115 replies to this topic

[kayswv]

From the Tapas party as requested:

Almond Sauced Cold Mussels

3-4 pounds Mussels

Sauce:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 slice of white bread, broken into small pieces
20 almonds, toasted
salt and pepper to taste

Clean the mussels, removing beards. Using a wide-bottomed pan over a moderate temperature and working in batches, cook mussels just until opened. Add a layer of mussels to the pan, shake the pan continuously to prevent the mussels from burning. This will only take a few minutes per batch.

When all the mussels are cooked and cool enough to handle, remove one shell from each mussel and discard. Place the shell half with the mussel on a serving platter.

To prepare the sauce, add all the sauce ingredients at once to a blender and mix until well blended.

Spoon sauce over each mussel individually. Allow dish to sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before covering and chilling.

Kay

[Eden]

Mom's Buttermilk Pie

1-1/3 cups sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 9" unbaked pie crust*

Whiz everything (but the pie crust) in a blender.
[Don't add the warm butter right on top of the eggs, otherwise the order doesn't matter.]
Pour filling into pie crust.
Bake at 425º for 15 minutes, then without opening oven lower the temperature to 350 º and bake for 35 more minutes.
Refrigerate and serve when cool.


*James' pie crust (scaled down)
1 lb flour
6.4 oz crisco (this is why we still need trans-fats!)
1.8 tsp salt
3.2 oz ice water

MAKE ICE WATER FIRST
set aside 1 oz of the flour for rolling.

mix everything by hand in a large bowl.
cover w/plastic wrap & let rest about 10 minutes.
Roll out, using flour set aside earlier.


Edited to add that my mom was appalled that I would tell y'all to use Crisco, and she reccommends a butter crust instead

[Shalmanese]

Five Spice Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lb of Chicken Wings
2 tbsp of Five Spice Powder
4 tbsp of Dark Soy Sauce
1 tbsp of Oil
1 thumb of Ginger
2 cups of Coca Cola
Spring Onions and Cilantro to garnish

Blanch 2lbs of chicken wings by adding them to some boiling water and waiting for it to come back to the boil again for 5 minutes. Drain the wings and rinse well until they are completely cooled off and then let them drain dry. Add the five spice powder and soy sauce and marinate overnight. The next day, chop the ginger into slivers and lightly fry in some oil and then add in the chicken wings. Stir fry for about 2 minutes and then deglaze the pan with the Coca Cola. Let it slowly braise with the cover off until the liquid has reduced down to a thick syrupy glaze. Season to taste and then serve with some roughly chopped spring onions and cilantro.

[Ling]

modified Red-cooked pork belly recipe (original recipe from Braising with Molly)

We don't really measure whenever we make this, but this recipe is very forgiving and always tastes about the same.

-a 3" piece of ginger, cut into big pieces
-couple scallion cut into large pieces
-2 cinnamon sticks (or just use a heaping tsp of cinnamon)
-2 oz rock sugar or 1/4 cup brown sugar
-2 star anise
-couple squirts of sambal ooelek (sometimes we also use red pepper flakes)
-1/2 tsp five spice powder
-1/4 cup shao xing wine
-1/2 cup dark soy sauce
-about 5 cups of reduced sodium chicken stock, plus maybe 1-2 cups of water (the sauce reduces a lot and can get too salty if you don't thin it out)
-2 pounds pork belly cut into 1" x 2" rough cubes

Put everything into a pot and boil until spices infuse (15 min). Turn heat down to medium and braise for 3 hours with the lid covered. (Check on it to see that it doesn't burn...if the sauce reduces too much, add some water.) Leave the lid off and braise for 1 more hour and have it on medium-low, until the sauce reduces to a syrupy consistency. Check the meat...if it's not super tender, braise it for another 1/2 hour.

[Abra]

Lorna, I can't remember. Do you use the rind of the belly or remove it? Those sandwiches you made for us with this were sensational.

Oh, also, when you say reduced chicken stock, can you be more specific about the level of reduction?

[GourmetLight$]

Zuppa Toscana Soup (Sausage, Kale and Potato)

4-6 cups homemade chicken stock
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced yellow onion
1/2 lb smoked bacon - chopped
2 garlic cloves - minced
2 lg russet potatoes - cubed
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt/pepper to taste

Brown sausage, breaking into small pieces; drain and set aside. Brown bacon; drain and set aside. Saute onions until soft; add garlic and cook another minute. In large pot, add onions, garlic, potatoes, chicken stock, crushed red peppers, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until potatoes are tender, about half an hour. Add in sausage and bacon; remove from heat and add cream and kale. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Cheers,

[Lauren]

One more question for Henry and Lorna: Did you start off with the pan you brought to the party or did you do the initial braise in a larger pot and transfer it to that one once the pork belly "shrunk" in size?

[Ling]

Lorna, I can't remember. Do you use the rind of the belly or remove it? Those sandwiches you made for us with this were sensational.

Oh, also, when you say reduced chicken stock, can you be more specific about the level of reduction?

Oops, I've edited it--I meant reduced SODIUM chicken stock. Sorry! Yes we leave the rind on.

We did the initial braise in a larger pot, then transferred it to the smaller pan.

[rockdoggydog]

The new and improved Mapo Tofu recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground meat
1 cup chopped garlic
1/3 cup minced shallots or onions
3 tsp hot bean sauce (the stuff in the blue can, I will post a picture later)
3 tsp hot chili paste (adjust to taste, but this dish is meant to be spicy)
1/4 cup Shao Xing wine (you can use sake or dry sherry as well)
2 cups firm tofu, large dice
1 cup dark soy sauce
1 tsp white pepper
Sesame oil
2 tsp corn starch (make a slurry)
1 tsp sugar
2 cups water
2 tbs vegetable oil

Equipment:

1 wok
1 wok shovel

Mis en place is very important for this as things can go very fast once you get started

1. Heat wok on high heat until it's blazing hot then add oil
2. Wait until oil begins to smoke a little bit and add garlic and shallots, give quick stir immediately
3. As soon as shallots and garlic begin to brown (about three seconds) add ground meat
4. Cook meat through and add soy sauce, bean paste, chili paste, keep stirring for about 1 minute
5. Add tofu and keep stirring for about 1 minute
6. Add wine and keep stirring for another minute
7. Bring to boil add white pepper and sugar and taste and adjust, add water if needed or if you want lots of sauce
8. Thicken with corn starch and drizzle a little sesame oil to add fragrance

You can garnish with scallions and have it with noodles instead of rice

Rocky

[Leslie]

Thank you all for posting the recipes...more please...especially the chocolate cake .

Evelyn, at the potluck, Fred said the recipe for his Chocolate Cake came from the following eG thread Finding the best Chocolate Cake recipe. But, as to which recipe in that thread, I don't know. Hopefully Fred or someone that knows can chime in here.

[Leslie]

My Braised Lamb with Flageolet Beans dish is from a combination of recipes including from Sara Moulton ~ Foodnetwork/Gourmet, Patricia Wells ~ Bistro Cooking/Le Perraudin's Braised Lamb with White Beans, and Spring Lamb and Flageolet ~ Rancho Gordo's site. I used Heirloom Flageolets from Rancho Gordo, which had a creamy texture that paired well with the lamb.

Braised Lamb with Flageolet Beans

Beans:

1 pound Rancho Gordo flageolet beans (soaked 4-6 hours)
2 small carrots, chopped fine
2 celery stalks, chopped fine
1 med. sweet onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 cups chicken broth
water
2 T butter
couple sprigs of thyme (optional)
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper

Prepare the beans: After soaking beans (4-6 hours), drain and place in a dutch oven. Add the mirepoix (chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic), herbs, broth, butter and enough water to cover by an inch or so. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, but not mushy, about an hour, adding additional water (heated to boiling) as needed to keep beans covered while cooking. When done remove bay leaf. Beans can be prepared the day ahead.

Lamb:

4-5 lbs Lamb shoulder chops (arm and blade chops, supplemented with neck also, if available)
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped coarse
3 carrots, chopped coarse
2 celery ribs, chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves, chopped coarse
4 cups red wine
6 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoon tomato paste
a few fresh thyme sprigs

To make the lamb: Heat oil over medium-high heat in an 8 qt heavy pan (ie. wide Calphalon dutch oven). Salt and pepper the lamb. When the oil is hot but not smoking, brown lamb in batches, without crowding, transferring to a plate as browned. To pan add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and saute until onion is softened. Return lamb to pan and add wine, broth, tomato paste and thyme. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring and turning lamb occasionally for 1 hour or so. Uncover and simmer until meat is tender, another 1/2 hour or so.

Transfer meat to a plate and keep warm (you can take the meat off the bones if you like), covered with foil. Strain the braising liquid, and skim off fat. Pour the skimmed braising liquid into a pan and reduce until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon the sauce over the lamb and beans. Sprinkle with Gremolata. ( or Fay's Relish, using chopped cilantro, recipe on RG's site).

Gremolata:
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leafed)
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
4 garlic cloves, minced

[Rebecca]

To serve, spoon the sauce over the lamb and beans. Sprinkle with Gremolata. ( or Fay's Relish, using chopped cilantro, recipe on RG's site).

Gremolata:
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leafed)
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
4 garlic cloves, minced

And substitue orange zest and combine lemon and orange zest for variation

[Leslie]

To serve, spoon the sauce over the lamb and beans. Sprinkle with Gremolata. ( or Fay's Relish, using chopped cilantro, recipe on RG's site).

Gremolata:
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (preferably flat-leafed)
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
4 garlic cloves, minced

And substitue orange zest and combine lemon and orange zest for variation

The combo with orange zest sounds great. I made the regular gremolata for the potluck, but preferred Fay's Relish when I previously made the dish. Hubby does not like cilantro though, as do a number of people. But for those who do like cilantro, I highly recommend using it. Yum.

Here is a cut and paste of Fay's Relish from Rancho Gordo site:

Fay's Relish (or Cilantro Gremolata):
1 Large bunch of Cilantro
1 medium shallot
2 cloves garlic
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch of salt
splash of olive oil

Instructions, per Fay: Chop, chop, chop!

[Fred Rowe]

Ok here is the recipe for Scott Wolley's Fudge Chocolate Cake.

Scott Wolley Fudge Brownie Cake, yield: 2, 9" rounds

Sift together:
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. cocoa ( I used Penzey’s non duched but any good cocoa will do)
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
reserve.

Cream until light and fluffy:
3/4 c. butter
with
2 c. sugar

Then add: until creamy:
3 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
2/3 c. veg. oil
2 tsp. vanilla

Then mix in your dry ingredients from above:

To this you add:
1 1/2 c, boiling water ( I added 1 ½ T of expresso powder).
Nuts are optional

I baked the batter in two 9 by 2 inch pans fitted with wet cake strips and in the middle of the oven

Directions: Now here’s the weird part. The author recommends 275-300F oven and NOT hotter. The finished cakes are allowed to cool in the pans for ONLY exactly 5 minutes and then you turn them out and wrap them in plastic wrap, sealing them. This step can't be omitted, it does steam the cake and that does make the cake better then if you air cooled it. ( I then put the cakes in the freezer for 12 hours or longer) Be for warned this cake does not rise high in the pan, it will be pretty close to the level of batter when finished. (I did use wet cake strips around the 9 inch pans so as to limit doming and cracking of the tops) This cake can be baked in any size pan with-out changes to the recipe. Baking time is about 40 minutes but will depend upon the size of pan and the size and heat of the oven. Test for done ness in the usual way. The frosting is your choice.

The whole forum thread can be found on egullet under the title of " Finding the Best Chocolate Cake recipe" and the particular post for the recipe is #9

.

[Evelyn]

Thank you Fred!

One question. What is a "wet cake strip"? (I'd check the eG thread but since they banned me I don't go there )