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Post by liriodendron on Sept 10, 2010 13:20:10 GMT -5
//Does anyone know how to make them palatable?//
Um, lots of beer?
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Post by TheDude on Sept 10, 2010 15:35:06 GMT -5
Apparently you are unacquainted with Mel Brooks' History of the World Part 3. Or Antiques Roadshow. (Just the other night I shuddered at the "patina" on the Tiffany Barf Bucket that hadn't been removed. I mean . . . there's "value" and then there is . . . "value".)
Sardines are always better served on UltraDryRyeBreadKrisps/Wasa standing next to a fjord with Blonde Fake Chefettes/Models waiting for the Real Fish to bite. (Watch "New Scandinavian Cooking" shows on PBS/Create if you don't believe me). It's sort of like an old tee-shirt that I used to have from Bernie's Bait Shop and Sushi Bar. Their tag-line/hook: "Today's Bait is Tomorrow's Plate.
You can add sardines--or Vietnamese Fish Sauce--to what follows if you want to.
I've been working on perfecting this for years. I think I'm getting close. It is perfect for when the outside temperature is over 100-deg. like it was yesterday--really, several days ago--when I made this.
The (Almost) Ultimate "'Cajun' Seafood Pasta Salad" (Posted by The Dude on PrairieChatter 09/10/10)
1 pkg. pasta (med. shells) 1 can tuna (solid Albacore in water, drained) 1 can crabmeat (fancy white lump, drained) 1 doz. medium shrimp (raw, shells on) Red and green bell peppers (1" slice from top of pepper, cut around stem, then dice) 3-4 green onions, sliced 1/4" slice red onion, diced 2 stalks celery, sliced lengthwise then 1/8" to 1/4" cross-sliced Green olives (a dozen or so), halved, lengthwise Capers Salt Black pepper Other seasoning(s)** Dressing*** Grated cheese (optional, Pecorino Romano is good here. So is Parmesan.) Grape tomatoes (optional)
Prepare pasta per package directions (try to stay on the "al dente" side), drain, toss with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, (other seasoning**) and refrigerate. Thaw and cook shrimp*, allow to cool, peel and refrigerate. Prep onions, peppers and olives. Drain tuna and crabmeat. Gently spread out tuna and season with seasoning** of choice. Add prepped vegetables and tuna to pasta, mix well. Be gentle and try not to break up the tuna chunks too much. Top mixture with the crabmeat (don't mix it in with the rest of the ingredients). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
*Cooking the Shrimp: • Standard Boiling • Alton Brown Oven Roasting • Old Bay Steaming (1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 Tbsp. Old Bay, bring to boil in a saucepan, add shrimp, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. 4 minutes seemed to work just fine).
**Seasonings: • Chef Paul Seafood Magic (for the tuna and the pasta) • Aunt Nellie's Cajun Blackening Seasoning (I used this on the tuna) • Tastefully Simple Cajun Herb Seasoning (and this on the pasta)
***Dressing Notes: • Mayo (or Miracle Whip) with some yellow mustard (the old standby, like for potato salad) • Thousand Island (if you have some left over from last St. Reuben's Sandwich Day) • Catalina (I think that this was what was on the first, basic, version of this I ever tasted) • Russian (Or add some stone-ground Dijon mustard to that left over Catalina) • Italian (Zesty or Hearty is pretty darn good) • Greek Vinaigrette (My personal favorite)
This mixture is good without any dressing at all, so don't drown it in whatever dressing you choose. Put some dressing on a plate on in a pasta dish. Add a nice sized heap of the main mixture and top with some of the crabmeat. Add a little more dressing if desired. Toss on some capers and grape tomatoes (optional). Grate a little cheese over it. Cornbread was good on the side. Other types of toasted bread (like baguette slices) or crackers work well, too.
I might be worth noting that the cost per (generous) serving of this is $2.50 to $3.00. Plus it keeps well in the fridge for at least a couple of days.
(Sorry if that doesn't fit on a 3 x 5 Card.)
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Post by Jane on Sept 10, 2010 17:43:10 GMT -5
Neither gk nor I eat anything that, at any time, breathed. Although I guess what fish do underwater isn't exactly breathing, is it? But we don't eat things with gills either. But I don't think shrimp have gills. Or faces. But we don't eat them.
The only exception I make is that when I go to New York City, I eat half of a corned beef on rye from Katz' Deli. And matza ball chicken soup. But that only happens about once every two years.
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Post by TheDude on Sept 10, 2010 20:25:07 GMT -5
So . . . You don't think that plants breathe?
Maybe not the same way that we--that is, TerrestrialBioBeings with canine teeth and a small appendix instead of three stomachs--do, but . . . golly, gosh . . . do you just stand around in the sun with a cannister of carbon dioxide and photosynthesize? Sort of like a daisy?
Every time I mow the lawn I have to put in earplugs to block out the screams of the faceless blades of grass sacrificed to curb appeal.
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Post by gailkate on Sept 10, 2010 23:48:15 GMT -5
Anyone who can write "Mayo (or Miracle Whip)" as if the two were in any way interchangeable may not have the culinary credentials he has claimed. The seafood pasta salad sounds pretty darn good, but I can't help wondering - maybe he filched it. Maybe his wife slaves over it and then he drowns it in Miracle Whip. Also, saying one could throw some sardines into a recipe built around an entirely different concept (or aesthetic, as they say on Project runway) is a cop-out. One could throw sardines into chili or beef stroganoff or even mac & cheese. Lirio didn't pretend to offer a real recipe but instead opted for the obvious solution to my dilemma: copious quantities of beer. She wins the Prudhomme Prize. Sorry, Jane, but I do eat fish. Not mammals or birds, but I manage to rationalize fish. Of course, I feel very guilty about it. Plants do breathe and have circulatory systems and respond to harsh stimuli. But they want to be eaten. I thought everybody knew that.
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Post by Jane on Sept 11, 2010 7:34:38 GMT -5
If I were Truly Pure, I'd be a vegan, but that's too much work. I do eat the occasional egg. However, it must be from a cage-free, vegetarian-fed chicken. With a name. And her own bed. Where it's warm.
It's so hard being noble.
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Post by TheDude on Sept 11, 2010 8:58:42 GMT -5
Okay . . . Since certain people are willing to compromise on The Fish Issue . . .
This is one of only two or three things that I've ever "invented" and cooked that defies improvement. I can't think of anything to add to it to make it better. It was exactly as good as I had hoped. No, it was better. (Plus, the "Picatta Sauce" would be great on chicken, pork or veal as well.)
Tilapia Picatta (for two) (Note that I corrected the spelling of "picatta" . . . I think. =) Two (to four) small tilapia filets 1 medium to large shallot, thin sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced One medium lemon, juiced 1/3 cup (mol) chicken stock or broth 1/3 cup (mol) white wine (e.g. Chardonnay) 2 (to 3) T. small capers Olive oil (good quality, e.g. Colavita) 4 T. butter (divided) Salt and pepper (to taste) Sugar (a two-finger pinch) Place filets in a non-metallic marinating vessel (such as a Pyrex baking pan) Season fish with S&P and/or alt. (I used Chef Paul's Seafood Magic) Add a little white wine and marinate for about 30 min. flipping filets at about 15 min. (Pre-heat oven to 425 for the fish.) Heat olive oil (3 turns of the pan) in an oven-safe 12" skillet Heat oil (3 turns of the pan) and 2T. unsalted butter over med. heat in an 8" skillet. After butter foams, add shallots, season with S&P and sauté for approx. 2 min. Add garlic and sauté for approx. another 2 min. Add chicken stock, white wine, lemon juice and pinch of sugar. Increase heat enough to begin reduction. Add capers when you flip the fish in the other skillet (after about 4 min.--see below). Add optional 2T butter just before fish comes out of the oven. Place fish filets in the heated 12" skillet. Cook/sear on stovetop for 4 min. Flip and place in pre-heated oven for additional 4 to 5 min. or until fish is done to your taste. Avoid overcooking.
Place cooked filets on plates and top with generous amounts of the "Picatta Sauce".
This was great with Carrots Marsala and Couscous with Peas. It will also work well with Angel Hair pasta. You can start the sauce before the fish to give it more reduction time if you wish.
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Post by TheDude on Sept 11, 2010 9:20:42 GMT -5
Get an entire stack of 3x5 cards for THIS one . . .
I think that I first heard the phrase "Sunday Gravy" used in the classic film, Goodfellas. It next came up, in passing, during a couple of episodes of The Sopranos (a program that I finally managed to see when it moved from HBO to syndication). I don't think any of The Godfather movies mentioned it, but I may just not have been paying close enough attention.
I've always loved "Spaghetti and Meatballs" (especially the version that used to be produced at Colacci's: a small, authentically Italian, restaurant that used to be located in Louisville, Colorado). It fact, when I try out a new Italian restaurant I almost always order Spaghetti and Meatballs. Why? My thinking is that if they can't do that right, then what is the point of ordering something more complex? Sunday Gravy elevates "Pasta and Meat and Sauce" to "new" heights of meaning and taste. It is a bit labor and time intensive, but worth every minute. Plus, any leftovers are just as good the day after . . . and the day after that.
Here is a modified (and "enhanced") version of a recipe from what is arguably one of the best cookbooks ever written. (I would certainly be willing to argue that assessment.) I have made versions of this meal twice. The first time was excellent. The second time (ironically, just last Sunday) even better. The first time I used the Beef Braciola instead of Meatballs. Last Sunday, it was the other option. It's not that the meatballs are that much better than the Braciola, it's just that I managed to work out timing, additions and procedures to a more efficient and effective degree.
So, let me make you "an offer you [shouldn't] refuse": Try this. Sunday Gravy (c/o Rao's Cookbook) (Makes 3 quarts) (3 hr. prep/cook time) (Posted by The Dude on PrairieChatter 09/11/10)
Ingredients: 1 lb. piece lean beef, such as eye of round (perhaps cut into slightly smaller pieces) 1 lb. piece lean pork, such as loin (perhaps cut into slightly smaller pieces) 1 lb. hot or sweet Italian sausages 1/2 cup fine quality olive oil 4 garlic cloves, peeled 3 T. tomato paste 1/4 cup water 3 - 35 oz. cans imported San Marzano Italian plum tomatoes hand crushed, juice reserved (If you can get them. If not, Cento brand is good. Some others are probably also fine. Beware of the California grown version with the San Marzano on the label. They are okay, too, but it's sort of like false advertising. There isn't a lot of "crushing" involved at this point, but it's a good idea to pick out those annoying little "stem-buttons" and that vein-y looking interior stem attached to it.) Salt and pepper to taste 1 recipe Beef Braciola (see below) 1 recipe Anna and Frankie's Meatballs, optional (Or see My Meatball Recipe, below)
Optional Additions: Onion (1 large, chopped) Bell Peppers (green and/or yellow) Garlic (4 cloves, minced) Mushrooms (Crimini, sliced . . . Or save for a side dish) Fresh basil Fresh oregano Fresh parsley Shredded carrots (for sweetness) Red wine (e.g. Chianti or a Cab-Merlot blend) to the sauce, toward the finish
Process: Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. (Season with salt and pepper.)
Heat oil in large saucepan or deep, heavy bottomed casserole over medium heat. Add garlic, toss to coat. Cook meat, a few pieces at a time, in oil for about 5 min. turning frequently, until nicely browned on all sides. As meat is browned, remove from pan and set aside. When garlic cloves begin to brown, remove and discard. (When making the usual "half-batch" that feeds about 8 people—using two 28 oz. cans of tomatoes and only a half-pound of each of the primary meats—I brown the meat in a fairly deep, 12" fry pan then remove it to the stock pot in which the long cooking is to take place. I pull the garlic cloves from the oil, before they actually burn, cut off any overly brown parts, crush them and add them to the sauce.)
Combine tomato paste and 1/4 cup water, stir into the oil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 min. (At this point I add chopped onions/salt, pepper and let them cook along with the tomato paste.)
Stir in the tomatoes and the juice. Raise heat and bring to boil. (Here, I add some salt and pepper plus dried oregano. I also add a grated carrot.)
Using one of the tomato cans, measure two cans of cold water and add to the pan. Return to a boil. (I really don't understand this step because it seems to make the sauce far too runny. At most, you might want to add half a can of water. Perhaps the canned tomatoes used at Rao's come with a lot less juice or they want to stretch the sauce.)
Return beef and pork to the sauce, add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 5 min. (My method is to add the sauce to the stockpot containing the previously browned meat.)
Lower heat and partially cover the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours or until meat is almost falling apart and sauce is thick. If sauce becomes too thick, add water, a quarter cup at a time. (It is unlikely that the sauce will be "too thick".)
One hour before sauce is ready, add Beef Braciola and sausage. (Add opt. Meatballs same time.) (I browned the sausage links in a little oil and cut them in half before adding them to sauce.)
Remove meat from the sauce. Serve sauce over pasta, with meat as a separate course. (After the meat is removed, I add a good amount of roughly torn/chopped fresh basil to the sauce and garnish everything with it—rather than the optional parsley— along with extra grated Romano or Parmesan.)
Note (from Rao's Cookbook): The more meat, the richer and thicker the sauce. You can add any type of beef, pork or veal that you prefer or you can add only one type of meat. Rolled beef, called braciola, is one of the traditional meats used and many Italian cooks feel that the sausage is absolutely necessary for great flavor.
My Meatball Recipe (30-40 min. prep time, 40 min. cook time (oven), 30 min. to 1 hr. in sauce) 3-4 slices plain white bread, crusts removed, cubed. 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk (scalded, if desired) 1 lb. ground beef (80/15) 3 Mild, Sweet or Hot Italian sausage links, casings removed, meat crumbled (Johnsonville is best) 4 (or more) garlic cloves, finely chopped (to minced) 1/3 cup (m.o.l.) onion, finely chopped (to minced) Small handful fresh basil, chopped 1/2 cup (m.o.l.) sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped 1/2 cup (m.o.l.) grated Pecorino Romano or provolone cheese or combination of Romano and Parmesan 1/3 cup catsup 1 egg white Salt and pepper Dried oregano
Soak bread in milk and process/mix with a fork until most lumps have been removed. Add dried oregano. You can also stir in the egg white at this point or wait until later.
Mix beef and sausage in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, onion, basil, sun dried tomatoes, grated cheese, catsup and mix again. Add soaked bread (and egg white if not already added to "paste"). Mix again. (This also makes an awesome meatloaf). Portion meat mixture with your scoop of choice. I like to do large meatballs (2" diameter) for "Spaghetti and Meatballs" and smaller ones (about 1-1/4" diameter) for a Sunday Gravy addition.
I have found that doing an "initial rolling" of the meatballs, putting them in the refrigerator for awhile—even overnight—then re-rounding them (whether or not you are going to do the pre-oven browning thing) works very well. Prepping the meatballs the day before will definitely help maintain the time frame and thereby lessen the "stress" factor.
Brown meatballs in oil in skillet, or skip that step and place directly into 350-deg. oven for about 40 min. Remove from oven, dump excess grease and set meatballs aside until ready to use. Salvage any cheese that may have melted into the baking pan during cooking in the oven and add to sauce.
Beef or Pork Braciola (from Rao's Cookbook) 1 lb. bottom round, cut into 1/2 in. thick slices (or 1 pound lean pork, same cut) 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved 1 T. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese. 1 T. chopped Italian parsley Salt and Pepper to taste 1 cup fine-quality olive oil Pound meat slices thin (usual method) and rub each piece with the cut side of the garlic. Sprinkle each slice with equal amounts of cheese and parsley, season with salt and pepper. Roll the meat up and secure with butcher's twine or toothpicks. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the meat rolls and fry, turning frequently, for about 6 min. or until meat is evenly browned. Add the rolls to Sunday Gravy (to cook for the final hour of Gravy prep.) or drain off the excess oil and add 4 cups (enough to just cover the meat) of Marinara Sauce and cook for about an hour (until meat is very tender).
The Pasta: Cook one package of good quality dried spaghetti (e.g. Barilla) according to directions to the "al dente" point. Drain it then return it to the cooking vessel. Add a couple of ladles of sauce and mix well. The pasta will "finish" getting tender—and not be sticky—plus will absorb some of the sauce flavor doing it this way. Rao's refers to this a "Il Segreto" . . . The Secret. Put the pasta in its own serving bowl with the nicely arranged meat montage on a platter and another serving vessel with the extra sauce on the side.
Good Sides: Sautéed Mushrooms Plus. Olive Salad Baked Zucchini/Squash Roasted Peppers and Onions Roasted Peppers w/Sautéed Mushrooms Broccoli Broccolini Broccoli Rabe Spinach
Bread Wine (Macaroni Grill Chianti, if you are frugal and other)
Browning: Est. 15 to 20 min. Tomato paste base: 5 min. Sauce Prep. Total: Est. 30 min. Sauce Cook time: 2 hrs.
Meatball prep: 40 min. Meatball cook (oven): 40 min. Meatballs in sauce: c. 1 hr.
Sausage prep: 0 min. Sausage browning: 10 min. Sausage in sauce: c. 1 hr.
Pasta Cook Time: c. 10 min. Heat Bread: c. 10 min.
Estimated Total Prep and Cooking Time: 3 hrs.
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Post by TheDude on Sept 11, 2010 9:30:57 GMT -5
From "Barefoot Contessa 'Back to Basics'" Ina Garten (2008) pg. 158
Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash (Serves 6)
1 large butternut squash 1 head garlic, separated but not peeled 2 T good olive oil 2-1/2 T pure maple syrup 1 t kosher salt 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper 2 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, chopped 16 whole fresh sage leaves French bread, for serving
Preheat oven to 400 deg. Peel and seed the butternut squash and cut into 3/4 to 1 in. cubes. Place squash and whole, unpeeled garlic cloves on a sheet pan in one layer. Toss with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper and bake for 20-30 min. until the squash begins to brown, turning once during baking. Sprinkle the pancetta and the sage leaves over the squash and continue to bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the squash and garlic are tender and caramelized. Season to taste and serve with warmed French bread for guests to spread with the roasted garlic.
Notes from "The Field" re: The Basics of "The Basics"
This is SO good that it will definitely be on the Thanksgiving and probably Christmas/New Year tables as a side-dish to whatever else shares the space. This will make the best entrée (Turkey, Ham, Pork Roast, Beef Roast, Chicken, Cornish Game Hens . . .Whatever) even better. I give it Five Stars (plus one, for a total of Six) on a scale of One-to-Four.
(However) . . .
(Re: Assembly Instructions): It is easier and more effective to mix the syrup and olive oil in a bowl, dump in the squash/garlic and then toss well to achieve the desired "coatage" than to attempt it on a baking sheet alone. Adding the salt and pepper after it is on the sheet is acceptable.
(Re: Cooking Time): The cooking time, above, is too long. At the very most, this is done at about 35 min. In order to avoid overly mushy squash (not especially "Good Eats"® no matter how you look at it) this means: Flip the squash at about ten minutes in . . . Flip the squash, again, and add the pancetta and sage at about twenty minutes in . . . and Cook for an additional fifteen to twenty minutes. (Fifteen should be fine.) Then, let it rest a little so your mouth doesn't get "lava-ized" and thereby be rendered incapable of appreciating the wonderful and subtle flavors here.
(Re: Ingredients: "2 oz. thinly sliced pancetta, chopped"): We actually have packets of bacon in the freezer. Regular American Style Smoked Bacon would probably be a good substitute for the pancetta (pronounced "pahn-CHAY-tuh"® by Giada de L.). Still, the Pancetta was very, very good. When I went to the store to pick up this auxiliary ingredient for this side dish, I first looked in the Pre-Packaged Specialty Meat (Imported Deli) Section. I checked the offerings and the prices. I knew that I only needed half of a quarter-pound. So . . . I walked a few steps over to the "DeliCounter". I asked the young man if they had pancetta. He said that they did and rummaged around in the mystery pile on the low shelf on the other side of the displays. He asked how much I needed. I said that I wanted about a quarter pound (some for now, some for later). He looked at the price tag on the last fragment of a roll of this stuff (that had been sitting on his side of the exchange for who knows how long).
He said, "[Dude] This is, like $16.99 a pound!"
"Yes," I replied. "About the same price as the stuff in the packages over there (indicating the refrigerated, pre-packaged area) . . . and I'm willing to pay a couple of extra bucks not to have to deal with a block of frozen bacon at home . . . Plus there is the 'authenticity factor' involved in a certain recipe that I'm making tonight."
"Let me break out a fresh one," he offered, heading back to wherever they store the unopened packages of this stuff.
When he returned, he asked how thick I wanted it sliced and made a couple of test cuts until we arrived at the correct thickness, which, to me, was about an eight of an inch. It turns out that a quarter lb. of pancetta, cut this thick, amounts to four slices. It was four dollars plus change. This indicates to me that that the word "Basics" is defined differently in The Hamptons, New York than it is where I live.
(Re: Ingredients: "16 Whole Fresh Sage Leaves"): We have so much of this growing next to the house—ready for the pickin'—that she could have said 32 whole fresh sage leaves and I wouldn't have flinched.
Summary: As I said at the top: This recipe is fabulous and foolproof. Especially with the "pahn-CHAY-tuh" and if you follow my advice regarding the cooking time.
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Post by gailkate on Sept 11, 2010 11:11:29 GMT -5
heh
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Post by TheDude on Sept 15, 2010 9:12:04 GMT -5
So . . . As I try to do every day that I don't have to go to work I'm planning to do a little cookin' . . . Here's my idea of a "recipe" using "leftovers".
Crimini mushrooms, sliced (no "faces" except in Fantasia) . . . Shallot, sliced . . . Garlic, chopped . . . Roasted red peppers, sliced (from a jar) . . . Arugula (a big handful) . . . Good olive oil . . . S&P . . . Maybe ground red pepper . . . Maybe some chicken stock . . . Marsala . . . Butter.
Heat oil and butter . . . Saute garlic and shallot . . . Add mushrooms . . . Season w/S&P (plus) . . . Cook until slightly tender . . . add red peppers (saute) . . . add Marsala . . . maybe add chicken stock . . . Cook for a couple of minutes . . . Add a little butter . . . Add Arugula and cook until just wilted. Serve immediately over pasta cooked to package directions. Maybe with a little grated Pecorino Romano.
Serve with some shrimp on the side (shrimp only have faces in "The Little Mermaid" cartoon--and maybe Spongebob) or, perhaps some pan-seared, oven finished pieces of Porky's distant cousin, preferably from the loin or tenderloin.
Oh! Some Cibiatta bread and wine too. Probably the Malbec I bought the other day.
(That one might fit on a 3 x 5 card . . . =)
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Post by gailkate on Sept 20, 2010 9:05:30 GMT -5
Perfect for Dude:Gnocchi di Zucca (Squash gnocchi with marjoram) Ingredients • 1 1/2 lbs. acorn squash • 2 large eggs, beaten • 1 tsp. salt • 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour • 1/4 C. unsalted butter • 1 Tbs. fresh marjoram leaves • 4 leaves radicchio, thinly sliced • 1/4 C. freshly grated smoked ricotta Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half or thirds and place on aluminum foil in the oven. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, usually 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and, when it is cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds and membrane. Scoop the flesh into a strainer placed over a large bowl. Place in the refrigerator so that the squash cools and the liquid drains away. Leave for at least 6 hours or overnight. Pass the drained squash through a ricer and then transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs and salt. Stir well and add the flour, a little at a time, stirring to amalgamate all the ingredients. The result should be soft but not runny. Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and allow the water to return to a boil. With a tsp., scoop up some of the dough. Use your fingers to form the gnocchi, which should be about the size and shape of a spoon. Cook the gnocchi in the boiling water and cook until they rise to the top of the pot. While the gnocchi cook, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it foams and subsides. Add the marjoram and radicchio and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain the cooked gnocchi and add them to the pan with the radicchio. Toss very gently to coat. Divide the dressed gnocchi evenly among 4 warmed pasta bowls, top with the grated ricotta and serve immediately Do I need to tell you I won't be making this today?
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Post by doctork on Sept 22, 2010 22:52:26 GMT -5
Sometimes I am tempted to take up cooking, but after a few moments of cogitation, I come to my senses. After all, I know my limits.
However, I have a lot of nerve, and I actually gave Angel a Dream Dinner I made myself as a birthday present, even though she is a professional cook, and I am the rankest of amateurs. She loved it!
It was the "Orangey Asian Chicken," always one of my favorites. I fixed my own for dinner last night, then had it again for lunch today. I tried to convince Mike, one of my co-workers, that he would like to have the third serving for lunch tomorrow, but he is usually a vegetarian, so no dice. OK, good thing it's one of my favorites, because I will have Orangey Asian Chicken for lunch again tomorrow.
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 26, 2010 10:43:26 GMT -5
Wow! Great recipes. I need to check in here more often to get myself motivated. I've been frequenting The Fresh Fish Company, and coming home with Debbie's homemade potato salad (which is JUST like mine,) shrimp pasta salad, and salmon patties, shrimp cakes, fish cakes and pork loin chops. Then I drag out one pan, cook a pattie, cake or chop and have one of the salads for a side. That is a whole week's worth of dinners for $25 bucks. Pretty darned good, takes little time and very few dishes to wash. Not terribly creative, but sustainable for me. I'm going to get bored with that menu one of these days.
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Post by gailkate on Sept 26, 2010 15:51:06 GMT -5
I meant to post this last week, a Wolfgang Puck recipe that sounded great. Now it's perfect for your pork chop, BB. Jane and I would just pig out on the onions. Well, some good bread, other stuff. The main thing to me is the touch of maple and cinnamon in the onions. Pork Chop with Caramelized Maple OnionsIngredients 1 2-pound pork rack with 4 bones attached Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 CUP olive oil 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter 2 large yellow onions, sliced 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped 1/2 stick cinnamon 1 star anise [gk says, what the hell is this?] 1/4 CUP maple syrup 2 CUPs apple cider Instructions 1.Season both sides of rack with salt and pepper 20 minutes before cooking. 2.In a large heavy skillet over high heat, heat olive oil. Sear pork rack on all sides until browned. Set aside. 3.In same skillet melt butter over medium heat, add sliced onions, ginger, cinnamon and star anise. 4.Cook slowly for about 10 minutes until onions are golden brown. 5.Add maple syrup, and cook for 2 minutes until onions are caramelized. 6.Deglaze with cider, adjust salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. 7.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 8.Transfer pork to shallow roasting pan, completely cover with onion mixture and place in oven. Cook for 20 minutes per pound or until internal temp is 160. After 20 minutes, add remaining onion mixture on top of pork rack. When cooked, remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. ABOUT THIS RECIPEThe humble pork chop rises to great heights in this recipe created by one of my favorite young chefs from Spago, Karl Matz. The maple syrup gives the onion compote a wonderful flavor which infuses the pork chops as they cook. You’ll be surprised how delicious and exciting pork chops can be. Serve with celery root purée and sautéed vegetables. (See separate recipes) Celery root purée doesn't sound like anything I'd waste time on; maybe K could ask Angel to try it.
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Post by Jane on Sept 26, 2010 20:21:33 GMT -5
Star anise is really famous anise that has won an Oscar.
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Post by doctork on Sept 26, 2010 21:18:23 GMT -5
I wouldn't ask Angel to make celery root puree because then I would have to eat it, and it doesn't sound like something I would like.
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 26, 2010 21:58:44 GMT -5
Star anise is really famous anise that has won an Oscar. Good one, Jane! ;D Sounds delightful, gk! Since it got up to 65 degrees today, oven recipes are sounding better and better. I think I have to try that one.
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Post by sailor on Sept 26, 2010 23:51:01 GMT -5
The immature child in me always put the word Anise right up there with Uranus.
Mike
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 27, 2010 19:51:28 GMT -5
Now, Mikey, behave. And Carl Sagan taught us it's pronounced URuhnus.
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 27, 2010 20:28:30 GMT -5
Seems to me we're getting a bit carried away here. We can spend the day cooking or we can fix something to eat. Now I'm not trying to take anything away from you folks that like to create in the kitchen, but I just don't have the patience. And besides, I owed gail this grits recipe from a couple (few?) weeks ago.
Creole Grits and Cheese Casserole:
4 cups cooked grits 1/2 cup onion chopped fine 1/4 cup green onion chopped fine 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided 1 tsp Zatarain's Creole Seasoning 1 egg beaten 2 Tbsp parsley
Prepare grits according to instructions on the package. (I use quick grits, take about 5 minutes, pick your brand. It will be 1 cup grits to 4 cups boiling water.) Add the next five ingredients to the grits and blend thoroughly until cheese has melted. (You're using only 1 cup of the divided 2 cups of cheese)
Pour mixture into baking dish and top with 1 cup grated cheese and parsely.
Bake in oven 35-40 minutes. Serves 8-10.
Now if you don't have Zatarain's Creole Seasoning, Tony Chachere makes a pretty good one. I have one of my own that I found that works for me. Don't want Creole style? Fine, leave out the spice mix and have nice cheesy, oniony grits. Want a little Texas style? Throw in a small can of Old El Paso chopped chilis. Sometimes I'll brown up a pound of ground sausage, something like Jimmy Dean or Tennessee Pride and stir that in and bake it up. For the sausage you can use Mild, Regular or Zippity DooDah, depending on your taste, how deep the drifts get up there this winter and how much energy you need to get through them.
This is good stuff, folks, it'll stick with you. Cup of coffee and your citrus on the side in the morning, and you're ready to go.
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Post by gailkate on Sept 27, 2010 23:46:20 GMT -5
Wow, Jay, I'm not sure I'd waste that dish on breakfast. Lunch or dinner - make that lunch AND dinner. Could be I'd put the seasoning in one half, eat plain for lunch and spicy for dinner. Jerry would eat it plain, spicy and full of sausage. Thank you!
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 28, 2010 20:12:56 GMT -5
You're quite welcome, gail. Boy, I just got to thinking; you know what would really set those grits off in the morning? A nice big serving of Fried Apples!
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Post by Jane on Sept 28, 2010 20:50:02 GMT -5
And apple season is just about here. Enough with the mealy things we've been substituting for the real thing!
Here the apple du jour is honey crisp. They are the best. They are more expensive than any other apple (of course). Is this a regional thing or nationwide?
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 28, 2010 21:00:54 GMT -5
And apple season is just about here. Enough with the mealy things we've been substituting for the real thing! Here the apple du jour is honey crisp. They are the best. They are more expensive than any other apple (of course). Is this a regional thing or nationwide? Don't know exactly what the question is there, Jane. Honey Crisp is a variety I'm not familiar with. I know Jonathans and Golden Delicious are always the cheapest down here; Royal Gala and Fujis are the most expensive. When I'm up in Panama City I can get a variety called Empire. Honey Crisp sounds good; I like a sweet, crunchy apple for eating, without too tough a hide. So much produce these days is bred to ship and store well, to heck with the taste. Down here our crop is citrus and the top pick is the Honeybells, a tangelo. These don't get shipped North!
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 28, 2010 21:39:30 GMT -5
I'm not familiar with Honey Crisp here either. My favorite is Granny Smith, both for cooking and eating. I like the tart/sweet. Whadda surprise.
And I can't wait for this year's crop, too.
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 28, 2010 21:41:12 GMT -5
The immature child in me always put the word Anise right up there with Uranus. Mike ;D ;D ;D You are So Funny, Mike!
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Post by gailkate on Sept 28, 2010 22:58:34 GMT -5
Aha! Something about which I have information! Honey Crisps were developed by our very own U of MN, which has hundreds of agriculture brownies who work night and day creating new species of everything. They've bred (sounds so earthy, doesn't it?) all kinds of terrific stuff that will grow in northern zones, both edible and ornamental. We have azaleas now because these cross-fertilizing matchmakers keep introducing unlikely pairs and persuading them to marry. The Honey Crisp had barely hit our markets and knocked our tastebuds' socks off when we learned the patent had expired and our brownies had created a newer even more spectacular sensation. Soon you will hear of the Sweet Tango, which is at the center of a huge controversy because the UMN has limited distribution to only a few growers. "Unfair!" cried the other growers - and they have a point. After all, it's a state university that started as an agricultural college, so what's with this discrimination? "Tough pips," says the U, because the legislature keeps cutting their budget and they need to make money. You probably thought you had no need of this much information about apples, but you were wrong. it's a pretty riveting story and you can learn more here. www.mndaily.com/2009/09/07/sweetango-apple-hits-market
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Post by liriodendron on Sept 28, 2010 23:56:37 GMT -5
The week before last, I purchased and consumed an entire basket (a peck? too small for a bushel) of Honey Crisps in about three days. Seriously. Four apples in my lunchbox, three apples in the evening - they go fast - and boy are they tasty! I bought them from my favorite apple stand in the next town over (picked just that morning!), but this week I found them at the Whole Foods here in Denver, so they clearly get around.
Another of my favorites is Mutsu, which should be ready (at least in CT) in October. Mmmmm Mmmmm Good!
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Post by jspnrvr on Sept 29, 2010 7:56:38 GMT -5
Not to get us off track here, but this is the second reference I've seen to Denver, lirio. What did I miss? Are things OK with you and all your people?
And gail, I researched the Honey Crisps, go Minnesota! Sounds like they're really taking off. And that's a good name for an apple. But Sweet Tango? I don't have visions of a sturdy yeoman out in the orchard, or "apple cheeks" or Mom's Apple Pie. Sounds more like one bite in the candlelight and violins start to play!
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