| THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES:
> Article:
"North China in a Stir-Fry"
> Wine Appreciation:
Barnard Griffin Fume Blanc 2009
> Food Funnies:
Foods They Won’t Even Sell at Convenience Stores
S
E L E C T E D R E C I P E S :
* Ruby
Tuesday's Buffalo Chicken Wontons
* Herb
Crusted Pork Tenderloin
* Chicken
Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
* Spicy
Garlic Shrimp
* Cincinnati
Chili
* Polish
Borscht
* Banana
Crumb Muffins
* Oreo
Truffles
Healthy Eating:
Low Carb: Black
Pepper and Balsamic Pork Chops
Diabetic: Italian
Style Green Beans and Tomatoes
Low Fat: Squash
Dinner Rolls
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This Week's Cooking Tips
* To frost a cake quickly without
having it crumble, freeze the
layers in the cake pans for
about one hour, then remove them
from the pans and frost them.
This also prevents the layers
from splitting in the center.
* To keep a cake from sticking to
the pan, grease the pan with
one part shortening and two
parts flour mixed until it has a
sandy consistency.
* To keep loaf cakes fresher longer,
cut slices from the middle
rather than from the end.
When you're finished slicing, firmly
push the two leftover sections
together to reform a loaf. This
way, you eliminate an exposed,
quick-to-dry-out "end" slice.
* To prevent cake filling from soaking
into the cake, sprinkle
layers lightly with confectioners'
sugar before spreading filling.
More
Cooking Tips
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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer
at the bottom of page)
The wurst place
in the United States? This city claims to be
the "Bratwurst Capital
of America." Name that city.
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Quote of the Week:
"We are living in a world
today where lemonade is made from
artificial flavors and furniture
polish is made from real lemons."
- Alfred E. Newman
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Subscribe
to the VJJE Recipe Weekly - It's fun and it's free!
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UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
March is: National Nutrition Month
National Frozen Food Month
National Peanut Month
National Sauce Month
National Flour Month
National Noodle Month
February 27 - National Kahlua Day
February 28 - National Chocolate Souffle Day
March 1 - National Peanut Butter Lover's Day
March 2 - National Banana Cream Pie Day
March 3 - National Mulled Wine Day
March 4 - National Pound Cake Day
March 5 - National Cheese Doodle Day
March 6 - National Frozen Food Day
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FREE E-COOKBOOKS!
Get 14 Sample E-Cookbooks
Absolutely FREE!
Click
Here For Free Cookbooks
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North China in a Stir-Fry
By MARK BITTMAN
It is not often that I can solve
two long-standing culinary problems
in one dish, but that is the story
here.
Until recently I, like most non-Chinese,
would not have known a
bitter melon if I found one in my
refrigerator. I had eaten them only
in restaurants, and there only in
soups.
But then I tasted a dish of bitter
melon stir-fried with black beans
and lamb in a Sichuan restaurant
in Southern California, and it
occurred to me that the flavor and
texture of the melon is akin to
that of green peppers. (The bitter
melon is in the cucurbit family,
as is the cucumber, which it resembles;
so is a cantaloupe, so the
name is not far off.) Buying some
bitter melon and cooking the dish
on my own confirmed this.
The two problems this solved for
me? It gave me a credible
substitute for bitter melon, which
is hard to find outside of Asian
markets, and it gave me a use for
green peppers, which I have held a
grudge against for years.
Green peppers are nothing but unripe
red peppers, and they are
bitter. But bitterness, in its place,
can be a welcome flavor. So I
set about making my bitter melon
stir-fry, but with green peppers.
(If you can find a bitter melon,
by all means use it; cut it in half
the long way, then scoop out the
seeds and fluffy insides before
chopping.)
This stir-fry is unusual for its
inclusion of lamb, which is not
often seen in Chinese cooking. Nevertheless,
lamb is traditional,
especially in northern China. It
is great when combined with black
beans (buy the dry salted kind,
which keep forever), and the elusive
bitter melon. Or the green peppers.
Stir-Fried Lamb With Green Peppers
and Black Beans
1/4 cup salted black
beans
1/4 cup Shao Xing wine,
or sherry, sake or white wine
3 tablespoons neutral
oil, like corn or canola
3 or 4 green bell peppers,
stemmed, cored and sliced (or 2 or 3
bitter
melons, seeded and chopped)
1 pound boneless lamb,
from leg or shoulder, in thin slices
1 tablespoon minced
garlic
1 tablespoon peeled
and minced ginger
1/3 cup chicken stock
or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped scallions
Cooked white rice,
for serving
1. In a bowl, place black beans and
wine and set aside. Put 1
tablespoon oil in a
large skillet or wok and turn heat to high.
When oil shimmers,
add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally,
until they brown and
soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to a second
bowl.
2. Add another tablespoon of oil
to skillet and heat; add lamb, a
couple of pieces at
a time. Do not crowd; you may need to cook
lamb in two batches.
Brown well on each side, then remove to the
bowl with peppers.
3. Turn the heat to medium and wait
a moment. Add remaining oil to
skillet, along with
garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, for 30
seconds. Turn heat
back to high. Add lamb mixture, soaked beans
and their liquid, stock
and soy sauce. Cook, stirring
occasionally, until
liquid is somewhat reduced (if it dries out,
add a little stock
or water). Stir in scallions and serve over
rice. Yield: 4 servings.
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This Week's Wine Selection
Barnard Griffin Fume Blanc
2009 Price: $11
Delivers textbook Sauvignon Blanc
aromas of pear and melon with a
streak of mineral and herbs. Fresh
and appley with a thread of
pineapple and tangerine flavors.
Racy acidity and an underlying
minerality add balance and complexity
to this satisfying white.
Serve With:
Poulet a la Fermiere
================
2 pounds chicken thighs
and drumsticks
1 tablespoon unsalted
butter
6 fresh parsley sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
4 carrots, cut diagonally
into 1-inch-thick slices
2 cups frozen small
whole onions, thawed and patted dry
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 pound small (1 1/2-inch)
boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
2/3 cup creme fraiche
1 cup frozen baby peas,
thawed
1 cup coarsely grated
Gruyere
Pat chicken dry and season with
salt and pepper. Heat butter in a
12 inch ovenproof deep heavy saute
pan over moderately high heat
until foam subsides, then brown
chicken all over, in batches if
necessary, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer
to a plate and cover. Pour off
all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaf
in cheesecloth to make a bouquet
garni, then add to pan with carrots
and onions, stirring to coat with
fat. Add wine and deglaze by boiling
over high heat, stirring and
scraping up brown bits, until liquid
is reduced by half, about 3
minutes. Add broth and chicken,
skin sides up, with any juices from
plate, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
Add potatoes and salt and
pepper to taste and simmer, covered,
until chicken is cooked through
and potatoes are tender, about 15
minutes.
Preheat broiler. Discard bouquet
garni. Stir in creme fraiche, peas,
and salt and pepper to taste, then
turn chicken in sauce to coat.
Sprinkle dish all over with Gruyere
and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat
until browned and sauce is bubbling,
3 to 4 minutes.
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http://www.littlefivers.com =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Food Funnies:
Foods They Won’t Even Sell at Convenience Stores:
9. Tofu Jerky
8. Bleu Cheese Ice Cream
7. Diarrheatos
6. Pickled Twinkies
5. Rocks-from-the-Road Ice Cream
4. Shingles Potato Chips
3. Slimfast Jims
2. Chock Full o’ Gnats Coffee
... and the #1 Food They Won’t
Even Sell at Convenience Stores ...
1. Roadrage! Supercharged Energy
Drink
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Ruby Tuesday's Buffalo Chicken Wontons
======================================
12 wonton wrappers,
cut into quarters
2 tablespoons vegetable
oil, to brush on wontons
6 cups water, to boil
chicken
1 lb. boneless skinless
chicken breasts
6 tablespoons louisiana
hot sauce
2 teaspoons liquid
margarine
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic
powder
salt
blue cheese dressing
celery (to garnish)
Preheat the oven to 325F. Place
the wonton wrappers on a work
surface and brush lightly with the
oil. Mold the wontons, oiled-side
up, into the bottoms of miniature
(1-inch) muffin tins.
Bake until light brown, about 5
minutes. Remove from oven, let cool
slightly and remove from the muffin
tins. Cool on a wire rack. Place
on a baking sheet and cover tightly
with plastic wrap until ready to
assemble.
Cook the chicken at a simmer until
cooked through, about 12 minutes.
Cool the chicken slightly, then
finely chop and shred with a fork.
Season with a little salt.
In a medium bowl mix together the
Hot Sauce, liquid margarine,
garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Add the chicken and mix well.
Refrigerate until slightly chilled.
To assemble: Place 1 heaping teaspoon
of the chicken mixture in
each wonton cup and garnish with
bleu cheese dressing and crunchy
celery sticks for dipping. Serve
at room temperature.
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Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
============================
1 (4-pound) boneless
pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive
oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 475F. Place the
pork loin on a rack in a roasting
pan. Combine the remaining ingredients
in a small bowl. With your
fingers, massage the mixture onto
the pork loin, covering all of
the meat and fat.
Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then
reduce the heat to 425F and
roast for an additional hour. Test
for doneness using an instant-
read thermometer. When the internal
temperature reaches 155F,
remove the roast from the oven.
Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes
before carving. It will continue
to cook while it rests.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy
====================================
For the Steak:
oil or shortening
6-8 tenderized beef
cutlets (round or cube steak)
3-4 cups seasoned
flour
3 eggs
2 cups milk
For the Gravy:
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
4 cups milk
1-2 tablespoon drippings,
included the cooked bits
Heat about 1/4-1/2 inch of oil or
shortening in a frying pan. Beat
eggs then combine with milk. Dredge
tenderized beef cutlets in
flour, then egg-milk wash, then
a second time in flour. Place
dredged cutlets into heated oil
and fry until golden, about 10
minutes. Turn steak over and cook
for another 5 minutes or so until
both sides are golden. Remove to
a plate lined with paper towels
and allow to drain.
Drain all but 1-2 tablespoons of
drippings from the frying pan;
leave all the cooked bits you can.
Combine flour and seasonings
with milk, then pour into the pan
with drippings and bits.
Continually stir/whisk the gravy
over medium heat for 10-15 minutes,
or until desired consistency. Taste
and add more salt or pepper if
necessary. Serve generously over
each piece of chicken fried steak.
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Spicy Garlic Shrimp
===================
12 shrimp (Jumbo sized,
peeled, deveined, & tails intact)
2 tablespoons olive
oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
flakes
1 teaspoon Montreal
steak seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh
chopped parsley
Heat a large skillet over medium
high heat. Add olive oil, garlic,
red pepper flakes, and shrimp. Season
with grill seasoning or salt
& pepper. Cook shrimp 3 minutes
or until just pink. Toss with lemon
zest, juice, & chopped parsley.
Remove shrimp to a serving platter,
leaving the garlic cloves in the
pan.
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Cincinnati Chili
================
1 quart water
2 pounds ground chuck,
crumbled
2 medium onions, finely
chopped
5-6 cloves garlic,
crushed (use garlic press) or minced
1 can (15-ounce) tomato
sauce
2 tablespoons cider
vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
sauce
10 peppercorns, ground
8 whole allspice, ground
8 whole cloves, ground
1 large bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground
cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons cayenne
pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 oz. unsweetened
chocolate, grated
Bring water to boil in a 4-6 quart
pot. Add the ground chuck (do
not brown first). Stir until separated
and reduce heat to simmer.
Add onions, garlic, tomato sauce,
cider vinegar, and Worcestershire
sauce. Stir to mix well. Add peppercorns,
allspice, cloves, bay leaf,
salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and
grated unsweetened chocolate.
Bring back to a boil, then reduce
to simmer for 2-1/2 hours cooking
time in all. Cool uncovered and
refrigerate overnight. Skim all or
most of the fat and discard. Discard
bay leaf. Reheat and serve over
hot spaghetti.
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Polish Borscht
==============
1 1/2 pounds pork spareribs
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 peppercorns
2 tablespoons white
vinegar
5 medium beets
2 cups sour cream
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
In a large pot combine the spare
ribs, onion, bay leaf and
peppercorns, vinegar and cover with
water. Bring to a simmer and
cook until the meat is tender, about
1 to 1 1/2 hours. In another
pot, cover the scrubbed beets with
water and bring to a boil.
Simmer the beets for 45 To 1 hour
or until the beets are tender.
Drain and rinse the beets under
cold water until they are cool.
Peel and grate the beets.
When the meat is tender, remove
the bones and strip off the meat
in bite size pieces. Return the
meat to the broth and stir in the
grated beets. Season the soup with
salt and pepper. In a large bowl
stir together the sour cream, milk
and flour. Add two cups of the
hot stock to the sour cream mixture
and stir to combine. Pour this
mixture through a strainer into
the soup. Heat the soup over medium
heat at a gentle simmer, but do
not allow it to boil. Boiling will
cause the sour cream to curdle.
Serve immediately with boiled
potatoes and pumpernickel or rye
bread.
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Banana Crumb Muffins
====================
1 1/2 cups all-purpose
flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup packed brown
sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose
flour
1/8 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease
10 muffin cups, or line with
muffin papers. In a large bowl,
mix together 1 1/2 cups flour,
baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In another bowl, beat together
bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter.
Stir the banana mixture into
the flour mixture just until moistened.
Spoon batter into prepared
muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix together brown
sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and
cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter
until mixture resembles coarse
cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over
muffins.Bake in preheated oven for
18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick
inserted into center of a muffin
comes out clean.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Oreo Truffles
=============
1 lb. Oreo cookies
(3 sleeves)
8 ounces cream cheese,
room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
1 lb. milk chocolate
1/2 lb. white chocolate
Using a food processor, grind cookies
to a fine powder. With a
mixer, blend cookie powder, cream
cheese and vanilla extract until
thoroughly mixed (there should be
no white traces of cream cheese).
Roll into small balls and place
on wax-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
Line two cookie sheets with wax
paper. In double-boiler, melt milk
chocolate. Dip balls and coat thoroughly.
With slotted spoon, lift
balls out of chocolate and let excess
chocolate drip off. Place on
wax-paper-lined cookie sheet. In
separate double boiler, melt white
chocolate. Using a fork, drizzle
white chocolate over balls. Allow
to cool. Store in airtight container
in refrigerator.
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This Week's Culinary Quiz
Answer: Sheboygan, Wisconsin
There are brats almost everywhere,
but Sheboyganites do their
wurst during the "Sheboygan Bratwurst
Days" festival every August.
Johnsonville Products, America's
largest bratwurst maker, is
headquartered in nearby Sheboygan
Falls. Many years ago, bratwurst
were difficult to preserve and ship
because of their high fat
content: brats had to be fresh.
With the advent of modern
refrigeration and packaging, we
can all enjoy the best of the wurst.
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