Russ's Restaurant and Recipe Repository

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Light lunch today, because we're all going out to dinner tonight, so I've gone Asian to keep us going until tonight. It's one of my favorite noodle dishes, Malaysian Mee Goreng.

MALAYSIAN MEE GORENG

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh Chinese egg noodles
2 Tbsp chilli sauce (Sriracha), or more to taste
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
2 eggs
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed
½ cup shredded white cabbage
¼ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 medium squid, tentacles cut off and the beak and central cartilage removed
¼ lb boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or leftover shredded cooked chicken)
2 Tbsp Shaoxing Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry, they taste the same)
¼ tsp white pepper
2 Tbsp scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp fried shallots (available packaged at Asian markets) or made yourself by slicing three shallots or a small onion very finely and tossing in very hot oil with a ½ teaspoon of turmeric until brown and crispy.

Method:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles for 30 seconds, rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the chili sauce, dark soy, sugar, ¼ tsp salt, oyster sauce and ketchup. Stir to combine, and set aside.

Slice the squid body into bite size pieces, rub with a lemon, and fry in hot oil for a few seconds, until they curl and go light brown at the edges. Remove and set aside, and do the same with the tentacles, but discard the ring of muscle that the tentacles were attached to, as this may have sharp pieces of the beak still inside it.

In a large wok (at least 12 inches in diameter, or flat skillet) preheated over high heat, add the oil. Crack the eggs into the wok, stir vigorously until the eggs are lightly scrambled and just set, then add the garlic, noodles, bean sprouts, cabbage, shrimp, squid, chicken, and ¾ cup water.

Stir-fry continuously until the noodles are cooked through, 3-5 minutes (depending on the heat of your wok), making sure to also cook the chicken, squid, and shrimp, so you may want to hold off on adding the noodles until you're completely happy the chicken is cooked through, if cooking raw chicken.

Add chilli sauce mixture, and keep stirring until well combined. The noodles should begin to get a bit drier (no liquid left in the bottom of the wok). Add Shaoxing and white pepper, stir to combine, and remove from heat. Garnish with chopped scallions and sprinkle with fried shallots.

Accompaniment:
Make a tossed salad of fresh cilantro leaves and stalks, shredded roughly by hand, finely sliced red onion, a small handful of bean sprouts, half a cucumber peeled and cubed, a small handful of roasted salted peanuts lightly toasted in a hot, dry skillet for a minute or so and tossed in ¼ teaspoon of chilli powder (use a sandwich bag for this, tip in the hot peanuts and the chilli powder, and shake thoroughly) and a large tablespoon of shredded pickled papaya (‘Atchara’) or use fresh if you have some, otherwise very finely shredded lettuce, all dusted with a little salt and pepper. Dress with a vinaigrette of the juice of a lemon combined with 2 teaspoons Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce and 1 level teaspoon light brown cane or palm sugar thoroughly mixed until the sugar has mostly dissolved.

 

[Handley_Page]

EDIT and clarification:

English mustard is the yellow, hot as hell stuff, I don't know if there's an American brand, the best known brand over this side of the pond is Reckitt & Colman, and a blob of the stuff on the end of your tongue will clear your sinuses for sure, think fresh horseradish, but in small amounts it complements meat dishes perfectly; a dollop in a beef stew raises the flavor significantly, and to balance it I add a teaspoon of redcurrant jelly.

It's not to be confused with ANY OTHER type of mustard ( See Wiki ).
The real stuff (Colmans) comes as a powder (see here). Accept no substitute !.
My ole' grandad used to put loads on his fried breakfast.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Now that Christmas is (mostly) over down this way, sensible eating is sort of beginning again, so tonight we're going full-on Cajun, with smothered sausage and dirty rice, cornmeal fried chicken, fried pickles (my boys eat them like potato chips, so I make piles of them, and they dip them in garlic mayo swirled with hot sauce and minced capers), corn fritters, and fried apple pies with pecan ice cream for dessert.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

*** Southern-style Cornbread ***

Ingredients:
375 g (13 oz) plain flour, sieved
225 g (8 oz) yellow cornmeal or fine polenta
110 g (4 oz) sugar
4 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sea salt
480 ml (17 fl oz) cold milk
2 medium eggs
110 g (4 oz) melted butter, plus extra for greasing

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 200° C (400° F - gas 6) Grease a 23 cm (9") baking tray with melted butter.
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Continue mixing until you have a smooth, even batter
Pour into the greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes at the top of the oven
It should be golden brown and springy to the touch
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before attempting to cut.

Serving Suggestions
Serve with hot Chilli, Southern fried chicken, as an accompaniment to Lasagna or Italian meatballs, toasted and served at breakfast with butter and honey, apricot or peach conserve, or maple syrup, or fried crisp and eaten hot with grilled bacon, sausage, and fried eggs instead of pancakes.


*** Skillet Cornbread ***

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
120g unbleached white flour
160g stone-ground yellow cornmeal or polenta
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
300ml buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
60ml light vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter, or mild vegetable oil

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with oil and set aside.

Sift together the flour, cornmeal/polenta, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

In a smaller bowl, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk. Whisk in the sugar, egg, and the ¼ cup oil.

Put the prepared skillet over medium heat, add the butter, and heat until the butter melts and is just starting to sizzle. Tilt the pan to coat the sides and bottom.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine them quickly, using as few strokes as possible. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cornbread until it is golden brown and springy to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let cool for a few moments, and slice into wedges to serve.


*** Alabama Crackling Cornbread ***

[/b]Ingredients:[/b]
220g chopped or broken-up pork crackling, with any excess wet fat removed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
240g white corn meal or polenta
500ml buttermilk
1 egg, beaten

Method:
Mix together crackling, salt, baking soda, and cornmeal. Pour in buttermilk and beaten egg. Mix/beat mixture until well combined.
Pour mixture into a hot (but not smoking) greased skillet and bake in a preheated oven at 450 degree Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, until crackling bread is golden brown. Serve while hot.

 

[BelleCanzuto]

*** Southern-style Cornbread ***

*** Skillet Cornbread ***

*** Alabama Crackling Cornbread ***

When you mentioned "sweet cornbread" in the other thread I was worried about you. But I'll accept these.

{{I swear to God that one time when I'd lost my cornbread recipe, Google sent me to a recipe that started with a box of yellow cake mix. YELLLOW CAKE MIX! If that wasn't all the proof you'd need that the internet if chockfulla crazy, I don't know what is}}

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

When you mentioned "sweet cornbread" in the other thread I was worried about you. But I'll accept these.

{{I swear to God that one time when I'd lost my cornbread recipe, Google sent me to a recipe that started with a box of yellow cake mix. YELLLOW CAKE MIX! If that wasn't all the proof you'd need that the internet if chockfulla crazy, I don't know what is}}

I've got mama's recipes for sweet vanilla cornbread, and my favorite when I was a little girl, Skillet Honey cornbread she used to serve with hot grilled peaches drizzled with honey, with a scoop of ice dream; she used to grill the peaches because she'd get them bruised from the farmer's market, and grilled and honeyed meant the bruising didn't matter

 

[BelleCanzuto]

I've got mama's recipes for sweet vanilla cornbread, and my favorite when I was a little girl, Skillet Honey cornbread she used to serve with hot grilled peaches drizzled with honey, with a scoop of ice dream; she used to grill the peaches because she'd get them bruised from the farmer's market, and grilled and honeyed meant the bruising didn't matter

Ok. I can understand cornbread as the basis of a dessert. I've just had too much cornbread that was supposed to be savory that had a bunch of sugar in it.

 

[beachbum1958]

.....

 

[Rustyoznail]

That black, evil stuff most Aussies love

So I had a really odd comment, since edited, on my “Moving to the suburbs” story. I mentioned there was a jar of ‘Vegemite’ on a table, just to subtly tie the location to Australia. They didn’t like Vegemite - horrible taste, an affront to taste buds everywhere, etc… So they gave the story three stars.

Ok, so yes, it’s an Aussie thing but people don’t understand the spread. Beginners have to take it easy. Very light. You wouldn’t put a whole bottle of Tabasco sauce on a steak, or a whole jar of hot mustard on a sandwich.

To start with, toast some bread. As soon as it’s cooked butter it. Lots of butter.

Then spread enough Vegemite to cover your thumbnail over the toast. See the photo on the left. If it looks like the right photo, it will kill you.

Enjoy! If you’re game...

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Tea-Laced Spiced Bread Pudding

Things to do the day before:

Infused Tea:

Put two tbsp broadleaf tea, Russian, Lapsang or Oolong (not packet tea, it’s too harsh) in a pot or jug, place a stick of cinnamon, a sliced vanilla pod, and 2 crushed cardamom pods in the pot, pour boiling water over and leave to cool, then refrigerate and leave to infuse overnight.

Bread Pudding Ingredients:
500g white bread
500g mixed fruit
85g candied mixed peel
300ml Whole Milk
300ml Infused broadleaf tea (cold)
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp mace
½ tsp Allspice
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 beaten eggs
140g Muscovado or soft brown sugar
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon (or 1tsp Sicilian lemon essence)
100g butter (melted)
2 tbsp Demerara sugar

Method:

Tear the bread into large pieces, crusts and all, in a bowl; add the fruit, spices, milk, and cold tea

Get your hands in there and squish and smash it all together thoroughly with your fingers, breaking up the bread as much as possible.

Add and thoroughly incorporate the beaten eggs, soft brown sugar and lemon zest/essence.

Stir well and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan assisted.

Generously butter a 12” x 9” square cake tin or casserole dish. Stir the melted butter thoroughly into the pudding, and pour the pudding mix into the tin, sprinkle evenly with the Demerara sugar.

Bake for 1½ hours, checking frequently, cover the dish with foil if it’s browning too quickly, turn out onto a wire rack when done, let it cool, then cut into squares, and serve.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Chocolate Pannettone Bread Pudding

Ingredients
125 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
4 tablespoons soft brown or Muscovado sugar
750 g plain panettone
1 vanilla pod
300 ml double cream
300 ml whole milk
5 large free-range eggs
100 g golden caster sugar
60 g quality dark chocolate (70%)
60 g Seville orange marmalade
Nice splash of Marsala or Madeira if desired

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Lightly grease a 28cm loose-bottomed tart tin.

Crush 2 tablespoons of demerara sugar in a pestle and mortar until fine, then mix with the remaining demerara so you have a range of textures.

Tip into the tart tin and shake around to coat. Tap gently, then tip any excess back into the mortar for later.

Slice the edges off the panettone in strips and use them to line the base and sides of the tart tin, pressing down hard to compact and create a pastry-like shell.

Halve the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then put both the seeds and pod into a pan on a medium heat along with the cream, milk and butter, and simmer for 5 minutes or until the butter has melted.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and golden caster sugar for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Whisking constantly, add the hot cream mixture to the eggs until combined, then discard the vanilla pod.

Pour one-third of the custard into the base of the tart and leave to soak in for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, tear up all the remaining panettone into rough chunks, soak them in the bowl of creamy custard for a minute or two (the more it sucks up, the better), then layer them in the shell you’ve created, snapping up and dotting-around chunks of chocolate and spoonfuls of marmalade between the layers (there’s no need to be neat about it, you want a range of heights, saturation and textures).

Pour over any leftover custard, leaving it to soak in if necessary, then sprinkle with the remaining demerara sugar.

Bake for around 25 minutes, or until set. Allow the pudding to rest for 10 minutes, then serve with cream, custard (crème Anglaise) or ice cream. It’s also delicious cold, too.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Yay! Thanks.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Boeuf Bourguignon


Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
40g unsalted butter
1kg braising steak, cut into 4cm cubes
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
12 small, whole peeled shallots, the smaller, the better, notched at the shoot end with a cross, like you would with Brussels sprouts, but take care not to split them
1 large white onion, finely diced
250g pancetta, cubed
400g chestnut or button mushrooms, halved
8 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato purée or passata
3 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in a little hot water to make a strong stock base
75cl bottle robust strong-flavoured red wine (A good, cheap claret works well)
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Bouquet Garni sachet, or make one from 1 sprig of thyme, one sprig of Rosemary, and two dried Bay leaves, tied tightly in a bundle with string or strong thread


This is cooked in a heavy-bottomed metal casserole dish or Dutch Oven (Le Creuset or similar) on the top of the cooker, do not oven cook this recipe as it will casserole the ingredients rather than stew them.

Method:

In a large heavy-bottomed metal casserole pan, heat half the oil and half the butter over a high heat. When hot, brown the beef in batches for 5 minutes per batch or until browned all over. Remove to a bowl using a slotted spoon.

Next, add the remaining vegetable oil and butter, garlic, chopped onion, shallots, pancetta, mushrooms and fresh thyme sprigs. Cook for 10 minutes until everything is golden and the chopped onion is sweated and translucent.

Add the flour and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Return the meat to the casserole with 75cl bottle red wine, the concentrated beef stock, the canned tomatoes, 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and the Bouquet Garni.

(I have seen roasted beef bones used to create the beef stock, but it's much easier and less time-consuming to use bouillon cubes than spend a day and a night making bone-stock the way some French people prefer when making this dish)

Note: There is no need to de-glaze the pan, the slow cooking will do this gently.

Cover and simmer for 1¾ - 2 hours, removing the lid for the last 30-45 minutes and stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce is rich and glossy. Keep a cup of beef stock to hand to thin the sauce a little if it becomes too thick. Fish out and discard the Bouquet Garni before serving.

Sprinkle with extra chopped fresh parsley and serve with mashed potato, or with potatoes boiled until fluffy, then deep-fried to a golden crisp, steamed baby carrots and steamed shredded cabbage or Brussels Sprouts drizzled with melted butter or olive oil and baked until tender.

For a vegetarian version, use 1kg (2.2lbs) large open-cup mushrooms instead of meat, cut in half, following all steps above, and adding the mushrooms at the last minute so they retain their firm, springy meat-like texture and omit the pancetta, using instead tiny crushed button or shiitake mushrooms to add extra umami flavor.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Thanks Lori

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

My favorite barbie dish now that the warm weather and Mardi Gras are just around the corner:

Singapore Satay

Marinade:
3lbs boneless chicken breast, sliced lengthways on the slant to give thin, flat slices the length of the breast piece (You can also use lean pork, or butterflied king prawns)
1 large piece fresh ginger (about the size of your thumb), peeled, grated and finely minced
3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large tablespoon hot Madras curry powder
1 heaped teaspoon powdered Turmeric
½ level teaspoon hot chilli powder
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1 large tablespoon white cane or palm sugar (not demerara or muscovado/soft brown sugar)
3 large tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese Fish Sauce
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup sunflower oil
1 large tablespoon of peanut butter, dissolved in a quarter-cup of hot water
Bamboo skewers, soaked overnight

Peanut Sauce:
I medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
1 large teaspoon minced fresh ginger
Juice of half a medium onion
¼ teaspoon hot chilli powder
1 teaspoon powdered Turmeric
1 level tablespoon hot Madras curry powder
1 cup of water
1 can coconut milk or ½ block of dessicated coconut, melted into 1 large cup of boiling water (no need to be super-accurate here, the richness of the coconut only ads to the flavor)
2 large tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, either is fine, or you can use ¼ lb finely chopped shelled and skinned blanched peanuts – if you do, then lightly toast them beforehand in a dry skillet, to release their oils and develop the right depth of flavour, then run them through your food-processor coffeee-grinder accessory to mill them to coarse breadcrumb-size).

Method:

Preparing the meat:

Mix all the marinade ingedients in a bowl, pour over the sliced meat and mix thoroughly by hand until all the meat pieces are thoroughly coated, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best). When the meat has finished marinating, thread the pieces onto the skewers, as many pieces per skewer as you like, just remember to leave enough to hold the skewers by when you are grilling them.

Making the peanut sauce:

Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil until the onion is ‘sweated’ but not yet brown, add the curry powder, turmeric, sugar and chilli powder and let them fry until the smell of the spices rises, then stir in the peanut butter and mix it thoroughly to prevent it sticking, (add a little of the water if you wish, to thin it down slightly), when you can smell the peanuts, stir in the rest of the water using a wire or balloon whisk and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

At the end of this time, stir in the lemon juice and then pour in the coconut milk, bring to the boil and then back it down to a gentle simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until the chilli rises to the surface as red oily streaks. The sauce should have a sweet, peanut taste with a background taste of coconut and chilli, and should have thick consistency, almost like cream of wheat – if it’s too thick, add some cold water and let it come back to a simmer, if it’s too thin, either stir in more peaut butter, or let it simmer for longer, but remember not to leave it unattended, as this sauce is very easy to burn. If you prefer, you can use lime instead of lemon, or a large piece of crushed lemongrass, which will give a sharper, more citrus background flavour.

Grill the skewers under a high grill (or on a barbecue or hibachi), turning them around and brushing with oil occasionally to prevent them drying out. when the skewers are sizzling and brown and crisp around the edges, the meat is cooked, serve hot, see below.

Serve hot on a bed of plain boiled rice with the sauce poured over, with a simple side-salad of diced cucumber, shredded onion, shredded coriander (Cilantro) and diced tomato, dressed with a simple vinaigrette made of 2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, 1 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes, and a tablespoon of golden cane sugar or palm sugar whisked with the juice of ½ a lemon or one whole lime. Serve as a starter or as a summer barbecue main course.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Hong Kong Style Sweet & Sour Pork

Ingredients
1 pork fillet (about 500g, 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 3cm/approx. 1 inch chunks
sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
cooked rice

For the marinade:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Shao Xing rice wine or dry sherry
1 garlic clove, grated
thumb-sized piece ginger, grated

For the seasoned coating
50g cornflour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
2 tsp celery salt
2 tsp caster sugar

For the sauce
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped
1 green or red pepper, seeded and diced
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
4 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
300g can pineapple chunks
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with a little iced water to make a smooth paste

For the batter (Make 1 hour ahead, and keep chilled)
100g rice flour
100g cornstarch
3 egg whites
1tbsp Dark Soy sauce
1 tsp baking powder

Method:
Mix the pork with the marinade ingredients and leave to sit for at least 15 mins, or chill for a few hours.
Drain any excess liquid off the pork and toss the pork in the seasoned coating. Set aside to chill at least 1 hour.

In a separate bowl, make the batter. To make the batter, hand-whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together with the egg-white and soy sauce to a smooth paste, making sure no lumps remain. If too thick, gently dribble and whisk in a little ice-water until the right consistency, like heavy cream, is achieved. Whisk one last time and set aside to chill.

To make the sauce:
Heat the oil in a shallow saucepan and gently fry the garlic, ginger and peppers until just starting to soften. Now drop in all the rest of the ingredients except the sesame seeds. Bring everything to the boil and cook for a few mins then stir in diluted cornstarch and whisk while boiling until thickened, then take off the heat.

Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer, large saucepan or a wok to 180C or until a drop of batter sizzles and browns in 20 secs.

Drop the marinated pork in the hot oil in batches and let deep fry for 30-60 seconds per batch, until the meat is cooked part-way through, remove and drain, allow to cool.

Dip the cooled par-fried pork in the seasoned coating mix again, then into the batter mix (do it in two or three batches) using cooking chopsticks and let any excess drip off. Fry the pork in batches for about 5-6 mins or until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper until all the batches are done.

Make sure you bring the oil back to the correct temperature between each batch. Coat the crispy pork in the sauce, then sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve with rice or noodles.

 

[MetaBob]

When you mentioned "sweet cornbread" in the other thread I was worried about you. But I'll accept these.

{{I swear to God that one time when I'd lost my cornbread recipe, Google sent me to a recipe that started with a box of yellow cake mix. YELLLOW CAKE MIX! If that wasn't all the proof you'd need that the internet if chockfulla crazy, I don't know what is}}

Makin' Shrimp n grits tonight. Not sharing recipe. I don't know how it'll turn out, but then I never do. A Julia Child quote I've used:

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."

 

[MetaBob]

Makin' Shrimp n grits tonight. Not sharing recipe. I don't know how it'll turn out, but then I never do. A Julia Child quote I've used:
"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."

Damn, that was a good dinner. As for a recipe, well ... it was significantly improvised, to the point where I have no idea how to share or even reproduce it accurately, as is often the case with me. But it started here, which is not a bad place to start: https://www.southernkitchen.com/recipes/main-dish/shrimp-and-grits-with-andouille-gravy

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Strawberry Blancmange
Serves 6
(To serve more, double the quantities)

Ingredients:

300ml Whole Milk
75g Confectioner’s Sugar
2 Leaves unflavored pure Gelatine
425ml Double Cream
600g Strawberries, washed, topped, and pureed
2 Tbsp icing Sugar
Garnish (Candied Angelica leaves, whole strawberries cut into quarters lengthwise, or broken-up dark chocolate)


Method:

In a large pan, boil the milk with the caster sugar, then back the heat down to a light simmer

Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in ice-cold water for 2 minutes, take it out and squeeze the water from it, and put into the hot milk, stirring until the gelatine has dissolved.

Mix two-thirds of the cream with the pureed strawberries and stir into the milk, remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture into a trifle bowl or individual Sundae glasses and chill overnight, or until set firm.

Mix the remaining cream with the icing sugar and whisk to piping consistence, and, using a piping bag and star nozzle, pipe rosettes around the edge of the trifle bowl, or in the center of each sundae glass, scatter the Angelica on each blancmange, and push either a strawberry segment, or a large chip of chocolate into the center of each whipped-cream rosette

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Treacle Sponge & Custard or Lemon Syrup

For the pudding:
175g (6oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
3tbsp golden syrup
1tbsp black treacle (molasses)
175g (6oz) light brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
½ lemon, zest only
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
1-2tbsp milk

For the custard:
284ml pot double cream
250ml (9fl oz) milk
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
5 egg yolks
50g (2oz) caster (confectioner)sugar
1tbsp cornflour

For the Lemon Syrup:
5 tbsp golden syrup
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
3 tbsp lemon juice

Make the Pudding:
Grease a 1-ltr pudding basin well with butter and drizzle the golden syrup and molasses into the basin

Cream sugar and butter together with a whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a bit at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the zest and flour, and gently fold to combine. Use the milk to loosen the mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pudding basin and level. Cover with pleated greaseproof paper, then cover with foil and tie with string. Put in a pan of boiling water, making sure the water is lower than the rim of the pudding-basin and steam for 2 hrs. Remove and let it stand for 10 minutes. Un-mold the pudding onto a warmed plate. Serve hot.

Custard (Créme Anglaise):
Mix the cream and milk in a pan with the vanilla seeds and bring to a simmer. Boil water in another, larger pan.
Whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar and cornflour in a bowl.

Whisk the hot milk into the bowl, place the bowl in the larger pan of hot water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the base of the pan; using a soup bow to stand it of the bottom works quite well. Over a low heat, keeping the water just simmering stir until the custard coats the back of a spoon. If it starts to curdle, remove from heat and whisk until smooth, then lower the heat and return the bowl to the pan, whisking until thickened enough..

Lemon Syrup:
Put the golden syrup, lemon zest and juice in a small saucepan and gently heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture just begins to bubble. Remove immediately from the heat, cover and keep warm.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

No-Bake Frozen Mango Cheesecake

Ingredients:
250g digestive biscuits or Graham Crackers
60g unsalted butter, melted
500g cream cheese, softened
150g caster sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
300ml double cream
1-2 ripe sliced mangoes (don’t use canned, they’re almost flavorless)
3 passion fruit, pulped and sieved
Pack of Candied Orange & Lemon slices or a scattering of fresh redcurrants (optional)

Method:

Step 1.
Grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm/9” round spring-form cake tin. Line base and side with baking parchment.

Step 2.
Place crackers in food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add butter, and process until combined. Press mixture evenly over base of prepared tin. Place tin in fridge.

Step 3.
Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and lime zest. Beat for 2 minutes. Add cream. Beat for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick.

Step 4.
Place mango in a food processor. Process until smooth. Fold mango through cream cheese mixture, spoon onto cracker base in tin and smooth. Place in the freezer overnight or until firm.

Remove cheesecake to a plate. Stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Top with passion fruit pulp and arrange candied orange and lemon slices in a neat pattern on top or dot with redcurrants. Serve.

Note:
This method works just as well with peaches, Honeydew melon, Papaya, Guava, or simply Passion fruit.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Classic Spotted Dick Steamed Pudding

Ingredients
300g/10oz plain flour
10g/2 tsp baking powder
150g/5oz shredded beef suet vegetable shortening
75g/3oz caster (confectioner’s) sugar
110g/4oz currants
1 lemon, zest only
200ml/7fl oz milk
butter, for greasing

Method
Place the flour, baking powder, shredded suet, caster sugar, currants and lemon zest into a bowl and mix to combine.
Add the milk and stir to make a soft dough.

Grease a pudding basin with butter and spoon the mixture into the basin. Cover with a piece of folded greaseproof paper.
Tie around the edge with string to secure the paper and place a clean, plain damp cloth over the top. Tie once more with string to secure the cloth.
Place the basin into a large lidded saucepan and fill the pan two-thirds of the way up with water. Cover with the lid, bring to a boil and simmer for one hour.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Victorian Country House Champagne and Primrose jelly

Ingredients:
Gelatine (powdered or leaf - follow instructions for setting 3 pints/1.5 litres)
2 pints/1 litre water
1 orange
2 lemons
9oz/255g sugar
8 fl oz/200ml sherry
16 fl oz/400ml Champagne (any Champagne, sparkling sweet white, or Prosecco, top shelf is not compulsory!)
half a cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 whites of eggs and their shells
24 primrose flowers (or Elder Flowers or Nasturtiums if in season)

Method:
Soak the gelatine in a glass of the water. Put the rest of the water, along with the juice and zest of the orange and lemons, and all the other ingredients (apart from egg whites and shells and flowers) in a large pan over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the soaked gelatine and water and stir to dissolve that too.

Lightly whisk the egg whites, crush the shell and add. Stir occasionally until the liquid comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and strain through a wetted cotton cloth or jelly bag. (The egg white and shell treatment is not essential, but it will make the jelly crystal clear.)

Pour about a quarter of the jelly into a suitably dashing Edwardian or Victorian-style jelly mould. Place in the fridge until lightly set. Arrange a ring of primrose flowers, open petals down, on the surface of the jelly, pressing lightly so they stick to the tacky surface. Carefully pour over the next quarter of the unset jelly, and put the mold back into the fridge.

Continue in this way, creating three or four rings of primroses set into the jelly. To unmold the jelly, dip the mould for just a few seconds in hot water, place your chosen serving dish over the top, flip it over with a little shake, and lift off the mould.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Boredom cooking today, so this is what we're having.

Penang Chilli Meatballs with Thai Jasmine Rice and Gado-Gado Salad

Ingredients

Meatballs[/b]:
450g lean ground beef
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 medium green finger chillies de-seeded and finely minced (Warning: Don’t use Bird’s Eye chillies!)
Handful finely chopped Cilantro leaves
3-4 chopped Kaffir Lime Leaves
1 large tablespoon Medium Madras curry powder,
1 large teaspoon sugar,
1 teaspoon salt
Juice of ½ lemon

Sauce:
180 ml (3/4 cup) boiling water
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 cm / 1" piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated, and minced finely
2-3 bird's eye chillies, finely chopped (a good alternative is 3 tsp Sambal Oelek chilli paste)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 stalk lemon grass (tender inner leaves), chopped
1 tsp. shrimp paste, Blachen or similar
3 green spring onions, chopped
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. palm sugar (or light brown Muscovado sugar)
1 tbsp. tomato puree or 3 tbsp Malaysian Tomato Ketchup (Sweeter and spicier than UK Ketchup)

Method
Meatballs:
Mix all the ingredients together by hand in a large bowl, kneading the meat in your hands and then rolling the meatballs between your palms – this stops them breaking up. Make the meatballs as large as you want, bearing in mind the number of people eating. Make up the sauce and let it cook until step 3 below.

Sauce:
Mix the cornstarch into a little cold water. Heat the oil in a wok or large deep pan and stir fry the onion, ginger, garlic, lemon grass, shrimp paste and two-thirds of the chillies for two minutes, then reduce the heat and cook 3-4 minutes longer. Add the sugar and tomato paste or ketchup to the wok and combine well. Add the cornstarch solution and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.

Now, drop in the meatballs and let them get coated, refrain from stirring them around for the first few minutes of cooking to prevent them breaking up, then turn down the heat and let them simmer, occasionally turning them gently with tongs, and adding more water to prevent drying-out, and keep doing this for about 30 minutes.

Place meatballs and sauce in a deep serving platter and garnish with the green onions and remaining chillies. Serve hot with steamed fragrant rice and a fresh Gado-Gado salad made as follows:

Gado-Gado Salad:
Peel and dice 1 fresh cucumber
2 shallots, finely sliced
loose handful toen Cilantro leaves and stalks
1/2 medium red onion, very finely sliced
1/4 cup freshly shredded Green papaya or 1 jar drained store-bought pickled Achara
1/2 small Iceberg or Romaine lettuce, shredded

Toss in a large bowl with the dressing below

Dressing:

1 chopped chopped green chilli
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce and
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or rice/palm vinegar.
Stirred together vigorously or shaken together well

(To make a larger quantity of sauce or meatballs, just scale-up the ingredients by 1½ or 2 times as appropriate)

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Why doesn’t Will weigh 200 kilos?