Thread: Heaven: Pot Luck: Recipes 2016 Board: Limbo / Ship of Fools.


To visit this thread, use this URL:
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=001327

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I've been meditating on the gravy...

Last night was pork, so it was meat juices, white wine, redcurrant jelly, stock cube and a little beurre manie. It was alright. I've just kicked off a pot roast of beef, which will be spending 3+ hours in a low oven in the company of onion, carrot, celery, garlic and another stock cube - which should give me a good base. But I still tend to end up tipping extra seasonings and aromatics in on a fairly random basis - looking for that combination that will really lift the dish - herbs? Worcester? brandy? pomegranate molasses?

What do put in yours?

[ 14. June 2017, 13:27: Message edited by: Belisarius ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
My "secret ingredient" in a beef casserole (I don't think I've ever done a pot-roast) is a teaspoon or two of red pepper jelly. I usually brown the meat and veggies in a frying-pan, chuck them in the slow-cooker and de-glaze the pan with red wine and the jelly, then pour that along with some stock into the slow-cooker, adding buerre manie towards the end of the cooking time. Thyme goes very nicely with beef, and dried is very nearly as good as fresh, especially if you rub it between your fingers as you're putting it in.

My adventures in risotto-making are continuing: as we had a humungous amount of ham left over from a dinner-party last night, I made risi e bisi - risotto with peas and ham - for today's lunch, and it was really rather good. Having underestimated the amount of chicken stock I'd need to defrost, I cheated and made up the difference with a stock-cube (something I haven't used for ages), but it worked all right, and there was enough left to freeze for another time.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Add a cup of beer or porter. (Drink the rest.)

It is not difficult to make your own stock, which always beats any stock or broth you can buy. I use chicken bones, necks, and giblets for chicken stock, and beef bones and beef neck for beef stock. Brown the bones in a roasting pan at high heat until everything is nice and brown, and the toss into stock pot. Top off with water, add an onion and a bay leaf, and simmer overnight. Add the roasting pan scrapings as well.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
The gravy turned out wonderfully. Nothing really to beat slow cooking. Plus the dregs of a bottle of bourbon that was hanging around.

This evening should be fun(?). I'm going to attempt Lobster (and prawn) Thermidor. It's one of those dishes that sound as if it needs Escoffier and the kitchens of the Savoy to produce - though AFAICS it's essentially bits of seafood in white sauce with breadcrumbs.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
I recently bought some smoked garlic on impulse, because it smelt wonderful. Any suggestions on what to do with it now? I was wondering whether I should bake it in the oven and serve with roast meats, but am open to other suggestions (provided it doesn't involve doing anything time-consuming).
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
It seems to me that you use smoked garlic as you would "plain" (is there such a thing?) garlic.

Never had any myself though, so I am just guessing. I belong to the school of thought that says no one ever has too much garlic.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
The Thermidor was fine - but prepping involved way too much poking of crustacean with a fondue fork.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Does anyone have any ideas for a Vegetarian slow cooker recipe? I am using a slow cooker tonight for the first time, ever to do a non-vegetarian stew - tomorrow's lunch will be ready when I get up in the morning. At the cost of meat, I really don't want to do meat dishes as an even occasional thing.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Do you like vege soups, Pete? That is one idea. also using heavier root vegetables to make stews or curries which benefit from slow cooking. I would not use beetroot but turnips, parsnips carrots etc.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
I agree and, if you are heading for a stew, you can thicken it with plain, ordinary red lentils - like you would a sambar.


eta: and tinned channa/chick peas would go well too or tinned kidney beans or whatever. If using dried beans remember to boil them properly before adding them.

[ 04. January 2016, 01:25: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'd have thought that things with chick-peas would work rather well in a slow-cooker as the long cooking would soften them up nicely.

As the aforementioned left-over ham had a bone in it, I've just had my first attempt at proper pea soup, with yellow split peas, carrots, onion, celery, potatoes and a little garlic. The recipe I used specified cooking the ham bone in the soup (rather than making separate stock) and using a mixture of about half-and-half chicken stock and water.

BC's right - home-made stock is the easiest thing in the world, and so much nicer than stock-cubes. We buy a Costco ready-cooked chicken about once a fortnight (it'll feed us for almost a week and costs less than $10 - less than a raw one at the supermarket) and I use the bones to make stock, which I freeze in little plastic boxes.

I've just done some Quality Control on the soup and, assuming D. thinks it's as good as I do*, it'll be a keeper.

Memo to self: take French stick out of freezer before going to bed.

* he may well recommend the addition of dumplings, Newfoundland style.

[ 04. January 2016, 02:18: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
You'd certainly think a slow cooker ideal for all sorts of pulses, and not be the first to make that mistake. It just ain't so. They need to be soaked and cooked before adding to the pot.
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
You'd certainly think a slow cooker ideal for all sorts of pulses, and not be the first to make that mistake. It just ain't so. They need to be soaked and cooked before adding to the pot.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Do you like vege soups, Pete? That is one idea. also using heavier root vegetables to make stews or curries which benefit from slow cooking. I would not use beetroot but turnips, parsnips carrots etc.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
I've been meditating on the gravy...

Last night was pork, so it was meat juices, white wine, redcurrant jelly, stock cube and a little beurre manie. It was alright. I've just kicked off a pot roast of beef, which will be spending 3+ hours in a low oven in the company of onion, carrot, celery, garlic and another stock cube - which should give me a good base. But I still tend to end up tipping extra seasonings and aromatics in on a fairly random basis - looking for that combination that will really lift the dish - herbs? Worcester? brandy? pomegranate molasses?

What do put in yours?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
You'd certainly think a slow cooker ideal for all sorts of pulses, and not be the first to make that mistake. It just ain't so. They need to be soaked and cooked before adding to the pot.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:
Any suggestions on what to do with a huge pile of leftover roast veg? It's in quite small chunks.

---

Make a vegetable tagine.

You start off by roasting vegetables, but you have that part covered .

Next heat a little olive oil in a heavy pan and add cumin, turmeric and paprika to sizzle for a couple of minutes. Add half a tin of tomatoes (or two fresh), a cup of water and a handful of dried apricots. Leave to cook for about thirty minutes, then add the roasted veg until warm through.

Serve with rice or couscous.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mrs Shrew:
Any suggestions on what to do with a huge pile of leftover roast veg? It's in quite small chunks.

Preferably not soup based suggestions, as I am suffering with sickness regularly at the moment and soup definitely doesn't appeal in that situation.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pomona:
I have only ever heard of toxins in kidney beans so I am intrigued. But lentils don't even need soaking for regular cooking let alone slow cooking. I cannot eat pulses myself but best friend is vegan and eats lots of pulses, never has an issue with slow cooker lentils.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Penny S:
I agree with you on the soft boiled, and the hard, but with the proviso that the yolk should be yellow, without a greyish ring of sulphurous stuff around it. Which is difficult to achieve, and may explain the abomination attitude.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
...Nothing wrong with hard boiled - favourite lunch is halve hb egg, scoop out yolk and when cooled mix with mayonnaise and curry powder. Pile back in white.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... added a rather illegal [in UK] chopped green herb to the yolk and mayonnaise ...

---

Brings a whole new meaning to the term "devilled eggs", doesn't it?
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
I was given a bottle of pomegranate molasses for Christmas. I have no idea what to do with it, Any and all suggestions are most welcome.
 

---

Posted by mertide (# 4500) on :
 
5 ways to use pomegranate molasses might give you a start. Good luck!
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
You were given a bottle? Lucky you, i have had to buy mine. Lovely on salads, in dressings and I will try the pizza and roast veg too from that site. Good on chicken too.

If you want to drizzle it over food, take it out of fridge 30 minutes before. Mine is very thick and slow to get from container if I don't do this.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Sounds like an excellent excuse to investigate Persian food, Graven Image - one of my favourite cuisines.
 

---

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
You'd certainly think a slow cooker ideal for all sorts of pulses, and not be the first to make that mistake. It just ain't so. They need to be soaked and cooked before adding to the pot.

---

It depends on exactly what pulses. Saskatchewan and Canada is producer of more lentils than any other place. Extra small red lentils, actually orange, do with a rinsing and will cook up in about 20 minutes. We have about 10 varieties locally produced. If you soak in salty water, pulses of most types will hold together more (drain and rinse before cooking). Lentils are about $1.25 per pound (£.75). We can also get them in tins which means precooked.

Rinsing removes some surface starches and mould spores associated with intestinal gas. There are many kinds of lentils. Sask lentil info

Tonight I am alone for supper. Typical Tues fare for me: One cup lentils, boiled until soft, then add 1.5 cups of sonething liquid such as soup stock, tinned tomatoes, almond milk (I don't do dairy and coconut milk is very dear here), then maybe some fried onion, mushrooms or sweet peppers. If tomato, a splash of red wine is nice in both cook and pot. Spice rule: one sweet spice to one savory. Cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, cumin is typical. I sometimes add a little dried fruit like chopped dates, raisins, apricots, or apple. Add 2/3 cup frozen veg at the end. Serve with sweet potato, potato, rice, quinoa, or bannock/bread.
 

---

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
I also add herbs at the end. In winter, they are dried. Basil, oregano, thyme. Some who do dairy sprinkle grated cheese.
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Thanks all for the jump start. I have already found many things I want to try with my bottled delight it seems. Making a chicken dish from Iran right now in the slow cooker.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
In my campaign to Love the Sprout I sliced them thinly and stir fried with a red chilli and a splash of soy sauce. Went well with a spicy meat loaf - beef mince, onion, bread soused in hot sauce and tomato puree, topped with parmesan and breadcrumbs.
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
LOL I had a "look what's in my fridge and figure out something to do with it" day. The result was swede with parmesan cheese and rosemary, a champignon / spring onion omelette and a beetroot salad. Not bad.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Beetroot salad on arugola with crumbled gorgonzola, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and a light vinaigrette. Try it.
 

---

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
I made soda bread this morning for the first time in in years. 2/3 wholemeal 1/3 plain flour.

And it reminded me how nice wholemeal flour is. I really ought to use it more.

(Also made the bread with combo of yoghurt and milk as buttermilk not commonly available here. It turned out fine.)
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Ooooh, soda bread! Now I want a toasted soda farl with an indecent amount of butter melted into it.

Bugger.

The French stick recipe I use has 5⅓ cups of flour, and I sometimes replace the third-of-a-cup with wholemeal flour, which gives a nice change of texture.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Since it is freezing in Florida, or at least our perception of freezing, yesterday was a great day to make a pot of chili!

I browned and drained 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef.

Chopped a very large onion and sauteed it with two teaspoons chopped garlic and 12 ounces of mushroom slices.

After they were soft, I added three tablespoons of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon paprika, two tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, and about a quarter cup dried oregano.

Then I put four+ cups drained and rinsed black beans, four+ cups crushed tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups water. I added a teaspoon each of salt and pepper and simmered four hours.

Tasty comfort food!
 

---

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
Oh, yeah, black beans are THE best for chili. I've never thought of putting in mushrooms. Hmmm. And it looks like I might have to try upping the dried oregano. Quarter cup, you say? Yikes! I like chopped, red bell peppers in mine and half a bottle of ale rather than cocoa. Chili is one of those things where you feel really comfortable experimenting.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
... about a quarter cup dried oregano ...

---

Quarter of a cup????

I like oregano, but that seems like one heck of a lot!

Chilli con carne was one of the first things my mum taught me to cook (it had just become fashionable in Scotland at the time), and I still use the same basic recipe - sauté onion and garlic in olive oil with a pinch of basil or herbes de Provence, add minced beef, stir and break up until beginning to brown. Add a tin of tomatoes, a squirt of tomato puree, chilli powder or crushed dried chillies to taste (not too much in my case - I'm a heat wimp), splash of red wine, tin of red kidney beans, seasoning and a square of dark chocolate if I have one. Simmer gently until the meat's cooked and has reached the desired thickness and serve with rice, a green salad and garlic bread.

I think I may have to do that some time soon ...
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Oregano! Yes! Good stuff! YMMV, and all that.

I love herbs and spices, and am not opposed to doubling amounts mentioned in recipes, as long as I do it as written the first time, then figure what needs adjusting according to taste.

In other words, I cook by the dump and pour method!
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
My current version uses beef mince, onion, garlic, chili (fresh and powder), cumin, oregano, beef stock - but no tomato. To serve, put plain tortilla chips in a shallow bowl, make a space in the middle for the chili, sprinkle with grated cheese and finish under a hot grill until the cheese just melts and the chips scorch slightly.
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Chilli mix from the House of Chilli on the Isle of Wight augmented by Wodder's chilli. Mmmm
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
I've never had the privilege of tasting WW's chili. When I was living in Mozambique, I had piri piri peppers in my garden. Nowadays, my favourite is Swazi Fire Sauce. Protective clothing recommended.
 

---

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
Extraordinarily I think I still have some unused WW chilli here. If I do I shall make you up a small packet of it and bring to the Absent Friends meet.

I can surreptitiously slide it to you via a handshake in a dark corner. ;-)
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Ooh you know that I love secret handshakes.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
A quarter cup of dried oregano would be too much for our tastes,and we're lucky enough to be able to grow fresh all year round - so no need to use the dried. 3 tablespoons of cumin would also be more than we'd use. Aust has nowhere near the variety of fresh chillis as the US, but the range of dried is increasing.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I was leafing through a slow-cooker book the other day, and was rather taken with a recipe for lentil stew in the "Vegetarian Main Dishes" chapter, which listed the following ingredients:

Dried lentils
Frozen green beans
Cauliflower florets
Baby carrots
Cumin, ginger
Tomato sauce
Dry-roasted peanuts; and
Reduced-sodium chicken stock

Oops.

I've got a batch of proper chicken stock on the go at the moment: as I'm not an actual vegetarian I'll maybe try it sometime.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Piglet, I know it sounds contradictory but an Australian company named Massel make vegetarian chicken stock that is salt reduced - I have used it and as far as instant stock cubes go, it's the best. I think they do a beef one that is vegan friendly as well as a vegetable one. When I'm in a hurry it's the brand I always use, but at the moment I have the crock-pot crammed with chicken frames (the skeleton with a bit of meat) to make stock, which will be used for Chicken barley broth. (Yes, I know we're at the height of summer here, but the weather doesn't ).

Does anyone use quinoa? I only discovered it last year because the only café in the food court that sells Twinings Earl Grey tea offers a quinoa and lentil salad. I found a similar recipe on line, but the only time I have cooked quinoa it was with rice in one of those pouches that you put into the microwave and the combination came out really gluggy. Googling recipes doesn't help much because some say to soak it in water overnight, whereas others say no soaking is necessary. The quinoa I have comes form a bulk bin, so has no instructions

Any suggestions welcome.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
If it's a choice between just water and adding a stock cube, we'd stick with the water - or a good sloosh of dry vermouth.

That's a useful chicken stock to have Huia, light but well-flavoured and not overpowering a risotto or a delicate soup as so many stocks can. Lots of gelling to it as well make it good for chilled soups.

[ 26. January 2016, 09:15: Message edited by: Gee D ]
 

---

Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
The first time I cooked quinoa I followed the instructions on the pack which said something like double the volume of water, boil for 10mins, simmer for 10 mins, turn off and leave for 10mins. (Don't quote me on that.) Anyway it was a bit of a faff.

Thereafter I just bung in pan with double volume of boiling water, bring back to boil and then turn down to simmer with lid on for 15 mins. Same as for rice. Seems to work.

No need for pre-soaking.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
... Does anyone use quinoa?

---

I haven't used it on its own, but a while back I made a sort-of risotto with Harvest Grains, which included red quinoa, and they cooked up pretty much as rice does.

Quinoa's supposed to be frightfully good for you as well, so you can eat it and feel virtuous ...
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
I cook quinoa, sometimes in combination with other things such as bulgar wheat, sometimes alone.

If cooking as a rice alternative I allow 3-4 ounces per person: add to boiling water with a little salt and bring back to a vigorous boil; keep on a boil for c3 minutes, then turn down low and cook for another c12 minutes.

If I'm adding it to a risotto I just use as if it were rice - in other words add to the garlic, celery, etc and sort of fry before adding stock in the usual way; then it takes about 10 minutes.

I'm not saying this is the "right" way to cook it but it seems to work for me.
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
As there are now but two of us at home and somehow trying to make soup for two never works out for me I have had left over soup to freeze. I have taken to marking date on freezer container but not type of soup. It was proven to be fun on a cold and rainy day to have surprise soup for a meal with warm bread. Today it looks like turkey or chicken and rice. Not sure which until we taste it.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We've always been just the two of us, and nearly every recipe we do is enough for at least 1½ if not two meals. As I'm a bit erratic in remembering to label things that go in the freezer, mystery lunch is not at all unknown chez Piglet.

D. made a v. nice risotto/paella-type thing today (part Arborio, part ordinary rice, as the Arborio was nearly finished), with chicken, sausages, mushrooms and prawns.

And I remembered to label the leftovers ...
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thanks for the quinoa advice.

I took two container of frozen pumpkin soup to a friend's place when he had visitors once. One of them was frozen apricot puree, but we didn't find out until we tasted it .

Huia

[ 27. January 2016, 04:12: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I did something similar, Huia. A friend invited me over for ice cream. I told her I would bring a container of strawberry sauce. It actually turned out to be cranberry sauce after it thawed!
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I'm giving a smoothie maker as a gift, and I want to make up a small hamper of ingredients to go with it. Apart from the obvious fruits (I've bought pineapple, strawberries and blueberries, and I know she always has bananas and apples in her fruit bowl), what should I get that won't go off too quickly? I have bought a bottle of lime juice so far.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Buy another yummy juice or fluid. How about kombucha tea?
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Some root ginger and a tiny jar of honey?
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
I cooked Jamaican today; I don't know how I got the idea. I got ackee and callaloo from the Caribbean shop.

I cooked brown rice in coconut milk and stock with onion, garlic, thyme and Scotch bonnet pepper ( ). I stir fried the ackee with spring onion, tomato and bell pepper. And I heated up the callaloo.

Very good!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Inspired by JJ (but with slightly less oregano), I made a pot of chilli last night and we had a couple of friends round this evening to eat it. I went completely retro, and served it with rice, salad and garlic bread (the sort where you slice it not quite through and spread the garlicky butter between the slices).

I reckon it must have been about 30 years since I last made garlic bread, but this was the first time I'd done it with a loaf that I'd made myself.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
I once came across a recipe for "white" chilli, made with chicken and cannellini beans. Different, but very good. I must make that again soon.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Crawling out from a bad dose of flu: for the last 10 days been subsisting largely on toast and bananas with the occasional egg.

Have now got to the stage where I can eat - but nothing appeals. What are your favourite appetite-tempting foods/recipes?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
How about a nice gentle cheese on toast - make it stripey with a white, a red and a blue to tempt the eye and serve it with a properly tangy dill pickle and perhaps a nice juicy tomato - easy & nutritious.

eta: make it with a slice of crusty bread!

[ 31. January 2016, 10:04: Message edited by: Welease Woderwick ]
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
There's the thing about illness - normally I hoover up cheese, but my palate is so disordered I can't look at it. And the thought of anything acidic - bleeuuu!

I am baking a batch of banana muffins in the hopes that soft and sweet hits the spot.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Pickle and strong flavours probably won't cut it at this stage.

Have you considered potato cakes? Pancakes or omelettes? You may be able to grate some cheese into that, maybe add mushrooms and/or tomatoes, and if you feel up to meat, some pieces of mild ham or plain roast chicken, though I appreciate you may not have reached that stage yet.

Plain old apple pie was the one food I craved during my last flu-type cold.

[ 31. January 2016, 12:00: Message edited by: Ariel ]
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Scrambled eggs on toast?
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 

quote:

---

Kittyville: I once came across a recipe for "white" chilli, made with chicken and cannellini beans.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
There's the thing about illness - normally I hoover up cheese, but my palate is so disordered I can't look at it. And the thought of anything acidic - bleeuuu!

I am baking a batch of banana muffins in the hopes that soft and sweet hits the spot.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
Crawling out from a bad dose of flu: for the last 10 days been subsisting largely on toast and bananas with the occasional egg.

Have now got to the stage where I can eat - but nothing appeals. What are your favourite appetite-tempting foods/recipes?

---

quote:

---

Gee D: Thanks, I've now found BL's post - she thinks it was SR flour. Madame thinks she used SR before and so shall again for this weekend.

---

Phew! If Madame and the Ship thought different things, you would have a problem
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
First time in weeks I've felt really interested in cooking (bad bout of flu and post-flu debility). Since Thursday is typically Curry Nite in the Firenze household, I made Madhur Jaffrey's Kashmiri koftas served on Yottam Ottolenghi's flatbreads with homemade onion relish and yoghurt raita.

All good. Key, I think, was some posh artisanal yoghurt, which went into both the kofta and the flatbreads - which were, interestingly enough, give or take a bit of chopped coriander, the same ingredients as an Ulster wheaten farl. Just fried instead of baked.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by LeRoc:

quote:

---

Gee D: Thanks, I've now found BL's post - she thinks it was SR flour. Madame thinks she used SR before and so shall again for this weekend.

---

Phew! If Madame and the Ship thought different things, you would have a problem

---

When Madame and the Sip agree, all will be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Or something like that.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I thought I would do a Surf 'n' Turf take on our usual Saturday steak, having been tempted by a nice squid tube at the fishmonger. I did a tempura batter - 50/50 plain flour and cornflour with fizzy water. I have to say the calamari was a lot better than the rather toughish beef (I've had better from that supermarket).

Coming soon: Saturday night Calamari and Chips.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm afraid I've yet to be converted to squid (if you see what I mean); I can't quite get past the "rubber-band" concept.

If I were to do surf-and-turf, the surf would be nice juicy, garlicky prawns.

Mmmmm ...
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
It has to be fresh squid - it's the freezing brings on the rubberiness. I still remember a lunch of grilled squid in Barcelona; and that time in Sai Kung - the cuttlefish swimming in its tank when we entered the restaurant, 10 minutes later crispy fried on a plate.
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
I just made (and ate) a chick pea curry with a vegetable raita. It bears repeating!
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I have a Madhur Jaffrey chickpea thing I do for lunch occasionally. It's just the usual spices + onions and tomatoes. What makes it is a finishing of raw onion, raw chili, salt, fresh ginger and lemon juice (lots of lemon juice).
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Inspired by Kingsfold's slow-cooker stock, I've got a couple of chicken carcasses, veggies and herbs bubbling away; it's been on the "high" setting for about 4½ hours, so I think I'll go and take the bits out before I go to bed, and freeze it tomorrow (or possibly make soup with it, if the mood takes me).
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Having strained the stock I thought, I've got the slow-cooker down* anyway - I may as well make the soup and let it cook overnight - so it'll be soup and home-made bread for lunch today.

* It lives on top of the fridge, so getting it down necessitates clambering on a chair for the vertically-challenged piglet.
 

---

Posted by jacobsen (# 14998) on :
 
There is a wonderful cold remedy, known to me as "The Potion" which not only helps to knock out the cold, but leaves you in the happy state of not caring whether or not you had a cold to begin with.

It is composed of the vitamin C-rich elderberry, sugar and water.

Stew elderberries in just enough water to cover.
Strain overnight (I use a clean pillowcase stretched over the legs of an upturned stool.)

For every pint/half litre (let's not be picky) of the resulting juice, add 1lb/450 gr sugar.

Boil till sugar has melted and the liquid has thickened. Bottle when cold.

To serve: - treat as a cordial. Dilute with hot water, and add a good slug of your spirit of choice. Opened bottles should be kept in the fridge.
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
I'm really starting to like swede with parmesan and rosemary. I made it again today. The taste is nice.

[ 28. February 2016, 12:41: Message edited by: LeRoc ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Yesterday I made a "clearing-out-the-fridge" sort of risotto - left-over chicken from a Costco ready-cooked which was Needing To Be Used, half an onion, garlic and a few superannuated mushrooms. It really wasn't bad, although as D. pointed out, it could have done with a few veggies.* Possibly a red pepper and a few peas or chopped, fresh green beans.

* This is somewhat worrying, as D. is usually no fan of vegetables ...
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Filled pasta with a shop-bought sauce is normally a recipe for really boring. However...

1 tub Tomato and Mascapone
1 red chili
Shallots
Dry vermouth
Mascapone

Finely chop shallots and chili and soften in a little oil with the skinned and chopped tomato. Add the sauce and heat through. The vermouth and additional mascapone are probably optional - I just happened to have 'em - it's the fresh tomato and chili - especially the chili - that really lifts it.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
As I discovered last night, plain potatoes - boiled or jacket - can be much improved with a dollop of piri-piri hommous.

Hommous is quite good as an alternative to butter in sandwiches, too.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
There used to be a very good choose-your-filling sandwicherie near where I worked in Belfast, and one of my favourite fillings was hummus and cucumber.

Sometimes IMHO all a baked potato needs is a little Maldon salt, a v. generous grind of pepper and an industrial quantity of butter.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Mascarpone is good on a baked potato!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We had a couple of friends round for supper this evening, and I did a sort of cross between a risotto and a paella, and discovered that it's really not as much of a faff as the cook-books would have you believe:

For four generous portions:

Olive oil
3 Italian-style sausages, pricked
1 large onion, chopped small
1 large clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
About 1½ cups Arborio rice
A splash or two of white wine
About 4 cups hot chicken stock, infused with a generous pinch of saffron (keep it on a medium heat)
2-3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
4 largish mushrooms, sliced
About 16-20 medium/large cooked frozen prawns, defrosted and shelled
1 cup frozen peas, microwaved for a couple of minutes on High

Heat the oil in a paella pan, Dutch oven or shallow casserole and brown the sausages on all sides. Remove to a plate.

Add a little more oil and cook the onion and garlic gently with a generous pinch of salt and grind of pepper for about 10 minutes until soft.

Add the red pepper and cook for a minute or so, then add the rice, and stir around until it's nicely coated in oil. Cut the sausages in slices.

Turn up the heat to medium and add the wine. Cook, stirring, until it's been absorbed.

Add the hot chicken stock, a couple of ladlefuls at a time, and stir after each addition. Once about half of it is in, add the sausages, mushrooms and chopped chicken, followed by most of the rest of the stock (in ladlefuls), stirring as you go. The whole stock/stirring process shouldn't take more than about 20 minutes.

Turn the heat down to low, stir in the prawns and peas, cover and leave to warm them through. There shouldn't be very much liquid left; if there's any visible, it'll probably disappear when you give the whole thing a stir.

Season to taste and serve with French bread and plenty of wine.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Try it with rabbit rather than chicken if you get a chance!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
One of the recipes from which I adapted it mentioned rabbit, but it's not really a meat I'm overly fond of. I had rabbit when on holiday in France as a teenager and wasn't at all well afterwards; the two events may not actually have been related, but they're related in my mind, and I don't think I've ever had it since.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
That's not entirely conscious connection. It's an innate thing for protection. I read a piece in New Scientist a while back about it - something we share with rats! The writer related a tale of how he had been sick as a result of sunstroke after eating watermelon, and felt repulsed by the fruit for a long time afterwards. This rang a bell with me. The very first time I came across a MacDonalds I was, unrealised by me at the time, building up to a migraine with sickness. For a very long time after, I couldn't even pass one without feeling queasy. Even the Ronald jingle did it, as they were playing it nonstop in the place at the time.
Somewhere in your hindbrain there lurks the association that warns you about rabbit. It could be overcome - I grew out of the Big Mac thing, but now have a more cerebral reason for passing by.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think you may have hit it, Penny - I discovered years later that the stomach-cramps I'd been suffering off-and-on for years were down to IBS (which at the time seemed like one of those new diseases that real people didn't get).

Once it had been diagnosed, I was given peppermint capsules which almost invariably put it right, and lessened the frequency of the attacks almost to nothing.

It didn't really undo the rabbit association though ...
 

---

Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
I'm looking for a dessert recipe that combines meringue and lemon but doesn't involve pastry - so no lemon meringue pie! The person I am doing it for is gluten intolerant but loves meringue and lemon. Any suggestions please?
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Lemony take on Eton Mess? Whip the cream with lemon zest. Poach thin slices of lemon in syrup.

Lemon syllabub? (With added mini meringues)
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
It would not be very difficult to make a lemon pudding or a lemon curd, put the meringue on top and then run it under the broiler to brown it.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Or the other way around: pavlova (large or little individual ones) filled with lemon-curd and topped with whipped cream and decorated with Firenze's syrupy lemon slices? Sort of lemon-meringue-pie but without the pie.
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
If the intended consumer of the lemon/meringue pudding is gluten intolerant then make a base that isn't pastry.

What about a gluten free (oat or similar) biscuit base, which you could drizzle with more lemon juice, then the lemony filling and top with meringue.

I'm not making puddings at the moment but next time I do I might have a go and report back.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
In some recipes you can substitute ground almonds for flour.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Oats aren't really gluten-free. You can buy gluten-free oats. Gluten-free biscuits are usually based on corn, potato or rice flour. Almond flour is often added to give some texture or body to the cake or biscuit. Which isn't all that helpful to those who are allergic to nuts too.

Would a rice pudding work with lemon and meringue?
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
The church Young Wives* had a demonstration of Palestinian cooking last week, and it tasted glorious.

I made Baba Ghanoosh at the weekend, which turned out well, though not as good as the samples at the demonstration.

Last night I made Kafta B'siniyah, which is a layer of lamb mince mixed with onion, parsley and cinnamon, a layer of par boiled potatoes, a layer of tomatoes, a layer of onions, with a mixture of tomato puree, lemon juice, cinnamon and water poured over the top, and then baked.

The smell as it bakes is wonderful, and the end result delicious.


*definition of "young" - not old enough for The Guild.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Until I read the gluten free bit, I was thinking Queen of Puddings, but I suppose it would work with the lemony custard baked to set without the breadcrumbs if GF not available, then lemon curd instead of the jam, and the meringue on top as usual.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
NEQ, that Kafta B'siniyah sounds rather nice - a sort of moussaka for people who don't like aubergines (i.e. me).
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
It trips me out. 500 years ago the only people who ever saw a potato lived in the Andes, and now it's a staple in pretty much every cuisine in the world.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
NEQ, that Kafta B'siniyah sounds rather nice - a sort of moussaka for people who don't like aubergines (i.e. me).

---

Oh, another one. I read stuff about how they have little flavour of their own and absorb that of the other foods in a dish and I don't believe it. It's the only food my mouth insists on rejecting, and I assume it knows what it's doing. (Not a case of learned response like the Big Macs. It was the very first moussaka, and I had to force myself because my sister had served it. The reaction was confirmed when in a restaurant she said stuffed vine leaves would be OK. I assume it's something to do with nicotine. My sister smoked. I didn't. I hear that new varieties have had it bred out. I'm not going to bother to try again.)
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Raises hand - I'm another one, I can eat them but I'd much rather not, thankyouverymuch. They become a bit slimy like folks always seem to say okra does - give me okra any day.

Instead of either just give me mushrooms, lots of mushrooms! I think I must have been a Hobbit in a former life.
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
Okra needs to be fresh, otherwise it can get slimy or fibry. (I like aubergines. I wouldn't put too much in, but they can add a bit of substance to a pasta sauce or a curry.)
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Aubergines are on a soft/slime cusp. They can be meltingly delicious or just that bit disgusting.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
It's not the texture, it's flavour. I could detect it in the vine leaf stuffing when I couldn't identify the substance at all. It permeated everything.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Fresh okra, sliced and fried at a high heat until a bit crispy, then served with a spiced yoghurt dip, is pretty good.

Aubergines, sliced and grilled with a sauce made with honey, ginger, garlic, lemon and spices are also good.

I've always loved mushrooms but lately have noticed that some of them seem to taste mouldy, even when fresh. I'd be depressed to think my tastes were changing as I've enjoyed them ever since I can remember.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
My niece gave me some grow your own oyster mushrooms, which tasted lovely. No mouth warning at all of what was to follow. Apparently 2% of the world's human population cannot tolerate them.

But my stomach was a good back-up to that mouth failure. And rapid.
 

---

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I think I'm on to a new Thing - dips.

We tend to have a stereotypical dinner on Saturdays - steak'n'chips or lamb chop'n'chips. I have pretty much run the gamut of standard sauces and accompaniments, so now I am on to something which is not quite either and served in a small bowl on the side.

Last night was the lamb, so instead of the usual lemon/oil/herb marinade + tzatziki, I got a small saucepan and riffed on the following -

Fresh tomatoes
Minced garlic
Tomato ketchup
Hot sauce
Vinegar
Brown sugar
Allspice
Worcester sauce
Lime juice
Lidl's Western Gold

The result was deliciously zippy and good on both the meat
and the chips.

Next week I might take a soy/ginger/mirin axis and see where that goes.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Lidl's Western Gold? Sorry, never heard of it.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Lidl's Western Gold? Sorry, never heard of it.

---

quote:

---

Brenda Clough: turn it into an entire meal by braising a piece of pork or beef on top of the cabbage.

---

Either that or a vegetarian haché based on soy flakes
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by LeRoc:
Yesterday I made red cabbage with apple pieces, a Dutch-German recipe. Cooked with red wine, bay leaves, cloves and a piece of cinnamon. Some people like to add sugar and/or salt for taste.

---

quote:

---

ArachnidinElmet: I'd tend to make it with cider vinegar and nutmeg instead of red wine and cloves, but the principal is the same

---

Yes, the important thing is to have something acidy, otherwise the cabbage will turn too blue.

And mash is good. I put the nutmeg on the mash
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I cook that braised red cabbage too and like it with baked potatoes and Glamorgan Sausages if I'm playing vegetarian. (Meat sausages if I'm feeding my daughter)
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
I’m going to defend aubergines. I prefer them in the company of tomatoes, but then I quite like them. In Rome a few years back on a very tight budget, I’d been eating virtually nothing but carbs for about 48 hours. I went in a little restaurant and ordered melanzane parmigiana for the purpose of ingesting vegetables. Firstly it was delicious, and secondly, the Italian waiter decided that pretty girls got loads of free stuff. Happy times.
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
I'll second the support for aubergines. I've used them as an alternative to pasta in a lasagne - the trick is to slice them thinly and then dry and crisp in an oven the aubergine slices before using in the same way as pasta sheets. Delicious!
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I think that aubergines are like parsnips, foods that have a divisive effect on people. I love parsnips, but I can distinguish an element in their flavour that can explain why others loathe them. Obviously loads of people love aubergines, or they simply wouldn't have made it into the food canon, but it was interesting to find that I wasn't the only one for whom they hadn't.
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
I like aubergines, but small bits of it. I don't think I'd put a whole aubergine in a recipe.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
I use eggplant in the Sicilian recipe -- peel and slice, brown in olive oil with garlic, and then stew it down into a chunky mush. Serve over pasta. Four or five large eggplant cook down to serve the three of us, but admittedly my son is a hearty feeder and usually eats for two.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
I've sometimes baked stuffed aubergines (spiced meat and rice filling and the aubergine baked in tomato sauce with a hint of lemon, for sharpness). I need to work on the recipe but it was one way of using a whole aubergine. The pulp can be used for fritters or to thicken a stew.

Anyway, if anyone has recipes they want to share here, please do. If there are foods you can't stand, try starting a Hell thread.
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I use aubergine in a couple of recipes, a quick supper or lunch and a winter stew:

Quick supper or lunch: Cut the aubergine in half lengthways, then cut the flesh into a criss-cross pattern, keeping the skin whole. Stuff thin strips of streaky bacon into one set of diagonal lines and thin slices of garlic into the opposite diagonals, in the gaps left by the bacon. Grill until the bacon is cooked and the aubergine is soft, serve with a salad and some carbohydrate.

The other recipe is a hearty vegetarian stew and comes from Cranks - Aubergine and Red Bean Stew,
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
That recipe looks rather nice (like a kind of beany ratatouille), and possibly adaptable.

I know it would alter the flavour and texture a bit, but I wonder if courgettes, carrots or mushrooms (or a mixture) would work instead of the aubergines.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
We are having a pot luck on Monday, and so today I began making an apricot semifreddo. Because it is a frozen dessert I need to complete it by Sunday so that it can set up in the freezer. Today involved simmering dried apricots in orange juice, preparory to whizzing them into a puree. Alas! I put them on and then became involved in other things, so that the pan burned. However, the apricots are scorched, not carbonized. So I decided to carry on, renaming the dish Blackened apricot Semifreddo. This should work out fine.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Continuing my adventures on the wilder shores of dips, tonight's steak was accompanied with a reduction of honey, lime juice, soy, ginger, garlic, hot sauce and fresh chilli.

My observation is that you need a) hot - so chilli b) sour - lime or lemon or vinegar c) sweet - sugar, honey, mirin d) salt - soy, worcester e) aromatics - tomato, herbs.

I'm not sure how many subs there are for the core ingredients. Pomegranate molasses and tamarind are the only things I can think of.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Not a dip, but pomegranate molasses and fresh mint from pot on balcony are going on a treat of lamb cutlets soon for Sunday lunch. I wanted fresh pomegranate but was already extravagant with cutlets. A pomegranate was $5.

Cutlets are super expensive down here and I have not had them in many years. These were still dear, even on special, but a treat.

[ 17. April 2016, 02:48: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Sipech (# 16870) on :
 
Are there any other chilli heads on the ship?

Having finished off my last bottle of ghost pepper sauce, I've moved on to a concoction containing 70% Trinidad scorpion pepper. Tried it last night, coating a chicken breast with a teaspoon of the stuff before roasting. It was very tangy and lingered on for a while, but didn't bring on any sweats.

Has anyone gone so far as the Carolina Reaper yet?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
We buy dried chillies in our local market then dry them a bit more on the roof on a sunny day and then take them to be milled - we never buy commercial chilli powder as it is lacking in bite.

Uncle Pete has been been known to gather a bowl of butter chillies to himself and scoff the lot - but then, of course, he can be a bit strange like that.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
... Cutlets are super expensive down here ...

---

quote:

---

Sipech: Are there any other chilli heads on the ship?

---

Definitely! When I was living in Mozambique, I had a piri-piri tree in my garden
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Returning to aubergines, I made a aubergine and lemon tajine last night.

I had been waiting a while to make it on account of how you can't buy just one preserved lemon. Last night we had our small group round so I made a significant quantity. It went down very well.
 

---

Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :
 
I plan on making a kind of aubergine-rice-beef mince-tomato concoction tonight. It will use an unwanted packet of microwave rice and a slow cooker, plus a half used jar of tomato pasta sauce. And a half-dead aubergine. We will see! Plenty of red wine and a nice loaf of bread may well be necessary to help it down!

[ 21. April 2016, 10:01: Message edited by: Dormouse ]
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Returning to aubergines, I made a aubergine and lemon tajine last night.

I had been waiting a while to make it on account of how you can't buy just one preserved lemon. Last night we had our small group round so I made a significant quantity. It went down very well.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ariel:
You can make preserved lemons. You just need lemons and salt.

---

And a jar with a good seal which doesn't leak.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
And in theory you could make quite a small quantity. Two lemons and some kosher salt in a jar.
 

---

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
And in theory you could make quite a small quantity. Two lemons and some kosher salt in a jar.

---

quote:

---

I've tried doing limes, not as nice with salt IMHO

---

That's interesting. Limes and salt go great together in margaritas.
 

---

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :
 
There's another drink that more famously goes with lime and salt
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
... Sea salt 1½ T on top.

---

I take it by "T" you mean tablespoons?

eta: do you take the pips out before reassembling the lemon?

[ 22. April 2016, 00:38: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
If the seeds are handy it is worth taking them out, but if they stay it not to worry. When you take the lemon out again and cut it up for use in your dish it's easy to get them out at that time.
Also, I have never found it necessary to add lemon juice. The lemons generate enough juice all by themselves thanks to the salt.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Tangelos are coming into season here, and preserved tangelos make an interesting change from the usual lemon. Make them the same way - quartered, lots of salt and a few spices at the foot of the jar.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
I bought coconut oil which I have not used much at all before this. I shredded several kaffir lime leaves from my dwarf tree and added chilli flakes.

So far so good. I heated oil and added a large piece of barramundi to the mix. When it seemed cooked, i used egg slice to put on my plate. Disaster! It broke in two and covered racks of stove and a large portion of the cooking top.

I pressed on. I tipped a 155 can of coconut cream into pan nd stirred vigorously. Sauce went over fish. More chilli flakes. A good pinch of flaked almond went on top. It tasted great and I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Chilli was just about right, good and tangy. There could have been more shredded leaves.

Mess is now cleaned but it was disgusting. I would do this again but would use smaller fillets and be very careful.

[ 22. April 2016, 09:45: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
If you're cooking Moroccan, sea salt is best.
 

---

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
T indeed is tablespoons. We use t for teaspoons. Quantities approximate. Probably about half the seeds end up out before putting in the jar. I put lemons in jars in Xmas stockings this one past. My daughter made some with generous hanks of mint which is interesting.

Re limes, maybe it is my taste buds but I find them overpowering other flavours in savory foods.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks, No Prophet. While I like the flavour of lemon in all sorts of things (savoury and sweet), I tend to use bottled lemon juice; if I buy a whole lemon (usually for putting in GIN) I forget about it until it's ready to walk out of the fridge by itself ...

Having said that, if I remember, I'll slice the remainder of a lemon and freeze the slices in a zip-lock bag for future GIN.

I've been a bit wary of lemons in savoury dishes after I made this chicken casserole; IIRC I made it the night before and left it, with the lemons in, and their sour flavour was way too strong. I'd probably give it another go though, and it might work with preserved lemons.

PS That link was very slow to open on my computer, but give it a couple of minutes and it should work.
 

---

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
A whole lemon seems like a lot. We'd probably use 1/4 salted lemon in such a dish, and chopped up, judging from things we've made.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
We go through lemons (and limes) by the yard. Slices of lemon go in tea, in gin, in cocktails, in that pre-dinner standby 'a glass with ice'. Lemon juice goes in salad dressings and marinades and sauces and anywhere I feel needs a touch of acidity. Lime juice is one component of my favourite avocado dressing (along with sugar and hot sauces): 'Thai soup' is a Tom Yam stock cube, a few vegetables and prawns or chicken leftovers, lime juice and coconut milk. In fact anything Carribbean*, Mexican, S American or SE Asian will have lime juice on and in.

I couldn't live without lemons and limes.

* special mensh for chicken wings with a glaze of lime juice, lime marmalade and Angostura bitters
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
For one person, I buy a lot of both limes and lemons. I use them much as Firenze suggests and zest is lso sprinkled on dishes for added flavour.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My family has been drooling over this recipe with lemon and chicken.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I don't know if anyone is in touch with babybear who last posted in 2010, but I made a soup based on a recipe she posted years earlier and it was delicious. It had the kind of store cupboard ingredients that meant I could just throw it together, although I substituted a lentil, quinoa and beans soup mix for the red lentils she originally used.

So, feel free to tell her if you are in touch that her inspiration lives on

Huia
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
My sister-in-law was looking at a compilation of old family recipes, when she came across this one.

Cookies

1 pound flour
1 pound butter
1 1/4 pound sugar
1/2 cup rum
6 egg yolk, hard boiled, "rubbed thru sieve"

sugar
cinnamon


1. Mix ingredients into smooth dough. Chill thoroughly then roll into sheet. Cut into circular shapes using a thimble to cut out center.
2. Dip with sugar and cinnamon mixture, place on cookie sheet, not too close and bake at 375 degrees.

Has anyone ever baked a recipe like this?

Moo
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I should have given the original name of the recipe. Eier Kranze, which means 'Egg Wreath'.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Eldest son and his wife have been in Shanghai for a couple of months now on business. Most meals are eaten out as they have few facilities for cooking in the Airbnb apartment they are in. They are often taken out by members of the Chinese consortium supporting them. Sometimes it is to ultra swanky places, other times to small hole in the wall type places wth good cheap food.

This recipe comes from one of those and is now enjoyed by all the family back here. Easy, healthy and versatile.

Slice some speck into ultra thin slices and fry very genlty to render fat down from it. Bacon is ok but speck is better.

Cook garlic in the fat. My family uses lots of garlic but suit yourself. Break plenty of cauliflower into small florets and slice the stems thinly. Cook gently with the speck. Cook other vegetables like onion, leek,zucchini, a variety of chinese greens, capsicum. Choice is up to you but cauliflower is non-negotiable.

When cauliflower begins to soften, add sesame oil to taste and sesame seeds.

Very tasty either as a casual meal or a side dish. They do not yet have the recipe for the dumplings with gold leaf which they ate at a restaurant which serves no more than eight to ten people for the whole night. Not a group of that size. That number only.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
That cauliflower dish sounds rather good, Loth.

I was a typical Brit who didn't like cauliflower until I discovered it could be sautéed (as opposed to being boiled to b*ggery); there's a recipe in the old Delia Smith books from the 70s for cauliflower sautéed with garlic and crushed coriander seeds, and it's absolutely delicious.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Putting any of the brasiccae in water to cook is a sin that requires much penance, admittedly we do occasionally steam broccoli but none of the brasiccae benefit from being boiled, a light sauté is often all they require.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Absolutely, WW. In the cauliflower recipe, you start over a medium heat with a finely chopped onion and garlic in oil, turn the heat a bit higher for the cauliflower florets and coriander seeds and add a knob or two of butter, which helps them to brown a little at the edges and gives a lovely, almost nutty flavour and crunchy texture.

Sadly, D's mum was of the "boil-to-b*ggery" school of British vegetable cooking, so he thinks cauliflower is the work of Beelzebub.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I think that the over boiling stuff may have derived from the original brassica, seakale, which is inedible unless cooked for ages - or so I am told.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Sadly, D's mum was of the "boil-to-b*ggery" school of British vegetable cooking...

---

A shipmate once posted that her mother's first job when she left school was in a hospital kitchen. When she arrived for work at eight in the morning, her first task was to put the cabbage on to boil for lunch.

Moo
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moo:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
Sadly, D's mum was of the "boil-to-b*ggery" school of British vegetable cooking...

---

A shipmate once posted that her mother's first job when she left school was in a hospital kitchen. When she arrived for work at eight in the morning, her first task was to put the cabbage on to boil for lunch.

Moo

---

that would be my experience. I was in hospital for three weeks many years ago and practically every day the smell of cabbage wafted through about 8:30 am.

Mil used to pressure cook it for about 15 minutes. Disgusting.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The college where I worked in Belfast had a head cook who used to put the spaghetti for lunch on as soon as the breakfasts had been served. When she was off on sick leave for several weeks after surgery, her assistant (who actually could cook) was looking after things; the food improved beyond measure and the takings shot up. As soon as the boss came back, they plummeted again (I knew this because counting and banking the takings was part of my job).
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
Last time I was in hospital the food was beyond bad, and the local takeaways did a roaring trade.

I was saved by a friend having the brilliant idea of preparing me proper food at home, freezing it in pouches which could then be re-heated in the ward microwave.

The real scandal of NHS food is the lack of fruit and vegetables: bad in any case but worse when so many analgesics have a bunging-up quality, which they then proceed to try to solve by issuing industrial quantities of Lactulose.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
A friend of mine was telling me about a hand-written cookbook that has been in her family for well over a century.

She was interested in the sausage recipe which began, "Slaughter your hog."

Moo
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Not quite in the same league, a cookbook my mother had when I was a child commenced the recipe for haggis with instructions on preparing the sheep's pluck ('hang the windpipe over the edgeof the saucepan').
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
There are days when I love to be able to say "I'm a vegetarian!"
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm delighted to report that my haggis recipe (adapted from one found on the interweb called American haggis and which I call Coward's haggis) involves it being baked in a tin like a meat-loaf* and uses nothing more gory than minced lamb and lamb- or chicken-livers.

* I could probably serve it as a meat-loaf and few non-Scots would be any the wiser.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
This is worth recording for posterity:

Tagiatelle
Cooked ham
Asparagus
Creme fraiche/single cream
Dry vermouth/white wine
Parmesan
Mozzarella

Put the pasta on to cook. Slice the ham into strips. Cut the asparagus into short lengths and either steam or microwave. In a pan gently fry the ham, tip in the asparagus, add a glug or two of vermouth (or wine) and the creme fraiche or cream and let simmer gently. Just before you drain the pasta, add the grated parmesan, the torn up mozzarella and a few turns of black pepper to the pan.

It was deliciously light and tasty.
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 
This recipe is for emergency chocolate cravings. It started when my nephew asked whether you could make a chilli version of nutella.

Chilli Chocolate, peanut butter and banana sandwiches (serves 2)

• 1 small banana
• 4 slices of bread (preferably wholemeal)
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (other nut butter if you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar-free cocoa
• tip of a teaspoon of chilli

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
And some Brits think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are weird.

---

Yes ...
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
If you put on a bap, you'd go insane over it.
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
And some Brits think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are weird.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
If you put on a bap, you'd go insane over it.

---

Um ... not me.

Don't get me wrong - I like peanut butter, but I prefer it to be (a) crunchy and (b) spread on something else that is crunchy, like a cracker or (at a pinch) toast. I find the texture combination of PB and untoasted bread really cloying, but give me a jar of crunchy PB and a packet of those little multigrain crackers and I'll be a contented piglet.

Combining it with things puts me off (especially chocolate - IMHO Reece's Pieces are an Abomination Before The Lord™). When my nephews were little, they liked nothing so much as PB-and-honey sandwiches - ugh!
 

---

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
One of the best sandwiches I ever had was peanut butter, honey, strawberries, and bananas between thick slices of fresh multigrain bread.

Oh, and the fact that I bought and ate it at a delightful little sandwich stand on a cliff overlooking the Pacific on lovely day didn't hurt the experience a bit.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Before I became a veggie I used to slice the liver fairly thinly then put in a plastic bag with a tablespoon of plain flour half a teaspoon of curry powder and a pinch of salt, shake vigorously then fry as above and would usually serve it on a bed of rice.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
If you put on a bap, you'd go insane over it.

---

Um ... not me.

Don't get me wrong - I like peanut butter, but I prefer it to be (a) crunchy and (b) spread on something else that is crunchy, like a cracker or (at a pinch) toast. I find the texture combination of PB and untoasted bread really cloying, but give me a jar of crunchy PB and a packet of those little multigrain crackers and I'll be a contented piglet.

Combining it with things puts me off (especially chocolate - IMHO Reece's Pieces are an Abomination Before The Lord™). When my nephews were little, they liked nothing so much as PB-and-honey sandwiches - ugh!

---

Ah. I wondered if it was a texture thing.

As for me-- I like crunchy or smooth, and I lived on pb and honey as a kid.

[ 28. May 2016, 01:22: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

---

Posted by Golden Key (# 1468) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lyda*Rose:
And some Brits think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are weird.

---

Yes ...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
You're thinking of a 'jeely piece'? - aka a jam sandwich.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
You want to go to Polish delis for that sort of thing. Though you have to study the various cartons in the chill cabinet carefully so as not to end up with a tub of schmalz.

Our local one is Bona Deli. I so want to go in and cry 'Lovely to vada your eek!'

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
You want to go to Polish delis for that sort of thing. Though you have to study the various cartons in the chill cabinet carefully so as not to end up with a tub of schmalz.

Our local one is Bona Deli. I so want to go in and cry 'Lovely to vada your eek!'

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Don't try it wit burnt quinoa, which has one of the most foul tastes I have ever experienced!

Huia

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Thanks Piglet. I suppose it may have been a misprint. I just assumed it was a fish I had never heard of before, and I'm familiar with salmon and mullet.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
I Googled "slow cooker fish in foil packets" and got mostly recipes for tilapia, although there was one for salmon - could your recipe have been red salmon? Or maybe red mullet?

---

A quick google for redfish recipes resulted in this . You do get to see what the fish looks like. Granted, it's not the foil packet one, but it proves that redfish are a separate kind of fish.

[ 05. June 2016, 06:44: Message edited by: jacobsen ]
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
Thanks Jacobsen. That answers a question I was wondering about, which was to do with the thickness of the fish. I bought some like that here so I think I'll just play around with the timing for the slow cooker. I know fish generally cooks more quickly than meat.

And if it doesn't work well the first time Georgie-Porgy loves fish

Huia
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I used up the rest of a bag of Harvest Grains today by making another sort-of risotto. I think my previous effort has gone to Oblivion, but I've tweaked it a bit, so here's the updated version:

Olive oil
1 onion
2 small carrots
1 celery stick, all chopped quite small
1 large clove garlic, crushed or chopped small
Salt, pepper and a pinch each of thyme, rosemary and tarragon
About a quarter of a large red pepper, chopped
1 cup mixed grains (I had about ¾ cup left, so I made up the difference with rice)
1½ cups chicken stock, heated and infused with a pinch of saffron
About 1½ cups chopped cooked chicken
About ¾ cup frozen peas, defrosted
A little butter

Heat the oil* in a shallow casserole or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, seasonings and herbs. Stir and cook gently for about 10 minutes.

Add the grains and stir to mix, then add the chopped red pepper and pour over the hot stock. Bring to the boil, stirring, cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.

After about 5 minutes, stir in the cooked chicken, cover and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the defrosted peas, cook for another 5 minutes (or until all the liquid has evaporated) and stir in the butter. Fluff up the grains with a fork and serve hot.

* I was using defrosted home-made chicken stock and added a couple of teaspoons of the fat from the top of the stock to the pan but that's optional; ready-made stock or cubes will do.

It really was rather good (better than the original, which had mushrooms instead of red pepper). Although in this case the rice was needed to make up the amount, I'd do it like that again, as I think the rice added more than just bulk - it took on the colour of the saffron beautifully, making the dish look very pretty.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
Thanks Piglet. I suppose it may have been a misprint. I just assumed it was a fish I had never heard of before, and I'm familiar with salmon and mullet.

---

Red Snapper, perhaps?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
.. if it's got tentacles, tempura batter.

---

If it's got tentacles, avoid.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
And miss crispy fried squid rings?

Talking of calamari, I came over Greek this evening and decided to make moussaka - which I normally shun on account of the amount of Faff. However, I think the following recipe minimises that.

Slice the aubergine and sprinkle with salt.

Meanwhile peel some potatoes and microwave until almost done.

While that is going on, finely chop some onion and garlic and soften in olive oil. Add minced lamb, cinnamon and oregano. Once browned, add a couple of squidges of tomato puree, some water and some red wine (if available). Cover and leave to simmer.

Return to the aubergines, rinse and pat dry. Dress lightly with olive oil and bake for 25 minutes.

Make a bechamel and add a good pinch of nutmeg and some grated Pecorino. Beat in an egg.

To assemble, slice the potatoes and put in the bottom of ovenproof dish. Cover with meat. Top with aubergine slices. Pour over the béchamel.

Bake for 40 or 50 minutes.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lothlorien:
Huia, you were lucky to find a good substitute.

---

When I was in search of the mythical red admiral fish I found a website that gives substitutions. Unfortunately I was on a library computer, so I can't check my history to use it again.

Firenze, thanks for the oily fish/white fish tip.

Huia

[ 09. June 2016, 01:04: Message edited by: Huia ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Not a recipe, more of a food question: is it just over here, or have other people been finding it very difficult to get avocados that aren't more like grenades?

We've had a couple in the last few weeks that were so hard and apparently unripe that the stone shattered when you put a knife into it, and I was at a Mexican restaurant the other day where the waiter apologised to someone who tried to order the avocado burrito, saying they couldn't get decent avocados.

Anyone else had the same thing, or is it specific to Newfoundland?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
There are three stages of avocado-- stone like (lasting forever), ready! ( about 15 minutes) and rotting. (Ever after.)

A decent cook should be holding out for that 15 minute window, but the typical practice is buying the avocado at the stone stage and waiting for that magic day. I can see how a rush of avocado dish orders could tempt a cook to prepare avocados before ripeness, but your dish is doomed to suck in painful ways if you cut avocado corners.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Meh. Even the 'ripe and ready' packs are chancy. It's either rubber bullet or completely squidgy. I've largely given up.

Meanwhile, in the Turned Out Better Than Expected category:

White fish fillets
Frozen spinach
Grated Parmesan
Breadcrumbs
Butter
Fresh parsley (optional)

Microwave the spinach until just thawed/!cooked. Press it to get out the water. Put a dollop of spinach in an ovenproof dish and top with a dod of butter and a chunk of fish. Repeat until you have used all your fish and spinach. Scatter with a mix of grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs and parsley (if using). Bake for 20-25 mins in a hottish oven.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
There are three stages of avocado-- stone like (lasting forever), ready! ( about 15 minutes) and rotting. (Ever after.)

---

Yes. IMHO the only solution to this problem is to have a gi-normous three-story avocado tree in your backyard, like my grandparents did. Avocados exist to be parables of Genesis 2-3--paradise so brief, fall so dreadful!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
That sort of makes me feel better, especially as we had one in between that managed to evade detection in the fridge and by the time I looked at it, it was in the squishy category.


 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
I don't think you're supposed to put them in the fridge, are you? Or is that just for bananas and tomatoes?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
You can put avocados in the fridge if you want to extend that fifteen minute window to, like, twenty minutes. Just don't forget about them.

And bananas-- ugh, yeah, say goodbye to them if you put them in the fridge. But tomatoes? Again, as long as you don't forget they are there, they should be fine, right?

[ 20. June 2016, 15:50: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
I dunno, that's just how I was taught. And I like warm, spicy smelling tomatoes on the counter a whole lot more than the cold clammy globes that come out of my refrigerator!

My mother had one of those foodsaver thingies that encases stuff in plastic shrinkwrap. To demonstrate its abilities, she shrinkwrapped an avocado half and stuck it in the fridge for a week before inviting me to admire it. Hard to be polite while I'm
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I have learned from media that tomatoes once put in the fridge do not recover their flavour - not like strawberries which can be brought back to room temperature OK.

You can get banana bags which keep bananas OK in the salad box at the bottom of the fridge. I have used one.

The cucumber bags do not work, though, and you end up having to wash out watery gloop.
 

---

Posted by Mrs Shrew (# 8635) on :
 
Bananas are ok refrigerated - they go black on the skin but the inside is perfectly kept.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
... But tomatoes? Again, as long as you don't forget they are there, they should be fine, right?

---

Maybe it depends on the type of tomato. We usually buy Sapori tomatoes on the vine from Costco and they'll keep for several days in the fridge without coming to any harm, and several more when they're still good enough for cooking with.
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Tried my hand at making cream cheese. It turned out wonderful. Now onto second batch.
If you would like to try your hand at it go

here

[code fix]

[ 21. June 2016, 01:30: Message edited by: jedijudy ]
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
So sorry Link worked in styx but does not work here.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It's working now, Graven Image!
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
There is a nasty cold wind outside and it may be snowing down in the high country where Shipmate Rowen lives. I am making this recipe tonight whiich will fill my apartment with a wonderful aroma.

The sauce does about six large chicken fillets. Tonight I am experimenting with diced pork and looking forward to it. Recipe is easy and quick.

Heat oven to around 200° C
Place chicken fillets in ovenproof dish and add salt and pepper,

Mix together 1/4cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup dijon or seedy mustard, and a tablespoon rice wine vvinegar. Other light vinegars can be used if you do not have the rice wine type.

Pour over chicken and cook for around 40 minutes. It will brown nicely and smell really good.

Serve and into remaining sauce , stir fresh rosemary and pour over chicken. Original recipe was served with rice. As I am eating low carb, I wil have vegetables and salad. ( the maple syrup will be fine as it is divided among several serves.)
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I just thought it was my lack of knowledge about avocadoes that was responsible for my buying so many duds. I've stopped buying them, especially now the price is a bit steep here at the moment, so much so that avo thieves are stripping orchards up north.

Apparently this year's crop is predicted to be a good one.

I have a chicken, kumara (sweet potato) and cranberry stew in the slow cooker. The sauce is a combination of wine vinegar, honey and ginger, which sounded interesting. Since I successfully slow cooked a sweet and sour pork shoulder at the last minute because the oven wasn't working I have decided I need to branch out with meals I haven't tried before. I can always freeze leftovers for another day.

After I've eaten I'm baking some mini-muffins as the school where I volunteer is raising money for the Vinnies (St Vincent de Paul). I'm planning on banana and chocolate and crunchy lemon, which should appeal to both the children and adults.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
(Scampers over from garden thread)

So, someone over there described something involving a court state filled with fruit. 1. Is that really a thing? and 2. Is it yummy?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Goddamn predictive text. "Courgette."
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
I did wonder what you were seeing in that thread that I couldn't, Kelly

I think Penny S just meant that the plant already had growing courgettes on it.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Correct. And yesterday I got a pot of runner bean plants with pods already to be harvested!
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Oh, ok. Forgive me for getting all excited; zucchini is the traditional " food you try to use up in creative ways" around here, so I figured it would be handy to have another trick up my sleeve.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Are zucchini slice, bread and chocolate cake already in your repertoire?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Yep. As well as stuffed zucchini.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Hasselback zucchini made like Hasselback potatoes with lots of melted butter and herbs?
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
( after googling) Hee. They look like the Very Yummy Caterpillar.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Take some large courgettes, hollow them out, fill them with a mix of spiced meat/meat with herbs/spiced or herbed rice, place in ovenproof dish, pour a tomato sauce of your own devising over and bake until done. The really large ones might need turning halfway through.

Take some small courgettes, slice thinly into rounds, dip in tempura batter and deep fry briefly. Serve with whatever you please, eat with dip of garlic mayonnaise, tomato salsa, whatever.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I've still got some in the freezer from last year! Shallow fried in butter, they were.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ariel:
Take some large courgettes, hollow them out, fill them with a mix of spiced meat/meat with herbs/spiced or herbed rice, place in ovenproof dish, pour a tomato sauce of your own devising over and bake until done. The really large ones might need turning halfway through.

Take some small courgettes, slice thinly into rounds, dip in tempura batter and deep fry briefly. Serve with whatever you please, eat with dip of garlic mayonnaise, tomato salsa, whatever.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
I would think the way to go is like apple sauce - put the pitted fruit in a small covered saucepan and stew till soft and squishy. Sweeten (honey/brown sugar) or sharpen (orange/lemon juice) to taste.

---

Thank you
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
We think that a dash or 2 of a good balsamic vinegar would do the trick.
 

---

Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I made a kumara (sweet potato) and quinoa soup today which had a chillie pepper listed as an ingredient. I didn't have one but did have some dried chillie powder. I didn't use it because I was unsure how much to use, so it's a bit bland. If I try it again could I use the powder? and about how much?

I don't usually use them, so I'm a bit wary.

Huia
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
It all depends. Fresh chilis - even of the same variety - are variable in heat, which is also tempered by cooking. Chili powder is also variable, and, like all spices, deteriorates over time.

I have in the house fresh jalapenos, 3 different chilli powders, cayenne pepper, dried whole chilis, several bottles of chili/hot sauce. If the chili ingredient I started with doesn't seem to be delivering (and fresh can mellow out a lot) then I supplement it with powder and/or sauce as I go. Basically, keep tasting and adding.

I don't think there's any point, right up until it hits the plate - and not even then - when you can't modify a dish. So maybe a bottle of tabasco and sprinkle a few drops at table?

[ 24. July 2016, 10:38: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huia:
I made a kumara (sweet potato) and quinoa soup today which had a chillie pepper listed as an ingredient. I didn't have one but did have some dried chillie powder. I didn't use it because I was unsure how much to use, so it's a bit bland. If I try it again could I use the powder? and about how much?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
What does "swede" refer to? Must be a local term for a vegetable.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by :

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:

quote:

---

Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
What does "swede" refer to? Must be a local term for a vegetable.

---

Rutabaga, swede, turnip or neep depending on your locality. All are equally valid.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
Oh go on, bore us.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:

quote:

---

Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
What does "swede" refer to? Must be a local term for a vegetable.

---

Rutabaga, swede, turnip or neep depending on your locality. All are equally valid.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
Though rudabaga is the spelling

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
Thanks. We see the other 3 terms. Though rudabaga is the spelling and means a strongerly flavoured thing.

---

That may be your preferred spelling but the rest of the world would go with rutabaga. I googled it and found 1,990 references to "rudabaga", whereas there are 1,420,000 for "rutabaga". The etymology was unhelpful. To quote Wikipedia, "This comes from the old Swedish dialectal word rotabagge, from rot (root) + bagge (short, stumpy object; probably related to bag)." Which is probably why it is sometimes known as "swede" though even the Swedes appear to have been stumped by this particular vegetable.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
It took me a long while to get round to eating it from choice - we used to have it overboiled and diced at school, and I always expected it to be carrot, and its flavour was definitely not - in fact, at school, it had next to no flavour.

The swede dish the other night, I should warn anyone tempted to imitate it, had decided to enter for the Olympic 6.7 metre dash. Not to be repeated, though I've had the components with no bother.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
IMNSHO the only real use for a turnip (swede/rutabaga/whatever - a large purplish thing with yellow flesh that grows in the ground) is to boil it and add it to about twice the quantity of boiled potatoes (tatties), mash together with an indecent quantity of butter and a generous grind of pepper.

You now have clapshot, to which you may wish to add a side-order of haggis.

Or sausages, if you're a haggis-wimp.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I can't stand turnips by themselves, but a small amount adds a lot to a beef stew.

Moo
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Mmmm, turnip greens! I think folks around here pretty much ignore the root and leave it in the ground to harvest several cuttings of the greens. Turnip greens are probably the most popular in My Fair Town™ over collards and mustard greens. I love all three, and when I lived up north as a child, loved dandelion greens, too!

Unless you have a pressure cooker, turnip greens take a while to cook. I normally add a bit of pork rind or some bacon for extra flavor, but it's not necessary. Served with vinegar or hot pepper vinegar, it's a comfort meal by itself. Add blackeyed peas and rice and cornbread, and you're in Heaven!!!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
IMNSHO the only real use for a turnip (swede/rutabaga/whatever - a large purplish thing with yellow flesh that grows in the ground) is to boil it and add it to about twice the quantity of boiled potatoes (tatties), mash together with an indecent quantity of butter and a generous grind of pepper.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
There are 2 separate vegetables. A swede has a thickish skin, the top purple and the rest yellow, yellow flesh and a full flavour. The French say that its only use is as cattle feed.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
These tiny ones are delicious boiled and tossed in butter, or roasted in duck fat with statins served on the side.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Lamb Chopped:
Tofu squares fried in oil and soy sauce are pretty good.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Firenze:
I think I've found a way to make tofu tasty.

Cube firm tofu and put it between layers of kitchen roll. Weight it with a plate or chopping board and leave for 20 minutes or so. Toss the cubes in seasoned cornflour. Oil and heat a shallow pan and lay the cubes in a single layer. Turn carefully until brown and crisped on all sides.

Season some more. The interior still doesn't taste of anything, but its creamy texture goes nicely with the savoury, crispy coating.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Does anyone have any simple recipe for a complete novice to smoke a piece of fish?

---

I've never tried it, but here's the Telegraph's handy how-to. Hope this helps.

It's worth dropping round to the supermarket fish counter after work to see what reduced-price items are going. I've been enjoying improvising recently based on what I find.

Reduced-price calamari dinner:

Buy 1 packet reduced-price calamari rings. Fry some chopped garlic, add (tinned) chopped tomato and puree, let them cook for a bit, add the calamari rings, some chopped chorizo and fresh basil, season with sea salt and black pepper, add some lemon juice to taste.

Meanwhile cook some fine noodles separately then drain, add to the pan with the calamari mix, stir through thoroughly and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan. Your actual cooking time from start to finish will be about 10 minutes (keep an eye on the calamari rings as they only need a couple of minutes). Quick, easy, flavoursome, and the red, white and green look pretty in the dish.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Very helpful, thanks - smoking with a hard fruit wood like mango or jackfruit sounds fun - but not and never durian just in case, not that it grows here but the mere idea is just plain
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Just back from a couple of nights away atba country house hotel. Where the chef definitely had a way with eggs. One breakfast I had Eggs Royale (same as Benedict, but with smoked salmon instead of ham). The particular glory there was a very light, very lemony mayonnaise.

But the star of the show was what was described as Cullen Skink Veloute. The sauce/soup was poured round various bits and pieces - pureed leek, teensy sauteed potato cubes, shard of bacon - but principally a poached egg, breadcrumbed and deep fried (while still managing to stay runny on the inside).

It was one of the rare occasions when I felt chefy futterings with food actually yielded something memorable.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
WW, I have an electric smoker in which I can use different chips. A bit of honey or sugar on my salmon and the result is very good. However, hot smoking like this is not a preservative method. I was not sure what you wanted the fsh for. To keep or eat straight away. A search on Swedish smokers will probably turn something up and you may find there are already such appliances where you are. I haven't used mine much lately as one son placed it on top pantry shelf well out of my reach.

[ 12. August 2016, 22:26: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Firenze, those futterings sound utterly divine. Eggs Royale (when done nicely) is well-named: truly a dish fit for a king, and Cullen Skink is one of my favourite soups (but sadly not one I've had in years).

There's a restaurant here where they do a smoked-salmon chowder*, which is v.v. good, and I suppose is the next best thing to Cullen Skink.

* as part of a $9.99 lunch combo deal, which is about the best value you can imagine.
 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
Does anyone have a suggestion for a sauce for pulled pork? Something other than the standard barbecue style of thing? Any help would be greatly appreciated - it's for a family dinner on the weekend - the pork is being provided but something different is wanted.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
How about something like this , Clarence?

[Code fix]

[ 30. August 2016, 14:33: Message edited by: jedijudy ]
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Pork lends itself to fruit. I sometimes do a sauce based on oranges. I can't give a recipe since I re-invent it every time - but the idea is combine meat juices and the juice and zest of orange and reduce until syrupy. Adding in the likes of redcurrant jelly or lemon juice to sweeten or sharpen to taste.

Caramelised apple wedges or pineapple rings might be nice. And plums are seasonal - an unsweetened compote?
 

---

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Clarence:
Does anyone have a suggestion for a sauce for pulled pork? Something other than the standard barbecue style of thing? Any help would be greatly appreciated - it's for a family dinner on the weekend - the pork is being provided but something different is wanted.

---

quote:

---

North Carolina Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Texas Pete's (or other hot sauce like Frank's)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a small, non-reactive sauce pan and bring to a boil. Whisk until the sugar and salt is completely dissolved, remove from heat, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Pour the sauce into a jar or squeeze bottle and let rest in the refrigerator one day before using.

---

 

---

Posted by Clarence (# 9491) on :
 
I think we need at least three weekends of family parties with pulled pork now. Thank you - knew the Ship would provide
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
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
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
They can be used as a thickener in a lot of Asian dishes - like this Chicken Korma
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
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?
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
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!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
What are they like, when they've cooked enough? Leathery? Soupy? Dry?
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

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

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 

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?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Pigwidgeon (# 10192) on :
 
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.

 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 

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?

---

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."

---

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.

---

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

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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?
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Only a pie base.
 

---

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
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:

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.

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

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
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!
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 
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
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :
 
You have got me thinking. I make a very similar sweetpotato one but which pulse to add?

Jengie
 

---

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
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.
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
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

• 1 medium onion
• several cloves of garlic
• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 1 pack of sweet potato and butternut
• 3 teaspoons of coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons of mild curry
• 1.5 litres of vegetable stock
• 1 can of cannellini beans

1. Heat the coconut oil in a roasting dish in an oven at 200°C and leave to heat through.
2. chop veg into approximated 1 cubic cm sized pieces except beans. Skin garlic
3. place chopped beans and garlic cloves into roasting tray, sprinkle with curry powder and leave to cook for half an hour turning occasionally.
4. put stock in pan.
5. wash and drain beans and add to stock then bring to boil.
6. Add roast veg and leave to simmer for about half an hour.
7. allow to cool
8. Liquidize and either reheat or box and store.

1. lenti, sweet pepper, chilli and tomato soup (imagine an adult version of cream of tomato)
2. black bean and kale soup. The base is passata and black beans mashed together to which I add kale and beans . So a soup with chunks in it.
3. curried root veg soup (as above)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gee D:
Ready made soup mixes like that can be very easily bought in supermarkets here ...

---

Here too - I already had a pack that I use for my veggie soup recipe, but this had other things as well - flavourings, dried shredded veggies and so on.

D. made the recipe last night, and we're going to have it for lunch today; the quality-control done last night looks promising. TBH there must have been a fair modicum of salt in the mix, because when we tried it, even before adding chopped cooked bacon and a couple of potatoes and carrots, it was quite well-flavoured.

[ 23. October 2016, 16:15: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
I've found one thing to do with breadcrumbs, in the dessert line, triggered by thinking about Queen of Puddings, but not being keen on the effort of making the meringue!
Put fruit in the bottom of a microwaveable dish and sweeten to taste - I used raspberries. Mix an egg with cream or milk, and sugar, as a custard base and add bread crumbs to make it gloopy. I also added, in the absence of a lemon for zest, a small quantity of lemon oil. Pour this onto the fruit. Leave for the crumbs to absorb the custard while eating the first course.
Cook for 3 minutes at full power (my machine has a measly 700W). Leave to stand a minute.
It tasted pretty much like Q of P.

Today I'm doing it with reference to a slow cooking recipe from Stella Atterbury's book "Leave it to cook" which produced a sort of chocolate mousse - the crumbs disappear - and adding cocoa to the custard, with orange oil instead of the lemon.

I can see a lot of variants to this coming up. Even savoury versions.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The pea-soup mix thingy turned out very nicely - it had thickened considerably overnight, so I watered it down while re-heating it, but it was still rather good, and there was enough left over for another small-ish meal.

Having said that, it was quite an expensive way of doing things: the package of pulses and flavourings cost $9, which is about three times as much as the big pack of ordinary soup pulses from the supermarket* (although the package one didn't need any extra veggies apart from a couple of potatoes).

* which will yield enough for many pots of soup.
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
That sounds very expensive Piglet, even if it made an ample meal for 2. Surely the ingredients cost nothing like that.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Well, exactly. The pulse mixture was very prettily packaged, with the different coloured elements in layers, and the package tied with string, so I suppose it was a bit "designer".

Also, it wasn't really what we knew to be Newfoundland pea soup, which would be made with yellow split peas, carrots, potatoes and salted beef. It was an enjoyable experiment, but probably not one we'll be in a hurry to repeat, for fiscal reasons if not gastronomic ones!
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
Ooh, I'm going looking for a recipe now, Piglet. I love pea soup, but have never heard of it made with salt beef before.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
It's the tradition in Newfoundland, and it does make for a very flavourful soup, although there's no reason why you shouldn't use a ham bone instead.

There's a recipe here. For myself, I wouldn't bother with the dumplings (dough boys), but they certainly eke it out.
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
A young friend of ours has PUK (an intolerance to protein) so is, essentially, on a vegan diet. Does anyone have simple vegan recipes which use basic ingredients that I can find in our local supermarket and which don't take hours to prepare? And are not jacket potatoes or chips!
 

---

Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Can she do beans? There are many many bean recipes out there.
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
She can do beans, and we've been (pun not intended) giving her jacket potatoes with beans.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
If she's OK with red kidney-beans, would a vegan chilli (sort of chilli sans carne) be of any use?
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Beans of course have a partial protein, as do grains. That may well rule out such dishes as the bean chilli served on rice etc.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
If beans are ok, can she also eat lentils?

My top vegan recipe: chop up one large onion, two carrots and two sticks of celery. Sweat in a little olive oil. Pour in two glasses of green lentils and two litres of vegetable stock. Simmer for about forty minutes and blitz with the blender. If you want to make a completely smooth soup, you will need to add more stock, but personally I prefer it with a bit of texture.

(A bit of smoky bacon added at the same time as the vegetables is also very tasty, but then it obviously isn’t vegan anymore.)
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
It's protein is the problem, though she can eat some low protein foods. I had a recipe for a meatless, bean-less chilli from the Pku website. We made double the quantity, as the quantity of vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, peppers and onions) didn't look much. We've now got 12 tubs of it! It's more like a curry than a chilli, it's quite nice - I hope she likes it!
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I have a recipe for a moong bean biryani from Gail Duff that I love - spiced brown rice, tomatoes, potatoes and moong beans, tends to be fed to vegans when they come round, that or an aubergine and red kidney bean casserole from Cranks.

Or there are mushroom burgers or nut burgers, or sweet potato cutlets - which come from a Sainsbury's vegetarian suppers book - a whole range of options.
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
Could you message Darllenwr with the recipes please, Curiosity.
He has access to the printer!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I remember my niece, who's a vegan, doing a dish of roasted vegetables - IIRC she used peppers, red onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, courgettes and possibly other things I've forgotten, and drizzled them with a balsamic reduction.

It was utterly delicious, and as easy as falling off a log - she just chopped everything into about 1½-inch pieces, chucked them on a baking-sheet with a little oil and cooked them in the oven.
 

---

Posted by AngloCatholicGirl (# 16435) on :
 
I have a recipe for cauliflower balti and also an aubergine madras if she likes curries.

The balti is a slow cooker recipe and super quick and easy.

[ 20. November 2016, 21:13: Message edited by: AngloCatholicGirl ]
 

---

Posted by kingsfold (# 1726) on :
 
Any chance you can PM those to me? I love my slow cooker, so the Balti sounds fab!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Nothing at all to do with vegan curries, but I've long maintained that smoked salmon and scrambled eggs is a dish fit for a king; if you whisk a couple of tablespoons of cream in with the eggs, it comes straight from Heaven.

Just thought you'd like to know.
 

---

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
Having checked the PKU site, the more useful ones of those I sent you are probably the Carrot, Mushroom and Onion ragoût and the sweet potato cutlets minus the nut and egg coating. You could coat them with breadcrumbs. Beans aren't really on a PKU diet list.

Cauliflower curry with chapattis or rice, plus a spinach curry would be good. Cauliflower curry I tend to invent using the same spices as the moong bean biryani, following the recipe with the tomatoes and potato but omitting the rice and beans.

Spinach curry is the version all my daughter's multinational flatmates over the years have used too.

butter or oil
1 tsp garam masala
pinch salt
small onion, chopped finely
1lb spinach - stalks removed, in theory

Gently cook onion in butter or oil until transparent. Add garam masala and cook with the onion until soft. Add the salt and spinach and cook until the spinach has all wilted down.

This is so quick and even spinach haters love this one, so it won't serve many. (I make it for two.)
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Is there such a thing as a definitive recipe for Bubble and Squeak?

What I remember is yesterday's potatoes and cabbage mashed together and fried up in a little oil, but possibly with bits of left over cooked carrot as well. Left over carrots were rare in my family as we all loved carrots but did happen occasionally.

How about Garlic and Onions in there as well?

How about a little cheese grated on top and finished under the grill?

Do you stir it or let it sit and then turn it over and sit on the other side so you get some crispy bits on the sides?

Any other thoughts or family favourites?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Wodders, I remember my youngest son being impressed by the Two Fat Ladies as they made bubble and squeak. They certainly had a recipe. It went something like this. Butter, butter, butter. If in doubt add more butter.

Certainly cabbage and potatoes were always involved and I would be asked to cook more than needed so sons could have a Saturday breakfast of bubble and squeak. Anything else available went into it. Cheese sounds good but I don't ever remembering adding that. Cooked slowly enough to heat it through, but high enough to make edges etc crunchy and brown. Our budget then rarely ran to bacon for three hungry boys, but tomatoes cooked separately and served on the side were popular.

[ 24. November 2016, 19:06: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
The vegan niece might like this:

200g green lentils
4 celery sticks
4 large carrots
2 red peppers
1 chilli
4 cloves garlic
1 desertspoon parmesan
good handful finely chopped sage

Chop the celery, carrots, chilli, peppers and garlic very fine and then fry in rapeseed oil over a very low heat until tender.
Cook the lentils in stock for 40 minutes, then drain off any excess liquid.
Stir cooked lentils into other veg, taste and season before stirring in sage.
Lastly add the cheese.
(serves 3-4 depending on portion sizes)

Tasty on its own but also good with a poached egg on top.
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
Is there such a thing as a definitive recipe for Bubble and Squeak?

What I remember is yesterday's potatoes and cabbage mashed together and fried up in a little oil, but possibly with bits of left over cooked carrot as well. Left over carrots were rare in my family as we all loved carrots but did happen occasionally.

How about Garlic and Onions in there as well?

How about a little cheese grated on top and finished under the grill?

Do you stir it or let it sit and then turn it over and sit on the other side so you get some crispy bits on the sides?

Any other thoughts or family favourites?

---

I always associate Bubble & Squeak with Boxing Day when the leftover veg could all be considered. Now, when Mrs Sioni does anything up to nine vegetables, we get to choose (depending on availability).

There aren't usually leeks or broccoli left, but red cabbage and sprouts are there. We always have too many roast spuds so they go in. That all gets chopped, mashed and fried in a little butter. Those three are the basis. Onions could well be added but probably not garlic. It gets fried and turned until it is all crisp but we haven't tried adding cheese (don't tempt me!)
 

---

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :
 
L'Organist, that sounds suitable - without the Parmesan - for our Pku friend.
 

---

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
Squbble & Beak for supper last night and I have to boast a bit and say it was quite a success - it could have done with a higher heat for the last two minutes of cooking just to carbonise the edges a bit but tastewise it was excellent. Next week, if my dappled appearance doesn't make a re-appearance, I can even have a fried egg [or two] on top.

Cabbage and potato and onion and garlic and various little bits and bobs out of the fridge that needed finishing. It is something that I shall have again.

It wasn't as good as my mum's, of course, but...
 

---

Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Is anything ever as good as your mother's? I muse on that sometimes. I am sometimes aghast as I remember some childhood favourites, but two recipes remain favourites to this day, suitably adapted for vegetarian tastes (though sometimes not )
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think you're probably right, Pete - I've tried to replicate my mum's recipe for tiffin (a sort of chocolate/raisin/digestive biscuit confection that is very heavenly) and while mine came close, I don't think it was quite right.

Possibly the unobtainability of Scotbloc™ cooking chocolate had something to do with it.
 

---

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :
 
I think nothing will ever taste as good as a hungry child's favorite foods.

Moo
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I seek suggestions. There are a number of stellar bakers at church and I am conscious I fall short. I need a suggestion for a trio of home bakes which are a) not complicated or time consuming b) contrast nicely and c) look good as a trio.

We had a church event tonight and I made banana loaf, a traybake which involved chopped marshmallow, raisins and glace cherries and ...ummm... chocolate crispie cakes. All too often my third item is a cop-out like chocolate crispie cakes because I have run out of time / enthusiasm/ inspiration.

Suggestions please for an impressive but efficient trio of home bakes.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
A trio - how demanding!

I'd have thought some sort of tray-bake would be a good start, and they're not horrendously time-consuming, as you don't have to make loads of little individual things. The tiffin I mentioned above, or Millionaire's Shortbread might go down nicely - that'll cover the "chocolate" obligation. I think there are recipes on t'interweb for both of them.

Some kind of loaf cake - cherry, raisin, lemon ... whatever takes your fancy - again, no individual faffing about.

What about little jam-tarts (you can cheat by buying the pastry-cases ready-made), with a squirt of whipped cream on top of each?

Your post has just reminded me that one of the things I won't be missing about St. John's is the annual cookie exchange that one of the women in the choir organises. I had to make God-knows-how-many* of the same wee buns, and ended up taking home the same number, but of a mixture of everyone else's, more than half of which I probably wouldn't like.

* usually well over a hundred, depending on how many people she'd invited - it seemed to get bigger every year.
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
An extra thought for Piglet's jam tarts. Buy similar tart cases but boil can of condensed milk till it caramelises. Spoon caramel into cases and add a dollop of cream on top.

Sweet and gooey

Caramel like that used to be sold down here. You may be lucky and still have it but it is long gone here.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
You could put a slice of banana under the caramel and cream. We can get pre-caramelised condensed milk. Also Dulce de Leche and similar spreads/sauces would do the job.

The Australian Women's Weekly cookbook series have a lovely one on traybakes.

[ 30. November 2016, 11:49: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
I like the banoffi tarts suggestion! Last night's stellar baker made lemon drizzle cake, a fudgy sort of tray bake and star shaped biscuits.

This is what I aspire to, but I wouldn't attempt those biscuits because inevitably one of more of the star points would break off.

I'm aiming for some sort of cake baked in a loaf tin, some sort of tray bake and something else, that contrasts nicely and isn't chocolate crispy cakes. So perhaps something chocolatey in the loaf tin, the marshmallow tray bake and banoffi tarts?
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
posted by Uncle Pete

quote:

---

Is anything ever as good as your mother's? I muse on that sometimes.

---

Thankfully not since my late Mama was a disastrous cook. Lacking a sense of smell may have accounted for some of it, also being a teenager when food was rationed so making experimenting with cooking tricky, but even so some of the things she came up with

Anyone for an adaptation of Chicken Marengo made with lamb, piccalilli and spiced mango chutney: not browning off the meat before putting the ingredients together added a layer of stomach-churning ghastliness; served cold it was truly unforgettable. We also never quite got to the bottom of what she did to red cabbage that made it so terrible, but the memory of the trapped wind and agonising stomach cramps it induced is still fresh. A dessert featuring beetroot, whipped evaporated milk and rice is also hard to forget.

The family used to joke that if they'd made her batch cook and dropped the results into occupied Europe it would have shortened the war by years. The only good thing to say about it is that we all taught ourselves to cook from a very young age prompted by a lively sense of self-preservation.

Oddly enough Mama had a friend who was similarly challenged, and when the friend's children and I see each other we still sometimes muse on how we survived to healthy adulthood on such atrocious food; certainly we were the only children we knew who put on weight on boarding school food.

[ 30. November 2016, 12:17: Message edited by: L'organist ]
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
Is anything ever as good as your mother's? I muse on that sometimes.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
A little suggestion for a snackette.

Himself's potato, garlic, cheese and spinach tikki [patties].

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
Pickled figs - lots more on this site

There ya go

---

Many thanks!
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I'm not sure whether this post should be here, or in a new thread of its own, as it might set off a bit of a tangent, but ...

If you're not doing turkey for Christmas lunch/dinner, what are you doing?

I ask because for the first time in 13 years, D. and I will probably be just ourselves on Christmas Day, in a small flat with limited cooking resources (the oven only has one shelf, which is novel, and most of our cooking equipment is in storage).

We're neither of us wild about turkey anyway, and may well do something lamb-related, depending on oven-organisation issues.

Any thoughts?
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
No idea really. I am still planning a lunch by myself but perhaps my sons have not thought of that yet. Then I will have to pursuade them that I am fine. I am more than happy with being alone, not lonely at all, and we have family lunch on Boxing Day. Probably fresh prawns. I love seafood and do not really like turkey mush at all. Would eat it if served, but would rather not.
 

---

Posted by Kittyville (# 16106) on :
 
How about something like Carluccio's baked chicken with potatoes? Basically, a jointed chicken with chunks of potato (and whatever other veg you might like to roast as well), in a roasting tin, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary needles. Toss the ingredients to coat with oil, bake at 200C for half an hour, mix ingredients together again, bake for another half hour or until the spuds are tender. You could use a disposable foil roasting tin, if yours is still in storage.

I've done loads of variations with different herbs and spices over the years. If you wanted to make a smaller version for 2, you could use a couple of chicken marylands instead of a whole jointed chicken. Or Carluccio himself it could be done with lamb cutlets.

[ 06. December 2016, 23:20: Message edited by: Kittyville ]
 

---

Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :
 
I was shown a lovely recipe by a French Chef at a cooking class. You cut a chicken in half, and carefully bone it of all but the wing tip. You stuff the halves with chopped chicken from the rest of the bird and sautéed wild mushrooms. You wrap in pork caul fat and bake.

The result is two chicken halves that can be eaten with a knife and fork and don't take much room to cook.
 

---

Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
A possible alternative Christmas Lunch for two:

Peel, chop and par boil for 2 minutes only Potato, Carrot, Celery and Parsnip.

Drain and place in large bowl

Drizzle with Olive Oil - you can add a handful of dried tarragon if you wish

In large skillet brown two Quail (or four Poussin)

Take large heavy roasting dish and melt in a little fat/ add some oil.

Place two-third of vegetables over base of tin, then add poultry, topping with remaining veg.

Cover with foil and place in HOT oven for 15 minutes, then turn to Moderate for a further 40.

The end result is moist meat, yummy veg and limited washing up.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks for the ideas - I maybe should have said that we eat chicken quite a lot of the time anyway - Costco ready-cooked chickens will more-or-less feed us for about a week in one way or another.

They're so cheap (about $8) that D. reckons buying raw ones is barely worth it (although I quite like the idea of cooking one myself so that I can flavour it however I like).

When we lived in Belfast we occasionally had game birds - IIRC we tried pheasant and duck - but I'm not sure if there's anywhere here that does game. A small-ish lamb joint would give us two meals (one hot, one cold with bread and salads), which would probably work quite well.

We're going to be house-sitting for a couple of friends from just after Christmas to Easter, so we probably don't want to have enough food in the house to feed us for a fortnight - they're expecting us to use up whatever's in their freezer - and I suppose there's no point in having to transport any more than we need to.
 

---

Posted by MaryLouise (# 18697) on :
 
Lamb shoulder or a small leg of lamb might work well, Piglet. I keep a jar of mint sauce or mint jelly handy in the store cupboard because lamb is one of my standby dishes. If I have time, I do slow-cooked Greek lamb with oregano, garlic and tomato puree in a low oven for eight hours or overnight.

Yesterday I made my simplified version of Jamie Oliver's Get-Ahead Gravy (without the two star anise he recommends)and stored smallish tubs of it in the deep freeze. At this time of year unexpected visitors sometimes materialise on the doorstep demanding hot cooked meals (even in a heatwave) and if I have to put something other than lasagna or quiche together, it is useful to have gravy or a jus within shouting distance.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
ML, that Greek lamb sounds lovely. Is it done in a roasting-tin covered with foil, and at how low a temperature?

I'm also imagining it would work in a slow-cooker, but that'll have to wait until we get the old house sold and get our stuff out of storage (not sure if the people we're house-sitting for have a slow-cooker).
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Piglet, another good thing to slowroast is park belly. I have done this twice recently even though I live by myself. A couple of hot meals from it and lots of meat for lunch salads. Last one was on special , $14/kilo.

The rind is usually scored but I do some more if needed. Rub oil and salt into rind.

I put in pan and cover loosely with foil. Cook at around 100 C for some hours. My oven is unpredictable and can be savage, so I do it extra low. Then turn it up for a while. About 30-40 minutes before eating, I turn oven to about 200 C, remove foil so crackling gets very crunchy.

Let it stand before serving. Enjoy.

One son cooks it at high first, then lowers temperature. That works but youngest son and I are convinced of better results this way. The long slow cooking melts the fat and gives good crackling.

[ 08. December 2016, 22:31: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 
Suggesting pork to a piglet seems terribly insensitive...
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
My apologies , Piglet. That escaped my notice entirely.

[ 09. December 2016, 01:21: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 

---

Posted by MaryLouise (# 18697) on :
 
Piglet, a Greek-Cypriot friend told me how to make slow-cooked lamb or lamb kleftiko and it is a very forgiving dish. I use a heavy cast iron pot in the oven.

I use a shoulder of lamb rather than leg unless I'm cooking for a crowd. Leftover lamb goes well in wraps or pita breads.

Then I put the shoulder on top of two large ripe tomatoes cut into thick slices, a sliced onion, two bay leaves, two or three peeled cloves of garlic, some sprigs of fresh rosemary or a shake of dried rosemary, some chopped fresh oreganum or dried oreganum (you could also put in mint or thyme). I splash two tablespoons or so of olive oil and the juice of a lemon and some lemon zest over the lamb and sometimes I sprinkle over a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika for smokiness. I put in a cup of good red wine or some red-wine vinegar mixed with water to keep the lamb moist.

If you're not using a pot, you could seal the lamb in heavy foil in an oven dish.


I keep the oven as low as 140C although I have done it at at 165C/330F for about five to six hours (depending on size of shoulder) and sometimes take the lid off/foil off for the last 20 minutes and turn up the oven to 200C to brown it but if it has gone for six or seven hours, it is usually crisp on top and meltingly succulent.

Some people add cinnamon, or potatoes. Felicity Cloake gives some alternatives here:

how to cook the perfect kleftiko
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
MaryLouise that's sounds wonderful. Shoulder lamb has more fat than a leg so slow cooking is ideal for it.

I need someone to remind me that I am out of sesame oil. No idea how it all went without my noticing it. Can't see it anywhere in my pantry so have used good olive oil on my chicken. It will be fine, but not what I was planning.
 

---

Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Piglet:
I think you're probably right, Pete - I've tried to replicate my mum's recipe for tiffin (a sort of chocolate/raisin/digestive biscuit confection that is very heavenly) and while mine came close, I don't think it was quite right.

Possibly the unobtainability of Scotbloc™ cooking chocolate had something to do with it.

---

Hi Piglet, I have a family recipe for tiffin which is pretty good, I can pm it to you if you like.
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Please do, Sparrow, unless you don't mind sharing it with everybody, in which case post it here ...
 

---

Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
OK this is our family "tiffin" recipe which we always make at Christmas. It was given to my mother many years ago under the title "Polish cake" and if you google that now you can find something very similar! Ours has adapted over the years to become a bit less rich and sweet.


You need a 7 in square shallow cake tin, lined well with greaseproof paper.

8 oz digestive biscuits (or hobnobs)
4 oz butter
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon golden syrup
Handful of dried fruit of your choice, sultanas, raisins, chopped glace cherries etc
4oz good quality chocolate

Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin, not too finely.

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the cocoa and golden syrup and mix well. Add the crushed biscuits and dried fruit and blend well, and put in the tin, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool or put in the fridge till cold. Melt the chocolate and spread over the top, and allow to set. Mark into squares before set.

The original recipe had drinking chocolate rather than cocoa, but I found that was rather too sweet. Also the original recipe had no dried fruit.

The alternative version which I tend to make more often nowadays, uses Hobnob biscuits rather than digestives as I think they are a tiny bit healthier, having oats in them!
 

---

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
On the dried fruit front, dried apricots are excellent! We also use them in our Christmas pudding instead of the traditional but awful candied peel.
 

---

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :
 
Tiffin is excellent for bring and shares as it looks like you've made tonnes of effort but all it takes is biscuit bashing and chocolate melting. The recipe my Mum makes is called 'crowning glory' as it was designed to be moulded into a bundt tin. Extra kudos for very little extra effort (if you line the tin with clingfilm).

Piglet, I think Scotbloc may be a nostalgia thing; as an adult I find it pretty unpleasant, though kids don't seem to care. It's useful for coating apples on sticks for fayres and bake sales.
 

---

Posted by Fredegund (# 17952) on :
 
Piglet - whatever you choose,a selection of leftovers will be an instant way into the heart of the cat you will be house-sitting.
Speaking as one whose DH has purchased a deer - how do I get away from it?
 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Thanks very much, Sparrow - that looks fairly similar to the recipe I used (taken from the interweb - every time I go home on holiday I mean to look for Mum's recipe, but never remember once I'm actually there).

I'll certainly give it a go when we regain possession of our, um, possessions (currently in storage).

Fredegund, are there particular leftovers which would be unwise to use as cat-bribery (i.e. would make her ill)?

And when you say your DH has "purchased a deer", how much of it are you talking about?

[ 22. December 2016, 00:19: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
What do you mean when you say chocolate please? Is it powdered drinking chocolate/cocoa or grated block?
 

---

Posted by Sparrow (# 2458) on :
 
Melted chocolate, try to avoid cooking chocolate and go for the best quality you can afford!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Thanks, we were a bit confused by the recipe.
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
I am looking for a recipe. I think my Mother called it Christmas hash. I remember it had marshmallows, nuts, and cherries in it as well as cream cheese. She made it in a long thin tray and placed it in the freezer and then sliced it and put it on a piece of lettuce each Christmas. Green leaf, red cherries, white background. I was just having a fit of childhood holiday memories and wondered what it was. I remember it seemed festive and fun to see much more then the taste as something I remember with any fondness. Anyone on the ship have any idea what it might have been?
 

---

Posted by Stercus Tauri (# 16668) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
As requested:

Scottish Oatcakes

Makes 18-20

Ingredients:

• 200g porage oats
• 1 tsp salt [I think 0.5 tsp probably enough]
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper [home grown in our case]
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil [I thought of trying Coconut Oil to give a Kerala flavour]
• A little boiling water

Method:


1. Take half of your porage oats and tip them into a food processor or blender, along with the salt and pepper. Whiz until relatively fine and tip into a mixing bowl.

2. Add the remaining porage oats into the mixing bowl, stir briefly and pour in the olive [or other] oil. Incorporate the oil a little before pouring in a little boiling water – around 2-3 tbsp – enough to transform your oats into a soft, malleable dough.

3. Gently knead your dough for 30 seconds, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll gently until 5mm thick.

4. Take a 6cm round cutter and cut out 18-20 oatcakes - not having such a cutter I use a crumpet ring. Preheat the oven to 160C/180C(fan). Pop the oatcakes onto a lined baking tray and bake for around 15 minutes, until they are crisp and a little browned.

Serve with a nice, tangy cheese or just on their own.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Graven Image:
I am looking for a recipe. I think my Mother called it Christmas hash. I remember it had marshmallows, nuts, and cherries in it as well as cream cheese. She made it in a long thin tray and placed it in the freezer and then sliced it and put it on a piece of lettuce each Christmas. Green leaf, red cherries, white background. I was just having a fit of childhood holiday memories and wondered what it was. I remember it seemed festive and fun to see much more then the taste as something I remember with any fondness. Anyone on the ship have any idea what it might have been?

---

Does this sound close?
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
That and its relations underneath sound like versions of the Australian recipe called White Christmas which my sister told me was not worth getting hold of the coconut based ingredient for.

But it has reminded me of the dessert recipe that was served at a local charity run cafe, where I asked for the recipe, but someone had made off with the dessert recipe file. It may have been called Seventh Heaven (or similar). There was a dairy ingredient - I used a blend of whipped cream and (I think, yoghurt - smatana would do, too), soft brown sugar roughly stirred in, so it was distributed like the raspberry stuff in raspberry ripple icecream, and halved seedless grapes. It has the slight sourness of the dairy setting off the sweetness of the grapes, and the partly dissolved sugar giving it an almost alcoholic kick and richness.
I must make some when I've finished the trifle.
And try and remember what the other dessert was that made my heart leap up when I went in on a Saturday.

[ 26. December 2016, 18:02: Message edited by: Penny S ]
 

---

Posted by Graven Image (# 8755) on :
 
Thanks Kelly Alves, close indeed. I do not believe that she also added fruit cocktail, but this is a 50 year old memory so who knows. I think I will enjoy the memory does not sound like something that I really want to eat again.

[ 26. December 2016, 18:04: Message edited by: Graven Image ]
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
There had to have been a dozen more hits I didn't bother to check-- this was just the first. I googled "Christmas hash-- cream cheese-- cherries". Poke around and I bet you'll find one that fits your memories!
 

---

Posted by North East Quine (# 13049) on :
 
Four young adults borrowed my kitchen to bake on Christmas Eve. They made two discoveries:

A) that by varying the speed of my food processor they could make said food processor play Christmas carols.

B) that egg whites don't whisk properly when the whisk is constantly changing speed to play "God rest you merry gentlemen."
 

---

Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 

 

---

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Kelly - just reading the Heavenly Hash recipe is making my teeth hurt.

NEQ -

[ 26. December 2016, 21:21: Message edited by: Piglet ]
 

---

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
.There is a reason for White Christmas down here. The weather is hot. 40° C; where I was yesterday for family Boxing Day meal. No cooking involved in making it and definitely no oven needed.

That said, I do not like it as I prefer savoury food to sweet goo, and White Christmas is sweet,

But served on a lettuce leaf? That makes my mind boggle. Never seen it down here ever. The actual sweet seems to be fading from collective Christmas memory. I have not seen it in years.
 

---

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Did one actually eat the lettuce? I was presuming it was a mere conduit. #neverheardofthestuff
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
This looks a pretty classic recipe to me, although I'm going on memories 5 decades and more ago. It's not ready to eat in 15 minutes as it needs time to set. Others online use white chocolate melts. They are a recent variation, white chocolate not existing back then. With the copha and the desiccated coconut, it's far from low cholesterol. It is something particularly attractive to children.

Never seen it on sale, but then again, I've never gone looking for it. Back then it was not limited to Christmas but would make a regular appearance at children's parties,.

It was always partnered with home made Rocky Road - another recipe that does not need the oven. You can do a more sophisticated version by substituting hazelnuts for the peanuts, or go very fancy and substitute 150 g or so dark chocolate for that amount of the milk. Or even do both.
 

---

Posted by Penny S (# 14768) on :
 
Ooh, Turkish Delight in Rocky Road - not done that!

My sister was not impressed by copha (hydrogenated coconut oil) as an ingredient, though returned from Oz with a passion for Cherry Ripes (dark chocolate bar with glace cherries and coconut) which she transferred to me. I used to get a supply from the Oz shop in Covent Garden, but they've closed now, and only sell online. I see they sometimes supply copha as well.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Gee D, looking at those recipes made my teeth hurt! The long ago child me would have loved those candies!
 

---

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by jedijudy:
Gee D, looking at those recipes made my teeth hurt! The long ago child me would have loved those candies!

---

© Ship of Fools 2016


UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0