Every once in a while I go off on a complete tangent to what I was thinking of. Actually, it happens pretty darned often. So much so that the clan household is used to it by now. Maybe perhaps y'all are? If not, too bad!
Did you know I make my own sauces? Well, now you do.
OT: Isn't the german language great? Depending on which form of 'you' is used they can be taking about a singular you, or a collective you. Bummer that english don't have that... guess that's why I use y'all a lot, eh?
See??!!?? I warned "you".
Back to sauces...
I just discovered a great way to make wasabi mayonnaise!
A couple of decades ago (off on one of my tangents) I was talking to a friend (drinking buddy) about making spicy tartar sauce from scratch. She said it's easier than that; just chuck in however much chili powder you want to regular tartar sauce and mix it up. Please note, many of my drinking buds were female :)
So before any of "you" say to just take some mayo and stir in some wasabi paste, let me just say that I've thought of and tried that. The following is much better and only takes a min or two.
Wasabi Mayo
What you need:
2 egg yolks (3 if you've got tiny chooks)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp wasabi paste (or more if you'd like)
1/2 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin, fresh, cold-pressed cus I'm snooty)
What you do:
If your second food processor is really small, then use that. Don't try it in a regular sized one, there just ain't enough to get to set right. If you don't have a small food processor, then just use one of them handheld electric mixer thingy-ma-bobs. Heck, it's easier to clean too.
Anyways... put the first 3 ingredients (that's a fancy chef word meaning stuff you add to make something taste good) in your small food processor and process for 30 seconds or so till it's kinda creamy. Then pour in the olive oil in a thin stream while the blade is running. GAH! Why does everyone use that fraze "while the blade is running" when talking about adding liquids (or some solids) to a food processor???? Don't ya think we know by now? How can a blade "run" anyway? Doesn't it spin? Whoops, there I am on my soapbox again...
Anyways, pour in the olive oil into the food processor bowl while the motor on the food processor is running so that the blades are spinning. Process for about a minute till it's smooth and creamy.
This goes very well spread on bread. It's great for sandwiches. If you have a stuffy nose, then just add more wasabi, but I don't recommend snorting it!
This is good, really.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Onion Rings
I was thinking about starting a series of posts about pickling and drying, but I first decided to talk about one of THE BEST deep fried foods ever: The humble onion ring. I was reminded about onion rings not only from last weeks' post about deep frying, but from the death of a canoe story on my other blog.
There was, and I really hope it's still there, a restaurant in Los Anchorage called The Arctic RoadRunner. They made great cheeseburgers and the worlds best onion rings.
I hope they are still there...
Anyways, I make my own onion rings. You can use batter if you'd like, but it doesn't stick to the rings very well and the oil gets in. So use breading! Many folks use buttermilk before dredging in the breading mix.
But there's a better way
Dingo Dave's Onion Rings:
What U Knead:
3 good sized onions (what? aren't you having company to enjoy these?)
2 cups flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp of cayenne powder (or less or more, your choice)
1 tsp mild paprika
and the secret... 2 cups of plain yog(h)urt
Don't worry if you don't like yoghurt, you won't even notice it's there. But it makes the breading stick GREAT and absolutely no oil gets into your onion rings.
What u due:
I think you can figure this out, but I'll go through it anyways. Slice the onions into rings (see, I told you you coulda figured it out). Mix all the dry ingredients. Give the yog(h)urt a good stir so it's not lumpy. Drag the rings through the yog(h)urt and then dredge in the flour mix. Notice how the breading REALLY stays on?
Deep fry in hot oil for 2 to 3 mins only, won't take long at all.
Now here's the really easy part: EAT THEM! Oh, they are best had with a light, hoppy, lager on a hot day.
enjoy
Oh wait, I just gotta tell you about my lunch today. Here's what I had:
sushi
cocktail prawns (shrimp)
dolmades
chilli marinated New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussels
fried squid rings
battered fish
veggie egg rolls (healthy!)
sliced roast beef w/horseradish (not sauce, pure horseradish)
honey chicken
sweet and sour pork
and for dessert:
chocolate truffles
chocolate mousse
banana cake
profiterolles
I then took a two hour nap, and am NOT planning on having any dinner tonight.
There was, and I really hope it's still there, a restaurant in Los Anchorage called The Arctic RoadRunner. They made great cheeseburgers and the worlds best onion rings.
I hope they are still there...
Anyways, I make my own onion rings. You can use batter if you'd like, but it doesn't stick to the rings very well and the oil gets in. So use breading! Many folks use buttermilk before dredging in the breading mix.
But there's a better way
Dingo Dave's Onion Rings:
What U Knead:
3 good sized onions (what? aren't you having company to enjoy these?)
2 cups flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp of cayenne powder (or less or more, your choice)
1 tsp mild paprika
and the secret... 2 cups of plain yog(h)urt
Don't worry if you don't like yoghurt, you won't even notice it's there. But it makes the breading stick GREAT and absolutely no oil gets into your onion rings.
What u due:
I think you can figure this out, but I'll go through it anyways. Slice the onions into rings (see, I told you you coulda figured it out). Mix all the dry ingredients. Give the yog(h)urt a good stir so it's not lumpy. Drag the rings through the yog(h)urt and then dredge in the flour mix. Notice how the breading REALLY stays on?
Deep fry in hot oil for 2 to 3 mins only, won't take long at all.
Now here's the really easy part: EAT THEM! Oh, they are best had with a light, hoppy, lager on a hot day.
enjoy
Oh wait, I just gotta tell you about my lunch today. Here's what I had:
sushi
cocktail prawns (shrimp)
dolmades
chilli marinated New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussels
fried squid rings
battered fish
veggie egg rolls (healthy!)
sliced roast beef w/horseradish (not sauce, pure horseradish)
honey chicken
sweet and sour pork
and for dessert:
chocolate truffles
chocolate mousse
banana cake
profiterolles
I then took a two hour nap, and am NOT planning on having any dinner tonight.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Deep Frying Fool
Yes, I know it's bad for you... but gosh darn it: it tastes GOOD!
Deep fried goodness! Oh, come on now, doesn't everything taste better when tossed in hot oil with or without some type of coating? Hell, I've even deep fried sushi --TRUE (personally, I like it better raw and yes, I make damned good sushi).
Today though, you get a wonderful batter that'll fry a variety of things. I was cleaning out the fridge the other day, and had a little of this and a little of that. I thought for lunch I should deep fry the bits and see which ones come out best --for some reason, no one else in the clan house was as excited about this lunch as I was... hmmmmm...
Anyways, I decided that a good, thick, egg batter would be best. Before I give you the batter recipe, let me list the things I was deep fryin':
pickled mussels
camenbert cheese
metwurst
brie cheese
crab meat
feta cheese
blood sausage (black pudding)
bleu cheese
Ahem, yes, I like to eat... As you can tell, I needed a versatile batter (definitely not breading). It turns out, the feta was BEST, followed very closely by everything else. Hey, I am a deep frying King --been doing it a while.
The batter:
half flour/half polenta (corn meal will do) --about 3/4 cup of each
salt
ground white pepper
milk powder (a tbsp or two)
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp powdered coriander
1 tsp powdered cumin
2 eggs
enough water to make a good, thick batter.
Mix it all together, then use.
Oh, if you use a good, wide wok, then you only need an inch of oil. I use olive oil for everything except deep frying, for that I use sunflower oil.
As I said, the deep fried feta was great, but so was everything else (the mussels were a close second).
Hmmmm, maybe I should tell you how to make deep fried, soft boiled eggs sometime (it's a vietnamese thing).
Deep fried goodness! Oh, come on now, doesn't everything taste better when tossed in hot oil with or without some type of coating? Hell, I've even deep fried sushi --TRUE (personally, I like it better raw and yes, I make damned good sushi).
Today though, you get a wonderful batter that'll fry a variety of things. I was cleaning out the fridge the other day, and had a little of this and a little of that. I thought for lunch I should deep fry the bits and see which ones come out best --for some reason, no one else in the clan house was as excited about this lunch as I was... hmmmmm...
Anyways, I decided that a good, thick, egg batter would be best. Before I give you the batter recipe, let me list the things I was deep fryin':
pickled mussels
camenbert cheese
metwurst
brie cheese
crab meat
feta cheese
blood sausage (black pudding)
bleu cheese
Ahem, yes, I like to eat... As you can tell, I needed a versatile batter (definitely not breading). It turns out, the feta was BEST, followed very closely by everything else. Hey, I am a deep frying King --been doing it a while.
The batter:
half flour/half polenta (corn meal will do) --about 3/4 cup of each
salt
ground white pepper
milk powder (a tbsp or two)
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp powdered coriander
1 tsp powdered cumin
2 eggs
enough water to make a good, thick batter.
Mix it all together, then use.
Oh, if you use a good, wide wok, then you only need an inch of oil. I use olive oil for everything except deep frying, for that I use sunflower oil.
As I said, the deep fried feta was great, but so was everything else (the mussels were a close second).
Hmmmm, maybe I should tell you how to make deep fried, soft boiled eggs sometime (it's a vietnamese thing).
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Croutons and Spices
Quick Croutons:
This is for when you need some croutons in a hurry, and you don't feel like running out to the shops and paying for them!
Take some white bread slices, either fresh or semi-stale. Slice em into crouton sized pieces (about the size of dice). Toss them into a wok, and add some seasonings. The other day when I made them I used Egyptian type seasonings and they are GREAT!
All seasonings are either dried, ground, or crushed. Here's the Eqyptian seasonings I used:
Aniseed
Thyme
Sumac
Hazelnut
Coriander
Sea Salt
Oh, if you've been wondering how to get that beautiful Moroccan flavour (or any North African or Middle Eastern flavour) then you'll want to note that the key ingredient not known in many western kitchens is ground sumac.
Anywho, toss the seasonings into the bread cubes and drizzle some olive oil on them. Put the wok on a high heat, toss the cubes frequently (if you let them sit for more than 30 secs you'll burn them). After a couple of mins (add more olive oil as needed) you'll have nicely toasted and seasoned croutons.
Remove from heat and let cool --they are even better the next day.
You can use any kind of seasonings, whatever your taste buds like.
Oh, regarding sumac: There are quite a few edible types of sumac berries; when used in cooking they are generally dried and then crushed. There are, however, six type of sumac berries that are poisonous and (for the most part) the berries are white. These include stuff like poison ivy, poison oak and (of course) poison sumac. I wouldn't suggest going out and picking your own sumac berries, just buy the powdered stuff at your local shops!
This is for when you need some croutons in a hurry, and you don't feel like running out to the shops and paying for them!
Take some white bread slices, either fresh or semi-stale. Slice em into crouton sized pieces (about the size of dice). Toss them into a wok, and add some seasonings. The other day when I made them I used Egyptian type seasonings and they are GREAT!
All seasonings are either dried, ground, or crushed. Here's the Eqyptian seasonings I used:
Aniseed
Thyme
Sumac
Hazelnut
Coriander
Sea Salt
Oh, if you've been wondering how to get that beautiful Moroccan flavour (or any North African or Middle Eastern flavour) then you'll want to note that the key ingredient not known in many western kitchens is ground sumac.
Anywho, toss the seasonings into the bread cubes and drizzle some olive oil on them. Put the wok on a high heat, toss the cubes frequently (if you let them sit for more than 30 secs you'll burn them). After a couple of mins (add more olive oil as needed) you'll have nicely toasted and seasoned croutons.
Remove from heat and let cool --they are even better the next day.
You can use any kind of seasonings, whatever your taste buds like.
Oh, regarding sumac: There are quite a few edible types of sumac berries; when used in cooking they are generally dried and then crushed. There are, however, six type of sumac berries that are poisonous and (for the most part) the berries are white. These include stuff like poison ivy, poison oak and (of course) poison sumac. I wouldn't suggest going out and picking your own sumac berries, just buy the powdered stuff at your local shops!
Monday, March 3, 2008
REAL Chocolate Moose
Not sure if this is a "classic" choc moose recipe or not, but it's the one that takes a lot more time than my quickie one last post.
This takes about two hours (including cooling time), whereas my fake one takes about two minutes.
Whut U Knead:
1/2 pound dark cookin' chocolate (about 225 grams)
3 tbsp powdered sugar
3 tbsp strong coffee NOTE: my strong coffee is what truckers and warehousemen drink, so don't use my coffee, eh?
2 large egg yolks or 3 small egg yolks*
1 and 1/4 cups whipping cream
*if you aren't using the leftover egg whites for meringue, then you can freeze them for future use
Whut U Due:
Melt the choc in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, then just put a metal or glass mixing bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water, very simple. Chuck in the sugar, egg yolks, and coffee and whisk it all up. Stir while it thickens (takes a min or two to thicken). Set the bowl (or top of double boiler) aside to cool slightly.
While the mix is cooling, whip the whipping cream. I'd suggest putting it in a bowl first, and an electric mixer is much faster than whisking it; just a tip!
Once the choc mix is cool enough (if you can put your pinky finger in it and hold it there for a few seconds, then it's cool enough), add the whipped cream and GENTLY stir it through.
Spoon the finished moose into serving glasses, and then fridge 'em for an hour or two.
For serving, try grating some chocolate over the top, you can also drizzle cherry or orange liquer over the top for serving. If you've got the money, drizzle some Grand Marnier over the top when serving. Sliced strawberries go well with it too, and a mint leaf for garnish is always a nice touch.
For a drink accompanianment (is that how you spell that word???), try a nice shooting sherry.
This takes about two hours (including cooling time), whereas my fake one takes about two minutes.
Whut U Knead:
1/2 pound dark cookin' chocolate (about 225 grams)
3 tbsp powdered sugar
3 tbsp strong coffee NOTE: my strong coffee is what truckers and warehousemen drink, so don't use my coffee, eh?
2 large egg yolks or 3 small egg yolks*
1 and 1/4 cups whipping cream
*if you aren't using the leftover egg whites for meringue, then you can freeze them for future use
Whut U Due:
Melt the choc in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, then just put a metal or glass mixing bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water, very simple. Chuck in the sugar, egg yolks, and coffee and whisk it all up. Stir while it thickens (takes a min or two to thicken). Set the bowl (or top of double boiler) aside to cool slightly.
While the mix is cooling, whip the whipping cream. I'd suggest putting it in a bowl first, and an electric mixer is much faster than whisking it; just a tip!
Once the choc mix is cool enough (if you can put your pinky finger in it and hold it there for a few seconds, then it's cool enough), add the whipped cream and GENTLY stir it through.
Spoon the finished moose into serving glasses, and then fridge 'em for an hour or two.
For serving, try grating some chocolate over the top, you can also drizzle cherry or orange liquer over the top for serving. If you've got the money, drizzle some Grand Marnier over the top when serving. Sliced strawberries go well with it too, and a mint leaf for garnish is always a nice touch.
For a drink accompanianment (is that how you spell that word???), try a nice shooting sherry.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Fake chocolate moose
I actually do make real chocolate mousse (moose), but if you are in a hurry and need to impress someone quickly with a dessert, then this is for YOU.
Whut u knead:
600 mls (2 1/2 cups) fresh whipping cream (or thickened cream)
3/4 (or so) cup of sugar
3/4 (or so) cup of cocoa powder
small piece of dark cooking chocolate
3 fresh strawberries*
Whut u due:
Put the first 3 thingies into a mixing bowl. Then mix it with an electric mixer till it's very very stiff. Spoon that into a pie dish (note: it makes a cool splat sound coming off a spoon) and smooth the top.
Slice the strawberries and stick them artfully into the top so that about half of each slice is sticking up.
Shave the chocolate (just use a big kitchen knife, easy stuff) and sprinkle liberally over the top.
That's it! Serve it up and call it done. I recommend serving it with a glass of chocolate liquer on the side --yummy.
Whut u knead:
600 mls (2 1/2 cups) fresh whipping cream (or thickened cream)
3/4 (or so) cup of sugar
3/4 (or so) cup of cocoa powder
small piece of dark cooking chocolate
3 fresh strawberries*
Whut u due:
Put the first 3 thingies into a mixing bowl. Then mix it with an electric mixer till it's very very stiff. Spoon that into a pie dish (note: it makes a cool splat sound coming off a spoon) and smooth the top.
Slice the strawberries and stick them artfully into the top so that about half of each slice is sticking up.
Shave the chocolate (just use a big kitchen knife, easy stuff) and sprinkle liberally over the top.
That's it! Serve it up and call it done. I recommend serving it with a glass of chocolate liquer on the side --yummy.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I survived!!!
Yes, I have gazed into the maw of the monster known as "Holiday Feast" and have come out unscathed. Won't mention anything about those extra pounds that came along with me...
I've also just noticed that Rachel wants to know about Miti.
Miti is a fairly simple coconut cream sauce that originated in Fiji. Since it uses chilli, onions, and lemons I'm assuming that it is not a "traditional" recipe, but one that evolved after the Europeans "discovered" the South Pacific and brought some non-native foods with them. Either way, it's darned tasty.
Before you make Miti, you have to make Lolo. There are many different ways to make Lolo, I'll describe some of them in reverse order of ease. Oh, Lolo is the Fijian word for coconut cream. Oh, when you cook with coconut cream, don't bring it to a rolling boil: lots of protein in it so it curdles and separates easily.
Lolo method 1, very traditional.
What you need:
One coconut
1/2 cup water
What you do:
Grate the flesh of the coconut, but don't forget to de-husk it first! Add the water, then strain it through a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Wring/squeeze it out well so you get all the cream out.
Lolo method #2, not traditional
What you need:
1 cup of dessicated coconut (most stores carry this)
1/2 cup boiling water
What you do:
Pour the boiling water into the bowl with the dessicated coconut. Let it sit for a few hours, then squeeze and wring it through muslin or cheesecloth.
Lolo method #3, cheating
What you need:
cash
What you do:
Go to a grocery store and use the above cash to buy a can of coconut cream.
Note, method #3 should only be used if you're in a bit of a rush. Method #2 is the easiest, just make sure you start the dried coconut soaking in plenty of time.
On to the Miti!
What you need:
1/2 cup Lolo (see above)
juice from a lemon (you can't use my lemon tree, BTW)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 small thai chilli, finely minced
1 small onion, minced
What you do:
Chuck it all into a bowl, whisk it together and call it done! Obviously, the longer it sits on the counter, the stronger the flavour will be.
Bonus stuff!!!!
Thick Miti dip
What you need:
One cup Miti
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp minced spring onion greens (or garlic greens)
What you do:
Mix the cornflour with 1/4 cup of the Miti and the salt. Mix well. Stir in the rest of the Miti and bring it to a simmer so that it thickens, but don't let it boil or it'll separate.
Let it cool, then mix in the onion or garlic greens. Chill it for a bit, then use it as you would any kind of dip for chips, crackers, veggies, or whatnot.
I've also just noticed that Rachel wants to know about Miti.
Miti is a fairly simple coconut cream sauce that originated in Fiji. Since it uses chilli, onions, and lemons I'm assuming that it is not a "traditional" recipe, but one that evolved after the Europeans "discovered" the South Pacific and brought some non-native foods with them. Either way, it's darned tasty.
Before you make Miti, you have to make Lolo. There are many different ways to make Lolo, I'll describe some of them in reverse order of ease. Oh, Lolo is the Fijian word for coconut cream. Oh, when you cook with coconut cream, don't bring it to a rolling boil: lots of protein in it so it curdles and separates easily.
Lolo method 1, very traditional.
What you need:
One coconut
1/2 cup water
What you do:
Grate the flesh of the coconut, but don't forget to de-husk it first! Add the water, then strain it through a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Wring/squeeze it out well so you get all the cream out.
Lolo method #2, not traditional
What you need:
1 cup of dessicated coconut (most stores carry this)
1/2 cup boiling water
What you do:
Pour the boiling water into the bowl with the dessicated coconut. Let it sit for a few hours, then squeeze and wring it through muslin or cheesecloth.
Lolo method #3, cheating
What you need:
cash
What you do:
Go to a grocery store and use the above cash to buy a can of coconut cream.
Note, method #3 should only be used if you're in a bit of a rush. Method #2 is the easiest, just make sure you start the dried coconut soaking in plenty of time.
On to the Miti!
What you need:
1/2 cup Lolo (see above)
juice from a lemon (you can't use my lemon tree, BTW)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 small thai chilli, finely minced
1 small onion, minced
What you do:
Chuck it all into a bowl, whisk it together and call it done! Obviously, the longer it sits on the counter, the stronger the flavour will be.
Bonus stuff!!!!
Thick Miti dip
What you need:
One cup Miti
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp minced spring onion greens (or garlic greens)
What you do:
Mix the cornflour with 1/4 cup of the Miti and the salt. Mix well. Stir in the rest of the Miti and bring it to a simmer so that it thickens, but don't let it boil or it'll separate.
Let it cool, then mix in the onion or garlic greens. Chill it for a bit, then use it as you would any kind of dip for chips, crackers, veggies, or whatnot.
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