| THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES:
> Article: Asian Twist For
Tomatoes
> Wine Appreciation: Razor's
Edge Shiraz-Grenache 2008
> Food Funnies: The Top Kitchen
Tips for Newlyweds
S E L
E C T E D R E C I P E S :
* T.G.I.
Friday's Pecan-Crusted Chicken Salad
* Savory
Pot Roast
* Apple
Ginger Pork Chops
* Shepherd's
Pie
* Mahogany
Chicken Wings
* Roasted
Parsnips and Carrots
* Mini
Egg Rolls
* Classic
Honey Cake
Healthy Eating:
Low Carb: Pumpkin
Bars
Diabetic: Instant
Cocoa Mix
Low Fat: Pasta
and Bean Soup
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This Week's Cooking Tips
Formal Table Setting:
Generally, the more formal the occasion,
the more courses are
served, which of course means more flatware.
There should be a
different set of utensils for each course:
salad fork, dinner fork;
dinner knife, bread knife; and so on.
Some special dishes such as oysters
have special utensils. These can
be served at the presentation of the food,
but generally are placed
on the table in order of course. When
oysters are served as an
appetizer for example, set the oyster
fork to the right of the spoon.
Building from the basic set-up (dinner
fork on the left of the
plate; knife to the right of the plate,
dinner spoon to the right of
the knife):
On the left side of the plate put
the salad fork to the left of the
dinner fork. On the right add a soup spoon
to the outside of the
dinner spoon if soup will be served. Place
the soup bowl above the
soup spoon and to the right. The bread
plate goes to the left, about
two inches above the fork. Place the butter
knife across the bread
plate at a diagonal, upper left to lower
right. Small salad plates go
to the left and a little below the bread
plate. Dessert spoons, or in
some cases knife and fork, are placed
about an inch above the top of
the plate with the handle(s) on the right
side.
The largest glass on the table is
the water glass which goes on the
right side above the dinner knife. It
may be filled and iced when
guests arrive or left empty to be filled
at each diner's request.
If wine or some other beverage is served,
set the appropriate glass
to the right and a little down from the
water glass. More Cooking
Tips
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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer
at the bottom of page)
Canada's smallest province is Prince
Edward Island, best
known as the home of "Anne of Green
Gables", but what is it's
major crop?
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Quote of the Week:
"I confess, that nothing
frightens me more than the
appearance
of mushrooms on the table, especially in a
small provincial
town."
- Alexandre
Dumas, early 19th century
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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
September 11 - National Hot Cross Bun Day
September 12 - National Chocolate Milkshake Day
September 13 - National Peanut Day
September 14 - National Cream-Filled Donut Day
September 15 - National Creme de Menthe Day
September 16 - National Cinnamon Raisin Bread Day
September 17 - National Apple Dumpling Day
September 18 - National Play-Doh Day
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tasty looking mousepad! We
offer hundreds of different styles
covering many popular themes!
Food and Cooking Mousepads
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Asian Twist For Tomatoes
By Mark Bittman
When asked what ingredients they
will miss most as summer fades to
fall, many people mention tomatoes. But
even as the ultraripe
tomatoes of peak season give way to the
lesser lights of September,
there are ways to coax intense flavor
from them.
One is to slow cook them, in the
tradition of sun drying. The other
is much faster - grilling. When you grill
a ripe or even a semiripe
tomato, the high heat caramelizes some
of the fruit's sugars while
driving out a bit of its liquid. It also
softens the flesh, removing
traces of rawness.
The whole process takes just 5 or
10 minutes. Heating the grill, of
course, takes somewhat longer, though
the identical technique can be
performed in a heavy skillet over high
heat. (All of this can be done
hours before you intend to use the tomatoes.)
You can integrate the cooked tomatoes
into a salad or a risotto. You
can also serve them as is, drizzled with
olive oil and sprinkled with
basil. But I often use them in two dishes
I've become especially
enamored of.
The first integrates the cooked
tomatoes with pasta, good olive oil
and, of course, basil. I've added at different
times a little minced
garlic, chopped or puréed olives,
a bit of dried red chili flakes or
freshly grated Parmesan. I add these singly,
not in combination,
because this is a situation in which you
don't want to sully the
tomatoes' flavor.
The other preparation is less obvious
but completely addictive. It's
a twist on what used to be called a Spanish
omelet but whose origins
are Chinese.
The grilled tomatoes are combined
with eggs and typically Asian
seasonings - garlic, sesame oil and ginger
- and scrambled soft.
Served over rice (or, heretically, with
bread), it makes a fast,
satisfying and unusual weeknight meal.
Grilled Tomatoes and Scrambled Eggs,
Chinese-Style
==========================================
3 or 4 ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons dark
sesame oil
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons neutral
oil like corn or canola
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced
ginger
6 eggs
2 teaspoons soy sauce,
or to taste
1/4 cup minced scallions,
optional
1. Start a gas or a charcoal grill; fire
should be moderately hot
and the rack about
4 inches from heat source. Core tomatoes
and cut each into 3
or 4 thick slices. Brush them with one
tablespoon sesame oil
and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Grill tomatoes, turning once, until
they are soft but not mushy.
As they cook, use tongs
to remove and discard their skins. You
should be able to lift
them from grill with a spatula without
their falling apart.
3. While tomatoes cool, put oil in a 10-inch
skillet, preferably
nonstick, and turn
heat to medium-high. Add garlic and ginger
and cook just until
they sizzle. In a bowl, beat together
tomatoes and eggs.
4. Add tomato-egg mixture to skillet and
cook, stirring almost
constantly, until mixture
forms soft curds, 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in remaining sesame
oil and soy sauce. Garnish, if you like,
with scallions, and
serve.
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Over 100 E-Cookbooks For Less Than $20!
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Library
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This Week's Wine Selection
Razor's Edge Shiraz-Grenache 2008
Price: $8
Fully ripe and verging on jammy,
this 75-25 blend is nonetheless
charming, with raspberry fruit cosseted
by lashings of vanilla.
It's round in the mouth and exceedingly
supple, picking up intriguing
dusty spice, cocoa and coffee notes on
the finish.
Serve With:
Venison Stew
===========
3 tablespoons olive
oil
2 pounds venison stew
meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose
flour
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne
pepper
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon chopped
garlic
1 cup chopped tomatoes,
peeled and seeded
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 cup red wine
4 cups brown stock
Salt and black pepper
Crusty bread
In a large pot, over high heat,
add the olive oil. In a mixing bowl,
toss the venison with flour, paprika,
and cayenne. When the oil is
hot, sear the meat for 2 to 3 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Add the
onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the
celery and carrots. Season
with salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomatoes,
basil, thyme, and bay leaves to the pan.
Season with salt and pepper.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add
the brown stock. Bring the
liquid up to a boil, cover and reduce
to a simmer. Simmer the stew
for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the
meat is very tender. If the
liquid evaporates too much add a little
more stock. Remove the stew
from the oven and serve in shallow bowls
with crusty bread.
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up a notch with a touch of class! Create a
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FOOD FUNNIES: The Top Kitchen
Tips for Newlyweds
9. Never go to bed angry or without checking
to see if the stove
is off.
8. Order in. A lot. You can learn to cook
later.
7. Flavored massage oils are not recommended
for seasoning new
skillets.
6. No matter how romantic the idea may
seem at first, frying
bacon for breakfast
in the nude is guaranteed to result in a
trip to the emergency
room for one of you.
5. Microwaves + silverware = BAD IDEA.
4. No matter how many crock pots you got
as wedding gifts, you only
need one to make a
meal.
3. Freezer burn is not nearly as fun, nor
as healthy, as rug burn.
2. Even if it says "Homestyle" on the can,
it won't fool your
mother-in-law.
... and the #1 Kitchen
Tip for Newlyweds ...
1. Even if it is your refrigerator too,
your sneakers and your
bait are going to have
to find a new home.
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T.G.I. Friday's Pecan-Crusted Chicken
Salad
===================================
Chicken:
4 (4 oz.) chicken breasts,
boneless
3 cups chopped pecans
2 cups flour
3 large eggs
1 oz. milk
Glazed Pecans:
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup dark brown
sugar
1 tablespoon water
Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
dressing
1 can mandarin oranges
1/2 cup craisins
Crumbled blue cheese,
to taste
For Chicken: Mix 2 cups pecans with
1 cup flour and pulsate in food
processor. Mix eggs and milk for batter.
Place leftover flour in one
bowl, egg batter in second bowl, and pecan
flour in third bowl. Coat
chicken first in flour, then in egg batter
and third in pecan flour.
Saute chicken breasts in vegetable oil
over medium heat until browned
on both sides. Bake chicken breasts in
oven at 350F for 7 to 8
minutes or until fully cooked. Cool and
slice.
For Pecans: Mix chopped pecans with
brown sugar and water. Heat and
set aside.
To Assemble: Toss salad ingredients
with glazed pecans. Top with
sliced chicken. Makes two salads.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Savory Pot Roast
==============
1 boneless chuck-eye
roast (about 3 1/2 pounds)
salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable
oil
1 medium onion, chopped
medium
1 small carrot, chopped
medium
1 small celery rib,
chopped medium
2 medium garlic cloves,
minced
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups beef broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
water
1/4 cup dry red wine
Adjust oven rack to the middle position
and preheat the oven to
300F. Sprinkle the roast generously with
salt and pepper. Heat the
oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over
medium-high until shimmering
but not smoking. Brown the roast thoroughly
on all sides, reducing
the heat if the fat begins to smoke, 8
to 10 minutes. Transfer the
roast to a large plate; set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium; add the
onion, carrot and celery to the
pot and cook, stirring occasionally until
beginning to brown, 6-8
minutes. Add the garlic and sugar; cook
until fragrant, about 30
seconds. Add the beef broth and thyme,
scraping the pan bottom with
a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits.
Return the roast and any
accumulated juices on the plate to the
pot; add enough water to come
halfway up the sides of the roast. Cover
with a lid, bring the liquid
to a simmer over medium heat, and transfer
the pot to the oven. Cook,
turning the roast every 45 minutes until
fully tender and a meat fork
or sharp knife slips easily in and out
of the meat, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
Transfer the roast to a carving
board; tent with foil to keep warm.
Allow the liquid to settle about 5 minutes
then use a wide spoon to
skim off the fat from the surface and
discard the thyme sprig. Boil
over high heat until it is reduced to
1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes.
Add the wine and reduce to 1 1/2 cups,
about 2 minutes. Season with
salt and pepper to taste. Cut up the meat
and pour sauce over all.
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Apple Ginger Pork Chops
====================
4 pork chops, double
cut, center cut, bone in
1/4 cup apple cider
vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
2 teaspoons minced
ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh
lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup sliced (1/4-inch)
yellow onions
2 cups cored and sliced
(1/4-inch) Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons butter
In a resealable plastic bag, add
the chops, apple cider vinegar,
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ginger,
garlic, lemon juice,
salt and pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large
saute pan heat 1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil to almost smoking,
then add pork chops,
shaking off excess marinade. Brown on
both sides, then place on a
sheet pan and put in the oven for 20 minutes
or until internal
temperature reaches 135 degrees F.
In the same saute pan deglaze with
wine then add onions, apples and
raisins and cook until apples are soft
and onions are translucent.
Add butter salt and pepper, to taste,
and keep warm. Remove chops
from oven and add to the apple mixture.
Serve hot.
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Shepherd's Pie
============
1 tablespoon vegetable
oil
1 large onion, peeled
and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled
and chopped
1 pound ground lamb
(or substitute half with another ground meat)
1 cup beef or chicken
broth
1 tablespoon tomato
paste
1 teaspoon chopped
fresh or dry rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped
Italian parsley
1 cup frozen peas
2 pounds russet potatoes,
peeled and cut into chunks
6 tablespoons unsalted
butter
1/2 cup milk
Kosher salt to taste
Preheat oven to 375F. In a large
saute pan over medium-high heat,
heat the oil, then add the onion, carrot,
and meat. Cook until
browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the fat
and add the broth, tomato
paste, and herbs. Simmer until the juices
thicken, about 10 minutes,
then add the peas. Pour the mixture into
a 1 1/2-quart baking dish;
set aside.
Meanwhile, bring the potatoes to
a boil in salted water. Cook until
tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Mash
the potatoes with the butter,
milk, and salt. Spread them over the meat
mixture, then crosshatch
the top with a fork. Bake until golden,
30 to 35 minutes.
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Mahogany Chicken Wings
====================
1 1/2 cups soy sauce
3/4 cup dry sherry
1 1/8 cups Hoisin Sauce
3/4 cup Chinese Plum
Sauce
18 green onions, minced
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
6 to 7 pounds chicken
wings
In a three quart sauce pan, combine
all ingredients except wings.
Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Cool. Pour cooled sauce over
disjointed chicken wings, cover and refrigerate
overnight. Drain
wings. Place on 2 large shallow roasting
pans which have been oiled.
Roast at 375F uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2
hours, basting every 20
minutes with remaining sauce to brown
evenly. Remove wings from pans
and let cool on large sheets of foil.
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Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
========================
2 pounds carrots (1
to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), peeled,
halved
lengthwise
2 pounds parsnips (1
to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), peeled,
halved
lengthwise
6 tablespoons olive
oil
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon balsamic
vinegar
Position 1 rack in center and 1
rack in bottom third of oven and
preheat to 400F. Line 2 rimmed baking
sheets with foil. Divide
carrots and parsnips between prepared
sheets. Sprinkle generously
with salt and pepper, then drizzle 3 tablespoons
oil over vegetables
on each sheet; toss to coat.
Roast vegetables 10 minutes; stir.
Roast vegetables 10 minutes
longer, stir, and reverse sheets. Continue
roasting until vegetables
are tender and slightly charred, about
15 minutes longer.
Melt butter in heavy small saucepan
over medium heat. Stir in honey
and vinegar. Drizzle honey glaze over
vegetables and serve.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Mini Egg Rolls
===========
1 package frozen egg
roll wrappers
1 pound ground pork
1/2 head of large cabbage,
shredded
4 green onions, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame
seed oil
2 whole garlic cloves,
peeled & minced
2 tablespoons fresh
ginger root, shredded
Cook ground pork until well done.
Let cool slightly. Combine
cabbage, green onions, and carrot in a
large bowl. Add pork and
remaining seasonings and blend well.
Clear a good sized area to work
and have handy a napkin and small
bowl of clean water. Lay about 4 wrappers
on the counter and cut
each in half. Place 2 tablespoons of filling
in the center of each
wrapper. Roll wrapper according to package
directions, dipping your
fingertips in the water to seal eggroll
wrapper. Place finished
eggrolls on a cookie sheet lined with
wax paper.
When all eggrolls are finished,
place cookie sheet in freezer for
1-2 hours until they are semi-frozen.
At this point you can place
them in zip lock bags and freeze them
for later use, or remove from
freezer for frying.
Preheat deep fryer to 375F. Place
eggrolls, one at a time, in hot
oil allowing each to fry for about 30
seconds before adding another.
This will avoid having them stick together.
Fry 4-5 minutes, or until
golden brown. Drain briefly on paper towels
and serve with Chinese
mustard and sweet and sour sauce for dipping.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Classic Honey Cake
================
3 eggs
1 1/3 cups honey
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup strong black
coffee
2 teaspoons baking
powder
3 tablespoons margarine,
softened
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups flour
1 teaspoons cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and
flour a 9 by 13-inch cake pan.
In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs and honey
together. Add sugar
and mix again. Mix coffee with baking
powder, and then add with
margarine to the egg mixture. Add baking
soda, flour, and cinnamon
and beat together well. Pour into greased
cake pan. Bake for 55
minutes to an hour.
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This Week's Culinary Quiz Answer:
Potatoes
Every Stompin' Tom fan knows that
PEI is the home of Bud the Spud.
PEI's rich, red soil produces fine potatoes,
and who doesn't like
potatoes? You can boil 'em, steam 'em,
roast 'em, bake 'em, fry 'em,
deep-fry 'em and serve them mashed, hashed,
sliced, diced, whipped,
in soup or salad, a la Lyonnaise or Duchess-style
and so on and so
on. You can even make pancakes, bread,
cakes, doughnuts, and scones
with the humble potato.
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