April 30, 2004

• Steamed Fish a la Pappilotte: Oven to 425. Oil up a plain paper bag, inside and out. Insert any firm-fleshed fish fillet. Toss into the bag some ginger and scallions to taste, and a quarter-cup of soysauce. Twelve minutes later, the tastiest fish you've ever had! (This is an excellent beginner's recipe, as I shied away from preparing fish for years because I was afraid I'd overcook it.) Garnish with lemon!
• I just found this two threads back. Apparently it makes you virile like Rasputin Rasputin's Codfish Soup: * 2 small whole codfish * 1 cup milk * 1 cup heavy whipping cream * Salt * Pepper Clean codfish. Remove head and cut fish into fillets. Remove fish bones. Cut fillets into 2-inch pieces and place in saucepan. Add milk and whipping cream. Place over medium heat and bring to scalding temperature. Do not boil. Reduce heat and continue simmering until fish is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot.
• Dynamic Orange Juice 1 bottle orange juice 1/4 cake of Kiwi Black Methylated or white spirits to taste Combine ingredients, shake well. Serve tepid in a cracked jar. Saluti a tutti!
• Great-Grandma Philips Fried Chicken 1/2 sleeve Saltines - Crushed 2 Eggs - whipped 1 C Flour 1 Whole Chicken Breasts (2 split breasts) Salt and Pepper to Taste Enough oil to fill the pot/fryer. I usually use vegetable, but there might be a healthier alternative that I'm not aware of. 1. I usually crush the saltines in a ziploc bag, i find using a wine bottle or a rolling pin works nicely 2.Cut the chicken into strips and then pound to even flatness using wax paper and wine bottle. 3.Mix the flour and the salt and pepper in a bowl. 4.Heat up the oil. Don't put the heat up past medium. You'll know when the oil is ready by a pinch of flour that sizzles when you throw it in. 5.Dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg and finally the crushed saltines. 6.Immediately fry in the oil. If you let the chicken sit, the saltines get kinda soggy. I find that having a helper makes this recipe a lot easier. It takes about 4 - 5 minutes in my experience to cook the chicken. An option that I haven't tried yet is to brine the chicken before you prep it. A simple brine is 3/4 C salt, 1 gallon of water, 1/2 C sugar (you can also add other spices to flavor the meat). I've done this to chicken that I've roasted and its come out marvelously. I just haven't made fried chicken lately. Rice Now I didn't realize there were different ways to cook rice. So I'm going to share 2 different ways (that result in different rice to my tongue) and hopefully some other people can share theirs. Number 1 1 Cup Rice 2 Cup Water 1/2 Tbl Butter (optional) Salt (Optional) Bring water and butter and salt to a boil. Put in rice, and lower heat and cover. Should take 20-30 mins. Number 2 My grandmother claims she learned this method when she lived in Argentina. 1 Cup rice 1 3/4+ Cup Water 1 Tbl oil (i like olive, but any will work, this is a guestimate, you want enough to coat all the rice) Place the rice in the pot along with the oil and turn on high heat. Watch the rice carefully, shaking and stirring constantly. In 3-4 minutes, the translucent rice should be a more opaque white. Be careful not to burn the rice. Once most of the rice is white, add the water and bring to a boil. It should boil almost immediately. Cover and simmer. 15-20 mins later you have nice rice. I've found the 2nd way results in a fluffier rice that isnt very sticky at all. The olive oil also lends a nice flavor. The 2nd way also scales very easily, if I make just one serving (1/3 cup of rice) it will come out perfectly. While the 1st one I usually end up with crunchy rice on the bottom if I try to cook so little.
• I have a good chocolate and banana muffin recipe around somewhere... *goes off to rummage*
• Borscht Borscht Borscht!
• Guinness Beef Stew I gots more but I'll spread 'em out.
• hungry now: my faviourite recepies tend to come from the Moro Cookbook especially the quince and chocolate tart: yummy! But I do two different mean bacon sarnies: The Sarf Lahndahn sarnie: 1) stick a frying pan on the hob 2) add at least 4 rashers of bacon. 3) decide that's not enough, add a couple more 4) fry until farirly well done but not crispy 5) get two slices of processed white bread. This should have as much food value as a slice of cardboard. 6) take out the bacon, bung the bread in the frying pan for a couple of seconds to mop up as much of the fat as possible. 7) stick the bacon between the bread. 8) add brown sauce 9) have coronary The Islington bacon sandwich: 1) take no more than 2 rashers of bacon 2) stick under the grill 3) get a ciabatta, slice horizontally, stick under the grill for a couple of seconds 4) spread one side with pesto, the other with low-fat mayo 5) slice plum tomato thinly, chop up lettuce, crush fresh basil. 6) assemble. 7) enjoy pretentiously with a latte and The Guardian or Observer.
• Take (1) one silvery package. Open package to reveal delicious Pop-Tarts. Carefully remove outer wrapping. Stuff both Pop-Tarts into your mouth. Get coffee beans. Put four or five handfuls in your mouth. Get milk. Pour milk into Pop-Tart and coffe bean stuffed mouth. Keep pouring until a sludgy barely swallowable substance is created. Swallow. Repeat as neccesary. Breakfast is served.
• Caramel sauce: I love this stuff. It's great over fruit, or (much better!) lemon cake. Melt 100g butter, add 300 mL cream and 175 - 200g brown sugar. Heat to simmering and stir frequently for ~ 5 minutes. It seems to taste best when you make it in a metal saucepan, rather than nonstick.
• oh oh !!! such a great idea !!! i love to bake. here's a really simple but REALLY rich and good brownie recipe. when i visited my pal in scotland she was not familiar with brownies. they're a cross between cake and a cookie and fudge, that's the best way to describe them. sorry for the american measurements, etc. KILLER BROWNIES 3/4 cup cocoa 2 sticks butter 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1/4 cup liqueur (cherry is good, or almond) 1 cup flour preheat oven to 350 (medium oven). grease a 9x13 baking pan. melt together (i use a microwave) the cocoa and butter. beat in sugar, then eggs, then liqueur. add flour. pour into pan, bake about 25 minutes (i like them a tad underdone, they're fudgier that way!) get rave reviews from all that partake!
• hum. do i know y'all well enough to share my chili recipe? i am just not sure there - no intent to slight you all, but - i mean, it's my chili recipe, cribbed from my dad, cribbed from both sets of grandparents, etc, etc. we've been to quite a few chili cookoffs and my wife keeps insisting that none of them can touch mine. usually i make people just taste it, and then if they seem worthy i give them a hint. but i'll share my hamburger recipe while i ponder the almighty chili: 1 lb or so lean, lean beef (sirloin, or angus, but low-fat) an egg diced onion, fresh or dried handful of italian breadcrumbs montreal steak seasoning (to taste) few dashes smoked chipotle tobasco (or plain, or habanero if you like it super-hot and tangy, or garlic tobasco is nice, even the jalapeno - but chipotle just tastes best on grilled stuff in my opinion) squish everything together with your fingers until it's a slimy mess. add more breadcrumbs if necessary until it holds firm when packed into a burger shape. now make the burgers big and fat - i'm talkin' like make 4 burgers from the above, maybe 5. they should be thick. i just make essentially a huge a meatball then flatten it slightly between my palms into sort of a thick discus shape, but i have big hands so that's easy for me. (hey, i'm not bragging - i'm 6'4", if i didn't have big hands i'd look funny. and that whole "big hands" thing is a myth, if you ask me...) if you have smaller hands just make sure to keep it from squishing flat along the edges, or they'll burn before the center is done. to cook these monsters you need a very hot grill to sear the outside. i use a small round patio grill, gets up to 5-600 degrees fairly quickly. just flip 'em once. even though they're thick they do actually cook through. once the outside is charred, the inside is no longer pink. they do puff up a bit when you grill them; takes a bit of testing before you know how much you can put in one patty before you end up with a grilled meatball. if they end up too thick you can slice them down the middle. garnish with your choice of toppings - mayo, tomato, olives, various cheeses, sprouts, lettuce, mild or hot pepper rings, pickles, ketchup, any sort of mustard... whatever floats your boat. heck i suppose it's basically a meatloaf burger, but my wife loves them. and your average fast-food burger will never taste the same again. great even when re-heated, and the tobasco leaves a nice lingering burn on your lips - which you can of course counteract with your beverage of choice. and for the love of god if you're using charcoal, skip the lighter fluid. it makes the burgers taste like gasoline instead of grilled goodness. and oh, what the hell: chili. you absolutely must, must must add corn. seriously. don't mock me until you try it. and you need OTHER PEPPERS besides the chili variety. i won't give it all away but there's more than one kind of ground, dried pepper, and chili needs to have flavor underneath the heat. (but don't forget the heat!) and as many kinds of bean as you can fit - if i stick a serving spoon into the chili, and it stands up on its own *without* sinking to the bottom of the pot, i deem it thick enough. garnish with a handful of fritos corn chips (accept no substitutes!) and shredded sharp cheddar. other nice additions include mushrooms, ginger, and various tobascos - the habanero (if you can stand it) adds an amazing carribean kick and a slow-building, longering burn - we're talkin' put your spoon down and rest between bites, but you'll want to come back for more. remember, if you're working from a written recipe it's not really chili!
• and if you're all good monkeys i might share my pumpkin pie recipe with you. but i actually have to go do work now.
• dickdotcom! bacon sarnies! that's what my scottish pal first fixed me when i arrived in glasgow. i'd never heard of it. but LORD they are TASTY! *still pondering what a "hob" is...*
• You definately get quality bacon sarnies in Scotland - It's the kingdom of lard ... Sidedish reminded me of their quaint way with Mars bars ... Hobs in all their glory
• that's really interesting, ddc, i thought for a minute that perhaps a hob was a broiler but it's actually what we call a stove. oh! another very interesting food-related difference: they don't refrigerate eggs in scotland! which is AMAZING to me. here in the u.s. we'd NEVER consider leaving eggs out of the refrigerator for longer than a few hours. we even have built-in egg holders in the fridges. hmm.
• While visiting my family over Easter, my wife came across some Weight Watchers recipe cards from the 70's at my grandmother's house. Here's the best one
• gb..... BWHAAAAAAAA HA HA HA! oh THAT ONE is gonna get forwarded to all my pals today. heh.
• gb: that's superb... Incidentally I had one of my most bizarre culinary experiences ever on Wednesday when I went with my girlfriend to eat at her parents house. Her father's German ... and it's customary in their house to boil potatoes in their skins, and then peel them when they're hot. They even have special forks specifically designed for the purpose! this, allegedly, is a German tradition. SideDish: they don't refrigerate a lot of things in Scotland - they don't need to, it rarely gets warm enough to make it worthwhile!! ... My friends who live in Angus keep most of their food on a stone slab in the larder - as all their eggs come direct from the chicken they can be assured of their freshness!
• My friend JP is the master of comfort food. He developed this recipe over the years while we shared an apartment, and this is its latest incarnation. It's a fairly loose recipe, so feel free to experiment with whatever flavors you like. JP
• I can't believe I'm sharing my culinary secrets with outsiders...but hey, I've had two martinis and they're kicking in with my allergy medicine, so, here goes... Surlyboi's pan-seared tuna with wasabi-ginger glaze 4 6 oz. fresh Ahi tuna steaks, about 3/4-inch thick vegetable oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter 3 scallions, thinly sliced 1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice 3 Tbsp. soy sauce 1-2 Tbsp. prepared wasabi 1-2 Tbsp. grated ginger Brush tuna steaks on both sides with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Combine the butter, onion, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger and wasabi in a small pan. Heat a heavy, nonstick frying pan over high heat. Place the tuna in the pan and sear until crispy and brown. Turn over and sear the other side. Be careful not to overcook the tuna. It’s best rare to medium rare. While the tuna is cooking, heat the butter mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth and emulsified. Serve the tuna immediately, drenched with the glaze in a bowl over a bed of soba or udon noodles and a random field green like baby spinach or arugula.
• I just bookmarked this thread. Banana-cake for all.
• Ham brisket UN.
• No shit, this is a definite bookmarked thread! surlyboi, YOUR KILLING ME with that recipe. It's, like, 10:45 pm, and I am now STARVING for some tuna. You bastard!:) Quickly writes down recipe, for tomorrow Darshon will be feasting on tuna!!!
• Thanks to all for the yummy delectables. ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) Gingerbread Pancakes: Mix 1 cup hot coffee and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. When it cools, whisk in an egg and 1/2 stick of butter. Add 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and salt. Whisk some more. Leave the batter sit a while to thicken as it will be thin. Heat griddle (a drop of water should scatter over the surface). Brush with oil. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear then flip. Serve with applesauce and/or maple syrup...and a banana.
• Crystal Prawns 2 pounds medium-size prawns Marinade 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 egg whites 4 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons vegetable oil vegetable oil, for blanching Sauce 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot 2 teaspoons dry sherry 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon sugar 4 green onions, white parts only 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 1/2 teaspoons water Preperations Shell, devein, and rinse the prawns. Pat them dry, then split them in half lengthwise. Combine thoroughly the marinade ingredients in the order listed. Beat well by hand, until the marinade begins to acquire some froth. Add the prawns, toss to coat thoroughly, and let stand for ten minutes. Slice the green onion diagonally into 1/4-inch thick slices. Set aside. Oil blanching Heat a wok over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact. Add the oil and heat the oil until small bubbles form across the bottom of the pot, with a few sometimes breaking free to come to the surface (about 300 degrees F.) Stir the prawns in the marinade to separate. Slide prawns into the oil, and stir again gently, being careful to knock off as little of the coating as possible. Once the prawns are seperated in the oil, blanch for 1 minute. Remove from the oil and drain. Stir-frying Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok and turn the heat up to high. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a piece of green onion on contact, add the green onion and stir-fry until fully fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the prawns and stir-fry for about 10 seconds longer. Sprinkle over the vinegar and toss to combine. Pour over the sauce, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to keep the prawns from scorching. Thicken with the cornstarch mixture. Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a serving plate.
• Thanks, Christophine - I hadn't seen this thread. Probably only lacks a pesto recipe. ;-) Some goodish AskMeFi dips. ...and just what *is* Kiwi Black?
• ...Kiwi Black? Shoepolish
• Sheesh! I'm so naive. Wolof's going to be in Big Trouble if it doesn't taste great.
• Pantry inventory: only have Medium Brown. Will substitution work? What if I add a quarter cup of Brut?
• Let me suggest you drink the Brut, and pitch the rest.
• O.K., fish tick, here's your pesto. Eat in joy. =) And BTW, no messing around with parsley, walnuts, and safflower oil. That's what the commercial companies do.
• /hungry!
• LaGatta: I love to make pesto using arugala as a substitute for the basil. The recipe is the same otherwise, plus 1/2tsp of lemon juice. It makes for a wonderfully peppery pesto that I often use with proscuitto to top a pizza.
• A couple of family favourite desserts.... this one gets made often... Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding 1 cup of self raising flour 3/4 cups sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa mix in 2 tablespoons melted butter 1/2 cup milk flavoured with vanilla mix well and pour into baking dish (I use an 8" cake tin) over top pour 3/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa 1 1/2 cups hot water Bake in moderate oven 30 - 40 minutes. Serve pudding and sauce with cream or ice cream. Oli Boller (tradition on the Dutch side of my family) 1 sachet dried yeast ~ 300 mL luke warm milk 250g plain flour + small teaspoon sugar 25-30g glace lemon peel or lemon zest 50-60g raisins (chopped) and currants 1 apple chopped finely 1 tablespoon lemon juice Mix - adjust milk to get a stiff mixture that will drop lethargically off a spoon Cover and set aside to rise ~ 1 hour Heat about 2 inches of a bland oil (eg canola) in a pan Spoon out gobs of mixture with a spoon (about golf ball size). When they float, flip them over to finish cooking. When golden all over, remove from oil, drain, and roll in a mixture of caster sugar + cinnamon.
• Oh, I love both of those! I have a microwave recipe for the self-saucing pudding for when I crave something chocolatey and gooey. And there's a Dutch guy who runs an oliebollen stand at the local market. I buy one every time because I love the taste, but the amount of fat in them gets to me before I can finish. I always regret throwing it out, though.
• Huh - the hob mystery was solved here ages ago!
• Sounds like his oil isn't hot enough tracicle - you should give it a try at home. They're good cold for breakcast too. *hungry*
• *fast - need more coffee
• I've been self-saucing for years.
• *monocle pops out* *faints*