> Article: Braise and Brown

> Wine Appreciation: Angove's Nine Vines Shiraz Viognier 2007

> Food Funnies: Typical Lunches of Selected Professions

S E L E C T E D R E C I P E S :

* Skor Bars

* Chicken Vesuvio

* Peppered Beef Stroganoff

* Cioppino

* Skillet Breakfast

* Corn Chowder

* Zucchini Gratin

* Buttermilk Pie

Healthy Eating:

Low Carb: Homemade Italian Sausage

Diabetic: Stuffed Green Peppers

Low Fat: Broccoli Knishes

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This Week's Cooking Tips:

Cooking Tender Chicken:

* Don't let chicken dry out in the refrigerator; dry chicken is
tough chicken. Keep it wrapped in the package it comes in until
you use it.

* Keep the skin on chicken during cooking. The skin helps keep
juices in, and tenderness and juiciness go hand in hand.

* Fry or roast breast pieces rather than microwaving them if
tenderness is a top priority for you. Microwaving is
significantly faster, but there's a greater risk of toughness
when you microwave breast meat.

* Cook chicken to the proper temperature, using a meat thermometer
or pop-up guide. Cook bone-in chicken to 180 degrees and boneless
chicken to 170 degrees. Undercooked chicken will be tough and
rubbery because it takes a fairly high internal temperature to
soften the proteins in the muscles and make them tender. However,
with overcooked chicken, moisture will start to steam off, and
the more chicken dries out, the tougher it gets. More Cooking Tips

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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer at the bottom of page)

Which early innovation radically changed and enlarged the market
for soft drinks? In fact, local markets were able to go global.

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Quote of the Week:

"There is nothing better on a cold wintry day than a
properly made pot pie."

- Craig Claiborne

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Subscribe to the VJJE Recipe Weekly - It's fun and it's free!

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UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:

January is: National Egg Month
Bread Machine Baking Month
Oatmeal Month
Wheat Bread Month
National Hot Tea Month
Fat Free Living Month
National Soup Month

January 9 - National Apricot Day
January 10 - National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
January 11 - National Hot Toddy Day
January 12 - National Marzipan Day
January 13 - National Peach Melba Day
January 14 - National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
January 15 - National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
January 16 - National Fig Newton Day

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Braise and Brown
By MARK BITTMAN

At a feast in Delhi a couple of years ago I was served meatballs
that were among the best I ever had. And the most time-consuming to
make: the recipe included instructions to pound the meat in a mortar
and pestle for two hours.

I also ate the most wonderful lamb ribs imaginable. They are a
specialty of Kashmir called tabak maaz. The ribs had undergone the
curious braise-then-brown process which, though uncommon, makes
perfect sense. The meat was first made tender by braising, then
browned with fresh spices and oil (or, in this case, butter). The
result was the flavor of braising with the crispness of sauteing, an
unbeatable combination.

In my version of the recipe below, the lamb ribs are simmered in
milk and water and spices, mostly sweet, until tender and just about
dry. Just before serving they are browned in garlic-scented butter.

Rib meat is among the most delicious. Think of pork ribs, veal
breast and prime rib. Though lamb ribs are rarely packaged in
supermarkets, there are options. I wrote "rarely" because you do
occasionally find them sitting on the shelf. But almost any butcher,
even those in supermarkets, can get a lamb breast and cut it up for
you with two days' notice at the most.

If you are having the meat custom cut, ask the butcher to give you
rectangular sections measuring about two by three inches and
including a couple of ribs in each.

You can use shoulder chops, which are easy enough to find, and the
results will be almost as delicious.

Twice-Cooked Lamb (Tabak Maaz)
4 pounds lamb ribs from the breast or 2 to 3 pounds shoulder
lamb chops
Salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or neutral oil like corn or grapeseed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish

1. Place ribs in a large skillet with a pinch of salt and the
cayenne, fennel, ginger, turmeric, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom,
cinnamon, milk and about 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, then
adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cook, turning or stirring meat
occasionally until just about tender, adding more water if
mixture dries out, about 30 to 45 minutes.

2. When meat is tender, remove it. If any liquid remains in pan, cook
over medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any
bits stuck to bottom, until mixture is just about dry. Remove
cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.

3. Add butter or oil and the garlic to pan over medium heat and when
it's hot, brown meat in it. Remove meat to a warm platter. Add
about 1/2 cup water to pan. Once again cook liquid over
medium-high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen any bits
that have stuck to bottom, until liquid is reduced by about half.
Pour over meat, garnish with cilantro and serve.

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THE E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY

Find out why the E-Cookbooks Library is one
of the greatest values on the internet!

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This Week's Wine Selection

Angove's Nine Vines Shiraz Viognier 2007 Price: $8

Deep red with inky hues, this medium bodied wine is bursting with aromas
of spicy black pepper with apricot notes. On the palate the wine shows soft
warm characters and fnishes with rich fruit flavours.

Serve With:

Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms and Basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for cooking
pasta.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add garlic and
cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring
occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Remove from the
heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender,
9 to 11 minutes or according to package directions. Drain, reserving
1/2 cup cooking liquid.

Add the pasta, the reserved cooking liquid, Parmesan and 1/4 cup
basil to the mushrooms in the skillet; toss to coat well. Serve
immediately, garnished with remaining basil.

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FOOD FUNNIES: Typical Lunches of Selected Professions

9. Hotel Lounge Piano Player: Ham and cheese on stale white bread.

8. Lawyer: Puppies, kittens, and small children, sauteed, with a
side of brown rice.

7. Jeweler: At least 14 carrots.

6. Ophthalmologist: Alphabet soup with all different sized letters.

5. CHiPs Cop: California roll, with edamame and seaweed salad. On
a donut.

4. IRS Auditor: A few legs. Sometimes arms.

3. Superhero: Just a simple burger and fries. Eaten three miles
above the diner.

2. Seismologist: It’s always the lunch buffet at Shakey’s Pizza.

... and the # 1 Typical Lunch of Selected Professions ...

1. Obstetrician: Almost anything, as long as someone else delivers it.

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Skor Bars

24 regular salted soda crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13x9 inch pan with Parchment paper for
easy clean up. Arrange crackers evenly in pan.

In saucepan over medium heat melt butter. Stir in brown sugar until
melted and smooth. Bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly until
mixture is smooth and bubbly. Boil for exactly 2 minutes and then
pour mixture evenly over crackers.

Bake in oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate pieces evenly over
caramel mixture. Return to oven just long enough for chocolate to
melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula. Place pan in refrigerator
or freezer until chocolate is firm. Cut or break into pieces.

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Chicken Vesuvio

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken thighs with skin and bones
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts or
1 cup frozen lima beans, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450F. Heat the oil in large ovenproof pot over
high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in
2 batches if necessary, cook the chicken in the pot until golden
brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl.
Carefully add the potatoes to the same pot and cook until they are
golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic
and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown
bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, oregano, and thyme.
Return the chicken to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over
medium-high heat.

Cover and bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through,
about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Arrange the
potatoes around chicken. Add the artichoke hearts to the sauce in the
pot. Cover and simmer over high heat until the artichokes are tender,
stirring often, about 4 minutes. Turn heat to low. Stir in the butter.
Pour the sauce over chicken and potatoes, and serve.

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Peppered Beef Stroganoff

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 (8-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
1 1/4 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 8.8-ounce package wide egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Sprinkle ground pepper and salt over both sides of steaks; press to
adhere. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-
high heat. Add steaks; cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per
side for medium-rare. Transfer beef to plate; tent with foil. Add
1 tablespoon oil and mushrooms to same skillet; saute until browned,
about 4 minutes. Add broth and Cognac; boil 2 minutes. Add cream;
boil until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in mustard.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in pot of boiling salted water until just
tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return
to pot; toss with parsley and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and
pepper. Divide among plates. Slice steaks; place atop noodles. Spoon
sauce over all.

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Cioppino

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes with added puree
2 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
1 cup dry white wine
2 (6 1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained, liquid reserved
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 (6-ounce) can crabmeat, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Cayenne pepper

Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion,
garlic, oregano and fennel seeds and saute until onion is tender,
about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, clam juice, white wine and liquid
reserved from clams. Increase heat and boil until slightly thickened,
about 15 minutes. Add clams, shrimp and crabmeat. Reduce heat and
simmer 2 minutes. Mix in fresh basil and simmer until shrimp are
just opaque in center, about 2 minutes longer. Season stew to taste
with cayenne, salt and pepper.

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Skillet Breakfast

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound fresh chorizo
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium red potatoes, diced small
1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 eggs
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet to medium heat, add ground chuck
and chorizo, cook until brown, breaking it up as it cooks. Season
with salt and pepper, to taste. Add potatoes, onion and 1 more
tablespoon oil, if needed. Stir to incorporate, then let cook 8
minutes, undisturbed to form golden crust. Stir potatoes, then let
cook undisturbed another 8 minutes. When potatoes are almost totally
cooked through, mix in garlic, rosemary, and red pepper. Form 4
pockets in the hash to put the eggs. Add a little more oil in the
pockets, if necessary, so the eggs don't stick. Carefully pour an
egg into each pocket, cover pan and turn heat to low. Cook until
eggs are set to desired doneness, about 2 minutes. Remove to a
serving platter or place on individual plates and garnish with
parsley.

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Corn Chowder

8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive
oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with
a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the
onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the
onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer
uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using
fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes
in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip
this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and
cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season,
to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

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Zucchini Gratin

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 400F. Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch)
saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until
tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10
minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook
uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and
cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour
the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the
zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits
and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

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Buttermilk Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup biscuit mix (recommended: Bisquick)
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan. Put all ingredients
in a bowl and blend for 1 minute with a handheld electric mixer.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until
a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5
minutes.

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This Week's Culinary Quiz Answer: Bottling the drinks

Early manufacturers had a tough time trying to cap the bubbles and
gasses in soft drinks, but finally they found a way. In just a few
years, glass bottle production went up from 1,500 bottles each day,
to 57,000 a day. Bottling allowed expansion into home, work, schools,
long distance and finally overseas markets. Shifting to plastic
bottles expanded markets even further, since plastic is lighter,
and rarely breaks during shipping.

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