File under: tasty

Random thought for a theme - wine & cheese. All dishes have to have wine or cheese as a component (or wine & cheese as a component?).

October Recipes - Round 2

They say that hindsight is 20/20. This morning, with the delicious dishes prepared for last eve only a lingering memory on the palate, I'll do what I can to post the recipes and offer discussion. Though the group was a few short, with Chris combating wild-fires, Kelly tending to the infirm, and Meg at a kegger for her mother's 50th birthday, those in attendance persevered and produced some fantastically tasty treats.

Our kind host for the evening, Patti, set the theme for the evening as Vietnamese food. Without further ado, the recipes:

Banh Bung (warm noodle salad with beef)
Prepared by Suzy & Nigel. Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine. Yields 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (3/4-pound) beef tenderloin
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sugar
8 oz. uncooked fine rice vermicelli or spaghetti
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. vegetable oil
Cooking spray
1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
4 cups bean sprouts
2 cups cucumber, julienne-cut and peeled
1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, julienne-cut
20 basil leaves
2/3 cup Lime-Vinegar Sauce

Lime-Vinegar Sauce:
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 lg. garlic clove, minced

Directions:

1. To make Lime-Vinegar Sauce, combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Cool completely. Stir in juice and remaining ingredients. Yields 1 1/4 cups.
   
2. To make the salad, first trim fat from beef. Cut across grain into thin slices; set aside.
3. Combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well; set aside.
4. Bring 3 quarts of water to a simmer in a large Dutch oven. Add rice vermicelli; simmer 2 minutes or just until tender. Drain and return rice vermicelli to pan. Add coconut milk; toss well. Set aside; keep warm.
5. Heat oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet coated with with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot.
   
6. Add onion; stir-fry 2 minutes.
7. Add beef; stir-fry 3 minutes.
   
8. Add oyster sauce mixture; stir-fry 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Set aside; keep warm.
9. Combine bean sprout, cucumber, cabbage, carrot and basil in a large bowl; toss gently. Spoon bean sprout mixture into each of 4 large shallow bowls; top with beef mixture and 1 cup rice vermicelli mixture. Drizzle with Lime-Vinegar Sauce.

Spring Rolls (er, spring rolls)
Prepared by Kim & Leit using the following recipe.

Ingredients:
1 package spring roll papers
1 package vermicelli rice noodles

Fillings:
Halibut, cooked
Tofu, marinated & fried
Fresh cilantro
Fresh mint
Daikon radish
Blanched yam
English cucumber
Red leaf lettuce
Carrot
Bean sprouts

Dipping Sauce:
Sweet chili sauce - find in any grocery store international aisle
Peanuts, crushed / chopped

Directions:

1. Prepare all your fillings by chopping into matchsticks. Set aside in close proximity to your roll wrapping assembly line.
2. Boil water then cook rice noodles ~6min or until soft. Drain. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
3. Submerge your chopped yams into boiling water for 3 minutes to soften.
4. Boil a pan of water and reduce to medium-high heat. Submerge one wrapper at a time into the water. Cook for 10 seconds. Use spatula to pull out wet wrapper and lay flat on a clean plate to fill your rolls.
5. Stuff each wrapper like you would a mini burrito. Wrap it like a burrito too by tucking the short ends in before you roll it closed and sealed. Place finished rolls on a serving plate or on saran wrap for stage. Do not let rolls touch or they will stick and rip.
6. Crush peanuts and sprinkle on dipping sauce.
7. Rolls will last 1-2 days as long as they’re in Saran Wrap.

Cha Que (cinnamon paté)
Prepared by Zach from the recipe listed at vietnamese-recipes.com.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean leg of pork, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. Vietnamese fish sauce

1 tsp. Palm or golden granulated sugar

1 tsp. corn flour (I substituted all purpose flour)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 tsp. groundnut oil (I substituted olive oil)

Handful basil and coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnishing

Directions:

1. Oil the loaf tin. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and process until they are very finely ground. You can add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water if the mixture is difficult to process.

2. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven, 350^oF for about 45 minutes until cooked through and firm to the touch.

3. Allow the pate to cool in the tin, then turn it out on to a plate. Sprinkle the top with the chopped herbs.

4. Serve the pate in thin slices, with salad leaves and French bread.

Dau Phap Voi Toi Nghien (french beans with crushed garlic)
Prepared by Zach from the recipe listed at vietnamese-recipes.com.

Ingredients:

3 tsp. vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 lg. green chilies, deseeded and sliced thinly diagonally

1 tsp. Ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

2 ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned,

1 lb french beans, washed, trimmed and halved

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok and stir fry the onion, garlic and green chilies, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.

2. Add the coriander and cumin, stir vigorously and add the chopped tomatoes and French beans.

3. Stir and cover the wok for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the cover, add the sugar and a little salt, and stir again for 1 minute.

5. Add the coriander, stir for 30 seconds and transfer to a warm serving dish.

Pumpkin Soup with Lemongrass & Cilantro
Prepared by Patti using a recipe from Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 tbsp. shallots, minced
2 tsp. ginger, minced
2 hot Thai chilis, minced
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp. lemongrass, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. palm sugar
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/3 cup cilantro root or stems and leaves, chopped
3 tbsp. roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)
3 tbsp. scallions, sliced (for garnish)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium sauce pan.
2. Sautee shallots, ginger and chiles over moderate heat, stirring, for three minutes.
3. Add the stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, fish sauce, pumpkin and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
4. Add lime, cilantro, salt and pepper. Puree with a stick blender until creamy (strain if you want it with no chunks).
5. Serve immediately and sprinkle with peanuts and scallions.

Mango Cheesecake (soufflé?) with Vietnamese Coffee
Recipe forthcoming. Prepared by Karen.

I daresay that every dish served at the meal was fantastic (certainly better than the borek I attempted last month). Hopefully, pictures will be on the way from Karen at some point soon, so until then, happy eating and please offer your comments.

September Recipes - Round 1

Our first gourmet night was a great success. The theme was appetizers. Thanks to all you foodies who turned out to enjoy good food, good spirits and good company.

Here are the recipes I have received so far:

Spent Grain Bread

When you make all grain beer save the grain. Use sandwich size zip lock bags. Fill up 3 or 4 bags. Then freeze them until you bake bread.

2 cups Spent Grain (put the grain in a coffee grinder or food processor and grind them up)
4 cups Bread Flour
1 cup Wheat Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup of Sugar
1/2 Stick of Butter
1 Egg (Beaten)
2 cup of Warm Water
1 TBS. of Olive Oil
1/2 cup of warm water & 2 1/4 tsp. Bread yeast

Mix together and knead with 1 more cup of flour.

Let rise and flatten down divide into 2 or 4 pc. Depends on how big you want your bread loafs or roll little balls to make rolls. Freeze the rest and take out when you want more bread.

Let it rise again and bake. Bake at 350F for 35 min. for loafs or 10-12 min. for rolls. Use corn meal on cookie sheet so loaf does not stick to pan. 1 tsp. Olive Oil to brush the top of the bread when it comes out of the oven.

Wild Honey Roasted Vegetables

1 big sweet potato
3-4 little parsnips (or turnips, beets, yams or any root vegetables)
4 carrots
1/2 cup of wild honey (any honey will do)
2 tsp olive oil

1) Go to your garden or the farmer’s market for local roasting vegetables and honey. Any vegetables will do.
2) Preheat oven at 375
3) Peel Vegetables and cut into lengths. I thought french-fry size worked well.
4) Mix Honey and oil together and pour into a roasting dish
5) Heat at 375 for 5 minutes
6) Remove from oven and add vegetables to roasting dish
7) Turn vegetables in honey and oil mixture to coat them
8) Bake at 375 for between 35-40 minutes, turning regularly, until vegetables are golden and cooked.

Vegetarian Dolmades from Meze, Mediterranean-style eating, Anne Wilson, 1999
1/2 cup olive oil
6 green onions chopped
3/4 cup long grain rice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tblsps chopped fresh dill weed
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts
8oz (about 50) grape leaves
2 tblsps olive oil, extra

1) Heat oil in the saucepan. Add the green onions and cook over medium hear for 1 minute. Stir in the rice, mint, dill weed, half of the lemon juice and season to taste. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid, toss in the currants and pine nuts, cover with a paper towel, then the lid and allow to cool.
2) Rinse the grape leaves under water and gently separate. Drain, then dry on paper towels. Trim any thick stems with scissors. Line the base of an 8 inch skillet (with a lid) with any torn or misshappen leaves. Choose the larger leaves for filling and use smaller leaves to patch up any gaps.
3) Place each leaf shiny-side-down. Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the center, fold in the sides and roll up tightly from the stem end. Place seam-side-down with the stem end closest to you in the base of the skillet, tightly in a single layer.
4) Pour in the rest of hte lemon juice, the extra oil and about 3/4 cup water to just cover the dolmades. Cover with an inverted plate and place a can on the plate to firmly compress the dolmades. Cover with the lid.
5) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan. Serve at room temperature.

Date Ramaki
Buy pitted dates, stuff with goat cheese(optional), wrap with bacon and bake at 350 until bacon is crisp.


Bruchetta with Brandy Tapenade
1 1/2 cups mild brined olives, pitted
3 tblsps capers, rinsed
1 1/2 tblsps coarse chopped parsely
3 cloves finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tblsps cognac or brandy
3 tblsps fresh lemon juice
freshly ground white pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
24 baguettes

1) Coat baguettes with olive oil, toast at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes
2) Mix other ingredients to make tapanade. Serve immediately

Tomato and Eggplant Borek from Meze, Mediterranean-style eating, Anne Wilson, 1999

Pastry:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
8 oz tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 oz eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (this is important! - ed.)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 egg, lightly beaten

1) Place the butter, oil and 1/3 cup water into a bowl. Season well with salt. Gradually add the flour in batches, mixing with a wooden spoon, to make an oily, lumpy dough that leaves the side of the bowl. Knead gently to bring the doug together, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. (I did not mix these in the proper order, possibly resulting in the pasty texture of the cooked pastry - ed.)
2) Core the tomatoes and cut a small cross at the base. Plunge into a saucepan of boiling water and let stand for 1 minute. Drain, plunge into cool water, then remove the peel. Halve the tomatoes, squeez over a bowl to remove the seeds, and finely chop the flesh.
3) Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion and cook, stirring, over low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until soft. Add the cumin, cook for 1 minute, then add the eggplant and cook, stirring for 8-10 minutes, or until the eggplant begins to soften. Stir in the tomatoes and paste. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the mixture becomes dry. Stir occasionally. Season and stir in the cilantro. Cool.
4) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
5) Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 1/8th inch thick. Using a 3 1/2 inch cutter, cut rounds from the pastry. Spoon 2 level teaspoons of the mixture into the center of each round, lightly brush the edges with water, and fold in half over the filling, expelling any air. Press firmly and crimp the edge with a fork to seal. Place on the baking sheets and brush with the beaten egg. Bake in the top half of the oven for 25 minutes, or until browned and crisp.