In the innovative cooking thread, Hank described a game she used to play with her roommate. In Hanks game, they would pick a category (such as dessert) and a number of items (like 3). Then they would each go to the store and buy the set number of items without knowing what the other would buy and try to combine all the items into a tasty dish. Several of us thought it would be fun to try an online version of this game, so here is how we will procede.
For the first round the category is "Appetizer". (We'll work toward putting together a 5 course meal).
If you want to participate, send an e-mail with one ingredient to hatrack_recipes at yahoo dot com by thursday at 5 pm EST.
If we have a lot of participants, I will arrange people in groups of about 5 and post the groups and ingredients for each group on Friday morning.
You will then have the weekend to prepare a dish containing all the ingredients on the list. When you've finished post your recipe and let us know how it turned out.
Some additional rules
1. Ingredients must be things that are commonly available in an average US grocery store (don't send people to a specialty shop) and moderately priced (no black truffles).
2. You must use all the ingredients on the list. Reasonable substitutions are permitted to accomodate dietary restrictions (Kosher, allergy etc.) or if you can't find an ingredient.
3. You may also use any other ingredients you have available in your kitchen without going to the store (spices, flour, sugar . . .)
Let the game begin.
[ November 12, 2008, 12:26 PM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
I thought a Hatrack recipe book (or website) would be cool. Maybe someone could turn this into one of those.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
[ April 07, 2008, 08:55 PM: Message edited by: dkw ]
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
Ooooh! That's cool. I'm going to dig into that one.
Thanks dkw.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
bump!
Just so everyone sees it.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I added a category for the Hatrack Recipe Challenge to the Princeclan recipe site. We'll have separate categories for each round. If everyone posts the recipes there, they'll be in a convenient place. The other categories can be assigned as appropriate.
If people want to post recipes there, each participant who hasn't posted before should register a user name. Then try to add a recipe. If you get a message that you don't have permission to add a recipe, post your princeclan username here and I'll take care of it. Don't actually save the recipe until you're ready to post it, of course.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
The Splendid Table on NPR has a segment called "Stump the Cook" that is much like this -- a caller lists 3 ingredients and the host gets to pick two more and create a recipe. Olive oil, salt, etc. are freebies.
We played a varient a few times with some friends in grad school, they would each bring an ingredient and I'd cook supper using them. (I was the only one of the group that was an improvational-style cook.) One of the women never quite got the "stump the cook" concept and would bring easy things like rice. Or maybe she was just not an adventurous eater. I thought our version was more fair than the radio version since we actually had to eat the results. There were a few times on the radio show where she'd describe the dish in glowing language and I'd be thinking "that sounds just hideous. What is that woman thinking?"
Anyway, I'm in. I'll send my e-mail in a minute.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:I thought our version was more fair than the radio version since we actually had to eat the results.
There was also more of an element of luck involved. On the radio program, the caller lists all 3 ingredients so they can purposefully give bad combinations. I'm assuming that when you and your grad school friends played, people didn't know what the other guests would bring (like the Hatrack version). So you could get lucky and have a stellar combination of ingredients or unlucky and have a nightmare experience. At least if people have to eat it they are unlikely to show up with haggis.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Post here if you are planning to participate so I can get an idea how many people we will have.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I am participating. I sent you my ingredient list already.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
bump.
Please join in. It will be fun!
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I'll participate.
Appetizers huh? Hmmm.
Posted by Temposs (Member # 6032) on :
I'm in Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Anyone else?
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
You know what? I'd love to. But there are two problems. One, Fahim's a fairly finicky eater. On the other hand, I don't have to feed it to him. But the second is a much bigger problem. Stuff that y'all can easily find doesn't exist here, so it's just not realistic. Which has me sad, but that's how life is.
I think it's a great idea, though. I'll be watching from the sidelines and, should a combo that I can work with turn up, I'll probably be a non-official participant in that round. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
If y'all have another round after Pesach, I'll probably play. But right now I'm avoiding buying food, and actually during Pesach the number of substitutions that would be necessary would be nuts.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:During Pesach the number of substitutions that would be necessary would be nuts.
Well, I have Celiac disease so I've on a gluten free diet which is a bit like it being Pesach 12 months out of the year except that I also can't have Matza.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
You can use rice and legumes. And you don't have to worry about milk/meat substitutions -- and Pesach makes soy off-limits.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
You have a point. I didn't realize that legumes were off limits during Pesach.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Just like rice, they are kitniyos (not actually chametz, but cannot be used by Ashkenazim during Pesach).
I suppose I could marry a Sephardi, but it's not going to happen in the next couple weeks. Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
I'm in. I sent two ingredients, in case one was too wacky or something.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: If y'all have another round after Pesach, I'll probably play. But right now I'm avoiding buying food, and actually during Pesach the number of substitutions that would be necessary would be nuts.
What she said.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Round One
Participants
Dagonee
dkw
Hank
Imogen
Temposs
The Rabbit
Ingredients
eggplant (aubergine, melongine, bagain) (It goes by all 4 here in T&T )
garbonzo beans (chickpeas, channa)
brown mushrooms
feta cheese
goat cheese
fresh asagio cheese
Let the games begin!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Side Note
I opened up a Yahoo e-mail (hatrack_recipes). When I signed up I told Yahoo my name was "The Rabbit". When I sign on to Yahoo, it says "Hello The".
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
That's an interesting ingredients list. I'm having a difficult time thinking of how chickpeas and eggplant could be used together. Oooh! I just had an idea!!!! Oooooh! But, yeah, that one wouldn't work with all the cheeses... Unless...
Have fun, folks! I'm looking forward to the results. Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Wow, three kinds of cheese. Luckily, these are pretty compatible cheeses.
What's the time limit again?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I didn't state a specific time limit. I was thinking people might cook over the weekend and post results early next week.
Why don't we say that people must post results by the end of the day Monday in order to qualify for the grand prize?
Does that seem workable to all the participants.
P.S. There is no grand prize.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
This weekend might be tough, but I'll give it my best shot.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'm perfectly willing to extend that limit Dag. Does anyone have a proposal?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Well that looks pretty darn easy.
I'm going to pick a harder ingredient next time. Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
If we could have two weekends it would help, but if that's stretching it too long for others, Wednesday would be a good.
I've just decided what I'm doing, and I've also decided that I'm not even going to try to make this healthy.
I do wish I had gone with bell peppers rather than goat cheese, though.
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
I look forward to seeing the results. I love this kind of stuff, but as dkw points out -- this one isn't much of a challenge.
How about:
Pop rocks Stilton kale peanut butter capers
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Pop rocks + Stilton = Fruity Stinky Cheese Foam
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Are brown mushrooms the same as crimini?
Also, I keep a few things like veal stock reduction at home, but I suspect most people don't. Should I consider that one of the acceptable home ingredients or not?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Having a well stocked kitchen is one of the characteristics of a good chief so I she no problem with anyone using anything they actually have at home.
And yes brown mushrooms and crimini mushrooms are the same thing.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I'm not sure if I've ever seen asagio cheese here - ok if I use parmesan if I can't find it?
Also, does the goat cheese need to be chevre, or can it be hard? (I'm not meant to eat the soft stuff at the moment - though I can have it cooked.)
Hmm, I do think I have an idea.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Also, this weekend will be tricky for me. Wednesday would be ok.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
We've got 2 votes for a Wednesday deadline. I'm fine with that. Does it work for the rest of the group?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by imogen: I'm not sure if I've ever seen asagio cheese here - ok if I use parmesan if I can't find it?
Also, does the goat cheese need to be chevre, or can it be hard? (I'm not meant to eat the soft stuff at the moment - though I can have it cooked.)
Hmm, I do think I have an idea.
I think those qualify as "resonable substitutions".
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Wednesday is fine with me.
Dag, I'm very glad you didn't pick bell peppers -- I can't stand the things. I might have had to fake an allergy and invoke the substitution clause.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
Well, I'm done!
I made mini veggie burgers.
I boiled the garbanzos until they were soft enough to mash with a fork, and chopped up about 1/3 of the eggplant, and mixed the strained, mashed garbanzos, diced eggplant, and the Parmesan (I couldn't find Asagio) and feta with one egg (the egg could be left out). Then I made it into patties and grilled them with a little olive oil. Serve on Italian bread (or whatever--I had Italian in the cupboard) topped with slices of brown mushrooms, and spread with goat cheese.
They were actually very good, though they were involved enough that they may have ventured into the realm of "entree." I made half of them with Parmesan and feta and half with just Parmesan, since I generally hate feta, and they were decent either way. The only thing I'd do differently would be to mix some Italian dressing in with the goat cheese to make the spread more interesting.
What do you think?
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Sounds great! I'm still conflicted about what to make - I had one idea and then another, and now I'm torn.
But I'll chose and make one tomorrow night then post (which will still be Wednesday Hatrack time).
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I'm just gonna throw one idea out there... Here, we can get chickpea flour. No one said the chickpeas had to be whole... </troublemaker>
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I used chickpea flour. I would have started with the whole chickpeas and ground the flour myself but my mill is lost at sea with the rest of my personal household possessions and I had chickpea flour in my cupboard already.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit:
[*]eggplant (aubergine, melongine, bagain) (It goes by all 4 here in T&T [/QB]
You are in Trinidad and Tobago?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Yes, I'm now a Professor at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. I've been here since the beginning of the year.
If your interested, you can check out my blog. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'll be posting a picture of my results tomorrow. If anyone else has pictures, send then to the hatrack_recipes e-mail and I'll post them too.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
For want of a better name I'm calling my appetizers
"Silk road chips and dips" because of the combination of Indian and Mediterranean flavors. I made Papadam chips from chick pea flour with a goat cheese dip and an eggplant dip.
1 cup chickpea flour ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp mustard seed 1 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp hot pepper sauce 2 Tbsp water
Combine dry ingredients. Add garlic paste, pepper sauce and 1 Tbsp of water and mix. Slowly add the final Tbsp of water using just enough to form a stiff dough. Roll the dough into approximately 18 small balls. Taking the balls one by one, brush the surface with vegetable oil and then roll between two sheets of wax paper to get a roughly 10 cm circle. Remove the top sheet of wax paper and allow to dry for about 1 hour and then remove the Papadam from the bottom sheet of wax paper. Cut each circle into quarters and allow them to dry for at least 24 hours. Once they are dry they can be stored indefinitely.
Shortly before you are ready to serve, fry the papadam in hot vegetable oil until they curl and lightly brown. Allow to drain on a paper towel and then serve.
Goat cheese and mushroom dip.
10 finely chopped brown mushrooms 1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) 200 g of soft goat cheese 1/4 cup of grated fresh parmesan cheese (I couldn’t find fresh Asagio here) 2/3 cup plain low fat yogurt 2 tsp garlic paste 1 tsp Angostura bitters
Sautee mushrooms and garlic in the ghee until the mushrooms are tender. Break the goat cheese into ~1/2 inch chunks and add to the mushrooms. Stir over heat until the goat cheese is slightly melted. Combine the mushroom and goat cheese mixture, yogurt and parmesan cheese and mix until you have a smooth creamy dip. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Spicy eggplant dip
1 large eggplant 4 red pimento peppers (sweet) 1 red scotch bonnet pepper (very hot) 1 small onion finely diced 2 tsp garlic paste 15 fresh wild sage leaves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp olive oil 100 g crumbled feta cheese ½ cup yogurt
Roast eggplant and peppers in a 400 degree oven. Remove pulp from the eggplant and mash. Remove peels and seed from the peppers and dice. Sautee onion, garlic and wild sage leaves in olive oil. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Shortly before you are read to serve, place the goat dip in a mound on the center of the serving platter. Arrange the spicy eggplant dip in a circle surrounding the goat dip. Place the platter under a broiler until the goat dip is lightly carmelized. Arrange the Papadam chips around the two dips. Garnish with wild sage and serve.
It turned out very well. The goat cheese dip made a nice compliment to the fiery hot eggplant dip.
If I were doing this again I'd leave out the feta cheese. Not because it didn't taste good but because it was overpowered by the other flavors so unnecessary. I've still considering whether I'd use the mushrooms in the goat cheese dip. They were also overpowered but they did add some nice texture.
This was the first time I'd made Papadam from scratch. It was a lot of work but kind of fun. If I were doing this as part of a larger meal, I'd probably just buy the ready to fry Papad from the Indian grocery.
I'd also serve this on a larger platter with more chips. But my platters are still lost at sea.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hank: Well, I'm done!
I made mini veggie burgers.
I boiled the garbanzos until they were soft enough to mash with a fork, and chopped up about 1/3 of the eggplant, and mixed the strained, mashed garbanzos, diced eggplant, and the Parmesan (I couldn't find Asagio) and feta with one egg (the egg could be left out). Then I made it into patties and grilled them with a little olive oil. Serve on Italian bread (or whatever--I had Italian in the cupboard) topped with slices of brown mushrooms, and spread with goat cheese.
They were actually very good, though they were involved enough that they may have ventured into the realm of "entree." I made half of them with Parmesan and feta and half with just Parmesan, since I generally hate feta, and they were decent either way. The only thing I'd do differently would be to mix some Italian dressing in with the goat cheese to make the spread more interesting.
What do you think?
Sounds great. Did you cook the eggplant before combining it with the garbanzo beans? If so how?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Mine might be late. I know what I'm going to do, but I haven't been to the store yet -- we've been gone since last Friday and only got home late last night. And this afternoon the realtors are coming to list our house. >.<
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Dana, You know that this will disqualify you from competing for the grand prize, don't you?
p.s. There is no grand prize. Please take all the time you need.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
I didn't cook the eggplant separately, but I did mix the eggplant, crushed chick-peas, and cheese in a pot on medium until the cheese was melted, which softened them some, and they cooked the rest of the way in patty form.
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
Would y'all mind putting a difficulty rating on your recipe's? I'm thinking something like they put on model cars and such. I would really like to try some, but I don't have a lot of cooking experience.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Rabbit, you take great food pictures! And that's hard.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Thanks rivka!
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Goat cheese and mushroom eggplant canapes
The tricky part here is timing. You want the goat cheese rounds to come out of the pan right when the egg plant rounds come out of the broiler. The mushroom ragout should only be on the heat for at most 15 minutes after adding the veal stock.
Roast Chick Peas Drain 1 can of chick peas thoroughly and dry between paper towels. Toss w/ 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Lay in single layer on sheet pan. Roast at 375 until golden brown and crisp, about 40-60 minutes (varies considerably by oven and water content). Can be done ahead of time.
Goat Cheese Rounds Form goat cheese into small disks (slightly smaller than egg plant rounds below) with depression on top center. Beat egg white and 1 tsp water. In food processor, combine 1/3 cup bread crumbs, 1/3 cup roast chick peas, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp sweet paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Pulse until chick peas are small pieces with some chunks remaining. Dredge in flour (remove excess), egg white, and crumb/chick pea mixture to lightly coat. Chill for at least 1 hour. Saute in olive oil until crumb coating is golden brown.
Caramelized Onions Cut pungent white onion into small, thin slices. Melt butter in pan on low. Add onions and salt. Cook the heck out of them on low until brown, soft, and caramelized and most liquid is gone. This will take hours. Can be done ahead of time and kept chilled until used.
Mushroom ragut melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat Add chopped mushrooms until they give up their moisture. Add caramelized onions. Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine. Reduce until scant 1 tbsp remains Add 1 tbsp of reduced veal stock (should be gelatin in consistency) Keep over low heat.
Egg plant rounds Peel one Japanese egg plant and cut into 1/4" rounds. Purge with salt for at least one hour, wring out excess liquid and rinse. Combine 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tsp. cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Toss egg plant rounds in vinegarette and lay out flat on sheet pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Broil 2 minutes per side. Sprinkle w/ hard asiago cheese and broil for 1 minute.
Assembly Place eggplant round on plate, cheese side up. Place goat cheese round on top. Top with small mound of mushroom ragout. Sprinkle small crumbs of feta on top.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sounds yummy Dag. How did they turn out? Anything you'd do differently next time.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I'd leave out the feta cheese - no value add.
It needs tweaking, and it isn't as harmonious as I would like. The egg plant rounds as a canape base are great. With the asiago rather than Parmesan,there's a nice sweetness that I should do something more with.
The mushrooms added a little, but were overshadowed by the onions. And that's not necessarily a bad thing - the onions are amazing and go so well with the goat cheese.
I think if I were doing this without the ingredient challenge, I'd do the goat cheese rounds topped with caramelized onions. I'd try a variety of nuts instead of the chick peas - I'm not sure what would be best.
Then I'd use the egg plant rounds for a second dish - maybe just with hummus, maybe with an olive tapanade, maybe with a tomato/balsamic topping. Or maybe ceviche. I'd alter the vinigarette recipe accordingly.
Some lemon juice and some herbs (probably chives or thyme) would have been good additions.
In short, the parts were better than the whole. I don't recommend anyone use this recipe as written - it's more a jumping off point.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I just read the two recipes already posted, and both look great. Rabbit, your presentation was fabulous!
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
This is really fun. All of your dishes sound delicious. I'm not a huge fan of eggplant though, so that gives me pause. I'm interested in seeing the rest of the group's recipes.
I'm reminded of a scene in the movie "Forever Young" where Mel Gibson's character makes dinner for Jamie Lee Curtis and Elijah Woods' characters and she says "I had no idea this meal was lurking in my kitchen" or something like that. I'm pretty good at making a decent meal from whatever's handy. I've even "invented" some original things. But I've never tried anything like this.
Maybe I'll participate in one of your future rounds.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Sounds great. I haven't made mine yet (sorry!) but I can tell you what I'm planning...
I'm going to try a three cheese souffle with chickpea puree (I'd probably call it a persian fetta, goat's cheese and chickpea souffle). Then I'm going to serve it with eggplant crostini with a mushroom tapenade.
I haven't ever made souffle before, so it will be interesting. I decided to add the chickpeas in after trying some creme fraiche hummous at the local markets and thinking the dairy and chickpeas went nicely together. Here's hoping they do the same thing in the souffle!
Edit: Rabbit, I'm very impressed you made papadums from scratch. Looks amazing.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
3-4 T olive oil 3 large garlic cloves, peeled & smashed w/the side of a knife ¼ cup canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed Cumin Salt & Pepper 1 medium eggplant 4 oz feta cheese 3.5 oz goat cheese ¼ cup fresh grated asiago cheese 5 –6 brown mushrooms 1 ½ T butter sugar
Sauté garlic in olive oil over med-low heat until golden brown. Coarsely chop chickpeas and add to oil. Season with salt & pepper and a little cumin. Cook until dark golden. Remove garlic cloves (I saved them to make garlic butter) and drain chickpeas, saving the oil. Mix the 3 cheeses and the chickpeas together well (I used a pastry blender, but a fork would probably work). Slice eggplant lengthwise into thin slices. Brush with reserved oil and place under broiler until browned. Turn to broil other side. Slice mushrooms and sauté in butter with salt, pepper and a little sugar.
Cut each eggplant slice in half crosswise. Form cheese mixture into small logs and roll up in eggplant. Top each roll with a slice of sautéed mushroom and secure the whole thing with a small skewer or toothpick.
***
I used a very small amount of chickpeas, because I don’t really like them, but I tasted the cheese mixture before and after adding them and liked it better after, which surprised me. I think you could at least double the chickpeas.
I had a hard time taking the picture, because somebody kept trying to snitch.
[ April 18, 2008, 10:21 PM: Message edited by: dkw ]
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
The Rabbit -- that dish looks amazing!
All the recipes sound wonderful and I applaud the creativity.
My first thought was a falafel thing, but I'm not going to make it.
So...I got to taste dkw's recipe and it was fantastic. It had a zing to it that was tough to describe. I think it was the cheese mixture, but there was the cumin and a hint of garlic. Don't know for sure, but it was tangy! A surprise to the palate. I think the amount of chickpeas was just right, actually. They added a texture to the filling, but not overpowering. And I absolutely LOVE chick peas. The eggplant was perfectly done and strong enough to use as a way to hold each roll without the toothpick once they "set" a few minutes.
I'd also like to give a credit to mom's wedding china used in the presentation. She sent it to us after we moved in to our house and it has been waiting patiently to be properly featured.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
They look wonderful Dana!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:I had a hard time taking the picture, because somebody kept trying to snitch.
So what did John think of them? They don't exactly look like typical toddler food. No cheerios or orange cheese.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
John's never been a typical toddler when it comes to food. He got ahold of wasabi kelp-caviar at 8 months and never looked back.
He went straight for the mushrooms. Those big crocodile tears in the picture are because Bob was restraining him until after I snapped the first shot.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
I am so impressed with all your recipes! Rabbit, I loved the lantana as garnish, I never would have thought of that. And dkw, your little thief stole not only the appetizers, but the show. ;-)
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I've got to say, mine is the recipe I'm least inclined to make again in the future, although most of the pieces will find their way into things I do.
Good job, everyone!
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I mixed my leftover cheese & chickpea mixture into the ricotta & spinach layer of the spinach lasagna we're having for supper tonight. I'm not sure there was enough there to make a noticable difference, but we'll see.
Are we waiting for everyone to finish before we start the next round?
Posted by Zalmoxis (Member # 2327) on :
Impressive and tasty looking.
And it's neat to have photos where the presentation is great, but doable (e.g. not food stylist-ed to high heaven).
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
I think you guys should start the next round. I'm in marking and starting to teach new courses madness, and goodness knows when I'll actually approach the kitchen with any degree of enthusiasm. (It's pasta or Tony cooking at the moment.... luckily, he is a very good cook.)
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I wonder what' happened to Temposs?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
So, are people up for round 2 or should we wait a bit?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I vote we start choosing ingredients, and if you don't get at least 5 in a reasonable amount of time, then wait.
Also it would be really cool if any of the non-participants wanted to try the recipes and let us know if they work for them. I know that I cook and then try to write down what I did, so feedback on how clear my directions are would be appreciated. And it would be a way for any Hatrackers who are follow-the-recipe cooks rather than make-it-up cooks to participate.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
What's the next course?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I suppose it make sense to go with soup or salad next but I worry they don't leave enough latitude for creativity once the ingredient list has been selected.
Does anyone have a preference?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I prefer soup, but I share your worries. How about we say either soup or salad. A lot of ingredients work for both and can lead to quite a bit of variety.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Judging from the previous round I don't think any of us are likely to just throw the ingredient list in a pot of boiling water or chop it and serve it over lettuce, so I think we're safe either way.
Part of the fun is seeing how differently everyone treats the same list of ingredients.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Or maybe we should say soup and/or salad. That gives some additional latitude.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I'm fine with that.
Of course, that leaves two other savory courses (assuming we do dessert) and uses up soup and salad. But we can worry about that in round 4. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I suppose "fish course" and "cheese course" are probably a little too specific for this sort of thing.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
We could go Italian and have a pasta/risotto/polenta course followed by a meat/fish course.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I think that's the way to go - a generic starch course and an entree course.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
The same idea would work for various asian cuisines as well.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sounds like a plan.
If its only the three of us, we could submit 2 ingredients each.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Yep. I vote for 2) soup/salad, 3) starchy goodness, 4) entree, and 5) desert.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
You're forgetting the sorbet.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Passover is done at the end of the week. I'll play.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Good point, Esther. As long as we're dealing with ~a week's playing time, it works for me too.
Posted by LargeTuna (Member # 10512) on :
YAY passover done soon!!! I can eat pasta again (being Itallion and Jewish has its difficulties LOL)
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*shrug* We had matza lasagna for lunch. It was yummy.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Start with one each and see how many people submit one. If it's only 3 after 3-4 days we can each add another.
Posted by LargeTuna (Member # 10512) on :
Matza with peanut butter is my favorite Lunch
(sounds yummy XD)
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Round 2: Soup and/or Salad
If you want to participate, send an e-mail with ONE ingredient to hatrack_recipes at yahoo dot com by Sunday night at 9 pm EST.
I'll post the list on Monday and people will have a week to prepare their dish.
Ingredients must be things that are commonly available in an average US grocery store (don't send people to a specialty shop) and moderately priced (no black truffles).
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Sent.
For the starch and protein courses, do we specify that the ingredients we submit are not the “base” ingredient? We don't want to end up with a list like “red potatoes, arborio rice, polenta and lasagna noodles” or “chuck roast, chicken breast, pork loin and tilapia.”
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Mine is sent too.
And I agree with Dana.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Sent.
I also agree with Dana.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I just moved the deadline for submission up to Saturday night since we already have submissions from everyone who has posted that they will participate and I'm leaving town on Wednesday.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'm just bumping to make sure all interested parties see it.
Also, I agree with Dana.
For the protein round, do we want to agree on a base ingredient ahead of time or allow that to be a variable.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I request that the base ingredient be tofu, so that I can steal the recipes. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Blech.
I vote we leave it variable, but suspend the "you must already have it in your kitchen" clause. For the base ingredient only.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Round Two: Soup and/or salad
Participants
Dagonee
dkw
Tante Shvester
rivka
The Rabbit
Ingredients
mango
parsnip
butternut squash
matzah
shrimp
And we're off!!
[ April 27, 2008, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Rabbit, did you not get my ingredient?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sorry Dagonee. I did get your ingredient, I've even bought it and have plans for it. I have no idea how it got left off the list.
Chalk this up to the great Zyzzyva conspiracy.
I've now edit the list to include your shrimp.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I wonder how often matzah and shrimp are ever used together. I'm guessing not very.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Mango and shrimp are excellent together.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I forgot rivka and Tante were joining us this round - sorry about that.
Thank goodness for the substitution rule.
Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
Yes, I was about to ask about the shrimp... not Kosher = bad.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:not Kosher = bad.
That's why we have the substitution rule for people with dietary restrictions.
I'm going to have to substitute something for the Matzah myself since I'm gluten intolerant. I'm sure both rivka and Tante are experienced in making substitution for for non-Kosher ingredients. I trust them to make a reasonable choice.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
As a point of clarification, particularly for our Jewish participants, although we are talking about a "5 course meal" this is strictly a metaphor. It is not anticipated that the dishes you make in the 5 rounds would ever be served together as a single meal.
In other words, worrying about whether the dish you make in round 2 would go (either by Kosher laws or simply as a matter of taste) with what you make in any other round is stretching the metaphor further than intended.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Our grocery store had not a single crumb of matzah. There was a big empty space on the shelf where it usually is. I bought a box of Lavosh, on the theory that it's also a big dry cracker-like substance and that it sits next to matzah (or the space matzah should be) on the shelf.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I vote we leave it variable, but suspend the "you must already have it in your kitchen" clause. For the base ingredient only.
Seconded.
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I wonder how often matzah and shrimp are ever used together. I'm guessing not very.
Probably not. Ironically, the matzah messes more with some of the things I was contemplating than the shrimp (or what I plan to substitute) does.
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: In other words, worrying about whether the dish you make in round 2 would go (either by Kosher laws or simply as a matter of taste) with what you make in any other round is stretching the metaphor further than intended.
Clarification appreciated.
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Our grocery store had not a single crumb of matzah. There was a big empty space on the shelf where it usually is.
Shocking. It must be an usually popular time to buy it. Good thing I already have some.
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I bought a box of Lavosh, on the theory that it's also a big dry cracker-like substance and that it sits next to matzah (or the space matzah should be) on the shelf.
Seems reasonable.
No communion wafers available? Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Shocking. It must be an usually popular time to buy it.
Who would have guessed that Matzah would be so popular during Pesach.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
It's not Pesach anymore . . .
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: It's not Pesach anymore . . .
And a good thing too since the stores have run out of Matzah.
Do you suppose Dana did her shopping before or after sunset?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Well, the time she posted at was only very shortly after Pesach would have been over (full dark, not sunset) in her area. So it was probably still Pesach. Then again, very few people who buy matzah for Pesach would have done so anytime after Friday afternoon/evening.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
By me, the stores mark down their matzah right after Pesach, so we (and I know some non-Jews, too, who like the stuff) stock up on it.
I'm debating whether I should use that ersatz, kosher, surimi-type "shrimp", or substitute something else entirely, like some other kind of fish or chicken.
What do y'all think?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I haven't decided yet either. It will probably depend on what the market has when I go. Hmm. Chicken I hadn't considered.
I got my matzah free before Pesach. Hard to beat that, even with post-Pesach markdowns. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(Where I live, lavash is not dry nor cracker-like...)
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
You can get the soft kind here too, but it lives in the deli aisle.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
They sell both crackery lavash and soft lavash here.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I suspect that our friends who invited us to their seder last week would spot me a couple peices if they have any left. But I think that the way I'm going to end up using it it won't make any difference anyway. (It's slightly more integrated into the dish than "serve with matzah/lavosh on the side," but not much.)
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: (It's slightly more integrated into the dish than "serve with matzah/lavosh on the side," but not much.)
*laugh* I never even considered that option. Hmm.
Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :
¼ c olive oil 1 small butternut squash Salt & pepper
1 ½ T minced shallot ½ T red pepper flakes 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled & divined
2 large parsnips, peeled and shredded 4 green onions, slivered 1 small sweet red pepper, slivered Lime vinaigrette salad dressing ( I used Newman’s Own, but you could make a homemade vinaigrette with lime juice.)
4 large matzah or other flat crackers (I used 5” Lavosh circles, because the grocery store was out of matzah)
Chop, grate, mash or otherwise reduce mango to a chunky pulp. Combine mango, honey, & lime juice in a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until reduced to a sticky glaze. (When you trail a spoon through the pan it should leave about a 2” trail behind it before the glaze fills it in.)
Divide glaze in half. To one half add ¼ c olive oil. Slice a small butternut squash into pieces ¼ inch thick and toss in olive oil glaze mixture. Spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for 30 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through.
To the other half of the glaze add the minced shallots and red pepper flakes. Toss with the shrimp and cook. If it were warmer out I would have grilled the shrimp, but since it wasn’t, and I was in a hurry I just cooked them in the glaze in a wok.
Chill the roasted squash and the shrimp.
Mix the shredded parsnips and slivered onion & red pepper. Toss with enough dressing to just moisten. Put a pile of the parsnip mix on each cracker. Top with squash slices and shrimp.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I really enjoyed this challenge because I got to eat dkw's creation which was one of the best tasting things I have ever experienced.
Wow!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
How long do we have to get our recipe here? I was planning on cooking Friday, and posting it on either Friday, Saturday night or Sunday.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
It was a week last time from the time the list was posted until I got my recipe up. I don't think we're really big on deadlines.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Sounds yummy, Dana!
I didn't even know that parsnips worked raw. I'm going to have to think about this some more.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
D'oh! Just got home from work to find that my houseguests ate up the stuff I was hoping to use for my recipe.
Now, if you have houseguests who eat you out of house and home, it must surely be OK to go shopping to buy more stuff before you do this, right?
Unless chocolate chips and gefilte fish play prominently in my recipe, I'm going to have to.
And unless that is all my family is going to eat this week, I'm going to need to hit the grocery.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I think that anything you would have in the house if you hadn't just run out is okay. Especially if it's something you would be buying anyway, whether you were doing the recipe challenge or not.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I'm glad you say so. Because the parsnip and chocolate chip salad was going to be pretty gruesome.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
*contemplates how to add chocolate to his dish*
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Butternut squash soup topped with bitter chocolate cream.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
If it were the dessert course you could make a carrot cake only with parsnips and add chocolate chips. Or a quick-bread ala zuchinni bread or bannana bread with chocolate chips.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Done!
Pickled Vegetables with "Shrimp" and Crunchy Spiced Topping
For the pickled vegetables:
2 parsnips, peeled and julienned 2 green mangoes, peeled and cut into dice a piece of a daikon radish, peeled and julienned 1/2 jicama, peeled and cubed Shredded green cabbage
Three days before serving, combine all these in a plastic zipper bag with 1 1/2 cups of rice vinegar and a teaspoon of salt. Squoosh the air out of the bag so that the veggies are immersed in the vinegar. Stow this in the refrigerator, and every now and then, turn the bag over and give it a squish.
After three days, add the tasty seasonings to the zipper bag: 1/2 cup spicy preserved lemons, seeds picked out and coarsely chopped; 1 Tbsp Pilpul Tsuma (Spicy chili and garlic spread, the jar says); 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/3 cup fat free zesty garlic salad dressing. Squish all this around in the bag and put it back in the refrigerator.
For the Crunchy Spiced Topping:
Bisect a butternut squash and scoop out the seeds. Pick out any squashy bits and strings and rinse the seeds well in a strainer, until they are nice and clean. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until browned and crispy. I was going to peel the shells off the seeds, but it turns out the shells are nice and crispy when toasted, so I left them on.
In a bowl, combine the following:
2 cups matzah farfel (that's just matzah crumbled up to pieces a little bigger than rolled oats) 1 whole raw egg 1 raw egg white 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp brown sugar The toasted butternut squash seeds
Heat a dry skillet over high flame and dump in the matzah mixture. Stir it until it becomes lightly browned and very crunchy, then remove from the heat.
For the shrimp, I used a package of kosher pseudo-shrimp surimi. The pieces are pretty big, so I cut each "shrimp" in three: the skinny end got lopped off about a third of the way down, and the two-thirds remaining fat end got cut lengthwise.
To assemble: Put the pickled vegetables on a plate, put six shrimp pieces on top of the vegetables, and sprinkle a tablespoon or two of the crunchy topping on top of everything.
If I had a camera, I'd show you a picture. But I don't.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Um, first I have a confession. I was so focused on what I should use as a shrimp substitute (in the end I went with chicken breast), that I misremembered the parsnip as turnip, and bought those instead. (I already had the other three ingredients.) I didn't catch my mistake until I read Esther's recipe a few minutes before Shabbos -- after mine was done cooking, and definitely too late for me to go shopping, let alone cook anything else.
The good news is that parsnip should be an easy and yummy addition to the recipe (I almost got some also, but I hate peeling parsnips), so I've written it up with both the turnips I used and the parsnips I should have. Also, from what little I know of the taste/texture of actual shrimp (which I understand to be considerably superior to the fake "shrimp," which I dislike, even though I like the "crab" made from very similar stuff), I suspect it would work very well in this salad instead of the chicken I used. The croutons were also very popular with the split pea soup we had beforehand.
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chicken, Mango, and Matzah Croutons
A. Matzah Croutons 4 sheets matzah olive oil spray (olive oil and a basting brush may be used instead) to taste: garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, Italian spice mix
Place two sheets of matzah on baking sheet and spray with olive oil; turn over, repeat. Repeat with other two sheets. Place all the greased matzah in a gallon-size ziploc, and crumble. The pieces should be about the size of large croutons. Add spices to taste. Seal bag and shake to distribute evenly. Spread mixture on baking sheet, and bake at 350 until toasted and slightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Cool.
B. Roasted Veggies 3 medium turnips 2 parsnips 2 large sweet potatoes (preferably the yellow ones) 1 medium butternut squash 1/4 c. mango nectar 1/8 c. sesame oil
Peel all vegetables, and remove seeds and fibers from the squash. Cut vegetables into slices or cubes. In a new ziploc bag, combine vegetables, nectar, and oil. Shake to mix; allow the vegetables to marinate at least 30 minutes.
Pour out onto baking sheet, and bake at 450 for 45-55 minutes, turning vegetables every 15 minutes to distribute marinade and prevent burning. When vegetables are slightly softened, remove from oven and allow to cool. Then return to marinade bag and chill.
C. Assembly 2 lbs. cooked chicken (preferably roasted, but baked or boiled would work too) 2 mangoes (preferably Champagne) 1/2 c. mango nectar 1/8 c. sesame oil
Cut chicken into small strips. Mix with vegetables. Peel and dice mangoes, add to mixture, along with nectar and oil. Mix well. Chill for 2-24 hours.
Serve with matzah croutons on the side. OR, serve in individual bowls, each topped with a handful of croutons.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sorry this is so late but I've been on the road for the past several days and won't be back home for over a week. I actually did the cooking before I left home but haven't had a chance to post it since then.
3 large green mangos 4 cups chicken broth 1 scotch bonnet pepper 1 cup coconut milk 20 medium shrimp 2 Tbsp butter 2 tsp garlic paste 1 ripe mango
Peel the green mangos, remove the flesh from the pit and place in a pot with the chicken broth. Quarter the scotch bonnet pepper, remove the seeds and add to pot. Bring contents of pot to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes (until mango is very soft). Remove and discasrd the pieces of pepper and then puree’ the mango mixture. Add coconut milk and salt to taste. Divide the soup into four bowls and chill.
Sautee’ the shrimp in garlic and butter and place 5 shrimp in each bowl of soup. Garnish each bowl of soup with pieces of the ripe mango.
The soup turned out wonderful. A mixture of hot and sour with a hint of sweet that went spectacularly with the shrimp. I will definitely do this again. I tried the soup both hot and cold. It was delicious hot but even better cold, which was a bit surprising since I'm not generally a fan of cold soups.
quote:Roasted Vegetable Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette
2 parsnips 1 small butter nut squash 8 red pimento peppers
2 tsp black strap molasses ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup virgin olive oil
Peel parsnips and cut into ~ ½ inch chunks. Remove seeds from squash, peel and cut into ~ ½ inch chunks. You should have ~ 2 cups each of the parship and squash chunks. Coat the chunks lightly with olive oil and arrange on a broiler tray along with whole pimento peppers. Roast under broiler until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Slice the roasted peppers and combine all the roasted vegetables with the vinaigrette while they are still hot. Chill the vegetable mixture.
Remove veins from the lettuce leaves and arrange on four salad plates. Place a mound of the roasted vegetables in the center of the lettuce and arrange slice tomatoes around the mound. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with wedges of matzah.
Since I'm gluten intolerant I used papadam instead of matzah. I was also delighted with how the salad turned out. The molasses vinaigrette complimented the parsnips and squash very well. The tomatoes didn't add much but I needed to eat them before I left town.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
So many great ideas. I didn't realize that parsnips worked raw, I never thought of pickling the vegetables or using the butternut squash seeds. I suspect the sesame seed oil was a great flavor combination with the roasted vegetables.
Good stuff!! Everyone.
I wonder what Dagonee will come up with.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I'll preview it now: mango-lime-shrimp ceviche on a squash and parsnip puree (or two separate purees, haven't decided) with matzah croutons (shamelessly lifted from rivka's recipe, but probably with different seasonings).
Rabbit, once again I love your presentations. So artistic!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Thanks Dagonee.
I've been looking through the recipes. I think the way Dana used the mango glaze on the shrimp might work very well with my shrimp and green mango soup. When I get home (not for another week and a half), I'll give it a try. I'm trying to decide whether I should use shallots in the glaze with the shrimp the way Dana did or garlic like I did originally. Any thoughts?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Dana, Your salad looks elegant enough to be served at the finest 5 star establishment. Its really beautiful and I suspect delicious as well.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
It was excellent. I brought some into the office because I'd mentioned the ingredient list for this challenge and everybody thought it sounded awful. They apologized for doubting.
I also made extra glazed shrimp and squash and tossed them with pasta. That was a tasty meal too.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
One of the things that has impressed me the most about both rounds so far is how different everybody's recipes are. I also would never have thought of using the squash seeds (brilliant!) or of making a cold soup. And they all look/sound tasty.
I think it would be fun to actually serve a meal with all the rounds when we're done, but I might not use my own recipe from each round. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: with matzah croutons (shamelessly lifted from rivka's recipe, but probably with different seasonings).
I stole it from someone else (with minor alterations), so that seems only fair.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
I bought the ingredients for Dana's salad tonight. I am not making it for dinner, but I may or may not still make it tonight to take to work for lunch tomorrow. They didn't have butternut squash, though, so I got some other kind. I'm not being specific because I can't remember the name. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: I added a category for the Hatrack Recipe Challenge to the Princeclan recipe site. We'll have separate categories for each round. If everyone posts the recipes there, they'll be in a convenient place.
Por favor, un category por round two?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I'm still waiting for Dag to post his recipe so that we can move on.
Nu?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Dag, What's up? Are you going to post your recipe? Should we keep waiting for you or get started on the next round?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I'm sorry everyone. I've had some stuff come up and will be unable to continue in the challenge.
Rivka, I added the categories for rounds 2 and 3. You won't see them on the main list until there's a recipe in them. The option to add a recipe to these categories is now on the add recipe screen.
Unfortunately, there's a bug on princeclan right now. When it gets fixed, I'll let you know.
Sorry again.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
'Zawright. Hope all goes well with you.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Hope everything is ok.
Thanks for adding the recipe categories.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Thanks, Tante and rivka. Things aren't really OK, but I don't know if they're merely bad or actually terrible yet. I'll most likely be pretty scarce for a while, although I'll be following the recipe challenge.
Prince Clan is working again, and the categories for rounds 2 & 3 are available for adding recipes.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Good luck. May it turn out to be not nearly as bad as you thought.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Good luck & good wishes from here, too. You'll be on my mind and in my prayers.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Things aren't really OK, but I don't know if they're merely bad or actually terrible yet.
Well, crud. I'm sure you don't deserve that. I do hope that problems get swiftly and favorably resolved. I wish you the best.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I'm ready to have a go at Round 3. What course is that?
Who wants to play?
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
I'd be interested in playing, but not this weekend 'cause we're going camping. I have a feeling I'll be at a bit of a disadvantage - we recently moved and the pantry is a bit bare - but it still sounds like a lot of fun.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Last round, I was just coming off of Passover and a houseful of guests that ate up everything we had. I did a "regular" shopping -- not with the contest in mind, but getting the stuff that I'd ordinarily get to keep in the house.
And it wouldn't have to be before this weekend, anyway. I'd be interested in seeing what you'd make.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
Research is allowed, right? I would have had no idea what to do with, say, parsnips, unless I was allowed to look them up...
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Of course.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'm back in Trinidad and ready to start on round three if others are.
Well actually, my house is a disaster. All my personal possessions that were lost at sea for three weeks finally arrived. I returned from the states Sunday night to find my living and dining area packed to the ceiling with boxes and furniture.
But things are starting to get in order and I've made enough progress to believe my kitchen will be ready to cook in by the end of the week. (We need a keep your fingers crossed emoticon).
I think we agreed that round three would be a starch course (i.e. pasta, rice, potatoes, polenta etc.). The ingredients we submit should not be the base ingredient, that will be a variable left to each cook.
If you want to play, submit one ingredient by Sunday and I will post the list on Monday.
If we don't get enough people, I may ask each person for a second ingredient.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
If no one submits a meat/fish ingrediant, will they all be vegi, or will we get to choose that too? (Don't care one way or another - just wondering )
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
We didn't specifically discuss that but we did decide that the 4th round would be a protein entree and we would leave the base ingredient (meat, fish, tofu . . .) up to the cook.
I think that for the starch dish, meat and fish should be subject to the general anything you normally have in you house rule.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
Sounds good to me - I'm in, unless something big comes up in the next week. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Oh, I guess I should add
If you want to participate, send an e-mail with one ingredient to hatrack_recipes at yahoo dot com before Monday Morning.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
So far we have only three participants. Please consider joining us.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Sent.
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
Is it considered cheating to do it with someone? I'm still too new on the whole exploratory cooking thing to be brave enough to venture this on my own...
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Sounds fine to me. When there are no winners, losers, or judging, cheating is kind of a nebulous concept.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by cmc: Is it considered cheating to do it with someone? I'm still too new on the whole exploratory cooking thing to be brave enough to venture this on my own...
I don't see any problem with doing it with someone. It sounds fun.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
It does indeed. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
This just to remind people that the deadline for submissions for round 3 is today.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Round Three: Starchy goodness
Participants
cmc
dkw
Tante Shvester
rivka
Jhai
The Rabbit
Ingredients
mushrooms
tomatoes
rhubarb
okra
tumeric
sour cream
Good Luck!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I've got a problem. Rhubarb simply doesn't seem to be available in Trinidad so I'm trying to find a rational substitute. I'm thinking of using Tamarind because it has a similar sort of tartness but the texture is very different. What do you think?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I don't know enough about tamarind to have an opinion. In general I'd say whatever you think is appropriate.
I wish this list were a bit later in the summer -- the tomatoes here are still winter-yucky.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
I'd agree that tamarind would be a decent substitute for rhubarb. And I'd be very intersted to see what you come up with - I expect you'll go South Asian given the tamarind, turmeric, sour cream, and bindi (okra).
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Bleh. I hate okra.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Bleh. I hate okra.
Maybe you'll get lucky and they won't have any at your grocery store.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
No, they do. We grow it here, I think.
That's ok. I'll just use a bit.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I like all those things. I just have to find a way to make them get along. I don't think I've ever combined rhubarb with mushrooms.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Okra is a great thickener. It doesn't have to taste like anything if you just use it as a thickener...
And I've had a roast chicken with rhubarb and mushrooms (among other things) that was Very Tasty.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Okra is a great thickener. It doesn't have to taste like anything if you just use it as a thickener...
Ok. Sample recipe, perhaps?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I'm done. Should I post it now, or wait so as not to unduly influence anyone else's creative process?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Flanken show off.
My brain has finished its storming process, but I haven't been shopping, yet. And it looks like I won't be until Friday, when I shop and cook for Shabbos. We'll be eating the rhubarb-okra-mushroom thing for Shabbos, so I'll likely post my recipe on Saturday night or Sunday.
You go ahead and post it now, if you like, and I'll do my level best not to feel too inferior.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka:
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Okra is a great thickener. It doesn't have to taste like anything if you just use it as a thickener...
Ok. Sample recipe, perhaps?
Um... Gumbo?
Honestly, I've never used okra in anything I measure. I just use it in saucy or stew-y things and put it in early, so it kinda dissolves into the sauciness and thickens it. It could definitely be used to thicken a rhubarb sauce, for instance, and if the two were used together could be not that noticeable in either texture or taste.
Not to "cheat," since I'm not really playing. Just thinking out loud, as it were. As a fellow non-okra-lover (usually.)
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Stewed okra functions pretty much the same as stewed tomatillos as a thickener, now that I think of it. (But tomatillos taste better. )
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I used to hate okra. Now I really like it, and have it for lunch all the time.
I'm having some right now!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Do you normally have lunch a 1:31 am?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
She does, because she works nights.
We both had the day off yesterday, so in between frantic bursts of sorting and packing Bob went grocery shopping and I cooked. (Then we found out that we have a house showing today and we frantically cleaned up from all the packing and sorting. And now we're so stiff we can barely move.)
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Moan!! Having recently sold a house and moved, I can honestly sympathize.
Right now, I'm in the unpacking phase, which also goes in frantic bursts. If I didn't own so many galdang books, I probably wouldn't be quite so stiff or have so many bruises. Do other people get bruses on their thighs from moving heavy boxes. I must do something with my thighs where I prop them up or lift them as they fall, I've never really noticed myself doing it but I know I end up with a lot of bruises.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Do you normally have lunch a 1:31 am?
Well, I usually have lunch around 2:30 or 3 AM, but I didn't eat lunch at 5 pm, like I usually do, and I was hungry, so I had lunch early.
Yeah, I eat two or three meals a day, and they're all lunch. In fact, I just got home from work, and I'm eating lunch in front of the computer right now -- cottage cheese with tomato and tumeric (yeah, I'm trying out flavors), and some canned salmon. I'll be going to sleep before very long, too.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
So how is tumeric on tomatoes?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I thought they went surprisingly well together.
I also get the bruises on my legs from moving, I think you're probably right about using thighs to balance/shift boxes.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I have made several indian dishes in the past that call for both tomatoes and tumeric so I wasn't ever worried about that one. Its the tumeric and rhubarb that has be a bit concerned.
Who knows, maybe curried rhubard will be the next hot trend in east/west fushion cuisine.
Posted by MidnightBlue (Member # 6146) on :
I get bruises on my hips when I move. I tend to rest boxes there (right on the bone) while opening/closing doors and such. I think I sometimes get smaller bruises on my thighs from where the bottom edge hits me when I take a step, if I can't lift it high enough to clear my waist.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I used sweet potatoes and spring roll wrappers as my starch base and made an South Asian style "Lasagna". The recipe gets kind of complicated but it tasted deliciousl. All the parts can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to serve.
This Lasagna type dish is made using spring roll wrappers with layers of stir fried curried vegetables, sweet potato puree and a tomato tamarind chutney sauce.
Stirfried Okra, Mushrooms and Cabbage
2 Tbsp Tamarind paste ½ pound of Okra ½ pound of button mushrooms ½ pound of cabbage 1 small onion 2 tsp garlic paste 2 tsp minced fresh ginger ½ tsp tumeric ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander seed dried red chilli powder (to taste) salt to taste 2 Tbsp olive oil
Chop okra and mushrooms into ~ ¼ inch chunks. Dice cabbage. Thinly slice the onion. Heat oil in a skillet. Add onions and sauté until lightly caramelized. Add garlic and ginger and sauté briefly before adding remaining vegetables. Stir fry vegetables until they soften. Mix tamarind with 1 cup of water and add to vegetable mixture with remaining spices. Simmer on low heat until most of the liquid is gone. Add salt and chilli powder to taste and reserve
Sweet Potatoe Puree
2 large sweet potatoes 1 cup sour cream ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg 2 tsp ghee 1 tsp mustard seed 1 tsp cumin seed 1 tsp dried red pepper powder salt to taste
Peel and cube sweet potatoes and cook in boiling water until soft. Drain sweet potatoes sweet potatoes. In a small frying pan, temper mustard, cumin and pepper. Add sourcream, nutmeg and the tempered spice to the mashpotates and blend until smooth and reserve.
Tomato and Tamarind Chutney
4 small tomatoes 1 Tbsp tamarind 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 2 tsp brown sugar 1 Tbsp green mango chutney ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves
Dice tomatoes. Combine with remaining ingredients in sauce pan and bring to a boil for ~ 2 minutes.
For assembly
Spring roll wrappers chopped peanuts cilantro sour cream nutmeg red pepper tumeric tomatoes.
To prepare individual servings beging by softening one spring roll wrapper briefly in water. Place wrapper on plate and put ~2Tbsp of the stir fried vegetables on one half of the wrapper and then fold the wrapper over. Spread ~1 Tbsp of the tomato chutney on top. Soften a second spring roll wrapper and place it overlapping the first so that is will fold in the opposite direction. Put ~2 Tbsp of the sweet potato puree on the spring roll wrapper directly over the vegetable mixture and then fold the wrapper over. Top with ~1Tbsp of the tomato chutney. Repeat the process to get four total layers. Place aside with you make remaining servings.
Microwave each serving for ~1 minute prior to serving. Cut the lasagna piece in half and arrange the two halves to reveal the layered structure. Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, spices, tomatoes and sour cream.
[ May 29, 2008, 11:19 PM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I made a few different things, because I wasn’t completely satisfied with the first and because I had ingredients left over. I started with:
2 T veg. oil 20 okra, sliced 6 stalks rhubarb, peeled & sliced 10 mushrooms, sliced 1 small Vidalia onion, cut into thin wedges turmeric paprika salt & pepper 2 T flour ½ c milk ½ c sour cream dried dill
1 lb cooked potato gnocchi 1 large roma tomato, seeded & diced
Heat oil in skillet until sizzling, add okra, fry until just starting to brown. Add rhubarb, stir for a few minutes, add mushrooms and then onions. Sprinkle generously with turmeric & paprika, lightly with salt & pepper. When everything is cooked reduce heat and stir in flour until well mixed and no dry lumps of flour remain. Add milk, stir and cook until thick & bubbly. Turn heat to very low, add sour cream and sprinkle with a little dill. Toss with gnocchi, then mix in the tomatoes and serve immediately.
This was tasty, but the sour cream sauce with the gnocchi was a little heavy. If I were to do it again I’d either make it the same but serve it over fettuccini or make a lighter sauce for the gnocchi & veggies and then put a squiggle of turmeric-dill seasoned sour cream on top. *** So the next day I tried:
Okra-Rhubarb Stuffed Biscuits pic or Dumplings pic
10 okra, sliced 4 large stalks rhubarb, peeled & sliced 1 T sugar 2 mushrooms, coarsely chopped 1 c sour cream 3 c bisquick-style baking mix 1 t turmeric 6-8 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
Heat a non-stick pan over med-high heat. Put okra in pan and cook until just beginning to brown. Add rhubarb and ¼ c water, reduce heat to medium and cook until you have a gooey mass. Add sugar and mushrooms, leave to cook over low heat while mixing the dough. For dough, mix sour cream, baking mix, and turmeric to form a soft dough. Add sundried tomatoes. Spoon about 2/3 of the dough by large spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Form each blob into a nest and place a small spoonful of the veggie mix inside. Use the remaining dough to cover, and pinch edges to seal well. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes for biscuits or cook in boiling broth 5-6 minutes for dumplings.
These were both yummy, but the dumplings cooked in chicken broth were definitely both Bob’s and my favorite of all three things I tried this round.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My rhubarb is in the mail.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:These were both yummy, but the dumplings cooked in chicken broth were definitely both Bob’s and my favorite of all three things I tried this round.
Is this the same as the biscuit recipe but cooked in chicken broth rather than baked or will we be getting a third recipe soon?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: My rhubarb is in the mail.
Where do you get rhubarb by mail order? Fresh or frozen?
I doubt they ship to T&T anyway. Even if they would, I hate to think what it would look like by the time it made it through customs.
I'm fairly confident that the tomato tamarind chutney I made would work equally well with rhubarb instead of tamarind. I'd probably have to adjust the amounts of vinegar and sugar a bit, but I did them by taste any way (measures are all approximate).
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Where do you get rhubarb by mail order? Fresh or frozen?
I know someone with a patch in their backyard. (I can get it here; it's just much more expensive and not as good.)
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I doubt they ship to T&T anyway. Even if they would, I hate to think what it would look like by the time it made it through customs.
Yeah, probably not a good idea. I checked California law very thoroughly the last time (although that time it came in my suitcase) to be sure it would be allowed through without problems.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I doubt they ship to T&T anyway. Even if they would, I hate to think what it would look like by the time it made it through customs.
I would give it a shot, if you thought it had a chance of making it. I sent it priority mail to rivka, which is flat-rate $9.80 within the US, but told her she could send me something interesting in exchange instead of paying the shipping.
They didn't even ask me if there was anything fragile, liquid, hazardous or perishable in the boxes this time.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
^ someone with a patch in their backyard Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Thanks for the offer Eljay but there is no way produce from someones backyard would make it through customs.
Plus the price of shipping it here would make it worth its weight in gold.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Hmmmm, USPS says it would cost $45 to send you 5 pounds with 5 day delivery. That's pretty pricey rhubarb.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Do they search everything? 'Cause quid didn't think the chocolate I sent her would make it, either, but it did. I know the question is academic, 'cause $45 for rhubarb is ridiculous, but I'm curious.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
There is no way they can search everything but they do get a surprising fraction. Getting my shipment of household goods through customs was quite the ordeal. They didn't open every box but they came awfully close.
You do however have to declare every item you ship into the country. If they open the box and what's inside isn't what was declare you can end up in jail for smuggling. If ever I end up in jail, it won't be for smuggling rhubarb.
Chocolate wouldn't be a legal problem getting through customs in any country I've been in. The restrictions are usually against fresh fruits, vegetables and meats that haven't been properly certified as disease and pest free.
Chocolate might get stolen by a disreputable customs agent but it isn't banned.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
The biscuits and dumplings are the same recipe until the end -- it diverges after stuffing them -- baking for biscuits and boiling in broth for dumplings.
They were both good, but the dumplings that we had for lunch were so good that Bob asked me to make them again that same night for supper. And as soon as I pick up more sour cream I will probably make them again.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
rivka, let me know if it gets through the produce sniffing dogs... If it does, I want some... (Not of yours, I'll beg ElJay for my own. )
The stuff she sent me in TX made the best rhubarb pie I've ever tasted. And I don't know why 'cause I'm pretty sure the stuff at the farmers' market gets to my table at about the same rate; I guess cold-grown rhubarb just tastes better.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
*grin*
Unfortunately, the storm last night seems to have flattened what I had left. If it doesn't bounce back, you'll have to wait for next year.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Roasted Vegetable Kugel with Rhubarb Chutney
For the roasted vegetables: spray a couple of cookie sheets with olive oil spray and spread: sliced mushrooms thinly sliced yellow summer squash sliced yellow onion thinly sliced beet and whole okra pods
in a single layer. I segregated the veggies, so that if one cooked faster than the others, I could remove it from the sheet and leave the rest, but mostly I tried to make them all cook at the same time by adjusting the size of the pieces -- beets got cut smaller than mushrooms. Spray the tops of the veggies with olive oil spray and sprinkle with kosher salt and roast in a 425 oven for about a half hour, or until things are getting browned. Let cool, and then slice the okra.
For the kugel: In a big bowl, dump 3 1/2 cups matzah farfel (or very broken up matzah). Mix 3 cups of hot water with an onion bouillon cube and pour that over the farfel. Beat two whole eggs with three egg whites, and mix in one pint fat free sour cream and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with heavy salt and pepper. Add all your roasted vegetables, along with sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and a bag of leaf frozen spinach (still frozen). Mix that all together and bake in a greased lasagna pan at 375 for an hour, or until set.
For the chutney:
In a pot, cook: 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup dried cherries 2 peeled and cubed beets 1/3 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup red wine 2 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp tumeric 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp dry mustard until syrupy. Then add 2 stalks sliced celery and a chopped yellow onion, and cook them until they are soft. Add 4 cups sliced rhubarb and cook, covered, until the rhubarb gets soft. You will have to stir this a few times. If it seems to be too dry, add more wine. Once the rhubarb is soft, stir in one finely minced jalapeño pepper, the grated zest of one orange, and the juice of one lime, and cook a bit longer. Let cool, and serve along with the kugel.
I own no camera, sorry guys.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
hey guys- I can't participate this week. I'm in the hospital with a p.e. Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Oh no! Horrible news. Thank G'd you are in the hospital getting that taken care of. I can certainly empathize; I had my first pulmonary embolus when I was 18, and I've lost count of how many I've had since.
Do they know what caused you to form the clot?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Oh, and we had the kugel for Shabbos. Fabulous!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jhai: hey guys- I can't participate this week. I'm in the hospital with a p.e.
I'm sorry J'hai. Get well soon.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Yikes! Get well soon.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
That sucks, Jhai. Hope your recovery is quick!
My rhubarb arrived unscathed, and I picked up some frozen okra. The question is when will have time to do anything with it . . . probably a few days.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
Thanks for the good wishes, guys. I'm now out of the hospital, and feeling much better, but I seem to have replaced my body with that of an unhealthy 80-year-old: my resting heart rate has doubled, I get out of breath easily, and I nap, oh, about every 15 minutes. Needless to say, I doubt I'll be doing any cooking anytime soon. I look forward to reading about your recipes, though!
Tante, I have a few genetic clotting disorders, and have had my share of DVTs, so it wasn't completely unexpected. I take coumadin, but I'd gotten a bit lax lately in maintaining proper INR levels - so it's a bit of my own fault. Wasn't expecting massive clots in both lungs, though.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I, too, have a clotting disorder, related to lupus, and take coumadin and aspirin for it, every day. I'm happy not to have to take heparin three times a day any more.
I'm glad that you are out of danger and out of the hospital. Scary stuff, those PE's. I'm so glad that it wasn't worse. Take care of yourself and be well. I wish you a speedy and complete recovery.
Oh, and I suspect that I win this round. Rhubarb chutney on roasted vegetable kugel is awesome.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I don't know, my South Asian Lasagna was quite excellent too.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Bah! Yours had hardly any rhubarb in it. Like, none at all. Rhubarb was the tricky part.
I still win. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: Bah! Yours had hardly any rhubarb in it. Like, none at all. Rhubarb was the tricky part.
That's might be an easier argument to buy if what I'd done with my Tamarind (make a chutney) wasn't so incredibly similar to what you did with the rhubarb.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I've already made the dumpling recipe three times, (although once was without the filling) and I bought stuff to make them again.
They are incredibly addictive.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Ok, I'm cooking tonight!
Darn, no sour cream. Hmm, yogurt or pureed cottage cheese should work . . .
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Or unpureed, even.
Quinoa & Vegetable Curry
1 pound okra, sliced 1 pound rhubarb, chopped 2 cans (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes 1 can water 1 T. curry powder 1 T. garlic powder 1 T. onion powder 1 (8 oz) can sliced mushrooms 1 pound cottage cheese 1 c. uncooked quinoa
In a large saucepan, mix okra, rhubarb, tomatoes, water (using the water to rinse the leftover tomato bits from the cans into the pot), and spices. Cook over high heat until a you have a thick, soupy mixture (stirring occasionally). Turn heat down to medium low, and stir in mushrooms, cottage cheese, and quinoa. Curry is done when the quinoa is translucent and softened.
The kids pronounced it "good!" And I agree, even though I can taste the okra. It's a good thing I have so much rhubarb (thanks, ElJay!), though, or I'd consider it a criminal waste of rhubarb. Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Tumeric?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Turmeric is the main ingredient in curry powder. Some kinds, anyway -- including the ones I buy.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
D'oh!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
To me, the most interesting thing about this round was the rhubarb. Everyone uses it as though it were a fruit most of the time, but it's actually a very versatile, tangy vegetable!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sound delicious rivka. I love quinoa.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Yeah, it has a lovely nutty flavor, and an indescribable texture -- not exactly a crunch, but almost. Sort of a pop.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I just misread adjacent thread titles as "Hatrack Recipe Challenge! (Round 3 -- Obama cinches nomination!)"
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Is it time for the main course yet?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
We haven't heard anything from cmc yet.
cmc, Are you still planning to make something for round 3?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Is it time for the main course yet?
I am getting a bit peckish.
Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
I sent a message to The Rabbit a couple of days ago, but I can't participate. I've got some pregnancy stuff going on and I'm suddenly moving. I apologize.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I've got a bit of a problem with the next round.
I'm leaving town next Thursday and won't have a kitchen to cook in until mid July. If people want to get started on the next round, I'll be glad to coordinate even if I can't participate for awhile.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I'm okay either way. If I get too antsy I might amuse myself by trying out other people's recipe from previous rounds. If a few of us did that it could keep the thread alive anyway. Or we could just dig it up again in July.
I'll be traveling the last week in July and first week in August, so if we could start the next round as soon as Rabbit gets back, that would work for me. Or else wait another two weeks.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I will use the time productively, trying to come up with confounding ingredients for the main course.
Gimme time. I'm fine waiting until next month.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Just remember, you will have to cook with that ingredient too.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Or pretend to. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Cap'n crunch contains gluten. So do many brands of marshmallows.
I think shallots would be a reasonable substitution for either one. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I'll be traveling the last week in July and first week in August, so if we could start the next round as soon as Rabbit gets back, that would work for me. Or else wait another two weeks.
I'm kitchenless for the first couple weeks of August. But mid-July is ok.
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I think shallots would be a reasonable substitution for either one.
I agree. In fact, I plan to substitute shallots for whatever weird ingredient Esther comes up with.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
We could have people submit their ingredients by early next week but then give every one until mid July to cook. That would be very flexible plus it would give people a lot of time to figure out how to make a main course with rutabagas, lima beans and marshmallows.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
You mean shallots, shallots, and shallots.
I like the flexible timeline. I think it's a good idea.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Brilliant! I was talking with my kid about this today, and we already decided on an ingredient. When he asked me how I could use it, he said I'm like the Native Americans that use every part of the buffalo.
I wonder what they used the buffalo teeth for.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
As a substitute for shallots.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Jewelry.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: You mean shallots, shallots, and shallots.
Just call me Anne. With an "e".
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
How many people have signed up already and submitted an ingredient for this round?
And how many more are we looking to recruit?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I was waiting for the thread title to change. Is it time to submit ingredients now?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I submitted mine. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Bananas?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester:
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Bananas wouldn't be enough of a challenge. And this is supposed to be the Hatrack Recipe Challenge.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I was waiting for the thread title to change. Is it time to submit ingredients now?
Ditto.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sorry folks, I'm on the road and forgot to do this. Please submit your ingredients before Friday so I can get the list up before I head off again.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Main course, neh?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Yes! Main course (protein). We agreed that people should not submit the central ingredient (meat, tofu . . .) but this would be a variable and not subject to the 'you must already have it in your kitchen' rule.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Done.
Posted by lol_kitteh (Member # 11664) on :
CHEEZBURGR!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I'm in for the next round. I'm interested in seeing how everyone is going to incorporate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into their entrées.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
For the cheese or the burger?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
The whole shebang!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: The whole shebang!
How does one say that in lolcat talk?
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:I'm in for the next round. I'm interested in seeing how everyone is going to incorporate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into their entrées.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups contain gluten, I think I'll substitute shallots.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I believe I might have just developed a peanut allergy.
Shallots it is.
Also, sent.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sorry once again about the delay.
Here is the new list:
Round 4: Main Course
Ingredients:
watemelon raspberries leeks sour cream cabbage
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Oh my.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
Wow. Just...I don't know if I have that kind of creativity in me.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I've got a good idea. Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
As do I.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Oh my.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
We just did sour cream in the last round!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I'm substituting shallots!*
*just kidding
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
I haven't been playing, but that list was a challenge I couldn't resist. I made my dish tonight. I want to describe it but I'm unclear on the rules...am I supposed to wait a while for other people to make their dishes first?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Sure you can play! I think it's OK to post your recipe. Generally people have been posting it whenever they get around to making it, either right away (like Super-dkw) or later.
I think it would be fun for people who didn't sign up and submit an ingredient to try to do the challenge, and share their take on it. Part of the fun for me (besides the creative challenge of it) is adding new ingredients or recipes to my repertoire. I never had turmeric in my pantry before, but since I've gotten it, it's been sneaking into a lot of different dishes. Last week, it was in our gefilte fish, where it got excellent reviews. And I never thought of treating rhubarb in a savory way, either, but it was a real revelation.
I'd love to see what you came up with.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Savory cabbage rolls with fruit & wine reduction sauce -----------------
2 cups Red wine (I used a nice Zinfandel because I knew I'd enjoy drinking what I didn't use in the recipe) 3 T Honey 1/2 cup Raspberries, washed 1 cup watermelon cubes (about 1/2 to 1 inch) 1/2 tsp dried Tarragon Sprinkle of nutmeg
2 leeks Handful of mushrooms Olive oil 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (in ground form, not links) 3/4 cup sour cream 8-10 crushed saltines
Dozen large washed Napa cabbage leaves.
Crush the raspberries. Combine with the wine, watermelon cubes, tarragon, nutmeg. Add a few washed outer leaf pieces from the base portion of the 2 leeks (the portion that is just a little too tough to eat). Use med-low heat and simmer until reduced by about half (30 min or so). Strain out the solids and return the liquid to the pan. Add the honey, and continue reducing over med-low heat. Reduce until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
While reducing the wine mixture, chop leeks and mushrooms and saute in a little olive oil. Add the sausage after the leeks begin to soften. Brown the sausage until just cooked. Drain excess fat if desired (I left the fat in, as it was fairly lean sausage). Add the crushed crackers and the sour cream and mix until combined.
Top a cabbage leaf with a generous spoonful of the meat mixture. Drizzle with the wine reduction, fold the leaf over, and eat. (Wine reduction can also be used as a dipping sauce if preferred.)
This would serve 3 to 4 people as a main dish.
----------------
My wife and I both enjoyed the dish. It was different. It had nice elements of spice, fruit, and savory sausage. The cabbage had a great crunch.
The reduction was very tasty. This was my first attempt at making a wine reduction. I would make it again as a glaze for poultry, or roasted pork. The raspberries added a nice tartness, and the watermelon was subtle, but present. I think it came through in the bouquet as well as in the flavor. The cooking helped it take on a squash-y character I've never detected in raw watermelon. I might experiment with a little more spice (black pepper might have been amazing), and larger amounts of fruit to find the right balance, but it was quite tasty as it was.
The sausage mixture was also good. The leeks and mushrooms kind of disappeared so I would use more of each next time. The sour cream and crackers helped it form a nice moist - but not liquid - consistency. It reminded me of stroganoff but with more piquancy.
In combination, the meat filling and the sauce were compatible enough to eat and enjoy.
Other thoughts on possible tweaks: The sweetness of the reduction was probably a bit more than necessary, so if I were to make these together again I'd cut back on the honey.
The rolls were a bit bland, visually. Could have used a colorful garnish - perhaps some julienned carrots or radicchio. Also for color, I'd probably add a diced red bell pepper to the sausage mixture.
[ July 01, 2008, 12:10 AM: Message edited by: scifibum ]
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Brilliant!
And completely different than what I had in mind.
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Watermelon Poached Salmon with Watermelon Slaw and Watermelon-Feta Salad
For the Pickled Watermelon Rind: A day or two before you start, cut yourself a nice wedge of watermelon. Maybe two nice wedges. Cut all the pink flesh from the rind, and eat it. Now take the watermelon rind and peel off the skin, cut it into strips and put it in a tupperware container, covered with rice wine vinegar. Keep this in the refrigerator for a day or two.
Cut the flesh of half a watermelon into chunks (save the rind). Put the chunks in a big bowl and smash them up with a potato masher. Then grind them up with a stick blender. I guess if you have a juicer, then juice it instead. Or if you have a food processor, process it instead. The thing is, you just want the juice. Strain out the watermelon slurry, reserving the juice and throwing out the pulp. Or you can eat the pulp. It reminded me of watermelon-flavored applesauce. Pour the juice into a baking pan (lasagna pan). Put a 2-pound salmon fillet in the juice, and let it marinate for a half hour. Throw on a half cup of raspberries and the sliced rounds of the white part of a fat leek. Sprinkle some kosher salt over the whole thing, cover tightly with foil, and pop it in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes (check it after 20 to see if it is done, and cook it longer if need be. Better a little underdone than overdone, I think). Using a couple of big spatulas, remove the salmon fillet to a platter, and skim out all the leeks and raspberries, and strew them over the top. Cover the platter with Saran wrap, and refrigerate it.
For the Sauce: Strain the salmon poaching liquid (the watermelon juice) into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook it down until it is reduced to the consistency of canned tomato sauce. Throw in a half cup of raspberries and about a quarter cup of Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette salad dressing, and cook it down a little more, until the raspberries soften. Let it cool. Pour any liquid that the fish has shed off the platter, and pour the sauce over the fish.
For the Watermelon Cole Slaw: Trim the tough edge from the watermelon rind pickles, if you need to (some melons are tougher than others), and julienne the rind. Do the same with the un-pickled watermelon rind that you saved. Trim a small to medium fennel (anise) bulb of its stalks and leafy bits, and julienne the tender bulb, discarding the core. Slice 1/4 head of cabbage into shreds. Mix all these vegetables together with a couple of tablespoons of low fat mayonnaise and a couple of tablespoons of fat free sour cream (Breakstones is the only brand I've found that I like). Taste the slaw, and add as much of the pickle vinegar as you need to make it taste right.
For the Watermelon Feta Salad: Cut some of the watermelon into dice. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, and scatter Lite Feta Cheese over the watermelon.
Serve the poached salmon cold with the two salads.
It's all about the watermelon! Flesh, juice and rind in the three parts of the recipe. If I had a watermelon with seeds, I'd have thought of a way to use them, too. This recipe is a little complicated, but I've never seen a pink salmon so pink as this one landed up.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Just call me Anne. With an "e".
That would get really confusing...
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
scifibum, that recipe made me drool.
Tante, I think your dish was probably worthy of Iron Chef America. I'm not sure in which way I mean that (good or bad.) I'd have to eat it to be sure.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
Well, I tried two different things, but both were disasters, so I think I'll have to bow out gracefully.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen:
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Just call me Anne. With an "e".
That would get really confusing...
You're telling me!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Has anyone else attempted the challenge yet?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Oh, dang. Something else I'm supposed to get done before I leave town.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'm planning to cook tonight. I'm making Grilled Alaskan Pollack Tacos with raspberry watermelon salsa. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I made mine before the move and typed up the recipe, but it's on my computer which is in a box. I'll try to remember and retype. Mom took the pictures, so I can get to them on her computer.
I made corn-chip battered chicken with raspberry-watermelon salsa and marinated cabbage.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
The Tacos turned out terrific. I had neighbors over and everyone enjoyed them. I'll post the recipe and pictures in the morning.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Grilled Alaskan Pollack Tacos with Watermelon/Raspberry Salsa
Ingredients
1 lb Alaskan Pollack Filets Watermelon Raspberry Salsa Watermelon Raspberry Marinade 2 cups finely diced cabbage 1 cup sour cream 1 dozen hand made corn Tortillas
Salsa 1 leek 2/3 cup watermelon rind 2/3 cup watermelon flesh 1 Thai red pepper ½ cup raspberries distilled vinegar
Wash and slice white portion of the leek to produce ~ 1/4 cup of thinly sliced leek. Remove skin from watermelon rind. Cut watermelon rind and flesh into small (-1/4 inch) chunks. Chop red pepper. Combine leek, watermelon and red pepper, cover with vinegar and refrigerate for 2 days. After two days, add the crushed raspberries a
Marinade: Combine the liquid drained from the salsa into 2/3 cup canola oil. Whisk until you form good suspension and then pour over the fish filets.
Assembly: Allow the fish to marinate for ~ 4 hours and then cook on a wood barbecue until tender. Arrange 2 Tbsp of diced cabbage on a warm Tortilla. Place fish on the cabbage and top with salsa and sour cream.
As I mentioned before, I invited some neighbors to share in the experiment and all agreed it turned out terrific. My husband thought the salsa should have been hotter but the German faction of the group thought it was just right.
I'll post the pictures this afternoon.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:This recipe is a little complicated, but I've never seen a pink salmon so pink as this one landed up.
My Pollack ended up quite pink as well and I've never heard Pollack described as a pink fish.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Your corn tortilla in the taco photo looks delectable. I'd even try watermelon salsa to get a taste of that tortilla.
Kidding aside, i think that looks pretty darn good.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Sounds interesting. I like the way you used the rind, too.
Did you find that your watermelon rind was tough? For mine, the inner half was much more tender than the outer part, and I landed up trimming quite a bit so that the slaw wouldn't be too chewy.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Tante, No, my watermelon rind wasn't tough but then my watermelon had a very thin rind. If you look at the watermelon slices in the photo you can see what I mean. After I cut off the skin, there wasn't more than 1/4 inch of rind left so the question of inner half and outer half is kind of moot.
[ July 23, 2008, 05:37 AM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'm in the mood for dessert!
Is any one interested in starting the next round or should we hold off until Summer vacations are over.
I mean, I can make dessert more than once if I absolutely must.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*sigh* I was hoping I was going to be able to make something today. I even got a watermelon. But there's no way.
Maybe I can play again when I get back in a few weeks.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Take your time. I'm interested to see what you come up with on this one even if its in a few weeks.
Enjoy your vacation!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Thanks. If I make it through the next couple days, I'm sure I will.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I want dessert.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Round 4: Main Course
Ingredients:
watermelon raspberries leeks sour cream cabbage
Oops! I never did this. May I request (another) week? I actually have some ideas.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
In another week I will have access to my own computer again and can post my recipe too.
On the other hand, I have no objection to selecting ingredients for the dessert round now, and rivka and I can post our main course recipes when we are able.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
That's a good idea.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'm on my way back to the West Indies and my kitchen today.
Who's up for dessert?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Count me in. Emailed my ingredient.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
So far only one response. If we don't get at least 4 people, maybe we should each submit 2 ingredients.
At any rate, I will at least wait until after the labor day weekend to see who is interested.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Sent!
We're moving into our apartment next week. Since I'm going to be starting from an emptier than usual kitchen I might cheat a little on the shopping. But I won't buy anything that it isn't likely I would have had in my kitchen if it weren't for the move. I hope that's okay with everyone.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
No problem Dana. For the last round, I did my cooking in an apartment in Germany (visiting faculty housing) where I started with absolutely nothing. I stretched the rules a bit but everything I used outside the ingredients list was something I normally have in my kitchen.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Me, I always do my week's grocery shopping on Friday morning, after work. That's when I get the ingredients on The List, as well as everything else we need for the week. And if I use those everything else things in the recipe, well, too bad. I don't count that as cheating.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My son ate up the watermelon, and I can't find any raspberries for less than $3 for a teeny little basket. So count me out for catch-up on main dish.
But count me in for dessert. Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I'm afraid of incompatible dessert ingredients. Chocolate desserts are classic, and lemony things are delicious, but it is hard to get chocolate and lemon to play nicely together in a dessert.
I'm kind of hoping that no one submits chocolate as an ingredient. It's almost too easy. Chocolate all by itself is already a tasty dessert. I think it's more fun to try to make something different and unexpected.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I had a similar thought, and thus did not submit chocolate. IIRC, you still won't like what I did submit. *unrepentant*
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Schmaltz?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I have had lemon hard candy sticks (think lemon drop but in stick form) dipped in chocolate. They were excellent.
But I didn't pick chocolate either.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Oh Rivka, not marshmallows? >_<
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I have also had tasty desserts that incorporated both lemon and chocolate.
No, not marshmallows. That's a thought, though. Wonder if Rabbit would let me change my submission? Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
lol
Pure evil. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Here is the Dessert List
Hazelnuts (filberts)
Heavy Whipping Cream
Peaches
Marzipan
Maple sugar
I have no idea where I'm going to find peaches and maple sugar in Trinidad. This list would have been easier if I was still in Germany.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
If you can find jaggery, though, that's a very reasonable substitute for maple sugar. Jaggery is the solid form of the sweet sap from the kithul palm tree.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I can probably find jaggery at the indian grocery but I might also be able to find maple syrup at the regular grocery if I'm lucky.
I probably won't be able to find Marzipan but I know how to make it (although its a lot of work if I can't find blanched almonds or almond meal to start with).
Peaches are going to be the real stinker.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Rivka! Marzipan?
Oy.
I predict substitutions galore in this round, for unavailable ingredients and food allergy/intolerances.
Rabbit, you can substitute mango for peach, I suppose.
I'm going to have to try to find kosher maple sugar.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I love Marzipan but its hard to think of a way to make it go with maple.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I love Marzipan but its hard to think of a way to make it go with maple.
Ditto.
Kosher maple sugar may not be so simple; kosher maple syrup is easy, and that may be what I do. OTOH, I'm seriously considering substituting with Dermerra or turbinado sugar instead (which would avoid the taste conflict issue).
And for anyone who cannot get commercial marzipan, I think a simple sweetened almond paste is a perfectly reasonable substitution. Something like this or this. (Which doesn't avoid the blanching almonds issue, but is still an improvement over this.)
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I wonder what Marzipan made with maple sugar would taste like.
hmmm
Of course the question is moot if I can't find maple sugar.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I went shopping and had real trouble finding the right ingredients (except for peaches and cream), so I bought none of them. I'll have to try again next week.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I know some people are irritated with me about the marzipan, but I'd like a few words with whoever the maple sugar's idea was. After trying three stores where the managers looked at me blankly, I gave up and got maple syrup.
I have a feeling maple sugar is regional.
OTOH, the tart came out wonderfully. I'll try to write up a formal recipe tomorrow.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I can't even find maple syrup down here. I've looked at two different stores and decided to give up and use demerara sugar. I think you are right that its a regional thing only available in the north east and northern midwest where sugar maples grow. The only time I've seen maple sugar at all in the west is around Christmas time when you can get maple sugar santas.
Marzipan is also a problem for me but I think its commonly available in baking section of most US groceries. I've been making my own for years and I was able to find some blanched almonds so I can deal with that.
Amazingly, I was able to find peaches in the normal grocery store.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Huh. Sorry about that, I had no idea it would be so hard to find.
Edit: you know, you can make sugar from maple syrup -- the directions are in Little House in the Big Woods. It only takes like 3 days and gallons and gallons of syrup. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: you know, you can make sugar from maple syrup -- the directions are in Little House in the Big Woods. It only takes like 3 days and gallons and gallons of syrup.
And you were so close to being forgiven, too!
Yeah, I know one can make maple sugar from maple syrup. But no thanks!
Rabbit, until a few years ago, there were no kosher brands of plain (as in, not already shaped into little fruits and such) marzipan in the US. There are a couple now, and I actually brought some back from my recent trip to Israel, but I made a lot of marzipan from scratch as a teenager. Glad you were able to find blanched almonds -- I've blanched almonds, and it's a pain.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I've blanched almonds too, and you are right its a pain. Making the marzipan is trivial compared to blanching the almonds.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Huh. Sorry about that, I had no idea it would be so hard to find.
Edit: you know, you can make sugar from maple syrup -- the directions are in Little House in the Big Woods. It only takes like 3 days and gallons and gallons of syrup.
That still presumes that you can get maple syrup.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I have to keep looking for marzipan. I have found kosher almond paste, though, and I can make marzipan out of that.*
*But why would I want to? Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I'm sure there's some form of sap producing trees in Trinidad. Make your own syrup! The directions for that are in the Little House books too. I seem to recall it required oxen. Although maybe that was just the way they did it in Farmer Boy. They had bigger farms in that one. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I'm sure there's some form of sap producing trees in Trinidad. Make your own syrup!
We've got rubber trees. I'll gather some sap for you and make some syrup if you promise to use it in your dessert.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I think the company Twinky works for makes food-grade rubber. They use it in chewing gum. I could make a Willie-Wonka style dessert that you chew to get all the yummy flavor but don't swallow.
Alternate answer: Sure! I can't eat this one anyway because I'm off dairy until the nursling grows out of his allergy.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
If you are off dairy due to the nursling's allergy, you are allowed to make substitution for the cream.
I think its definitely cheating if you don't eat your own creation.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: I've blanched almonds too, and you are right its a pain. Making the marzipan is trivial compared to blanching the almonds.
Tis true. And your hands get all leathery from the tannin.
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: I have to keep looking for marzipan. I have found kosher almond paste, though, and I can make marzipan out of that.
I'd call the almond paste itself a reasonable substitution.
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: If you are off dairy due to the nursling's allergy, you are allowed to make substitution for the cream.
I used non-dairy whipping cream just so I could serve it at a meat meal.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
(Measurements are approximate.)
Creamy Nectarine Tart
3/4 pound whole wheat filo sheets 1/2 c. Rich's Whip Topping (unwhipped) 100 g. marzipan 1 can (11 oz.) hazelnut praline 2 large nectarines handful of hazelnuts, coarsely chopped 1/4 maple syrup
Grease tart pan. Take 2-3 sheets filo, and fold to fit tart pan -- draping over one side and then folding it back in. Take another two sheets and repeat on the opposite side of the pan. As much as possible, flute edges. Brush with a thin layer of Rich's. Repeat layering of filo and brushing with Rich's -- you should use about 8-12 sheets of filo altogether, and maybe 1/8 c. of the "cream".
In mixer, combine marzipan and praline. Mix until smooth, then slowly add Rich's until consistency is like a very thick batter -- pourable but stiff. Pour into filo crust and spread to edges.
Slice nectarines into slices, and layer in circles on top of marzipan/praline mixture, which should be covered as completely as possible. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and drizzle with maple syrup.
Bake at 325 for 35-45 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool and chill; serve in small wedges.
(I had originally planned to whip the remainder of the Rich's with some maple syrup and serve that with the tart, but I forgot that you're supposed to whip the Rich's and THEN add any other stuff. However, the curdled mess worked quite well as part of a simple cake -- just added a couple eggs, some more maple syrup, some whole wheat flour, a bit of baking powder, some slivered almonds, and some golden raisins. It's been a long time since I baked two deserts for one Shabbos!)
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Hmm. I have never seen this non-dairy whipping cream. I shall have to look for some.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
It also comes in small 8 oz. cartons.
In Iowa, look at HyVee & Fareway Foods.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Rivka, that sounds really good. I think I'll make the same thing for my recipe.
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
Rivka that sounds great! Did the base set (sort of like a frangipane)?
Mmm, now *I* want creamy nectarine tart!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
It actually didn't set as much as I'd hoped, but it did firm up some.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
You'd need to cook it with some starch (pudding-style) or an egg (custard-style) to have it set properly, I think. I don't think the praline paste and marzipan have enough starch to set the cream.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Well, or just use less cream. I assume some liquid cooked off, and chilling firms it up somewhat.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
It might make a nice variation to add some dark chocolate to the filling. The starch and fats from the chocolate would help firm up the filling (particularly when chilled). That and its hard to imagine any dessert that couldn't be improved by adding a little chocolate.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I don't know that chocolate really would be a good addition. It is already exceedingly rich, especially the filling, which is also as dense as a neutron star.
But someone should try it and report back. For science! Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: It also comes in small 8 oz. cartons.
I no longer live in Iowa. I'm back in MN now.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
. . . I knew that.
Ok, scratch Fareway, then. Just try HyVee.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
The only HyVees in Minnesota are a lot closer to the Iowa border than I am. So no luck.
I think I'm just going to make it with real cream, take a tiny little taste for myself, and feed the rest to the other five Hatrackers in the family. They can testify for me whether it works or not. (Heck, if I do it this weekend I could have 6!)
Or I could skim the cream off the milk I've been pumping and use that.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
OK, I couldn't find kosher maple sugar, and I substituted Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado sugar) and maple syrup. I also couldn't find kosher marzipan, but I made some out of almond paste. Y'all didn't make it easy for me to make:
Peach Ice Cream Pastries
For the hazelnut topping: In a dry pan, lightly toast a half cup of chopped hazelnuts, then pour 1/3 cup maple syrup into the hot pan. Bring to a boil, and stir the syrup and nuts until the syrup becomes very thick and spins threads when you lift the spoon. Pour the hot syrup and nuts onto a greased piece of foil and cool. Once it is cool, break up the nut brittle into small pieces.
For the marzipan: Beat an egg white with a whisk until it is all fluffy, then mix in an 8 oz can of almond paste. Sift 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar into the almond paste mixture, and mix it all in until you have a marzipan the consistency of modeling clay. Knead it a bit, then wrap it in plastic wrap.
For the pastry shells: Grease mini-muffin tins and line them with 8 layers of phyllo dough, with a bit of oil between each layer. Oil the top layers, then lay a bit of foil on top of each shell, and weigh each one down with some beans. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes, or until done.
For the peach ice cream: Peel and mash a big ripe peach. Stir in a pinch of salt and 2 Tbsp of the raw sugar, cover and refrigerate. Combine 3/4 cup whipping cream and 3/4 cup milk, 1 Tbsp maple syrup and 1 Tbsp raw sugar. Pour into the ice cream maker and churn until it is half-frozen, then dump in the mashed peach and churn until it is ice cream. Put the ice cream into a tupperware, seal it and keep it i n the freezer until it is scoopable.
To assemble: Roll out the marzipan and cut out little circles (I used a shot glass). Put a little marzipan circle in the bottom of each shell. With a round spoon, scoop the peach ice cream into each shell. Top with the hazelnut maple crunch.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Yum!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Honestly, the delicate peach flavor was delicious on its own in the ice cream, but was overwhelmed by the strong flavors of the marzipan and maple brittle. Maybe a strong chocolate flavor or a maple-nut flavor ice cream would stand up better. The contrast in textures, though -- crispy phyllo, creamy ice cream, crunchy nut brittle, and chewy marzipan -- was nice. I assembled these immediately before we ate them, so that the phyllo and nuts didn't get a chance to get soft. Each one was just three or four bites (well, two bites, if you are my son, but he inhales all his food).
The maple brittle did come out gorgeous, though -- a crunchy, glossy confection. My son would be happy if I made more of that. And I think I will have to hide or freeze (or both!) the leftover marzipan, or he will eat all that up, too.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
No one else wants to share their recipes?
My son found, and consumed, all the leftover marzipan.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Sorry, I finally found time to make mine this last week end. I'll post later today.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Here is my recipe.
quote:Peach Molokov
Cake: 5 egg whites 3 egg yolks ½ cup demerara sugar 1 cup ground hazel nuts
Whip egg whites until until they form a soft peak. Blend sugar and egg yolks mixing until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is nearly white. Fold egg yolk/sugar mixture and ground hazel nuts into the whipped egg whites. Spead batter on a greased, parchment lined spring form pan and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until edges of cake are lightly browned and allow to cool.
Marzipan Custard Filling.
100 g marzipan 2 cups milk 2 egg yolks 1 pkg Knox gelatin 1 cup whipping cream
Whip cream and reserve. Combine egg yolks, milk and Marzipan and stir over low heat until the custard begins thicken. Soften Knox gelatin in ¼ cup of water. Melt over low heat and add to custard mixture. Remove custard from heat, place in an ice bath and whip until the mixture begins to set. Fold in whipping cream.
Assembling the Molokov
3 peaches 1 Tbsp of demerara sugar hazelnut cake Marzipan custard 1 cup whipping cream
Peal and slices peaches. Sprinking them with the demerara sugar and allow to sit until they become juicy. Cut one long strip from the cake ~ 2 inches wide for the sides of the Molokov. Cut remaining cake into pieces approximately the size of lady fingers. Arrange ½ the pieces in the bottom of a spring form pan and arrange the long strip around the inside of the pan. Arrange half of the peach mixture on top of the bottom layer of cake. Add the marzipan custard and then top it with the remaining cake, peaches and the whipping cream. Refrigerate until fully set.
I shared it with my husband and a neighbor friend. It was delicious. Amazingly, I was able to buy actual fresh peaches but they were rather disappointing. They had kind of a crunchy texture and started to mold before ever getting soft and juicy. I never was able to find maple sugar or syrup, or marzipan or hazelnuts at the local store. I did find some marzipan in my freezer that I'd brought back from Germany and forgot about so I didn't have to make it from scratch. I also had hazelnuts I'd brought from Germany so those to ingredients worked out. The cream I was actually able to buy locally. I'd like to see how the nut cake would turn out if it had been made with maple sugar rather than demerara but that will have to wait until I can make a trip to somewhere that actually sells maple sugar.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Sounds decadent, and looks yummy.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Thanks!
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Finally made mine! I couldn't find maple sugar either. Our grocery store in Iowa always had it, but not here. I'm sure someplace in town does, but I didn't want to drive all over town so I decided to try to make it myself. It was surprisingly easy -- poured a small bottle of maple syrup in the top of a double boiler and cooked it down until it started to crystalize. Spooned into shallow dishes to finish drying. I skimmed from the top, so the last dish was still very moist the next morning and we spread it on toast -- yummy!
2 oz hazelnuts 6 oz marzipan 4 egg yolks 1 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 ripe peach ¼ c maple sugar butter
Coarsely hop hazel nuts, toast, and grind in blender. Butter six 10cm tartlet pans. Spoon ground nuts into buttered pans, shake to cover bottom and sides, pour out extra. Divide marzipan into six balls, roll into thin circles and press into bottom and sides of pans. Trim edges. Toast in toaster oven on med-dark (or bake in oven until they puff up a little and turn golden).
Heat cream in double boiler until steamy but not boiling. Meanwhile whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until very smooth. Whisk in 1/3 of hot cream to temper, then add egg mixture to the remainder of the cream in the double boiler. Whisk over med heat until thick.
Thinly slice the peach, cut into small pieces and divide between tartlet pans. Pour custard over the top and chill for 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with maple sugar and serve. (You need to use a fork to lift these out of the pans to serve -- they're soft enough that if you try to tip them over you'll get a floppy-gloppy mess.)
****
These got good reviews. Bob thought almonds would complement the flavor better than hazelnuts, and ElJay thought the custard was too sweet. Enigmatic didn’t like the marzipan, but liked the filling. Mom & her sister thought it was perfect just the way it was. I risked the wrath of baby to try it, and we’ll see if the little bit of cream I ate affects Charles. (And if not, I’m so having a piece of cheese tomorrow.)
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
And my long overdue main course post -- once I had my computer unpacked and could get to the recipe I typed in July I had to remember to bug mom for the photo. But here it is:
Corn Chip Chicken with Raspberry Fire & Ice Salsa and Marinated Cabbage
½ a red cabbage 1/3 cup mild vinegar (I used aged sherry vinegar) 1 tsp coarse salt ¼ c sugar
1 small seedless watermelon 2 jalapeno peppers 1 leek 2 cloves garlic ½ tsp salt juice of one lime 1 cup fresh raspberries
1 large bag Doritos “Toasted Corn” flavor 8 oz sour cream 6 boneless chicken breasts
The day before:
Core the cabbage and cut into long strips. Place in a large zip-lock bag with the vinegar and coarse salt, seal and smoosh it around to mix. Refrigerate.
Slice the watermelon into ¼ inch slices and cut off the peel. Place in a strainer, cover and refrigerate.
When ready to prepare meal:
Reduce Doritos to crumbs in blender. Trim chicken breasts. Smear each breast all over with sour cream and coat in crumbs. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Dice watermelon and leek (use the white & light green part of the leek, discard the tough, dark green part). Mince the jalapenos & garlic. Mix melon, leek, jalapenos, garlic, salt, and lime juice. You now have twice as much salsa as you need. Serve half of it with chips at a party earlier in the day, as an appetizer before the meal, or reserve for later. To the other half add 1 cup raspberries.
Remove the marinating cabbage from the fridge and taste. Add up to ¼ c sugar, as needed.
Serve chicken on a bed of cabbage topped with the fruit salsa.
****
This turned out pretty good. I think green cabbage would look better – the red kind of clashed with the salsa. And I would use at least one more jalapeno next time – it could have used a little more heat.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Both of them sound yummy and look delicious.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
So we have completed the 5 courses. Things got pretty drawn out over the last two due to summer and moves and life.
Are we done? Does anyone have any interest in doing another round? If not right now, would people be interested in starting again perhaps after the beginning of the New Year?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
It was fun, but I don't particularly want to do it again. I'll read and cheer on anyone who does, though.
Is it me, or were the desserts far more similar to each other than any of the other courses?
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
I would participate if others want to do it again. Or if we came up with some other cooking game.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
I don't think I'd want to do this particular challenge again (not that I got past the first course). I think it might be fun to change the focus from working unrelated ingredients into dishes to a more focused set of challenges.
I would suggest each participant be assigned at random a course to pick a main ingredient (or focused group of ingredients, or some kind of unifying theme). Then each person make a dish using that ingredient or theme.
Posted by Hank (Member # 8916) on :
I'd participate in the same method (Sorry I flaked out on the last course, there was a wedding, a family emergency, and a cross-country move, so I had to cut back on non-essentials).
But, I'm also intrigued by Dagonee's suggestion. I think it would be interesting to pick a semi-abstract theme (I'm a semi-abstract kind of gal) and see how people interpret it. For example, "Childhood" might be an interesting theme. Some people would come up with dishes that would be kid-friendly, other would come up with things that remind them of their own childhood, and others might come up with something that makes them feel child-like.
Okay, not a great example, but do you follow me?
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Is it me, or were the desserts far more similar to each other than any of the other courses?
Yeah, well, peaches and cream naturally suggest custard or ice cream, so there's that.
I had fun with this. I'd do it again, maybe with the Dag Variation.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
We could do an Iron Chef variation and have one of the non-participants pick a theme ingredient and we come up with a multi-course meal with all dishes using that ingredient.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
That sounds fun, too.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Kyo no tema . . . matzah! Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I can't eat matzah.
If we decide to go with one ingredient, we have to make sure we pick a one that isn't prohibited under any of the participants dietary restrictions and that is easily available to all participants. The reasonable substitution rule falls apart if you have only one ingredient.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tante Shvester: Kyo no tema . . . matzah!
As noted, I can't eat Matzah.
I propose: Jello. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
That's not an ingredient. It's an abomination.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Gelatin as an ingredient would be pretty good, though. I've got lots of good ideas for that, for all courses. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: That's not an ingredient. It's an abomination.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Gelatin as an ingredient would be pretty good, though. I've got lots of good ideas for that, for all courses.
Yes, if we made it gelatin it could be a very interesting challenge.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I know Esther has had trouble finding kosher gelatin in the past. I could mail her some though. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I noticed in the last round that I ended up using hot peppers in everything but the dessert.
I think I need to try a hot pepper dessert.
I'm think chocolate and hot pepper pot de creme.
They make a hot pepper wine in Barbados.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
Chocolate and hot pepper pot de creme sounds amazing!
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
I'll let you know how it turns out.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Please do. Sounds yummy.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
BTW, if you're trying just for flavor from the peppers, and not texture or color, there's a cool technique for clarifying liquids using gelatin. Sometimes it makes them actually clear, sometimes transparent.
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Good luck. May it turn out to be not nearly as bad as you thought.
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