Okay, I admit it. I'm a purist, an elitist, but a person has to go with what they like - or don't like. I am not a big fan of "gooey" brownies. I like chewy brownies. I really like chewy brownies with chopped walnuts in them. Its the sweet-bitter, juxtaposition of flavor elements, yin and yan - whatever. I especially do not like brownies with caramel in them, on them, near them - well, you get the picture.
However, I also know that not everyone shares this affliction. So here is a brownie recipe straight from the Salt Creek Restaurant in Breckinridge, Colorado, which is to the snow crowd in Winter what Spearfish Canyon is to bikers in August - a very, very cool place to be.
They are called "Knock You Naked Brownies" and no, there is no vegetable material of questionable legality involved - if you know what I mean. It is not my recipe, but a lot of people like them, so here you are.
1 package German chocolate cake mix
1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup and 1/2 cup evaporated milk-keep them separate
1/2 cup melted butter
1 14 oz package of vanilla caramels
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
In a large mixing bowl (why do they always add that? - Anybody really gonna try to stick all this in a small mixing bowl? Come one!!), combine dry cake mix, nuts, 1/3 cup evaporated milk and melted butter. Press half of the batter into the bottom of a greased 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for eight minutes.In the microwave (read up on the process before you do this - cleaning the inside of the atomic oven can be a real bite if it gets away from you) or top of a double boiler melt caramels with remaining 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When caramel mixture is well mixed, pour over baked layer. Cover with chocolate chips. Chill for about an hour or until the caramel is hard. Press the remaining batter on top of morsels. Return to oven and bake 28 minutes (or less for gooier brownies). Let cool before cutting.
Hope you enjoy them.
December 12, 2009
October 18, 2009
Something else to do with Pheasant
A quick review of the web, or any number of wild game cookbooks, will reveal that there are lots and lots of recipes for pheasant. Its a lean muscled game bird. It does not sit around the barnyard developing a nice layer of fat. So its easy to overcook, dry out, and make tougher than trace leather. I know this to be true. As a youngster, I once boiled one and then fried it for my father and brother. It was inedible, but the legs could be used to drive a 10 penny nail.
Some people insist that pheasants must be "hung" to "improve the flavor". This process involves hanging the bird outside by its feet until it starts to decompose to "tenderize it" Those that employ this technique usually allow for three days if its humid, and up to six days in a cool breeze. Personally, I've never tried it and to each his own I guess. The recipe below is simply one way to present pheasant in a manner which emphasizes the flavor and texture of the bird.
Rule of thumb. One pheasant can feed two normal people, or 1.5 gluttons. So, depending upon how many people (or gluttons) you are serving, calculate accordingly. This is not a "how to skin and clean" recipe, I am assuming you have a dressed bird, ready for cooking. If you don't know how to get it to this stage, Google it.
Cut the flesh from the bone and into roughly cube shaped portions. When you try this, you will understand why I say roughly. The lower legs contain a number of tendons. These can be stripped from the meat with a sharp knife. Don't obsess over cube shapes, just do the best you can.
Now mix the cut up meat in a bowl with just enough molasses to coat each piece. Add three dashes of liquid smoke and two of soy sauce, stir well and set aside to marinate.
Saute some vidalia onion (yeah, I use vidalia a lot in cooking, I love the flavor of this sweet onion) in butter over low heat. After a few minutes (use your own judgment - I don't know how much heat you are using, okay?), add some chopped, sweet red pepper. A few minutes later add a sprinkle of pine nuts, a dash or two of sage and thyme and a little salt and pepper. Continue to turn this with a spatula until the nuts turn slightly yellow (watch this like a hawk, pine nuts are easy to burn). Then remove the mixture from your skillet and set it aside.
Now lightly flour your pheasant. If you just dump the flour into the marinade, you will have a sticky mess. So, use tongs to move meat from the marinade bowl to a separte bowl for flouring, a little at a time. When that's done, move the floured meat to the skillet you sauted the onion mixture in and return to low heat. You are probably going to want to add some more butter to the skillet to prevent the floured meat from scorching, which is a bad thing. Cook this, turning frequently with a spatula until the floured meat is browned throughly, taking care that it does not burn the flour coating. About five minutes before its done, add the onion, pepper mixture back into the skillet to warm it and blend the flavors. This results in a tender, slightly sweet pheasant, but does not overwhelm the taste of the bird.
I have served this over pasta with a light cream sauce, which was very tasty. Some might object to the cream sauce, or the butter. If low calorie cooking is a big deal for you, you might want to stay away from this blog.
Some people insist that pheasants must be "hung" to "improve the flavor". This process involves hanging the bird outside by its feet until it starts to decompose to "tenderize it" Those that employ this technique usually allow for three days if its humid, and up to six days in a cool breeze. Personally, I've never tried it and to each his own I guess. The recipe below is simply one way to present pheasant in a manner which emphasizes the flavor and texture of the bird.
Rule of thumb. One pheasant can feed two normal people, or 1.5 gluttons. So, depending upon how many people (or gluttons) you are serving, calculate accordingly. This is not a "how to skin and clean" recipe, I am assuming you have a dressed bird, ready for cooking. If you don't know how to get it to this stage, Google it.
Cut the flesh from the bone and into roughly cube shaped portions. When you try this, you will understand why I say roughly. The lower legs contain a number of tendons. These can be stripped from the meat with a sharp knife. Don't obsess over cube shapes, just do the best you can.
Now mix the cut up meat in a bowl with just enough molasses to coat each piece. Add three dashes of liquid smoke and two of soy sauce, stir well and set aside to marinate.
Saute some vidalia onion (yeah, I use vidalia a lot in cooking, I love the flavor of this sweet onion) in butter over low heat. After a few minutes (use your own judgment - I don't know how much heat you are using, okay?), add some chopped, sweet red pepper. A few minutes later add a sprinkle of pine nuts, a dash or two of sage and thyme and a little salt and pepper. Continue to turn this with a spatula until the nuts turn slightly yellow (watch this like a hawk, pine nuts are easy to burn). Then remove the mixture from your skillet and set it aside.
Now lightly flour your pheasant. If you just dump the flour into the marinade, you will have a sticky mess. So, use tongs to move meat from the marinade bowl to a separte bowl for flouring, a little at a time. When that's done, move the floured meat to the skillet you sauted the onion mixture in and return to low heat. You are probably going to want to add some more butter to the skillet to prevent the floured meat from scorching, which is a bad thing. Cook this, turning frequently with a spatula until the floured meat is browned throughly, taking care that it does not burn the flour coating. About five minutes before its done, add the onion, pepper mixture back into the skillet to warm it and blend the flavors. This results in a tender, slightly sweet pheasant, but does not overwhelm the taste of the bird.
I have served this over pasta with a light cream sauce, which was very tasty. Some might object to the cream sauce, or the butter. If low calorie cooking is a big deal for you, you might want to stay away from this blog.
October 12, 2009
Apres Grouse Hunt
Okay, so you went Grouse hunting and actually came back with birds. You did better than I did, so now what are ya gonna do with the succulent little devils? Well, you might try this one.
Ruffed Grouse Amandine
Naturally, you need to start with Ruffed grouse. You'll also need salt and pepper, some bacon slices, a half cup of melted butter, some blanched almond slivers, a teaspoon of lemon juice and buttered toast.
Once the grouse is (are) rinsed clean, and after you have made sure to remove any remaining shot, sprinkle the grouse inside and out with salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 350. Cover the breast(s) with bacon and fasten it with string or wooden picks. Place the grouse on their backs in a baking pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender, basting it frequently with 1/4 cup of the melted butter.
Combine the remaining butter, almonds, and lemon juice. Five minutes before the grouse are done (don't freak here, a minute or two one way or the other is not gonna mess this up), remove your string or toothpicks and bacon. Pour the butter-almond mixture over birds. Serve them on the buttered toast. A tossed salad and a sauteed mixture of butternut squash and yams, sprinkled with brown sugar, would be really tasty with this.
Ruffed Grouse Amandine
Naturally, you need to start with Ruffed grouse. You'll also need salt and pepper, some bacon slices, a half cup of melted butter, some blanched almond slivers, a teaspoon of lemon juice and buttered toast.
Once the grouse is (are) rinsed clean, and after you have made sure to remove any remaining shot, sprinkle the grouse inside and out with salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 350. Cover the breast(s) with bacon and fasten it with string or wooden picks. Place the grouse on their backs in a baking pan. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender, basting it frequently with 1/4 cup of the melted butter.
Combine the remaining butter, almonds, and lemon juice. Five minutes before the grouse are done (don't freak here, a minute or two one way or the other is not gonna mess this up), remove your string or toothpicks and bacon. Pour the butter-almond mixture over birds. Serve them on the buttered toast. A tossed salad and a sauteed mixture of butternut squash and yams, sprinkled with brown sugar, would be really tasty with this.
September 30, 2009
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Okay, a friend reminded me that Thanksgiving is coming up in a few weeks, so the idea here is to take traditional Thanksgiving fare and prepare it in a non- traditional way. Everybody seems to like sweet potatos so let's start with that.
To make the Gnocchi:
You can either bake 2 pounds of sweet potato in the oven at 425 deg. for 40 to 50 minutes, or you can use your microwave and have them fully cooked and tender in about 8 to 11 minutes, using far less energy. But either way, once they’re done, cut them in half and scoop the sweet potato into a large bowl. Mash it thoroughly and measure out two cups. Return that to the bowl and feed the rest to your dog.
If he won’t eat it, send it to my house, mine will.
Add 2/3 cup whole milk Ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Mix this thoroughly.
Add 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour, blending this 1/2 cup at a time, until it forms a soft dough.
Now sprinkle some flour on a flat work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch long pieces. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork to score the surface. Transfer the formed gnocchi onto a large baking sheet.
Now, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi in 3batches and cook until tender but still firm when you bite into it. Stir the Gnocchi occasionally, for about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, moving it back onto the baking sheet. Build a tent with foil to keep it warm, while you finish the remaining gnocci.
For the Brown Butter sauce:
While the gnocchi are cooking, melt ½ cup of butter (yeah this is another low calorie recipe, but hey, its for the holidays, so suffer through it)in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add two dozen fresh sage leaves. Let this cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, a teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir this gently to keep it from bubbling up. When bubbles are gone, toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving dish and serve it right away.
To make the Gnocchi:
You can either bake 2 pounds of sweet potato in the oven at 425 deg. for 40 to 50 minutes, or you can use your microwave and have them fully cooked and tender in about 8 to 11 minutes, using far less energy. But either way, once they’re done, cut them in half and scoop the sweet potato into a large bowl. Mash it thoroughly and measure out two cups. Return that to the bowl and feed the rest to your dog.
If he won’t eat it, send it to my house, mine will.
Add 2/3 cup whole milk Ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Mix this thoroughly.
Add 1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour, blending this 1/2 cup at a time, until it forms a soft dough.
Now sprinkle some flour on a flat work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch thick rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch long pieces. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork to score the surface. Transfer the formed gnocchi onto a large baking sheet.
Now, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi in 3batches and cook until tender but still firm when you bite into it. Stir the Gnocchi occasionally, for about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the gnocchi with a slotted spoon, moving it back onto the baking sheet. Build a tent with foil to keep it warm, while you finish the remaining gnocci.
For the Brown Butter sauce:
While the gnocchi are cooking, melt ½ cup of butter (yeah this is another low calorie recipe, but hey, its for the holidays, so suffer through it)in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add two dozen fresh sage leaves. Let this cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, a teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Stir this gently to keep it from bubbling up. When bubbles are gone, toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving dish and serve it right away.
September 23, 2009
Sweet butternut squash tossed with pasta
As I said in the previous trout recipe, this is a nice adjunct to the fish. Read through the recipe and you will find your list of ingredients.
One good reason it works well with the fish is that you can do it in the same 450 oven that you are using to roast the trout (fish - whatever). The biggest pain here is the peeling, seeding and chunking of the squash, but its worth it, believe me. So preheat a cookie sheet for the squash as well.
Then, prior to starting the fish, peel (a vegetable peeler works really well here - Grandma could do it with a paring knife, but she had real skills), seed and chunk your squash and then toss it with a medium to large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks, 2 big handfuls of spring mix, 1/3 packed cup of torn up fresh basil leaves, and about a dozen fresh sage leaves (also torn up), enough minced garlic to approximate 5 cloves, 1/3 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil, a packed tablespoon of brown sugar (light or dark), and salt and fresh-ground black pepper (to taste). Some people add red pepper flakes (or not depending upon your own preference).
Pull out the oven rack holding the cookie sheet (carefully - remember its hot) and pour the vegetable mix onto the hot sheet and spread it out. This is going to bake for about 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender, turning the vegetables two or three times during roasting.
As the squash becomes tender, cook your bow tie pasta until its tender, but not mushy. Then drain it and set it aside.
Now here is the tricky part. Once the squash is tender, you will need to turn on the broiler to caramelize it. But you have to watch this closely. No cell phones, no kids in the kitchen, no mixing a martini. Its gonna take about five minutes. You can't focus for five minutes?? Your mother could do this in her sleep and she learned it from your grandmother. You need to turn the pieces often. Anticipate about 5 minutes under the broiler. You want crusty brown edges on the squash and wilted, almost crisp greens. But if a friend calls to talk about life, you're gonna mess this up and burn it, so be advised.
Okay, if you made it through this step without screwing it up, you have potential. Scrape everything into a big serving bowl. Add 1/2 cup of half-and-half, the hot pasta, and 1 cup of shredded Asiago cheese. Toss it to blend everything up, taste it to see if you want to add more salt and pepper, or you can add more of the cheese if you feel so moved. Serve this hot with the fish, or whatever dish you wish.
One good reason it works well with the fish is that you can do it in the same 450 oven that you are using to roast the trout (fish - whatever). The biggest pain here is the peeling, seeding and chunking of the squash, but its worth it, believe me. So preheat a cookie sheet for the squash as well.
Then, prior to starting the fish, peel (a vegetable peeler works really well here - Grandma could do it with a paring knife, but she had real skills), seed and chunk your squash and then toss it with a medium to large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks, 2 big handfuls of spring mix, 1/3 packed cup of torn up fresh basil leaves, and about a dozen fresh sage leaves (also torn up), enough minced garlic to approximate 5 cloves, 1/3 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil, a packed tablespoon of brown sugar (light or dark), and salt and fresh-ground black pepper (to taste). Some people add red pepper flakes (or not depending upon your own preference).
Pull out the oven rack holding the cookie sheet (carefully - remember its hot) and pour the vegetable mix onto the hot sheet and spread it out. This is going to bake for about 25 minutes, or until the squash is tender, turning the vegetables two or three times during roasting.
As the squash becomes tender, cook your bow tie pasta until its tender, but not mushy. Then drain it and set it aside.
Now here is the tricky part. Once the squash is tender, you will need to turn on the broiler to caramelize it. But you have to watch this closely. No cell phones, no kids in the kitchen, no mixing a martini. Its gonna take about five minutes. You can't focus for five minutes?? Your mother could do this in her sleep and she learned it from your grandmother. You need to turn the pieces often. Anticipate about 5 minutes under the broiler. You want crusty brown edges on the squash and wilted, almost crisp greens. But if a friend calls to talk about life, you're gonna mess this up and burn it, so be advised.
Okay, if you made it through this step without screwing it up, you have potential. Scrape everything into a big serving bowl. Add 1/2 cup of half-and-half, the hot pasta, and 1 cup of shredded Asiago cheese. Toss it to blend everything up, taste it to see if you want to add more salt and pepper, or you can add more of the cheese if you feel so moved. Serve this hot with the fish, or whatever dish you wish.
September 22, 2009
Roasted trout nested in green herbs
This dish does not absolutely require trout, you can do it as well with other freshwater fish, but it does not work at all well with fillets. As you will see, you want the whole fish, skin on to do it right.
But, isshhh (Minnesotan for "OOOOh icky!") you've never had fish with the skin still on? Well, relax, you don't eat the skin. Okay, some people do, but they're uncouth savages, mostly from Nebraska and Texas, so what can I say?
Some purists (read prissy little yuppies) insist that the trout simply MUST be "organic". If you catch it from a stream, you can relax, it doesn't get any more organic than that. Course, its been eating bugs, but hey, you eat fish, so no pointing of fingers.
Preheat the oven to 450 with a cookie sheet to keep it company. While the oven and the sheet are heating up, wash your fish and pat it dry. Score the sides with a sharp knife down to, but not through the bones (3 or 4 cuts along each side should do the trick). Rub the fish inside and out with a good extra virgin olive oil, making sure you work the oil down into the slashes in the flesh. Then line the cavity moderately with some fresh minced garlic. Rub some of the garlic down into the slashes as well with some salt and pepper. Okay, if you absolutely must, use organic sea salt. I have no idea how that changes anything, but it might make you feel better about yourself.
For green herbs use thyme, parsley, oregano, lavendar, basil, sage and just a couple of sprigs of rosemary. Wash them and pat them dry. Pour some olive oil on the cookie sheet (remember, its hot, so be careful not to burn yourself moving it in and out of the oven)and build your bed of green herbs in the oil. This will impart wonderful scents and flavors to the fish (and the house for that matter) and will also keep it from sticking to the cookie sheet while it cooks.
Place the fish on the bed of herbs and then into the oven for 8 to 12 minutes or slightly more if you feel you need to. The fish is done when the flesh is white clear through. Don't overcook it. You want it to be moist and full of flavor when you serve it (or why else would you go to this much trouble?!!).
When its done, lift the fish, bed of herbs and all onto your serving plate. This goes really well with some sweet roasted butternut squash over greens and bow tie pasta. I'll bring that one on board next.
Serve the trout, as you would with any freshwater fish, with a nice Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc. Or a Budweiser, but if you do, I'll never speak to you again, so its up to you.
But, isshhh (Minnesotan for "OOOOh icky!") you've never had fish with the skin still on? Well, relax, you don't eat the skin. Okay, some people do, but they're uncouth savages, mostly from Nebraska and Texas, so what can I say?
Some purists (read prissy little yuppies) insist that the trout simply MUST be "organic". If you catch it from a stream, you can relax, it doesn't get any more organic than that. Course, its been eating bugs, but hey, you eat fish, so no pointing of fingers.
Preheat the oven to 450 with a cookie sheet to keep it company. While the oven and the sheet are heating up, wash your fish and pat it dry. Score the sides with a sharp knife down to, but not through the bones (3 or 4 cuts along each side should do the trick). Rub the fish inside and out with a good extra virgin olive oil, making sure you work the oil down into the slashes in the flesh. Then line the cavity moderately with some fresh minced garlic. Rub some of the garlic down into the slashes as well with some salt and pepper. Okay, if you absolutely must, use organic sea salt. I have no idea how that changes anything, but it might make you feel better about yourself.
For green herbs use thyme, parsley, oregano, lavendar, basil, sage and just a couple of sprigs of rosemary. Wash them and pat them dry. Pour some olive oil on the cookie sheet (remember, its hot, so be careful not to burn yourself moving it in and out of the oven)and build your bed of green herbs in the oil. This will impart wonderful scents and flavors to the fish (and the house for that matter) and will also keep it from sticking to the cookie sheet while it cooks.
Place the fish on the bed of herbs and then into the oven for 8 to 12 minutes or slightly more if you feel you need to. The fish is done when the flesh is white clear through. Don't overcook it. You want it to be moist and full of flavor when you serve it (or why else would you go to this much trouble?!!).
When its done, lift the fish, bed of herbs and all onto your serving plate. This goes really well with some sweet roasted butternut squash over greens and bow tie pasta. I'll bring that one on board next.
Serve the trout, as you would with any freshwater fish, with a nice Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc. Or a Budweiser, but if you do, I'll never speak to you again, so its up to you.
August 22, 2009
Seedless blackberry jam
This is pretty easy stuff, but it turns out great jam. Very fruity and flavorful and best of all, no seeds to get stuck in your teeth.
Use 6 half pint cartons of blackberries (or more - just adjust your proportions)
You have to watch these like a hawk. They develop mold very quickly. Don't use moldy fruit.
I boil them in 2 cups of water. Keep a lid on the pot, you don''t want a reduction sauce here. You can start your water bath now, getting the water temperature up to boiling gradually. Wash any jelly jars, vacuum lids and tops you intend to use to store your jam.
Stir the berries and crush until they are soft and break up easily. Once you have a sort of mushy consistency, pour into your food strainer so that you can work the fruit pulp and juice through the strainer, trapping the seeds behind.
Measure your strained product. You want 3 3/4 cups of juice and pulp. Add water to make up any difference. Now set to boil, on medium heat, adding one package of powdered fruit pectin such as Sure Jell, keeping 4 cups of sugar close by.
Stir slowly until it reaches a rolling boil you can't stir down. During this time, the color of the product has been almost a cloudy wine red. Add all the sugar and stir constantly. You will see the color turn to a dark black and the liquid will seem to clear up. Once it returns to a boil, boil for exactly one minute. Stirring reduces foaming so you should not have an issue with foam. If you do, take it off the heat after one minute and skim the foam before jarring.
Make sure your jars are hot. Pouring hot liquid jam into cold jars is an experiment in the cataclysmic expansive properties of glass. In other words they break.
Pour the liquid within a quarter inch of the top, lid and screw on the top. Once all your jars are filled and sealed, move to the water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and set out to cool. You should hear the lids seat within a few minutes.
You've got jam!!
Use 6 half pint cartons of blackberries (or more - just adjust your proportions)
You have to watch these like a hawk. They develop mold very quickly. Don't use moldy fruit.
I boil them in 2 cups of water. Keep a lid on the pot, you don''t want a reduction sauce here. You can start your water bath now, getting the water temperature up to boiling gradually. Wash any jelly jars, vacuum lids and tops you intend to use to store your jam.
Stir the berries and crush until they are soft and break up easily. Once you have a sort of mushy consistency, pour into your food strainer so that you can work the fruit pulp and juice through the strainer, trapping the seeds behind.
Measure your strained product. You want 3 3/4 cups of juice and pulp. Add water to make up any difference. Now set to boil, on medium heat, adding one package of powdered fruit pectin such as Sure Jell, keeping 4 cups of sugar close by.
Stir slowly until it reaches a rolling boil you can't stir down. During this time, the color of the product has been almost a cloudy wine red. Add all the sugar and stir constantly. You will see the color turn to a dark black and the liquid will seem to clear up. Once it returns to a boil, boil for exactly one minute. Stirring reduces foaming so you should not have an issue with foam. If you do, take it off the heat after one minute and skim the foam before jarring.
Make sure your jars are hot. Pouring hot liquid jam into cold jars is an experiment in the cataclysmic expansive properties of glass. In other words they break.
Pour the liquid within a quarter inch of the top, lid and screw on the top. Once all your jars are filled and sealed, move to the water bath for 15 minutes. Remove and set out to cool. You should hear the lids seat within a few minutes.
You've got jam!!
June 22, 2009
Bread Bowls for fun and profit
Have you ever sat there, in the trendy cafe, slurping yummy soup from a nice warm, tasty bread bowl, and while munching on the tasty bowl, wondered how the hell they made that thing? Me too (okay, so maybe it has never even occurred to you and I'm just weird - - bite me, okay?). Today, it did. So, I spent some time figuring this out and here is the result. I tried it, it works, and its not hard at all.
Here is what you need:
2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups flour
separated and beaten whites of 4 eggs
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add sugar, salt, and 3 cups flour. Beat mixture for 3 minutes. Then add the rest of the flour. Knead the dough on a floured surface till its smooth and elastic. Put it in a greased bowl and cover it so it will rise. Punch it back down when its double in in size. Then divide it into 8 pieces and roll into balls. Cover the balls on a tray sprinkled in corn meal. Let this rise until they double in size again. Brush the balls with egg white (it'll glaze them and give them the rich color). Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Cut off the tops, scoop out the bowl and fill with the yummy soup. The soup? That's another story . . . . .
Here is what you need:
2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups flour
separated and beaten whites of 4 eggs
Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add sugar, salt, and 3 cups flour. Beat mixture for 3 minutes. Then add the rest of the flour. Knead the dough on a floured surface till its smooth and elastic. Put it in a greased bowl and cover it so it will rise. Punch it back down when its double in in size. Then divide it into 8 pieces and roll into balls. Cover the balls on a tray sprinkled in corn meal. Let this rise until they double in size again. Brush the balls with egg white (it'll glaze them and give them the rich color). Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.
Cut off the tops, scoop out the bowl and fill with the yummy soup. The soup? That's another story . . . . .
June 19, 2009
Lasagna con l'agnello, la melanzana ed i peperoni dolci
Okay carnivores and non-carnivores. Here is a little Northern Italian dish you can whip up without much effort and really create an impression on friends and family. Its on http://foodandstuffbyjim.blogspot.com/ too so if you like it, you know where to find it.
It comes from the area around Trento in Northern Italy, and is called lasagna con l'agnello, la melanzana ed i peperoni dolci, which translates roughly into lasagna with lamb (or not, if you make a vegetarian version), eggplant and sweet peppers. Yes, I know, some of you are from Minnesota ( as in "eggplant??!! Oh, iscchhh . . .I couldn't eat eggplant its the . . . . texture, the color, the shape") But you gotta get a grip on this dysfunction at some point. Seriously now, Italians ( and lots of other people) have been eating eggplant for centuries. When was the last time you read about "Italians die from ingesting poisonous eggplant?"
So here is what you do. Set water on to boil for your lasagna pasta. It would be best if you made homemade pasta. You either know how or you don't. If you don't, that's another issue, but for now you can buy some at the store. No, its no where nearly as good, but it will do. When the water is boiling, salt it and toss the pasta in for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. How much? Enough to provide at least two layers of pasta with goodies packed between them. This will hold true for all the other ingredients. How much should you use? Depends on how much you are planning on making. its up to you. I'm not your mother . . . . . .
In the meantime, take your spud peeler and peel the skin off the eggplant. It's white and firm underneath. Slice that in half inch slices and then cut the slices up into what ever bite size morsels float your boat. Have one half of a Vidalia onion chopped medium finely also. Sauté the eggplant in olive oil over medium heat. When it starts turning sort of a golden color (I said "starts turning" - pay attention!!) toss in the onion. Stir it around. When the eggplant has completed the color change, pull it off the heat into a bowl and set aside (saving whatever oil is left in the skillet. ("Set aside means you may now take a drink from the adult beverage you poured yourself before starting this project . . . You didn't pour one?? What are you, a beginner?!!)
Now you are going to brown the lamb, which should be in ground form (you can substitute beef, pork, buffalo, venison, anything but turkey - turkey will pull the flavor out of this dish like lightening - I suppose even tofu - although personally I'd just as soon shoot myself in the head, but hey, that's just me . . .). At the same time, slice the sweet peppers lengthwise into four or five pieces. Sauté them in the skillet used for the eggplant. While all this is happening, finely chop up a bunch of Kalamata olives. Enough to provide some for each layer of your lasagna. You are also going to want to slice up some goat's milk cheese that you put into the freezer to harden (not freeze) it. It does not have to be uniform, its going to melt in any case.
So now, with all this done, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then line the bottom of your baking dish with pasta. Cover it with eggplant and onion, then with meat (or not), then some of the cheese and the olives and the peppers and then finally with your favorite pasta sauce. Another layer of pasta and repeat the process. I do this for two in a small baking dish and only use two layers. You know who you are feeding, make your own decision. When you have added the sauce on top of the last layer, you can sprinkle on some Romano if you wish, but you will not need it, trust me. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes. Its gonna start smelling really good in the house in about 20 minutes.
When done, this is a meal. Serve it with a soft medium wine and some fresh garlic bread.
It comes from the area around Trento in Northern Italy, and is called lasagna con l'agnello, la melanzana ed i peperoni dolci, which translates roughly into lasagna with lamb (or not, if you make a vegetarian version), eggplant and sweet peppers. Yes, I know, some of you are from Minnesota ( as in "eggplant??!! Oh, iscchhh . . .I couldn't eat eggplant its the . . . . texture, the color, the shape") But you gotta get a grip on this dysfunction at some point. Seriously now, Italians ( and lots of other people) have been eating eggplant for centuries. When was the last time you read about "Italians die from ingesting poisonous eggplant?"
So here is what you do. Set water on to boil for your lasagna pasta. It would be best if you made homemade pasta. You either know how or you don't. If you don't, that's another issue, but for now you can buy some at the store. No, its no where nearly as good, but it will do. When the water is boiling, salt it and toss the pasta in for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. How much? Enough to provide at least two layers of pasta with goodies packed between them. This will hold true for all the other ingredients. How much should you use? Depends on how much you are planning on making. its up to you. I'm not your mother . . . . . .
In the meantime, take your spud peeler and peel the skin off the eggplant. It's white and firm underneath. Slice that in half inch slices and then cut the slices up into what ever bite size morsels float your boat. Have one half of a Vidalia onion chopped medium finely also. Sauté the eggplant in olive oil over medium heat. When it starts turning sort of a golden color (I said "starts turning" - pay attention!!) toss in the onion. Stir it around. When the eggplant has completed the color change, pull it off the heat into a bowl and set aside (saving whatever oil is left in the skillet. ("Set aside means you may now take a drink from the adult beverage you poured yourself before starting this project . . . You didn't pour one?? What are you, a beginner?!!)
Now you are going to brown the lamb, which should be in ground form (you can substitute beef, pork, buffalo, venison, anything but turkey - turkey will pull the flavor out of this dish like lightening - I suppose even tofu - although personally I'd just as soon shoot myself in the head, but hey, that's just me . . .). At the same time, slice the sweet peppers lengthwise into four or five pieces. Sauté them in the skillet used for the eggplant. While all this is happening, finely chop up a bunch of Kalamata olives. Enough to provide some for each layer of your lasagna. You are also going to want to slice up some goat's milk cheese that you put into the freezer to harden (not freeze) it. It does not have to be uniform, its going to melt in any case.
So now, with all this done, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then line the bottom of your baking dish with pasta. Cover it with eggplant and onion, then with meat (or not), then some of the cheese and the olives and the peppers and then finally with your favorite pasta sauce. Another layer of pasta and repeat the process. I do this for two in a small baking dish and only use two layers. You know who you are feeding, make your own decision. When you have added the sauce on top of the last layer, you can sprinkle on some Romano if you wish, but you will not need it, trust me. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes. Its gonna start smelling really good in the house in about 20 minutes.
When done, this is a meal. Serve it with a soft medium wine and some fresh garlic bread.
June 7, 2009
Catshead Biscuits
This recipe comes from the South, some say Missippi (Delta Catshead Biscuits), and some say Kentucky (Mountain Catshead Biscuits) either way, its an old, old biscuit that has been handed down many, many times and Grandma always did it by touch and feel. But then, Grandma was a lot smarter than we are, so we're gonna use a recipe.
2 cups self rising flour
1 cup buttermilk (okay, so a 2:1 ratio - got it?)
use a lump of shortening about 1/8 of a cup in size. You can use real butter, margarine, lard or solid vegetable shortening. It must be at room temperature to blend smoothly into the dough. If you try to use some soft dairy spread because all your neighbors have sworn off butter, 'cuz "its bad", this won't work. They all contain so much water that they won't work for any baking purposes.
Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl. Most flours today do not need to be sifted, but it doesn't hurt either. Push the flour to the sides of the bowl to form a depression in the center. Place the shortening and a little of the liquid buttermilk (you can get it in powdered form and it stores like forever)in the center and start stirring with a big spoon. When the shortening is blended, add the rest of the buttermilk, mixing just until blended and the dough forms a ball. The dough should be a little on the moist side.
Place wax paper on a flat surface and sprinkle flour on it. Roll the dough out on the wax paper. Don't knead the dough. Handling the dough excessively will make the biscuits tough. The less you handle it and the more moist the dough, the better your biscuits will be. Just pat the dough down gently until it's about an inch and a half thick.
Then cut out the biscuits and place them in a greased cast iron skillet. If you don't have one (how in the hell do you make cornbread without a cast iron skillet!!??) you can use a metal or glass pan, but it won't be right and the spirits of Grandmas from all over the South will come and sit on the foot of your bed and chant "dumb ass, dumb ass" over and over and keep you up all night. Its your call. Whatever you use, be sure it is small enough so that the biscuits are all close together, touching - Remember, you want the biscuits to rise up, not out to the side. Another reason for this is that when the biscuits bake with their sides touching, you can pull them apart easily, but those sides will be very soft and tender, not hard and brown. This is a very important part of making good biscuits.
Bake in a 400 degree oven just until the biscuits are light brown.
You can brush melted butter on the tops of the biscuits when they are done, or before you place them in the oven. They do not rise as much as buttermilk biscuits.
You should eat them hot from the oven, with butter, honey, home made strawberry jam or go really deep South and try molasses. Gwan, I double dog dare ya . . .
2 cups self rising flour
1 cup buttermilk (okay, so a 2:1 ratio - got it?)
use a lump of shortening about 1/8 of a cup in size. You can use real butter, margarine, lard or solid vegetable shortening. It must be at room temperature to blend smoothly into the dough. If you try to use some soft dairy spread because all your neighbors have sworn off butter, 'cuz "its bad", this won't work. They all contain so much water that they won't work for any baking purposes.
Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl. Most flours today do not need to be sifted, but it doesn't hurt either. Push the flour to the sides of the bowl to form a depression in the center. Place the shortening and a little of the liquid buttermilk (you can get it in powdered form and it stores like forever)in the center and start stirring with a big spoon. When the shortening is blended, add the rest of the buttermilk, mixing just until blended and the dough forms a ball. The dough should be a little on the moist side.
Place wax paper on a flat surface and sprinkle flour on it. Roll the dough out on the wax paper. Don't knead the dough. Handling the dough excessively will make the biscuits tough. The less you handle it and the more moist the dough, the better your biscuits will be. Just pat the dough down gently until it's about an inch and a half thick.
Then cut out the biscuits and place them in a greased cast iron skillet. If you don't have one (how in the hell do you make cornbread without a cast iron skillet!!??) you can use a metal or glass pan, but it won't be right and the spirits of Grandmas from all over the South will come and sit on the foot of your bed and chant "dumb ass, dumb ass" over and over and keep you up all night. Its your call. Whatever you use, be sure it is small enough so that the biscuits are all close together, touching - Remember, you want the biscuits to rise up, not out to the side. Another reason for this is that when the biscuits bake with their sides touching, you can pull them apart easily, but those sides will be very soft and tender, not hard and brown. This is a very important part of making good biscuits.
Bake in a 400 degree oven just until the biscuits are light brown.
You can brush melted butter on the tops of the biscuits when they are done, or before you place them in the oven. They do not rise as much as buttermilk biscuits.
You should eat them hot from the oven, with butter, honey, home made strawberry jam or go really deep South and try molasses. Gwan, I double dog dare ya . . .
June 2, 2009
Real Authentic Bourbon Cake and other stuff
Bourbon:Corn spirits were made as early as 1746, and a distillery was established in Bourbon County in 1783. Elijah Craig is often credited with development of the distinctive taste of bourbon. Craig, a Baptist minister [now there's a surprise - huh?] from Royal Springs, Virginia (now named Georgetown, Kentucky) began making his spirits in 1789. It was Dr James C. Crow, a physician and chemist, who introduced the scientific methodology and quality control to Kentucky whiskey making in the 1820s [as a result, people stopped becoming so brain damaged, blind and - well, dead - except in southern Missouri, where becoming dumber and blind still apparently occurs on a regular basis - its an inside joke]. He also introduced the sour-mash distilling process. At first it was called "corn whiskey", but by the middle of the 19th century it was so associated with Bourbon County, Kentucky, that it was called "bourbon", or "Kentucky bourbon". There are currently thirteen distilleries in Kentucky, making nearly 80% of the world's supply of bourbon, with the remaining produced in Tennessee [acceptable], Virginia [a little snooty], and Missouri [see note above].So, if you're interested, get a couple of big bowls and a pound each of white raisins and chopped pecans. Fill each bowl with one or the other and then pour in bourbon till it covers the surface of the nuts and raisins. Cheap bourbon is okay at this stage. Don't use your "good stuff."
Bourbon lesson:
"Good stuff: means Knob Creek, Bulleit Bourbon, Jim Beam Black, Labrot and Graham's Woodford Reserve, Bookers, Evan Williams, Old Grand Dad 100 proof and Makers Mark. If you have something you think is as good or better, please tell me about it immediately. Bourbon is a learning process.
Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and let 'em sit for a few days. This year I got busy. Mine went for two weeks and all the bourbon was soaked up when I got back to the bowls. Now those are SOME raisins!!! Then, a few days later, is the fun part.Take two sticks of butter (that's a cup - read the paper wrapper). If you are horrified by the idea of using butter, stop reading now, it ain't gonna get any better further on. Let it sit out at room temperature till its soft - but not runny. Mix together 2 cups of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. See, its dietetic. Then, mix into the sugar 1/2 tsp (I pronounce it "tisp" - its a measurement thingy that looks like a cross between an ice cream scoop and a tiny thimble) of salt, and a tbsp ("tibispip") each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and a 1/4 tsp of mace - not the cop kind, the brown spice kind. I know its a teaspoon (tsp) and a tablespoon (tbsp), but I started drinking Bourbon when I started writing this down and I'm just havin' fun now . . . so screw off.Sift a cup of flour into a clean, dry bowl. Strain the raisins and dump 'em in, stirring until the raisins are coated in flour. Repeat this process for the pecans. Now use your hand mixer to cream the butter and then mix it into the dry sugar spice mix till thoroughly dispersed. Now add 2 cups of Bourbon (its okay to use better Bourbon this time) Stir that all up adding 1 cup at a time. Slightly beat 5 eggs in a separate bowl and then blend that into your batter mixture. Then sift 3 more cups of flour (sift - don't cheat, it makes a difference) and add it to the sugar, spice, butter, Bourbon and egg mix. Use your hand mixer again to thoroughly mix all the ingredients, but don't beat them too long 15-20 seconds is good. Now pour in the nuts and raisins and use a spatula to thoroughly mix them all up in the liquid batter.The mixture will now be redolent of Bourbon.
The English lesson:
red·o·lent:Pronunciation: \-l??nt\ Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin redolent-, redolens, present participle of redoleere to emit a scent, from re-, red- + oleere to smell - exuding fragrance : aromatic 2 a: full of a specified fragrance : scentedb: evocative , suggestive (Have I ever let you down??????)All is well children, that aromatic quality of your batter is as it should be. Stop licking to spatula!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Science lesson.Does alcohol cook out?Whether alcohol remains in a finished dish, and how much, depends on the cooking method. When foods are cooked under high heat for a long period of time, such as soups and stews, the majority of the alcohol evaporates out.Pure alcohol boils at 173 degrees F., a lower temperature than water (212 degrees F.). Thus, you will find that recipes intending for some of the alcohol to remain will have instructions to add the alcohol near the end of the cooking process so it will not boil out. Obviously, uncooked recipes will retain the vast majority of the alcohol.Some [not me - but some] may be worried about serving a dish cooked with alcohol to a child, yet alcohol is a naturally-occurring substance in many foods, particularly fruits with a high sugar content such as very ripe apples. Keep in mind that the amount used in a recipe is usually very minimal and is spread out over a large volume of food, comparatively-speaking. It is a personal decision, of course. Still, it is a good idea for those on anti-abuse medication for alcohol problems to avoid foods cooked with alcohol.**
**Inevitable liability disclaimer. In Kentucky, its referred to as, "I dun tol' you, you ijit!"
Pour your batter into whatever kind of baking pan you intend to use. I used small mini loaf pans, but you can use bundt cake, tube pans, etc. Whatever trips your trigger. Make sure you use some form of coating on the inside surface of your pan so the cake releases when done. I use "Baker's Joy" in a spray can. Set the oven at 275 and plan on baking for at least 1.5 hours, give or take. Keep an eye on it, it will raise slightly due to the baking powder and you want to be able to insert a clean dry knife into the middle top to bottom and have it come out clean.
You may now lick the spatula until the room starts to spin.When its done, (baking - we're far from done at this stage) take it out and let it cool on a cooling rack, out of the pan.Now take cheesecloth, rinse it in warm water and gently wring it out. Let it soak in some Bourbon (you know, you can actually pour a couple of fingers of this stuff over ice and just sip it while you're messing around with the darn cake . . . - I'm just sayin') and then, once the cake is cool to the touch, wrap it in the soaked cheesecloth, then wrap that in at least a couple of tight layers of aluminum foil. Put it in the back of the fridge and forget about it until you're ready to serve it, at least two - three weeks later. It needs to "cure." Longer is better.Some die hards sprinkle it with fresh Bourbon once each week. You can, personally I don't think you need to reopen it until you're ready to serve it.I once forgot such a cake for over a year during which time it got moved to the freezer. I then found it and took it to Christmas at my in-laws. My father-in-law, a late night grazer, found it thawed sitting in the fridge. A renowned hater of fruit cake, but being desperate for a snack, he cut a piece to sample with coffee. 3 minutes later, he was standing over me in the guest bedroom, genty shaking my shoulder. "What is this?", he asked softly, holding up a half-eaten slice of Bourbon cake. "Bourbon cake, Duane, I made it a year ago." "Don't lose that recipe, boy, this is damn good cake, just damned good!" By morning the entire cake was gone.Duane loved Bourbon cake, and you will too. This is the exact recipe I first used some 25 years ago and its just as yummy today as it was then. Duane is gone now, but I know he would approve.
Bourbon lesson:
"Good stuff: means Knob Creek, Bulleit Bourbon, Jim Beam Black, Labrot and Graham's Woodford Reserve, Bookers, Evan Williams, Old Grand Dad 100 proof and Makers Mark. If you have something you think is as good or better, please tell me about it immediately. Bourbon is a learning process.
Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and let 'em sit for a few days. This year I got busy. Mine went for two weeks and all the bourbon was soaked up when I got back to the bowls. Now those are SOME raisins!!! Then, a few days later, is the fun part.Take two sticks of butter (that's a cup - read the paper wrapper). If you are horrified by the idea of using butter, stop reading now, it ain't gonna get any better further on. Let it sit out at room temperature till its soft - but not runny. Mix together 2 cups of white granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. See, its dietetic. Then, mix into the sugar 1/2 tsp (I pronounce it "tisp" - its a measurement thingy that looks like a cross between an ice cream scoop and a tiny thimble) of salt, and a tbsp ("tibispip") each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and a 1/4 tsp of mace - not the cop kind, the brown spice kind. I know its a teaspoon (tsp) and a tablespoon (tbsp), but I started drinking Bourbon when I started writing this down and I'm just havin' fun now . . . so screw off.Sift a cup of flour into a clean, dry bowl. Strain the raisins and dump 'em in, stirring until the raisins are coated in flour. Repeat this process for the pecans. Now use your hand mixer to cream the butter and then mix it into the dry sugar spice mix till thoroughly dispersed. Now add 2 cups of Bourbon (its okay to use better Bourbon this time) Stir that all up adding 1 cup at a time. Slightly beat 5 eggs in a separate bowl and then blend that into your batter mixture. Then sift 3 more cups of flour (sift - don't cheat, it makes a difference) and add it to the sugar, spice, butter, Bourbon and egg mix. Use your hand mixer again to thoroughly mix all the ingredients, but don't beat them too long 15-20 seconds is good. Now pour in the nuts and raisins and use a spatula to thoroughly mix them all up in the liquid batter.The mixture will now be redolent of Bourbon.
The English lesson:
red·o·lent:Pronunciation: \-l??nt\ Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin redolent-, redolens, present participle of redoleere to emit a scent, from re-, red- + oleere to smell - exuding fragrance : aromatic 2 a: full of a specified fragrance : scented
The Science lesson.Does alcohol cook out?Whether alcohol remains in a finished dish, and how much, depends on the cooking method. When foods are cooked under high heat for a long period of time, such as soups and stews, the majority of the alcohol evaporates out.Pure alcohol boils at 173 degrees F., a lower temperature than water (212 degrees F.). Thus, you will find that recipes intending for some of the alcohol to remain will have instructions to add the alcohol near the end of the cooking process so it will not boil out. Obviously, uncooked recipes will retain the vast majority of the alcohol.Some [not me - but some] may be worried about serving a dish cooked with alcohol to a child, yet alcohol is a naturally-occurring substance in many foods, particularly fruits with a high sugar content such as very ripe apples. Keep in mind that the amount used in a recipe is usually very minimal and is spread out over a large volume of food, comparatively-speaking. It is a personal decision, of course. Still, it is a good idea for those on anti-abuse medication for alcohol problems to avoid foods cooked with alcohol.**
**Inevitable liability disclaimer. In Kentucky, its referred to as, "I dun tol' you, you ijit!"
Pour your batter into whatever kind of baking pan you intend to use. I used small mini loaf pans, but you can use bundt cake, tube pans, etc. Whatever trips your trigger. Make sure you use some form of coating on the inside surface of your pan so the cake releases when done. I use "Baker's Joy" in a spray can. Set the oven at 275 and plan on baking for at least 1.5 hours, give or take. Keep an eye on it, it will raise slightly due to the baking powder and you want to be able to insert a clean dry knife into the middle top to bottom and have it come out clean.
You may now lick the spatula until the room starts to spin.When its done, (baking - we're far from done at this stage) take it out and let it cool on a cooling rack, out of the pan.Now take cheesecloth, rinse it in warm water and gently wring it out. Let it soak in some Bourbon (you know, you can actually pour a couple of fingers of this stuff over ice and just sip it while you're messing around with the darn cake . . . - I'm just sayin') and then, once the cake is cool to the touch, wrap it in the soaked cheesecloth, then wrap that in at least a couple of tight layers of aluminum foil. Put it in the back of the fridge and forget about it until you're ready to serve it, at least two - three weeks later. It needs to "cure." Longer is better.Some die hards sprinkle it with fresh Bourbon once each week. You can, personally I don't think you need to reopen it until you're ready to serve it.I once forgot such a cake for over a year during which time it got moved to the freezer. I then found it and took it to Christmas at my in-laws. My father-in-law, a late night grazer, found it thawed sitting in the fridge. A renowned hater of fruit cake, but being desperate for a snack, he cut a piece to sample with coffee. 3 minutes later, he was standing over me in the guest bedroom, genty shaking my shoulder. "What is this?", he asked softly, holding up a half-eaten slice of Bourbon cake. "Bourbon cake, Duane, I made it a year ago." "Don't lose that recipe, boy, this is damn good cake, just damned good!" By morning the entire cake was gone.Duane loved Bourbon cake, and you will too. This is the exact recipe I first used some 25 years ago and its just as yummy today as it was then. Duane is gone now, but I know he would approve.
18th Century Mountain Venison
Having had wild duck (slow baked over water) with Apricot Brandy sauce, Speckled Belly Goose, rotisserie grilled with plum, butter and Port wine sauce, and many other tasty dishes prepared with game from the great outdoors, I cringe when I hear the inevitable, "Deer? I have them make summer sausage out of it, that’s the only way I can stand the taste." Or, "Sometimes, if I get a real young tender one, I make chili meat out of it." Makes me want to gag, and then cry, and then gag some more. Chili meat, my ass.
But I do know that its all in the treatment of the carcass and the cooking techniques that make the difference between a venison feast and chili meat. So, tonight, wanting to serve venison to my deserving wife (who loves it), and thinking about all the recipes close to being lost to history, I went to the diary of one Rev. Robert Schroeder, who in recounting his visits to settlers in Kentucky in the 1790's, and describing the fare he was offered in their homes, inadvertently provided me all these years later with recipes for an authentic 18th century mountain meal.
Saute thin sliced venison steaks in a thin layer of duck fat. (I shot the deer, I crept right up, gave no warning whatsoever and dropped him where he stood - munching on the remains of another deer - color me unchivalrous. The duck fat is obtained by hauling your fat, lazy ass out of bed at dark o’clock and driving to a slough, setting out decoys and yawning at your dog over steaming Thermos coffee until the ducks drift in at sunrise and then you down a couple of greenhead drakes for the dog to retrieve and you go home and crawl back into bed.)
Saute the venison no more than 1.5 minutes on each side. Brown on the outside, pink on the inside. Its done, and it doesn’t taste like shoe leather. Pull the meat from the saute pan and pour in a half cup of Brandy (or dark Puerto Rican Rum) to deglaze the pan, (no, I didn’t know what that meant either till I Googled it ) and then mix in some buttermilk, pressed garlic, salt, pepper and a little water diluted cornstarch for thickening. Makes a great sauce to compliment the venison.
At the same time, you’ve been sauteeing hominy, mixed with vadalia onion, some sweet corn, red pepper, salt, ground black pepper and parsley. Corn bread with butter and honey just about finish the meal served to the good Reverend Schroeder, but you should serve it with good cold buttermilk for the final authentic touch. Merlot or Pinot Noir were a little hard to come by in those days.
They ate well in those days. It doesn’t get more"organic" than this. Now there are many people who would still rather have a Big Mac, fries and a Coke than to even think about eating (Heaven forbid! Wild game). But I’m not one of them and I have my own cookbook, in which venison chili is noticeably absent, and the idea of Martha Stuart’s farm-raised venison makes me want to giggle till my eyes tear up. So that’s me, the anachronistic carnivore.
But I do know that its all in the treatment of the carcass and the cooking techniques that make the difference between a venison feast and chili meat. So, tonight, wanting to serve venison to my deserving wife (who loves it), and thinking about all the recipes close to being lost to history, I went to the diary of one Rev. Robert Schroeder, who in recounting his visits to settlers in Kentucky in the 1790's, and describing the fare he was offered in their homes, inadvertently provided me all these years later with recipes for an authentic 18th century mountain meal.
Saute thin sliced venison steaks in a thin layer of duck fat. (I shot the deer, I crept right up, gave no warning whatsoever and dropped him where he stood - munching on the remains of another deer - color me unchivalrous. The duck fat is obtained by hauling your fat, lazy ass out of bed at dark o’clock and driving to a slough, setting out decoys and yawning at your dog over steaming Thermos coffee until the ducks drift in at sunrise and then you down a couple of greenhead drakes for the dog to retrieve and you go home and crawl back into bed.)
Saute the venison no more than 1.5 minutes on each side. Brown on the outside, pink on the inside. Its done, and it doesn’t taste like shoe leather. Pull the meat from the saute pan and pour in a half cup of Brandy (or dark Puerto Rican Rum) to deglaze the pan, (no, I didn’t know what that meant either till I Googled it ) and then mix in some buttermilk, pressed garlic, salt, pepper and a little water diluted cornstarch for thickening. Makes a great sauce to compliment the venison.
At the same time, you’ve been sauteeing hominy, mixed with vadalia onion, some sweet corn, red pepper, salt, ground black pepper and parsley. Corn bread with butter and honey just about finish the meal served to the good Reverend Schroeder, but you should serve it with good cold buttermilk for the final authentic touch. Merlot or Pinot Noir were a little hard to come by in those days.
They ate well in those days. It doesn’t get more"organic" than this. Now there are many people who would still rather have a Big Mac, fries and a Coke than to even think about eating (Heaven forbid! Wild game). But I’m not one of them and I have my own cookbook, in which venison chili is noticeably absent, and the idea of Martha Stuart’s farm-raised venison makes me want to giggle till my eyes tear up. So that’s me, the anachronistic carnivore.
June 1, 2009
Recipe for Sticky, Gooey, Bread Thingy with Egg on it
Haven't done a recipe in a while. Here it is.
Some fresh peaches. "Some" is relative, meaning how many relatives are you planning on feeding. You figure it out. Pretty much the same fo the other ingredients.
Skin the slippery little suckers and slice from around the pit -there are no bonus points for symmetrey.
(I used a potato peeler, it doesn't take that long so stop whining)
Set them in a bowl of cold water with a dash of vinegar in it. (So they don't turn brown - which
probably wouldn't matter anyhow)
Throw a packed cup of brown sugar and a stick of butter and two Tbls (that means "tablespoon" for the rookies) of water into a sauce pan on low heat. It'll foam up a bit so stir it whenever you think of it. After 8 minutes toss in a half shot of something - Jamaican Brown Rum is good (Yes, I know, children will be eating this - but the alcohol burns off, leaving just the taste - so relax super-mom). Stir some more. Stop after 10 minutes. DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT STICK A SPOON FULL OF THIS ON YOUR TONGUE TO SEE HOW IT TASTES. Its good, take my word for it. ITS ALSO HOTTER THAN HELL.
Slice french bread into 3/4 inch slices. Whisk 5 eggs in a bowl with a teaspoon of vanilla.
Pour the brown sugar sauce into a baking dish. Toss in the peaches and stir it all around.
Lay the french bread on top of the peach gooey stuff. Drizzle the egg mixture over the french bread. Sprinkle ground cinnamon over the bread.
You are supposed to set this in the fridge over night. I say the hell with it. Tried it both ways, doesn't change the taste. Why bother?
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Its not supposed to go well with sugar cured bacon and more eggs . . . . . . . . . . . but it does.
I got out of mowing the lawn today and get to go play outside with the Harley.
Some fresh peaches. "Some" is relative, meaning how many relatives are you planning on feeding. You figure it out. Pretty much the same fo the other ingredients.
Skin the slippery little suckers and slice from around the pit -there are no bonus points for symmetrey.
(I used a potato peeler, it doesn't take that long so stop whining)
Set them in a bowl of cold water with a dash of vinegar in it. (So they don't turn brown - which
probably wouldn't matter anyhow)
Throw a packed cup of brown sugar and a stick of butter and two Tbls (that means "tablespoon" for the rookies) of water into a sauce pan on low heat. It'll foam up a bit so stir it whenever you think of it. After 8 minutes toss in a half shot of something - Jamaican Brown Rum is good (Yes, I know, children will be eating this - but the alcohol burns off, leaving just the taste - so relax super-mom). Stir some more. Stop after 10 minutes. DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT STICK A SPOON FULL OF THIS ON YOUR TONGUE TO SEE HOW IT TASTES. Its good, take my word for it. ITS ALSO HOTTER THAN HELL.
Slice french bread into 3/4 inch slices. Whisk 5 eggs in a bowl with a teaspoon of vanilla.
Pour the brown sugar sauce into a baking dish. Toss in the peaches and stir it all around.
Lay the french bread on top of the peach gooey stuff. Drizzle the egg mixture over the french bread. Sprinkle ground cinnamon over the bread.
You are supposed to set this in the fridge over night. I say the hell with it. Tried it both ways, doesn't change the taste. Why bother?
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Its not supposed to go well with sugar cured bacon and more eggs . . . . . . . . . . . but it does.
I got out of mowing the lawn today and get to go play outside with the Harley.
Chicken Mexicana
Prep: 20 min.
Cook: 4 min.
Ingredients
4 chicken cutlets (see Making Chicken Cutlets, below)
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut in thin strips
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges
Directions
1. Preheat grill pan over high heat. Coat chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Add to grill pan; cook 2 to 3 minutes each side or until no pink remains.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl combine avocados, tomato, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.
3. Making Chicken Cutlets: If chicken cutlets are unavailable, make your own using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Steady the meat by placing your hand on top of the thickest part of the chicken breast. Cut in half horizontally, being sure to hold your fingers up and away from the blade. Once you have cut through a few inches of the breast, pull the sliced part back to open and cut down the middle, forming two pieces. If needed, gently flatten the cutlet with the heel of your hand until it is about a half-inch thick.
Cook: 4 min.
Ingredients
4 chicken cutlets (see Making Chicken Cutlets, below)
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut in thin strips
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges
Directions
1. Preheat grill pan over high heat. Coat chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Add to grill pan; cook 2 to 3 minutes each side or until no pink remains.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl combine avocados, tomato, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Makes 4 servings.
3. Making Chicken Cutlets: If chicken cutlets are unavailable, make your own using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Steady the meat by placing your hand on top of the thickest part of the chicken breast. Cut in half horizontally, being sure to hold your fingers up and away from the blade. Once you have cut through a few inches of the breast, pull the sliced part back to open and cut down the middle, forming two pieces. If needed, gently flatten the cutlet with the heel of your hand until it is about a half-inch thick.
Other Things to do With Drumsticks
Prep: 25 min.
Grill: 35 min.
Ingredients
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
4 whole chicken legs, about 2-1/2 lb.
4 slices bacon
2 bunches small carrots with tops, trimmed, or 12 oz. baby carrots
3/4 lb. sugar snap peas
8 oz. asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
1 Tbsp. small fresh mint leaves
Directions
1. For sauce, in small bowl stir together the ketchup and hoisin sauce; set aside.
2. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. For charcoal grill, place chicken on rack, bone side up, directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, 35 to 45 minutes or until no longer pink (180°F), turning once halfway through and brushing with sauce last 10 minutes. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chicken on rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.)
3. Meanwhile, for vegetables, in 12-inch skillet cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Add carrots to drippings; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add peas and asparagus; cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon. Stir in mint and bacon. Serve with chicken. Makes 4 servings.
Grill: 35 min.
Ingredients
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
4 whole chicken legs, about 2-1/2 lb.
4 slices bacon
2 bunches small carrots with tops, trimmed, or 12 oz. baby carrots
3/4 lb. sugar snap peas
8 oz. asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
1 Tbsp. small fresh mint leaves
Directions
1. For sauce, in small bowl stir together the ketchup and hoisin sauce; set aside.
2. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. For charcoal grill, place chicken on rack, bone side up, directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, 35 to 45 minutes or until no longer pink (180°F), turning once halfway through and brushing with sauce last 10 minutes. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chicken on rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.)
3. Meanwhile, for vegetables, in 12-inch skillet cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Add carrots to drippings; cook and stir 5 minutes. Add peas and asparagus; cook and stir 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon. Stir in mint and bacon. Serve with chicken. Makes 4 servings.
Things to Do with Drumsticks
Prep: 30 min.
Cook: 1 hr. 10 min.
Ingredients
8 chicken drumsticks
1 tsp. kosher salt or salt
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive or cooking oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
3/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 14-oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth
Fresh mint leaves
Directions
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt. In 12-inch skillet cook chicken in hot butter and oil over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning often. Using tongs, remove chicken, keeping butter and oil in skillet. Set chicken aside.
2. Add onions, shallot, garlic, and bay leaf to skillet Cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring to scrape up browned bits.
3. Return chicken to pan. Sprinkle with thyme and pepper. Add wine and broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 45 to 60 minutes or until tender, spooning juices over chicken. Remove chicken. Cover; keep warm. Simmer onion mixture in pan, uncovered, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
4. To serve, transfer chicken to platter. Sprinkle with mint. Serve with onion mixture and Peas and Rice. Makes 4 servings.
5. Peas and Rice: In saucepan cook 2 cups fresh or frozen peas in boiling salted water, covered, until tender (10 minutes for fresh, 3 minutes for frozen). Drain. Plunge in ice water; drain. In 12-inch skillet cook 1/2 cup sliced green onions in 3 tablespoons melted butter for 1 minute. Add cooked peas, 1/4 cup torn mint leaves, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. sugar. Cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in 3 cups cooked rice and 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium chicken broth or water; heat through.
Cook: 1 hr. 10 min.
Ingredients
8 chicken drumsticks
1 tsp. kosher salt or salt
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive or cooking oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
3/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 14-oz. can reduced-sodium chicken broth
Fresh mint leaves
Directions
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt. In 12-inch skillet cook chicken in hot butter and oil over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, turning often. Using tongs, remove chicken, keeping butter and oil in skillet. Set chicken aside.
2. Add onions, shallot, garlic, and bay leaf to skillet Cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring to scrape up browned bits.
3. Return chicken to pan. Sprinkle with thyme and pepper. Add wine and broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 45 to 60 minutes or until tender, spooning juices over chicken. Remove chicken. Cover; keep warm. Simmer onion mixture in pan, uncovered, 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
4. To serve, transfer chicken to platter. Sprinkle with mint. Serve with onion mixture and Peas and Rice. Makes 4 servings.
5. Peas and Rice: In saucepan cook 2 cups fresh or frozen peas in boiling salted water, covered, until tender (10 minutes for fresh, 3 minutes for frozen). Drain. Plunge in ice water; drain. In 12-inch skillet cook 1/2 cup sliced green onions in 3 tablespoons melted butter for 1 minute. Add cooked peas, 1/4 cup torn mint leaves, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. sugar. Cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in 3 cups cooked rice and 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium chicken broth or water; heat through.
Here Comes Peter Cottontail
I haven't done a recipe for a while, and this turned out really good, so I'm sharing. This comes from a Swiss canton that borders Northern Italy and doesn't take as long as it sounds. Except maybe the rabbit part.
Rabbit Stew from the Swiss canton of Ticino (honest, it really is . . . .)
Start with a rabbit. Yeah, I know, they're furry and cute and they make movies about them, but sometimes you need to broaden your horizons just a smidge. Hey, the guy I got this from suggested that if you can’t find it within yourself to use a rabbit, you can always use a cat. I think he was joking . . . . .
No, you probably cannot find a rabbit at the Piggly Wiggly, or Wal-Mart, but if you look around you’ll find one somewhere. If all else fails, do what I did. Shoot one of the furry buggers. On the other hand, if you’ve never cleaned a rabbit before, keep looking at grocery stores until you find one, cut up and frozen. Trust me on this. . . .
Now, brown some fragrant bacon in a little butter in a dutch oven or large kettle. Bacon infused with maple is good (it'll make the house smell like you know what you're doing). Once the bacon is browned, toss in the rabbit pieces and let them brown gently on all sides (make sure you have enough fat from the bacon and the butter to keep the rabbit from drying out while it browns). Once that's done, set aside the rabbit in a covered dish, sprinkled with a little salt and some dried, crushed herbs. I used a little poultry seasoning. It has "stuff" in it (stuff - you know, read the label . . .)
Once you have the rabbit sitting tightly in the covered dish, toss into your kettle of bacon and butter some chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped chives, chopped garlic, two sticks of cinnamon, black peppercorns, and two or three bay leaves (you can also add diced carrot). You need to stir this a lot while it’s cooking, oh say, maybe 7-8 minutes. Toward the back end of that time, take the rabbit’s liver and cut it up into small chunks. (You need this to build flavor base - don't be squeamish). Toss it into your mix and continue to stir until it the liver goes from red to gray.
Stop for a couple of sips of red wine at this point. Mmmmmhhhh. Good, isn't it? Cooking is fun!
Now add enough red wine to slightly cover everything. ( There is no measure for this, just eyeball it!) Let it bubble until you can no longer smell the wine. That means the alcohol has evaporated away. Add a can of tomatoes, halved, sliced, diced, chopped, I don’t much care, but if you can find them, use San Marzano tomatoes. And then send me six unopened cans by parcel post. I will reimburse you, I promise.
To this add herbs: thyme, majoram, (or oregano), and rosemary. Dried and in sprigs if you can. (Sprigs = like little branches . . .)
Toss the rabbit back in and let it come to a boil. Then cover and gently simmer for about one hour. While you’re waiting you can make polenta, which is gonna take you about 60 minutes, so do the math. You are going to have to stir the hell out of this every two minutes with a wooden spoon for the first 30 minutes in order for it to be smooth, so don’t plan on doing any word games, text messaging, or talking on the phone till this part is done.
When its done (60 minutes later), it should be smooth and no longer be grainy. Mix in at least a third of a stick of butter (no, I didn’t say this is a weight watcher menu - skip dessert if you're concerned) and a bunch of grated parmesan cheese.
Yes, its fattening. But you're not gonna eat like this every night, so live a little!
Now you can remove the large spices and herbs, bay leaves, peppercorns and cinnamon sticks from the rabbit kettle. Then you have three choices. (1) leave the sauce as is (natural style); (2) filter the sauce and add some butter to make it shiny (sophisticated style); or three use a mixer to mash up all the chunks (rustic style). I recommend rustic.
Serve over the Polenta. I used a Pinot Noir to accent the meal. Better than fishsticks isn't it?
Rabbit Stew from the Swiss canton of Ticino (honest, it really is . . . .)
Start with a rabbit. Yeah, I know, they're furry and cute and they make movies about them, but sometimes you need to broaden your horizons just a smidge. Hey, the guy I got this from suggested that if you can’t find it within yourself to use a rabbit, you can always use a cat. I think he was joking . . . . .
No, you probably cannot find a rabbit at the Piggly Wiggly, or Wal-Mart, but if you look around you’ll find one somewhere. If all else fails, do what I did. Shoot one of the furry buggers. On the other hand, if you’ve never cleaned a rabbit before, keep looking at grocery stores until you find one, cut up and frozen. Trust me on this. . . .
Now, brown some fragrant bacon in a little butter in a dutch oven or large kettle. Bacon infused with maple is good (it'll make the house smell like you know what you're doing). Once the bacon is browned, toss in the rabbit pieces and let them brown gently on all sides (make sure you have enough fat from the bacon and the butter to keep the rabbit from drying out while it browns). Once that's done, set aside the rabbit in a covered dish, sprinkled with a little salt and some dried, crushed herbs. I used a little poultry seasoning. It has "stuff" in it (stuff - you know, read the label . . .)
Once you have the rabbit sitting tightly in the covered dish, toss into your kettle of bacon and butter some chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped chives, chopped garlic, two sticks of cinnamon, black peppercorns, and two or three bay leaves (you can also add diced carrot). You need to stir this a lot while it’s cooking, oh say, maybe 7-8 minutes. Toward the back end of that time, take the rabbit’s liver and cut it up into small chunks. (You need this to build flavor base - don't be squeamish). Toss it into your mix and continue to stir until it the liver goes from red to gray.
Stop for a couple of sips of red wine at this point. Mmmmmhhhh. Good, isn't it? Cooking is fun!
Now add enough red wine to slightly cover everything. ( There is no measure for this, just eyeball it!) Let it bubble until you can no longer smell the wine. That means the alcohol has evaporated away. Add a can of tomatoes, halved, sliced, diced, chopped, I don’t much care, but if you can find them, use San Marzano tomatoes. And then send me six unopened cans by parcel post. I will reimburse you, I promise.
To this add herbs: thyme, majoram, (or oregano), and rosemary. Dried and in sprigs if you can. (Sprigs = like little branches . . .)
Toss the rabbit back in and let it come to a boil. Then cover and gently simmer for about one hour. While you’re waiting you can make polenta, which is gonna take you about 60 minutes, so do the math. You are going to have to stir the hell out of this every two minutes with a wooden spoon for the first 30 minutes in order for it to be smooth, so don’t plan on doing any word games, text messaging, or talking on the phone till this part is done.
When its done (60 minutes later), it should be smooth and no longer be grainy. Mix in at least a third of a stick of butter (no, I didn’t say this is a weight watcher menu - skip dessert if you're concerned) and a bunch of grated parmesan cheese.
Yes, its fattening. But you're not gonna eat like this every night, so live a little!
Now you can remove the large spices and herbs, bay leaves, peppercorns and cinnamon sticks from the rabbit kettle. Then you have three choices. (1) leave the sauce as is (natural style); (2) filter the sauce and add some butter to make it shiny (sophisticated style); or three use a mixer to mash up all the chunks (rustic style). I recommend rustic.
Serve over the Polenta. I used a Pinot Noir to accent the meal. Better than fishsticks isn't it?
Squash Isn't for Sissies
Okay, check this out. If you or family members like acorn squash (if not, delete this immediately, it just won't get any better from this point on) here is a stuffed squash recipe for you.
Preheat oven to 350. Split squash on latitudinal axis (Oh, I forgot, some of you are challenged- that means cut it in two crossways). Extract mush and seeds from inside. Cut off just enough of the outside cap so the halves lie flat in a glass baking dish (If they fall over, this gets messy). Put in oven (in baking dish). This gives you about 1/2 hour to do everything else, so tighten your jock strap, you're gonna be busy).
On low heat, lightly brown some ground pork (figure a chunk about two thirds the size of a playing card for each squash halve) and while that starts to brown with some salt and pepper to taste, start cooking some 5 minute white or brown rice. Depending upon how many halves your are making, figure half a cup of cooked rice per whole squash. While that cooks, shred (I said shred, not chop, if you chop, you're gonna be sorry later) a peeled and cored Braeburn apple, dump it in the skillet. Next grind some Fennel seed with a mortar and pestle so you bust up the seeds (maybe half a tsp per squash halve)(If you don't have a mortar and pestle use a hammer or some vice-grips) dump it in the skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Next, finely chop some sweet yellow onion (you figure it out, do I have to explain everything!!!???) dump it in the skillet. Sprinkle in some parsley . . . . . . . (I hope you've been stirring this mess!!!) Turn down the heat under the skillet while you get out some plain dried bread crumbs and shred some Parmesan cheese, or use the powdered stuff you throw on spaghetti.
By now about 1/2 hour has gone by. Take the squash from the oven (use pot holders, try to get through one of these adventures without 2nd degree burns) put the mix from the skillet into a big bowl. Pour in some bread crumbs (not a lot, its just fill). Pour in the rice. Now with a wooden spoon, a paint paddle, or a lofted 5 iron, stir it all up (yeah, you could use your hands but you'll burn the crap out of your fingers - I already tried that - I yelled so loud one of the dogs peed on the floor). Now pack the mix into the squash cups, so that each one is heaped but not dropping all over everywhere.
Sprinkle on the Parmesan. I also drizzled some melted butter over each one, but you don't have to. Back into the oven for 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to check your squash, it should be done by then.
Serve with a medium dry white wine.
Boo took two experimental bites last night and said, "You know, you scare me sometimes" Then she gobbled up the whole thing.
Preheat oven to 350. Split squash on latitudinal axis (Oh, I forgot, some of you are challenged- that means cut it in two crossways). Extract mush and seeds from inside. Cut off just enough of the outside cap so the halves lie flat in a glass baking dish (If they fall over, this gets messy). Put in oven (in baking dish). This gives you about 1/2 hour to do everything else, so tighten your jock strap, you're gonna be busy).
On low heat, lightly brown some ground pork (figure a chunk about two thirds the size of a playing card for each squash halve) and while that starts to brown with some salt and pepper to taste, start cooking some 5 minute white or brown rice. Depending upon how many halves your are making, figure half a cup of cooked rice per whole squash. While that cooks, shred (I said shred, not chop, if you chop, you're gonna be sorry later) a peeled and cored Braeburn apple, dump it in the skillet. Next grind some Fennel seed with a mortar and pestle so you bust up the seeds (maybe half a tsp per squash halve)(If you don't have a mortar and pestle use a hammer or some vice-grips) dump it in the skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. Next, finely chop some sweet yellow onion (you figure it out, do I have to explain everything!!!???) dump it in the skillet. Sprinkle in some parsley . . . . . . . (I hope you've been stirring this mess!!!) Turn down the heat under the skillet while you get out some plain dried bread crumbs and shred some Parmesan cheese, or use the powdered stuff you throw on spaghetti.
By now about 1/2 hour has gone by. Take the squash from the oven (use pot holders, try to get through one of these adventures without 2nd degree burns) put the mix from the skillet into a big bowl. Pour in some bread crumbs (not a lot, its just fill). Pour in the rice. Now with a wooden spoon, a paint paddle, or a lofted 5 iron, stir it all up (yeah, you could use your hands but you'll burn the crap out of your fingers - I already tried that - I yelled so loud one of the dogs peed on the floor). Now pack the mix into the squash cups, so that each one is heaped but not dropping all over everywhere.
Sprinkle on the Parmesan. I also drizzled some melted butter over each one, but you don't have to. Back into the oven for 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to check your squash, it should be done by then.
Serve with a medium dry white wine.
Boo took two experimental bites last night and said, "You know, you scare me sometimes" Then she gobbled up the whole thing.
Can Real Men Make Pizza?
Okay, I stole this, but it works - really well - and its a "guy recipe" meaning from a guy, to other guys, but it works equally well for ladies too. So, if you are one of those people who, maybe just once, would like to get away from the boxes and cans and obtaint the smug satisfaction of just doing it "from scratch" - - well then, here it is.
An added incentive is that later, at cocktail parties, your significant other casually mentions that you did it and three quarters of the guys in the room are your instant friends wanting to know how it works. Most guys are closet cooks - - I'm just sayin' . . . .
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water (No, hot doesn't work better, it can kill the yeast - so use "warm")
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey (Never would have thought of it, but believe me, you won't regret adding this little ingredient)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dump it all the the bread maker and punch the "dough" setting and walk away. If you don't have a bread maker, go to Whatever . . . .. Mart and buy one, you will never be sorry. It does pie crust, breads and a bunch of other stuff too.
You can work on your sauce recipe while the dough is working: (An important note here- If you like brown liquor, here is a good time to pour three fingers over ice - sipped slowly, it will last through the rest of the project)
1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
dash red pepper, optional (I don't use it, some people do - its your decision)
If you heat it to blend the flavors, keep it on low heat, stirring often for about 30 minutes (then cool it before applying to your crust). Otherwise, mix it all up cold and let it sit in the fridge till the dough is done and on the pizza stone or cooking platform.
Back to the dough:
One mistake most people make when working with dough is not using enough muscle. Dough fights back. You push it, it pushes back. Don't be afraid of the dough. It won't bite you and you can't really damage it, either. When working with dough, use plenty of flour, but don't let it get too dry. It should be fun to work with, not too sticky and not too crumbly.
Form it into a flat ball about six to eight inches wide.
Using both hands, one on top of the other, press from the center outwards on it to start stretching it out, turning the dough a bit on each push. You can also pick up the dough and squeeze the edges of it while turning it like a steering wheel. This allows the weight of the dough to stretch it. (This works really well and if you get a tear in it, then thrwo it down and work the tear closed and go on) You are making "gluten strands" which keeps the dough from being fla,ky or crumbly and gives you a chewier finished crust.
Once the dough is about 1/2" thick all the way around, use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/4" thick. I usually run the pin over once or twice, flip the dough over and give it a quarter turn and roll it again to make it even.
Take a fork and put puncture holes all over the dough. This keeps it from bubbling up while cooking and it also helps to hold the sauce on as well.
Transfer dough to either baking stones or on the cookie sheet or a pizza pan.
Sprinkle light cover of corn meal under the dough to act as ball bearings for later pizza removal or place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet (I like the corn meal approach better).
Top with sauce, cheese and/or toppings and bake in a 400° F. oven until the crust is light brown
(it cooks quicker if the temp is higher, but I think it over browns the exposed crust too quickly..)
Hope you enjoy this, Boo and Wolanda, Frazier and Ginger all did.
An added incentive is that later, at cocktail parties, your significant other casually mentions that you did it and three quarters of the guys in the room are your instant friends wanting to know how it works. Most guys are closet cooks - - I'm just sayin' . . . .
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 cup warm water (No, hot doesn't work better, it can kill the yeast - so use "warm")
2 tablespoons yeast
2 tablespoons honey (Never would have thought of it, but believe me, you won't regret adding this little ingredient)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dump it all the the bread maker and punch the "dough" setting and walk away. If you don't have a bread maker, go to Whatever . . . .. Mart and buy one, you will never be sorry. It does pie crust, breads and a bunch of other stuff too.
You can work on your sauce recipe while the dough is working: (An important note here- If you like brown liquor, here is a good time to pour three fingers over ice - sipped slowly, it will last through the rest of the project)
1 clove garlic, mashed and minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
dash red pepper, optional (I don't use it, some people do - its your decision)
If you heat it to blend the flavors, keep it on low heat, stirring often for about 30 minutes (then cool it before applying to your crust). Otherwise, mix it all up cold and let it sit in the fridge till the dough is done and on the pizza stone or cooking platform.
Back to the dough:
One mistake most people make when working with dough is not using enough muscle. Dough fights back. You push it, it pushes back. Don't be afraid of the dough. It won't bite you and you can't really damage it, either. When working with dough, use plenty of flour, but don't let it get too dry. It should be fun to work with, not too sticky and not too crumbly.
Form it into a flat ball about six to eight inches wide.
Using both hands, one on top of the other, press from the center outwards on it to start stretching it out, turning the dough a bit on each push. You can also pick up the dough and squeeze the edges of it while turning it like a steering wheel. This allows the weight of the dough to stretch it. (This works really well and if you get a tear in it, then thrwo it down and work the tear closed and go on) You are making "gluten strands" which keeps the dough from being fla,ky or crumbly and gives you a chewier finished crust.
Once the dough is about 1/2" thick all the way around, use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/4" thick. I usually run the pin over once or twice, flip the dough over and give it a quarter turn and roll it again to make it even.
Take a fork and put puncture holes all over the dough. This keeps it from bubbling up while cooking and it also helps to hold the sauce on as well.
Transfer dough to either baking stones or on the cookie sheet or a pizza pan.
Sprinkle light cover of corn meal under the dough to act as ball bearings for later pizza removal or place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet (I like the corn meal approach better).
Top with sauce, cheese and/or toppings and bake in a 400° F. oven until the crust is light brown
(it cooks quicker if the temp is higher, but I think it over browns the exposed crust too quickly..)
Hope you enjoy this, Boo and Wolanda, Frazier and Ginger all did.
Poached Bass
Okay. I've been reminded by at least six people in the last four days that I have not been sending any recipes out, so now I have one, kitchen-tested that is pretty good. It does require fresh fish, preferably freshwater. I used large mouth Bass, caught Saturday, but Orange Roughy or Tilapia would also work pretty well. One filet is about enough for a meal, so govern your portions accordingly. (Or stuff yourselves with more, do whatever feels right - its fish, how bad could it be?)
Sprinkle the filets on both sides with salt, pepper, paprika and whatever else strikes your fancy. I used a Miami seafood seasoning that includes onion powder, paprika, garlic powder and clove. Then set it aside. (I like to say that. All the recipe books do. I don't really set it aside, it just sits there on the counter, but now I am messing with something else - usually brown liquor on ice. Maybe that's what "set it aside" means . . . . . .)
Melt half a stick of butter in a skillet (oh come on . . . .you won't eat all of it, and besides you're not going to live forever anyway) then toss in 1/3 cup of finely chopped onion (I use a slam chopper - yes, they really work - no tears, no mess, no more cut off finger tips) Stir this around occasionally on medium heat till the onion is cooked soft. HHmmmmmm, doesn't all that butter look sinful? Now slowly stir in two tablespoons of flour (or dump it all in at one time and fight all the lumps - your choice). Keep stirring until it is smooth and golden brown. Now add and stir in two cups of beer. Nothing too hoppy, or too sweet, it will fight with the seasonings and make you sorry later. I used Moosehead (two cups is not two bottles, but a small part of a second is needed. Now drink the rest of the second bottle in four sustained gulps - I did it in two, but I've had practice. . . . .Ranger Rick can do it in one. and doesn't even burp . . . if he was smarter, he could have been a Marine . . . . . ) HHmmmmm, isn't cooking fun?
When this mixture starts to bubble, add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a double dash of powdered clove (okay, once and for all, what you can pinch between your thumb and forefinger is 1/3 of a dash . . . and no, I don't know where that came from, its probably Egyptian or Mayan, or something) Now lay the filets in the mixture, and spoon some of it gently over the top. Cover this and let it cook slowly for about 15 minutes. While that is happening you can make a side dish like rice, or polenta. My cousin, Malcom from the UK (okay, he is actually married to my cousin, Trisha, but what the hell, he's a really cool guy so I'm claiming him as a cousin), has a killer polenta recipe and is joining the recipe exchange, so if we ask him nicely, he may share it. Or the lovely Wolanda may have a suggestion from down in "Nawlins" to heat things up a little too. ( Everybody e-mail Wolanda and whine until she gives us a recipe for something good to eat.)
I served it with rice and mixed veggies. Do whatever. Its one of those recipes that makes people you love, like you a lot.
There, now go cook something . . . . . . . .
Sprinkle the filets on both sides with salt, pepper, paprika and whatever else strikes your fancy. I used a Miami seafood seasoning that includes onion powder, paprika, garlic powder and clove. Then set it aside. (I like to say that. All the recipe books do. I don't really set it aside, it just sits there on the counter, but now I am messing with something else - usually brown liquor on ice. Maybe that's what "set it aside" means . . . . . .)
Melt half a stick of butter in a skillet (oh come on . . . .you won't eat all of it, and besides you're not going to live forever anyway) then toss in 1/3 cup of finely chopped onion (I use a slam chopper - yes, they really work - no tears, no mess, no more cut off finger tips) Stir this around occasionally on medium heat till the onion is cooked soft. HHmmmmmm, doesn't all that butter look sinful? Now slowly stir in two tablespoons of flour (or dump it all in at one time and fight all the lumps - your choice). Keep stirring until it is smooth and golden brown. Now add and stir in two cups of beer. Nothing too hoppy, or too sweet, it will fight with the seasonings and make you sorry later. I used Moosehead (two cups is not two bottles, but a small part of a second is needed. Now drink the rest of the second bottle in four sustained gulps - I did it in two, but I've had practice. . . . .Ranger Rick can do it in one. and doesn't even burp . . . if he was smarter, he could have been a Marine . . . . . ) HHmmmmm, isn't cooking fun?
When this mixture starts to bubble, add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a double dash of powdered clove (okay, once and for all, what you can pinch between your thumb and forefinger is 1/3 of a dash . . . and no, I don't know where that came from, its probably Egyptian or Mayan, or something) Now lay the filets in the mixture, and spoon some of it gently over the top. Cover this and let it cook slowly for about 15 minutes. While that is happening you can make a side dish like rice, or polenta. My cousin, Malcom from the UK (okay, he is actually married to my cousin, Trisha, but what the hell, he's a really cool guy so I'm claiming him as a cousin), has a killer polenta recipe and is joining the recipe exchange, so if we ask him nicely, he may share it. Or the lovely Wolanda may have a suggestion from down in "Nawlins" to heat things up a little too. ( Everybody e-mail Wolanda and whine until she gives us a recipe for something good to eat.)
I served it with rice and mixed veggies. Do whatever. Its one of those recipes that makes people you love, like you a lot.
There, now go cook something . . . . . . . .
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