Russ's Restaurant and Recipe Repository

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Why doesn’t Will weigh 200 kilos?

A question I ask all the time; he eats like a boarding-school schoolboy, lives on fried foods and suet puddings that wobble when you stick a spoon in them, eats meat like a velociraptor (just barely warm, and mooing softly), and thinks grease is a food group, and yet he wears pants with a size 28 waist, (he still wears the suit he got married in 23 years ago), if he even looks at a bar of chocolate 3 pounds climbs onto my ass, and he looks like 35, not 55; it's not fair...

 

[Rustyoznail]

TxRad's Hush Puppies

And they aren't shoes...

No HP I'm not eating my shoes. Hush puppies are fried corn bread with onions mixed in.
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
3/4 cup 2% milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
Oil for deep-fat frying
.

Roll the dough in small oval shapes and deep fry. Preferably use oil you've deep fried fish in.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

mama Tropia's Louisiana Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups stone-ground cornmeal, preferably white
¼ cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ to 1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional, but good)
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
½ medium onion, very finely minced
2 small red hot pepper, finely minced
vegetable oil, for frying

Method:
If you don’t intend to serve the hush puppies virtually straight from the stove, preheat the oven to 200°F.

Combine the dry ingredients thoroughly in a medium bowl.

Beat together the eggs and buttermilk in a small bowl. Stir this into the dry ingredients to make a batter thick enough to mound on the end of a teaspoon. Stir in the onion and hot pepper. As is almost always the case with cornbreads, don’t overbeat the batter or you’ll toughen the hush puppies.

Pour the oil into a large skillet to reach a depth of 1 to 1½ inches, depending on the depth of your skillet. Place the skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot enough to fry in (365°F on a thermometer, or test with a drop of batter, which should sizzle immediately and start to brown), drop the batter in by small rounded teaspoonfuls, using a second teaspoon to scrape off the batter into the grease.

Working in batches, fry 5 or 6 hush puppies at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Fry until the balls are golden brown on the underneath, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Then turn them with a slotted spoon and continue cooking until the other side is nice and golden, too, 30 to 40 seconds more.

Transfer to a serving dish, blot with paper towels, and serve post-haste, or line a baking sheet with paper towels (or, traditionally, torn-open brown paper grocery sacks) and scoop the finished hush puppies from the grease onto the paper-lined sheet. Transfer them to the preheated oven to keep them warm, and begin frying the next batch. Hush Puppies are traditionally served with fried Catfish, fried trout, or Tarpon, and strictly speaking, they should be fried in the same grease as the fish.

 

[Handley_Page]

Thank you, Lori

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

I can't wait to have a kitchen again, I want to make both of those hush puppy recipes!

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Gooseberry & Passionfruit Fool, a classic Edwardian dessert with a modern twist, perfect chilled on a warm Summer night


Gooseberry-Passion Fruit Fool

Ingredients:
200g of gooseberries, topped and tailed (or one can use raspberries or blueberries)
200g (approx 4) plump Passionfruit, pulped
70g of confectioner’s sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra set aside
200ml of double cream
Powdered sugar, to serve
1 sprig of mint, to serve

Method:
Place the gooseberries and 70g of the sugar in a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Simmer gently until the gooseberries start to soften and break down, which should take around 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, combine with Passion fruit pulp when chilled

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar to the cream and lightly whip until thickened, but not too stiff

Lightly mash the cooled gooseberries-Passionfruit mix, leaving some intact, and swirl through the cream with a metal spoon. Spoon the fool into 4 Parfait glasses and chill until ready to serve, top each glass with remaining fruit pulp

Add a sprig of mint and a dusting of powdered sugar, and, if desired, a very light dusting of cocoa powder, no more than a small pinch, and serve with a pair of Langue de Chat biscuits (recipe below)


Langue de Chat (Cat’s Tongue) Biscuits

Ingredients:
125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened
125g/4½oz icing sugar, sifted
125g/4½oz plain flour, sifted
1 Small pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large egg whites (CAREFULLY seperate the yolks)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

Put the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and beat using an electric hand whisk until pale and smooth.

Beat in the flour, one half at a time. Add the salt and vanilla extract and then beat in the egg whites.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm/½in round nozzle (or improvise with a strong, clean plastic sandwich bag with one corner cut off to give approximately a 1 cm hole) and pipe straight lines of the mixture, about 8cm/3in long, onto the paper. Leave 5cm/2in between each biscuit as they will spread during cooking.

Transfer the trays to the fridge for 15-20 minutes, or until the dough is firm to the touch.

Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes, or until light golden-brown around the edges.

Use a palette knife to transfer to a wire rack to cool (so they don’t stick to the tray).

 

[litfan10]

I was lucky - both my parents and grandmothers were great cooks and taught me a lot.

Sadly in my later life I have become a very lazy cook following the same cook patterns - I stir fry a lot and I never measure anything.

During isolation I've decided to try specific new recipes I watch on youtube or find in one of my cookbooks or online and follow them (sorta - kinda.)

First up, three ingredient teriyaki chicken.

two pounds of chicken thighs, one cup low sodium soy sauce, and a half cup brown sugar.

In a skillet, cook the chicken at 350 degrees moving them around frequently. As the lower sides change color flip (about five, six minutes.) The bottoms should be white with a lot of brown sear marks. Add the sodium and brown sugar continue to cook until done moving them regularly (another five, six minutes.)

slave_ likes her meat well done, so I cooked both sides longer (about ten minutes per side.) I switched and used a half cup honey instead of the brown sugar. Also I felt this was going to be way too salty so used only a half cup soy - we felt it tasted great when completed. Definitely recommend these changes. When there were about two, three minutes left I added canned sliced potatoes stirring them into the mixture glaze around the chicken.

To finish I microwaved a bag of steam fresh sweet corn.

Here is the original recipe: https://tasty.co/recipe/3-ingredient-teriyaki-chicken

Enjoy!

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Grapefruit, Crème de Cassis and Akvavit Cheesecake

This is a more a grown-up, less sweet, boozy cheesecake for those who like their desserts with a little bite

Ingredients:
400g cream cheese
4 tbsp Crème de Cassis
5 tbsp Akvavit (or use Vodka, or even Slivovitz plum brandy)
⅓ cup caster sugar
⅔ cup natural grapefruit juice or concentrate
1 tablespoon gelatine
¼ cup water
1¼ cups double-cream, whipped to firm peaks
50g butter, melted
125 g ginger cookies, crushed, or use crushed Graham crackers tossed with a generous pinch of powdered ginger and 1 tbsp Demerara sugar
1 tablespoon demerara sugar
Slack handful fresh redcurrants
Few sprigs of fresh mint


Method:
Brush an 8” round spring-form cake tin with light oil, sunflower or Canola. Using an electric whisk, beat the cream cheese and sugar until soft and creamy. Add juice or concentrate gradually, beating well after every addition, then add Cassis and Akvavit, again beating well after each addition.

Sprinkle gelatine over water in bowl. Stir and stand bowl in boiling water until the gelatine powder dissolves, let cool to room temperature and add the gelatine to the cream cheese mixture, mix well.

Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture, and pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Combine melted butter, cookie crumbs and sugar in bowl. Press evenly over cheesecake. Refrigerate at least 3–4 hours until set. Invert the cheesecake onto a cold serving plate. Decorate with more whipped cream, evenly scattered redcurrants, and sprigs of mint.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Easter Simnel Cake

A traditional lattice-topped English cake eaten at Easter (although it's nice any time of year, too!)

Easter Simnel Cake

Ingredients:
1 x 100 g pack whole blanched almonds
1 x 500 g pack golden marzipan
8 oz (225 g) plain flour
3 level teaspoons baking powder
1 rounded teaspoon mixed spice
5 oz (150 g) light soft brown sugar
5 oz (150 g) butter, well softened
2 tablespoons milk
3 large eggs, beaten
1 x 400 g jar mincemeat
12 oz (350 g) mixed dried fruit
2 oz (50 g) whole candied peel, chopped
grated zest 1 orange
grated zest 1 lemon
icing sugar for dusting
1 x 250 g pack ready-to-roll icing
1 dessertspoon redcurrant jelly
1 egg yolk, beaten

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) to roast the almonds, then lower it to gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C) when it comes time to cook the cake.
A deep, spring-form cake tin measuring 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter is required, the base and sides lined with a double layer of buttered greaseproof paper.

Begin by toasting the almonds to give them some extra crunch and flavour. Spread them out on a baking sheet and put them in the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes. Don't guess the time, use a timer – they need to be lightly toasted to a golden brown colour.

Remove the almonds and reduce the oven temperature to gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C).
When the almonds are cool, chop them roughly.

Cut the block of marzipan into two halves, re-wrap one of them for later, and chop the remaining half into ½ inch (1 cm) cubes. Toss them in 1 tablespoon of the flour from the cake.

To make the Cake:
Take a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and spice in, then simply place all the ingredients (except the marzipan, icing sugar, icing, egg yolk, and redcurrant jelly) into the bowl. Then, take an electric hand whisk for preference or, failing that, a wooden spoon, and give everything a really good mixing – which will take about 2-3 minutes – to get it all perfectly and evenly distributed.

Finally, gently fold in the marzipan cubes, being careful not to crush them, and any remaining flour.

Using a silicon spatula, spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, levelling the surface with the back of the spatula. Place a suitably sized square of double greaseproof paper with a hole the size of a 50p piece/silver dollar in the center over the top.

Place the cake on the center shelf of the oven and bake for 2¾-3¼ hours at the lower temperature of gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C).

Have a look after 2¾ hours – the cake is cooked when the center feels springy when lightly pressed. When it is cooked, leave it in the tin for 30 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack to cool.

Decoration:
Dust a working surface with icing sugar and roll out the icing to the same size as the top of the cake (use the base of the tin as a guide). Brush the top of the cake with redcurrant jelly and fit the icing on top of the cake, pressing it securely all round and using a rolling pin to level it as much as possible. Trim off any overhanging pieces.

Roll out the reserved marzipan to a rectangle about 9 x 6 inches (23 x 15 cm), then cut it into 12 long strips about ½ inch (1 cm) wide for the lattice topping.

Assemble the lattice as follows:

First lay half the strips across the cake, leaving about ¾ inch (2 cm) gap between each strip. Then begin to thread the rest of the strips, one at a time, under and over the first ones, going at right angles. Finally, use some scissors to snip the overhanging marzipan away and press firmly all round to make the edges as neat as possible.

Now pre-heat the broiler, and when it's really hot (it will take at least 10 minutes to come up to full blast), brush the marzipan strips with the beaten egg yolk and place the cake under the broiler, about 4 inches (10 cm) from the heat. Give it about 30 seconds, watching it very carefully, until it turns a toasted brown colour; whatever you do, DON'T let it burn, so watch it carefully, and don't be tempted to get around it by using a chef's blowtorch, this never ends well.

The cake is now ready to serve or be stored. It looks very pretty if you tie a festive yellow ribbon round the circumference and decorate with some Easter flowers.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Holey frijoles Batman! That's some cake!

I assume the mincemeat is the same as that which goes into Christmas tarts?

And stop giggling about tarts being stuffed with meat.

 

[Javahead]

Holey frijoles Batman! That's some cake!

I assume the mincemeat is the same as that which goes into Christmas tarts?

And stop giggling about tarts being stuffed with meat.

Is this with the fruits-and-suet-only mincemeat or the real deal with actual beef or venison in the mix?

My grandmother used to make her own with venison, but I never thought to get her recipe.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Is this with the fruits-and-suet-only mincemeat or the real deal with actual beef or venison in the mix?

My grandmother used to make her own with venison, but I never thought to get her recipe.

In this case I'm referring to the Robinson's (or similar) fruit-and-suet version for the cake, but when I make mincemeat tarts at Christmas I make, can, and use the traditional Victorian fruit and venison version, see below:

Traditional Mincemeat:
½ pound very finely chopped (minced) beef or venison
¼ pound beef suet, finely chopped; I use the Atora boxed suet and roughly mill it (but not pulverized) in the coffee grinder
12 ounces dark brown sugar preferably Demerara
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap, it's too harsh, and for brits/Aussies, think Black Treacle)
2 cups dry Blackthorn or similar cider (the alcoholic stuff, not apple juice)
1½ cups dried currants
1½ cups raisins
2 Bramley or similar sour cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
Zest of 1 orange
1½ cups chopped walnuts
½ cup brandy
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt

Method:
In a large saucepan, combine the venison, suet, brown sugar, molasses, cider, currants and raisins. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Add the apples and orange zest and cook until the apples are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook another 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat and cool. Will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days, or place washed 8oz jars with metal lids in a boiler, boil for 5 minutes, then stand in a hot oven @180C for 10 minutes, allow to air cool for 5 minutes, then spoon mincemeat in to within 1/2 from the top and seal, allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

 

[litfan10]

Went simple and easy with this new to me recipe

chili cheese dog boats,

Ingredients: eight hot dogs, eight buns, eight slices cheddar cheese, 15 ounces chili, 1/4 cup melted butter, parsley, garlic (which I didn't use as our housemate is allergic to garlic) I dusted the boats with parmesan cheese before putting them in the oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In an oven ready dish put the eight buns.
Leaving a centimeter all around cut a rectangular square the length of each bun. Squeeze down the top creating a rectangle.
In a dish combine butter, garlic and parsley. Brush mixture over and into the buns.
Heat in oven for five minutes.
Take out and fill each rectangle with a slice of cheese, chili, hot dog and top with chili.

Bake in oven for twenty, twenty-five minutes.

We enjoyed them.

Original source: https://tasty.co/recipe/chili-cheese-dog-boats

 

[NotWise]

Went simple and easy with this new to me recipe

I've always loved chili cheese dogs, but they make a mess. This seems to help with that. I just have to pare that down for two.

 

[litfan10]

I've always loved chili cheese dogs, but they make a mess. This seems to help with that. I just have to pare that down for two.

I had no mess at all except I used a pyrex dish and the edge cheddar stuck a bit requiring some soaking then scrubbing. Next time I'll line the dish with aluminum foil.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Shredded chicken tacos

I think NotWise was after a Chicken taco recipe. This one is a pulled/shredded chicken version. Serves 4.

****

Tomatoes - 1 x 400 g can crushed or diced
Tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
Brown onion 1 large, finely chopped
Jalapenos 1 individual, deseeded, finely chopped
Garlic 1 clove(s), finely chopped
chilli powder 1 tsp
ground cumin ½ tsp
skinless chicken breast 500 g
corn tortilla 8 small, small, warmed
red cabbage ¼ thinly shredded
goat's cheese or feta 60 g, crumbled
fresh coriander ½ cup, coarsely chopped
lime, cut into wedges to serve

Combine tomatoes, paste, onion, jalapeño, garlic, chilli powder and cumin in a medium bowl. Add a pinch of salt.

Lightly oil a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Add sauce mixture and enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Increase heat to high and cook the sauce, stirring a few times, for 5 minutes or until sauce reduces and thickens.

Meanwhile, thinly shred chicken using 2 forks. Add chicken to reduced sauce and heat through. Top tortilla with chicken, cabbage, cheese and coriander and serve with lime wedges.

You can alter the heat to taste. I leave out the jalapenos as my wife doesn’t like the heat, but I stoke it up when my SIL visits. I have to make two batches…

 

[NotWise]

I think NotWise was after a Chicken taco recipe.

I was, and I found one that I've adjusted for our needs. This serves two.

For the chicken:
8-9 ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast.
1 lime
Salt to taste.

For the avocado salsa:
A plumb tomato
White onion, or a clove of garlic, depending on your tastes.
A serrano chile. You can also use jalapeno.
A few sprigs of parsley or cilantro.
An ounce (two tablespoons) of Crema (Mexican sour cream, which you can buy or make) or use sour cream.
A small avocado, ripe enough to mash easily.
Five or six white corn tortillas.

Butterfly the chicken breast, or cut it horizontally into thin cutlets. Place the chicken in a non-metallic bowl, salt both sides and squeeze the lime over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for an hour, turning halfway through.

For the salsa, finely chop half of the serrano (with seeds and veins) and all the parsley or cilantro. You can use the whole serrano if you're brave. I'm not that brave. Split the avocado, remove the pit and scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon. Coarsely chop the avocado and mix the crema, avocado, serrano and parsley or cilantro with a fork until smooth.

Take a break to feed the cats. This isn't an essential part of the recipe, but it's how our house works.

Chop half of the plumb tomato into quarter-inch or one-centimeter pieces. Salt the other half and eat it. Sustenance while cooking is essential. Finely chop enough onion to make about 1/2 the volume of the tomato, or mince the garlic. Remember that the onion or garlic are raw. Don't regret your decision.

Blend the tomato and the onion or garlic with the avocado mixture and set it in the fridge. It'll keep long enough.

Fry the chicken in a thin layer of olive oil in an iron skillet or equivalent over medium-high heat. Let it cook four minutes on each side or until browned as you might like it. Remove the chicken to drain and cool. Slice the chicken length-wise into thin strips. Let the skillet cool, and wipe it clean.

Heat a separate skillet to medium-high heat and use it to toast the tortillas one-at-a-time. Turn as needed until they have browned spots on both sides, but they aren't stiff. Stack the toasted tortillas on a plate to the side until they're all done.

Meanwhile, heat the cleaned skillet you used to fry the chicken to medium heat. Portion the sliced chicken into the tortillas, fold the tortillas around the chicken and lay them in the hot skillet to heat. Make sure the tortillas stay closed around the chicken.

Arrange the chicken-filled tacos on a plate for service. And let the diner apply the avocado salsa as they want.

If there's any of that salsa left over, then it makes a chip dip that you'll remember.

 

[Handley_Page]

,
and thinks grease is a food group,
it's not fair...

You mean - it isn't ??

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Now that the Summery weather is beginning to make itself felt, the time for cold lunches on hot afternoons on sunny patios and verandah's is here. My favorite way to lunch in the sun is with a Quiche Lorraine with a green salad, a lovely sweet, spicy, unctuous dollop of red onion marmalade, and a choice of either a sharp, breathtaking cheddar, or a sweet and nutty goat's cheese, with a glass or two of chilled dessert wine, so here's my perfect Summer lunch:

Quiche Lorraine

Buy or blind-bake a deep 24cm/9.5" shortcrust pastry case. I bake my own, because I have a plentiful supply of ceramic baking beans, but it's perfectly acceptable, and doesn't affect the end product in the slightest, to buy a pre-baked shortcrust case from your local supermarket.

Filling:
1 tbsp olive oil
6 lean rashers of smoked dry cure bacon, chopped into lardons
5 large eggs
284ml (10 fl oz) carton single cream
150ml (5.25 fl oz)milk
140g (5 oz) gruyère cheese, finely grated
generous grating of nutmeg

Method:
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry 6 chopped rashers of bacon for a minute or so until lightly cooked.

Beat 5 large eggs, a 284ml carton of single cream and 150ml milk together with a fork then add 140g finely grated gruyère cheese, a generous grating of nutmeg and plenty of seasoning.

Stir in half the bacon and carefully pour the mixture into the deep 24cm blind-baked pastry case then scatter over the remaining bacon.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the filling is set, starting to turn golden and slightly puffed up above the pastry case.

Allow to cool a little before removing from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a green salad and a tangy chutney or onion marmalade.

The perfect accompaniment for Quiche is a sweet, tangy, spicy Red Onion Marmalade, see below:

Red Onion Marmalade:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (2oz) white sugar
1 cup (8.5oz) dry red wine
1/4 cup (2oz) balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

Method:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the onions and sugar in hot oil until the onions start to caramelize, about 15 minutes.

Stir the red wine and balsamic vinegar into onion mixture and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is evaporated and the marmalade is unctuous and sticky, about another 15 to 20 minutes. Season sparingly with salt, and serve cold with a chilled Quiche, with nsmoked ham or sausage, or with crusty bread and a sharp cheese like Strength 4 Extra-Mature cheddar, a green, baby-leaf salad, and a glass of IPA or chilled alcoholic cider, or a chilled sweet white Grénache

 

[litfan10]

Lunch: seafood salad.

Took a package of imitation crabmeat. In a bowl mix thoroughly crab meat, mayo, Dijon mustard, ground black peppercorn, smoked paprika and parsley.
Serve.

Dinner: egg muffins

Scramble ten eggs with Italian seasoning and ground black peppercorn.
Diced two slices deli turkey, I used honey off the bone as it's drier and more natural. Shred half a brick of cheddar cheese.
Pour egg mixture evenly in a muffin tin. Equally distribute turkey and cheese. Stir. Top with parsley.
Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for a half hour.

I'm sorry, I don't measure seasonings and condiments. I taste as I go or just trust my instincts. For these recipes I would suggest a tablespoon except the mayo and that would be about three tablespoons for a pound of crabmeat.

Enjoy!

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

It's a hot, still evening, too hot to cook complicated meals, so it's a cold supper tonight, Crawfish salad and smoked salmon mousse.

Creole Crawfish Salad (Serves 4)

Ingredients:
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup Creole mustard (12 tbsp Dijon mustard, 3 tbsp Tabasco sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, combined well in a bowl and chilled 1 hour, will keep indefinitely in a sealed jar in the fridge)
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. minced parsley, plus more for garnish
Hot sauce, preferably Tabasco, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 ½ lb. cooked, peeled crawfish tails, roughly chopped (or use Langoustines or tiger prawns if unable to source crawfish, but also works just as well with crab, lobster, or even seafood sticks)
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted, or fresh garden peas
6 scallions, minced
2 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled, and sliced
2 stalks celery, minced
Shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

Method:
Whisk mayonnaise, Creole mustard, lemon juice, parsley, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Gently, evenly stir in crawfish, (reserving some for garnish) peas, scallions, eggs, and celery. Divide lettuce between plates and serve the mixture on fresh lettuce leaves; top with reserved crawfish and garnish with parsley, and serve with plenty of buttered crusty bread.


Smoked Salmon Mousse

Ingredients:
300ml (10 ½ fl. oz) single cream
2 bay leaves
100g (3 ½ oz) smoked salmon
1 tbsp lemon juice
generous pinch of paprika
Pinch of ground dried Dill
150ml (5 fl. oz) fresh milk
1 level tsp gelatine

Garnish:
Sprigs of Dill
Chopped Capers
Salmon Strips
Sliced cucumber

Method:
Add the cream and bay leaves to a saucepan over low heat. Beat the mixture until warm then take off the heat and set aside to infuse for about 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the bay leaves then pour the cream into a food processor and add the salmon (reserve a few small pieces for garnish), dill, lemon juice and paprika. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a measuring jug and make up to 600ml with the milk. Stir well to combine.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the gelatine over 3 tbsp water in a cup and set aside for a few moments. Whisk the mixture into a heat-proof bowl then set over a pan of simmering water and stir until dissolved.
Take off the heat, allow to cool slightly, then whisk into the salmon mix.

Divide the mixture between 6 ramekins and place in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 2 hours.

Garnish with cucumber slices and a small piece of the reserved salmon. Serve immediately.

Alternatively, increase the amount of gelatine to 2 tsp, and when all the other steps have been accomplished, spoon all the mix into a loaf tin or decorative jelly-mould, allow to set completely in the fridge, then turn out onto a chilled plate and decorate with strips of smoked salmon, sliced capers, and sprigs of Dill.

This recipe works equally well for other smoked fish such as kippers, smoked eel, which has a lovely sweet, delicate taste, smoked Trout, Bloaters and Arbroath Smokies (which are a kind of hard-smoked dried kipper, and astoundingly delicious) and even smoked Haddock.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Another one from Lori.

"I'm bored Welsh Rarebit".

Originally Posted by Haulover View Post
Wow - thanks for the reminder. We haven't made Welsh rarebit in years!
I'm putting it on the menu this week.

I mix the grated cheeses, sour cream, some chopped chives or minced scallion, a little black pepper, half a teaspoon of English mustard, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce into a thick, spreadable paste. I toast the bread lightly, brush it lightly with olive oil and rub a garlic pod over each slice, lay the prosciutto along the bread, and spoon and spread the cheese mix over it right to the edge, and place under a hot grill no further than 6" from the grill element, 'til it bubbles up, and you're done! I use French baguettes sliced thin on the diagonal, but any bread is fine.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Seaside Potted Crawfish (Shrimp/Crab/Lobster/Langoustine)

Ingredients:
1/3 pound (2/3 cup or 160g) unsalted butter
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
generous pinch of Mace
a generous grating of nutmeg
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp freshly chopped Chives
1 pound (450g) cooked, peeled, and patted dry shellfish (crawfish, in this instance) or shrimps
1 crusty loaf
1 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method:
Dry the shellfish on kitchen paper. Clarify the butter by gently melting it in a small pan. Spoon off the white scum, then pour the clear butter into another pan, discarding any milky residue.

Add the mace, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce to the clarified butter, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then heat through for 2-3min without letting the mixture boil. Take off the heat and cool slightly. Stir in most of the chives.

Divide the shellfish among six 100ml (3½fl oz) ramekins and top with the flavoured butter. Sprinkle the remaining chives on top. Chill to set the melted butter, and serve (Can be prepared the day before and chilled overnight)

Serve with lightly toasted crusty bread, spread and drizzle with fresh lemon juice, and enjoy

 

[Rustyoznail]

Seaside Potted Crawfish (Shrimp/Crab/Lobster/Langoustine)

Ingredients:
1/3 pound (2/3 cup or 160g) unsalted butter
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
generous pinch of Mace
a generous grating of nutmeg
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp freshly chopped Chives
1 pound (450g) cooked, peeled, and patted dry shellfish (crawfish, in this instance) or shrimps
1 crusty loaf
1 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method:
Dry the shellfish on kitchen paper. Clarify the butter by gently melting it in a small pan. Spoon off the white scum, then pour the clear butter into another pan, discarding any milky residue.

Add the mace, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce to the clarified butter, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then heat through for 2-3min without letting the mixture boil. Take off the heat and cool slightly. Stir in most of the chives.

Divide the shellfish among six 100ml (3½fl oz) ramekins and top with the flavoured butter. Sprinkle the remaining chives on top. Chill to set the melted butter, and serve (Can be prepared the day before and chilled overnight)

Serve with lightly toasted crusty bread, spread and drizzle with fresh lemon juice, and enjoy

Serves one...

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Chocolate Peanut Butter Custard Pie

Ingredients:
3 cups whole milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks, beaten
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
One 9-inch prepared shortcrust pie case (blind-baked or bought-in, it doesn’t matter) with a thick dusting of powdered cocoa or grated milk chocolate (or use dark, if you prefer)
1 cup double cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
4 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, for layering
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips, for garnish

Method:
Heat 2 2/3 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling.

Whisk the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/3 cup milk.

Whisk half of the hot milk into the custard until smooth, and then gradually whisk the custard into the pan with the remaining milk.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the custard boils and thickens, 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter until melted.

Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming.

Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing it out so that it reaches the edges of the pie crust.

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill until set, at least 4 hours.

When set, scatter the 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips in an even layer on the custard, press them in very gently, cover with plastic wrap and chill for a further 30 minutes

When ready to serve, beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer until medium/stiff peaks form.

To assemble, top the pie with the whipped cream, being careful not to disturb the layer of chocolate chips; an icing bag and wide nozzle works well to pipe the cream layer evenly and pull into peaks, and garnish with the peanuts and remaining two tablespoons chocolate chips, lightly dust with powdered chocolate or cocoa-powder, and serve.