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Source: (consider it) Thread: Heaven: Pot Luck: Recipes 2016
Clarence
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I think we need at least three weekends of family parties with pulled pork now. Thank you - knew the Ship would provide [Overused]

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Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
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Not recipes as such; more a reminder that there are simple things that can transform a meal.

Thing 1. A striking ingredient. On its own, a fairly boring plate of leftover chicken, rice and vegetables. With chunks of authentic Spanish chorizo - paella to die for.

Thing 2. Flavour meld. Diced potato, peppers, onions, wild boar sausages. Have them spend long enough in the oven, with a glug of white wine or stock added at some point, and the result is yummy - particularly the potatoes, which have soaked up the flavours from everything else.

I'm hoping Thing 3 will be fresh herb, as I have just put some lamb on to roast with a fair amount of rosemary from the garden.

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Piglet
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Re: Thing 1: yes yes yes. And if possible add a prawn or several.

Thing 2 is what D. and I had for lunch yesterday, and is known chez Piglet as The Sausage Thing. We do it in a shallow casserole on top of the stove - brown the sausages first in a little olive oil, then take them out and chop them up, cook the onions, peppers and potatoes (we used little red and white salad potatoes cut in half) and some garlic in the oil. Put the sausages back, cover and cook gently until the potatoes are done.

Thing 3: If my experience with lamb and rosemary is anything to go by, you won't be disappointed. I never put mint anywhere near it, but rosemary + lamb = heaven. [Smile]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
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I hovered over the mint as I was coming in with the rosemary. But I think it will get the usual lemon/garlic/onion/herb infused juices gussied up with a little wine and stock.

Must go now and roast the potatoes.

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Lothlorien
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Very popular down here is leg of lamb studded with garlic and rosemary. Then baked and good homemade mint sauce is heavenly with lamb. Commercial sauce? No way.

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Moo

Ship's tough old bird
# 107

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I have some ground almonds that are approaching their use-by date. I bought them on impulse with no clear idea of what I was going to do with them.

I used some as a substitute for flour in an apple-crisp topping. I would appreciate any suggestions for what I can do with the rest.

Moo

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Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
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They can be used as a thickener in a lot of Asian dishes - like this Chicken Korma
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
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I would think they'd be great in baklava or mixed into banana bread. Or take the basic banana bread recipe but substitute something else for the bananas that you think would taste good with almonds. I'm thinking orange flavor, maybe?

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Welease Woderwick

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Add them to some sugar and add to hot milk to make Badam (almond) Milk - if you can add a tiny dab of saffron it will make it even better.

Yummy!

--------------------
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Piglet
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I've just tried my hand at making mi-cuit tomatoes - we bought a huge pack of toms at Costco the other day and realistically we probably couldn't eat them all before they start to wrinkle and die.

Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F

Wash the tomatoes, cut in half and put them, cut-side up, on a lightly-oiled baking sheet.

Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and a few fresh or dried herbs of your choice (I used dried herbes de Provence, as that's what I had).

Turn the oven down to 120°C/250°F, put them in and cook for about 1½ hours, checking them every half-an-hour or so.

Put into a jar, add a couple of peeled cloves of garlic and cover with olive oil, making sure they're covered to a depth of about an inch.

They should keep for a few weeks in the fridge (although the recipe said the oil would solidify, so you need to take it out to let it come to room temperature).

I'm hoping they'll make a nice accompaniment to charcuterie and French bread - I'll let you know how it goes.

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Brenda Clough
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What are they like, when they've cooked enough? Leathery? Soupy? Dry?

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Gee D
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quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
I have some ground almonds that are approaching their use-by date. I bought them on impulse with no clear idea of what I was going to do with them.

I used some as a substitute for flour in an apple-crisp topping. I would appreciate any suggestions for what I can do with the rest.

Moo

Use to coat pork/veal/chicken in place of the usual breadcrumbs, then fry in hot oil.

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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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Roasted almonds sprinkled on top of lightly steamed, fresh green beans are always good. Add a good grind of pepper. You could try the meal.

I sometimes whip an egg, add some ricotta or cream and gently stir in almond meal to thicken a bit. Cook gently in buttered pan. Grated cheese makes a good addition. Flip to cook both sides. This is very filling.

[ 20. September 2016, 05:03: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

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Ariel
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quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
I have some ground almonds that are approaching their use-by date. I bought them on impulse with no clear idea of what I was going to do with them.

Almond shortbread, or that chocolate fridge cake with cocoa, ground almonds, broken biscuits, etc that needs no cooking. Rich, and deeply satisfying.

I've also done a Moroccan chicken recipe with honey, almonds, lemon, onions and spices made into a kind of coating for the chicken pieces - not particularly hot but full of flavour and quite aromatic.

If you like the idea of a mild curry you could use them in chicken or prawn korma, which will give you flavour and not much heat.

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Brenda Clough
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Make a fruit tart, and use the ground almonds to make a frangipane base.

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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page

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Moo

Ship's tough old bird
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quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
...or that chocolate fridge cake with cocoa, ground almonds, broken biscuits, etc that needs no cooking. Rich, and deeply satisfying.

Would you please post a recipe for that. I've never had it and it sounds delicious.

Moo

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Piglet
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quote:
Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
What are they like, when they've cooked enough? Leathery? Soupy? Dry?

Not really any of those things - they're sort of squishy. The recipe said not to bother removing the seeds, so I didn't, but I think they may have been better if I had, as they'd have been a bit drier and easier to eat. I had a couple of the halves with bread and cheese when they were just cooled down, and they were really rather nice.

I'm rather looking forward to having the tomato-y oil for dipping bread into once we've eaten all the toms. [Smile]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Ariel
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Moo - it's called "Torrone Molle" and if the recipe below doesn't appeal there are a lot of variations on this theme, some of which involve golden syrup, chopped nuts, orange-flower water, etc., so a search for either "torrone molle" or "chocolate fridge cake" may turn up something more to your liking. This is the one that I have made and I suggest half quantities if you're on your own and just making it for yourself. I did get through the full size one but took a while. I also adjusted the sugar content as I prefer them to be a bit less sweet.

8 oz unsalted butter, softened
8 oz granulated sugar
4 oz good cocoa powder (if you like dark chocolate, go for the unsweetened kind)
1 fresh egg and 1 egg yolk - as this doesn't involve any cooking make sure the eggs are as fresh as you can get.
4 oz of ground almonds
4 oz of plain biscuits, broken into small pieces. The biscuits should be like English "Rich Tea" biscuits, digestives are too thick.
2-3 Tbs brandy or rum (optional)

1. Cream together butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
2. Add cocoa, a little at a time until all is absorbed.
3. Beat egg and egg yolk together lightly and add slowly to the mixture until well mixed.
4. Add all the rest, mix well and spoon into a 12" loaf tin lined with greaseproof paper. There is nothing to stop you making it in little individual tins or pots if you prefer.
5. Refrigerate overnight or for at least for 4 hours.
6. It usually looks a bit inelegant in the tin but will taste fine, so probably best to turn it out and cut it into neat chunks or slices. It is very rich. It will keep in the fridge for a few days.

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Stercus Tauri
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On an impulse, I picked up a basket of hard green tomatoes at the market the other day. I'm going to make a huge pot of vegetable curry with them and freeze some of it for the winter. The concept of a recipe is something I've never been able to grasp very well, so this will consist of whatever is fresh, and whatever spices appeal to me at the moment.

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Welease Woderwick

Sister Incubus Nightmare
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quote:
Originally posted by Stercus Tauri:
...The concept of a recipe is something I've never been able to grasp very well, so this will consist of whatever is fresh, and whatever spices appeal to me at the moment.

Where is the Like button?

--------------------
I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details

What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?

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Lothlorien
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Sometimes I feel uneasy if i post a recipe here. It usually is more of an idea or a record of what I did than an actual recipe. DIL's mother still cannot cook without following recipe exactly and the concept that it is an idea someone had, sits uneasily with her. She once went out on a very hot day because recipe said to serve with fresh green beans. We had loads of salad ingredients, lots of other greens, but no beans. Her daughter has finally broken the habits of her upbringing but she found it hard. My son throws things together because he can instinctively tell what will go with what. She used to envy him, but is now doing it herself.

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Pigwidgeon

Ship's Owl
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I normally use a recipe, but I delete and add ingredients as I wish. However, today is my annual batch of pasta sauce, which will be divided into small containers to be frozen for use over the next several months. I'm the only one who will ever taste it, so I make it up as I go along. After it has spent hours in my slow cooker, one thing I can guarantee is that my house will smell wonderful.
[Smile]

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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf

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Penny S
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quote:
Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
quote:
Originally posted by Stercus Tauri:
...The concept of a recipe is something I've never been able to grasp very well, so this will consist of whatever is fresh, and whatever spices appeal to me at the moment.

Where is the Like button?
I rather share this attitude when it comes to soup. Cakes, where chemistry is involved, are another matter. My freezer is full of soups, mostly unlabelled apart from stating the liquid, in case I need to feed vegetarians. Veggies as available, plus stock and/or whey, plus any flavourings that seem fitting, though I usually add those at the heating up stage. I cannot get my mind round the idea of a recipe book entirely dedicated to soup - though I might go for a tomato soup recipe if I came across one.
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Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
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I have here 400 Soups. While I agree with your method (and practice it myself), I don't think I would ever spontaneously come up with eg Cucumber and Yoghurt with Walnuts or Curried Celery or Artichoke with Anchovy, Peanut and Potato - or any number of other soups from around the world.

I sometimes improvise a 'Thai' soup - but only because I did once look at a recipe for Tom Yam.

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Ariel
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I follow a time-honoured tradition where I'm not bothered about specifying quantities, times or cooking temperatures, and happy to substitute whatever's closest. The phenomenon of precise recipes is relatively new; for centuries our ancestors managed with "Take ye some X, adde Y an yt be in Seasonne, an yt bee Not, take what thou wilt, sprynkle with Z then boyle/rost hem untyl dunne."

There are times, however, when precision is essential and there can be no substitutes but mostly you can get away with it.

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Penny S
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# 14768

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I rather like River Cottage's Chocolate and Beetroot Brownies - but I altered the recipe. Not the quantities. But at one point it requires very hot chocolate stirred into beaten egg, and I feared scrambling, so I mixed the egg into the flour etc before the chocolate. It still came out as very tasty brownies.

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/chocolate-and-beetroot-brownies

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Piglet
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I've really got a trotter in both camps when it comes to recipes; I like to have instructions in the first instance, but I will make substitutions once I've got used to a particular recipe according to what's in the fridge or what takes my fancy.

My mum used to make what she called "head soup", i.e. made with whatever came into her head. As I recall, it was invariably delicious.

While I can understand the "any spices will do" idea, I'm always a wee bit wary of putting a combination together that just doesn't go, and not discovering this until it's too late.

We once had an otherwise very nice meal in an Indian restaurant, and (as you do) we shared everything, but two of the dishes just didn't get on with each other, and taken together (or even one mouthful after the other) didn't taste at all nice, although they were lovely individually.

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Moo

Ship's tough old bird
# 107

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quote:
Originally posted by Ariel
The phenomenon of precise recipes is relatively new; for centuries our ancestors managed with "Take ye some X, adde Y an yt be in Seasonne, an yt bee Not, take what thou wilt, sprynkle with Z then boyle/rost hem untyl dunne."

I have a reproduction of a medieval cookbook. My sister-in-law and I were planning to cook a meal using only those recipes.

Then we wondered exactly what we were supposed to do with the instruction, 'Add a goodlie quantity of cinnamon, but not too much.' (This was a meat dish.) We decided we didn't want to put forth the effort to produce a meal that might prove inedible.

Moo

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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.

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Clarence
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# 9491

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quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:


My mum used to make what she called "head soup", i.e. made with whatever came into her head. As I recall, it was invariably delicious.


What your mum called "head soup" is similar to our "unique soup". It's unique because, unlike things made from recipes, I can never make it again in the same way, usually because it starts as the pureed leftovers from another dish (or two), with whatever else is to hand, including a possible glug of sherry or brandy to liven it up. Great for that Sunday night easy meal.

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I scraped my knees while I was praying - Paramore

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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel
The phenomenon of precise recipes is relatively new; for centuries our ancestors managed with "Take ye some X, adde Y an yt be in Seasonne, an yt bee Not, take what thou wilt, sprynkle with Z then boyle/rost hem untyl dunne."

I have a reproduction of a medieval cookbook. My sister-in-law and I were planning to cook a meal using only those recipes.

Then we wondered exactly what we were supposed to do with the instruction, 'Add a goodlie quantity of cinnamon, but not too much.' (This was a meat dish.) We decided we didn't want to put forth the effort to produce a meal that might prove inedible.

Moo

I have just used some sausages which were pork, apple and cinnamon. Very good they were too. Cinnamon was just right, smelt wonderful in cooking, tasted fine. Commercial, not my recipe.

--------------------
Buy a bale. Help our Aussie rural communities and farmers. Another great cause needing support The High Country Patrol.

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Latchkey Kid
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quote:
Originally posted by Clarence:
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:


My mum used to make what she called "head soup", i.e. made with whatever came into her head. As I recall, it was invariably delicious.


What your mum called "head soup" is similar to our "unique soup". It's unique because, unlike things made from recipes, I can never make it again in the same way, usually because it starts as the pureed leftovers from another dish (or two), with whatever else is to hand, including a possible glug of sherry or brandy to liven it up. Great for that Sunday night easy meal.
We also make this one a lot.

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'You must never give way for an answer. An answer is always the stretch of road that's behind you. Only a question can point the way forward.'
Mika; in Hello? Is Anybody There?, Jostein Gaardner

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Latchkey Kid
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# 12444

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quote:
Originally posted by Lothlorien:
quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel
The phenomenon of precise recipes is relatively new; for centuries our ancestors managed with "Take ye some X, adde Y an yt be in Seasonne, an yt bee Not, take what thou wilt, sprynkle with Z then boyle/rost hem untyl dunne."

I have a reproduction of a medieval cookbook. My sister-in-law and I were planning to cook a meal using only those recipes.

Then we wondered exactly what we were supposed to do with the instruction, 'Add a goodlie quantity of cinnamon, but not too much.' (This was a meat dish.) We decided we didn't want to put forth the effort to produce a meal that might prove inedible.

Moo

I have just used some sausages which were pork, apple and cinnamon. Very good they were too. Cinnamon was just right, smelt wonderful in cooking, tasted fine. Commercial, not my recipe.
Cinnamon can lose its flavour, so you just add enough to get the cinnamon flavour you want, and that will vary from person to person.
Chili heat is very personal. LKKelderson always carries a bottle to add to any dish.
I have many recipes for Garam Masala, but my own is a variant of a few of them, and I always add much more than the recipes state.

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'You must never give way for an answer. An answer is always the stretch of road that's behind you. Only a question can point the way forward.'
Mika; in Hello? Is Anybody There?, Jostein Gaardner

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Gee D
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I became interested in cooking and food at an early age. My first efforts went tolerably well, no-one died and a few came back later for another try. Then I turned to Mastering the Art etc and really learnt the very basics of basics, how to put a proper dish together. From that I moved onto Elizabeth David, her stories and descriptions, and learnt how to turn all the technical detail I'd taken in, and the ability to cook a precise dish, into working out how to have variations, what would work and what would not. That was about the stage that Madame and I got together for the second time. We split again, but I kept that method of cooking.

By the time we finally made it, we were both cooking pretty much in the same manner and the same sort of things. We'd learnt to avoid later fashions such as the forests of chopped coriander leaves on top of everything, the sliced red chillies and raw onions over sweet soufflés and so forth. The lesson is to learn the techniques, and then learn the feel of various cuisines.

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Ariel
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# 58

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quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
I have a reproduction of a medieval cookbook. My sister-in-law and I were planning to cook a meal using only those recipes.

Then we wondered exactly what we were supposed to do with the instruction, 'Add a goodlie quantity of cinnamon, but not too much.' (This was a meat dish.) We decided we didn't want to put forth the effort to produce a meal that might prove inedible.

You don’t have to. This is the beauty of medieval recipes, you just put in as much or as little as you want – probably more than the tiny pinch many modern recipes suggest but you do it to taste. This is how medieval cooks would have worked themselves. There are Middle Eastern recipes that call for cinnamon in meat dishes and they are good.

I’ve seen attempts to modernize medieval recipes and they are usually a disaster ("add 6 eggs" or "pour in half a pint of vinegar"). Interpret to suit yourself and you will be within the spirit of it.

[ 23. September 2016, 07:32: Message edited by: Ariel ]

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Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
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AND you have an infallible way of knowing if the pan or griddle is hot enough - spit on it, and if the spit bounces...

Tasting as you go is a thing recipes never mention. Whereas if you watch food porn programmes, they do it all the time, and are frequently commended for it.

If you were being paranoid about it you could say it's not in the interests of the processed food companies to encourage us to develop our our judgment because then we would reject the coarsened palette of synthetic flavours they offer.

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Ariel
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quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Tasting as you go is a thing recipes never mention. Whereas if you watch food porn programmes, they do it all the time, and are frequently commended for it.

I always do that. I can't understand people who don't - it's an essential way of checking that you're on the right lines, recipes aren't infallible (and neither is experimentation) and the tried and tested can go wrong even with the best intentions. Would they really serve up food cooked "blind" to guests?
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Gee D
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Only a pie base.

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Ariel
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Spanish Baked Eggs (huevos a la flamenca) (serves 1)

Fry half a finely chopped red pepper (non-hot sort) and half an onion in some olive oil for about 10 mins. Then add some finely chopped garlic, fry briefly then add a couple of fresh tomatoes, grated, or half a small tin of chopped tomatoes. Add a generous amount of smoked paprika and fry it all gently for about 15 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Put into a ramekin or individual baking dish, break 2 eggs on top, place 2 slices of Serrano ham on top, some chorizo if wanted and a handful of peas. Bake for about 10 mins in a hot oven until the eggs are set but still runny.

The recipe suggests you serve it with crusty bread, but I left out the chorizo and peas and found it quite filling by itself. You do have to watch the eggs though as they cook quite quickly.

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Lothlorien
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That sounds like something I make occasionally. Really good. I cannot eat eggs with runny yolks, my stomach rebels at first mouthful, so time cooking does not matter to me. Lots of tasty ingredients.

I often have eggs for breakfast so enjoy different ways of preparing them. Lately I have been sprinkling fried eggs in the pan with good chilli flakes and some basil. I enjoy this too.

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Piglet
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# 11803

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We've all heard of an Omelette Arnold Bennett (which I believe has smoked haddock and cream).

I make something I call an Omelette Gordon Bennett: [Big Grin]

For 2:

Turn the grill to High.

Chop half an onion, half a red pepper and a few rashers of bacon, slice a few mushrooms* and fry them in a little oil and butter with a pinch of salt over a medium heat, until the onion starts to become transparent.

Meanwhile, beat 6 eggs with salt, pepper and a pinch of herbes de Provence.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the eggs, drawing in the edges so that the uncooked egg runs into the channels, until the top is almost cooked.

Grate a few ounces of well-flavoured cheese and slice a tomato (or more, depending on size). Sprinkle the omelette with the cheese, arrange the tomato slices artfully on top and finish under the grill until the cheese is melted.

Divide in half and serve straight away.

Simple but really rather yummy. [Smile]

* or any combination of meat and/or veggies according to (a) your preferences or (b) what's lurking in your fridge.

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Welease Woderwick

Sister Incubus Nightmare
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That sounds:

a] delicious and scrummy; and

b] a sort of version of a Frittatta - and any omelette that doesn't need folding gets my vote as I am notoriously mal-adept at that part!

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Jengie jon

Semper Reformanda
# 273

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I am wondering if this thread can inspire me. I am on a bit of a fitness lark; well wanting to rely more on proper food and less on snacks for nutrition. To this end, I am trying to get myself to have soup and a sandwich at lunch time about twice a week, with the soup being homemade (I will make batches and freeze). I am wanting largely vegetable based soups (as the sandwiches are likely to be fish or meat based) and I do not take cream or milk.

I already have an easy lentil and tomato one, and am experimenting at present with a black bean and kale one. Any other suggestions?

Jengie

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Piglet
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My default soup recipe is very simple, but really quite good. I make it with home-made chicken stock (dead easy to make if you've got the carcass of a roast chicken), but I don't see why it wouldn't work with veggie stock if you want to remain meatless.

Peel and chop:
1 large or 2 small onions
4 medium or 2 large carrots
2 large or 3 medium potatoes
1 celery stick (optional)*

About 1½ - 2 pints of chicken or veggie stock

A couple of handfuls of soup pulses

Heat a little oil in a large pot and add the veggies along with a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper and a generous pinch of thyme and/or mixed herbs. Stir to get them coated, then cover and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes to let them "sweat".

Turn up the heat, add the hot stock and the soup pulses (I usually buy a ready-mixed bag with green and yellow split peas, lentils and barley).

Bring back to the boil, stir and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, partly covered, for about 1½ - 2 hours or until the veggies are tender and the pulses are cooked.

Taste to check the seasoning and serve (although it's almost better if you can leave it overnight and re-heat it, as the flavours have time to develop). It freezes beautifully.

* You can obviously change the veggie combinations according to what you have and what you like - you could add parsnips, turnips, leeks or whatever root veggies take your fancy.

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Jengie jon

Semper Reformanda
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You have got me thinking. I make a very similar sweetpotato one but which pulse to add?

Jengie

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Firenze

Ordinary decent pagan
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Moving into winter, there's the spiced root vegetable eg onion + parsnip + veg stock + curry powder. Cook until vegetables are soft, liquidise. You can substitute butternut squash for parsnip, chilli for curry.
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Curiosity killed ...

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I make mainly make veggie soups and I tend to avoid both dairy and gluten from habit and so batches in the freezer are suitable for my daughter:
  • the one we call three root soup - carrot, parsnip and swede, all diced, sweated in oil with an onion. Add stock, cook until soft. The recipe suggests liquidising about half to give a creamy soup with some chunks, but I don't always bother.
  • cavolo nero soup - the version I use has potatoes and haricot beans and totally ignores dairy (although possibly that's just me when I make it)
  • a spicy lentil soup - with whole spices and a slice of lemon floating on top
  • curried parsnip soup - using the natural creaminess of the parsnips to make that into a smooth soup;
  • pumpkin or butternut squash soup using spices to flavour - if I make pumpkin, I roast the seeds to scatter on top - I usually make the pumpkin version at this time of year;
  • minestrone soup - variations of tomatoes and vegetables - I make a version with rice not pasta - I think that one is in Delia Smith;
  • mulligatawny soup - lots of versions are vegetarian and use courgettes, so I think autumn when I remember this one;
  • another much loved Delia recipe is her apple, celery and tomato soup;
  • a quick pea soup using frozen peas
Sorry, all the recipes are in books at home, not with me.

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Huia
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My favourite chickpea soup.

2 cups dried chickpeas, picked over, washed, and drained
2 medium-sized onions, peeled, and chopped
2 medium-sized boiling potatoes, peeled, and cut into ½ -inch dice
salt, to taste
½ t. ground turmeric
1 t. ground cumin seeds
1 t. ground coriander seeds
1/8 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

2 T. lemon juice (If you decide to use it - I don't)

Soak the chickpeas in 8 cups of water for 12 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Put the chickpeas, onions, and 8 cups water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover partially, turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add the potatoes, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on very low heat for another 1 ½ hours. Stir a few times during this period. Check seasonings. Add the black pepper and lemon juice. Stir to mix.

I puree this with the hand blender which means the heat is more evenly distributed – when I didn’t I found the chickpeas themselves were far hotter than the liquid they were floating in.

Admittedly it's a bit of a pain to make, but it makes enough for 6 so it's worth the effort.

Huia

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Barnabas Aus
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Firenze, I make something similar, but often use kumera [red sweet potato] as the root vegetable, and mild curry paste. We also have several different varieties of pumpkin which are excellent. For a creamy soup, add a can or two of coconut cream. Very popular for church suppers.
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927

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Barnabas, I make something very similar and use korma paste in it which gives a well rounded flavour. (Brand starting with P... is good). When I made it in a canteen it was very popular. The students there loved my soups and on a day like today, well over 30 degrees Celsius, they would still ask for soup.

Potato and leek is easy and delicious and can be blended. I have made cauliflower and leek for myself several times this winter. I did not blend but mashed it down with a potato masher so there was still some texture to it. Mushroom soup was popular too with students.

Occasionally I will make small dumplings to cook in the soup or tiny meatballs. Adds to flavour and extends the amount.

Like Piglet, I usually make my own stock, often chicken. It is so easy and I prefer its flavour to anything commercial.

[ 10. October 2016, 11:39: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

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georgiaboy
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# 11294

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This recipe (dead easy!) is called 'Shaker Carrots'; I don't know why that name.

Take any desired quantity of good-sized carrots (and parsnips, too, if so inclined). Remove tops, brush thoroughly (don't bother to peel), split into halves (or quarters if really large).
Steam over (not in) boiling water* until just beginning to soften. The parsnips will take longer than the carrots.

While steaming, prepare the following: buttered whole-wheat toast crumbs, approximately one-half cup. A mixture of mayonnaise and ground horse-radish, to taste. (I like lots of horse-radish.)

When veggies are steamed, arrange in a baking dish, cut sides up.
Cover (mostly) with the mayo/h-r sauce. Sprinkle with the toast crumbs.

Bake until sauce is bubbly -- perhaps 15 minutes at 350.

* I've also steamed over a mix of white wine and water.

It's all very approximate, I know. But that's how I do it. Leftovers, if any, are good heated up or eaten cold.

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