Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

Sammiches!

With Summer coming, I'm looking forward to nice tomatoes, and one of our favorite sandwiches is the classic BLT, for which nobody needs a recipe. (Before he died, my father-in-law would ship us boxes of his first eating tomatoes from PA, and we always looked forward to that - and to the sore gums that were a measure of our delighted excess :-)

But when I was growing up, my favorite Summer sandwich was just thick tomato slices on white-bread toast, with lots of mayonnaise and salt and pepper.

Due to this love of fresh tomatoes on bread, I was intrigued when I read John Berendt's book, 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil', in which the renowned Savannah caterer Lucile Wright was featured. Her tomato tea sandwiches were especially admired, and here's a link to a blog that has her recipe:

http://mercadoslifelessons.blogspot.com/2013/08/miss-luciles-tomato-sandwich.html

I've always liked the idea of tea sandwiches, and years ago I found some of those fancy bread tubes in a thrift store; they were like these (though I believe mine are 'Pampered Chef' products):

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Piece-Canape-Bread-Mold/dp/B0000VLYP4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0K6V5P14N7DYS72NSPJQ

I wanted to make tea sandwiches for a party, and found an Almond Chicken Salad recipe. They were a big hit and looked nice, but you don't have to do them 'dainty', on fancy bread; any sturdy bread will do. And if you do want to get fancy, you can cut shapes out of a bought loaf, instead of baking loaves in a specialty tube.

This is the recipe I used, which is a very nice mixture of textures and tastes (not sure where I first got it, but the same recipe is all over the Web):

Almond Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Lemon-Basil Butter

To make butter spread:

Combine ¾ Cup softened butter with 2 tsps. Lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup fresh basil leaves finely chopped, or 2 T. dried basil.

To make filling:

Combine 1 C. finely chopped cooked chicken with ½ Cup mayonnaise, ½ cup slivered almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. (I shred the chicken in the food processor, to get a very smooth, consistent texture.)

To make sandwiches:

Carefully spread each slice of bread on one side with thin layer of butter spread. Then place filling on one bread slice, and top with second buttered slice.

If you take these to a party, they can be made the evening before, and stored in a container with a double layer of paper towels between each layer of sandwiches. The butter spread will help keep the bread from going soggy.

(If you DO want to make fancy bread: I usually use the Bridgford frozen bread dough, cutting dough in half and baking each half in a canapé bread mold sprayed with PAM. To slice the bread for sandwiches, it helps to partially freeze it. Slice thinly.)

Lastly: one of my favorite sandwiches growing up was leftover meat loaf with mustard on bread; but I have not found a meat loaf recipe that really satisfies me, especially as it goes cold into sandwiches. My grandma made a great one, but I never got her recipe, and have never been able to reproduce it. (She would have been making this from the 1950s, if not earlier.)

Does anyone have a 'Grandma' or 'Great-Grandma' meat loaf recipe that you think is really good?

-JT

[Marie]

I scooped out the bulk of it, then added some lard and a couple tablespoons of water. I reheated it, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a plastic spatula. Once everything was loose, I just wiped that out with paper towels while it was still hot.

Then I added some more lard, heated it to about 450* (about 7 minutes on high for the big pan), making sure that the lard coated the whole thing.

I’ve got one of those laser thermometers that looks like a little taser that tells me when I’ve got the temps that I’m looking for. But 7 minutes on high heat will do it.

I’m finding that I *want* the residue in there. The carbon in the food is part of the season. There’s actually a chemical reaction between the carbon and the fat when it hits those high temps that bakes on the layers. By gently tipping the pan to make sure that the coating is even, I’m getting a nice, smooth season. No cracks or bumps or pock marks. When it’s cold, it’s a smooth, flat black and if I run my finger over that, there is a fine layer of grease.

When you go to use it the next time, make sure to preheat it well before adding food. Putting things in the pan cold will encourage sticking. Add more oil or grease before adding your food.

Since I began this, my pan hasn’t left the stove. I don’t take it near the sink at all.

[Marie]

You saved me! lol!

I think that the trick is to do exactly as was suggested here and think of the skillet as a grill. Stick primarily with meats and fats for awhile.

For the bratwurst, I seared the sausages, then added the water, put on a lid and let it simmer. It worked just as well as frying to add another layer of season. So we’ve got some play.

I know there’s got to be a way to do the tomato stuff, though. My grandpa used to make chili in a cast iron pot... come to think of it, I don’t remember him *ever* washing the damn thing. Maybe baking the sauce into the season would help?

I’m going to experiment with the little pan.

[Ditter]

After you have layer after layer of burned on grease in your skillet you can wash it with hot soapy water as long as you do it quickly and don't let it soak. After you wash it make sure you dry it immediately and you can even put it on a hot burner to make sure it is dry.

[Ditter]

Maybe granpa liked the metallic taste that was in the chili. I hated it and that is why I figured it out. I'll bet he had to re season it every time.

[dennisw]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wonder-Junior-Hand-Grain-Mill-BASIC-MODEL-Brand-New-WonderMill-Jr-/121137658013?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c345df89d

Is what I would look into. This mill has many options such as getting stone surfaces to grind with. To make more of a stone milled flour

Option two cost $30 and allows you to hook up an electric drill to it so it is motorized. This mill is made in USA

You might be able to do a great job with the 169$ model if you sift out the fines and regrind the course bits. I do not own one but would look at it a lot if I did not have my Viatmix.... You might find an old cheap vitamin on craigslist. Maybe even a wondermill

Those old corona type mills are really for coarsely grinding corn in Mexico. I wish I had my old one....they get rusty easily. They might work for bread flour if you are a dedicated sifter

******* a large size common strainer is your friend! To sift out grain to regrind the coarse bits

[Hardens Hollow]

Great! I have some nicely unseasoned pans (that were OLD and grungy) - so I put them in my oven on the self-cleaning cycle. They came out like brand-new.

But needed seasoning, badly. Using Crisco and baking in the oven for the numerous times I’ve seen instructed hasn’t worked all that well. They were pretty....but not as nonstick as I would’ve liked.

Did you need to heat the pan with lard in the oven to a high temp to get whatever the reaction is that creates the nonstick black surface to happen - or just cooked with the pan? I never could figure out why cooking with the pan wouldn’t get hot enough - when the pan surface is in direct contact with the heat source!

[Hardens Hollow]

That’s a great price for the WonderMill Jr.

That’s the mill I’m going to get for my spice business. It can grind just about anything.

I think the Country Living Mill looks prettier - if I were to set a mill out in the kitchen. But since it will be in the basement and I need it to grind a variety of things, some oily, the WonderMill is my choice. It has a power tool attachment and a pulley you can get also, for adapting to a power source. CLM has a motor you can buy for $385, but I think my hubby can figure something out for cheaper for the WonderMill Jr. I imagine the CLM motor will work with the WonderMill Jr, since it is under the max rpm allowed.

For my limited need to grind just grains the last 10 years, I’ve had a Family Grain Mill. LOTS cheaper, has both the motorized and hand-crank options included, and has worked just fine. It was my tester mill, to see just how often I would actually use it. Just like my presto canner was my tester, to see if it’s worth it to buy the All American someday. I’m happy to say both have lasted a decade, I’ve used them often, and can move onto the ‘adult’ version of those items shortly ;)

[dennisw]

Grinding spices makes lots of spice dust that will irritate your lungs. Best to do in a well ventilated place.

There are industrial grade herb grinding machines http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40|R40|R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=herb++grinder&_sop=16

[pugmama]

This is a “high end” meatloaf. I add 1/2 lb veal to the recipe when I have a dinner party.
I love the recipes posted here for meatloaf.

72 Market Street Meatloaf

Meatloaf:
3/4 c Onion, minced
3/4 c Green onion, minced
1/2 c Celery, minced
1/2 c Carrot, minced
1/4 c Green pepper, minced
1/4 c Red pepper, minced
2 ts Garlic, minced
3 T Butter
1 ts Salt
1/4 ts Cayenne or red pepper
1 ts Black pepper
1/2 ts White pepper
1/2 ts Cumin, ground
1/2 ts Nutmeg, ground
1/2 c Half-N-Half
1/2 c Catsup
1 1/2 lb Ground Chuck or Round
1/2 lb Ground pork, lean
3 Eggs, beaten
3/4 c Dry bread crumbs( I use Panko)

Sauce:
4 Shallots, chopped
2 T Butter
1 Sprig fresh thyme
1 Bay leaf
Dash crushed red pepper
1 c dry white wine ( or apple juice)
1 c Veal or beef stock
1 c Chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, green onion, celery, carrot, green and red peppers and garlic in butter until vegetables are soft and liquid is evaporated. Set aside to cool. Combine salt, cayenne, black and white pepper, cumin, and nutmeg and add to the vegetable mixture.
Stir in half-n-half, catsup, beef, pork, and bread crumbs. Mix well.
Form into a loaf and place on a greased baking sheet or in a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350-degrees 45-50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Pour off excess fat. Slice and serve with sauce.

For sauce:
Saute shallots in 1 T. butter with thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper. Add wine (or slightly less/ apple juice if you prefer not to cook with wine), and stocks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Simmer until reduced by half and sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the remaining butter until melted.

[kalee]

Years ago I found a way to make off season tomatoes worthy of a sandwich. I love these tomatoes and eat them on almost everything. I even make them with in season tomatoes. They are sweet and juicy and just amazingly delicious!

4 hothouse tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tbsp sugar
freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
fresh herbs I like thyme and rosemary

Preheat oven to 250F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out tomato slices in a single layer not touching.
Sprinkle each with sugar them salt and pepper. Put a few leaves of favorite herb on top of each slice.

Bake for 1 hour then reduce oven heat to 200F and bake 2 hours longer. They will be shriveled but still flexible, not dried or crisp. Remove from oven, let cool then put them into a plastic storage tub. Drizzle with a little good olive oil, seal and refrigerate ‘til serving time. These can be used in salads, sandwiches, appetizers, whatever you like. I like them on a toasted piece of good bread which is spread with goat cheese or alternated with sliced fresh mozzarella on a platter for an antipasto, just drizzle them with a little more olive oil and sprinkle them with a chiffonade of basil leaves.

[kalee]

I use my grandmother’s recipe for meatloaf, which starts with a meat mixture of beef, pork, and veal to which you add finely diced onion, tomato juice, rolled oats, egg, salt, pepper, and rubbed sage. Top it midway through baking with ketchup mixed with Coleman’s mustard powder and dark brown sugar.

[kalee]

We inherited my husband’s grandmother’s cast iron, skillets and a griddle. She got them as wedding presents in the 1920s so they are well seasoned.

[Ditter]

We love meat loaf and I have written down your recipe! ; )

[Hardens Hollow]

“Grinding spices makes lots of spice dust that will irritate your lungs. Best to do in a well ventilated place.”

Absolutely. I’ll wear a mask as well.

The $20k machine would do a great job, no doubt. I’m grinding spices - whole pods and seeds - not herbs so I think i’ll stick with the WondermillJr. Even the Country Mill says it will only grind spices if they are in small pieces.

[Marie]

So here’s my step-by-step instructions... :-)

1. Heat the clean pan with about 1/4 C lard in it on high heat for ten minutes. Rotate the pan a few times to make sure it’s nicely coated.
2. While still hot, pour out the extra lard. Allow to cool completely.
3. The next day, preheat with about a tablespoon of lard, then cook a pork product in the pan. Sausage... bratwurst... something greasy.
4. When done cooking, dump out anything that’s in the pan, wipe it out, then add a tablespoon of lard and heat the pan on high again. (Repeat steps one and two)
5. Go through the cycles about four or five times.

Now you should have a decent season by this point. Time to get a little daring.

6. Hubs cooked corn beef hash the first time that we were ready to get risky. It did stick a bit. After breakfast, I added about a tablespoon of lard and 1/4 C water, reheated the pan and gently scraped the bottom and sides with a plastic spatula until everything was loose, then dumped it out.
7. Back to steps one and two.
8. The next thing I tried was the cut up chicken breast followed by the gravy. This time nothing stuck. To clean it, I just added a bit of lard and water, scraped, then dumped it out. Wiped out the last bit with some paper towel and repeated steps one and two.

That’s it! Once I got a good season, it’s been really easy.

I’m working on the small pan now.

The tricks are - use lard, don’t wash it, get it HOT when applying the next layer of lard, let it cool completely before cooking, preheat it before cooking, and stick with meat-only dishes for the first half dozen uses or more.

[Jamestown1630]

Thank you. I will try this.

We don’t even buy the big grocery tomatoes anymore. We get the little vine-ripened ones, which are tolerable.

I’ve noticed that recipes that involve peeling the tomato by dunking it in boiling water for a minute, and then immediately putting it in ice water, make grocery store tomatoes better; it seems that the slight ‘cooking’ brings out more flavor.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks to everyone who posted meat loaf recipes/ideas. I have some ‘sperimentin’ to do ;-)

-JT

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Thanks. I’ll try it that way. I love milk gravy but have been avoiding it cause it messes up my skillet.

[Jamestown1630]

These cast-iron posts have reminded me of some fellows who did videos on how to restore really nasty old pieces:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjNhI9WtyrY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_yBpmvVwH8

I love YouTube; there are so many great characters sharing what they know (I haven’t completely figured out Tommy Creech, yet; but I like watching him ;-)

-JT

[azishot]

I have colitis and found that tomato skins and my gut are not friends. If I want tomatoes I have to do that to peel them easier. My aunt would take the back of a knife and *rub* it all over (sort of like peeling it with the back of the knife) and then peel it. I never had any luck doing that. I always buy the vine ripened ones, too just because they look healthier than the others.

Good luck with your meat loaf! I think I’ll mess around with the different recipes/hints.