels milder than that of your average habañero eater. Adjust accordingly.

313

Well I finally have more than a few minutes to sit down and type, and I wanted to report to everyone on the won ton recipe.
I can say without hesitation that we liked them much better than the store-bought ones.
Thanks again Zenster.

A few notes: If you use the most commonly available wrappers, about 3" x 3.5", you will get about 80 won tons.
Allow plenty of time for wrapping. Mrs. B and I together spent about half an hour.
If you freeze some for later use, the ginger gets a little more robust over time, to my palate. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I also put in about 1/2 lb. of Chinese barbequed pork, and sometimes some ramen noodles.
For mushrooms use wood ears if you can find them.

And now for something completely different:

My wife’s doctor told her recently that her cholesterol was too high, so we’re on a low cholesterol binge right now. Anyway, we tried this recipe fron Epicurious.com the other night and want to recommend it to everyone.
http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=102460
Already prepared gnocchi can be had from Trader Joe’s and other fine stores if you prefer.
With a little ingenuity, this can be made completely vegetarian.

**And now for something else completely different:

       Sally's Ranger Cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups corn flakes or other cereal
1 cup margarine, at room temperature
2 each eggs, large
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup (or more) coconut, flaked
6 ounces chocolate chips **

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, put flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, granulated and brown sugars, rolled oats and corn flakes. Mix with fingers until well blended. Add margarine, eggs and vanilla and mix with spoon (or fingers) until margarine is worked in thoroughly. Roll dough into 1.5" to 2" balls and press down on cookie sheet with a fork. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Makes about 3 doz.

314

Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Yoghurt and Fruit Salad
Preparation time: 1 Hour

Serves: 6-10 People
Ingredients:

2 Large navel oranges
2 Granny Smith apples
1-2 Small Haas avocados
1-2 Black plums
1-2 Nectarines
1-2 Peaches
1 Cup Seedless grapes
1 Ruby red grapefruit
1 Cantaloupe
1 Bosc pear
1 Fuji apple
1 Lemon

1 Quart Kefir Cheese or Lebne*
¼ Cup light amber maple syrup
1 Tbs Vanilla extract

  • Kefir cheese or Lebne is genuine yoghurt. It is made using whole cream and has the dense consistency of sour cream with a wonderful yoghurt tang. Ordinary yogurts do not compare to this product. It can be found at Arabic and Middle Eastern food stores and specialty shops. One supplier is:

Mediterranean Trading Post
Los Angeles, CA 90065

If you are unable to find this product, be sure to substitute a very high quality commercial yoghurt. Nancy’s, White Cloud and Pavel’s are among some of the better ones. Be sure to check that the yoghurt is made using whole milk for the correct texture and richness.
Preparation:

Cut all citrus fruit except the lemon into supremes (to make supremes, see note below). Cut the supremes in half as you add them to the bowl. Squeeze the juice from the citrus cores and the lemon into a very large mixing bowl. Peel the larger fruits before adding to the salad. Proceed to pit and cut up all fruit that might oxidize (pear, apple, peach, etc.) into fork size pieces. Toss the fruit in the citrus juices to coat them. Cut up the remaining fruit into bite size pieces and place it in the bowl. Cut the melon in half, remove the seeds and use a melon baller to scoop out the flesh. Combine all of the fruit into the bowl and toss in the citrus juice once more.

In a separate smaller bowl mix the yoghurt with the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Work the mixture until smooth. Drain the citrus juice from the cut up fruit and slowly add it to the yogurt. Be careful not to thin the yoghurt too much. If necessary, do not use all of the citrus juice. Before adding the yogurt mixture to the salad, peel and seed the avocados. Cut them up into small pieces and add them to the fruit. Add the sweetened yoghurt and fold gently to avoid breaking up the fruit.

For best results, avoid using highly colored fruits such as cherries, and berries. These tend to bleed into the salad and color it. Avoid using bananas as they tend to lose their texture too quickly. Blueberries are permissible if they are fresh. If you are going to serve this salad immediately after preparation it may include the berries and other fruits mentioned above.
Note: To cut supremes from citrus fruit;[list][li]Cut the top and bottom of the fruit off to create flats.[/li]
[li]Standing the fruit on its bottom, cut away the rind with sawing downward strokes.[/li]
[li]Each cut should remove both the peel and any of the white pith underneath, revealing the flesh of the fruit.[/li]
[li]Once the entire fruit is exposed, hold it in your hand and begin removing supremes.[/li]
[li]Gently cut into the fruit along the edge of one of the segment lines. Cut along the adjacent one to release the wedge of pure fruit.[/li]
[li]Remove any seeds or partition material that remains with the supreme.[/li]
[li]Continue until all of the supremes are released from the fruit.[/li]
[li]Squeeze the core with your hand and collect the juice in a bowl for later use.[/li]Please contribute a recipe and come back soon!

[sup]THE NEW ACTIVE RECIPE INDEX IS HERE.[sub]

315

Making fluffy rice is no secret, it is neither complicated or difficult.

A few tips on cooking rice;[list=A][li]ALWAYS wash your rice. Put the desired amount in a sieve and hang the sieve in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with fresh cold water until the rice is submerged. Agitate the strainer and shake the rice to move it around. Lift the strainer out of the bowl and you will see that cloudy water drains from the rice. Do this a few times and then replace the water in the bowl. Shake the strainer a few more times and then let the rice soak for five minutes. Repeat this one or two more times until the water drains clear off of the rice.[/li]
(The milling process opens up the surface of the rice kernels, it also creates a quantity of rice powder and fragments. All of this needs to be removed prior to cooking.)

[li]Start with fresh cold water in the cook pot. Use a little less than twice the amount of water as rice to be cooked.[/li]
[li]Add a small amount of salt and cover the cook pot while heating it over a high flame.[/li]
[li]Rinse and drain the rice a final time before cooking it. The water should run completely clear when rinsing it.[/li]
[li]When the water comes to a boil add the rice and stir to prevent sticking.[/li]
[li]Cover and bring to a boil again (~2-3 minutes).[/li]
[li]Once the rice comes to a boil again, stir once more and cover tightly. Reduce the heat to low.[/li]
[li]Avoid uncovering the pot more than a few times in order to stir it.[/li]
[li]The standard formula for unwashed rice is; twice as much water as rice (by volume), cook for twenty minutes in salted water.[/list=a][/li]Note: Because washed rice has absorbed some water in the rinsing process, reduce the ratio of water to rice to 1.75 to 1, instead of 2 to 1. I use the method recommended by Alice Waters. Cook the rice for twelve minutes and then turn off the heat and let it continue to cook covered for another eight. Check for when the water has been totally absorbed and test for doneness. It will take a few times to get the balance of factors right, but you will eventually have no problem in cooking fluffy, perfect rice every time.
Please contribute a recipe and come back soon!

[sup]THE NEW ACTIVE RECIPE INDEX IS HERE.[sub]

316

I’ve seen a few hot soup recipes, but I’m not sure if there’s one for cold soup yet. This recipe requires a lot of chopping, so make sure you have plenty of time and some good knives. An assistant helps a bunch.

2 cucumbers, peeled
2-3 carrots
2-3 stalks of celery
2-3 Roma tomatoes
1 red onion
1-2 green bell peppers
1-2 red or yellow bell peppers
8 cloves of garlic (I really like garlic -adjust accordingly)
fresh oregano, cilantro, basil, and parsley
1 64 oz bottle V8 or tomato juice, chilled
vinegar- something mellow like red wine or rice
salt

Get out your cutting board, crank up the stereo, and start chopping. Remove seeds from cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. Chop all the veggies into rough cubes about 1/4 inch to no more than 1/2 inch. If you have a food processor that can do this, you’re luckier than I. Do NOT shred (well, I suppose the philistines in the bunch can). This is a good way to include your SO or whatever in your cooking, and get some quality time. Throw everything in a big bowl as you go- my kitchen aid mixer bowl works great. I have never really measured the amounts on the herbs, but cooking shouldn’t be too precise. Just grab about 8-10 dececnt leaves of basil, and chop finely. That’s about how much of the other herbs to use. Maybe a little less on the oregano. Pour in the V8, which has been in the freezer since you got back from your local fresh produce stand. Now, start pressing the garlic into the mix. If you don’t have a press, get one! Otherwise just chop real fine. Only the unenlightened will use powdered instead of fresh. Stir everything up. Add about 1/4-1/2 cup vinegar, depending on how strong the flavor is, and your personal taste. I use rice or wine vinegar, but go nuts. I don’t think balsamic would be a good choice. Now, depending on what kind of juice used, you might have to add salt. Again, to taste. Have a bowl now with some dark rye toast. Put the rest in an airtight container in the fridge and have it the day after tomorrow for a real robust taste- it’ll cure what ails ya.

317

I’ve seen a few hot soup recipes, but I’m not sure if there’s one for cold soup yet. This recipe requires a lot of chopping, so make sure you have plenty of time and some good knives. An assistant helps a bunch.

2 cucumbers, peeled
2-3 carrots
2-3 stalks of celery
2-3 Roma tomatoes
1 red onion
1-2 green bell peppers
1-2 red or yellow bell peppers
8 cloves of garlic (I really like garlic -adjust accordingly)
fresh oregano, cilantro, basil, and parsley
1 64 oz bottle V8 or tomato juice, chilled
vinegar- something mellow like red wine or rice
salt

Get out your cutting board, crank up the stereo, and start chopping. Remove seeds from cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers. Chop all the veggies into rough cubes about 1/4 inch to no more than 1/2 inch. If you have a food processor that can do this, you’re luckier than I. Do NOT shred (well, I suppose the philistines in the bunch can). This is a good way to include your SO or whatever in your cooking, and get some quality time. Throw everything in a big bowl as you go- my kitchen aid mixer bowl works great. I have never really measured the amounts on the herbs, but cooking shouldn’t be too precise. Just grab about 8-10 dececnt leaves of basil, and chop finely. That’s about how much of the other herbs to use. Maybe a little less on the oregano. Pour in the V8, which has been in the freezer since you got back from your local fresh produce stand. Now, start pressing the garlic into the mix. If you don’t have a press, get one! Otherwise just chop real fine. Only the unenlightened will use powdered instead of fresh. Stir everything up. Add about 1/4-1/2 cup vinegar, depending on how strong the flavor is, and your personal taste. I use rice or wine vinegar, but go nuts. I don’t think balsamic would be a good choice. Now, depending on what kind of juice used, you might have to add salt. Again, to taste. Have a bowl now with some dark rye toast. Put the rest in an airtight container in the fridge and have it the day after tomorrow for a real robust taste- it’ll cure what ails ya. Oh yeah, SERVE COLD. Some people just can’t accept cold soup.

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sorry about that. but let me reiterate, gazpacho is served cold.

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Philippine Beef Sauté
Beef and Onions with Rice

Preparation time: 45 Minutes

Serves: 4-6 People
Ingredients:

1-2 Lbs Sirloin or round steak
2-3 Yellow or white onions
2-6 Cloves garlic
2-3 Egg whites
½ Cup vegetable oil
¼-½ Cup soy sauce
¼ Cup cane vinegar (Sukang Iloko)*
¼ Cup cornstarch

  • Cider vinegar may be substituted
    Preparation:

Wash the rice* and proceed with processing the beef. For best results, slice the meat very thinly. To make this easier place it in the freezer until partially frozen. Cut to a thickness of 2-3mm and place into a bowl or plastic bag. Add the cornstarch and agitate until all of the beef is evenly coated. Separate the egg whites and beat vigorously for one minute to break them up completely. Add the egg whites to the meat and toss until all pieces are coated. Avoid having any clumps as they will not be properly prepared. The silking* method will add a delicate crust to the cooked meat. Allow the silked meat to rest for 15 minutes or more before cooking.

Warm a large skillet over low heat. Cut the onions into medium thickness rings. Turn the heat to high and add one quarter of the oil (1-2 Tsp). Add the onion rings once the oil is heated through. Reduce the heat and keep at low. Do not brown the onions while they cook. Peel the garlic, crush or chop finely and add a few minutes before the onions are finished. Complete cooking the garlic with the caramelized onions and drain. Cook the washed rice in a little less than twice its volume of salted boiling water.

Add the remaining oil to the empty pan and increase heat to high. Once the oil is hot, slowly add the beef to avoid cooling the pan. Keep the heat high until all of the beef is added to the pan. Reduce heat and stir the pieces to prevent sticking. When the meat is half-way cooked add the soy sauce and cane vinegar, then reduce the heat to low for another minute or two.

Finish cooking the rice. Serve portions and top with with the sauced meat. Spoon the caramelized onion rings over the beef and rice and garnish with chopped green onions.
Note: The traditional recipe does not include silking the beef. This step may be omitted for more authenticity or to reduce the calorie count.
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This one is about 2 or 300 years old. It was adapted from an 18th century household book - they were very big on pies and pudding back then, both sweet and savory. They were also into unusual flavor combinations, hence the apples and onions, but give it a try if you like a little culinary adventure in your life:

Onion Pie

1-1/2 pound pastry dough
2 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tsp salt
4 tbs butter
4 tbs water

Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Spread half the butter over the pastry. Mix together the spices, salt and pepper. Arrange alternate layers of potatoes, onions, apples, and eggs, sprinkle each layer with the spice mixture. Dot with the remaining butter. Pour in water. Cover with remaining pastry and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until potatoes are tender.