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Posts from the ‘Recipes’ Category

Jul 26

EASY, ICY, DIY TREATS FOR HOT DAYS

July 2018 entered riding a heat wave which covered most of the U.S. and set records for intensity and duration. Hot weather is enervating. Unlike cold weather which invigorates and stimulates the appetite to renew energy levels, heat is an appetite suppressant. People lose interest in food, much less preparing it!
Living in a community where backyards have grills, I was really surprised that I never detected the aroma of cooking in the air during the July 4th holidays. My neighbor, an avid griller, told me he froze the meat he had intended to use and his family had chicken delivered, which they ate cold, indoors. That about sums up what’s wanted in food when the temperature is high–room temp or colder, ready and accessible, light and easy to eat.
What we do crave is frequent, icy refreshment that cools us down and perks us up a bit. That the spurt of pep is from a sugar rush doesn’t seem to matter as long as it works. However, it seems to me that anything we need so should have more nourishment than the empty simple carbs in syrup laden sno-cones and fruit-flavored plastic sleeve pops.
I began sifting through old posts for solutions. As I remembered I’d done several on cold summer desserts over the years. I found two recipes for easy-to-make icy treats that would be great refreshments for the rest of the summer, especially if we have any more heat waves; granita and my own easy fruit sherbet , which is really more of a frozen puree.
If you want additional ideas, consult the panorama at the top of the site’s home page or go to the ‘Select Month’ menu on any page of the blog and look through the articles for June, July and August for the past several years. There are plenty of recipes and I’m sure you’ll find what you want.

Basic Granita:

Serves 4
1 ½ cups water
½ cup sugar
½ cup juice or other flavoring liquid- or extract squeezed from pureed fruit*
¼ cup lemon or lime juice
Pinch salt – optional
Additional flavorings-spices, herbs and/or garnishes—optional
Over low heat dissolve sugar in water, remove from heat and add flavoring liquid and juice, cool and put into a metal 9 X 13 inch pan. Freeze, scraping with a fork to break up every 20-30 min., for 2-3 hours until resembles fluffy shaved ice. Store in a covered container in the freezer for 1 week. Scrape to fluff before serving. (The ice chips don’t clump during storage.)
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* Variations:
To save time, simply pour a clear juice or liquid straight from its container into the pan and freeze as directed.
I often make this with cranberry or pomegranate juice, but other juices and liquids like coffee, green (matcha) or Chai tea even flat soda pop and pureed, strained fruits can be used as well. For example, it can be made with meat from ½ a watermelon, blended and squeezed through a sieve. Small amounts of liquor can also be added but beware the alcohol prevents freezing so use only enough to give taste. With some mixtures a dash of pepper is nice. The flavoring options are endless and it doesn’t have to be sweet. Try making some with beef or chicken broth with an envelope of bouillon granules dissolved for extra taste. This is great served with a cold meal. Another choice is to heat cider with cinnamon sticks and cloves to taste, cool, and proceed as above.
Use apple juice, rather than water, to stretch quantities of most liquids.

My Easy Plum Sherbet:

Serves 4
(1) 30 oz. can of purple plums, pits removed, OR any other canned fruit
Pinch ginger-optional OR seasonings appropriate to the fruit used
Process the fruit to a puree, adding only enough syrup to get the proper texture. I use all of it with plums, but not with pears. (Save any extra syrup to flavor a granita.) Place the puree in a sealed container, freeze for 1 hr. and stir well. Repeat until entire container is of equal texture. If it seems too icy or clumpy, reprocess and repeat freezing procedure. Keep sealed in the freezer. Keeps as long as a commercial product.
NOTE:
This can be made into an elegant dessert by punching a hole in the center of a scoop with a wooden spoon handle and filling it with a complimentary flavored liqueur.
Can also be made with fresh, roasted peach halves, very ripe pears and melons. Be sure to strain melon or the excess water in the fruit may make the mixture too icy.

Jul 19

SWEET POTATO SALADS

Potato salad and summer meals, especially those eaten out-doors, like picnics and barbeques, just naturally go together. Yet traditional recipes, with a mayo or cream based sauce are always a cause of concern, because those ingredients do not keep well in hot weather. These dishes must be kept cold from the time they’re made and served still chilled.

In the past few years I’ve discovered lots, and even created a few, recipes for potato salad that laugh at the heat. They’re healthy and, mainly, based on vinaigrette dressings which give them plenty of flavor.

I’ve also discovered, along the way, that using sweet potatoes, in place of white, adds flavor too. They have a slightly stronger taste which contrasts with the other ingredients, and can be more easily cooked to crisp-tender which holds up better. No one can argue that they make a colorful presentation either.

The fact that sweet potatoes have always been associated with the colder seasons rather than summer is a myth to banish. Like other produce, nowadays, they’re available all year. Actually, I bought some on sale in May. Serving them in a salad, especially with grilled meat can be a pleasant surprise. Moreover, since these dishes stay stable at room temperature, they can extend into the fall, even be acceptable as a Thanksgiving ‘portable’ side.

Try some of these potato salads –you’ll be glad you did!!

RECIPES

Quick Sweet Potato Salad:

Serves 2
1 large sweet potato in 1inch dice
2 sliced scallions-white and light green parts only
2 Tbs. oil
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cider vinegar

Few drops of hot sauce-to taste
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
1 tsp. lemon thyme or 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper
Cook the potato in ½ cup water in the microwave for 4-5 min. until crisp tender. Rinse with cold water and drain. Add the scallions and mix the oil, syrup, vinegar and hot sauce, if using, Toss dressing with the potatoes and scallions and chill. Add the herbs 30-60 min. before serving, toss lightly and chill.
Sweet Potato Salad with Lime:

4 servings
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno minced
2Tbs. brown sugar
¼ cup oil
Salt to taste
1/3 cup toasted cashew pieces—OR wasabi coated peanuts roughly chopped
1 Tbs. lime zest
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
Cut the potatoes in half if necessary to fit in a single layer in a deep skillet with a lid. Add water to depth of ½ inch. Cover and simmer about 15 min. or until crisp tender—not mushy.—check by pricking them. Peel skins off while warm. Blend the next 4 ingredients adding oil in a stream to make a vinaigrette. Season with salt to taste. Pour 1/3 of the vinaigrette in a shallow bowl. Diagonally slice potatoes in ½ inch rounds. Put into the serving bowl and drizzle with the rest of the vinaigrette. Toss gently with a spatula. Mix the last 3 ingredients to pass as a garnish. Will keep for 3 days covered and chilled. Toss gently again and bring to room temperature and garnish just before serving with lime zest, mint and nuts. Do not combine garnish ahead.

Sweet Potato Salad with Maple Dressing:

Serves 4—from justalittlebitofbacon.com

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
½ cup dried cranberries
4 oz. goat cheese
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Mustard Maple Dressing

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. maple syrup
½ tsp. kosher salt
Steam the sweet potatoes. Add about 2 inches of water to the bottom of your steamer. When it comes to a boil, add the potatoes to the top and steam for 7-9 minutes. Let the potatoes cool comes to a boil, add the potatoes to the top and steam for 7-9 minutes. Let the potatoes cool until just warm, about 15 minutes.
Put the potatoes in a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine. Let the potatoes finish cooling. Add the onion, pecans, cranberries, and goat cheese and mix them in. Sprinkle the rosemary and parsley over the top.To toast the pecans, bake for 5 minutes at 350F.
The salad is best eaten soon after assembling it. If you want to make it ahead, cook the sweet potatoes and mix them with the dressing. Then prep the rest of the ingredients, but hold them separate, and toss it all together before serving.

Sweet Potato Salad with Black Beans:

Serves 4-6-from naturallyella.com (adapted from the N.Y. Times)
1 lb. sweet potatoes
1 small red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice and zest from 1 lime
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed if using canned
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup pepitas
Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Peel sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes and place on a sheet tray. Chop onion into 1/4 inch pieces and add to the tray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Toss until sweet potatoes are well coated. Spread into a single layer and roast until sweet potatoes are tender and starting to brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, combine remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a jar with the lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, minced garlic, and chili powder. Shake well.
Once sweet potatoes are done, transfer to a bowl. Add in the black beans, pepitas, and cilantro. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until salad is combined. This is best done with the sweet potatoes are still warm.
While this salad is already a slight variation of the original recipe, the best variations are in how you can use it (besides just eating it). One note, if you’re in a hurry, you could always steam the sweet potatoes. But roasting them is really key to bringing out the flavor!
Tacos: Heat up a few tortillas, fill with this salad and top with avocado, cheese, and hot sauce. Instant dinner!
Eggs: Make scrambled eggs or an omelette and use this salad as filling (omit the pepitas for this variation).
Grain Bowl: Serve this salad atop grains. Then drizzle with an avocado cream sauce or a few dashes of hot sauce.
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Grilled Peach and Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette:

Serves 2-from droolworthy.com
1 medium sweet potato, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
1 ripe peach
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups arugula
1 cup yellow grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup shelled pistachios
¼ cup chopped celery
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette: 

½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon lime juice
½ tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper
In a bowl, whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potato; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until sweet potato is softened and cooked through. Remove the sweet potato and set aside.

IF SAUTEING THE PEACHES:

Cut peach into slices. Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Lay peach slices flat in the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side or until slightly charred and golden.

IF GRILLING THE PEACHES:

Cut peach in half. Heat grill to high. Brush peaches with butter (you won’t need the full tablespoon) and grill cut-side down until golden brown and cooked through. 
To assemble the salad, layer salad bowls with arugula, grape tomatoes, pistachios, celery, goat cheese, warm peach slices and sweet potatoes. Drizzle with dressing. Serve warm immediately or chill for later Salad can be served warm or cold.

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad with a Maple Tahini Dressing:

Serves 4–from—asaucykitchen.com
1 medium sized sweet potato , peeled and cut into cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
sea salt
1 large bunch of kale
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup (55 grams) pecans, chopped
¼ cup (30 grams) dried cranberries
2 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon maple syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat your oven to 400°F/205°C. Add the diced sweet potato to a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil then sprinkle the cumin and cayenne over the top. Mix with your hands until the sweet potato is well coated. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 15-20 minutes or until potato is tender. Cut out the tough ribs of the kale and discard. Thinly slice the kale into ribbons and add to a large bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the kale and massage the leaves with your fingers until the leaves become tender and soft. Add the chopped cilantro and toss to combine.
Add the dressing ingredients to a small jar. Shake to mix and taste for more seasoning if desired. Transfer the sweet potato to the bowl of kale. Add the pecans and dried cranberries and drizzle with the tahini dressing.

Sweet Potato, Pomegranate & Crispy Quinoa Salad:

Serves 6- from Wendy Polisi .com
2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ cup quinoa rinsed
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Salad
1 small green apple diced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
5 ounces Baby Spinach
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup walnuts toasted
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespooon sweetener of choice.
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, and roast for 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet combine quinoa, olive oil, 1/2 cup water, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 to 16 minutes. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool.
Make the dressing by combining balsamic vinegar, sweetener, Dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt and cayenne pepper in a blender. Add oil in a steady stream and process until emulsified.
Toss apple and lemon juice in a small bowl.
In a large bowl combine spinach, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and apple. Add roasted sweet potatoes, crispy quinoa and toss with the desired amount of dressing.

Tips & Variations :

If you want to crisp the quinoa ahead of time, keep it in a glass jar at room temperature.
1) In place of the pomegranate use dried cranberries.  (finding fresh pomegranate can be hit or miss.) . Dried chopped figs are also nice.
2) If you don’t feel like making this with crispy quinoa, don’t sweat it!  This Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad is great with cooked quinoa.
3) In place of walnuts try pumpkin seeds or chopped hazelnuts.

Jul 12

VANILLA – A FAVORITE SUMMER FLAVOR

There was an ice cream parlor in my hometown called ‘2 Cents Plain’. It was explained that ‘plain’ was soda jerk speech for ice cream with no toppings or add-ins and, later, when a variety of flavors were created, for a serving of vanilla. The idea of vanilla being ‘plain’ stuck and the word became a slang adjective for non-descript objects and people.

Basically, vanilla ice cream went from being a star, crowned with toppings, to a base for presenting ingredients and even a topping itself. It became the ‘mode’ in a la mode but despite the identity crisis, it remains the best selling flavor, especially in summer because it is such a marvelous host or companion, for all the luscious fruits, raw or cooked, in season then.

In reality, vanilla is an exotic spice with a complex taste, a marvelous, fragrant aroma and a distinct persona, second only to saffron in required labor intensity to produce. Its identity crisis stems from its adaptability. The spice enhances the flavor of other ingredients, rather than creating an interesting contrast of taste, which explains why the extract is used in so many recipes.

Pre-Columbian, vanilla was a favorite of the Aztecs which Cortez introduced to Europe. Like so many of the ‘New World’ plants, it is now grown in several places around the globe. I list them below with descriptions of the difference in flavor from each location.

Vanilla is actually the seed pod of a specific type of orchid. Originally pollenated by a species of bee, now extinct, this job must be delicately done by hand today. The pods, or beans as they are called because they resemble whole green beans, are weather sensitive. A bad season, or even a large storm in one locale, can drive the world price up from $20.00 to $500.00 per lb. quickly.

For many years, vanilla was generally, sold retail only as an extract, or more often found in the form of a less costly imitation of the extract, which was fine for some jobs. In fact, imitation vanilla is recommended for cookies and pastry. However, our current demands for ‘whole’ foods has brought dried vanilla beans to the supermarkets and, increasingly, recipes are calling for them, or the seeds they contain. (the little black specks in ice cream) Sold in plastic bags, the beans may seem expensive but for most jobs they are reusable and last for months. I’m including some uses and recipes to show you vanilla is anything but ‘plain’ and its products, especially whipped cream, ice cream and flavored sugar are great helpers to have on hand for serving all the wonderful fruits of summer.

First let’s look at the differences in vanilla crops globally:

JAVA: The least expensive, flavorable and smallest beans. If a ‘pure’ vanilla extract doesn’t state country of origin, it’s from java.
Madagascar: Also called ‘Bourbon’ vanilla. Beans have a robust aroma and a complex, sweet flavor that is almost like a wine. The best choice generally, but truly best for baking because it holds its flavor under heat.
Mexico: Fragrant with a sweetly floral aroma hinting of chocolate. Best choice for general use in both hot and cold dishes. Be sure extract from Mexico doesn’t contain Coumarin, which is banned by the FDA
Tahiti: The most fragrant and expensive was originally developed for the perfume industry. Best used in cold dishes. Its flavor doesn’t stand up to heat.

The beans are sold dried and resemble brown string beans. They should be kept, wrapped in plastic in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. They are wonderful for infusions for poaching liquids or custards and can be dried out, stored and reused as long as they have an aroma. Vanilla extract can be kept, tightly sealed, in a cool, dark place indefinitely. Choose their country of origin according to the intended use. Some recipes ask the seeds be scraped and used separately, but the keep the open pods for other uses.

RECIPES:

These are not the typical list of recipes using vanilla, cakes, puddings etc. Mostly they’re ways to use the beans to make ingredients for recipes.

One tip, a teaspoon of vanilla extract will enhance the flavor of any cake recipe, even chocolate.

Vanilla Sugar
Bury 2 vanilla beans in 1lb. sugar, granulated or confectioner’s. Leave for at least 1 week, stirring occasionally. Return beans to storage for future use. Use sugar as usual, for decorating or add to whipped cream for topping.

Vanilla Extract
Combine 750 milliliters cheap vodka, 6 split vanilla beans. ½-1cup vanilla extract in a large jar. Seal and place in a cool dark place for about 6 weeks. The beans can be removed and seeds scraped during this time for another use. Return the pods to the jar.
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Vanilla Vodka
Follow the above recipe, using better vodka and omitting the added extract. Allow to steep until desired flavor intensity is reached. Remove beans, dry, store and reuse.

Vanilla Topping:
Soak the beans in cream until flavor is achieved. For more intense flavor scrape the beans into the cream. Remove beans for another use, leave any seeds in. Whip, chill and serve.

Vanilla Brandy
Cut 1 bean into 1 inch pieces and drop in the bottle. Give it at least 3 weeks to infuse or to taste before serving. Leave vanilla in bottle.

Vanilla Mousse:

4 servings. Mousse is an old favorite of mine. It’s a great substitute for ice cream, slightly lighter without the egg yolks and easy to make at home. For a special treat add chopped fresh fruit.
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
1 egg white-beaten stiff*
Whip cream, add sugar and vanilla. Fold in egg mixed with salt. Pour into a refrigerator tray or mold, cover with plastic and freeze until firm.
* As a replacement for the raw egg—do not accept an egg substitute—there are several suggestions on the internet. One of the best is mixing powdered cashew nuts with milk to a paste. My grandmother used 2 tsp. Knox gelatin, dissolved in 2 Tbs. skim milk, or half and half, cooled and added as the egg would be.

Vanilla Sauce:

About 1 cup yield-Try this turn-about by putting the vanilla over the fruit.
1 ½ Tbs. butter
1 ½ Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup boiling water
1 inch piece of vanilla bean or 1 tsp. extract
Melt the butter, and stir in the flour to make a paste or roux. Add water, sugar and salt. Stir over low heat until thickened. Add vanilla and allow to infuse. Chill.

Jul 5

Can I help?

YES-If you’re old enough to ask the question. One of the nicest things about cooking is its adaptability to becoming a unifying group activity. When restaurant kitchen staffs are interviewed, the word ‘family’ pops up frequently in describing their work environment. So imagine what it can do to improve bonding in an actual family.

The modified recipes in Can I help? were originally devised to ease stress for those who cook with children in the kitchen, either on a regular basis or for special occasions, to include safe work for little hands. Then the book proved to be able to do much more. It’s a good guide for the novice or the pinch-hitter, under stress to produce an adult-pleasing meal in a strange environment. Also, it can act as a training manual to learn some survival skills for anyone starting, or planning to start out on their own or illustrate ways to simplify your favorite recipes for easier access.

Any adult cooking with children around knows that a kitchen in meal-prep mode is full of sharp objects and hot surfaces. Children are naturally interested, because they love to see something being made, especially when it involves all six senses. An interested child is a curious child and trouble prone if not kept occupied, while a busy child is a safe one. There are many jobs for even young children in a kitchen; washing and drying vegetables, peeling fruit, stirring mixes, they LOVE to pound meat and chop nuts with a mallet or turn a flour sifter. Slightly older ones, with a hand protector, can use a mandolin or grater. Whether on a daily basis, or for special occasions, cooking food with a child creates a bond of sharing.

The novice and the pinch-hitter, no matter how experienced a cook, are both under pressure to produce a meal working in unfamiliar circumstances. There is often the additional stress of this action having been dictated by a specific need; a special event, like Mother’s Day, an absence or illness. These modified recipes make the task simpler, but help finding things, or ingredients is very welcome and forms special friendships.

Obviously, as a training manual, the simplified recipes in Can I help? are invaluable. They keep teens focused and prevent older newbies from feeling like they’ve been enrolled in cooking ‘kindergarten’. If nothing else, it’s an ego saver but these recipes do make the learning process easier, especially since they yield good results. It’s incentive to continue. For a teen, who has been helping in the kitchen since childhood, the recipes are like flight plans for solos. You could end up with a sous chef in the family, which is truly a welcome addition.

Actually, the family as a whole can benefit from this book and summer is a perfect time to begin the process. It’s a laid-back time of year, with the longer hours of daylight giving the evenings a relaxed feeling, lacking the intrusion of outside activities or pressure of homework. Dinner can be a little later, last a little longer and interacting with other family members given more time. Why not start a little earlier, say in the kitchen rather than at table? If everyone helps with meal preparation, it’s that much more time to spend together and the meal becomes a family accomplishment. It doesn’t have to be every night, once a week is a good start, and it can yield rewards the rest of the year too, if the family gets into the habit of pitching in. Simplified recipes can be a huge benefit in easing this process.

The recipes in Can I help? are divided into four groups, breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. I’m including a couple of sample recipes from each group below to show how they can be both ‘company presentable’ and easy to make. With each category heading I’ll list a couple of others from that group as examples of the variety of options.

Breakfast:

Other recipes include Eggs Parmesan, Easy Home-Made Cinnamon Buns, Oven Pancake and Melon Boats

Yogurt with Bananas and Nuts:

Serves 4
3 large, ripe bananas
16 oz. Greek yogurt
4 Tbs. toasted chopped nuts, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts
Peel the bananas and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Microwave 1 min. on high. Cool, unwrap and mash. Gently mix with the yogurt and spoon into 4 dessert dishes. Chill briefly to cool and sprinkle nuts equally over the tops as garnish.

Eggs Florentine:

Serves 4
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs
1tsp. salt OR 1 envelope bouillon powder-beef or chicken
Pinch nutmeg
Grated Parmesan cheese
Thaw and drain the spinach in a sieve until it is moist but not wet. Mix in the bouillon or salt and nutmeg then divide it between 4 greased custard cups or ramekins. Top with a raw egg and sprinkle with cheese. Place cups in a pan with ½ inch water and bake at 350 deg. 15 min. or until eggs are set.

Lunch:

Some other options are Strata Burgers, Monte Cristo Sandwiches, Classic Quiche, and Gazpacho-Pasta Salad

Tuna and Bean Salad:

Serves 4
6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained
16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans-rinsed and drained
2 plum tomatoes diced
2 tsp. dried basil
Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. Dijon or spicy mustard
Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 6 ingredients. then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on lettuce lined plates garnished with a sprinkle of basil.

Turkey Mousse:

Serves 4
1 ½ cups chicken or turkey stock
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1 ½ cups minced cooked chicken or turkey – Deli, canned or leftover
¼ cup mayonnaise** See options at bottom
1 small onion minced
1 stalk celery minced
½ tsp. curry powder
1tsp. celery seeds
¾ cup heavy cream whipped ** See options at bottom
Soak gelatin in a microwave safe cup with ½ cup of stock until softened and risen. Microwave for30 sec. or until dissolved. Mix in all remaining ingredients except cream and chill until beginning to set. Fold in whipped cream and spoon into a lightly oiled 1 qt. mold. Cover and chill overnight. Unmold and serve on a lettuce lined plate.
** Cream can be replaced with yogurt. Use 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt and increase mayonnaise to ½ cup.

Dinner:

Among the other choices are My Beef Kabobs, Chicken with Cherries, Pork (or Turkey) Loin with Apricot Glaze and Salad Nicoise. These recipes point out specific tasks for children.

Chicken with Mustard and Honey:
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Serves 4-easy to divide and/or multiply
NOTE: The seasoning ingredients are placed under the skin to help them infuse the meat. This can be done by children and they can count the cooking time.
4 large chicken thighs
4 tsp. honey
4 tsp. Dijon or grained mustard
¼ tsp. ground black pepper—optional
Garlic Powder NOT garlic salt
Mix the honey, mustard and pepper, if using. Lift the skin on the chicken and place 2 tsp. of the mixture on the meat sprinkle with garlic. Place the pieces slightly separated in a roasting pan. With ½ inch of water or broth in the bottom. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 30- 40 min. or until juices run clear when pricked with a knife point.
A pan sauce can be made by adding a bit of apple juice, cider or broth to the pan drippings to deglaze.

Double Punch Lasagna Roll-Ups:

Serves 4
Save for the actual cooking, children can do most of the work in preparing this dish.
If you need to plan ahead for an oven-ready dinner, this casserole keeps wonderfully well for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator, and makes a good party dish, but the stuffed noodles have to be served as separate entities. Don’t randomly cut into the dish.
1 lb. ground turkey (Frozen rolls ex. Jenny-O, work well here. The finer ground seems to compact more easily for stuffing. Be sure to thaw before cooking.)
1 medium onion chopped
(1) 4oz. can mushrooms-stems and pieces – drained
2 tsp. chopped garlic
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
¾ cup ricotta cheese
1 Tbs. oil
4 Lasagna noodles broken in half (or cut after boiling)
(2) 8oz. cans tomato sauce
7 oz. canned diced tomatoes = ½ a 14 oz. can- drained and juice reserved
2 ½ cups milk
5 Tbs. flour
5 Tbs. butter
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese in small cubes ( peppers optional)
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese and paprika to garnish
Cook noodles in boiling water until very tender @ 10 min. Drain and keep in cool water so they don’t dry out. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion until soft @ 3 min. Add mushrooms for 2 min. then add garlic for one minute, then turkey, separating it between the fingers as it goes into the pan, and 1 teaspoon each of the oregano and basil. Cook, stirring, to keep meat separated until it browns @ 5 min. If mixture begins to seem dry or stick to the pan, add a bit of the reserved tomato juice. Stir in ricotta and remove from heat.
Lightly coat a casserole about 9x9x3, with cooking spray. Spread tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and second teaspoons of oregano and basil, in the bottom. Lay out the noodles, and put an equal portion of the meat mixture on each. Roll the noodle around the stuffing, until the ends meet, and carefully lay each, seam side down in the prepared casserole.
In a saucepan, over high heat, melt the butter until it foams. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. This is called a Roux. Add the milk, and stirring constantly to incorporate the roux, return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Continue stirring until sauce thickens, never allowing it to boil (lift the pan for a moment if it starts to) @ 3 min.
When it has thickened, stir in the Jack cheese until it melts, add the nutmeg and salt. White Sauce often does need salt (see Sauces and Gravies Link) Pour this sauce over the noodles, dust with grated parmesan cheese and paprika to garnish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake until sauce bubbles and slightly browns about 30 min.

Dessert:

Here there are three recipes to show the variety. Some other choices in the book are Fruit Pizza, Chocolate No-Cook Bars, Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Easy Berry Angel Cake # 2


1 purchased pound cake
8 oz. tub of Whipped Topping
1pt. box of strawberries
Save several nice berries for decoration. Slice the rest and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest a few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced berries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides. Repeat with 2nd layer. Finish with 3rd layer topped with the rest of the whipped topping and the reserved decorative berries.

Dump Cake


2 cans fruit pie filling
1 box yellow cake mix
½ cup butter or margarine melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon – optional
Spread the pie filling in the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch pan, mix with cinnamon if using. Cover with the dry cake mix and pour the butter over all. Do not stir. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven 30 min. until top is golden. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping.

Fruit Gelati:

Makes 1 quart
2 bananas
2 papayas
1 Orange grated to yield 1 Tbs. zest and 1 Tbs. juice reserved
1 lemon grated to yield 1 Tbs. zest and 1 Tbs. juice reserved
1lime grated to yield 1 Tbs. zest and 1 Tbs. juice reserved
½ cup sugar
1 quart milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend or process all ingredients until blended. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze overnight. Process again until smooth, pour into a bowl and freeze overnight again. Scoop as ice cream to serve.
Variation: Substitute 1 ripe pineapple diced and 4 peeled and diced kiwi for the other fruit.

Jun 28

HEY REMEMBER ICE CREAM SODAS?

I got one of those ‘Do you remember?’ Facebook messages yesterday, about soda fountains. I don’t remember them in their hay day, when Soda Jerks made coke by the glass from syrup and seltzer, but I do remember the iconic Ice Cream Soda. Nowadays, the only way we sip ice cream through a straw is with milk shakes. I like shakes but most are made from a prepared mix, not from scratch by blending ice cream, syrup and milk to a froth, as they used to be.

Sadly, sodas seem to have disappeared from popularity along with the fountains. The Ice Cream Soda was a special treat, built by hand, opulent, gleaming and overflowing the glass, served with an ice tea spoon and a straw, it took time to eat. It offered contrasts in taste and texture down to the last drop, and left you feeling satisfied, not just filled.

It always seemed the ideal dish for the Fourth of July, as appropriate to the holiday as pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving. My association is also linked to childhood memories. My Aunt and Cousin always arrived July 1st for the summer and every Friday night, they, my Grandmother, my Mother and I went to the movies and afterward to a popular ice cream parlor for sodas. Nothing tasted so good as the soda on that first Friday, which was always within a few days of the 4th.

I can still remember the choices. My cousin and I stood by our usuals, chocolate for me, strawberry for her, but the women varied their orders regularly. Grandmother liked all vanilla, or asked for peach ice cream or one scoop peach and one strawberry. My Aunt picked a chocolate soda with a ripple ice cream, fudge, caramel or peanut, because she liked the taste tweaks as she ate. My Mother chose a chocolate soda with coffee, pistachio or mint chip ice cream, creating different flavors.

Every so often, at this time of year, I used wax nostalgic and make sodas for my kids and their friends, but mine didn’t generously overflow. I wasn’t into cleaning dippy messes and something else was missing. The kids loved them and were always happy I made them, but to children used to soft-serve cones and take-out shakes everywhere, to whom an ‘ice cream fix’ was opening the freezer door, the ‘special’ magic wasn’t there.

I really would like to see the Ice Cream Soda make a comeback. Anyone can make one. All they need is an ice cream scoop and the flavor options are limitless. If my relatives could consider 11 combinations normal in those conservative food years, when Howard Johnson’s 28 flavors was thought exotic, imagine what could be concocted today. Moreover, it’s easy to create new ones with home machines.

There are also many favors of syrups in the markets now. Additionally, we may not be the basic ’from scratch’ cooks our grandmothers were, but we are adept at accessorizing our dishes and that includes making syrups. I make coffee syrup frequently for Tiramisu. Simple syrup is equally easy and can be flavored with pureed fruit and/or extracts. Lemon curd is available and it’s always possible to turn to old standbys like maple syrup or butterscotch sauce to improvise.

Then there’s the huge variety of flavored seltzers in markets today, white grape, peach, raspberry, lime to name just a few. They can provide interesting contrasts in tastes as well. Using flavored soda isn’t a novel idea either. The famous ‘Brown Cow’ was chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream and coke.

Which brings me to the ‘kissing cousin’ of the ice cream soda, the Float; simpler than the soda, it’s simply a soda pop, originally, I think, root beer, or other carbonated beverage even beer and ale, poured over a scoop of ice cream. Does anyone still remember root beer? Apparently, however, floats aren’t such dinosaurs as ice cream sodas. Guinness features one made with ale in its current recipe book.

So here’s an idea. July 4th is this week. Why not celebrate a truly American holiday by remembering a traditional American drink? You can even make a party of it, kinda like a sundae party, by offering different ice creams, a variety of seltzers and syrups, even some toppings, whipped cream, cherries, jimmies. Line up the options and let people make their own. It doesn’t have to be a large group, in fact smaller is better, but it is festive.

Just one tip; in choosing the ice cream for a soda, think twice about varieties with larger add-ins, like nuts and candy. They don’t fit in a straw, or worse, clog it, making eating difficult. I wouldn’t advise cookie cough either, not just for that reason, but the soda will partially dissolve it and, being heavy, it will sink, leaving a gummy mass in the bottom of the glass.

Happy Fourth of July all

RECIPES

Basic Ice Cream Soda Recipe:

Single serving
20 oz. glass
3 Tbs. flavored syrup or + to taste
2 scoops of ice cream
Chilled club soda, seltzer water (Not sparkling mineral water) or other carbonated drink, cola, ginger ale or other pale soda pop.
Pour the syrup into the bottom of the glass; add about of 1 oz. soda and 1 scoop of ice cream. Stir gently around the sides of the ice cream lifting the syrup up around the scoop. Slowly add more soda to fill the glass ¾, mixing the contents gently as you pour. Add the other scoop of ice cream, and fill the glass with the soda water, creating bubbles.

Basic Ice cream Float:

Single serving
20 oz. glass
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Carbonated beverage, including beer or ale.
Fill the glass about ½ full with the liquid, add the ice cream and then pour over the liquid to fill.

Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Combine and heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. If it seems thin, cook to evaporate water until desired consistency.

Brown Simple Syrup:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
Follow above directions.

Coffee Syrup:
Method 1) Make either above syrup with strong coffee in place of water
Method 2) Add 1 Tbs. or to taste, instant coffee as you make it. I like Instant Espresso for flavor depth.

Vanilla Syrup:
While cooking simple syrup add from 2-3 tsp. or more vanilla to taste. This amount will also be determined by whether pure extract or imitation is used. The main thing is not to let it dilute the syrup recipe, so the length of cooking time will depend on the degree the fluid needs reducing to achieve the right consistency.

Fresh Fruit Syrups:

Examples of how fresh fruits can be used. Always store chilled. Traditionally these directions would have included straining, but I like the rustic appearance of a rougher texture.
Strawberry
Marinate sliced berries in sugar as for shortcake topping, then puree.
Peach
Method 1) about ½ cup peeled, sliced fruit and 1Tbs. simple syrup, or to consistency, pureed
Method 2) Roasted peach half(halves-depending on quantity wanted) pureed with simple syrup, if needed. Gives a more intense flavor

Blueberry
½ cup blueberries and 1+? Tbs. simple syrup microwaved at 1 min. intervals for 3 min. or until soft, then pureed.

Feel free to experiment—perhaps chopped apple, with cinnamon treated as blueberries or plums substituted for peaches. A few drops of liqueur or extract or a pinch of spice can add to the taste as well.

Jun 14

COLD SALMON IS COOL

I love salmon. I love the mild, distinct, but not ‘fishy’ taste, the firm, yet tender texture, the pretty pink appearance, the overall versatility and importantly, the fact that it’s a healthy food choice. I guess you can tell my preference since this is the second time I’m writing about it in 4 months. However, it is a real menu ‘go-to’ shining in presentations, both cold and hot from elegant to casual I wrote about it earlier, suggesting several Lenten dinners. Now I’m suggesting easy, make-ahead recipes for cold summer meals. Whether you stay home or are on vacation, there are several reasons to count on salmon for dinner. Here I’m going to quote from my first post;

“It’s 1) Available, all year, fresh and frozen, 2) Accessible, from individual frozen fillets in Dollar Stores, to frozen multi-packs and fresh in supermarkets to freshly cut in fish markets 3) Affordable, with such a range of outlets there is something to fit every wallet and 4) Sustainable, still plentiful in the wild and very successfully farmed.

Salmon is a bit complicated to understand simply because it’s often sold listing species. Salmon is native to the northern regions of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but there are some non-migratory species living in lakes in Europe, North America and Siberia. Unfortunately, the Western Atlantic Coast has been over-fished and the only commercial hauls from that region are in Nova Scotia, where most of the catch is smoked before sale.

Native to the Eastern Pacific coast are 1) the Chinook, also called King or Blackmouth salmon, the largest Pacific species reaching 30 lb. 2)The Coho, or silver salmon which ranges as far as Southern California, 3)The Sockeye, a lake-rearing species and plankton eater, often used for canning; 4)The Chum, also called the dog or calico which has the widest range of the Pacific salmon covering both coasts; 5) The Pink also has a wide, but more northern range and is the smallest species, 6) The Masu is exclusive to the western Pacific coast. There are other salmonoid species in several countries but their marketing is strictly local.

Salmon is prepared in many ways, though I don’t recall ever seeing it deep fried or in batter. As for the actual cooking I quote The Canadian Department of Fisheries, recommended by top chefs from James Beard to Steven Raichlen and Bobby Flay. “Regardless of method, the cooking time should be 10 min. per inch of thickness of the fish at its thickest point”. If you have a whole fish 4 inches thick, you will cook it 40 min.; a steak 1 ½ inches would take 15 min. or 7 ½ min. per side and a thin fillet ½ inch thick would be 5 min. or 2 ½ per side.” (I tend to be more cautious here and allow 3 min. per side.) Tongs are great to turn fish steaks but spatulas are better for fillets and, if I’m doing thin fillets on an outdoor grill, I use a ‘fish holder’; a grill accessory with a long handle, which holds the fish between two rectangular pieces of metal mesh, making flipping them during cooking without breaking them easy.

Salmon, especially fresh, may have skin. Personally, I don’t like the skin on a fish fillet nor do I like messing the presentation, by having to flip the fish to remove it, or enjoy having to scrape the meat off the skin as I eat.  I empathize with parents who are trying to teach their children healthy eating. Fish is a hard sell to begin with and serving it with that ‘ickey’ skin is no help.

Actually, removing the skin is an easy, if a bit delicate, task.  Lay the fillet, flesh down, on a flat surface, thick end front. A cutting board or waxed paper covered counter top is ideal. Place the fish at a slight diagonal to you, and gently lift one corner by the skin. It should start to separate from the meat, allowing you to slip a sharp knife between the two and carefully slice them apart. I usually use a 5 inch knife for this job, but knife size depends on the fillet and whatever you’re comfortable with. The important thing is that the knife is sharp.

Leaving the skin on may cause fish to curl when cooking because the skin contracts. The best way to prevent this is to slit the skin across several times and start the cooking skin side down.  Even with the skin removed, some types of fish, like Monkfish, may still have a tendency to curl. I have found that the only way to prevent this is by snipping the darker line of flesh that can be seen when the skin is removed. It runs lengthwise down the center of the fillet and several shallow cuts crosswise with a scissors seems to relax it enough to stay flatter during cooking.”

RECIPES:

Top of Form

Poached Salmon with Sauce:

Serves 4
1 ½ lbs. of salmon fillets or steaks
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Bring water to cover and lemon juice to a boil and reduce to an even simmer. Slide fish in gently and cook about 8-10 min. per pound until the flesh turns pale pink and flakes easily. Remove from heat, run fish under cold water to stop cooking and remove skin, and spine bone, if still there in steaks. Serve warm or chill on a covered plate at least 1 hour.
Sauce: Can be made the night before-keep covered and chilled
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
1 ½ tsp. dill weed or to taste*
Mix all ingredients well and allow flavors to meld several hours in the refrigerator. Add more dill to taste if needed. Serve dolloped over chilled fish.
*Note: Optionally substitute 1 peeled, seeded, finely chopped cucumber for the dill OR add it to the dill sauce.

Grilled Balsamic Salmon:

Serves 4
4 salmon fillets
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat grill or broiler, place rack about 4 inches from heat and lightly oil or place fish on a lightly oiled pan or piece of foil. Cook fish about 5-8 min. until lightly browned and it flakes easily. Brush liberally on both sides with vinegar; add salt and pepper to taste, plate and sprinkle with dill. Serve hot or room temperature.

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Terrine;

Serves 8-Adapted from Recipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach-thawed and drained of excess water
1 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon
½ lb. unsalted butter –softened-1 Tbs.in reserve
Freshly ground black pepper
Use the 1 Tbs. of butter to grease the bottom of a 1 ½ qt. loaf pan and line pan with plastic wrap. Blend the remainder of the butter and spinach to a paste. Place a layer salmon in the bottom of the pan, cover
with ¼ inch of spinach mix. Repeat layering twice, ending with fish, there should be 3 layers of spinach and 4 of salmon. Refrigerate at least3 hrs. Unmold by dipping the pan in hot water, if necessary and serve in 1inch slices. Garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg, or present with any style of eggs.

Home–Cured Gravlax:

Serves 8- From Recipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
2 ½ lb. side or thick piece from a side of salmon-skin on
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup kosher salt
1 ½ cups fresh dill
1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
Remove the small pin bones from salmon and pat dry. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Combine the other ingredients and cover the flesh of the fish, rubbing the mix in. Cover with plastic wrap, put another baking sheet on top and weigh down with several cans. Refrigerate 72 hrs., pouring off water daily and rewrapping. To serve scrape off seasonings and slice on the bias at a 30 deg. angle, lifting slices off the skin. Serve with any form of eggs, on a bagel with cream cheese, or on buttered toast points with capers or onions and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Can also be used in pastas, casseroles and quiches.

Whole Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill:

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1 whole salmon, cleaned and scaled-about 8-10 lbs.
2 bunches dill-a few sprigs reserved for garnish
6 lemons-2 quartered in reserve
1 cup olive oil
Rinse the salmon and pat dry, check all scales are removed. Thinly slice the remaining lemons. Lay out a large piece of heavy foil and spread one bunch of dill on a space the size of the salmon, cover with 1/3rd of the lemons, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top, salt and pepper the cavity and fill with another 1/3rd of the lemon slices. Cover the fish with the other bunch of dill, the remaining lemon slices, salt and pepper. Pour the oil over all and fold foil up and over the fish to seal, leaving some airspace. You might want to use a second piece of foil to make a secure package. Place the package on a medium heat grill and cook for 20 min.Turn package and grill another 20 min. Douse any flare-ups with water. Carefully lift the salmon from the opened package with 2 spatulas. Garnish with reserved dill and lemon quarters. Can be served at room temperature for a buffet.

Pickled Salmon:

Serves 4-6- From Recipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
4 large salmon steaks
6 Tbs. white vinegar
4 tsp. pickling spice
Place the salmon steaks in a skillet(or two)large enough to hold them easily and pour in 1cup water for each 2 steaks. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover the pan(s) with waxed paper, bring to a boil and lower heat to medium. Cook 4-5 min. turn over and cook 4-5 min. more. Remove fish, with liquid to a shallow dish, cool, then chill well. Drain to serve, keeps 4-5 days in the refrigerator. Excellent for picnics, goes with most summer sides.

Creamy Salmon Mold:

serves 8-10
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin –divided
1 ½ cups small curd cottage cheese
1 green bell pepper in small dice-divided
2 Tbs. grated onion or in tiny dice
8 oz. cooked salmon-or canned- flaked
½ cup celery in small dice
2 Tbs. lemon juice
¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup cold water-divided
2/3 cups hot to boiling water-divided
½ Tbs. dried dill weed
Part 1-Place ¾ envelope gelatin in ¼ cup cold water allowing 5 min. to soften. Combine cheese, onion and ¼ cup pepper. Dissolve gelatin in 1/3 cup boiling water, add to cheese mix, stir well and place in the bottom of a rinsed, but not dried mold. Chill until almost set.
Part 2-Soften the remainder of the gelatin in ¼ cup cold water, and combine all the remaining ingredients, except the water, stirring well to get a uniform texture. Dissolve the gelatin in 1/3 cup hot water and add to the fish mix. Place on top of the cheese in the mold and chill well. Unmold to serve and slice.

NOTE: Salmon Salad:

Simply omit the cheese, gelatin and water from the above recipe. This is excellent as a sandwich filling, a tomato stuffing or simply mounded on lettuce.

Salmon Cheesecake:

Serves 10-From Recipes for Romance by Gail Greco
1/3 cup fine, unseasoned breadcrumbs
½ cup +3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
(3 ½ ) 8oz. packages of cream cheese
4 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs. butter
½ cup EACH finely diced onion and red bell pepper
5 oz. smoked salmon
½ cup blue cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Mix the Parmesan and breadcrumbs and sprinkle in a 10 inch springform pan. Rotate until the bottom and sides of the pan are evenly coated. Saute the onions and pepper in the butter until softened. Beat the cheese, eggs, and cream until smooth. Gently fold in 3 Tbs. Parmesan, blue cheese, fish and vegetables. Stir carefully until well combined, pour into the prepared pan, and shake gently to level. Wrap foil under to bottom of the pan and fold up along the sides, place in a larger pan with 2 inches of water bake in a preheated 300 deg. oven for 1 hr. 40 min. until golden. Turn off heat and leave in oven for 1 hr. then cool on a rack for 2 hr. before removing from the pan. Serve sliced at room temperature or chilled.

Smoked Salmon with Dill Mousse:

Serves 4- From Recipes 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold
1 lb. smoked salmon, cut in 1/4 -1/2 inch pieces
2 bunches fresh dill—some fronds reserved for garnish
4 Tbs. olive oil
Cut heavy stems from dill to get 1 cup packed leaves, then chop finely. Puree while slowly adding oil, 2 Tbs. cold water and salt to taste. Press salmon into mounds about 2 ½ inches in diameter and 1 inch high in the center of 4 plates. Top with sauce and garnish with reserved dill.

NOTE: This can also be served with the sauces from Poached Salmon above.

May 31

KABOBS FOR FATHER’S DAY 2018

Ask anyone in the restaurant business the difference between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and they’ll reply that reservations are needed for the first one. Funny, in a time when most women work outside the home, couples share chores and the majority of men know their way around the kitchen, the perception persists that women should be taken out and men be served a special dinner in their “castle.”

Whether you plan to eat at home or out, I’m sure you’re aware that the cost of food for a weekday meal, much less an ‘event’ one has gone up—again. Solutions, however, aren’t always about solving problems. Sometimes, they’re about finding ways to adjust to them. To answer the question of stretching the food dollar, especially for special occasions, I don’t advise the old method of simply adding another potato to a pot of stew. I ask you to consider the skewer and what it is used to create, the kabob.

Kabobs are really neat! They can be made to satisfy any food serving requirement from appetizers to dessert, to fit any occasion from casual to formal, are wide open to innovation and individuality, are able to adjust to any ethnic or dietary interpretation, and can be cooked on outdoor or indoor grills (see my blog Aug. 30, 2012), even in the oven or on the stovetop. Best of all kabobs rank right up there with stews and casseroles as a means of stretching meat, but are subtle about it. Like magicians, by allowing the meat to stand out, rather than hiding amidst other ingredients, it always seems more than ample. Even if you still want to use beef tenderloin, for example, you can always count on needing one quarter less the amount per every four portions, than you would have to buy if you served plated fillets. By adding other items to the skewers, you can reduce the amount even further. Another beauty of kabobs is that most recipes in all cuisines, call for a flavoring marinade which also tenderizes. This allows you to choose a less expensive cut. In fact that might be the better option, because very tender cuts can become too soft after marinating.

There are several ways to maintain the illusion of offering an abundance of meat. The size of the skewers makes a difference. For example, three cubes of meat on a 6 inch skewer accompanied by a skewer of the same length or slightly longer filled with vegetables, appears an ample portion and makes a nice presentation on a plate. Slices of meat can be folded over, or around a piece of vegetable or fruit, then skewered. Most often, though, I use 12 inch skewers with a minimum of 4 pieces of meat interspersed by vegetables. For entertaining, to save grill space and to assure everyone eats at the same time, I use 17 inch skewers. I may thread the vegetables alternately with the meat, or use separate skewers, depending on the cooking times, but I empty all the kabobs on a serving platter which is passed with a bowl of bedding foods, rice or perhaps greens and I have a couple of extra kabobs ready to go on the fire as we sit down so I can offer seconds.

It’s important, when threading kabobs, that all the ingredients have uniform cooking times. Otherwise use separate skewers. It’s also important when choosing ingredients and marinades to remember that, although kabobs are designed to cook quickly, about 20mis, on average, sugar can burn even faster.

Unlike barbeques, kabobs don’t require heavy basting sauces, but they do rely on delicate vegetables and light, often juice based marinades. Sometimes they even incorporate pieces of fruit. Fruits, juices and many bottled marinades contain sugar, so check nutritional information when planning kabobs. Most published recipes, however, have taken this fact into account.

Another advantage of kabobs is that they make clean-up easy, with no roasting pans or heavy pots to wash and only a few utensils. Moreover, prepping can be done, should be done, hours in advance and the actual cooking is quick and effortless. I don’t think any other type of meal offers so much time to relax and enjoy one’s family and friends. If you want to spend Father’s Day with Dad, this is your way to do it.

Before I move on to recipe suggestions, I want to add a few words about skewers. Bamboo skewers must be soaked before use or they will burn. A good way to have some always ready is to wet them then store them in the freezer. The thing to remember about metal skewers is that they become very hot and tend to cook the food from the center as well. If the aim is to serve the meat rare, then they need careful watching. With both types, the meat can stick to the skewer as it cooks and the solution is to spray the skewers first with cooking oil. Food tends to swivel on metal skewers as they’re turned on the grill, and I’ve found using a long spatula to gently roll them is better than lifting and turning. Another answer is to double skewer, but be sure the ingredients are stable and large enough to stand being pierced twice and still hold up during cooking.

So Happy Father’s Day to all you Dads out there and to the families who are enjoying it with you! I hope these recipes will enable you to relax and spend more time together.

BEEF
These are two recipes from my book. Dinners With Joy. The marinade can be used for the second dish as well as the first. In fact, I’ve found that poultry and pork can be substituted for beef in either recipe.
MY OWN KABOBS: Serves 4
2 lbs. Top round London broil
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 20 cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup oil 2 green bell peppers-in 20 large pieces
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 2 large onions-cut in 8ths and separated into 20 pieces
2 tsp. dried thyme-divided 25 large button mushrooms- caps separated
2 tsp, dried rosemary-divided
2 tsp. garlic powder-divided (1) 7oz box long grain and wild rice
2 tsp. dried mustard –divided (5) 12 inch skewers
1tsp. paprika-divided
Trim the meat well and place in a non-reactive pan large enough to hold it comfortably. Mix the next 3 ingredients and pour over the meat. Mix the remaining ingredients in that column and sprinkle ½ over the meat. After 2 hrs., turn the meat and sprinkle the rest of the seasonings over the other side. Continue marinating and turning every few hours for at least 6, and no more than 10. Cut meat in 25 pieces. Reserve marinade. Thread the skewers, beginning and ending with meat, alternating with sets of the vegetables. I find they hold better if you use the natural curved shape of the peppers and onions as parentheses to encase the tomatoes and mushrooms, one of each per set and use the extra mushroom caps as stoppers at the end of the skewers.
Cook the rice according to box directions adding the chopped mushroom stems, using the reserved marinade to replace an equal amount of water. Keep the rice warmed while the kabobs cook.
Cook the kabobs according to your grill requirements, or under a broiler for about 10 mins. Be sure to place far enough from the heat source to prevent the vegetable skins from burning.

STEW ON THE GRILL: Serves 4
Originally intended for steak, this recipe can use less tender cuts, and a marinade, like the one above or other meats. In that case, forget the rice and use the marinade to baste, or simmer it and pour over the meat as a finishing sauce. The meat can be cut into individual portions, cooked whole and sliced or cut and skewered.
2 lbs. beef
2 large all-purpose potatoes – halved crosswise 1 tsp. dried basil
2 large onions – halved crosswise 1 tsp. dried oregano
2 medium zucchini-halved lengthwise 1 tsp. garlic powder
2 medium yellow squash-halved lengthwise 1 Tbs. oil
8 cherry tomatoes 1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 large green bell pepper- cut in 1/4s then into 1/8ths. Salt and pepper
(4) 6 inch bamboo skewers—-pre-soaked
Skewer the onions, one half per skewer, parallel the cut so they don’t separate into rings. Microwave 2 mins. Divide the peppers and tomatoes among the skewers. Microwave the potato halves 3 mins. rotating once. Mix the seasonings and oil. Coat all the vegetables and marinate at least 30 mins. The grill time will depend on the type and cut of meat you’ve chosen, but grill the vegetables along with the meat, allowing at least 15 mins. for them and checking for doneness. Move them to the side to stay warm, if they begin to get overdone.

CHICKEN
Chicken is the most popular meat for the grill, globally. It’s usually cooked on the bone, not as kabobs, but when it is, boneless, skinless pieces are often cut into strips and threaded on the skewers like ribbons, not into cubes and stacked like beef. This is the regular way of presenting it in Oriental satays but there are many, many recipes for them, with different sauces. Indeed there are so many recipes for grilled chicken in general, that I thought I’d give you some more unusual ones for a special day.

FOUR MARINADES: Each recipe calls for 2lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1 ½ inch cubes and each provides about 6 servings.
1. Lebanese Style:
5 cloves garlic-minced
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme—1Tbs. dried
1 tsp. paprika
1/ cup oil
1 tsp. salt and pepper to taste ( optionally add ¼ tsp cayenne as well

)
2. Egyptian:
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup oil
2 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. ground coriander
1 onion gated
½ tsp. cayenne pepper

3, Turkish:
6 Tbs. oil
4 cloves garlic- minces
(1) 8oz cup plain yogurt
1 Tbs. paprika
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
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¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
(1) lemon juiced
½ tsp. ground black pepper

3. Moroccan:
(1) lemon juiced
½ cup melted butter or oil
1 Tbs. paprika
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Make your chosen marinade and allow the chicken to absorb it, refrigerated, at least 6 hrs. or overnight.
Bring to room temperature before cooking. Thread on skewers alone or with vegetables. Use reserved marinade to baste as the meat cooks to avoid drying, but discard any unused. The choices of vegetables to intersperse with the meat are: bell peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, zucchini , yellow squash,

Don’t forget, as I mentioned two posts ago for Memorial Day, an easy, quick marinade or just basting for chicken is a bottle of French, Caesar or Ranch salad dressing. Chicken done this way would be tasty paired with grilled or broiled peach halves and/or the vegetables suggested for the other marinades.

PORK:
Like chicken, pork is a popular meat for grilling and there are many recipes out there. So I’m only going to give two variations of one marinade to show how changing just three ingredients can alter a standard recipe to yield two very different tasting entrees. One thing they have in common is that both are examples of how kabobs can save on the amount of meat used. Normally, two pork tenderloins would be needed for 4 servings, but here only one of slightly over 1lb. will do.
The Basic Marinade The Altered One
½ cup oil
½ cup soy sauce (1) large lemon juiced + 1 Tbs. grated zest
2 Tbs. minced onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger 3 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano OR 1 ½ Tbs. dried
2 Tbs. lime juice 2 Tbs. red wine
Allow the meat to marinate about 6 hrs. Cut in 1 to 1 ½ inch cubes and baste with the reserved marinade. In addition to the vegetables mentioned above to thread on skewers with the meat, sweet potatoes are a nice option. Simply cut them in half and microwave about 2 mins. until crisp tender, peel, cut into cubes and thread on the skewers with the other kabob ingredients.
Ham:
Though not usually thought of in the grilling category, ham makes great kabobs and the neat thing is that you can use leftovers from a roast or buy deli ham. For 4 servings:
4 ham steaks or thick slices
1 ½ cups cream sherry – not cooking sherry
½ cup oil
2 tsp. paprika
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder
Combine all ingredients but meat in a bowl. Cut the ham into 1 ½ inch squares, and marinate for about 2 hrs. Stir frequently to turn. Thread on skewers with vegetables of choice and cook for about 10 mins, basting frequently with marinade. Heat any remaining marinade to make a finishing sauce. A nice addition is to cook additional skewers with cubes of fresh pineapple and optionally, Maraschino cherries to serve as accompaniments.

SEAFOOD KABOBS:
Shrimp:
Another meat with loads of recipes to choose from! I’m a fan of James Beard’s Barbecued Shrimp marinade, because the shrimp gains flavor yet is still compatible with a variety of accompaniments. No matter the recipe you choose, there are some general rules to follow.
1) Always buy raw shrimp if you’re planning to present them in any way other than cold with a dipping sauce or in a salad.
2) It’s hard to put other ingredients on skewers with shrimp because they cook so quickly and become rubbery when overdone.
3) Remember to thread them lengthwise, piercing them twice. Otherwise, they can easily break off the skewer and fall through the grill. They do well under a broiler, but cooked in a basket, they can overlap and be unevenly done.
4) Always de-vein the shrimp before cooking, even if you’re serving it in shell. Several brands offer shrimp with the shell split and the vein removed and you can do this yourself with a sharp knife or a manicure scissors. Failure to remove the vein could present a health hazard.
5) Buy shrimp with a maximum of 30 per pound. Any more are too small to skewer or grill well.
Beard’s Barbecue Marinade: Per 1 lb. shrimp
½ cup oil
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbs. chili sauce
1 ½ Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1tsp. basil
½ tsp. salt
Mix all the ingredients in a nonreactive dish and marinate the shrimp for several hours tossing frequently. Cook by any method just until pink on both sides. Serve with any dipping sauce or with boiled reserved marinade and vegetables over rice. Alternatively, prepare other skewers with cubes of lightly oiled focaccia or olive bread sprinkled with rosemary and toast them. Serve those and the shrimp on a bed of lettuces, (and please, some arugula,) tossed in a light vinaigrette with sliced artichoke hearts, sliced black olives, capers and thin raw onion rings. Avocados and boiled eggs are also options.

Fish Kabobs: Serves 6—can be made with Swordfish, Marlin, Tuna or Salmon steaks (with slight variations)
2 lbs. fish steaks cut in 1 inch cubes
¾ cup oil
½ cup lemon juice
1 bay leaf crumbles
Tabasco sauce to taste
2 cucumbers cut In 1 inch slices
stuffed olives
Mix oil juice and seasonings in a bowl and marinate fish for at least two hours stirring frequently. Thread on skewers alternating fish with cucumbers and olives. Use reserved marinade to baste and reduced as a finishing sauce.
For Salmon: Substitute dill weed for bay leaf and Dijon mustard for Tabasco.
Grill or broil 10 min. turning once.

Scallops are wonderful served as kabobs, but their delicate flavor dosen’t stand up to marinades. They cook quickly and are best prepared with a light brush of melted butter, or spray of oil and a squirt of lime. They cook quickly, so other ingredients can’t readily share the skewer, yet they need room to be thoroughly done. The best way to build the kabob is to alternate the scallops with thin, lengthwise slivers of fresh lime. The only other possible additions to the skewers would be to place a thin slice o ham on top of each scallop as it’s put on the skewer.

May 24

PUFF PASTRY IS BOTH ELEGANT AND PRACTICAL

My post on appetizers reminded me how versatile puff pastry is and what fun it is to work with. It gives the impression of luxury but is actually very practical and can make even the humblest of fillings or flavoring ingredients appear elegant.

To share a trade secret with you, personal chefs working for one employer on a daily basis are expected to make everything from scratch. Personal chef service owners have many clients with monthly appointments. During each session, the chef delivers the food, preps it and cooks, usually, 4 or 5 entrees with a combined total of 20 servings, individually packaged for freezing. There isn’t time to make everything from scratch, so these chefs rely on using a few good commercial products.

One of my favorite go-tos is commercial, frozen puff pastry. As a rule, I make my own dough, because I l can make better than I can buy but I can buy better puff pastry than I can make. I don’t feel guilty either because Cordon Bleu trained Julia Child and Alma Lach both mention the option of choosing the excellent commercial brands available. Puff Pastry is notoriously time and labor intensive to make, with often ‘iffy’ results for the inexperienced.

However it is necessary to understand how it’s made to be able to work with it. The French call puff pastry dough ‘pate feuilletee’ or ‘pastry of leaves’. In fact, one class of dessert is called ‘Mille Feuille’ or ‘thousand leaves’ because it consists of multiple layers of delicate, flaky pastry. The ‘puff’ comes from air trapped between the layers which escapes during baking.

The best modernized directions I’ve seen for making puff pastry are in Dione Lucas ‘version in The Cordon Bleu Cookbook. They simplify the classic instructions but will give you an idea of the original.
‘Put 1 cup flour in the middle of a board, mix in 1 tsp. salt and making a well in the center add ½ to ¾ cup ice water and work to a paste. Roll out to a 12 inch square. Put 1 cup butter in the center of the bottom half and fold over. Chill for 15 min. Roll out with angled short strokes, turning the board around as you work to spread the butter over the surface between the layers, ending with the dough in a long strip. Fold 1/3rd over the center, and then fold the top 1/3rd over them. Roll again and chill, covered, for 30 min. Fold, roll, fold, roll and chill 3 more times. Chill for several hours, then either freeze or use.’

Carole Clements and Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen in Classic French Recipes For Special Occasions modernize the process a step further by using a processor. They change the flour to 1 ½ cups cake flour and lower the salt to ¼ tsp. They pulse the two to combine, then add the butter for 3 or 4 pulses and run the machine 5 sec. while slowly pouring in the water. The dough should look curdy with visible pieces of butter. Gather into a ball on a floured surface and chill 30 min. if the butter is soft. Roll out to a 16 x 6 inch rectangle and begin the folding and rolling sequences described in the above recipe.

Now you know why I prefer to buy puff paste over making it, and at today’s butter prices, I don’t even think it’s an expense. The folding process is tedious, but it creates those wonderful ‘leaves’ which also require some special considerations in working with them.

  • Always thaw puff pastry before cutting it or it will crack jaggedly, but don’t worry it refreezes
  • Never slice the pastry. Use a pizza cutter or the point of a sharp knife in a series of straight cuts
  • Don’t press scraps into a ball to save them. Gently press the edges together with a mist of water and roll to seal the seam. Freeze to keep.
  • When baking make sure the sheet is lightly oiled, greased or covered with parchment. For single layers, to insure that the top surface stays smooth and flat, cover with a second piece of parchment and weigh with another baking sheet or pie pan.
  • Puff pastry edges tend to be more even than pie dough, but trim them if necessary to form a straight ‘clean’ line before starting to cut shapes.
  • Before baking, it’s nice to ‘riff’ the edges every inch or so with a knife point to make sure they aren’t crimped and allow the air to escape and the layers to rise or ‘puff’.
  • Avoid using cookie cutters. They are too dull and they crimp the pastry edges, preventing the puff.
  • Always chill the pastry well before using, and always place in a preheated oven.

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Now that all the ‘Don’ts’ are out, let’s get into the fun side of working with puff pastry. I’m going to format this differently than most of my posts and concentrate on the pastry presentations rather than flavorings and/or fillings. So there will be more texts and suggestions, to illustrate how easy it is to use and all it can do and I’m listing the examples by shapes rather than recipes.

STRIPS

Parmesan Pinwheels: Makes 20-24

9 oz. puff pastry

1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh herbs of choice
1 egg beaten
Mix the cheese and herbs in a bowl. Roll the pastry out to an 8 inch square and sprinkle with half the cheese mix. Roll it again to a 10 inch square, brush with ¾ of the egg, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese mix and carefully roll it into a log. Seal the seam with the rest of the egg. Cut the log into ½ inch slices and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 425 deg. oven for 10 min. until golden and crisp. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight tin.

Pinwheel Cookies: Makes 20-24
Substitute ¼ cup granulated sugar for the cheese and 1Tbs. ground cinnamon for the herbs. Follow the above directions. TIP: brushing the surface of the cookies with egg will make it shine.
NOTE- to make Bear Claws a.k.a. Pig’s Ears: Rather than rolling from one direction, do it from both sides in towards the center until they meet. Then slice as directed above and bake.

Bread Sticks: Makes 24
Roll dough to a 12 x 14 inch rectangle. Cover the surface of the dough with either option above, or ¼ cup sesame seeds, chopped nuts, sprinkled kosher salt or decorator’s sugar or just brush with egg to give a shine. Divide into (2) 7 inch pieces and cut each into (12) 6 inch strips. Twist the strips and stretching to keep them 6 inches long, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, pressing the ends down so they don’t untwist in baking. Bake as directed above.

NOTE: In 3 inch lengths these are great appetizer snacks or dessert cookies. For dessert treats, bake them plain and dip 1/3 of each in melted chocolate. Cool and allow to harden.

RECTANGLES

Fresh Tomato Tarts: Makes 6- From Party Food by Parragon Publishing
9 oz. puff pastry
¼ cup pesto sauce

2 pts. Cherry tomatoes-halved OR 6 plum tomatoes sliced
Salt and pepper
1 egg beaten

Fresh herbs of choice for garnish
Roll the pastry out to a 12 x 10 rectangle on a floured board. Cut in half to make (2) 5 inch pieces, then cut them to make (6) 5 x 6 inch pieces. With a fork, score the edges of the pieces and brush with egg. Spread the centers with the pesto and top with the tomatoes, cut side up. Season lightly and bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven for 15-20 min. until puffed and golden. Serve garnished with herbs.

Mille Feuille: Serves 8-From Everyday Meals by Bon Appetit
1 pkg. puff pastry
1 egg beaten

2 Tbs. sugar
Cooking oil spray
Parchment paper
On a floured board roll the pastry out to 8 x 16. Cut into (16) 2×4 inch rectangles. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Coat another piece of parchment with the spray and place oil side down on the pastry. Cover with a second baking sheet and put in a preheated 400 deg. oven. Bake for 20-25 min. Cool. To serve place 1 rectangle on a plate, spoon fresh fruit, fruit compote, pie filling or stewed fruit over it. Top with another rectangle, at an angle looks nice, and spoon whipped cream or ice cream on the side.

Napoleons: Serves 12 – This is a modern, low-fat version of a French classic
1 sheet puff pastry
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. whipped topping
3 Tbs. toasted, chopped almonds

1 can chocolate frosting

1 egg beaten

Roll pastry into a 12×12 inch square and divide into (3) 4 x12 inch strips. Prepare and cook as directed for Mille Feuille and cool. Beat whipped topping and cheese until smooth, divide in half and add nuts and extract to half. Spread, spoon or pipe the cheese mix with the nuts down one strip of pastry, cover with a 2nd strip and spread, spoon or pipe with the plain cheese mix. Spread the frosting on the 3rd strip and place on top. Chill several hours until hardened. When ready to serve, slice into 1x 4 inch slices and place flat on the plates.

SQUARES
There are lots of interesting ways to use this shape.

Appetizers:

For appetizers simply cut the pastry into 3 inch squares and place a scant 1-1 ½ tsp. filling in the center; fold over diagonally and using egg as a sealant, press the edges together. Cut a small slit in the top of each and bake in a preheated 375 deg. oven for about 20 min. until golden. Can be made and frozen 1-2 weeks ahead, thaw before cooking. Suggestion for fillings:

  • Meat pate-liver, ham, chicken, crab or shrimp.
  • Thawed, chopped spinach mixed with a little cream cheese and nutmeg to taste
  • Sautéed chopped onion and mushrooms with a dash of Teriyaki sauce for flavor

Turnovers: Serves 4

For these, roll a sheet of puff pastry into a 12×12 inch square and divide in 4 equal pieces. Place about ¼ cup filling in the center and fold over diagonally, using egg to seal the edges. Slash 3 vent holes in the top and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet in a preheated 375 deg. oven for 30 min. until golden.

Turnovers are wonderfully useful. Filled with meat and/or cheese they can replace sandwiches.

However, they’re better known as a dessert and one of my favorites, filled with fruit, washed with egg and sprinkled with sugar to give a lovely, sweet glaze. Some suggestions for fillings are;

  • Slices of ham and cheese, with a smear of mustard, or slices of chicken or turkey, and a touch of chutney.
  • Cooked ground meat with optional seasonings.
  • Diced fruit, tossed with a bit of cornstarch, a sliver of butter and some sugar
  • Cooked fruit compote
  • Ready-made pie filling

Cornish Pastie

My Grandmother couldn’t resist improving on a traditional family recipe. A Cornish Pastie is essentially a 2-3 entrée sized turnover filled with drained cooked meat and vegetables, or frankly, stew. The drained broth from the stew pot is thickened, seasoned and made into gravy, which is passed on the side. Nana replaced regular pie crust with egg washed puff pastry which arrived at table golden and gleaming. She simply rolled it out to a 12 inch square and cooked it according to the turnover directions above, allowing 1 Pastie per 2-3 people. It turned a weekday dinner into a special meal.

Square Stars: Serves 6

These can be made in many sizes, but for this example: roll the pastry to a 10 x 15 inch rectangle and divide into (2) 5 inch strips, then cut them into 3rds making (6) 5 inch squares. Using a glass or jar lid, lightly indent a 2 inch circle in the center of each. With a square directly in front of you, calculate, or visualize the length of one side in 1/3s. (For that size piece, it’s about 1 ½ inches.) Now make a diagonal cut across the middle 1/3rd from the rim of the center indented circle to the outside edge of the square and curl the pointed piece under the top end of the slash over the corner behind it. Repeat with the other 3 sides and bake in a preheated 425 deg. oven for 10-12 min. until golden. Cool and fill the centers with any number of options; fresh or cooked fruit with custard, whipped topping and/or ice cream, tuna or another salad, a dip or pate, even a creamed entrée in place of toast.

CIRCLES

Patti Shells

The best known of this shape are Patti shells, which like the puff pastry sheets are available in the freezer section of most markets and of such high quality that considering other options is ridiculous. Just follow the directions for oven temperatures and cooking times. These are excellent vehicles for creamed entrees, Chicken a la King, Creamed Chipped Beef, with pearl onions, mushrooms and peas added to upgrade it. They’re also good with Asian dishes. I had a Vietnamese friend who hated rice but served the most amazing dishes in Patti shells. I remember a wonderful chicken curry—-

The shells also do dessert duty, filled with fresh fruit, cooked fruit compote or even canned pie filling (just cook the filling in a microwave about 5 min. first and then chill it or serve warm)

Galettes

Puff pastry makes a wonderful Galette crust. Roll out a sheet to a 12 x 12 inch square and round off the corners. Use a plate to indent an 8 inch circle in the center, and fill with fruit. Lift up the 2 inch margin and pleat it to enclose the fruit. Place on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake in a 375 deg. oven 30-40 min. until bubbling and golden.

NOTE; This is great way to showcase the summer stone fruits. Don’t slice, halve plums or apricots, peeled peaches, dust them with cornstarch, add a few slivers of butter and top with a bit of sugar. They pile neatly in the crust and it’s easy to hold them in place while folding up the sides. It adds to the appearance to brush the sides with egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Pie Shells

I knew a woman who, wanting to monetize her hobby, rented a tiny, tiny shop in a food mall. She hung 3 signs; one over the door: The Pie Lady, a second on the door: Open 10 A.M-6 P.M. Friday and Saturday and a third in the window: Pies Made on Order Only. The first 2 weekends, on the stated days, she offered slivers of several different pies. From then on she had a waiting list and had to hire help in a couple of months. Everyone raved about her custard pies, especially Lemon Meringue. Her secret was making the shells of puff pastry. They were light, tasty and remained crisp longer even refrigerated. Her trick was to roll it thin, about ¼ inch, brush with beaten egg, poke some holes in the bottom with a fork, and cover it with oiled parchment paper weighted with rice, dry beans or pie weights, even another pie plate. Bake in a 450 deg. preheated oven about 12 min.

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