WBF Cook book

[Mrleft8]

Seeing as there seems to be a fair number of enthusiastic (if not very good :D ) junior epicurians here, why don't we create a cook book? If it turns out halfway decent our host could turn it into a "real" book, and sell it (donating all profits to a worthy charity).

[km gresham]

smile.gif

[High C]

Churches usually put out good cook books. You mean one like that, right? tongue.gif

[NormMessinger]

The Lord help us!

[Popeye]

Now that we've knocked off Martha, the field is w i d e open.

(I hear she has a new cel number ... 58)

[Jim H]

Sounds like a plan to me. Start us off Lefty.

[Figment]

CHICKEN & CHICKENRICE (a staple of the household)

Cut a pair of chicken breasts into thumb-sized hunks, and cook in a medium-hot skillet with some olive oil until the surfaces are white. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOT SEAR THE MEAT, AND THAT YOU ONLY HALFWAY-COOK IT AT THIS POINT.

Take the chicken out of the pan, and toss in a box of your supermarket's version of "chicken flavored vermicelli and rice".

After the vermicelli browns, add the water and the seasonings. Once the seasonings are well-distributed, add the chicken back into the pan, and simmer until the rice is done.

About 5 minutes before the rice is done, toss in some peas and/or lima beans.

This is hardly high-cuisine, but it's a dead simple dish that's easy on the budget. Also, because (like good pizza) it's even better when cold, it makes great weekend boat trip food. Very tupperware-friendly.

[ 03-12-2004, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: Figment ]

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Here is the family marmalade recipe, which Ruby got from Dr Diana Evans, (who, let it be recorded here, owns, together with her husband, Professor Ted Evans, Arthur Ransome's last boat!)

This is an extremely good recipe, quick to make and preserves the flavour better than boiling the oranges for an hour and a half:

Ingredients
2lb Seville Oranges
1 large lemon
4lbs sugar (this can be 2lbs Demerara and 2lbs Preserving sugar)

Equipment
Pressure cooker
Preserving pan
Sugar thermometer
Sieve
Sharp knife and chopping board
Wooden spoon, ladle, and ideally a jam funnel
The usual three cold saucers
Warmed jars, covers, etc.

Method

Put the sugar in the oven to warm, and heat the washed jars in the oven to at least 100 deg. C for at least 15 minutes to sterilise them.

Put the whole oranges and lemon into the pressure cooker with 1¾ pints of water and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.

Separate the pips and pulp from the peel. Boil the pips and pulp with the liquid for a further 5 minutes then sieve the pips out of the liquid and pulp.

Meanwhile, cut the peel as desired. Since it is hot and sticky, this is best done wearing washing up gloves.

In a preserving pan, put the cut peel and the orange pulp (without the pips). There must be at least 1½ pints of liquid. Add the warmed sugar and stir until dissolved, then boil until the jam temperature (104 deg. C) is reached (maybe 20 minutes). Test with samples on cold saucers.

When the marmalade has reached jam temperature take it off the heat and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes, then pour into jars, cover and label.

[ 03-12-2004, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Craig-Bennett ]

[km gresham]

Haute Cuisine is HIGHLY overrated! Good ol down home comfort food is the real thing!

Chicken and Dumplin's

Cook chicken thighs in water with salt and pepper to taste till it's falling off the bone. Remove from broth and remove skin and bones.

Add chicken back to broth. Using biscuit mix make dough for biscuits. Drop by rounded tablespoons into broth, cover and simmer for 10 -15 minutes.

Servings vary by how much you cook and how much folks eat. Very filling!

You can add vegetables (onions, celery, carrots) to the broth too, but we're purists. smile.gif

[Keith Wilson]

ARROZ CON POLLO
(a slightly more lively version of a Costa Rican standard)

6 or so chicken thighs (bones & skin removed)
5 or 6 large cloves of garlic, chopped (more is OK)
1 medium onion, chopped
Olive oil
Frozen peas
Chicken broth (canned is OK)
About 1.5 cup Basmati rice (standard long-grain white rice isn’t quite as tasty, but works fine)
Achiote Rojo: This needs some explanation. It’s essential to the recipe; accept no substitutes. You can get it at Mexican grocery stores. The kind to use comes in a small red rectangular brick, mixed with other spices, and is usually labeled “achiote condimentada” or Achiote sazonada” or something like that.. Good brands are “Adelita” or “El Mexicano”.

http://www.batista.org/photos/achiote2.jpg

- Broil the chicken until it’s about 2/3 done, then cut it up into approx 1” pieces.
- Put some olive oil in a skillet and get it pretty hot
- Add the rice and stir-fry for a minute or so. Add the onion and continue cooking until it’s semi-transparent. Add the garlic and cook a little longer.
- Put about 2 tablespoonfuls of achiote in a bowl. Add a bit of water and break up the achiote, making a slurry.
- Add the achiote, the chicken broth, the chicken, some black pepper, and some water to the rice in the pan. I do this by feel, so I can’t tell you exactly how much water, but you can add more while it’s cooking if it starts to get too dry. If you use the low-fat low-salt chicken broth you’ll also need to add salt.
- Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes, or until the rice is done. Once you have all the ingredients mixed in, don’t stir. Add water if necessary.
- When the rice is almost done, toss in a handful of frozen peas.

It should be eaten with potato chips (yeah, I know it sounds odd, but I don’t think you can’t get arroz con pollo without potato chips in any restaurant in Central America, and it just doesn’t taste tight without ‘em), and Tabasco sauce if you like.

[ 03-12-2004, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

[Popeye]

Breakfast Scones

Me soda buns can be made just about anywhere there's a fire for heat and from basic ingredients every smarmy cook has on hand.

Mix together in a bowl the dry ingredients, 1 cup white AP flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 teaspoon of : salt, baking powder and baking soda (bicarb) and about 1/4 cup white sugar. the measure is not at all critical, just get it close.

gently cut in 2-3 tablespoons lard or softened butter if you prefer, to make a course mixture.

Drop into the center of the coarse mix, ~1 cup of yogurt, (no yougurt? try milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar to sour and curd it).

Mix these very gently until it just forms a ball, sticky is good, it will have a crispier crust. divide into 4 and pat into shape , of about 1 inch thick buns. Make a depression in the center of each scone, or if you want a little flare and forgiveness, cut a cross into the top of the scone with a sharp knife.

bake in an open, well seasoned, cast iron skillet @350f 20 -25 minutes until brown-gold.

serve hot with butter and jam and earl grey tea - hot.

The trick to really tender scones and soda breads is not the ingredients but the methods, use a very light hand and do not over mix. if need be, will personally come by to see if you got it right.

[ 03-12-2004, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: popeye ]

[Willin']

Quickest & Easiest Cham Clowder:

Combine and heat 2 cans of Cream of Potato soup and 1 can of Cream of Celery soup. Stir in a can (large or small depending on your preference) of chopped (not minced) clams, be sure to include the liquor.

Add milk or cream to desired consistency. Salt and thyme to taste (thyme is essential, salt may not be needed depending on clams).

Heat slowly stirring regularly til hot, don't let it boil.

Surprisingly good and quick! Not for chowder snobs but better than what many 'seafood' restaurants serve. ;)

[Mrleft8]

Kwami's peanut soup.

1 1/2 cups dry black eyed peas (black beans will work too)
2 small onions chopped fine
3 cubes vegetable boullion
1 12 oz. can stewed chopped tomatoes
3 cups water
2 cloves garlic
1 small jar peanut butter (1 pound fresh peanuts ground with a mortar and pestle)
1 table spoon ground fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tobasco sauce (to taste)
1/2 table spoon ground black pepper
Soak the black eyed peas 3-4 hours and boil slowly until soft. Drain the peas and set aside. In another pot bring the water to a simmer and disolve the boullion. Add the chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, and peanut butter. Stir often to keep it from burning on the bottom. Reduce this mixture to a heavy cream consistency, and add the peas, ginger, pepper, and tobasco.
Adjust the consistency by adding hot water if necessary.
Serve with white rice (in the soup, not on the side) and tobasco to taste.
(You don't NEED to add the rice, but that's the way Kwami did it. When I made a pot of it after returning home, I didn't add rice and it was just as good.)

[Memphis Mike]

Does anybody have a recipe for BBQ shrimp? I thought I might fix some today. I'm talking about the version prepared in the spiced oil. What are the spices in the oil to be more specific?

[ 03-13-2004, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: Memphis Mike ]

[Wild Dingo]

Gidday there Mike... Im gonna take it as a given that shrimp are like really small prawns right? okay heres what we do

5kilo Prawns {less with this mob means I miss out and that doesnt happen!!} Tiger Prawns are best but Kings will do at a pinch ;)

In a largish bowl add together

Olive oil
Garlic {I go to 5 or so of the bits off the bulb thing}
Chili {at least 10 of the little mean buggars}
half a cup worstershire sauce {if none available use soy sauce}
Tablespoon Oregano

mix adding some fresh coconut milk as you go

Now bung your prawns in toss them around a bit and stick em in the fridge for a few hours to marinate... get your barbie arced up use a brush {non epoxy one! :D } use the marinade to smear over the hot plate or grill... whack the prawns on a few secs toss em over few more secs... EAT!!! :D

No I dont time or measure anything if it looks right it generally is right so eat it!

Recipe for "Vernas Dynamite Roo and Bungarra pie"
{This is a ridgey didge recipe from me ol mum... may she be restin peacefully and without pain :cool: }

So... get yourself about 2 kilos of roo steaks nice and thick 1/2in is perfect of the rear haunches... no I havent figured a replacement meat for roo yet I was wondering about deer but that would be too pink steak is just not the same... anyway! try your favorite game and see how it goes {fresh duck is actually not bad}

Now get some nice tender young bungarra {bungarra = lizard and I guess if you get some fish and some chicken mix em together that would be close to the flavor} skin it as you would a rabbit so you end up with just the carcass and meat... thinking about rabbit that may be close enough havent used it yet but mum might have will ask sis next time I yarn with her

You will need...
Damper for the pastry
Oil any will do other than sump oil which as everyone knows tastes like crap :rolleyes:
Salt
Pepper
Chilli
Worstershire Sauce {alternative is Soy}
Spinich
1 Lemon or Lime
2 bananas

Okay madness... eerrr method

chop the roo into chunks roughly 1/2in by 1/2in and set to one side

Prepare the bungarra
Use a mallet or cooks hammer {whatever theyre called} and gently whack it all over just bruising the meat... stick it in a saucepan with water and about 3 rough chopped onions and boil till the meat comes away from the bone
Drain {keeping the fluid} keeping the onions and meat but discard the bones {bit rough on the throat no matter how much you cook em!}

break the meat up... it will strip away

Mix the roo and bungarra together let cool and set aside in a cool place again

Mix together
Salt
Pepper
Chilli
Spinich
Lime

add oil and sauce and mix again adding some spices preferably fresh {a half cup of mint is good}

Now make the damper and place half into a high sided pie tin 12in is a fair size {for a hearty eater}

mix meat and stuff together well adding the bananas last

Bung the lot into the damper pie use the rest of the damper as a lid to the pie... spead some well beaten egg over the top and seal poke it a few times with a fork to let the hot air escape... bung in a camp fire... eeerrr oven at about 240 or so for an hour or until top of pie is a nice golden brown

Take out of oven cut into sections add whatever veg you desire or none

Now the juice you saved from the bungarra!!
Gawd I love this stuff!! :cool:

Okay now get the cool juice
2 limes
3 mangos
1/2 pineapple
8 or 9 apples

chop the lot up into smallish chunks discarding the pips and seeds and the skin of the pineapple and mango of course the lime skin is thin enough to be added... mix it all together with a bit of premixed paste of cornflower... till its a nice thick but runny consistancy like a nice gravey which is what it is... now pour over the pie!!

Eat!

the banana by the way melts and ends up flavoring the meats in a real nice subtle way and with the cool fruit sauce/gravy is excellent!

Serve with your fav drop of woobly and ENJOY! :cool:

[Bruce G]

Granny's Coleslaw

This is a different type of coleslaw not using any miracle whip or the like.

1 small shredded head of cabbage (or get it in a bag pre shredded)

1 bunch chopped green onions

1 pkg of Oriental Ramen Noodles

1 pkg sliced almonds, toasted (non salted) you can find these on the baking aisle.

2 Tbsp shelled sunflower seeds (non salted)

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 Tbsp sugar

1/2 Cup of olive oil

Mix cabbage, onion, chrushed noodles, almonds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in large bowl.

Making the dressing: add sugar and Ramen seasoning packet to the olive oil and stir together.

Once dressing is complete pour it into the large bowl with cabbage etc... stir until dressing is consistant--- eat to your hearts content!

Great on a hot summer day, or chilli spring or fall day, or just plain cold winter day- hell, make it anytime you like!

[Jack Heinlen]

Chocolate Chile

1 1/2 lb. lean pork, cut fine or chili grind(coarse)

1 1/2 lb. lean beef, cut fine or chile grind

1/4 cup olive oil

five medium onion, chopped coarse

2 cup tomato juice

3 cup water

5 tablespoon high class chili powder

3 tablespoon ground cumin

3 tablespoon oregano

3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon salt(or to taste)

2 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 lb dry beans, Pinto or Red kidney, your choice, cooked till just tender.

------------------------------------------------

Cook the meat until no longer pink, set aside.

Heat oil and cook onions until just soft.

Add back the meat.

Add the tomato juice, water and all seasonings except garlic, bring to a boil and then simmer lidless for an hour, stirring now and again.

Adjust seasoning, more chili powder if it suits ya.

Add garlic and beans and cook another 15 minutes.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream, or some chopped raw onion, or some sharp, grated cheddar if you wish. It's really good just by itself.

P.S. You know Doug this means a cook off, somewhere.

[ 03-13-2004, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: Jack Heinlen ]

[Norm Harris]

Pasta Putenesca

This is a recipe that is lost in the mists of history. One legend has it that pasta putenesca originated in the red light (red candle?) district of Naples, when the working girls used to prepare this in the morning and leave it to cook in the sun until they came back from entertaining the sailors on the waterfront in the evening. Whatever the truth, this is a recipe that will whet your appetite from the time you start to assemble the ingredients until you sit down to enjoy the results.

Fresh basil - 2 bunches, stems removed, chopped once
Olive oil – 3 cups
Cherry tomatoes, 2 cups, Roma ok but not as good. Hothouse grown will not be as good as naturally grown
Anchovy paste - 2 tubes
Garlic - 1-2 bulbs freshly chopped, don’t skimp, the more the merrier (the whole bulbs, not cloves!)
Shell pasta – 1 box
Kalamata olives – 2 cups, from jars or bulk, NOT CANNED
Fresh ground Parmesan cheese
Italian bread – 1 loaf optional

Mix chopped garlic, pitted olives and olive oil in a large bowl. I like to pit the olives by hand because I think that the bruising helps bring out the flavor.

Remove the stems from the basil and cut once with a kitchen knife, then chop the leaves once. Add to the bowl and mix well with the olive oil mix.

Squeeze the tomatoes to crush. Add the tomatoes and anchovy paste to the bowl.

Mix everything again.

The best way to prepare this meal is to assemble the recipe and let it sit in full sun for at least 4 hours. The longer it sits, the better it will taste as the flavors meld together. If necessary, you can put it in a warm, not hot, oven. It won't taste quite as good, but it will work.

When its time to eat, Boil the shells according to the recipe on the box. When done, drain well and pour into the putenesca. The aroma of the sauce when released by the hot shells is beyond description.

Serve immediately with grated parsesan. Dredge the bread through the putenesca left in the serving bowls.

[ 03-13-2004, 09:24 PM: Message edited by: Norm Harris ]

[LisaS]

Mike -

You have to send in your grilled burritos recipe! I've made it with both chicken and beef, and both are equally good.

Lisa

[On Vacation]

Originally posted by NormMessinger:
The Lord help us!Okay, ask and thow shall receive:

Purple Jesus: 70 quart iggloo cooler
2 gallons vodka
1 gallon rum
2 gallons Everclear[151]equiv.
2 gallons Welsh grape juice
1 gallon pineapple juice
1 gallon orange juice
2 cans lg fruit cocktail
4 cut up oranges
stable dock if around water
release forms
good heart
designated drivers and medical
facility
Blend together and sample as needed to aquire the smootheness needed.
Warning: the first 2 glasses you will receive comments of this ain't nothing but a nice drink for a group mixing party. Serve in 16 oz plastic cups that taper down so as the fruit will be easy to retreive on finishing the drink. Good day.

[Allen Foote]

No body cooks spinach right any more....
Open the can and dump it into the pan. Mince a small onion and stir those pieces in. Simmer on a low heat until the water from the can is cooked off. Add 1/2 can water and 3 dashes of hot suace. Low simmer the added water until its about gone. Serve from the pan while hot.

This is how you cook it for oysters rockefeller.

[doorstop]

Elephant Stew

3800 servings

1 Elephant
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 Rabbits

Cut elephant into small bite size pieces, this should take about 2
months. Add enough brown gravy to cover, about half a train tank car.
Cook over kerosene heat for about 4 weeks at 450 degrees. This
recipe should serve 3,800 people. If more are expected, add 2 extra
rabbits, do so only if necessary as most people do not like hare in
their stew.

[Mrleft8]

Trinidad Chili (Sweet,and not so hot)

3/4 Lb. pork cut into 1" cubes.
1/2 Lb. beef cut into 1' cubes.
1 cup orange juice.
1/2 cup lime juice.
1/2 cup lemon juice.
4 tablespoons fresh ground ginger.
2 16 oz. cans black beans.
1/4 cup raisins.
2 cups water.
2 large onions, diced.
6 cloves garlic, minced.
1 tablespoon cummin.
1 teaspoon corriander.
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper powder.
1 large sweet red pepper, diced.
1 large sweet green pepper, diced.
1 tablespoon ground black pepper.
1 tablespoon salt.
11/2 oz. dark rum.
Put the pork and beef in a ziplock bag with the citrus juices and ginger, and store in the refrigerator over night.
Drain the juice from the meat and,in a large skillet brown the meat quickly over high heat.
In a 4 quart lidded pot add the water and other ingedients except the raisins, and bring to a low boil. When the meat is nicely browned (about 5 minutes) add it to the other pot and return to low boil. Add raisins and stir once. Cover pot and let it cook for 5-6 hours over low heat (just a bubble now and then, a woodstove or crock pot works well).
Top with sour cream and minced chives if desired. Serve with tortilla chips.

[Memphis Mike]

Per Lisa's request:

BARBECUED BURRITOS

Prep: 25 min.; Marinate: 8 hr; Grill: 35 min.
Makes 6 servings

- 1-pound beef boneless top round steak, about 1 inch thick (or chicken, if preferred)
- Mexican Marinade (recipe below)
- Salsa (if desired)
- 6 flour tortillas (10 inches in diameter)
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
- 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
- 1 medium avocado, chopped

1. Pierce beef with fork several times on both sides. Prepare Mexican Marinade. Add beef, turning to coat with marinade. Cover dish or seal bag and refrigerate, turning beef occasionally, at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

2. Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.

3. Wrap tortillas in heavy-duty aluminum foil.

4. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Cover and grill beef 4 to 5 inches from MEDIUM heat 25 to 30 minutes for medium doneness, turning once. Add packet of tortillas for last 5 minutes of grilling, turning occasionally, until warm.

5. Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Place beef, cheese, onion, tomato and avocado on center of each tortilla. Fold one end of tortilla up about 1 inch over filling; fold right and left sides over folded end, overlapping. Fold remaining end down. Brush burritos with Spicy Barbecue Sauce.

6. Grill burritos uncovered 4 to 5 inches from MEDIUM heat 5 minutes, turning once, until hot.

7. Serve burritos with salsa.

MEXICAN MARINADE

- 1 can (5 1/2 ounces) spicy V-8 vegetable juice
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in shallow nonmetal dish or resealable plastic bag. Makes about 1/2 cup.

- from Betty Crocker's Great Grilling Cookbook

[Ed Harrow]

Light-Weight Waffles

(serves 4 (as long as I'm not in the party, LOL!))

2 Cups flour (up to 50% whole wheat OK)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, separated
2 cups milk (butter milk is nice)
1 cup oil

Sift dry ingredients. Stir in egg yolks, milk, and oil. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Yummmmm!

Can add bits of whatever might be of interest.

Tastes best when cooked on an old-fashioned waffle iron (sitting under the honey jar)on one of these:

http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/WorldSterling.JPG

In the spirit of the season:

Irish Soda Bread

4 cups unsifted regular all-purpose flour (up to 50% whole wheat OK)

1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup of sugar, optional (I've never added it)
1/8 tsp of cardamon or coriander, optional
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1.75 cups of buttermilk

combine all the dry stuff into a bowl. Cut in the butter/margarine until the mixture is crumbly.

Beat egg a bit, and combine with the buttermilk, and add it to the dry stuff. Stir until blended.

Spread flour on a board, and dump contents of the bowl on the board. Knead until smooth (2-3 minutes). Split the pile of dough in two pieces, and shape each into a round loaf and put into a round 8" pan. I lay in a sheet of waxed paper first, but I suspect any sort of no-stick goo would do.

Cut an "X" into the top of the loaf, and bake at 375F for 35 to 40 min.

[ 03-15-2004, 10:47 AM: Message edited by: Ed Harrow ]

[Jack Heinlen]

Two eggs, two slices of bread. We're making a toad in the hole.

Melt a tablespoon of butter, and a dollop of olive oil. Pull out the center of the bread slices, about the size of a silver dollar, or pound I suppose. Throw the bread in the oil then break an egg into each hole. Cook until done, flipping once of course. Actually lift the bread right after breaking the eggs, to let the egg run around a bit. He.

Does anyone know the origin of these terms? I would love to hear it. It sounds 'English', but I don't know. My father called it a 'steakhouse egg', but I assume that's depression speach somehow. A dear poet friend introduced me to 'toad in the hole'. smile.gif

[Popeye]

Saffron Rice

Steam 1 cup basmati rice in:
one can of low salt chicken broth diluted with water to make two cups liquid

add a pinch of saffron, a grind of black pepper and handful of frozen green peas.

Cook til rice absorbs liquid about 20 minutes and ten more minutes off heat

Serve with

Lamb Curry

Coat ½ lb cubed lamb with flour, fry on medium heat in oil and butter with one chopped yellow onion. As meat and onions brown and start to stick to pan, deglaze with one can beef broth scraping up carmalized sticky bits. Add about 2 tbl favorite curry, 1 tbl hp sauce, salt and pepper. Optionally toss in a handful of raisins. Simmer covered to reduce , thicken, and tenderize meat (about 1 hour).

Goes great with India Pale Ale

Crack 10 lbs pale malted barley with ½ lb toasted malted barley, steep cracked grains in 3 gallons water at 150F for 2 hours. Sparge with softened water (magnesium and calcium salts ‘liquor’) to make 5 gallons.
Vigorously boil ‘wort’ for 2 hours in ‘copper’ with 2 ounces fuggles hops and ½ ounce fuggles hops and irish moss to finish. Cool wort and filter thru lauter tun into primary; ferment 14 days, with top working estery ale yeast; siphon gently into cask and mature 30 days. Place spiling vent Quaff with lamb curry and saffron rice.

[Jim H]

More curry recipes please.

[Meerkat]

Dead _simple_ biscuit (and/or other breakfast breads) recipe(s) please!

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

My S.W.M.B.O. makes a simple curried rice salad that always gets rave reviews:

Toss together 1 -2 cups of cold leftover cooked rice with sliced and diced apple, celery, carrot, raisins, green pepper, minced garlic and mild onion . the dressing, which is key, is a classic 3:1 oil and vinegar with 2 tablespoons curry powder, salt and pepper (more salt when she's not looking). toss well all together, and let it sit 10 minutes to meld and blend flavours.

For breakfast..

Toutons (t'ow-tin's, say it fast).. day old bread dough, rolled into small patties, fried in iron skillet in 1 tablespoon of veg oil until golden.

serve with fresh butter melted and molasses drizzled over.

http://www.k12.nf.ca/templeton/images/StudentWebSites/toutons.JPG

[ 03-15-2004, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: J. Wellington Wimpy ]

[Mrleft8]

Grill fried chicken.

4 chicken legs, split into 4 thighs, 4 drumsticks.
1 cup flour.
1 tablespoon ground black pepper.
1 tablespoon salt.
1 teaspoon powdered sage.
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary.
1/2 teaspoon dried basil.
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
2 1/2 cups vegetable oil (I like peanut oil for this)
Soak the chicken legs in a bowl of water for a half hour, then pat them dry. dredge the legs in a flour mix with all the other dry ingredients mixed in.
Have your grill HOT. I like a charcoal grill, but gas would work too I guess.
Dip each piece of chicken in a shallow dish with the oil in it very carefully, so that it's only half coated with oil, and you dont wash the flour mix off of it. place oiled chicken on a rack until all parts have been dipped. Place chicken on the grill one by one and cover the grill quickly to prevent too much flare up from dripping oil.
Cook for 4-5 minutes, and remove chicken parts to that wire rack again. Now dip the other side in the oil and repeat the previous procedure. cook for another 10 minutes or until done.
You get the smoky grilled chicken flavor, as well as the crispy fried chicken flavor.

[Popeye]

My favourite Chinese restaurant has this dish that i have tried to duplicate, i have come close a few times, mine is very good, not killer like theirs is, but good.

Curried Rice Vermicelli with Shrimp

Saute in a very hot deep oiled pan, very thinly sliced green pepper, yellow onion, carrot and celery match sticks (a garne)add brined baby shrimp ( preferably the ones that have been clubbed on the ice,.) about 1- 2 minutes to just barely done.

add to pan: cold, pre-cooked rice vermicelli noodles, few dashes of red hot sauce to taste, 1 -2 tabl of curry powder , bean sprouts, salt. Toss to coat. finish with dash of oil.

[Mrleft8]

Boneless Duck breast in raspberry sauce.

1 whole boneless breast of duck cut in to two halves.
1/4 stick butter.
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves or jam.
1 cup vegetable stock.
1 cup dry red wine.
3 Juniper berries.
1 oz. gin.
1 teaspoon black pepper.
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar.
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce.
2 cloves garlic minced.
1 shallots minced.

In a large skillet on low, heat the butter until melted. Add the garlic, shallots, and juniper berries. Poke some holes in the skin side of the duck breast with a fork (go through the skin, but try not to spear the meat). Increase the heat to medium.Put the breasts in the pan, skin side up for 4 minutes. Flip the breasts over and cook for another 4-5 minutes moving them occasionally to keep the skin from sticking.
Remove the meat from the pan, and keep warm in a preheated but off oven.
Add all the remaining ingredients except the raspberry preserves and the gin to the pan and lower the heat to low. Stir often until it has reduced to half its original volume. Add the raspberry preserves and gin. keep stirring until this mixture is the consistency of heavy cream. Strain this into a cup, and return the duck breasts to the pan. cook another 5-6 minutes per side. pour the strained sauce over the breasts and cook 1 more minute. Remove the breasts and slice them into 1/4" slices pour the thickened sauce over the slices. Serve with a wild rice and raisin salad, and green beans.

[Popeye]

and for desert..

Fried Bananas

Peel and split a couple of greenish bananas lengthwise. Fry gently in butter, squeeze over the top , one juicy orange and dash of dark rum. reduce this to thicken (4 -5 minutes) spooning thickened candied rummy fruit juice over bananas.

serve with toasted almonds and ice cream.. upon receiving numerous marriage proposals, tell them that you are still young, and playing the field.

[ 03-18-2004, 08:42 AM: Message edited by: popeye ]

[Figment]

Are Juniper berries commonly available over the counter, or do you need a bush in your backyard?

smile.gif

[Figment]

And for a heart-attack appetizer....

Place a big wedge of brie on a large oven-safe plate with 1/4" slices of dense, crusty bread. I like to preheat the plate a bit, but that's just me.

Toast this under the broiler (on low) for about 8 minutes, until the bread toasts and the brie runs gooey all over the plate.

Toast some almond slivers while you're at it, and scatter them over the plate.

Serve with red grapes and pear slices.

and wine. Lots of wine.

[Mrleft8]

Originally posted by Figment:
Are Juniper berries commonly available over the counter, or do you need a bush in your backyard?

smile.gif Either. The fresh ones off the trees around here are teeny, but very flavorful. The dried ones you can get in the spice section in most stores are OK, but they're the big "Rocky mountain Juniper" berries, which are not as tastey.

(I wonder if Scot has seen this thread....)

[ 03-17-2004, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: Mrleft8 ]

[LisaS]

Pumpkin Soup

1/4 c. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 crushed garlic clove
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 c. chicken broth
1 16 oz. can pumpkin (NOT SPICED PIE FILLING)
1 c. half & half

sour cream and chives for garnish

Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add spices and cook one minute. Add broth and simmer 15 minutes. Stire in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and in batches puree in a blender. Return to pan and heat through. Garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and some chives.

Great on a snowy day like today for lunch with a leafy green salad, some fresh, crusty bread, and beverage of choice.

[Figment]

CROCK POT GUINNESS CORNED BEEF ROAST

4*pounds corned beef brisket
1 cup brown sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Irish stout beer (preferably Guinness)
5 black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 onion, peeled and left whole
2 bay leaves
1 pinch salt
1*small head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
6*large potatoes, quartered
4*large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Lay corned beef brisket, fat side up, into the Crock Pot. Pour over 1 cup brown sugar, stout, peppercorns, garlic powder, onion, bay leaves, salt, and parsley, and cook on low 6 hours. Add cabbage wedges, potatoes, carrots, and cook for 2 more hours on low.

(* quantities of bulky ingredients above assume use of the LARGE version of the ubiquitous crockpot. Reduce by 1/3-1/2 if using the standard model.)

Edited to add: Beware that the cooking of this dish creates a very mouthwatering potpourri effect. If you plan to be in the house all day long while it's cooking, plan on lots of snacking.

[ 03-18-2004, 09:33 AM: Message edited by: Figment ]

[Popeye]

Edited to add: Beware that the cooking of this dish creates a very mouthwatering potpourri effect. If you plan to be in the house all day long while it's cooking, plan on lots of snacking.

perhaps the paramedics would like some to go..

[nsearch4fish]

Jack, that's one of my favorite breakfasts, I always fix it for guests, however we always called it 'eggs in a basket'. But toad in a hole is more fun!

here's my recipe:
BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS:
1 cold Bottle of beer
1 bottle opener

insert bottle into mouth.... enjoy

[Mrleft8]

'Fridge purge smoked ribs
This recipe is for 4 full racks of spare ribs, not those dinky little "Baby back" ribs.

4 racks pork spare ribs.
2 cups mollases.
1/2 cup cider vinegar.
20 oz. catsup.
2 large onions chopped.
1 large bulb garlic chopped.
1/4 cup ground black pepper.
1/4 cup salt.
1/2 cup fresh ground ginger.
6 hot peppers finely chopped.
8 oz. soy sauce.
4 tablespoons dry mustard.
4 table spoons oregano.
4 table spoons basil.
(now the fun part)
All of the 3/4 empty jars of jellies, condiments, weird sauces that someone gave you for Christmas and you tried once. Hot, sweet, bland... ALL of it.
Put the ribs in a large foil roasting pan.
Mix all indredients together in a large bowl, and pour over the ribs. knead the goop into the meat. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for 2 days.
I use a "Brinkman smok-n-grill", but I guess any charcoal smoker will work. I like cherry wood for the "smoke chunks" but hickory, maple, oak.....Any wet hard wood will work. If you have a water pan in your smoker fill it with water. Fire that puppy up and load it with ribs. Make sure that all the ribs are exposed to the smoke. "layered" ribs take forever and a day to cook.
Smoke the ribs for about 3 hours, then flip them and rearrange them so the ones on the bottom are now on top etc. Smoke 'em for another 3 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone if you look at it cross eyed.
GOOD STUFF! :D

[Ian Wright]

Bacon Butty
Cut two good slices from a home salted short back bacon joint.
Fry Bacon.
Serve resting in a bed of bread with sauce to choice.

IanW

[Bruce G]

bump...

[km gresham]

Great thread! Bump, again. smile.gif

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

Barbecued Pizza

Not so much a recipe, but it is a great way to make an old favourite with a smokey flavour.

Take your favourite pizza recipe with toppings, place on a sheet of tin foil and bake pizza as usual, except use a (medium) preheated bbq. Place pizza directly on the grill and close the lid, done to perfection in about 5 minutes. Makes a really crispy crust.

I have also done this without the foil sheet, the dough does not stick or fall through the grill, it works even better this way, but requiers more frequent checking .. about 4 minutes to done, rotate pizza half way through for hash marks

[Mrleft8]

PIZZA

Pizza dough-
3 cups unbleached, unbromated white flour.
1 packet dry yeast (1 cube live active yeast).
1/2 teaspoon salt.
1 pinch sugar.
11/2 cups room temp. water.
Olive oil.
In a large bowl add yeast, salt, and sugar to a few tablespoons of water. Mix for a few seconds and let sit until it turns into a paste. Add most of the flour and pour in some of the water as you mix the dough with a large wooden spoon. When the dough clumps onto the spoon and won't mix any more, start kneading it with your hands. Add more flour or water to get the dough to a firm yet yeilding consistency. It should not stick to your hands or the bowl, but it should also "spring back" when it's about right.
Set the ball of dough aside, and clean the bowl, spoon, and your hands. Dry the bowl thoroughly, and add a few drops of olive oil. Knead the dough a few more times, and wipe the oil in the bowl with the dough. Turn the dough over and cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise until it doubles in size. Punch the dough down and let it start rising again. Spread the dough onto a well oiled pizza pan (A flat cookie sheet will work too), using your hands (Hands should be well oiled with olive oil.).

When the dough is spread, top it with minced garlic and fresh Italian tomatoes sliced very thin. Add fresh chopped basil leaves, fresh oregano, sliced mozzerella cheese, and any other toppings you like.
For a tastey change, use feta cheese instead of mozzerella, and top with slightly steamed asparagus.
Cook in a preheated 500f. oven for 8 minutes, rotate the pan, and cook for 8 more minutes.
(Or try the grill method above).
Let it sit for a few minutes after removing it from the oven, and......Voila!

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

Garlicky Toasty Bread

Mince a clove or two of fresh garlic, first by slicing the garlic very thinly on a wooden (he he) cutting board, now sprinkle generously with salt, dash of olive oyl and mash with a fork. The garlic and salt will mince into a paste.

Mix the garlicky paste into 3 -4 tablespoons of softened butter or good quality margarine, whip it well with a fork to get in nice and airy.

Spread garlicky butter on a loaf , sliced, italian crusty bread, optionally add shredded mozza and parmeasan or ricotta even.

Place under oven broiler till bubbly brown. Break out the Chianti.

[LisaS]

Simple Seafood Pasta

6 TBL olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1.5 c. diced canned tomatoes, drained
1/2 c. white wine
2 TBL. parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
ground black pepper
1.5 lbs. raw shrimp, shelled and cleaned
2 oz. feta cheese, cubed or crumbles

Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet. Add onion and cook until transparent - don't brown it. Stir in tomatoes, wine, 1 TBL parsley, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a brisk boil and cook 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook over a moderate heat until shrimp are pink and firm. Add cheese and stir through. Remove from heat and plate over angel hair pasta. Sprinkle the rest of the parsley over individual servings.

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

Short Bread

1/2 lb butter
1 cup white flour (1/2 whole wheat optional)
1/4 white sugar
teaspoon salt

cream softened butter and sugar in a deep bowl with an electric beater set on med. after about 4 - 5 minutes of beating, enough air will have gone into the mixture to give it a dull lustery look, it will have an off white color.

add a little salt and then sprinkle in flour slowly while mixing to incorporate into dough.

roll dough out to about a 11/16 inch thick, cut or shape into 1/2" x 3" rectangle. indent the tops a few times with tines of a fork.

bake at 350 ~ 20 minutes on cookie sheet, turn off the oven and let them sit in the warm oven 30 minutes to an hour longer to make nice cookies.

[ 03-21-2004, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: J. Wellington Wimpy ]

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

Apple Tort

1 ball short bread dough
2 ~ 3 apples, peeled and cored and sliced. granny smith or red delicious
1 table s white sugar
1 tea s cinnamon
1 pkg cream cheese softened
1 egg
slivered almonds

roll dough into the bottom of 8" springform pan

beat cream cheese with egg, pour on top of short bread base (dash of vanilla extract is optional)

toss sliced apples and sugar/cinnamon mixture in a bowl, leave to let them 'sweat' for about ten minutes.

top cream cheese with apple slices and sprinkle on slivered almonds.

bake 350 for ~ 30 - 40 minutes to brown.

[huisjen]

Cat Box Cookies

~20-25 Marie Lu cookies, or about 200g of some sort of mild (sugar or butter) cookies
10 Tbsp sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa
7 Tbsp milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1 stick of soft butter
more cocoa
Lots of plain granola

Crush the cookies to a mostly fine grain texture with a few small lumps. Mix most of the cookies with the sugar and cocoa, then mix in the rest of the ingredients, holding back some of the milk, and squishing with your fingers to mix the butter in well. Adjust the moisture with more crushed cookies or milk, as needed to make a stiff paste. Put the granola in a clean cat litter box. Roll lumps of the paste into oblongs, 1/2" to 3/4" diameter and 2"-3" long. Roll in more cocoa powder to dry the surface, and place in the bed of granola. Continue until paste is used up and box is full. Serve with a sifter scoop.

Edit: Go ahead and serve a batch to your boss after the next time you're passed up for a raise.

[ 03-21-2004, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: huisjen ]

[LisaS]

Here;s one for our canine pals:

Homemade Liver Snaps

Process 1 lb. raw beef liver in the blender until it's musy liquid....this step is GROSS
Pour into a large mixing bowl and add:

1.5 c. whole wheat flour
1c. cornmeal
1 beaten egg
1 TBL yeast

Mix well, then press on to an ungreased cookie sheet. Before baking, score to a size of about one inch square and bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and finish cutting into pieces. Cool on a rack and store in zipper bags in the fridge.

[Del Lansing]

Roasted corn relish/salsa-

Roast 4 ears of corn on the Barbee till kernels are slightly browned. Roast 4 Anaheim chiles with your Bernzomatic and scrape off the skin. Cut the kernels off the ears of corn, dice the chiles to about corn kernel size. Dice a mangoe to about the same size. Mix it all up with 2 teaspoons of rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro and maybe 2 teaspoons of sugar depending on how sweet the corn it. Let rest in fridge overnight.

[Popeye]

WAAAAY better than that Jarred stuff SALSA..

Its easy..

One can stewed tomatoes, squeeze of lemon juice, half yellow onion, one clove garlic, on chile (mild jalapeno) dash tobasco, cayenne, cumin, salt pepper.

pulse in food processor, don't grind to a pulp leave it chunky. no double dipping.

[ 03-23-2004, 08:57 AM: Message edited by: popeye ]

[Kermit]

Stupidsimple Marinated Flank Steak

A one-gallon ziplock bag
A bottle/can of beer of your choice
Half-cup "lite" soy sauce
Garlic--here's where I use the chopped jarred stuff. A couple of healthy tablespoons at least.
A flank steak

Use the first item to receive the remainder. Zip it shut and refrigerate all day--overnight is better.

Broil or barbeque, but keep it rare. Slice. Serve. Works with tri-tip, but my favorite is flank.

The recipe as it came to me used a cup of soy sauce, but I cut the sodium dose by using "lite" and only a half cup. The original called for a can of whatever beer is cheap. I prefer a bottle of IPA. This one works great at the beach on a cheap hibachi.

And Wimpy--for better shortbread use half/half white flour/rice flour.

[ 03-23-2004, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: Kermit ]

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

thanks Kermit. 'tis an art to good short bread.

[J. Wellington Wimpy]

Guacamole

1 ~ 2 ripe avacados

slice avacado lengthwise, separate halves and remove the stone. scoop out the inside with a spoon into a wooden bowl. Mash with a fork, add a dash of salt and a squeeze of lime juice.

add a couple - three large dollops of aforementioned salsa.

pinch of oregano, tablespoon of sour cream. mix together and garnish with jalapeno slices and the stone(s) pushed into the center.

[Mrleft8]

Drunken chicken
1 5-7 lb. roasting chicken.
6 12 oz. beers (of your choice, but I get the cheapest amber beer on sale)
4 cloves garlic.
4 4" sprigs of rosemary.
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes.
1/4 cup dark molasses.
1/4 cup fresh chopped sage.
3 tablespoons salt.
3 tablespoons ground black pepper.

Put the chicken (guts removed) into a large pot, and pour in the beer, It should just cover the chicken. Let this sit covered in the refrigerator 24 hours.
Drain off the beer and put the chicken on a roasting pan with a rack.
Preheat the oven to 500f.
Put the garlic cloves in the "arm pits" and leg joints, and cover them with the rosemary sprigs.
Pour the rest of the dry ingredients all over the chicken, and rub them in. Place the chicken breast side down on the roasting rack, and cook for 20 minutes @ 500f.
Remove the chicken from the oven, and reduce the temp. to 375f. turn the chicken right side up, and pour the molasses over the breast and legs and wings. Return it to the oven and cook for 20 minutes per pound. Baste every 20 minutes, and rotate the pan if your oven heats up unevenly. Remove from the oven and poke a hole in a thigh. If the juice runs clear, slice and enjoy. If the juice runs a little pink still return to the oven for another 20 minutes.

[Popeye]

Honey - Curry Salad Dressing

Make approx one cup of 3:1 oil vinegar dressing.

can substitute any part of vinegar with white wine or lemon juice is also good. Oil is typically canola.

add to this one clove crushed garlic, 1 tab curry powder, 2 tab liquid honey, pinch dill, salt and pepper. wisk or shake. goes great on greek type salads : fresh bed of greens, tomato, cucumber, white onion, celery and feta cheese.

[Jack Heinlen]

I'd--during the summer at least when it's plentiful--throw a handful of coarse chopped cilantro into that salsa recipe. Basil or parsley could be interesting too, but my first choice would be cilantro, cut once through. MMM.

[Mrleft8]

Pork chops in apple leek marinara sauce.
6 center cut porkchops (bone in)
1 apple sliced thin
1 large leek finely chopped
11/2 cups marinara sauce
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 teaspoons tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Soak the chops in salty water for about a half hour. Place them on a layer of thinly sliced apple in a heavy baking pan (lasagne pan).
pour marinara sauce over the chops and add another layer of apple. add all the other ingredients, and seal the pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 375f for an hour. remove foil from pan and continue to cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

[Mrleft8]

Barbequed pork wontons
1 pound ground pork.
1 small sweet onion minced.
2 small hot peppers minced.
2 tablespoons ground black pepper.
3 tablespoons salt.
2 tablespoons ground oregano.
1 teaspoon garlic powder.
1/2 cup BBQ sauce.
1/4 cup sweet pepper dipping sauce.
30 wonton wrappers.
2 cups veg. oil.

Mix all ingredients (except wonton wrappers, sweet pepper dipping sauce, and oil.) together in a large bowl. MIX WELL.
Preheat oil in a wok, or large frying pan.
With a spoon, or your fingers put a wad of the pork mix into the center of each wonton wrapper, and fold them like an envelope around the mix. Put about 6 wontons in the hot oil at a time, and cook until golden brown. allow the wontons to drain on a wire rack, while you cook more.
serve with steamed rice and a small bowl of the sweet pepper dipping sauce.

[Popeye]

Barbequed Mussells

Steamed mussells? nah.

Wash 1 ~ 2 lbs fresh mussels, removing beards, discard any that have opened. Preheat BBQ to med, open the lid and toss mussells right on the grill, spread out evenly. Close the lid, mussells will steam open in a little under 5 minutes. Remove to serving dish, Enjoy with amber ale/white wine and a little melted butter and garlic.

[Figment]

SWEET ONION SOUP

A dozen onions. Use mostly sweet onions like Vidalias with a couple of Reds mixed in for "bite".
3 knobs of butter
2 cups white wine
1 can beef consume' (or use bullion and water)
1 can chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
1 tied bundle of thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley
1 loaf dense bread
1 cup Gruyere cheese (NOT optional, IMHO), grated

Lop the ends off the onions and slice longitudinally. I go 1/4" or 3/16" maximum width.
Melt butter in low-medium skillet and add a layer of onions and sprinkle with salt. Layer onions and salt, onions and salt, until all onions are in the skillet. Leave onions to sweat for 15 to 20 minutes.
After sweating, stir occasionally until onions are reduced to a darkish mahogany color. This can take 45 minutes to an hour.
Add wine to just cover the onions and crank the heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup.
Add beef consume', chicken broth, cider and bundled herbs.
Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until the aroma hits you in the corner of your jaw.

Slice the bread 1/2"-3/4" and use the soup crocks to cut the bread into rounds, then toast lightly.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into ovensafe crocks leaving about 3/4" to the top. Float a bread round (now technically a "crouton" I guess) on top of soup and top with grated Gruyere. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 3 minutes.

This is probably my alltime favorite soup. I think I derived it from something on a TVFN show... possibly Alton Brown.

This would go well with Popeye's grilled mussels, I think!

[Figment]

Cranberry-Sage Pork Chops

Two pork chops, thick cut.
Two knobs of butter
A small onion, chopped (or a handful of shallots)
1/2 can of cranberry sauce, whole berry preferred.
1/2 cup white wine (or cranberry juice)
Roughly tablespoon or two of chopped sage

Grind a thumbful of salt, half as much pepper, and half of the sage with a mortar and pestle. Rub both sides of the meat with this, and set aside while the cast iron skillet heats to "scary-hot".

With the first knob of butter, sear the seasoned meat for roughly 4 minutes/side. There will be smoke, so have the hood fan set to high. Remove the meat to a plate and cover.

Reduce the heat to medium-hot, toss in the remaining butter and the onions. Sweat the onions for a bit under a minute, then add the wine. Stir this for a few minutes until the wine reduces to half.

Add the remaining sage, stir for twenty seconds or so, and add the cranberry sauce.
Reduce to a simmer for a few minutes, then increase the heat and return the chops to the pan.
Spoon some of the cranberry mix atop the chops and cover the skillet. Cook 4 minutes, turn the meat, cook another 4 minutes.

I came across this recipe over the holidays and I've done it three or four times since. It hasn't gotten old yet.
Now that I re-read the thread, it's similar to Doug's rasberry duck breast recipe. Perhaps I'll try substituting duck or chicken for the pork next week.

[ken mcclure]

1 Bag of Great Northern beans. (or Navy beans)
1 piece of smoked pork shank. (or two hocks, or some good ham)
Onion - as much as you like - cut up.
Ground pepper - as much as you like. Don't overdo- you can add later.
1 small can of tomatoes - cut up.
Water - more makes it soupier, less makes it thicker.

Rinse the beans, pick out any stones, and soak the beans in hot water.
Boil the ham for about an hour while the beans soak.
Add beans, onion and tomato to the hammy water.
Continue to simmer for a couple hours.
Remove the ham shank/hocks and clean off the meat, returning meat to the soup. Cool the bones and give them to the dog. If ham, cut it up and put it back in the soup.

When beans are soft pull out a couple dippers full and mash them up, and put the mash back in the soup as a thickener.

Serve with your favorite bread and butter.

===============================================

Obtain a set of seat belts from a 1974 Chevrolet.
Attach belts to the flange bolts on your toilet.
For extra security, attach shoulder strap to the wall.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

The dish you always wanted to eat but never dared to name:

Make up a good quantity of suet pastry, with say eight ounces of suet and a pound of self raising flour. Add a worthwhile quantity of fresh white breadcrumbs. You just add cold water and stir it together. Roll it out.

Take one cooking apple, eg Bramley, core and dice it. Add plenty of raisins, the zest and juice of of a lemon and some soft brown sugar.

Spread this mixture on the rolled out pastry and roll it up, wrap in foil and steam for a couple of hours. I suggest steaming for an hour and pressure cooking for another hour.

The result will be a light pastry, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, encasing a deliciously flavoured mixture of fruits.

Yes, folks, this is SPOTTED DICK

[cs]

I will add something real simple.

Sausage/Rice

1 lb sausage
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Beefy mushroom soup
2 cups instant rice
water as needed
season to taste

Brown 1 lb sausage and add soups and rice and water as needed and simmer for 20 minutes.

For seasoning I like to add garlic powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Depending on how hot the sausage is determines whether or not to add cayanne pepper and white pepper.

Chad

[Figment]

Some Kinda Salad

Large plate of watercress (or other small greens)
Finely sliced red onion
Sliced pickled beets, drained but not dry
Sliced avocado
crumbly goat cheese

no dressing necessary, I swear.

[Michael s/v Sannyasin]

Thanks... we should definitely revive this thread!

Tortilla Soup

28oz can of Crushed Tomatoes (I like the Progresso brand)
8 oz can of Whole Kernel Corn (I like DelMonte)
6-8 cups of Chicken Broth
6 cloves of garlic
1 medium sized onion
1-2 medium sized jalepeno peppers
1 medium sized Mexican pepper (sweet or spicy, your choice)
1 roasted red pepper (approx)
2-3 limes
6 6-inch corn tortillas (fresh)
bottle of canola or canola/virgin olive oil
Wedge of sharp Ceddar Cheese
Container of Sour Cream
Fresh Cilantro
6 bay leaves
2-3 tbl spoons of Cumin (I use 3)
1-1.5 tbl spoons of Cayenne Pepper
2 tbl spoons of Tumeric (optional)
1 tbl spoon of Curry Powder (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Oh, and a few ounces of premium Tequila (not optional)

Preperation

Put 1 quart of water and two chicken bullion cubes (or other chicken stock) in a 1 quart sauce pan and set on low temperature.

Chop all of the veggies and set aside in a bowl. Don't cut the limes up yet. Don't open the can of corn yet.

Stack 6 fresh corn tortillas on top of one another (6 inch diameter). Cut the stack down the middle to get two half-circles. Cut perpendicular strips approx 1/2 inch wide so that your tortilla strips are approx 2-3 in by 1/2 inch.

Fry all of the tortilla strips in canola oil and drain on a plate with paper towels covering it. Keep the pot with the hot oil on the stove to saute the veggies in.

Pour the can of crushed tomatoes into a large 3-4 quart sauce pan. Carefully add the chopped veggies, a little at a time, to saute in the oil in the pot just used to cook the tortilla strips. Only saute them long enough to start getting soft. Scoop them up with the ladle (draining the oil) and transfer them to the large sauce pan. Lastly saute the garlic. Only saute this for 15-30 seconds, then transfer to the large pot.

Add about a cup of the (now warm) chicken broth to the large pan and turn the heat on low. Mix well.

Add all of the spices and bay leaves, except for the cilantro and the limes.

Cook over low-med heat, adding a cup of the chicken broth at a time. When the first quart is empty, then heat up another 1/2 - 1 quart of chicken broth and keep it handy.

Open the can of corn, drain, and (3 variations):

1) place in a blender with 2/3rds of the fried tortilla strips, blend to a rough paste, add to large sauce pan

2) place corn and 2/3rds of the fried tortilla strips in a bowl and crush with a potato masher, add to large sauce pan

3) place corn in a bowl and crush with a potato masher, add to large sauce pan... wait until just a few minutes before serving to crush up the 2/3rds of the fried tortilla strips and stir them in to the large sauce pan (this is my preference).

Allow large sauce pan to cook for at least 45 minutes, adding a cup of broth at regular intervals. Save enough broth to adjust the consistency just prior to serving. On serving, the soup should look more watery, like soup, than thick like chili.

Grate some cheddar cheese (enough for a good sized pinch for each bowl you plan to serve) and set aside. Chop some cilantro and set aside.

A few minutes before serving, squeeze the limes, adding the juice of 2-3 limes to the large pot and stir.

Now, add as much premium tequila as you dare (4-5 oz is a good guess).

Serving

Make sure to ladle in a good mix of veggies and broth.
Stir in a healthy pinch of cheddar cheese, mix well in the bowl
Stir in a dollop of sour cream in the center of the bowl
Sprinkle some fresh chopped cilantro on top
Drop a few of the fried tortilla chips (from the remaining 1/3rd) on top and serve.

Yumm :-)

[Mrleft8]

Let's see if we get some fresh blood.... Er.... Recipes....

[Norman Bernstein]

Mushroom Gorgonzola Risotto

I've been making this one lately, and it's been a big hit with the family.

Dice one large sweet onion and saute in a little bit of olive oil until translucent. Add a pound of sliced fresh button mushrooms, and continue saute-ing until the mushrooms are barely cooked. Add one cup of arborio rice, and splash in a few ounces of chicken broth (I prefer the organic gluten-free stuff you can get in a carton). Simmer, covered, for 5-10 minutes, then stir, and add another few ounces of chicken broth, stir, cover, and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Repeat until a full quart of the broth is used, and the rice is cooked, but not limp. Add about 2 oz of fresh gorgonzola cheese and stir until melted. Season to taste and serve.

I think it's best when creamy in texture, not stiff or thick. It's a great accompanyment to broiled salmon.

[Mrleft8]

Sounds deadly delicious Norman!