[Veleda]

Speaking of salmon, I tried a new approach with fresh salmon steaks recently that was great. Put the steaks on individual foil pieces on a baking sheet. Rub with lime juice, then pour over a combination of a pat of melted butter + couple tbsp of rum, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Seal up the foil into packages and let the steaks marinate about a half hour. Bake about 20 mins at 350 degrees (check so as not to overcook). Wow, so good! I don't splurge on salmon very often but this made it worth it.

[*Tommy*]

I`ve also decided to include a favorite of mine.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

TOPPING
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup melted butter

Preparation :
Mix the first 5 ingredients well and put in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish
Mix all the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes

[Guy N'wah]

*Tommy* said:

I`ve also decided to include a favorite of mine.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

TOPPING
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup melted butter

Preparation :
Mix the first 5 ingredients well and put in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish
Mix all the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top
Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes ›››

We made a sweet potato pie just like that for New Year's Day dinner. Delicious.

[gryphonosiris]

Meat Loaf with Bourbon sauce

Ingredients

6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees. Cook time is roughly 1 hour.

Bourbon sauce

4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup onion, finely diced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup bourbon
3 cups beef stock
Salt
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 4 tablespoons butter. Add garlic, mushrooms and onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until nicely browned. Add flour and mix well to form pasty roux. Slowly stir is beef stock, stiring constantly to prevent lumps. Add bourbon and parsley, and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 5 minutes as it thickens.

Serve with mashed red potatoes, and steamed asparagus tossed in butter and minced roasted garlic.

[Guy N'wah]

Lovely meatloaf. Our grocer always has ground lamb, and I think I will try yours with one-half ground lamb.

Anyway, I'm going back to basics for this one. Absolute minimal basics.

Tortilla española (Tortilla de patatas) / Spanish omelet (Potato omelet)

This is said to be siege rations, invented during the Carlist uprising at the siege of Bilbao. Olive oil is essential to it. My mother cannot abide cooking with olive oil, so this is one of the few dishes she lets me make for her.

4 to 6 medium potatoes, chopped to about 3/4-inch dice (if they're russets, I'll peel them).

6 to 8 large eggs, beaten (but not to a froth).

Olive oil (the best you can get).

Blanch the potatoes in boiling water, about 3 minutes, and drain them well. This is so they won't be undercooked when the eggs are set.

Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet, add the potatoes, and fry them until they just start to brown.

Pour the eggs over the potatoes. Fry until the eggs are set; the potatoes should be cooked through by then.

Cut and serve with salt and pepper.

[Wichat]

Guy N said:

Lovely meatloaf. Our grocer always has ground lamb, and I think I will try yours with one-half ground lamb.

Anyway, I'm going back to basics for this one. Absolute minimal basics.

Tortilla española (Tortilla de patatas) / Spanish omelet (Potato omelet)

4 to 6 medium potatoes, chopped to about 3/4-inch dice (if they're russets, I'll peel them).

6 to 8 large eggs, beaten (but not to a froth).

Olive oil (the best you can get).

Blanch the potatoes in boiling water, about 3 minutes, and drain them well. This is so they won't be undercooked when the eggs are set.

Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a skillet, add the potatoes, and fry them until they just start to brown.

Pour the eggs over the potatoes. Fry until the eggs are set; the potatoes should be cooked through by then.

Cut and serve with salt and pepper. ›››

Well, dou you mind if I correct you?

Peel the potatoes, wash, cut into thin slices, peel an onion, wash, cut into julienne strips, pour in a pan with hot olive oil, stir, over low heat, and go removing and "breaking" sheets potato with a fork every few minutes regularly. When the mixture is browned pour carefully into a bowl in which we will have beaten the eggs, previously spiced, stir until onion and potato are bathed of egg. Pour the mixture into a pan with a little oil over medium heat. After 30 or 40 seconds, turn the tortilla and end their fry.

Serve cold or hot, alone or with a salad or sauce to taste.

This is the Tortilla española which Spanish people cook and eat at our homes!! />

[Guy N'wah]

I'm used to a variation with diced potatoes and no onions, which I remember from Madrid, but I stand corrected and will make it the authentic way next time.

[Wichat]

Guy N said:

I'm used to a variation with diced potatoes and no onions, which I remember from Madrid, but I stand corrected and will make it the authentic way next time. ›››

Yes, it is a recipe usually used in restaurants and bar which serve "tapas" because they can make more quantity of tortillas quicker (Onion force to be more alert of cooking the tortilla to avoid burning it)... you know, the real (home) cooking is made with care and patience and a love. />/>

[*Tommy*]

That meat loaf sounds divine:)

[M4xw0lf]

I'm hungry, and reading this is almost painful.

[gryphonosiris]

*Tommy* said:

That meat loaf sounds divine:) ›››

It actually came from me being clever and working up some of the recipes mention in the Tex Murphy series from Access Software. There is a character name Louie LaMintz who runs a diner called The Brew and Stew, who is famous for his spicy lamb chili, meatloaf, and other classic home cooked meals.


2 cups dried elbow macaroni
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
12 oz cheddar, Gouda, or other semi-hard, yellow cheese
6 leeks, sliced
12-16 oz pancetta

Cook macaroni in unsalted water about 10 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain well.

For the cheese sauce, in a medium saucepan cook onion, leeks, and pancetta in the butter till onions and leeks are tender and the pancetta is a bit crispy. Stir in flour and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir till slightly thickened and bubbly. Add cheese, stirring till melted. Stir in cooked macaroni. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole.

Bake in a 350 oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.




And yes, I'm an evil mad scientist in the kitchen. :-D

[Pangaea]

Hmm, there were a couple of recipes in Baldur's Gate 2, but I don't think I want to try them out.

[*Tommy*]

gryphonosiris said:

And yes, I'm an evil mad scientist in the kitchen. :-D ›››

We all are

Pangaea said:

Hmm, there were a couple of recipes in Baldur's Gate 2, but I don't think I want to try them out. ›››

There was one in DAO too . But uniform grey color doesn`t count

[Guy N'wah]

We made these lamb curry pies over the weekend; they were very successful. The filling is from a recipe in the Los Angeles Times; the crust is my mother's recipe. You can make the filling in advance; it will improve with a day or two in the refrigerator. Two keys to this dish are not overcooking it and not over-handling the crust.

Filling:
Olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
4 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 lb. ground lamb
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 large potato, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 cup meat stock, whatever's handy
1/2 cup peas, frozen is OK
1/3 cup cilantro (coriander greens), chopped

Saute the onion in 2 Tbsp. oil; stir in the garam masala, cumin, and coriander, and continue to saute until just barely toasted. Add the garlic and ginger, then the ground lamb, let the meat brown briefly, then add the wine and cook until just cooked through. Turn the meat mixture out into a bowl and set aside.

Add 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan and saute the potato and carrot until they just start to brown. Add the stock and cook until just tender. Add the peas, then the meat mixture, then the cilantro, and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced; season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the filling out into a bowl, and chill unless you are going to use it immediately.

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (we use unsalted)
2/3 cup (approx.) water

The butter and water should be ice-cold. Cut the butter into the flour until it's broken up into bits the size of peas. Stir in just enough water to make the dough set up. It should be pliable but not sticky. Divide into 8 to 12 balls.

On a floured board, roll each ball out as thin as you are comfortable with. I can get 8-inch circles; your mileage may vary. Fill with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the filling (not so much that you can't fold the dough over). Fold the dough over and crimp the edge to complete each pie.

Transfer the pies to ungreased baking sheets and bake at 450F (230C) until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

[dragonbird]

One of Guy's earlier recipes inspired me to try this - I've been craving chocolate-coated ginger for about a year, but it isn't available here. So thank you, Guy.

It's modified from a couple of recipes I found on-line, takes a while to make but not a lot of effort. I suggest you start cooking it in a morning so that there's time to extend the crockpot phase if you need to.

I'm using "cup" as a measure because it's a convention for so many people. It doesn't really matter what you use - flagons, boots, jamjars, as long as it's a volume-based measure. Cooking time will not be affected, as long as it'll fit into your crockpot. The melting time for the chocolate WILL be affected though if you use a microwave.

Crockpot Ginger Candy

Ingredients:
- Enough young ginger root to be around 1 cup when peeled and sliced. Actual quantity of raw ginger will depend on the shape of the ginger, as you won't be able to use knobbly bits that are too small. You can probably use old ginger, but it would take longer to cook and may not work as well.
- Two cups of sugar
- One cup of chocolate buttons, dark or semi-sweet is recommended.

1. Peel and wash the ginger root. Slice into fairly evenly-sized pieces, about 1/4" thick and, if possible, about 1" long.
2. Boil the ginger in water on a stove for 30 minutes, then drain.
3. In a crockpot, mix 1.5 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water, and stir until dissolved. Then add the ginger.
4. Cover the crockpot and cook for around 6 hours on auto (i.e. high until it boils, then low or medium), checking and stirring it occasionally.
5. Cooking time may vary. When it's ready, the liquid and the ginger will have turned an amber colour. The ginger will still feel fairly hard, but if you test by eating a piece, the texture will have totally changed as it becomes candied.
6. Remove the ginger and spread the pieces out on one or more flat plates. Transfer the liquid into a glass container to use for something else*
7. Let the ginger cool and dry out for around 30 minutes.
8. Put some of the remaining sugar in a container, add some ginger and shake until the ginger is coated. Put the ginger back on the plate. Repeat until you've coated all of the ginger.
9. Refrigerate overnight.
10. Prepare a flat baking tray or similar by lining it with foil.
11. Melt the chocolate (microwave for around 2 minutes on low, double-boil, whatever. Just don't let it get in contact with water or start bubbling.)
12. Pour the chocolate on the lined baking tray, spread it out evenly, then add the ginger.
13. Freeze or refrigerate until it's cool, then break it up into small pieces.
14. Eat.

*It's great as a sweetener for iced tea, but I'm sure you can think of other uses. TIL: it's also fucking hot, so either leave it in the crockpot until it cools, or make sure that the container can take it.

[slimgrin]

Pie crusts terrify me, otherwise I'd be all over that Lamb Curry, good god it sounds delicious.

[Guy N'wah]

slimgrin said:

Pie crusts terrify me, otherwise I'd be all over that Lamb Curry, good god it sounds delicious. ›››

This pie crust is easier. The Lasagna Queen and her family prefer it, though I find it thicker and coarser than mine. It is also more reliable when you have to bake a pie shell "blind" for, say, a cream or custard pie.

Never-Fail Pie Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 egg
2 tsp. vinegar
1/4 cup water

Blend the shortening into the flour until it is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Beat the egg with vinegar and water; pour into the flour and mix. Roll out on a floured board or between sheets of wax paper.

[Pangaea]

Don't know how to make this, but it looks good.

[gryphonosiris]

Apfel-streudel

1 pound sweet apples -- peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 slices brown bread, crumbled
1/2 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough or Puff Pastry
1/4 cup butter, melted

Optional: 3 Teaspoons of Dark Rum

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a bowl, combine apples, raisins, cinnamon, sugar and bread crumbs. Stir well.

Spread 8 sheets of pastry generously with melted butter and lay them on atop the other on a baking sheet. Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the top sheet, then roll the sheets up to form a log shape. Brush with melted butter again.

Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and fruit is tender.

[dragonbird]

Help!

I've accidentally found myself with a rather large quantity of freshly-grated coconut. I'm freezing most of it, but I need some recipe ideas (Most of the ones found while googling might SAY "fresh coconut" in the title, but they turn out to be coconut milk, coconut cream, anything except the meat.)

It cost me less than a dollar, so I'm prepared to throw it away if necessary, but I really would like to use it. And it's stupid - 20 years in the tropics and I have no idea what to do with it. In Singapore we mainly had young coconuts, sold for drinking, not eating.