FReeper Recipe Thread (September 2012)

FreeRepublic Cooks | Sept 1, 2012 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the FReeper Recipe Thread for September 2012.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or three- for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites!

Here's the place to share and explore your latest and greatest favorite recipe.

[miss marmelstein]

I’ve made this Eggplant Chutney twice this week: it is delicious served with chicken. I must credit the NYTs with the recipe:

1 Eggplant, peeled, cut into thin planks
Olive oil
Kosher salt & pepper
Vegetable oil
1/2 Red onion, finely or roughly chopped
3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1/4 Cup of cider vinegar

Rub the eggplant with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Take a grill pan and cook the eggplant for several minutes (until the grill marks are nicely browned). Remove, and dice.

In a separate pan, heat some vegetable oil until hot. Add the onion and cook until it is slightly colored. Return the eggplant to the pan, add the sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently for several minutes.

Can be served hot or cold. I plan to can this chutney before the summer is over. It is truly delicious with all the things that makes chutney so nice: sweet, sour, salty and thoroughly carmelized.

[don-o]

First time - crispy chicken skins. mmmmm. Some say - better than bacon.

I saved the skins from thighs. First. put on paper towels and roll them up to absorb moisture. Then get a baking sheet (with edges).
375 oven

Put a sheet of parchment in there and arrange the skins as flat as possible. I salted and peppered. Some bbq rub might work as well.

Lay another sheet of parchment on the skins then another baking sheet on top. Put a heavy skillet on top.

Check after 20 minutes . They may need to go longer depending on thickness.

[libertarian27]

That sounds Wicked!!!

Definitely trying that with chicken skins (thighs in the fridge)

I bet Duck Skin Cracklings would be awesome this way too!

[don-o]

If I can find my tube pan, I am making that.

So grease pan only? No flour?

[djone]

...oooh Yes.... Thin cut pork chops (breakfast cut) coat with dry rub and put on charcoal grill-—2 minutes per side... I’m saying wow....BBQ Heaven.......

[PieterCasparzen]

Oops, I should point out some things on those pork chops. Some has to do with clarifying terms, some is corrections to the recipe.

The saute step is just to sear the outside of the chops so juices are retained; it’s quick and the chops are by no means done.

Step 6 is the braising step, baking is the wrong term. Braising is covered with moist heat, the default braise would be done in a shallow amount of stock, not covering the chops, but having them sitting in about 2/3 their height in stock. Since the you cover the pan while it’s in the oven, the chops are cooked by moist heat.

Well, the steps are in the wrong order. I deglazed the pan before I started the braise - the sauce elements - except for the roux - then went into the braise. If you have a real braising pan (round, shallow, with two handles and lid), you do the saute right in it, deglaze, cover and put the whole thing in the oven.

When the braising was done, the liquid was then reduced and then thickened with roux.

Of course, the oven needs to be preheated.

Braising is fantastic for that “one pan” type of meal, and using cheap cuts of meat that come out very tender and with very concentrated flavor. It’s the concentration of flavor that nowadays mostly only chefs know about and the home cook has “lost”. We largely don’t even know that our food is mostly very bland - and this blandness is most of the reason so many people get started in the “cycle” of chronic overeating. Without concentrated proteins and fats we never get the “full” message in our brain and keep going long after we’ve had too many calories of carb in our natural quest for taste.

[bgill]

That, or it’s so good we want s’mores!

[clashfan]

No flour necessary. If you don’t find your tube pan you can use two loaf pans or 9 by 12 baking pan, but I wouldn’t use a bundt pan because it might be too hard to get the cake out in one piece. Just remember, the less spread out the batter is (in whatever pan you use), the greater the cooking time.

It’s a flexible recipe. I vary the spices depending on what’s on hand. No ground cloves? Use more of what you have. Sometimes I add a little vanilla extract. The cake is a moist spongy sweet cake an no icing is needed. A dusting of powdered sugar looks nice on it. Bon appetit.

[clashfan]

Oops I meant to say “more vanilla”.

[don-o]

Sweetie

Please print out the recipe in post 6

[don-o]

More vanilla? Are you saying more than a tsp?

[Species8472]

Start with some steel cut oatmeal, add a pound of ground beef and a pound of ground pork. Season with a chopped onion, salt, pepper, allspice, clove and sage along with just a touch of cinnamon. cook down for an hour and a half and let it set up overnight in the fridge.

Slice and fry, serve with scrambled eggs and toast.

My old German grandmother from Cincinatti called it Goetta.

[don-o]

Report

Baked it early this morning. Used the 9 x 13 glass. Completely missed adding vanilla. Forgot the oil until I had poured the batter - I poured it back in the mixing bowl add added the oil(.

Perhaps we could have a “failures” thread if anyone wants to be honest). I believe anyone who spends time in the kitchen would have something to contribute.

Also, I think I baked it just a bit too hot.

But - it turned out pretty good. Not sure if omitting the vanilla affected this, but, to me, it needed more spice.

I made a lemon glaze. Sifted confectioner’s sugar and juice and zest of two large lemons - I guess about two cups of sugar.

[clashfan]

I’m glad it turned out well. The thing about this cake is it’s so little trouble to make. I’m sure if you increase all of the spices as well as the vanilla and it would be a nice cake. The lemon glaze sounds good.

[Liz]

FRIED OREO ZEPPOLE / Lavo, The Palazzo Resort, Las Vegas

Nestled inside LV's The Palazzo Resort, is the Italian Restaurant, Lavo serving great Fried Oreo Zeppole with a side of Vanilla Milkshake---deep fried Oreo’s---like at a county fair.

The server brought out a long, narrow plate with six warm deep-fried battered Oreo’s dusted with confectioners. The milkshake was served in a fluted sundae glass topped w/ an Oreo.

The warm Oreo’s paired perfectly with a quick dip in the cold milkshake. The deep-fried Oreos soften in the fried batter w/ a soft, almost chewy texture. Easy to see why these are a favorite.

Make them at home---just dust the Oreos w/ flour, dip in a light tempura-like batter, then deep-fry golden.

[Liz]

Mocha Torte completely made in blender. What could be easier? From BHG.com.

PREP Wax paper-line bottoms 2-8x1-1/2" round cake pans; grease/flour-dust pans.

PREP Combine 2 c toasted nuts, 2 tbl flour, 2 1/2 tea b/powder.

BATTER Blender/combine 4 eggs, 3/4 cups sugar; then cover/blend smooth. Add prepared nut mixture. Cover/blend smooth. Spread evenly in pans. Bake 350 deg 20-25 min (spring back when lightly touched---centers may dip slightly). Cool on wire racks 10 min. Liftout layers to cool on racks.

FINAL Spread cooled layers w/ Mocha Frosting; stack layers; frost top and sides. Apply chopped nuts to sides. Loosely cover; chill frosted cake 2-24 hours.

SERVE topped w/ chocolate curls garnish.

FROSTING In chilled small bowl dissolve tsp instant coffee crystals in cup h/cream; add 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla. Elec/mixer on medium just til stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

[Liz]

Lasagna Cupcakes
Layers of meat, cheese, and wontons in muffin tins---baked into
little cupcakes. Cut wontons in rounds or leave square for rustic look. These freeze nicely for quick meal later.

METHOD Layer in sprayed muffin tins wonton wrapper pressed into bottom; grated Parm; dollop seasoned ricotta, shredded mozzarella; tblspoon browned/seasoned grnd beef; fave pasta sauce. Repeat layers, end w/ sauce. Then top w/ Parm, shredded mozzarella.

Bake 375 deg 18-20 min (edges are brown). Cool on counter 5 min. Loosen edges w/ knifepoint; liftout to server.

SERVE garnished w/ basil sprig.

[yorkiemom]

I am glad to have found this thread. If there is a ping list for it, please add me.

I need to find a nice recipe that is for an entrée that can be served in very small portions, like a small appetizer size for sampling. I am thinking some sort of casserole would be best way to go. But since my husband has never liked casseroles, I have very few of my own recipes to choose from.

Thanks for any help and glad to have found some cooking conservatives!

[yorkiemom]

The pound cake sounds delicious – can’t wait to try it after I lose a few pounds ;(

[libertarian27]

You’ve been added to the ping list
(right now it’s monthly - hoping to get back to weekly -hopefully by next month)

For small portion entrees - that recipe idea the post up sounds great! with the lasagna cupcakes...I was thinking stuffed shells too.

Maybe look at appetizer recipes and expand them with more protein and make them larger.

I like the idea of using cupcake forms for meals - why just use them for cupcakes!

This link below is for the 2011 cookbook thread - check that out too for some ideas.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2818541/posts