| THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES:
> Article: An Italian
Classic Looks to the East
> Wine Appreciation:
Duboeuf Morgon Belles Grives 2009
> Food Funnies: Things
Every Kindergartner Knows About Food
S
E L E C T E D R E C I P E S :
* IHOP
Harvest Grain & Nut Pancakes
* Beef
and Avocado Fajitas
* Marinated
Grilled Shrimp
* Chicken
and Rice Casserole
* Inside-Out
Cheeseburgers
* Sweet
and Sour Radicchio
* Zucchini
Bread
* Pumpkin
Cream Cheese Roll
Healthy Eating:
Low Carb: Cheese
and Beer Soup
Diabetic: Fruit
Smoothies
Low Fat: Apple
Crumble
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THE E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY - ALL YOU
NEED TO COOK IT RIGHT!
Discover
Over 100 World Class Cookbooks!
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This Week's Cooking Tips
Microwave Tips:
* Choose foods that cook well in
moist heat: chicken, fish, ground
meat, vegetables, sauces
and soups.
* Pieces that are about equal in
size and shape will cook more
uniformly.
* You can reduce the liquid used
in cooking beverages, soups,
vegetables, fruits, and main
dishes by about one third because less
evaporates in microwave cooking.
* Choose a microwave-safe container
slightly larger than the dish
required for cooking the
recipe in a conventional oven.
* To create a crusty look on baked
items, grease pans with an
acceptable vegetable oil
and add ground nuts or crumbs.
* Add lowfat cheese and other toppings
near the end of cooking to
keep the top from becoming
tough or soggy. More Cooking
Tips
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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer
at the bottom of page)
Indian food has a very long
history of flavorful curries, but
one prominent ingredient in many
of these dishes was not available
to locals until around the beginning
of the 16th century when trade
links with the Americas were established.
Which one?
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Quote of the Week:
"Good bread is
the great need in poor homes, and often times
the best
appreciated luxury in the homes of the very rich."
- A Book
for A Cook, The Pillsbury Co. (1905)
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Subscribe
to the VJJE Recipe Weekly - It's fun and it's free!
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UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
September is: National Biscuit Month
National Chicken Month
National Cholesterol Awareness Month
National Honey Month
National Mushroom Month
National Organic Harvest Month
National Papaya Month
National Rice Month
August 28 - National Cherry Turnover Day
August 29 - National Whisky Sour Day
August 30 - National Toasted Marshmallow Day
August 31 - National Trail Mix Day
September 1 - National Cherry Popover Day
September 2 - National Blueberry Popsicle Day
September 3 - National Welsh Rarebit Day
September 4 - National Macadamia Nut Day
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Kick it up a notch with
a touch of class! Create a
personalized and professional
look in your kitchen.
Personalized Chef Coats
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An Italian Classic Looks
to the East
By Mark Bittman
There are almost no limits to what
can be used for a braising
liquid: stocks, wine, soy sauce,
the liquid exuded from onions and
other vegetables, or even water.
One of the most interesting choices
is milk. For many veteran cooks
it was Marcella Hazan who first
revealed this attribute of cow juice,
with a pork recipe in "Essentials
of Classic Italian Cooking."
Her recipe still astonishes. The
milk transforms from white to
golden brown and from thin to thick,
as a sweet, slightly bitter
caramel sauce - not unlike dulce
de leche - forms around the pork. It
looks like a fake gravy but it is
nothing but milk, and outrageously
delicious. (It can be made with
2-percent milk, but nothing leaner.)
Several years ago it hit me that
it would be quicker to make the
dish with chicken instead of pork:
the milk's metamorphosis takes
less than an hour, but the pork
requires from two to three hours to
become tender. Using chicken shortens
the cooking time for the dish
to an hour or so, making it more
suitable for a weeknight.
Then I thought about Thai and Indian
dishes braised in coconut milk.
Never - in my limited experience
- had I seen those curries, as they
are usually called, cooked so the
coconut milk caramelized.
Would it work? Of course. Even a
straight substitution of coconut
milk for cow's milk is pretty good.
But because coconut milk is so
sweet, I prepared the dish with
strong Thai seasonings: ginger,
chili, nam pla and lime. The result
looks like Ms. Hazan's original,
but tastes quite different.
The Italian versions cry out for
crusty bread and the Thai style for
sticky rice. But the preparations
are nearly identical.
Pork (or Chicken) Stewed in Coconut
Milk
================================
2 tablespoons neutral
oil, like grapeseed or canola
2 to 3 pounds boneless
pork butt or shoulder
Salt and pepper to
taste
10 shallots, peeled
and left whole
1 or 2 small chilies,
stemmed, seeded and minced, or dried
chilies,
or to taste
1 inch-long piece ginger,
peeled and minced
2 or 3 cans unsweetened
coconut milk, or as needed
1 tablespoon nam pla
(Thai fish sauce) or soy sauce, or to taste
Juice of a lime, or
more to taste
1. Put oil in a large deep skillet
or casserole that can later be
covered; turn heat
to medium-high. Brown pork on all sides,
turning as necessary,
and adjusting heat so the meat browns but
does not burn. This
will take about 20 minutes. Season it with a
little salt and pepper.
2. When the pork is just about browned,
add shallots, chilies and
ginger; brown a bit,
then add about 2 cups coconut milk and the
nam pla. Bring to boil,
cover, and adjust heat for a steady
simmer. Cook, turning
occasionally, for at least 90 minutes, or
until the pork is tender;
add additional coconut milk if mixture
dries out.
3. When the pork is tender, remove
to a platter. Stir lime juice into
sauce; taste, and adjust
seasoning, adding more chili, nam pla or
lime juice as necessary.
Carve meat, and serve it with sauce.
Variations: For chicken stewed in
coconut milk, use 4 chicken leg
quarters in place of the pork. Brown
in 4 tablespoons oil, on skin
side first, then turn over. Cook
for a couple of minutes more, then
proceed as in Step 2, leaving lid
askew so liquid reduces more
quickly. Cook until tender, about
30 minutes.
For chicken (or pork) in milk, use
half butter and half olive oil.
Substitute garlic for shallots;
omit chilies, ginger, nam pla and
lime, but add 1 tablespoon fresh
rosemary or sage leaves. Substitute
whole or 2 percent milk for coconut
milk. Cooking times are about
the same.
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FOOD
AND COOKING MOUSEPADS
Brighten up your desktop with
a tasty looking mousepad! We
offer hundreds of different styles
covering many popular themes!
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This Week's Wine Selection
Duboeuf Morgon Belles Grives
2009 Price: $12
This Morgon is very smooth, with
intoxicating scents of cassis,
plum, violet and rose. The palate
is filled with sweet revealing
waves of red fruits. This wine is
subtle and hints at a beautiful
extended maturity.
Serve With:
Marinated Lamb Chops
==================
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lemon, rind grated
2 tablespoons fresh
lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried herbes
de Provence
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked
black pepper
8 lamb rib chops (1
pound total)
Whisk oil, garlic, rind, juice,
herbs, salt and pepper in small
bowl. Place chops in shallow glass
dish. Pour marinade over chops;
turn to coat both sides of chops.
Cover with plastic wrap and
marinate in refrigerator for at
least 2 hours; turn chops over a
few times.
Heat broiler. Broil chops about
4 inches from heat for 3 minutes.
Turn over; broil 3 or 4 minutes
or until internal temperature
registers 140 degrees on instant-read
thermometer for medium-rare,
or broil longer for desired doneness.
Remove chops from broiler.
Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
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FOOD FUNNIES: Things Every
Kindergartner Knows About Food
9. If it tastes really yucky, the
teacher knows a song about how
great it is!
8. In a pinch, glue is an acceptable
condiment.
7. Absolutely everything tastes better
with chocolate syrup or
ketchup on it.
6. Most blue food you find in the
fridge will make the puppy sick.
5. Mom's M&M cookies are worth
two sandwiches and a dead frog.
4. Dr. Pepper supplies the best on-demand
burps.
3. Most foods can be used as fingerpaints
when necessary.
2. Your dog, your cat and your one-year-old
brother all look the
same eating peanut
butter.
... and the #1 Thing Every Kindergartner
Knows About Food ...
1. Happy Meal french fries last longer
than the Happy Meal toys.
But the toys taste
better.
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IHOP Harvest Grain & Nut Pancakes
============================
3/4 cup Quaker Oats
3/4 cup whole wheat
flour
2 teaspoons baking
soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons finely
chopped blanched almonds
3 tablespoons finely
chopped walnuts
Lightly oil a skillet or griddle,
and preheat it to medium heat.
Grind the oats in a blender or food
processor until fine, like flour.
Combine ground oats, whole wheat
flour, baking soda, baking powder
and salt in a medium bowl. In another
bowl combine buttermilk, oil,
egg and sugar with an electric mixer
until smooth.
Combine dry ingredients with wet
ingredients, add nuts and mix well
with mixer. Ladle 1/3 cup of the
batter onto the hot skillet and cook
the pancakes for 2 to 4 minutes
per side or until brown.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Beef and Avocado Fajitas
====================
1 1/2 lb flank steak,
trimmed if necessary
1 tablespoon ground
cumin
1 tablespoon chile
powder
3/4 teaspoon black
pepper
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 heart of romaine
2 firm-ripe avocados
(8 to 10 oz each)
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
(not low-fat)
1 cup loosely packed
fresh cilantro sprigs
Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill
pan (preferably cast-iron) over
moderately high heat until beginning
to smoke, then brush with oil.
While pan heats, pat steak dry and
stir together spices and salt,
then rub all over both sides of
steak. Grill steak, turning over
once, 9 to 11 minutes total for
medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting
board and let stand 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut romaine crosswise
into thin shreds. Quarter avocados
lengthwise, then pit, peel, and
cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick
slices. While steak is standing,
stack tortillas, wrapped completely
in dampened paper towels, on a microwave-safe
plate and cook in a
microwave oven at high power (100
percent) until tortillas are hot,
about 1 1/2 minutes.
Holding knife at a 45-degree angle,
thinly slice steak across the
grain. Serve with tortillas, avocado,
romaine, cilantro, and your
favorite salsa.
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Marinated Grilled Shrimp
===================
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine
vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped
fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp,
peeled and deveined
skewers
In a large bowl, stir together the
garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce,
and red wine vinegar. Season with
basil, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir
until evenly coated. Cover, and
refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1
hour, stirring once or twice.
Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread
shrimp onto skewers, piercing
once near the tail and once near
the head. Discard marinade. Lightly
oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on
preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes
per side, or until opaque.
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Chicken and Rice Casserole
======================
2 tablespoons butter
or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled
and diced
3 cups diced, cooked
chicken
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans
green beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8-ounce) can water
chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can
condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (6-ounce) box long-grain
wild rice, cooked according to package
1 cup grated sharp
Cheddar
Pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Heat butter
or oil in a small skillet over
medium heat. Add onion and saute
until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer to
a large bowl. Add all remaining
ingredients to bowl and mix together
until thoroughly combined.
Pour into a greased 3-quart casserole
dish. Bake for 20 to 25
minutes or until bubbly. Let stand
for a few minutes before serving.
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Inside-Out Cheeseburgers
====================
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar
cheese
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere
cheese
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly
ground pepper
Preheat grill to medium-high or
preheat the broiler. Combine
Cheddar and Gruyere in a small bowl.
Gently mix beef, Worcestershire,
paprika and pepper in a large
bowl, preferably with your hands,
without overworking. Shape into
8 thin, 4-inch-wide patties. Mound
2 tablespoons of the cheese
mixture on each of 4 patties, leaving
a 1/2-inch border. Cover
each with one of the remaining patties.
Crimp and seal the edges
closed.
Grill the stuffed patties on an
oiled rack, about 4 minutes
per side for medium-well. (Be sure
not to press the burgers as they
cook or they'll split open and the
cheese will ooze out.) To broil,
cover a broiler pan with foil and
coat with cooking spray. Broil
the stuffed patties in the upper
third of the oven, about 4 minutes
per side for medium-well. In either
case, let the burgers stand for
5 minutes before serving.
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Sweet and Sour Radicchio
=====================
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter
2 tablespoons olive
oil
1 large onion, thinly
sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup apple cider
vinegar
2 large heads of radicchio
(about 1 1/2 pounds), cored, each
cut into
8 wedges
1/3 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground
black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted
pine nuts
Melt butter with oil in heavy large
skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion and sugar. Saute until
onion is lightly browned, about
7 minutes. Add vinegar; stir to
blend. Add radicchio, raisins, salt,
and pepper. Cook until radicchio
is just wilted, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to serving dish; sprinkle
with pine nuts.
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Zucchini Bread
============
3 1/4 cups all-purpose
flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking
soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts
or pecans
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large
bowl, combine flour, salt, nutmeg,
baking soda, cinnamon and sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine oil,
eggs, water, zucchini and lemon
juice. Mix wet ingredients into dry,
add nuts and fold in. Bake in 2
standard loaf pans, sprayed with
nonstick spray, for 1 hour, or until
a tester comes out clean.
Alternately, bake in 5 mini loaf
pans for about 45 minutes.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll
=======================
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup flour
Filling:
1 (8 ounce) package
cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter,
softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar.
Beat in remaining cake
ingredients. Grease a 10"x15" jelly
roll pan. Line pan with waxed
paper, then grease and lightly flour
the waxed paper. Pour batter
into the pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. The
cake will cook fast so watch carefully
to avoid burning the edges.
While cake is baking, sprinkle powdered
sugar heavily over a kitchen
towel, using a sieve or sifter.
Turn hot cake onto the towel. Remove
waxed paper. Trim off burnt or crusty
edges. Sprinkle more powdered
sugar over the hot cake and quickly
roll up with towel inside. Let
cake cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare filling by beating
together all ingredients until
smooth and creamy. Unroll cooled
cake and spread with the filling
mixture. Roll up cake with filling
on the inside. Wrap in waxed paper
and then foil. Refrigerate or freeze.
To serve, slice cake about
1/3 inch thick and sprinkle with
powdered sugar. The cake cuts best
when still slightly frozen.
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This Week's Culinary Quiz
Answer: Chili Peppers
By 3,000 B.C. turmeric and cardamom
were both being harvested in
India, and around this time the
people of India had trade links with
the Sumerians which gave them access
to, amongst other things, cumin.
Chili Peppers, on the other hand,
are indigenous to modern day Mexico
and other parts of the Americas.
Indian cuisine has strong regional
variation, clearly linked to local
ingredients and culture, but has
also proven adept at incorporating
new ingredients into its dishes.
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