NationStates Jolt Archive

After getting into a discussion with Carnivorous Lickers about the preparation and cooking of wild game and LG sharing his recipe for Swedish meatballs

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8897847&postcount=31

that has me drooling, I thought folks might like to swap a few recipes. As this is a multi-cultural forum, we should be able to come up with some great new ideas. I'll start with a recipe from my Cajun husband.

Pecan Pralines

3/4 c Brown sugar
3/4 c White sugar
1/2 c Evaporated milk
1/2 ts Vanilla
2 tb Butter
1 c Pecans

The quintessential New Orleans candy. And it's pronounced
<PRAH-leens> or <PRAW-leens>, NOT <PRAY-leens>. I've had ferners
(that's Yatspeak for "non-New Orleanian") stand before me and insist
that it's pronounced <PRAY-leens>. Well bra, I'm from the state where
they were invented, and I know how to pronounce it. And you're
certainly entitled to your opinion on its pronunciation, no matter
how wrong it may be ...

Combine the sugar and milk and cook slowly in a heavy pot over a low
flame until it reaches the soft ball stage (238 degrees on a candy
thermometer). Remove from heat and add the butter, vanilla and
pecans. Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until it is smooth and
creamy. Drop by spoonsful onto waxed paper. If the candy does not
harden within 10 minutes, it may be cooked some more.

My guacamole.

2 avacados
3-4 garlic cloves
1 Small onion
1/2 Green pepper
dash of lemon juice
dash of cumin (to taste)
1 jalepeno pepper or salsa or tobasco sauce to taste

Cut open avacados, remove pits and skin, put in bowl, mash avacados, pour in lemon juice, chop garlic, onion, pepper, throw all that in + cumin. Let sit overnight for best absorption of flavours. Serve with corn chips.

OK...here's another one. I used to be the plant accountant for a major sausage manufacturer...that's right, I was a slaughter house accountant. :rolleyes: Here's a recipe that is always a favorite. I like to make it with ground beef, too.

Hashbrown Casserole

2 pounds sausage (hot or mild)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 oz.) container of French onion dip
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bell pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (30-oz.) package frozen hash brown shredded potatoes, thawed

Garlic Rosemary Marinated Lamb Chops -- Serves two to four, depending on appetites (one or two chops per person). [I originally got this one online, but the page was taken down]

Ingredients:
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp. dried, crumbled)
zest from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove - mashed to a paste
2 tbsp. olive (not virgin) oil
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 (1 1/4-inch thick) lamb chops



Steps:
1. Prepare fresh rosemary by removing leaves from the stem; chop leaves. Discard stems.
2. Combine fresh or dried rosemary with lemon zest, garlic paste, olive oil, sugar and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl.
3. Rub lamb chops with marinade.
4. Marinate chops, covered, in refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
5. Preheat broiler.
6. Broil lamb chops on rack of broiler pan about 4 inches from heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat, or 4 to 5 minutes on each side for well-done meat. 

Tips:
To zest a lemon, either grate the peel using a fine grater or take off strips of peel with a zester or vegetable peeler, then mince finely. Take care to remove only the yellow peel of the lemon and not the bitter white pith.

To mash garlic, chop it roughly, then pound in a mortar with a pinch of salt until you have a paste. If you don't have a mortar, sprinkle salt on the coarsely chopped clove, then chop finely. Use the side of the knife to press down and smear the garlic every once in a while as you chop it. The paste will be rougher, but it will work.

A famed recipe of the British Army.

Tommy

Ingredients:

Flour
Water
Sugar (Optional)

Guidelines:

Mix flour and water until you think you've done enough.

Using a ladle, pour the mixture into a pre-heated frying pan. Cook until burnt, then flip, cook again, and attempt to eat.

Garlic Rosemary Marinated Lamb Chops

That sounds gooooood!! I wonder how it would do on a grill? I know what we're having for Sunday dinner.

1 lb Dried pinto beans
4 c Uncooked Rice
1/2 lb spicy smoked sausage
1 1/2 c Finely chopped celery
1 1/2 c Finely chopped onions
1 1/2 c Finely chopped green pepper
5 Bay leaves
1 t White pepper
3/4 ts Cayenne pepper
1/2 ts Black pepper
1 t Tabasco sauce, optional
2 ts Thyme
1 1/2 ts Garlic powder
1 1/2 ts Oregano
1 1/2 ts Paprika
6 oz Tomato paste

Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Drain and
rinse before cooking. Combine beans with 5 cups water
and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45
minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add another
4 cups water and add celery, onion, bell pepper, bay
leaves, and remaining ingredients. Cook until beans
are tender and begin breaking up. Cook rice. To serve,
mound 3/4 cup rice on plate and spoon generous serving
of beans over the rice.

Here's what I'm making for supper tonight:

Salmon with Roasted Arichoke, Tomato, and Olive Sauce

12 roasted artichokes, quartered
2 cloves garlic
some lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 salmon fillets
4 tomatoes, chopped up
1/2 cup Kalamata olives
some parsley

In a food processor, combine half the artichokes, garlic, and lemon juice untill smooth. Add the olive oil in a drizzle to get an emulsion. Strain it to get the fibres out, into a saucepan.

Salt and pepper the salmon, and barbecue it or cook it in a 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes; don't overcook it.

Heat the artichoke sauce in the saucepan and add the tomatoes and olives.
Salmon+sauce+fresh parsley=yumm

That sounds gooooood!! I wonder how it would do on a grill? I know what we're having for Sunday dinner.


It kicks ass. ;) Carterway and I grilled them on the BBQ two weeks ago for his dad.

I suggest the little canned white potatoes browned a little served alongside them. ;)

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 sticks margarine (melted)
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
Raspberry jam (seedless)
1 6oz. pkg. of semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 tbsp. oil (added to chocolate bits while melting)
8 drops red food coloring
8 drops green food coloring
Wax paper

Beat eggs, add sugar and continue beating.
Add flour and melted butter and 1 tsp. almond extract and continue beating.
You now have a loose batter that you will divide into three equal parts by using 3 small bowls.

Leave one bowl of batter uncolored.
Add 8 drops of red food coloring to the second bowl.
Add 8 drops of green food coloring to the third bowl.

Grease and flour 3 brownie pans. 11 1/4, x 7 1/2, x 1 1/2. ( I use Pam Spray on nonstick pans and omit flour). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 min. The result will be three thin sheet cakes.

When slightly cool, turn one of the colored cakes onto a sheet of wax paper. Spread a thin layer of jam on it. Place the uncolored cake over it and press down gently with hands. Spread again with jam, and put on the third layer. Press gently. (The uncolored layer goes in the middle)

ICING
(Made in two parts)
In a small pan add 1/2 pkg. of choc. bits and 1/2 tbsp. of oil. Melt over very low heat, stirring constantly. When melted, spread over top layer of cake, and refrigerate until
the choc. has hardened. (Could take an hour)

When choc. has hardened, prepare the second batch of melted choc. Invert the cake unto a second sheet of wax paper. Now ice what was the bottom layer. Refrigerate until the choc. hardens.

Cut your creation into 4 long strips, then cut the strips into individual cookies, one at a time. ENJOY!

Mushroom Puffs/ Mushroom Pie (adapted from an S.C.A recipe)

This recipe can be made in three ways – as puff pastry (the most time consuming), in pre-made fillo dough cups (easiest to handle for hors d’oeuvres at a party), or my favorite, in a frozen pie shell. For the pie, get a deep-dish pie shell and double the recipe for the filling.

Filling (for pie, double)

1/2 pound mushrooms, minced
1 minced large onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup sour cream

Pastry (optional)

9 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup flour

Mix and chill overnight.
Or – use pre-made Fillo Dough Cups


Sauté mushrooms and onions until soft. Add the spices and flour and sauté for another two minutes. Add the sour cream and cool slightly.

Puff Pastry -- Optional : Roll out the pastry and cut into 2 inch circles. Place a small amount of mushroom filling on each circle. Fold and crimp the edges together. Place on a baking sheet and brush the puffs with beaten egg. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Mushroom Pie:
Eliminate the pastry step. Buy a deep dish frozen pie shell, double the recipe for the filling, fill and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until shell is golden brown. (The filling doesn’t expand when heated, so fill it right to the top.) I like to make it a two-shell pie by thawing a second frozen pie shell, trimming it and crimping it over the top of the filling, and cutting vents in the top shell. Then I brush it with beaten egg before baking, which adds a nice, shiny glazed finish to the top crust. You might have to cover the edges of the shell with aluminum foil to keep them from becoming too dark – so keep an eye on it!

3 lb boneless pork loin roast (I used 2 Hormel pre-packaged roasts at
1.7lbs each and adjusted the remaining ingredients up slightly)
Garlic Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon granules
2 cups hot water
3/4 cup BBQ sauce (we use Williams Brothers, it's local)
1/4 cup packed grown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons dried minced onions
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Hamburger buns

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Sprinkle pork roast generously with garlic salt. Put roast in a
roasting pan with a cover.
3. Dissolve bouillon in the hot water and pour over roast. Cover.
4. Roast/bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until you can break the meat apart
with a fork.
5. Remove pork from roasting pan. Pour the pan juices through a strainer
to obtain 1 cup of juice. Discard remaining juices.
6. For the sauce, combine the pan juices with the remaining ingredients
(no, not the hamburger buns) Heat and stir until nice and bubbly.
7. Shred the pork with 2 forks. Return the shredded pork to the roasting
pan.
Pour the sauce over the pork and stir to coat the pork.
8. Put back in 350F oven, covered, for 1 more hour. Stir halfway through.
9. Break out the buns and chow down.

I acutally like my pulled pork sandwiches with a little diced red onion
on top.

Very sorry to interrupt, but what's pulled pork?

Bread and Butter

1 slice of Bread
Butter

Butter the slice of bread

The idea of dry-rub is the essence of Memphis style bar-b-que, and in true
Memphis rib joints they literally serve the end product "dry" which is not
what I usually do. I use a hybrid of Memphis, southwest and deep southern
styles.

Here's how I do it.

Start with a couple of nice looking racks of Babyback Pork Ribs
(Spare ribs, St. Louis style ribs, beef ribs, lamb rack or steak all work,
heck I've even used this on Salmon!)

Rinse and pat dry the ribs/meat.

Dry Rub:
[in descending order of proportion]

Brown sugar, turbinado sugar (better) or demerara sugar (best)
Kosher salt course cut
Black pepper course ground
White pepper and/or rainbow peppercorn finely ground
Paprika - Hungarian hot
Paprika - sweet
Garlic powder (not garlic salt)
Ancho peppers - dry or better is smoked
Hot Pepper flakes (I use my home grown thai/habanero/cayenne/chili blend)
Chile powder
Mustard powder
Thyme, italian seasoning, Rosemary or any green herb

Approx 1/3rd of total volume is sugar, the other two thirds is comprised of
80% salt, peppercorns, garlic and paprika and the remainder the other dry
ingredients. For 2-3 medium size babyback racks you'll need about 2 cups.

Take a few tablespoons of real maple syrup (preferably grade B dark amber) and lightly rub the entire rib assembly with the lightest coat possible. In Memphis for the baste they use diluted bbq sauce w/ added apple cider vinegar, smoke flavoring and Worcestershire, but not me I like the real maple flavor :)

Cover every square inch of both sides of the meat with a thick coating of
the rub.

Best is to let sit for 24-36 hours in the fridge. If used in less than 4
hours let marinade" at room temperature, but more than 4 hours should be
done in the fridge for reasons of hygiene.

4 hours or more before the cooking soak 2+ cups of wood chips in water.

The type of wood will heavily influence the final flavor, so if you want SW
style use mesquite, for "down home" and southern style hickory is best, for
the "north country" style use maple or any fruitwood (apple, cherry or plum) and for seafood alder works darn well.

An hour until cooking remove meat from fridge and allow to come to room
temperature.

45 minutes 'til cooking - Heat bbq to hot (400) then load the wood chips as close to the flame as possible. I put the chips in a cast iron wood-chip box inside the grill below the grating in the back corner. I turn off the center burner, turn the front to low, but leave the rear on high. I do this for about 1/2 hour until the chips start to smoke, then I turn the back burner to medium-low and the front off. Allow grill to stabilize with lid closed to 250 or so; 275 is too hot. At cooking time I take the remaining wood chips and put them in a tin foil ball at the back of the grill.

Place meat on center of grill, start bone side down and close the lid. In
30 minutes flip the meat and put another light layer of rub on the side that
just got turned up. Close the lid. Check temperature is 250 or close.
Flip every 1/2 hour. Use no more rub. Leave lid closed at all times when
not flipping/saucing.

After 2.5 hours I break out the bbq sauce and apply a light coating to side
that got turned up. 1/2 hour later I flip and apply light coat of sauce to
other side. 1/2 hour later flip and apply heavy coat of sauce and repeat
1/2 hour later for other side. At this point they can be served, but usually
I'll do one more cycle of flip/heavy-sauce, but with 15 minutes per side.

I serve with a light coat of warm bbq sauce, but can be served "dry." I
offer a side of sauce for those who like heavy sauce but I prefer to serve
with light sauce so you can see the glazing and the truly beautiful meat.

That's about it. I still fool around with the proportions and ingredients
in the rub, but basically if you start with sugar, salt, pepper, paprika,
garlic and chili then add stuff from there you'll be OK really. That plus
slow cooking with low heat and lots of smoke and you really can't go wrong.

For sauce I use a local brand from a rib joint in "the bad part of town" that they bottle and sell called Williams Brothers Bar-B-Que Sauce. For
commercially available sauce I like Stubb's Original.

Very sorry to interrupt, but what's pulled pork?
Just about what it sounds like. Cook the roast until it's very tender, then pull the pork apart with your fingers. It results in long, thin pieces of pork that soak up the sauce very well.

Very sorry to interrupt, but what's pulled pork?

Same as the BBQ pork recipe above.

Now where's the printer friendly button? This has to be one of the best topics on NS.

Just about what it sounds like. Cook the roast until it's very tender, then pull the pork apart with your fingers. It results in long, thin pieces of pork that soak up the sauce very well.
Thought so, but wanted to check.

Thanks (to you and Kat).

Bread and Butter

1 slice of Bread
Butter

Butter the slice of bread

DETAILS! WE NEED DETAILS!

What kind of bread? Rye? White? Wheat? Pumpernickel? Seven Grain? Soda Bread? Raisin Bread? Marble Rye?

What kind of butter? Sweet or Salted?

How do you butter it? Rub the slice on the butter, or rub the butter on the slice?

This recipe is too complex....

DETAILS! WE NEED DETAILS!

What kind of bread? Rye? White? Wheat? Pumpernickel? Seven Grain? Soda Bread? Raisin Bread? Marble Rye?

What kind of butter? Sweet or Salted?

How do you butter it? Rub the slice on the butter, or rub the butter on the slice?

This recipe is too complex....
select bread and butter to personal taste ;)

i didnt even know there were that many types of bread :confused:

Thought so, but wanted to check.

Thanks (to you and Kat).
When it comes to barbecued meat, sliced pork is just wrong.

you know those small packages of brownies that come in a thin box at the supermarket? ya, you take out two packages from the box. next, take some chocolate ice cream, and some chocolate milk. unwrap the brownies. put a few scoops of the chocolate ice cream in the blender (how many you put in the blender depends on your preferences and the size of the blender), and then break the two brownies in half, and then put those in the blender. finally, pour the choco milk and then blend. and voila! you've got a chocolate brownie milkshake

Salmon Fillet. West coast sockeye from the Fraser river is the best.
Soy Sauce
Brown sugar
white wine
garlic

Put 1-2 cups of soy sauce in flat pan. Add same amount of brown sugar. Add a splash or so of white wine, add some garlic. Put the salmon in, marinade for desired time (2 hours if you like salmon, 4 if you dont. ) BBQ.

Too bad the recipes so far aren't in metric and thus very impractical to most of the world. Conversion of these particular imperial units is quite vexing, indeed.

Anyway, my recipe for Greek Inspired Moussaka:

3 aubergines (~ 750 g)

Cut them into 1 cm thick slices, pour some salt on them and let them rest so that some fluid is pulled out of them. Meanwhile make the sauces.

Meat sauce:
2 yellow onions
1 clove of garlic
400 g minced meat (beef or lamb)
2-3 table spoons (30-40 ml) oil
400 g (usually a tin) crushed/diced tomatoes
30 ml tomato purée
5 ml salt
2 ml pepper
2 ml cinnamon

Chop garlic and onions. Fry them with the meat on a moderate heat in half of the oil, and then add the tomatoes, purée, salt and spices and let simmer under a lid for 10 minutes.

Milk sauce:
3 dl milk
40 ml flour (wheat)
3 ml salt
1 ml grated nutmeg
1 dl grated cheese
2 eggs

Whisk the flour into some of the milk in a pot, and then add the rest of the milk and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the nutmeg, salt, cheese and the eggs.

Wipe down the slices of aubergine and fry them in the rest of the oil for a minute on each side. Put 1/3 of the slices in an oven dish and poor half of the meat sauce over them. Put in a new layer of aubergine on top, pour the rest of meat sauce over them and then put the last 1/3 of the aubergines on top of that. Lastly pour the milk sauce on top and grate some cheese over it. Bake in the oven at 200 C for 45 minutes. Serve with a good salad.

For Meat Kabab:

2-3lb ground beef; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 large onion, peeled and very finely grated

For Cooking and Garnish:

1/2 cup sumac powder; juice of 2 limes; 1 12-ounce package of lavash bread; 12 flat 1-inch skewers

Baste:

2 tablespoons melted butter; 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

1. In a warm mixing bowl, combine meat and the rest of the kabab ingredients. Knead with your hands for about 5 minutes to form a paste that will adhere to cooking skewers. Cover the paste and let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature.

2. Using damp hands, divide the meat paste into 12 equal lumps about the size of oranges. Roll each into a sausage shape 5 inches long and mold it firmly around a flat, sword-like skewer. -OR- Pat into oblong patties and grill like hamburgers. Cover and keep in a cool place.

3. Start charcoal at least 30 minutes before you want to cook and let it burn until the coals are glowing evenly. (You can use a hairdryer to speed up this process.)

4. For the baste, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add a pinch of salt and lime juice.

5. Arrange the skewers on the grill 3 inches above the coals (bricks make good platforms for grill use), keeping in mind that the ground meat should not touch the grill. After a few seconds, turn the meat gently to help it attach to the skewers and to prevent it from falling off.

6. Grill the meat 3-5 min. on each side, and brush with baste just before removing from the grill. Avoid overcooking it. The meat should be seared on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.

7. Spread lavash bread on a serving platter. Loosen the meat from the skewers and slide the meat off using another piece of bread. Arrange the meat on the bread, sprinkle with sumac or lime juice to taste, and cover the meat with more lavash bread to keep it warm. Serve immediately with chelow (saffron steamed rice) or bread, fresh herbs, scallions, salad, mast-o khiar (yogurt and cucumbers), and torshi. (Persian pickles). Nush-e Jan!

For the mast o khiar, get some plain yogurt from the store, dice up about half a cucumber, grate half an onion (red or white will do), and mix that with the yogurt. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and mint in.

For another side dish, dice a half a cucumber, half a red onion, 2 or 3 tomatoes, and place it in a dish. Sprinkle some salt and pepper to taste, and lightly drizzle some red wine vinegar on it.

Personally, I love to mix it all up together...lol.

Ghormeh Sabzi

Ingredients for 6 servings:

750 grams of boneless stewing lamb or beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup of cooking oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1.5 cups water
1/2 cup dried limes (or fresh lime juice)
3/4 cup black-eye beans or kidney beans
1 large potato, diced (optional)
salt
black pepper
1 cup spring onions, finely chopped
1.5 cups spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup garlic chives, finely chopped
1/4 cup fenugreek, finely chopped (optional, adds flavor, but odor does permeate from ones' sweat if added)

Trim meat and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Fry onion over medium heat in half of the oil until golden. Add turmeric and fry for 2 more minutes.

Increase heat, add meat cubes and stir over high heat until meat changes color and begins to turn brown. Reduce heat.

Add water, black-eye or kidney beans, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 1-1.5 hours hours until meat is tender. Time depends on type of meat used.

Fry potatoes over high heat in the remaining oil until lightly browned. Add to sauce, leaving oil in the pan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add prepared vegetables to frying pan and fry over medium heat until wilted. Add to sauce, then add dried limes (or lime juice), cover and simmer for further 10-15 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve with white rice.

Butter. Ugh. It's just wrong.

Chilli Improv

Serves four. Ish.

Ingredients:

1kg minced meat (lamb is best, but beef is cheaper)
2 big onions
Tin of tomatoes
2 peppers (my preference: one green, one red)
Tin of kidney beans

Seasoning:
Worcester sauce, tabasco sauce, soy sauce (optional), fresh green/red chillies, cayenne pepper, lamb OXO cube, coarse ground black pepper, salt, garlic, fenugreek (optional - usually used in curries), assorted random sauces from 'fridge and cupboard, cheap red wine

4 cups of long grain rice

Preparation

Chuck mince into microwave for defrosting. Chop up onions, don't rub eyes until you've washed your hands. Check on mince. It's still frozen. Give it another spin, heat some oil in a large pan, throw in onion. Chop peppers. Check on mince. It's half brown and half frozen pink. Get bored with waiting and dump in the pan. Hack up tomatoes if not already chopped. Hack up mince as it starts to thaw. Finely chop a couple of cloves of garlic (unless you plan to kiss anyone that night, in which case don't use any), throw in the pan along with some salt or soy sauce. Add worcs sauce, inhale fumes, sigh with happiness. Drain kidney beans, open bottle of decent red wine (preferably a big, bold number). Ignore housemates whingeing about dinner being late.

time passes

Add chillies, tomatoes and peppers. Boil kettle, add to crumbled OXO cube in a cup, add to pan, leave to simmer. Drink more wine.

time passes

Gather a selection of spices and hot sauces from the nether region of the kitchen. Start sprinkling and pouring. At this point it is good form to cackle maniacally and glug more of the wine in a cavalier fashion. Add a generous splash of cheap plonk, leave to simmer. Drink more wine. Tut at increasingly plaintive expressions of hunger from housemates.

time passes

Taste sauce. It's pretty tame and lacks a middle flavour (not to mention being an unappealing brown colour. Add more spices. Root around cupboards, reluctantly give up and add tomato ketchup. Drink more wine.

time passes

Realise that it takes a while for the spices to kick in - the chilli is now ludicrously hot. Add a dollop of creme fraiche in desperation. And some more cheap wine. Realise that you've forgotten to do the rice. Swear. Boil kettle, add to rice to pan, leave to bubble away. You've finished the bottle of wine. Open another.

time passes

The rice has developed limpet-like qualities and refuses to let go of the pan. Scrape it out and put it in a sieve, draining the starch with cold water from the tap. Boil the kettle - you'll use this to warm the rice again. Spread evenly between the plates, dump the excess back in the pan (as usual, you've made enough rice to feed an army), spoon the chilli on top, make a mess of the kitchen surface in the process. Knock over the wine glass as you drunkenly stumble to the living room. Hand out plates. You've forgotten the forks - return to the kitchen to get them. Make a half-hearted attempt to tidy the kitchen, practice your innocent face for when the others start screaming as the chillies attack their nervous systems, sit down to dinner.

Drink more wine.

* * *

No, I'm not a chef.

Ghormeh Sabzi
*snip*
Ooh. I had that the other night, and we've left overs of it..which is good. I rather like it.

And old Swedish recipe for traditional Raggmunk, a sort of potato pancakes.

2 dl wheat flour
8 ml salt
5 dl milk
1 egg
8 medium sized potatoes (~ 700 g)

Measure up the salt and flour, and half of the milk and whisk until there are no lumps left. Add the rest of the milk and the egg. Peel and finely grate the potatoes and put them into the mixture as soon as possible, lest they become discoloured. Fry like pancakes (1 dl of batter per cake) in a pan. Serve with lingonberry jam, or finely grated carrots + fried pork (which could be cut into cubes and put into the batter and fried with the cakes, if you so wish).

For Meat Kabab:

2-3lb ground beef; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 large onion, peeled and very finely grated

For Cooking and Garnish:

1/2 cup sumac powder; juice of 2 limes; 1 12-ounce package of lavash bread; 12 flat 1-inch skewers

Baste:

2 tablespoons melted butter; 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

1. In a warm mixing bowl, combine meat and the rest of the kabab ingredients. Knead with your hands for about 5 minutes to form a paste that will adhere to cooking skewers. Cover the paste and let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature.

2. Using damp hands, divide the meat paste into 12 equal lumps about the size of oranges. Roll each into a sausage shape 5 inches long and mold it firmly around a flat, sword-like skewer. -OR- Pat into oblong patties and grill like hamburgers. Cover and keep in a cool place.

3. Start charcoal at least 30 minutes before you want to cook and let it burn until the coals are glowing evenly. (You can use a hairdryer to speed up this process.)

4. For the baste, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add a pinch of salt and lime juice.

5. Arrange the skewers on the grill 3 inches above the coals (bricks make good platforms for grill use), keeping in mind that the ground meat should not touch the grill. After a few seconds, turn the meat gently to help it attach to the skewers and to prevent it from falling off.

6. Grill the meat 3-5 min. on each side, and brush with baste just before removing from the grill. Avoid overcooking it. The meat should be seared on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.

7. Spread lavash bread on a serving platter. Loosen the meat from the skewers and slide the meat off using another piece of bread. Arrange the meat on the bread, sprinkle with sumac or lime juice to taste, and cover the meat with more lavash bread to keep it warm. Serve immediately with chelow (saffron steamed rice) or bread, fresh herbs, scallions, salad, mast-o khiar (yogurt and cucumbers), and torshi. (Persian pickles). Nush-e Jan!

For the mast o khiar, get some plain yogurt from the store, dice up about half a cucumber, grate half an onion (red or white will do), and mix that with the yogurt. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and mint in.

For another side dish, dice a half a cucumber, half a red onion, 2 or 3 tomatoes, and place it in a dish. Sprinkle some salt and pepper to taste, and lightly drizzle some red wine vinegar on it.

Personally, I love to mix it all up together...lol.

Mmmmmm, Kebab-e Koobideh. Shouldn't you marinade that for a few hours though? Thats usually the way my mom does it, its so good.

Edit: Are you Persian by any chance? I don't know many Non-Iranians who eat Ghormeh Sabzi.

Mmmmmm, Kebab-e Koobideh. Shouldn't you marinade that for a few hours though? Thats usually the way my mom does it, its so good.

Edit: Are you Persian by any chance? I don't know many Non-Iranians who eat Ghormeh Sabzi.


Ooops. Minor detail. lol..but yes. I'll go in and edit that. Thanks.

Ooops. Minor detail. lol..but yes. I'll go in and edit that. Thanks.

No problem, I know the process to make most kebabs, but I never get mine to turn out right, usually I make it too dry.

Riz à La Malte

4 dl cooked white rice, cold and soft
2 dl whipped cream, whipped to a volume of 4-5 dl
1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon = 15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 orange, peeled and cut in very small pieces and/or
3 slices of pineapple, cut in very small

Add the sugar to the cream and whip until reasonably firm, then add the lemon juice and the fruit pieces. Mix carefully with the cooked rice.
Rinse a large bowl with water, then fill it with the rice-cream mixture, press cautiously to remove any trapped air, and leave it for at least one hour in the refrigerator. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and turn out the rice-cream mixture on to a round dish. Garnish with thin slices of orange and/or pinapple.

"Saftsås:" (to go with the Riz)
2 dl fruit syrup, not too sweet
2.5 dl water
1.5 tablespoon potato starch (potato flour)
honey as required

Mix the fruit syrup, water and potatoe starch and bring it to a boil while stirring constantly. Let it boil for 6 - 8 seconds and remove it from the heat.
Taste and and honey as required. Serve either cold or above room temperature (but not hot).

No problem, I know the process to make most kebabs, but I never get mine to turn out right, usually I make it too dry.

I've never had that problem but it's not easy to make the rice the Persian way. When I did it the first time, my mom (who's not persian, but was "adopted" into the culture by my dad's family) told me it's better to kill yourself than dishonour yourself/family/guests by burning the rice. ...lol...I think I'd just lie and say dinner's moving along slowly, and make another batch.

I've never had that problem but it's not easy to make the rice the Persian way. When I did it the first time, my mom (who's not persian, but was "adopted" into the culture by my dad's family) told me it's better to kill yourself than dishonour yourself/family/guests by burning the rice. ...lol...I think I'd just lie and say dinner's moving along slowly, and make another batch.

Hehe, I've never actually tried to make rice the Persian way, its usually my mom doing that, but I need to give it a shot. What region is your dad from? My family is mostly Mazandarani.

OK...here's another one. I used to be the plant accountant for a major sausage manufacturer...that's right, I was a slaughter house accountant. :rolleyes: Here's a recipe that is always a favorite. I like to make it with ground beef, too.

[I] Hashbrown Casserole

<rest snipped to save space>
Okay... so when are you going to tell us how to put this together? Or should I get out my Betty Crocker Cookbook and let everyone know? (assuming it's *in* there..... ;) )

i came across this really good, easy salmon recipe the other day. it takes about 20-30 minutes total.

3 lbs salmon
dried dill weed, garlic, and salt to taste
about 1 T mayonnaise
fresh lovage (optional)

Preheat oven to 450.
Rub dill, garlic, salt on salmon.
Place salmon on a sheet of heavy tinfoil.
Spread mayo on salmon to keep it from drying out in the oven.

Cook for 15-17 minutes, garnish with lovage if desired, and serve.

Ingredients:
1-2 skinless chicken breasts (or other favorite parts ;) ) per person
Salad dressing of choice (see below)

Slather chicken on both sides (and don't forget the edges!) with dressing, then place into baking dish (size of dish depends on how much you're serving). Bake (starting with a COLD oven) at 275 - 300F for at least one hour or until chicken is white all the way through when sliced. (If it's even the tiniest bit pink, slather cut ends with dressing and put back into the oven, checking again every 20 minutes until done.)

Salad dressing is just that - depends on what you like. Ones I know work: Ranch, Honey Mustard, French, Italian (also good for marinade, and I let it sit for 24h before cooking, shaking bag every 3-4 hours). What you're doing is creating a different "skin" for the chicken to roast in, which is why I mentioned coating the edges. If you don't get the edges, the juice runs out and your meal will have dry-tasting chicken.....

Other sauces also work, such as Marinara, steak sauce, teriyaki..... You just have to experiment a bit and see what your personal favorites are.
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Okay..... types of sandwiches:

PB & J (used with potato, multi-grain, or white); variations are PB & Butter & jelly, PB & Mayo (I know, sounds gross - but it's delicious), PB & apple butter (go to The Apple Barn & Cider Mill (http://www.applebarncidermill.com/) in TN to get the best, IMNSHO ;) )
Ham & Cheese (sometimes I melt the cheese slightly by putting it in the microwave for 15 seconds) - good on most kinds of bread. Cheeses I like: Swiss, White American (has to be sliced very, very thin or it doesn't taste right to me), Provolone, Colby/Jack, Mozzarella (sp?).

Submarine/Hoagie (That's what I get for being a Southern Belle who was raised by a pair of Yankees - I know both words for the same sandwich!) :
Italian, as long as nothing spicy is on there, esp. Cappicola. Since I had a stomach flu bug a few years back, I've not been able to tolerate even Pepperoni pizza without help. :(
Roast beef au jus
Reuben - although I've not had one in a while
Grilled cheese for a snack :)
Club (Roast beef, turkey & ham - filling!)

....can you tell that I'm more carnivorous than herbivorous (sp)? ;)

This is the most amazing banana pudding I've ever eaten!

1 package cream cheese (8 ounce)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounce)
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix (5 ounce)
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla extract
1 container whipped topping -if frozen, thaw first (8 ounce)
4 bananas, sliced
1/2 package vanilla wafers, more or less (12 ounce)

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Next beat in the condensed milk, pudding mix, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping. Line the bottom of a 9"x13" dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange the sliced bananas evenly on top of the wafers. Then, spread the pudding mix over that. Finally, top it off with the remaining half of whipped topping. Chill until ready to serve.

ANZAC Biscuits

Ingredients

* 1 cup each of plain flour, sugar, rolled oats and coconut
* 4 oz butter
* 1 tablespoon treacle (golden syrup)
* 2 tablespoons boiling water
* 1 teaspoon carbonate soda (add a little more water if mixture is too dry)

Method

1. Grease biscuit tray and pre heat oven to 180C
2. Combine dry ingredients
3. Melt together butter and golden syrup. Combine water and soda add to butter mixture.
4. Mix butter mixture and dry ingredients.
5. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto tray allowing room for spreading.
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on tray for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks

Mars Pudding

Ingredients

1. A Mars Bar
2. Ice cream

Method

1. .Microwave the mars bar for 20-40 seconds (please remember it is better to under cook than over cook because if you over cook it becomes hard and not so nice)
2. Serve with Ice Cream

Rigatoni con pepperoni.

One of my favourite meals. Easy to prepare and not expensive. Measurements aren't precise here coz I just sorta throw it together.

You will need:

4-5 pepperoni sticks thinly sliced (thinner the better)
3-4 Roma tomatoes (can use normal ones but they tend to go a bit mushy) cut into cubes or whatever you feel. Remove seeds and goop.
2-3-4 cloves of fresh garlic. Minced finely.
1 large onion chopped fine.
1/2 cup whipping(heavy) cream (unwhipped, not cool whip or that shit in a spray can)
Grated Parmesan cheese (how much is up to you)
Olive oil (virgin is fine)
Salt and fresh black pepper.

Heat a heavy skillet (fairly hot) add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. It should smoke a bit if not the pan is too cool. Add the onions then garlic. Adding garlic first will make it scorch and taste bitter. Reduce heat a bit and cook the onions and garlic until they turn lightly golden. Now add the pepperoni slices and sautee for a minute or two now add the whipping cream and tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. If the pepperoni is really hot skip the pepper (sound advice...). Reduce heat to simmer and heat thoroughly. I usually let it reduce a bit but this will make for very mushy tomatoes so add them a bit later if desired.

Toss hot cooked pasta (I recommend you use rigatoni, tortiglioni, penne rigate, gnocchi or the likes) with a bit of the sauce, not all of it. Add pasta to serving dishes then top with sauce mixture and garnish with parmesan cheese. Serve with salad of your choice (spinach or Caesar is very good) garlic bread and a robust red wine (I stick to grape juice tho :) ) and you got yourself an authentic but simple Italian meal.

McDonalds

Enter Car
Start Car
Drive to McDonalds
Order McDonalds
Wait
Wait
Wait
Pay
Drive Home
Eat McDonalds

Cheesey Potato Soup

4-5 Potatoes, diced
1/2 Large Onion
3 Chicken Boulion Cubes
Garlic Powder to Taste
Salt & Pepper to Taste
3 T. Butter
2 T. Flour
2 C. Milk
8 oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar

In a large pot bring 2 1/2 cups water to boil. Add Potatos, Onion, Boulion, Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer fot 15 minutes. In another pot melt butter, add flour and stir until blended, add milk and stir. Let milk heat until it becomes frothy, but do not let boil. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add the cheese mixture to the potato mixture and let sit over heat for 2 minutes while stirring. Serve and enjoy! Feeds 4 or 2 really hungry people.

OK...here's another one. I used to be the plant accountant for a major sausage manufacturer...that's right, I was a slaughter house accountant. :rolleyes: Here's a recipe that is always a favorite. I like to make it with ground beef, too.

Hashbrown Casserole

2 pounds sausage (hot or mild)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 oz.) container of French onion dip
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup bell pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (30-oz.) package frozen hash brown shredded potatoes, thawed

I guess I could have added the instructions. Brown sausage until well done. Drain grease. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl except for 1/2 cup of cooked sausage. Spread mixture into baking pan. Sprinkle top with crumbles of reserved sausage. Bake covered at 350 F for 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 15 minutes allowing sausage crumbles to get crispy.