The Ultimate Recipe Thread!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
321

This recipe comes from “Beyond the Eaten Path,” by Bob Blumer. I highly recommend the cookbook; it contains a number of oddball recipes for doing things like poaching fish in your dishwasher and cooking on your engine block. This is one of the “normal” ones, and it tastes incredible for such simple ingredients and preparation.

Marinate salmon fillets in a mixture of 3 parts maple syrup to 1 part soy sauce for 4-48 hours. Spread cracked pepper on a plate, and dip the salmon in it on one side. Place on oiled aluminum foil and bake at 500 F for about 7 minutes.

322

Refritos
Refried Beans
Preparation time: 3-4 Hours

Serves: 4-6 People
Ingredients:

1 Cup Cranberry (small red) or pinto beans
3-4 Cups Cold water (or half stock)
2-4 Tsp Rendered fat or au jus
½-1 Tsp Salt

¼-½ Lb Pork skin or belly

Spices:

½-1 Tsp Onion powder
¼-½ Tsp Garlic powder
¼-½ Tbs Mixed spice red chile powder (desired)
¼ Tsp Ground white pepper
¼ Tsp Crystal™ hot sauce

Optional:

Chopped Jalapeño pepper
Grated white onion (instead of powder)
Finely minced garlic (instead of powder)
Preparation:

Do not soak your beans! Germination is triggered in a relatively short time. A process is started by which starches of the legume are converted to better nutrients for the sprout. This does nothing to serve the quality of the frijoles. I’ve found that small red cranberry beans cook a bit faster and have a more assertive flavor. They are recommended over pintos unless super-authenticity is demanded. Larger pinto beans will have a longer cooking time, so adjust accordingly. Beans keep well enough so that a batch made during the weekend will last for most of the week, especially if reheated occasionally.

Start the beans in a pot with three times the volume of water (or a little stock) and a good dose of salt. Bring to a full boil and reduce the heat. From now on, the less you overheat them the finer the flavor. Stir every so often and keep well covered. When they begin to lose their crunch remove the cover to allow the “gravy” to form. The liquid should reduce to about half the volume of the beans. Do not add tomato products at any time during the cooking process (if that is your preference). The acid content will inhibit the cooking process of the legumes and leave them underdone. I avoid using any tomato products with my beans.

In a separate pan, render fat from the cubed pork skin. Unsmoked bacon or a belly cut may be used. Do not use salt pork, bacon, sausage or suet to constitute the fat content. Avoid scorching the fat as it renders. This will yield a finer product without the overtones of irrelevant appendages or hydrogenation. I strongly recommend using some of the concentrated broth from my Carne de Res recipe listed in the Active Index. It will bring a complex array of elements to the finished product.

Once the beans are just soft enough to eat, add the powdered or minced spices plus any other seasonings. Stir frequently and watch the pot carefully. Taste for salt and adjust as desired. Keep at a very low simmer until the beans are cooked through. Transfer to a food processor with some extra water (or stock), or use a hand blender in the pot to puree completely. A potato masher will work too (given enough impetus).

To correctly refry the beans, their temperature must be raised to a near caramelizing state, this is why the fat content is needed. Nearly scorching the beans on a repeated basis is what will convert the raw starches of the legume into a more intensely flavored dish. The concept is similar to a Persian chello of browned rice.

Once the beans are blended completely, return them to a pot that has a large surface area on the bottom. Adjust their flavor to taste and cook over a medium-low heat. Add the rendered fat slowly, as needed. Stop when the beans attain the desired texture. Go slowly as there is no way to counter the addition of too much fat. Use a sharp edged spatula to scrape up the desiccated crust before it burns or sticks, and stir it back in completely. Baby-sit the refritos while preparing other foods to avoid any scorching or burning. If the beans thicken too much add liquid to compensate. Continue to incorporate the crust back into the body of the refritos. This process will take at least one hour to complete.

Note: Please serve these beans (with grated Monterey Jack) along side the Spanish rice listed in the Active Index. Scooping up a Neapolitan of melted cheese, beans and rice onto a yellow corn tortilla chip is a slice of heaven. A thick smear of these buttery refritos on a crisp fried yellow corn tortilla topped with grated cheese, guacamole, shredded lettuce and salsa makes for a fabulous tostada.
Please contribute a recipe and come back soon!

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323

Tempering chocolate is one of those candy-maker’s tricks to get that beautiful coating on chocolate candies that doesn’t melt as easily, and has that perfect “crunch” coat on truffles.

A few pieces of equipment are needed to make the process easier, and none of them are ridiculously expensive.
[li]Chocolate tempering thermometer. These run around $20, and look like an 18" fever thermometer. The degree increments are about 1/2" apart, to watch your temperature of your melted chocolate–important.[/li][li]Chocolate chopping fork, which looks like a several-pronged ice chipper. This little implement (which I got mine for $4.00 at Smart & Final) helps break up block chocolate into small, easy-to-handle chips.[/li][li]Metal mixing bowl and saucepan. The bowl should fit on top of the saucepan–a makeshift double boiler (if you don’t have one in the first place–I actually prefer to use the bowl & saucepan)[/li][li]Metal spoon. For mixing.[/li][li]Chocolate dipping fork. Looks like a tiny pitchfork, for dipping truffles into chocolate.[/li][li]Parchment paper. For lining pans, and for drying dipped truffles.[/li][li]Cake pans. For refrigerating truffle centers.[/li][li]Heating Pad. Your typical $15 drugstore heating pad wrapped in a kitchen towel—this will help keep your melted chocolate at temperature while dipping your truffles—it is not necessary, unless you have a cold kitchen.[/li][li]Kitchen Scale. For measuring weights—many recipes out there for chocolates will go by weight rather than volume.[/li]
And, of course, you’re going to need chocolate. I would look into your local candy-making store, and pick up Callebaut chocolate, which is available almost everywhere. There are other great, high-end chocolates such as Valrohna and Scharfen-Berger, but they are expensive. Callebaut seems to be the easiest to obtain at a decent price.

To start tempering your chocolate:

Note: Read your chocolate’s packaging, because most block chocolates have their own tempering instructions, and due to variances in cocoa butter and cocoa levels, the temperatures will vary around 3° to 5°. The instructions I have work for most dark chocolates. Milk and white chocolates will temper at around 2° to 3° lower.

Start with one pound of chocolate, broken into small pieces. Reserve 1/3 of the chocolate, and add the other 2/3 to your metal mixing bowl. Fill your saucepan with 1” to 2” of water (do not let it touch the bottom of the bowl when the bowl is on top) and bring it to a low simmer. Melt the chocolate, bringing the temperature of melted chocolate to 110°. It is easy to bring to this temperature, and the chocolate will probably not be totally melted all the way through (you may still have some of the larger chunks). Take off the heat, and start stirring to bring down the temperature to 81°. Start adding the reserved chocolate chips to help bring down the temperature (this is called “seeding”). Once the chocolate reaches 81°, bring the bowl back to the saucepan, and warm chocolate back up to 88° to 90° and hold at this temperature (this is where a heating pad on low will help) for coating/dipping. The chocolate will be melted and will coat very well.

** Basic Chocolate Truffle Center**
10 oz Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
3 T Butter
1 cup cream

Optional:
Toasted Whole Hazelnuts
Whole Raspberries
(these can be rolled into the center of truffle when shaping the balls)

In double boiler (or metal bowl/saucepan setup) melt chocolate and butter together. Scald cream in separate pan, and add to chocolate, whisk well. Line a cake pan with parchment paper, and pour chocolate into pan, and refrigerate for several hours until firm. Scoop out chocolate and roll into small balls. *Note: coat hands with powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa—this will help leave a smoother surface, and will leave less melted chocolate on your hands. Dip truffles into tempered chocolate—best to dip once, let dry, then dip again for a more professional looking surface. These can also forgo the tempered chocolate, and you can roll them in cocoa or finely chopped nuts.
Erica’s Truffles
4 ½ oz sugar
1 cup cream
18 oz milk chocolate
4 T butter

Cook sugar (alone!) in saucepan to light caramel stage ( sugar will have liquefied and will be light brown). Heat cream to simmer, add to hot caramel (careful, it may sizzle), and stir until incorporated. Take off heat, add chocolate, stirring until melted, then add butter, stirring until incorporated. Pour into parchment-paper lined pans and chill until firm. Cut into squares, or use mini-cookie cutters for shapes. Finish by dipping into tempered chocolate, or dust with cocoa.

To decorate dipped truffles:
Melt a different chocolate (if you dipped in dark chocolate, use white or milk), and fill a paper coronet (or decorating bag) and pipe designs onto candies. The decorating chocolate does not have to be tempered.

** A Fun Thing To Make With Leftover Tempered Chocolate**
Inflate a small water balloon, dip bottom half into chocolate, then rest on parchment-covered sheet pan. When chocolate has hardened, deflate balloon, and you will have an edible chocolate bowl, for serving ice cream or any kind of cream-style dessert, like mousse (I like to use them for tiramisu).

324

How about something in a simpler vein?

Pasta and Beans (this is not “Pasta e Fagioli” as you normally encounter it.)

Ingredients: 1 can condensed beef broth
1 can non-condensed chicken broth
1 clove garlic
1 can Progresso cannellini (“white kidney beans”)
6 oz. dry penne pasta
1 small yellow onion
1/4 cup spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
Mince the onion and saute in a few teaspoons of olive oil (use a saucepan, not a frying pan). Mince the garlic and add to the hot oil - add the wine when the garlic is done, before it starts to brown. Add the broths. Bring the mixture to a boil; in the meantime, drain and rinse the cannellini. Add the pasta to the hot mixture and cook until it’s a few minutes short of “al dente”. Add the beans and the spaghetti sauce and continue to cook until the pasta is “al dente”. When finished, the consistency should be between a thick soup and a stew.

Serve over crusty bread (stale bread works just fine.) Optional: top with a ripe cheese like mozzarella.

325

I also posted this on the sandwich thread, cause a burger is a sort of sandwich… isn’t it? We must learn to move beyond labels to see the true essence of the dish…

1/2 lb of lean ground beef per person
onions
mushrooms
garlic
bell peppers
Cajun blackening spice that I got in New Orleans (I think it’s mostly dried peppers, cumin, and black pepper)
Real California Cheese (cheddar, swiss, and pepper jack are all good)
big hamburger buns
mayo

Make 1/4 lb patties as thin as you can, stack with wax paper in between and put back in the fridge. Dice the veggies, saute with some of the blackening spice, and set aside. Bring out the meat again. Take a patty, put some cheese on it followed by some stuffing, but leave an inch or so of meat on the edge uncovered. Put a second patty on top, then carefully shape the two patties together to make a continuous burger. This is important or the burger will fall apart. Cook in a pan on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, adding more blackening spice if you like, turning frequently but carefully. This is also important, because if you try to cook one side first then the other, that side will shrink unevenly and the burger will still fall apart, despite your having made a perfect oblate sphereoid. I haven’t tried cooking these burgers on a grill, but I think they are too fragile. The burger is done about when the cheese starts leaking out of the little cracks in the burger. Serve on bun with a little mayo (there won’t be room for much else) and enjoy.

326

Vegetable and Tahini Relish
Middle Eastern Falafel Topping
Preparation time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 4-8 People
Ingredients:

4 Oz. Tahini (sesame butter)
4 Cloves garlic
2-3 Tomatoes
1 Red onion
1 Large cucumber
¼ Cup Lemon juice
¼ Cup Water
½-1 Tsp salt
½ Tsp Onion powder

Dash of hot sauce (optional)

Preparation:

Mix the tahini with half each of the salt, lemon juice and water. Crush the garlic and add with most of the onion powder. Stir thoroughly and taste for flavor. The garlic should be noticeable and the onion taste should be in the background at this point. If the liquid is too thick add some water. To thicken the mix add lemon juice to bind it some more. Leave it relatively thick until all of the vegetables are added and adjust the consistency after that point.

Peel the cucumber and divide it in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Cut into long ¼" strips and then again into ¼" dice. Cut the tomatoes on their equator and squeeze the seeds into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes into ¼" dice and add them to the mix. Peel and chop the onion into ¼" dice as well. Finish adding the vegetables into the tahini mix. Taste for salt and adjust the texture. Add more onion powder if the mix is too mild. Strain any of the tomato’s liquid off of the seeds and add to the mix. Make any final adjustments of the lemon juice and salt. The tahini mix should have a distinct flavor separate from that of the vegetables.
Note: This mixture is the secret to excellent falafels. The authentic flavor of the vegetables and tahini accents the spicy chickpea mix perfectly. For the best falafel balls, be sure to leave the dampened falafel mix rather wet. Avoid compacting them too much when forming the falafel balls. Fry them in very hot oil for a brief period. The falafels should still be moist inside after cooking.
Please contribute a recipe and come back soon!

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327

If you don’t know what linguica is, I pity you. It’s a Portugese spicy pork sausage, about half the size of a kielbasa, and it’s so good that when I visit my mom in Idaho she pays me to bring 30 lbs. worth with me. I think she found a store in Salt Lake City that sells it, but it’s not as good as what’s available in the Bay Area. Here there are several linguica makers that use their own secret family recipes, so the flavor will vary depending on what brand you buy. Nove Ilhas and Silva are both good, but don’t buy Santos because the owner is on trial for killing 3 federal meat inspectors and chasing a 4th down the street with a shotgun. He used to be my landlord. I never liked him.

Anyway, here’s a recipe for a stew. You will need at least an 8 quart pot. If you like, you can serve this dish over rice. Just follow the instructions on the bag. I suppose you could cut the recipe in half, but the leftovers are so good…

prep time 1 hour
makes about 10-15 servings

white or brown rice (optional)
2 lbs. lentils
water
6 linguica (4-5 lbs.)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
(Spice measurements are approximate; I use Ye Olde Eyeballe Methode. Keep in mind however that the lentils suck up more flavor than other beans.)
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Start brown rice (optional). Put lentils in pot. Sort through and discard any rocks or stupid lentils that look like rocks. Rinse once or twice, then add water to about 2 inches over top of lentils. Keep a quart of water next to the pot in case you need to add some. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, slice the linguica into circles, or if frozen, put whole into stew and slice later once it thaws. Add everything else. Start white rice (optional). When stew reaches a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally, and keep the water level just above the lentils. Add spices if necessary. Stew is done when lentils are completely soft and partially disintergrated. Eat for dinner, seconds, midnight snack, breakfast, lunch, and repeat. Or invite all your friends over.

Notes:
If you are in a hurry, you can reduce the cooking time by turning the heat up to medium-high and stirring constantly. It will tend to burn easily near the end of the cooking time. You can also make this stew with split peas instead of lentils. They have the same cooking properties, but taste different and require slightly different spices. Substitute rosemary and thyme for the cumin and paprika. (It will taste and look funny if you don’t.)

328

Hey Zenster, didn’t you mean to say musical fruit?

329

You got me there Attrayant! (I don’t know why, but I always pronounce your name in French.) I guess I was too traumatized about pugluvr not getting her recipe to her liking. (Although there is a version of the childhood song that uses “magical” instead of “musical”.)

As to you sturmhauke, you need to get down to Santa Clara to a tiny hole in the wall called Neto’s Sausage Factory. There people have been in business forever and for all the right reasons. I never liked Chorizo (I guess it had something to do with the lymph nodes and snouts) until I tried Neto’s version. The first ingredient is ground meat and the flavor is wonderful. Their linguisa (a sausage I’ve been eating for over thirty years) is heavenly and puts makers like Silva and Evergood to shame. The next time Sue Duhnym throws a party, get your tushie down here and I’ll bring some along.

330

Well, now that you’ve all made me gain ten pounds, I might as well get everyone as bulgy as me. This dish has a flavor very similar to the popular bulgogi, a marinated sliced beef barbecue flavored with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. If you love bulgogi, you’ll love this dish as well.

Adjust the sugar to your personal preference. I like a sweeter dish, so I use more sugar than this recipe suggests. I suggest starting with less sugar and adding more later to taste. You don’t have to use short ribs, but keep in mind that a different cut of meat will be less sweet and the glaze will be less rich due to the lack of bones. Do NOT use rump roast. Rump is the worst cut of meat in the universe. It is a black hole (pun intended) of flavor. A bushel of sugar and spices will not successfully flavor rump. I suggest a fattier cut such as chuck or ribeye sliced into small 1-inch steaks and scored. I admit that I usually go the boneless route myself as it makes for easier eating and you get more meat (less bone = more meat).

To toast sesame seeds, first pick out rocks or dark seeds and toss a handful in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan and keep the seeds stirred until all the seeds darken one or two shades. They may start to pop. Wear eye protection if needed. Cool, then store in an airtight container. Crush lightly for more flavor. Excellent over peanut noodles.

It should go without saying that these ribs should be served with short or medium grain sticky rice (more on this at the end of the post). If you use long grain rice, do NOT tell me or I will be forced to destroy you.

Heart-Stopping Korean Braised Short Ribs
[ul]
[li]3 lbs. meaty beef short ribs (or ribeye, chuck, etc.)[/li][li]1 medium onion, peeled and in big chunks[/li][li]2 carrots, washed and in big chunks (peeling is unnecessary)[/li][li]A handful of peeled chestnuts (optional)[/li]
Marinade:
[li]1/3 cup soy sauce (the regular popular version is fine)[/li][li]2 tbs. dark sesame oil[/li][li]1/4 cup rice wine or sherry[/li][li]1/2 head of minced or pressed garlic (a LOT)[/li][li]3 cubic inches of minced or pressed ginger (a LOT)[/li][li]1/4 cup sugar[/li][li]2 tbs. toasted white sesame seeds[/li][li]A few grinds of black pepper[/li][/ul]
Garnishing suggestions (optional):
Toasted sesame seeds
Fried egg strips
Pine nuts
Scallions

Trim the fat from the ribs and score the ribs deeply to the bone. Mix marinade ingredients in a large bowl, toss in the ribs, mix thoroughly, and marinate overnight in the fridge. Remove the ribs from the marinade (reserve marinade) and brown the ribs for about five minutes in a bit of canola oil on high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion & carrots and fry for a few minutes more. Pour the reserved marinade and 1 cup of water over the mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, flipping the ribs occasionally.

After two hours, remove lid and raise heat to high. Boil until the liquid is reduced to a syrup. The onion and carrots should be pulverized. Only the chestnuts will have survived. Skim fat. (This is easier if you refrigerate the dish and scoop out the coagulated fat, but that’s a lot of time and work when you’re hungry.) Garnish and serve with rice and balance the rich meal with vegetable side dishes such as kimchi, spinach salad, bean sprout salad, and fern bracken.

A few notes on rice

I might as well add my two cents to the rice debate.

I do not generally bother with rice/water ratios or measurements. I simply rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, then lay my hand flat on the surface of the rice. I fill the pot until the water completely fills the dents of my knuckles. I find this works regardless of the amount of rice I’m making. It takes some experimenting (bloating and weight gain might affect results), but it beats any other method by a long shot. I suppose I could get a ruler and measure the water level above the rice, but that would ruin the beauty of my system. It’s stuff like this plus not burping loudly that adds to my mystique.

I cook the rice over very low heat and briefly stir the rice just once while the grains are still hard and loose and the water is starting to bubble. Cook the rice until a nice crust forms inside the pot and you smell a nutty toasted smell. (This is not possible in a rice steamer.) Remove the rice from heat and fluff the rice with a wet rice paddle (a large, flat, wooden spoon) or a regular spoon if you’re an inferior wanna-be.

After your meal, remove all the still-warm rice from the pot, scraping only lightly against the crust that formed inside the pot. Turn the pot over and give the pot a good bang. The crust may fall out. If not, scrape it out with your rice paddle. Break the crust into chunks and serve. The brown, toasty flavor of the rice makes a wonderful dessert. You can store these chunks in the fridge and boil them in hot water later for a comforting alternative to Cream of Wheat. This porridge is particularly good if eaten with some strips of bacon. Kids love it. My mother likes to add more water, strain the rice, and drink the liquid like a tea.

Cheers!

P.S. I suggest a new smiley – the Happy Korean, which is what you’ll all be after eating this dish. >-)

331

I’ve gotten a lot of good from this thread, so I thought I’d give something back. Note that my better recipes are fairly simple, since med school doesn’t leave one with a lot of time for fancy cookin’.

Dr. J’s Cajun Chunks o’ Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (I like the More Spice)
Lemon juice

Heat a skillet or, ideally, wok with a little oil (whatever you use) to high heat. Coat the chicken chunks with about twice as much Tony’s as you think you should. Put them in the wok and pour in some lemon juice; let the steam do most of the cooking. Keep the chicken pieces moving. Add more lemon juice if necessary. Don’t overcook.

I think of this as a “utility item”. I do several chicken breasts at a time and keep them in the fridge. My favorite use is to put them on a salad of romaine, razor-thin slices of red sweet onion, good quality sharp cheddar, and my own vinegrette. Sometimes I put it on a pizza. Other times I just eat it with a baked potato.

My friend John took some of the same flavors and worked them into:
Cajun Salmon n’ Rice
1 can salmon
1 package Lipton Rice n’ Sauce–Cajun Style with Beans
Lemon juice
Tony’s

Remove the skin and bones from the salmon and saute it with the lemon juice and Tony’s as above. Prepare the rice as directed and add the salmon when it is nearly done. Serve with a Caesar salad.

Dr. J

332

Cream of Broccoli Soup
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Preparation time: 45 Minutes

Serves: 4-6 People
Ingredients:

1 Bunch Broccoli*
2-3 Cups Chicken stock
1-2 Cups Cream or half and half
2-4 Tsp Roux
Dash ground white pepper
Dash onion powder
Dash garlic powder
Dash Crystal™ or Tabasco™ hot sauce
Salt to taste
Butter (optional)

  • Look for broccoli that has very small flower buds and an almost blue-green color. Avoid any that has a green-yellow appearance or opened buds.
    Preparation:

Steam the broccoli in a separate uncovered pot while beginning the soup. Make the roux and allow it to rest for a few minutes before proceeding. After the roux has cooled, slowly add the milk and stock then stir until smooth. Add all of the spices and adjust the seasonings to taste. Heat very slowly until the soup begins to thicken.

When the broccoli has finished steaming rinse it in cold water to stop the cooking process. Be sure to catch the broccoli while it is still al dente. If it is completely cooked through it will turn into mush in the soup. Cut away all of the florets from the stems. Puree the stems with a hand blender or food processor until totally liquefied.

Add the pureed stems to the soup and heat through. Season to taste and adjust the consistency before adding the bite sized florets. Avoid boiling the soup or stirring it too much once the florets are added as they will break up. Add some butter for extra richness. Garnish with chopped chives, parsley or toasted garlic croutons. Serve with toast points or garlic bread.
Note: Use chicken stock for the best results. The addition of extra butter can compensate for the use of milk in place of cream or half and half.

Please contribute a recipe and come back soon!

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333

Shrimp Fried Rice
Chinese Rice Dish
Preparation time: 45 Minutes

Serves: 4-8 People
Ingredients:

2-3 Cups of leftover cooked long grain white rice
3 Green onions
3 Eggs
2 Carrots
1 Clove garlic
2-3 Tsp Soy sauce
1-2 Tsp Oil
½-¾ Cup Small bay shrimp
½ Tsp Roasted sesame oil
½ Cup Chicken stock
¼ Cup fresh peas (or frozen)
¼ Tsp Five spice powder
¼ Tsp Ground white pepper
Preparation:

Please refer to the recipe thread for the correct preparation of rice. You will want to cook the rice needed for this recipe the day before.

Warm a large dry skillet over low heat. Separate three yolks and one egg white into a bowl and add one or two spoonfuls of water. Beat the eggs well. Add a small amount of oil into the pan and add the eggs. Stir often but avoid breaking up the mass into too small pieces. Cook until firm and reserve for later use.

Peel and dice the carrots into small (3-5mm) pieces. Warm another large dry pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of chicken stock and begin to heat through the diced carrots. Once the stock has evaporated and the carrots are almost tender, add a teaspoon of oil and the chopped clove of garlic. Do not brown the garlic. Once the garlic has sweated, add the remaining oil, the roasted sesame oil and the cold cooked rice. Stir and heat the rice through. Add the five spice powder and the white pepper while the rice heats. If the pan begins to dry out too much add some of the chicken stock. Stir in the soy sauce and evenly coat the rice.

Chop the green onions finely. Reserve half (both the green and white parts) for garnish and add the remaining amount to the rice along with the peas and shrimp. At the last minute mix in the scrambled egg and remove from the heat.

To make an elegant service place a teaspoon of green onion in the bottom of a small one cup bowl. Fill the bowl and gently tamp the rice flat, even with the rim of the bowl. Cover the top of the bowl with the service plate. Hold the two together tightly and invert in one swift motion. Remove the bowl and a glistening dome of scented rice, studded with shrimp and vegetables, will be your reward.
Note: Avoid using too much roasted sesame oil, its flavor will overpower the other ingredients. The fried rice should not be wet or too oily and should fluff apart into separate grains easily.
Please contribute a recipe and come back soon!

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334

Turkish Lunch

Put some feta cheese on a plate. Pour on some olive oil and mash it up with a fork. Apply to a slice of nice bread, (french) and top with a slice of tomato.

Chic Pea Salad

Can of chic peas, drained. One or two stalks of celery, chopped. Tablespoon minced onion. Two tbs each olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Basil, dill, cumin. Mix all.

335

Hi Zen, I’m back in this thread. Did you miss me? :smiley:

A friend at work made a delicious dish for a pot-luck. When I asked him for the recipe, he said “I dunno. A bit of this, some of that”. I threatened to beat him up, fire him or make him take all the cranky customer phone-calls, and he gave in. But he didn’t know the amounts. He’s the best guesswork cook I know, so it’s all guesswork from here on in, folks. Seriously: I’m faking it. Amounts aren’t accurate!

Fenris’s Friend’s Mexican Chicken Wrap Thingies

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
cayenne pepper
pepper
paprika
cumin
2 cans of enchelada sauce (maybe…get three and keep one if it’s not necessary)
1 box of cream cheese
1 pound of shredded Montery Jack Cheese (maybe…this seems like an awful lot…?)
Fresh Cilantro
1 onion chopped (my addition, not in the original version)
Tortillias

Take the chicken. Sprinkle with heavily with cayenne pepper, moderatly with regular pepper and paprika and a bit of cumin (“only a little”). Put the chopped onions in the pan with the chicken.

Broil each side of the chicken, 'till cooked. Onions should be soft by this point.

Meanwhile, take both cans of the enchelada sauce, chop up “some” cillantro, and simmer “for a while”.

When the chicken is done, pour enough of the sauce over the chicken to coat. Return chicken to oven until sauce has reduced to almost nothing. Remove chicken, cut into bite sized chucks.

In a food processor, put the cream cheese, (some of the) jack cheese, “a little” fresh cillantro, chopped) and maybe a 1/4 cup (?) of the sauce. Process. Cream Cheese should be a salmon shade of pink. You should be able to taste the sauce, but it shouldn’t be strong.

To serve:
Spread the cheese mixture on a tortilla, put some chicken and onions on the cheese mixture, spread a bit of sauce on it, add lettuce and tomato if desired.

Ideally, the cheese should be room temperature, the meat, sauce and tortillas should be warm, and the lettuce/tomatos should be cold.

This was great with root beer.

Fenris

336

This is a recipe from the family of my maternal grandmother, Esther(Kasson)Lietz. She says she can’t remember when she didn’t know about it, so it has to be old. Also, nobody knows where the name comes from, it just IS. It is supposed any nuts could be used, but we never use anything but black walnuts. Tradition!!! I made it once with pecans and it just didn’t taste right(to me, that is)

BOSTON CREAM CANDY

3 cups white sugar
1 cup white syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chopped black walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together sugar, syrup, and cream. Heat until boiling in heavy saucepan. Cook until mixture reaches soft ball stage(about 236 degrees Farenheit) Remove from heat and beatlong and hard until mixture lightens in color and becomes very thick, almost set. Stir in nuts and vanilla and scrape into a buttered 8-inch square pan, or 9-inch round cake tin. Refrigerate until firm and cut into small pieces to serve.

In the “old days” before heavy duty electric mixers, Grandma said the women making the candy would draft the guy with the strongest arm to do the stirring, as it can take quite a lot of tiring work. As I work in food service I sometimes have finsihed my regular work day, then cooked the candy and used the good ol’ Hobart mixer, at work. It never tires. But no matter the labor, the candy is a memory I cherish. In 1974, when homesick while in basic traing(Army) I wrote to my grandmother, and sent some money, asking if she would make me some. I got it the next to last week before basic ended, and it sure picked up my spirits.

337

Meatloaf
Classic American comfort food
Preparation time: 90 Minutes

Serves: 6-8 People
Ingredients:

½ Lb Ground beef
½ Lb Ground pork
½ Lb Ground veal (beef may be substituted)
3 Green onions
2 Cloves garlic
2 Eggs
1½ Cups Coarse bread crumbs
1 Large yellow onion
½ Cup Heinz™ ketchup or chili sauce
¼ Cup Chopped parsley
¼-½ Tsp Salt
¼ Tsp Ground black pepper
Dash of Crystal™ or Tabasco™ hot sauce

Optional: Italian or country sausage may be substituted for the ground pork. Other spices like paprika, celery powder or oregano may also be used. Garlic or onion powder may be substituted for faster preparation although the flavor will not be as intense.
Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350-400F. Mix the meats together in a large mixing bowl. Grate the onion into pulp and crush or mince the garlic finely and add. Blend in the parsley, chopped green onions plus the salt and pepper. Separate the eggs and beat one white with two yolks until creamy. Add the beaten egg to the meat mixture along with one cup of the bread crumbs. Knead until completely blended.

Oil the interior of a glass bread loaf pan. Place a large sheet of waxed paper on a cutting board and spread the remaining bread crumbs over it. Working in the bowl, form the ground meat into a large loaf shape. Turn it out of the bowl onto the bread crumbs and roll the loaf around until completely coated. Place the loaf into the bread pan and press lightly into the correct shape. Avoid compressing the loaf too much as it will become dense and leaden during the cooking process.

In a small bowl beat the remaining egg white until smooth. Brush the egg white over the top of the loaf and begin baking. Periodically check the loaf and if it is submerged in drippings remove some but not all of them with a turkey baster. Leave some of the drippings so that the loaf will not dry out. Halfway through the cooking process remove any excess drippings and coat the entire top of the loaf with the ketchup or chili sauce. Continue baking until a nice crust has formed. By the time the loaf has finished baking all of the juices should run clear.

Remove the finished loaf from the oven and allow to rest for ten minutes. Serve with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes and gravy. The drippings may be reserved and used to make gravy. Some variations describe a round loaf that is baked freestanding on a cookie sheet. When baking this sort of loaf, be sure to baste periodically with beef broth to prevent it from drying out.
Note: A traditional recipe calls for burying two peeled hard boiled eggs in the loaf so that slices of egg are revealed in the portions when they are served. Be sure to cook the eggs rather soft so that they do not overcook while baking the meatloaf.
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338

A family friend requested a birthday cake from me–he wanted a yellow cake, with milk chocolate frosting (who am I, Duncan Hines?). Since, I had to make it better, this is what came out of the kitchen:
Yellow Butter-Orange Cake
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°, spray 9" cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, and spray parchment paper.

Sift together dry ingredients into medium bowl.

With electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one egg at a time until well incorporated. Add sour cream, juice, zest, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed. Gently mix in dry ingredients into batter, and beat until smooth.

Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, until tester comes clean (or cake springs back when pressed). Cool completely.

Grand Marnier Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup Grand Marnier

In small saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil, then cool down (to quickly cool down, have a bowl of ice to put saucepan in)

Milk Chocolate Frosting
1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 pounds milk chocolate, chopped

In saucepan, bring cream, corn syrup, and butter to a light simmer. While whisking, add chopped chocolate slowly. Whisk until all chocolate melted and mixture is smooth.

Pour mixture into mixing bowl, and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, until mixture is firm. With electric mixer, whip frosting until the color lightens and holds a firm peak (appx. 2 minutes). The frosting will continue to thicken as it stands. If it becomes too thick to spread, stir gently with spatula.

Assembly:
Place first cake layer on plate (or whatever you like to put your cakes on). With pastry brush, gently brush top of cake with Grand Marnier syrup. Don’t soak the cake! The syrup will not only keep the cake moist, but will flavor it, but too much will make the cake soggy.

Spread milk chocolate frosting on first layer, and top with second cake layer. Brush second layer with syrup, and finish frosting cake. The frosting recipe is large enough to completely frost cake, plus decorations (piped edges, rosettes, etc.)

339

Deviled Eggs
Classic Appetizer
Preparation time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 6-12 People
Ingredients:

1 Dozen extra large or jumbo eggs
½-¾ Cup Best Foods or home made Mayonnaise
1-2 Tbs Dill pickle relish (or chopped dill pickle)
1-2 Tbs Sweet pickle relish
1-2 Tsp Yellow or brown mustard
1 Minced shallot (or ¼ Tsp Onion powder)
1 Tsp Horseradish (not creamy style)
1 Clove crushed garlic
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
¼ Tsp Ground white pepper
Dash sweet pickle juice
Dash dill pickle juice
Dash of cider vinegar
Dash sugar
Salt

Use paprika, ground black pepper or chopped green onion for garnish.
Preparation:

Place the eggs in one gallon pot of cold water. Turn on heat to high and bring to a boil. Gently stir the eggs occasionally while the water heats. This will make the yolk set in the direct center of the egg.

While the eggs cook, begin to mix all of the ingredients except the Mayonnaise. Sample for balance and make sure that the garlic is not obvious.

Once the eggs come to a boil cover tightly and turn off the heat. Let rest for eight to ten minutes. Immediately remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and plunge into ice water with cubes floating in it. Chilling the cooked eggs helps to pull the albumen off of the shell and make peeling them easier. If not using ice, then run under cold water for at least five minutes.

Slowly mix Mayonnaise into the spiced relish mixture. Stop when the desired consistency is reached. Peel the eggs under water to avoid any eggshell fragments. Cut in half and remove the yolks. Chop the yolks and one or two of the whites then add to the Mayonnaise and relish mixture. Check for flavor and adjust seasoning if needed.

Spoon a small amount of the egg mixture into each of the half whites. For a more formal appearance, mix in a bit of sour cream until the mixture stiffens. Then use a pastry sack with a large star tip to pipe the mixture into the whites. Top with garnishes and serve.
Note: For picnics make a handy and disposable carrier by lining the cardboard egg carton with foil. Leave lots of foil available as you gently form it into each of the pockets. A layer of plastic wrap can provide extra protection from spillage. Keep well chilled until serving and garnish after removing the wrapping.

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340

Treasure that friend, JavaMaven, as he is clearly a man of wit, charm and exceptional taste. All the great thinkers in history prefer yellow cakes with chocolate frosting. I’m too far modest to mention someone else who loves that particular combination and insisted that his birthday cakes have that combination, but I have it on the best authority that Plato, Aquinas, Hume, and Cecil all prefer yellow cake with chocolate frosting.

That said: curse you for this recipe. I’m trying to diet, dammit. I gained 10 pounds just reading the recipe. And I have a strong suspicion that I’m going to make it. Don’t you people know the rule that if someone’s trying to lose weight, everyone else must be miserable? :wink:

Fenris