tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49900698661092516552024-03-19T02:29:11.069-07:00Hoos Cookin'Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-17309434278055136852017-03-01T11:18:00.001-08:002017-03-01T11:18:17.970-08:00Shrimp Tacos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
It's no secret that I adore seafood in all it's forms and shapes. And shrimp seems to have a special place in my heart.<br />
Growing up, shrimp was prohibitively expensive and we rarely had it but when we did it was a real treat! The texture and sweet taste made it so memorable in my mind. <br />
The number one rule when cooking shrimp is to make sure it is not overcooked which results in a rubbery tasteless waste of food. I remember watching a friend dump a block of frozen shrimp into boiling water. I cringed...I knew by the time it was done that it would be an abomination...and it was!<br />
The best way to thaw frozen shrimp if you're pressed for time is to put it in a bowl under tepid running water. It takes very little time at all.<br />
Several days ago I was hungry for something a little different for lunch. Looking at the tortillas on the counter and remembering I had some frozen shrimp in the freezer, I had a tasty idea which sent me to the Internet. By the time the shrimp had thawed, I had everything ready to go. Yeah, it's pretty quick which makes it even better!<br />
<br />
<b>Shrimp Tacos</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
8 oz medium shrimp, patted dry<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1 teaspoon chili powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
Freshly ground black pepper<br />
Juice of 1 lime<br />
1 teaspoon of olive oil plus more for frying<br />
6 corn tortillas (either fried or softened depending on how you like your tacos)<br />
Any toppings you like such as: lettuce, tomato, avocado, guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce....<br />
<br />
Combine all the ingredients except the tortillas and toppings and let marinade for at least 20 minutes covered in a cool place.<br />
Heat olive oil in a pan and add shrimp stirring just until done. (Do NOT overcook)<br />
Divide among prepared tortillas and enjoy!<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-22497935573078837842016-11-20T08:49:00.003-08:002016-11-20T08:49:51.253-08:00Italian Lemon Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Several years back while considering my next trip to Italy, I came across a wonderful cookbook in my local bookstore.<br />
<b> Naples at Table </b>by Arthur Schwartz turned out to be one of those books I treasure not only for it's delicious recipes but also for his inclusion of food history for the region of Campania. <br />
One of those recipes which I have returned to time and again over the years, is his delightful lemon cake not to be missed by true citrus lovers! It`s one of those marvelous cakes that gets a good soaking of lemon syrup while it`s still warm penetrating the tasty crumb making it moist while adding another layer of mouth-puckering sensuousness.<br />
The original recipe calls for the zest and juice of 4 large lemons but you may only need 2 or 3 depending on how large your lemons turn out to be. In any case, you want enough to make a half cup of juice. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Italian Lemon Cake</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
12 tbs (1 1/2 sticks) butter<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
4 large eggs<br />
2 or 3 large lemon juiced (enough for 1/2 cup of juice) and rinds grated<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour, measured after being sifted<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 cup whole milk<br />
1/4 cup water<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
Slivered almonds<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch bundt or tube pan.<br />
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.<br />
Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl when necessary.<br />
Beat in lemon zest.<br />
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.<br />
Fold half the flour into the butter, sugar and egg mixture, then stir in half the milk. Fold in the remaining flour then stir in the remaining milk.<br />
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean<br />
While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup.<br />
In a small pan combine the 1/2 cup of sugar with the 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let the syrup cool for a few minutes and then add the lemon juice.<br />
When the cake is done, let cool on a rack for 15 minutes.<br />
While the cake is still warm but not hot, make holes in the cake with a skewer or toothpick and slowly pour the syrup over it letting absorb after each addition. Save about 1/4 cup of the syrup.<br />
When the cake is cool, invert onto a serving plate.<br />
Boil the remaining syrup until it thickens a bit. Brush the syrup on top and sides of cake and press slivered almonds onto the sticky surface.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-59419255873018826732016-11-15T08:25:00.002-08:002016-11-15T08:25:25.237-08:00Brazil Nut Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems that behind many a recipe there lies a story....this is no exception.<br />
In 2014 I went to visit some online friends in Belém, Brazil. While there we went to the famed Ver-o-Peso Market where I spotted huge bags of Castanha-do-Pará (Brazil nuts) for next to nothing. Never being able to pass up a bargain (thanks to my late father...lol) I bought a big bag to bring home...<br />
Okay...the only time I ever saw Brazil nuts growing up was at Christmastime when they would be sitting there, like an oversized member of the nut family, amongst the almonds, pecans and walnuts. Being the most difficult nut to crack, they wouldn't be eaten as often as their cousins. So, I had little idea as to what to do with so many of them! I stashed the bag in the freezer and set about looking to see what people did with them in their native region.<br />
If there is anything I love more than baking it's baking something that is new and different, so I was very happy to find recipes for Brazil nut cakes! After playing around with the recipes, I came up with one that I was satisfied with. Be sure to toast the nuts to bring out the flavor of these South American gems!<br />
<br />
<b>Brazil Nut Cake</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
200 gr butter<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
2 large eggs<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1 cup plain yogurt<br />
1 cup coarsely ground Brazil nuts<br />
<br />
<b>Topping</b><br />
Powdered sugar<br />
1/2 cup ground Brazil nuts<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350°F and roast 1 1/3 cups whole Brazil nuts on a rimmed baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly toasted shaking the pan half way through to assure uniform toasting.<br />
Remove pan from oven and let nuts cool.<br />
Pulse cooled nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground and set aside.<br />
Increase oven heat to 375°F<br />
Generously butter and flour a tube or bundt cake pan and set aside.<br />
Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.<br />
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time incorporating completely after each addition. Add vanilla. Scrape sides of bowl as needed.<br />
Alternately, add flour mixture and yogurt beginning and ending with flour mixture.<br />
Scrape into prepared cake pan and level off.<br />
Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350°F and bake an additional 40 to 45 minutes or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean.<br />
Cool on a rack and unmold cake.<br />
Sift powdered sugar on top followed by ground Brazil nuts.<br />
Serve plain or with whipped cream.<br />
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Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-7125972992843648482016-10-04T09:35:00.000-07:002016-10-14T14:49:08.289-07:00Italian Meatloaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Think of this as a giant meatball! But instead of pairing it with pasta, I can't think of anything that goes better with this than good old mashed potatoes. In fact, that is what I made for dinner last night. <br />
The sauce that goes on top, I use for lots of different things. It's my go to sauce for pizza and the one I use when making eggplant parmesan. <br />
And the nice thing about it is the ease and speed with which it's made. Simple, fast and delicious!<br />
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Italian Meatloaf<br />
<br />
8 oz ground beef (chuck)<br />
8 oz ground veal<br />
8 oz ground pork<br />
1 small onion, finely chopped<br />
3 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped<br />
Handful of parsley, chopped<br />
2 large eggs, beaten<br />
1/4 cup ketchup<br />
2/3 cup plain unflavored breadcrumbs<br />
1 cup grated pecorino romano<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
My basic tomato sauce (recipe below)<br />
Grated provolone<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350° F<br />
Mix all the ingredients (except tomato sauce and provolone cheese) together. (This is one case in which I believe it best to roll up your sleeves and dive in! With impeccably clean hands of course!)<br />
Shape into a loaf and place in a baking dish.<br />
Pour some of the tomato sauce over the meat loaf followed by the grated provolone cheese.<br />
Bake for 50 minutes to one hour or until a thermometer reads 155°F in the center of the meatloaf.<br />
Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
Tomato Sauce<br />
<br />
2 cups passata (tomato puree)<br />
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
3 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1 teaspoon sugar<br />
6 or 7 basil leaves, chopped<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Saute garlic in olive oil very briefly. Add tomato puree, and sugar and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until a little thicker. Remove from heat and stir in basil and salt and pepper.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-72103673750837641222016-09-18T12:52:00.001-07:002016-09-18T12:52:23.376-07:00Peanut Butter Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Some years ago I was involved in an online food group that put together a cookbook in an effort to raise money for cancer treatments for one of our members. A member from Canada, Dave, submitted this recipe for peanut butter cake. As the saying goes, "it was love at first bite." In addition, it was also the answer to a problem which plagued me and other members of our family. What to make for my sister-in-law who couldn't eat chocolate but who loved peanut butter beyond words? <br />
This is always a hit and the icing on the cake is...well, the icing on the cake, a peanut butter butter cream frosting that will guarantee a clean-licked bowl and set of beaters to match.<br />
Enjoy this foolproof cake and the accolades that are sure to follow.<br />
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<br />
<b>Peanut Butter Cake</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1/2 cup butter (room temp)<br />
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter<br />
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
3 large eggs (room temp)<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
3/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1 1/2 cups cold water<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350°F<br />
Butter and flour a bundt or tube pan.<br />
In a stand mixer, cream butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy.<br />
Add eggs one at a time mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl when needed.<br />
Stir in vanilla.<br />
Sift together flour, soda and salt.<br />
Add to cream mixture alternatively with water beginning and ending with flour.<br />
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-55 min. or until a toothpick comes out clean.<br />
Cool for 10 minutes on a rack and then remove from pan and cool completely.<br />
Frost with Peanut Butter Frosting below.<br />
<br />
<b>Peanut Butter Butter Cream Frosting</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1/4 cup butter (room temp)<br />
1/4 cup peanut butter<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
2 cups powdered sugar<br />
3-4 tablespoons whole milk<br />
<br />
Cream butter with peanut butter and add vanilla.<br />
Add sugar alternatively with milk until light and fluffy.Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-56300121076129353612016-07-04T09:25:00.002-07:002016-07-04T09:25:31.478-07:00Oxtails Viccinara Style <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Several weeks ago while in Rome, my companion and I were fortunate enough to happen upon a restaurant that featured several classic <i>quinto quarto </i>(or "fifth quarter") dishes. This expression, quinto quarto, refers to the parts of the animal that, at one time, were discarded in favor of the better cuts. They include the liver, heart, thymus glands etc..<br />
I ordered the oxtails which came with a plateful of moist towelettes because at some point, a mere knife and fork will not do the job and you have to eat these messy morsels with your fingers. (It's worth the less-than-delicate-dining, believe me!)<br />
Looking around for a recipe for this popular item was a breeze. However, I decided to combine what I considered to be the best of the three that I looked at which included one by The Queen of Italian Cuisine, the late <i>Marcella Hazan</i>,<br />
another from <i>The New York Times</i> and, finally, a recipe from a book I recently picked up about Roman cooking called <i>Tasting Rome </i>by <i>Parla </i>and<i> Gill.</i> Borrowing from each one, I came up with a pretty decent recipe which made enough sauce to dress a pound of pasta as well.<br />
<br />
<b>Oxtails Viccinara Style</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
3 pounds oxtails<br />
Kosher salt<br />
1 medium carrot, chopped<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
Handful of parsley, chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1/3 cup chopped guanciale or pancetta<br />
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
2 tablespoons tomato paste<br />
1 1/2 cups white wine<br />
1-14oz can tomatoes, crushed with your hands in a bowl<br />
Salt and pepper<br />
3 whole cloves<br />
1 cinnamon stick<br />
1 1/2 cups chopped celery<br />
1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
<br />
The day before, sprinkle the oxtails with kosher salt, put them in a zip lock bag and store in the refrigerator. <br />
The next day: Put the oil, carrot, onion, parsley, garlic and guanciale in a large dutch oven or pot and saute until soft. Turn up the heat and add the oxtails, browning them well on all sides. If necessary, do them in batches. Remove and set aside.<br />
Add the tomato paste and cook it, stirring, until it becomes a deep brick red.<br />
Add the the white wine and let it bubble for about 30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the bits that may have become stuck.<br />
Return the oxtails to the pan along with the tomatoes, cloves and cinnamon and enough water to cover. Stir turning all the ingredients over several time. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and cover the pot letting the contents simmer lightly and cook for two hours. Stir every half hour or so adding more water if needed.<br />
At the end of the two hours, add the celery and cook another hour. Finally, stir in the cocoa powder and simmer for several minutes more.<br />
If you like, use some of the sauce to dress pasta for a first course serving the oxtails separately on a platter. I would suggest a short fat cut such as rigatoni that can hold a thick sauce.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-49553094278468161602016-06-22T13:24:00.003-07:002016-06-29T08:56:10.051-07:00Spaghetti Puttanesca<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There are several stories as to the origin of Spaghetti Puttanesca (<i>whore's spaghetti</i>). But I think the one I like the best is the one which states that the street walkers needed something quick and satisfying between clients. And this is certainly that! Quick and satisfying, that is! (You don't need to be a member of the world's oldest profession to make and enjoy this classic!)<br />
There are also various versions of the recipe. Some call for oregano and others don't. The only herb I add to mine is fresh flat-leaf parsley. But add whatever you like.<br />
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<b>Spaghetti Puttanesca</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
3 anchovy fillets, chopped<br />
2 dried Calabrian chilies, chopped. (or to taste) Or dried chili flakes.<br />
1 28-oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons capers<br />
1/2 cup kalamata olives, coarsely chopped<br />
Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
One pound of spaghetti<br />
<br />
Put olive oil, garlic and anchovies in a skillet and cook stirring until the anchovies melt into the oil using the back of a wooden spoon.<br />
Add chilies and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, capers and olives and simmer for about 25 minutes.<br />
Add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water until very al dente. <br />
Remove and add to skillet with sauce reserving the water in which you cooked the pasta. Cook, adding pasta water as needed, until the spaghetti is al dente. <br />
Add parsley and stir, turning all the ingredients over several times until everything is well combined.<br />
Serve immediately with either Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese.<br />
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<b><br /></b>Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-12008143592122756022016-03-14T14:07:00.002-07:002016-03-14T14:07:13.594-07:00Semolina Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Based on a recipe by Mary Ann Esposito in her book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Ciao Italia</i>, this bread is as delicious as it is mammouth! And although it doesn't keep it's moisture well after the first few days, it makes excellent toast or is great for making toasted sandwiches.<br />
To achieve a nice crust, place a pan in the lower rack of the oven and use either a baking stone or baking steel or cast iron pizza pan. These make all the difference in the world. In addition, I use parchment paper instead of corn meal, a trick I learned from chef and cookbook author, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Suvir Saran. </i><br />
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<b>Semolina Bread</b><br />
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<b>1 1/2 cups semolina flour</b><br />
<b>4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour</b><br />
<b>1 package instant yeast</b><br />
<b>1 teaspoon sea salt</b><br />
<b>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</b><br />
<b>About 2 cups of lukewarm water. </b><br />
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<b>Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add one cup of the water and the olive oil and mix. Keep adding water just until you get all the flour wet but not saturated. (You may not need the entire two cups.)</b><br />
<b>Scrape onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough in soft and elastic, dusting the surface with a little more flour as needed if the dough is sticking.</b><br />
<b>Oil a bowl large enough to hold twice the amount of dough and place the dough inside the bowl turning it once to oil both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.</b><br />
<b>Once the dough has doubled, punch it down, form it into a loaf and place it on a peel that has been covered with parchment paper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 45 minutes.</b><br />
<b>While the dough is rising, place a baking pan on the bottom rack of the oven and a baking stone or other baking heat condusive object on the rack above.</b><br />
<b>Preheat the oven to 425° F.</b><br />
<b>When the loaf has risen, make a few slashes on the top with a very sharp nice or razor blade and slip it onto the baking stone.</b><br />
<b>Pour a cup of hot water from the tap into the baking pan on the bottom rack and immediately close the oven door.</b><br />
<b>Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove to a rack to cool</b>Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-15601421014933774082016-03-02T07:15:00.002-08:002016-03-02T07:15:22.946-08:00Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had almost forgotten about this recipe until I was looking at some old Instagram pics the other day and then not only rememebered the dish but also how good it tasted.<br />
Having thawed out some chicken thighs the other day, I decided to again make this Malay-Chinese dish based on a recipe in the book <i>Southeast Asian Food </i>by Rosemary Brissenden. Even though I've made a few changes, the recipe is basically the same.<br />
In her book, Brissenden calls for dark soy sauce. In its stead I use kecap manis, a sweet soy sauce also known as Javanese soy sauce. If you find it needs more seasoning, you can add a little regular soy sauce. I prefer using Pear River Bridge light soy sauce but any good quality soy sauce will do.<br />
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<b>Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots</b><br />
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8 dried shitakke mushrooms, soaked and stems removed and chopped into large pieces<br />
1 pound boned chicken thighs cut into 3-inch pieces<br />
Unbleached all-purpose flour spead on a plate<br />
2 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
3 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
3 thin slices of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips<br />
1 8-oz can bamboo shoots, drained<br />
2 tablespoons Javanese soy sauce (kecap manis)<br />
1/2 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Heat oil in a large pot. Dredge chicken pieces in flour and fry in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Removed and reserve.<br />
Fry the garlic and ginger (adding more oil if needed) until golden. Add the mushrooms and fry a few minutes. Add the reserved chicken and bamboo shoots and turn everything over several time to combine. Add enough water to just cover along with the remaining ingredients. Cook stirring from time to time until the chicken is cooked through and a gravy is formed. Season with regular soy sauce if needed and served with steamed jasmine rice.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-76865958300985643072016-02-13T12:07:00.001-08:002016-02-13T12:07:31.213-08:00Chickpea and pasta Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I type this it is -13°C and the snow has drifted into mountains which I don't feel like shoveling today.<br />
In other words, it is soup weather and I can't think of one much heartier (and heathier) than this gem that I learned to make from a dear friend from Sicily.<br />
The surprize flavor in this soup is rosemary. I'm lucky enough to have a plant that has survived inside. But dried will certainly work too. <br />
My pasta of choice would generally be ditalini, but has you can see I had to settle for something much smaller. But use whatever soup pasta you like as well as the chili flakes, which I omitted this time.<br />
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<b>Chickpea and Pasta Soup</b><br />
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1/2 pound dried chickpeas<br />
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving<br />
1 sprig of rosemary, chopped<br />
1 medium onion, chopped fine<br />
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped<br />
3 medium roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
Chili flakes (optional)<br />
150 grams soup pasta of your choice<br />
Parmesan cheese, grated<br />
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Soak chickpeas in water in the refrigerator overnight. Next day, drain, rinse and put in a pot covering with several inches of water. Simmer until just done, add salt to taste and simmer until finished.<br />
Drain and reserve the water in which they were cooked. <br />
In a pot large enough to contain all the ingredients, heat olive oil and gently saute rosemary just until fragrant.<br />
Add onions and garlic and saute until golden.<br />
Add chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes turning all the ingredients over from time to time until everything is mixed well.<br />
Add cooked chickpeas, four cups of the water in which they were cooked and the seasonings.<br />
Simmer for about 20 minutes and then remove half the soup and put through a food mill or puree in a food processor. <br />
Return to pot along with the pasta and simmer, stirring to avoid sticking, until pasta is done adding more liquid if needed.<br />
Correct for seasoning and let rest a few minutes.<br />
Serve in individual bowls and top with raw olive oil and the grated parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-18948183085357171372015-10-07T10:58:00.000-07:002015-10-07T10:58:02.071-07:00Empadinhas de Palmito<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I will never forget my first encounter with <i>palmito </i>(hearts of palm). It was during my first trip to Brasilia where my dear friend, Erik (who was also my very first Brazilian friend) took me to what he claimed was the best place in the city of Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, to get a <i>pastel</i>, a fried pastry that can have any number of fillings.<br />
Having sampled almost every sort of pastel the previous week whilst eating my way through Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais, I decided to try a filling I hadn't yet sampled. That is when I fell in love at first bite with palmito. A revelation! <br />
I still haven't learned to make pastéís (the plural of pastel) yet. But I did learn to make the wonderful little pies, empadinhas (em-pah-jeen-yahs) with the flakiest crust imaginable... They also come filled with everything you could ever imagine... The most popular kind is a chicken filling which I will try and post on here at a later date. In the meantime, try these out!<br />
Note: I use empadinha forms which I purchased in Brazil to make mine but you can also use mini muffin tins. They work just fine.<br />
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<b>Empadinhas de Palmito</b><br />
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<b>Dough</b><br />
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600 grams regular unbleached flour<br />
1 tablespoon salt<br />
300 grams unsalted butter, softened<br />
3 large egg yolks<br />
50 ml water<br />
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<b>Filling</b><br />
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 medium onion, finely diced<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 medium roma tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped fine<br />
1 14-oz can hearts of palm, drained well and chopped<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley<br />
1 tablespoon chopped scallions<br />
1 8-oz tub mascarpone cheese<br />
3 egg yolks, beaten, for brushing on the tops<br />
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To make the dough, sift the flour and salt together. Work the butter into the dough with your fingers. Beat the yolks into the water, add the mixture to the flour and mix well with your hands. Divide the dough into two balls and wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for at least 45 min.<br />
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To make the filling, saute the onion in olive oil on medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and saute until the oil floats free, about 20 minutes. Add the hearts of palm and cook for about 10 minutes. Add seasonings to taste. Let cool and fold in parsley and scallions. Set aside.<br />
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To assemble, cut strips of dough from the ball and press them into the forms trying to make them somewhat thin. (Don't even think of trying to roll this dough out like you would regular pie dough.)<br />
Place a spoonful of the filling in each form and top with another spoonful of mascarpone cheese.<br />
To make the lids, put a piece of dough on a cutting board and spread in each direction using your thumb. Place it over the empadinha and trim the edges with a small sharp knife. Press the top dough into where the dough in the forms meets the edge. Brush with egg yolk.<br />
Place the finished forms on a baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes or more depending on the size of your forms.<br />
Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before running the blade of a sharp knife around the inside of the edges to release the pies.<br />
Serve warm or let cool to room temperature and store in plastic bags. Reheat just before serving.<br />
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Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-36703392216234873342015-10-07T10:07:00.001-07:002015-10-07T10:07:40.747-07:00Orange Cake (Bolo de Laranja)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Out of all the Brazilian cakes I have made, this is the one I keep coming back to. The ease of putting it together (all done in the food processor) and the intense taste of orange makes this a favorite for breakfast or an afternoon snack. <br />
For an over-the-top delight in the morning, toast slices under the broiler with butter and turbinado sugar and gild your orange lily with a dollop of mascarpone cheese. Yes, it's decadent!<br />
This just in!!!! I decided to substitute the orange for 1 and a half whole lemons (deseeded) and was very happy with the outcome!<br />
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<b>Orange Cake</b><br />
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1 whole unpeeled navel orange, preferably organic, washed and quartered and each quarter cut in two. <br />
1 2/3 cups sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour<br />
1 tbsp baking powder<br />
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Method..<br />
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Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C)<br />
Butter and flour a tube or bundt pan and set aside.<br />
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the sugar and orange pieces until thoroughly chopped. (Do not chop too fine. You want bits of orange in the finished cake.)<br />
Add the egg and oil and process again until blended. <br />
Add the flour and baking powder, processing again for the final time until well blended.<br />
Scrape into the prepared pan. Place pan in the oven and reduce the temperature to 400°F (200°C) for 30 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.<br />
Cool on a rack and remove from pan.<br />
Dust with powdered sugar is desired.<br />
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<b><br /></b>Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-52800497862107939032015-06-02T12:23:00.001-07:002015-06-02T12:33:36.772-07:00Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I lived in Battle Creek, Michigan, a summer destination was The Turkey Farm, a restaurant in the country that served various kinds of turkey dishes made from the birds raised on the premises. But my favorite item on the menu was the peanut butter pie, a dessert that I had never heard of before going there but one that I quickly became fond of. <br />
Over the years I found various recipes but never any that I really liked all that much. But that changed when a family friend, Marjean, brought her version to my dad's memorial service. (Yes, we are all about food in my family and when my dad died, we did all the cooking for the guests who showed up at the service.)<br />
The taste and the texture were almost perfect...<br />
One thing that I find boring is a graham cracker crust. Easy to make and done to death, it shows up in places where it should never have been invited. And store-bought ones are the worst offenders unless you call a box of Jello pudding and a carton of Cool Whip baking..... I don't. But I did like the recipe and thought it deserved something better than graham crackers and butter so I went online and in no time at all was greatly rewarded for the small effort.<br />
Anyone who worships desserts knows that Rose Levy Barenbaum is the queen of tarts. Her strawberry cheese cake, which calls for lady fingers instead of the graham cracker crust, is a fluffy taste of heaven in each bite. So, when looking for a peanut butter crust for this pie and coming across her recipe, I knew I was in for a scrumptious treat and I wasn't disappointed! <br />
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<b>Marjean's Peanut Butter Pie</b><br />
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Filling:<br />
<br />
6oz Philadelphia cream cheese<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter<br />
1/2 cup whole milk<br />
1/2 pint whipping cream<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
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Chopped roasted peanuts for garnish<br />
Tart pan with removable bottom<br />
1 recipe peanut butter pie crust (see below)<br />
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Add sugar to whipping cream and whip until firm peaks are formed. Set aside.<br />
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until fluffy. Add the milk and beat until well incorporated.<br />
Fold in the reserved whipped cream and pour into prepared crust.<br />
Garnish with chopped peanuts and freeze until solid.<br />
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Crust:<br />
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1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed<br />
2 tablespoons granulated sugar<br />
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes<br />
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter<br />
1/2 large beaten egg<br />
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
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Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.<br />
In the bowl of a food processor using the metal blade, process the brown and granulated sugars until they are powdered. <br />
With the motor running, add the butter cubes. After, add the peanut butter and process until creamy. With the motor running, add the egg and vanilla extract and process until incorporated. <br />
Scrap down the sides of the bowl and add the flour, pulsing until just incorporated.<br />
Remove the dough to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.<br />
Press the dough into the bottom and sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom.<br />
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.<br />
Bake in a preheated 375° F oven for 10 to 12 minutes.<br />
Remove and allow to cool.<br />
Remove baked shell from tart pan.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-78356015110065167252015-04-19T11:05:00.001-07:002015-04-19T11:05:28.673-07:00Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake (Bolo de Leite Condensado)When I was a kid, sweetened condensed milk rarely made an appearance in my mother's kitchen. In addition to a Christmas confection, there was also an overly sweet dessert that called for a can of it plus one of cherry pie filling if I'm not mistaken, Needless to say it was overly sweet and is nothing from my childhood that I ever crave. It wasn't until I delved into Brazilian cooking that I discovered sweetened condensed milk to be a staple in many households. Of course, the national confection, <i>brigadeiro </i>( Brazil's version of the truffle), uses sweetened condensed milk as the main ingredient. I have yet to master this simple candy that uses just a few ingredients. Luckily, the cake in this recipe goes together fairly quickly and resembles a pound cake in texture. The only trick is using the right pan or improvising.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7-J5CZKp1a8nyqVrarVKfQIHrNz8JEwP76du5JJZ9AxtOqnyOlzm5uWQG5P7L-YxZv10ijqXL7uLHVo0jPZGRGJztAlW11Fi5EGRbE5OUz8NLydjyOEULpTUhAw6yxqFWXLFXYzTjqM/s1600/sweetenedcdcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7-J5CZKp1a8nyqVrarVKfQIHrNz8JEwP76du5JJZ9AxtOqnyOlzm5uWQG5P7L-YxZv10ijqXL7uLHVo0jPZGRGJztAlW11Fi5EGRbE5OUz8NLydjyOEULpTUhAw6yxqFWXLFXYzTjqM/s1600/sweetenedcdcake.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is nothing worse than using the wrong vehicle for an unruly recipe. Take a loose batter, for instance. Use a two-piece tube pan and chances are. you will spend the next afternoon bent over a baked on mess in your oven. I speak from experience! I do not own a Brazilian tube cake pan and paid the price of using a loose batter for a Brazilian cake when it leaked out through the bottom all over the floor of my oven.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2qgnnev6RoCXGcVPWBr1L5qS0UbXVwW4uQjp2_AHKnB_r5Lrz6JAo8TA3NmLQ5IOHFLGb3oDayiq8bDvtMjHfuOEUmf7iA6Vtt6g0itmlDtxGAiuz8MdDiAJQrx8-P1yIW1SudNra0Y/s1600/brazlian+cake+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2qgnnev6RoCXGcVPWBr1L5qS0UbXVwW4uQjp2_AHKnB_r5Lrz6JAo8TA3NmLQ5IOHFLGb3oDayiq8bDvtMjHfuOEUmf7iA6Vtt6g0itmlDtxGAiuz8MdDiAJQrx8-P1yIW1SudNra0Y/s1600/brazlian+cake+pan.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a>As you can see from the illustration, the Brazilian tube cake pan comes in one piece (much like a bundt pan which you could also use), allowing it to hold batter of any consistency. But lack of this should not deter you from making this delicious cake.<br />
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If you only have a two-piece tube pan, you need only tightly secure the bottom with aluminum foil, before pouring in the batter and placing it in the oven to bake.<br />
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<br />
<b>Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake</b><br />
1- 14oz can sweetened condensed milk<br />
14 oz whole milk<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 cups, unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
Powdered sugar for dusting<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350° F<br />
Butter and flour a tube pan and set aside.<br />
In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, add the ingredients (except for the powdered sugar) in the order listed. Blend until completely incorporated.<br />
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.<br />
Remove from pan when cool.<br />
Dust with powdered sugar. <br />
Serve with berries and whipped cream if desired<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-88369823755362028172015-02-25T20:15:00.000-08:002015-02-25T20:15:10.960-08:00Banana Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8manz6HdBQQZ7z5F7maw0WtqffOLWbv56a1CneAQqpLOKTl9WAGeaon5tPBSu3lwdg9ZLzlBAPLclhqu5G8KXsvU7gZkS589FZentI9Jp9zSC9aOvJHl7cNNwHZV_adsA1UVw_qi7Uc/s1600/bananamuffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8manz6HdBQQZ7z5F7maw0WtqffOLWbv56a1CneAQqpLOKTl9WAGeaon5tPBSu3lwdg9ZLzlBAPLclhqu5G8KXsvU7gZkS589FZentI9Jp9zSC9aOvJHl7cNNwHZV_adsA1UVw_qi7Uc/s1600/bananamuffins.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
When life gives you rotten bananas......<br />
I usually associate muffins with something heavy for some reason. But these, based on a recipe by my sister, are anything but heavy! Light and full of flavor, these are as close to cupcakes as you can get without adding some frosting. But speaking of adding...<br />
The original recipe calls for vanilla. I don't mind vanilla but it gets a little tedious after awhile. (Why do we put it in practically everything we bake? ) So I decided to brighten up the flavor with a little lemon oil. (You can try using some grated lemon zest if you can't find lemon oil.) <br />
This recipe makes 15 which seems odd as most recipes are put together to make 12. But this gives me an opportunity to pass on a little tip I learned about using only a few of the forms in a muffin tin. Fill the empty ones about 1/3 full with water. This not only saves the tin from discoloration and burning on any residual oil that might have been left behind but also creates helps keep the muffins moist.<br />
<br />
<b>Banana Muffins</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 cup sugar<br />
1/2 cup softened butter<br />
1 egg<br />
2 very ripe bananas, mashed<br />
1/4 teaspoon lemon oil or 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest<br />
1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour<br />
4 tablespoons plain yogurt<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350°F,<br />
Line muffin tins with paper baking cups. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat until well incorporated.<br />
Add mashed bananas and lemon oil (or lemon zest) and blend thoroughly.<br />
Mix yogurt and baking soda and set aside.<br />
Add flour and yogurt mixture to sugar and butter mixture in 3 additions beginning and ending with flour taking care to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.<br />
Fill the lined muffin tins about 3/4 full with the mixture.<br />
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the muffins comes out clean.<br />
Let cool for about 5 minutes or so before removing from muffin tins.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-17737356768889506612015-02-15T13:12:00.004-08:002015-02-15T13:12:56.184-08:00Spiced Bolo de Fubá<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ievJ6udxh4_vFBEibmFTRHYtrwlqRaLUDIDDjxJv-MpgmgwPdHpr7g8iSDURzBrsbbrUYkFjLm9IaqR1pItxEAk_G1c9_pYyNiQC3LFz5yVAtNzNenja4hscobILJiNzri1neZrw9ZA/s1600/bolodfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ievJ6udxh4_vFBEibmFTRHYtrwlqRaLUDIDDjxJv-MpgmgwPdHpr7g8iSDURzBrsbbrUYkFjLm9IaqR1pItxEAk_G1c9_pYyNiQC3LFz5yVAtNzNenja4hscobILJiNzri1neZrw9ZA/s1600/bolodfb.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think there must be as many recipes and variations for this popular Brazilian corn flour cake as there are for chocolate cake. A staple at hotel breakfast buffets, this Brazilian cousin of our corn bread varies in taste and texture from recipe to recipe. One of the most interesting I had was at a cafe in the park across the street from my hotel in Manaus, this particular Bolo de Fubá had corn incorporated in the batter. Some others include cheese and maybe more like a cross between a custard and a cake. These latter ones are known as <i>Bolo de Fubá Cremoso </i>and are very different in texture than the one pictured on the left which, nonetheless, departs from most straight forward versions which call for the basic ingredients of flours, oils, eggs and sugar.<br />
A little note about ingredients: All the ingredients except the corn flour can be found in the regular sections of the supermarket. For the corn flour, you will have to look in the Latin section or visit a local Latino market. Pick up the one called <i>masa harina </i>(<b>Quaker</b> makes a version of this)<i>, </i>a finely milled corn flour used for making tortillas. Regular corn meal is too coarse and you will not get the desired texture.<br />
<br />
<b>Spiced Bolo de Fubá</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 1/2 cups sugar<br />
1 cup butter, softened<br />
4 eggs, separated<br />
1 1/2 cups corn flour such as masa harina<br />
1 cup unbleached flour<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1 tablespoon cinnamon<br />
2 teaspoons ginger<br />
1 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
1/4 cup milk<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350° F.<br />
Butter and flour a tube pan and set aside.<br />
Sift together the two flours, baking powder and spices and reserve.<br />
Beat sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time and beat until fully incorporated scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.<br />
In a clean bowl (and using clean beaters) beat egg whites until they form soft peaks,<br />
Add half the flour mixture to the sugar and butter mixture and mix well scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.<br />
Add all the milk and thoroughly mix<br />
Add the rest of the flour and combine.<br />
Fold in 1/3 of the beaten egg whites until no white spots show in the batter. Fold in the remaining 2/3 of the beat egg whites and fold in taking care not to let them deflate much.<br />
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, leveling off with a spatula and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.<br />
Let cool before removing from pan.<br />
As with many kinds of corn meal products, this dries out sooner than traditional cakes. <br />
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Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-31111767370999503012015-02-01T13:57:00.000-08:002015-02-01T13:57:23.821-08:00Sicilian Bolognese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINN0VEG-8BD2UhDNAbeSXmqBY91SELUEXnzeTiwlwz5VWh7RunfRiLLXVuTE1HAj_asT_un0b5qkAhorS2nNdNanKoHvjgCmCAm9GrL-Iehcjo2z-vuuhDDo7DxPgYWAEiDmStV1braw/s1600/spagbol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINN0VEG-8BD2UhDNAbeSXmqBY91SELUEXnzeTiwlwz5VWh7RunfRiLLXVuTE1HAj_asT_un0b5qkAhorS2nNdNanKoHvjgCmCAm9GrL-Iehcjo2z-vuuhDDo7DxPgYWAEiDmStV1braw/s1600/spagbol.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was always under the impression that spaghetti bolognese (spagbol) was an invention outside of Italy. (And perhaps it is outside of Bologna.) And also that there was only one way to execute this sauce properly, the method I learned from <i>Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking </i>by the great author and teacher, <b>Marcella Hazan.</b> But last night something happened to change my mind..<br />
Yesterday my mom wanted me to make spaghetti for her dinner, the kind of spaghetti we had growing up, the kind that takes forever to make and which I am not sure how to cook. The bolognese I am used to making (the Marcella Hazan type) does not lend itself well to spaghetti. For that reason (and others...I wanted to do something different...I was bored.) I grabbed a few books and started looking for a sauce that used ground beef. I didn't need to look far. <br />
I found a recipe in the book <i>La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio </i>that I had used a number of times before but I had forgotten about which doesn't require several hours of cooking and which, it turns out, the author recommends for spaghetti as the pasta of choice. Wow! Sicilian spagbol! (I'd only ever used the sauce before as a filling for <i>arancini</i>, the tasty deep-fried rice balls so popular at the snack bars in Sicily.) It worked wonderfully and, what's more, mom loved it. I'll still make the longer version from Marcella's book but this is definitely in my permanent repertoire!<br />
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<b>Spaghetti con Ragú di Tritato</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 pound ground chuck<br />
1 small onion, finely diced<br />
1/2 cup tomato paste<br />
1- 4-inch parmesan cheese rind<br />
1 medium carrot, quartered<br />
1 teaspoon sugar<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 cup beef stock<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Heat olive oil in a pot and add the onion and meat stirring just until the meat loses its pink color.<br />
In the meantime, dilute the tomato paste in the water.<br />
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and let simmer for an hour or longer taking care to stir every 15 minutes or so and scraping down the sides of the pot.<br />
It may be necessary to add a little water towards the end if the sauce is getting too dry.<br />
Correct for seasoning, and discard the carrots and cheese rind.Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-74084536536823423762015-01-08T08:59:00.001-08:002015-07-14T10:04:32.200-07:00Durum Flour Bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgbLBKD9gWpPG1O13uM9mF6HPK_Y5LKy-yRspicHL2E5Wewkfm-3_4ALTPRBP4bxFfVhVAb2iA6OXLdAisvqc2sjd9kg2tRBiZihtbHTXCIKfgp2tLsomJqfTOmJs9u6tlb7jimHG3mU/s1600/durumbrd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgbLBKD9gWpPG1O13uM9mF6HPK_Y5LKy-yRspicHL2E5Wewkfm-3_4ALTPRBP4bxFfVhVAb2iA6OXLdAisvqc2sjd9kg2tRBiZihtbHTXCIKfgp2tLsomJqfTOmJs9u6tlb7jimHG3mU/s1600/durumbrd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I suppose everyone has a certain recipe they go back to time and time again. When it comes to bread, this durum flour bread recipe which I got from a wonderful friend, Claudia, a Sicilian woman whose food pictures never cease to sweep me away, is my choice! I make it at least twice a week as long as my durum flour supply holds out. (Living in the northwest part of the state of Michigan, it's very difficult to get certain things and durum flour is definitely on the list.) But thankfully I have enough to tide me over affording me the opportunity to make this tasty bread two different ways.<br />
<b>Worth waiting for...</b><br />
When my Claudia gave me the recipe, she included two options for making it. Either making it the same day in the usual fashion of mixing the ingredients, kneading and allowing it to rise or mixing the ingredients and putting it in the fridge over night. Although both produce a very nice loaf of bread, I prefer the latter as it adds a unique taste that a shorter rise cannot produce. I will give both methods in the directions below.<br />
<b> Durum vs Semolina...</b><br />
The semolina we see in the market is a coarse grind of durum wheat. It is what's used to make pasta and some other dishes. The flour used for this bread is a finer milled product made from the same hard winter wheat as semolina. I have not tried to substitute the one for the other as I have recipes calling for semolina that use a larger ratio of regular flour.<br />
<br />
<b>Claudia's Durum Bread</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
350 gr finely milled durum wheat flour (3 cups)<br />
150 gr all-purpose unbleached flour (1 1/3 cups)<br />
2 teaspoons instant yeast<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />
350-400 dl lukewarm water (1-1 1/2 cups)<br />
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more for oiling the bowl if using the first method.)<br />
<br />
<b>Short Method</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix in about half the water and then the olive oil. Continue stirring and adding water until dough comes together.<br />
Remove to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding more flour to the surface as needed.<br />
Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 2 hours.<br />
On a lightly floured surface, shape into a loaf. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a bread peel and place the loaf on it covering it with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise 45 minutes.<br />
In the meantime, place a pizza stone on a rack in the middle of the oven and a shallow baking pan on a bottom rack. <br />
Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C)<br />
When the 45 minutes has elapsed, make several slashes in the bread with a very sharp knife or razor blade taking care not to use much pressure lest the bread deflates.<br />
Slide both bread and paper onto the waiting stone and pour a cup of hot tap water into the pan on the lower rack. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.<br />
<br />
<b> No-kneading Long Rise Method</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Mix as in the above directions.<br />
Once the dough has come together, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.<br />
The next morning, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let set at room temperature for about an hour. <br />
On a lightly floured surface, shape into a loaf. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a bread peel and place the loaf on it covering it with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise until almost doubled in volume,<br />
Proceed as above to bake.<br />
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Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-17606079075405222952014-12-03T20:41:00.001-08:002014-12-03T20:41:54.799-08:00Cherry Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jzlazBrnG09DTz9qaWUGA4G46hbrzvLNhc8vi-QaXXSwN3Ry_krebvFD2oNvxiOCYzQ4W0qbA1wY9Wb0gdyMCyJbKlc_76XGWc3u2N6FTL-Cw4UMQfmW3ldjqrskMYvkilvLO0FpVQQ/s1600/cherrymuffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jzlazBrnG09DTz9qaWUGA4G46hbrzvLNhc8vi-QaXXSwN3Ry_krebvFD2oNvxiOCYzQ4W0qbA1wY9Wb0gdyMCyJbKlc_76XGWc3u2N6FTL-Cw4UMQfmW3ldjqrskMYvkilvLO0FpVQQ/s1600/cherrymuffins.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Living in Traverse City, Michigan, I have come under the influence of cherries. Claiming the title, Cherry Capital, Traverse City is home to the Annual Cherry Festival, an event which draws tourists from all over the world, as well as the vast cherry orchards which inspire us locals to invent various uses for the famed fruit, using it for everything from the legendary pies to an additive for ground meat and all things in between.<br />
So, it wasn't too strange when I decided to depart from a heavy dump-muffin recipe from a cereal box and venture into an ingredient closer to home.<br />
Not at all dense, but very moist and cake-like with the deliciousness of sour cherries, the ones we generally use for the classic cherry pie, these muffins are a great start to the day and are equally as good as an afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of coffee. <br />
<b>Cherry Muffins</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour<br />
1 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 cup half-and-half<br />
2 large eggs<br />
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed<br />
1 stick butter, melted<br />
1/2 teaspoon almond extract<br />
1-15 oz can sour cherries, well drained.<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 375° F.<br />
Grease muffin tins or use paper liners.<br />
Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.<br />
In a medium bowl, whisk half-and-half, eggs, sugar, butter and extract together.<br />
With a fork, blend the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until just wet. Don't overmix. There should still be lumps and the batter should not be smooth. <br />
Gently fold the cherries into the wet ingredients.<br />
Spoon into the muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out dry.<br />
Cool for about 10 minutes in the tins before removing them to a rack to cool<br />
Makes 12.Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-21399628869338287642014-11-25T16:13:00.004-08:002014-11-25T16:13:55.332-08:00Brazilian Black Beans (Feijão Preto)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbr2jlLeR4SpBVetJL8vpAcCt5xS9QbuL_7Zh4wpOV9HWZPITHN-iXy5a7Jw-ZUXE8Nj1TBEIUkA0mpM1_d3oTnxvkvK2mswPwRPwGvffBmESRsbU3l9uMvfD5zCmzLOPMJtckEcukv9o/s1600/IMG_3633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbr2jlLeR4SpBVetJL8vpAcCt5xS9QbuL_7Zh4wpOV9HWZPITHN-iXy5a7Jw-ZUXE8Nj1TBEIUkA0mpM1_d3oTnxvkvK2mswPwRPwGvffBmESRsbU3l9uMvfD5zCmzLOPMJtckEcukv9o/s1600/IMG_3633.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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One thing I didn't see much of on my visits to Brazil were black beans, a key ingredient in Feijãoda, something else I didn't see much of...maybe once at a pay-by-weight buffet. So I was pleasantly surprised when I got hold of a Brazilian recipe for black beans, one that called for some ingredients that I can't get here, that forces me to use my imagination for substitutions, ends up making the recipe my own. I'm sure my Brazilian friends will notice the replacement right away! <br />
With the beans, I also served rice (my new favorite way to make it thanks to Carlos, my friend in Manaus who gave me a cooking lesson on my last night there) and braised cabbage, a colorful dish that utilizes corn, peas and red sweet peppers to make a dazzling dish, I will give the recipes for both of those in a later post.<br />
<br />
<b>Brazilian Black Beans</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1 pound black beans<br />
2 tablespoons vegetable oil<br />
1 cup good quality chopped bacon<br />
4 oz diced Polish sausage<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
Salt and pepper to taste.<br />
<br />
Pick over and rinse the beans and put them in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover by 5 inches. Heat until the weight gently rocks and cook for 15 minutes. Use cold water to decrease the pressure. Drain off part of the water leaving about 2 inches covering the cooked beans and mash the contents with a potato masher to thicken up the broth. Be careful not to mash too much. You still want most of the beans left whole.<br />
In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the bacon and sausage until cooked through. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until the onion is soft and add the contents to the beans, one cup of water and salt and pepper to taste. <br />
Put the cover on the pressure cooker, bring up to pressure and cook again for another 5 minutes. Serve with rice.<br />
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Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-37633407360455518922013-03-20T13:48:00.000-07:002013-03-21T08:45:51.395-07:00Semur Daging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my never-ending quest to experience all things Indonesian, last night I followed a friend's advise and made my first Semur. Salmah, a Facebook friend from Indonesia, and I got into a discussion about Indonesian food yesterday, much to my delight. She mentioned a few favorites which sent me running for my copy of <i>Southeast Asian Food, </i>a compendium of dishes from the area (and my bible for southeast Asian cooking) by Rosemary Brissenden, to look for something called <i>semur. </i> The book only offers two recipes for this Javanese stew. (I am not really complaining as the very thick edition covers quite a lot of area--both culinary and geographically--making it impossible to include every single recipe for every single dish in every single region. Still, I do wish someone would come out with a more complete book for just Indonesia.) Having a freezer bag of Korean-style beef short ribs in the freezer, I opted for the Semur Daging and was pleased with the result. However, the next time around, I will be using the slow cooker. (The recipe calls for simmering, covered, for and hour and the adding quartered potatoes which take another half hour to forty-five minutes. This makes it tender enough but I think letting it go for several hours in the slow cooker would result in a more tender melt-in-your-mouth meat.)<br />
Whichever way you want to prepare this, here is the recipe for <i>Semur Daging</i>, a wonderful Indonesian beef stew which you will want to serve with rice. (Never mind that the stew already includes potatoes!)<br />
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<b>Semur Daging (Beef Stew)</b><br />
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1 tablespoon oil<br />
2 pounds stewing beef, cubed. Or beef short ribs<br />
3 tablespoons kecap manis (available in Asian markets) or 2 tablespoons dark soy and 1 tablespoon palm or dark brown sugar.<br />
1 slice ginger root, bruised<br />
2 whole cloves<br />
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg<br />
1 small stick cinnamon<br />
Salt to taste<br />
3 small potatoes, quartered<br />
1 tomato, cut into 8 wedges<br />
Fresh lime juice to taste<br />
2 red chilies, sliced<br />
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<b><i>Spice Paste</i></b><br />
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3 cloves garlic<br />
5 shallots, sliced<br />
Pinch black pepper<br />
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Grind the Spice Paste ingredients into a fine paste. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the Spice Paste until fragrant and add the meat, stirring to coat with the fried paste, and cook until the meat changes color. Add the kecap manis, enough water to cover, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Cover and simmer for one hour. Add the potatoes, cover and simmer until they are done. Add the tomato, like juice and more water if needed. Serve garnished with chilies.<br />
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<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-37918421943774709872012-11-27T09:27:00.000-08:002012-11-27T09:27:06.101-08:00Apple Galette (easier than pie!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rustic and so tasty looking, this is my go-to desert when I am rushed and I know I have some pie dough in the fridge. Actually, that is how I ended up making my first galette.<br />
We had to bring pumpkin pie to a gathering and when I made the dough, I made the whole recipe, enough dough for two pies. Even though I had never made one before, I knew a galette could be made using regular pie dough and a fruit filling. You've heard the term "easy as pie?" Well, this is way easier!<br />
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<b>Apple Galette</b><br />
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2 baking apples (Granny Smiths are good) peeled, cored and sliced about 1/8 inch thick<br />
1/2 cup white sugar plus more for sprinkling on the crust.<br />
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or more to taste)<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
2 teaspoons butter to dot the pie<br />
1/4 cup apricot preserves*<br />
One recipe pie dough (followed below)<br />
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Preheat oven to 425°F<br />
Mix apples, sugar, cinnamon and salt and set aside.<br />
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.<br />
Roll one disc of dough into a circle about 14 inches in diameter and transfer to baking sheet.<br />
Place apple slices in a concentric circle on the dough leaving about 4 inches of dough exposed around the edge.<br />
Dot with small pieces of butter in various places.<br />
Fold the dough in around the fruit. <br />
Brush dough with water and sprinkle with sugar.<br />
Bake for about 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown.<br />
Heat preserves and brush on exposed apples.<br />
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<b>Pie Dough</b><br />
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons sugar<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces<br />
1/4 cup chilled vegetable shortening or lard<br />
Ice water<br />
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In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, sugar and salt and pulse a few times to mix. <br />
Add the butter and shortening and pulse 11 times or until the fat is cut into the flour to resemble the size of small peas.<br />
Add 6 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse several times adding a little more water if needed until the mixture comes together. (Do not add too much water,)<br />
Remove the dough, divided in half and form each half into a 5-inch disk, wrapping each in plastic wrap and refrigerating until needed.<br />
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*I have used various kinds of jams including strawberry and even orange marmalade with great results!<br />
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<b><br /></b>Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-92230388635828241262012-11-16T14:54:00.003-08:002012-11-16T14:54:46.179-08:00Nasi Goreng<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know I will catch a lot of flack from my friends in Indonesia and Malaysia for this recipe because it is probably not what they would call original, for one thing. For another thing, both cultures seem to lay claim to this preparation of fried rice and some other dishes that they both share but prepare in different ways.<br />
This recipe comes from <b>Southeast Asian Food </b>by cookbook author, <i>Rosemary Brissenden. </i>I am currently cooking my way through this fabulous book starting at the beginning which focuses on recipes from Indonesia. <br />
To make it even spicier (and tastier IMO), I like to add <i>bajak sambal</i>, a sweet, sour, fiery condiment that none of my Indonesian friends seems to have heard about but one which I make at least twice a week to go with my daily breakfast of <i>nasi goreng</i>, the fried rice of Indonesia and Malaysia.<br />
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<b>Nasi Goreng</b><br />
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<b>3 tablespoons or more oil</b><br />
<b>8 oz rump steak or boneless chicken, cut into very thin strips</b><br />
<b>7 oz shrimp peeled and deveined (optional)</b><br />
<b>3 cups steamed rice, cooled. (leftover is best)</b><br />
<b>1 tablespoon Javanese soy sauce (I use kecap manis)</b><br />
<b>1 tablespoon light soy sauce</b><br />
<b>Fried onion flakes for garnish</b><br />
<b>One egg per person </b><br />
<b>Shrimp crackers</b><br />
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<b>Spice Paste</b><br />
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<b>4 medium-length red chilies, seeded and coarsely chopped</b><br />
<b>1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste</b><br />
<b>2 cloves garlic</b><br />
<b>5 shallots, sliced.</b><br />
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<b>Grind the spice paste ingredients to a rough paste. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or pan and fry the spice paste until fragrant. Add the beef and shrimp (if using) and stir-fry until they are cooked. Add the rice and mix well. Add more oil if necessary, and the soy sauces, and keep stirring until the rice grains are coated, everything is warm and the color is even. Set aside and keep warm.</b><br />
<b> In a separate pan, fry the eggs until they are cook but the yolks are still soft. Serve the rice on individual plates, garnished with fried onion flakes and a fried egg on top. Decorate the plates with the sliced tomatoes and cucumber. Serve with a side dish of shrimp crackers.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-60648421241076682162012-05-28T10:35:00.001-07:002012-05-28T10:35:25.892-07:00Curry Puffs (Karipaps)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really have to thank my very dear friend Adam from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for introducing me to this wonderful snack.<br />
He not only told me about them but also sent me a cookbook with a recipe for them.<br />
For a dipping sauce, I like to use the sweet chili sauce that comes in a bottle. Both Mae Ploy and Dragaonfly make this and is in the asian section of the supermarket. Anther friend from Malaysia has given me a recipe for it which I have yet to try so I won't include it here. If you cannot get it, I would use oyster sauce, hoisin or some other sweet sauce. If you have sweet and sour that would be fine, too.<br />
For the curry powder, I use Oriental curry powder from S&B. Use a little extra if you cannot get curry leaves.<br />
These are best eaten fresh and hot buy can be reheated in the oven on a baking sheet. DO NOT reheat in the microwave. It destroys the texture.<br />
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Malay Curry Puffs (Karipaps)<br />
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Pastry:<br />
3/8 cup oil<br />
2 1/2 tablespoon butter<br />
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt dissolved in 1/4 cup water<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
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Filling:<br />
2 tablespoons oil<br />
1 onion, minced<br />
5-6 curry leaves<br />
1 tablespoon curry powder mixed with 5 tablespoon of water<br />
5 oz ground beef<br />
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and finely diced<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
water<br />
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To make the pastry, heat up oil and butter just until the butter melt and then cool slightly.<br />
Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the oil and butter mixture. Mix well. Add the salted water and mix well. Add just enough water to make a pliable dough and knead. Cover and set aside for half an hour.<br />
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To make the filling, heat oil in a skillet and saute onion until translucent. Add the curry mixture and curry leaves and fry for a few minutes splashing a little water in the pan if it starts to stick and burn. Add the beef and fry for a few more minutes. Add the potatoes and salted water and continue cooking adding a little water from time to time to "steam" the potatoes. Correct for seasoning and set aside to cool.<br />
Roll the dough out thin and cut into 3-inch circles. Fill, fold and crimp the edges. <br />
Fry in oil until golden brown and serve immediately<br />
<br />Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4990069866109251655.post-70351649344741525082012-04-17T13:49:00.017-07:002012-04-17T15:17:28.910-07:00Lamb Rendang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_e4T99JgMke51zYQro0BnYMWevvTsS8F3m4PO-_Cb7SXNsIi7QqOq-ZE0UGs9t5YwN6mhTHXIHbrMiLCZ0OYLJnMYH3pkiZ596fZZSyWUge9qqdH38ADQyMXPYFf779I5VIidKUmknO0/s1600/lamb+rendang.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_e4T99JgMke51zYQro0BnYMWevvTsS8F3m4PO-_Cb7SXNsIi7QqOq-ZE0UGs9t5YwN6mhTHXIHbrMiLCZ0OYLJnMYH3pkiZ596fZZSyWUge9qqdH38ADQyMXPYFf779I5VIidKUmknO0/s320/lamb+rendang.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamb Rendang over rice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zKVcBa9fSOg27XyLiMoWyoz3MFbM5VgcU2KndGIYvNpg5RdvfIoLG3yXBe9ch_3RiPE70BRjI9313u5ib41gDQcR3cZDIY9F5tO1t47TRYRv48o7Scd1zk1QzcM0z_3SsX9SO1n9cEM/s1600/rendang+spice+paste.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4zKVcBa9fSOg27XyLiMoWyoz3MFbM5VgcU2KndGIYvNpg5RdvfIoLG3yXBe9ch_3RiPE70BRjI9313u5ib41gDQcR3cZDIY9F5tO1t47TRYRv48o7Scd1zk1QzcM0z_3SsX9SO1n9cEM/s320/rendang+spice+paste.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frying spice paste</td></tr>
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On the Saturday morning before Easter when I decided at the last minute that I wanted to make <i>Abbacchio</i>, Roman lamb, for my dinner the next day, I had no idea that I was getting into a situation that would leave me with more meat than I had counted on. I called a local butcher shop and was told there was one lamb shoulder roast left. Excited, I asked the man to put my name on it and save it. I pictured a medium-sized roast like the one I had gotten in Rome during my stay there. When I got there I was surprised at the size of this monster. It wasn't a shoulder of lamb, it was a shoulder of elephant!<br />
The next day I cut the lamb into pieces and started wondering what I would do with the rest. (I had two 1-gallon bags full of cut up lamb.) My answer came soon after as I was looking through my favorite Malaysian cooking site, <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/">Rasamalaysia</a> where I found a recipe for slowcooker <b>Lamb Rendang. </b>Really? Slowcooker? Who knew? OK, I am chronically western and ignorant with visions of an ancient culture that has remained the same for centuries in spite of the fact that I talk to my Malaysian friends on Facebook and Skype and warn at least one not to become too addicted to the McDonalds' and KFC's in Kuala Lumpur. <br />
But yes, this uses a slowcooker and the results are amazing. This is some of the tenderest and most succulent lamb I have ever eaten. And it was not that spicy, either. I hope you'll give this a shot.<br />
<a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/lamb-rendang-spicy-lamb-curry/">Lamd Rendang</a>Eddie Hooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07011002188351926221noreply@blogger.com0