Posted on 03/30/2016 5:24:44 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
My husband grew up in Pennsylvania, and a generations-old tradition for his family is attending the Bloomsburg Fair, which has been going on since 1855 and was only interrupted for one year, due to Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.
My first visit to the Fair was basically my honeymoon - it was the first time that we were able to get away for an extended period in the year that we ran off to the Courthouse and got hitched.
I loved the fair, especially the giant prize-winning pumpkin, the trotting horses, the beautiful turkeys and other poultry, and all the 4H kids showing off their animals - but also the FOOD.
I tried a few things there that I had never had before, including funnel cakes; but my absolute favorite was: Beer-Battered Deep Fried Vegetables. And as soon as we came home, we searched for a way to make them ourselves.
This is the recipe we always use; and I've found that this can be done ahead, refrigerated, and then reheated in the oven almost without losing any quality whatsoever. We usually do mushrooms, onions, zucchini; but you can also use asparagus, eggplant, cauliflower:
Deep Fried Veggies
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1-1/2 C. Beer
1 tsp. Salt or to taste
1-1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Paprika
Vegetables: Mushrooms, Zucchini, Onions, Cauliflower, etc., cut into bite-sized chunks.
Oil for deep frying (we use Peanut Oil).
Combine flour, salt, garlic, baking powder and paprika in a bowl. Add beer and whisk until smooth.
Cover and chill the batter for at least 30 minutes.
Heat oil to 375 degrees. Dip the veggies in batter, and fry in batches until golden brown.
Place on a rack to drain and sprinkle with salt as soon as taken from the oil. Allow the oil to return to 375 before frying the next batch.
The ones we got at the fair were accompanied by a dipping sauce; I don't remember it very much, but here is another recipe that includes a Mustard-Ranch sauce:
-JT
Looks interesting.
But I’ve had my heart set on an Italian pizza oven ;) my mom is from Italy and I’ve been able to almost replicate Italian pizzas - except for the charred bottom of the dough. I have to have wood for that. Plus, in planning for economic collapse, wood works for us since we are surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest.
On this model, forno bravo gives a 20 min heat time. I wanted a bigger one, because I want to bake bread in it as well, but they can get pretty huge. and expensive.
Get colossal headless shrimp, a small vat of real seafood salad, mega-thin long bacon and some cream cheese and thin strips of jalapenos.
Cut/de-vein shrimp almost through to the other side, lay a strip of cream cheese then stuff with seafood salad or crab. Firm up the shape of the filling then roll across some Panko, and cayenne if feisty; wrap the bacon tight around this, overlapping as you loop it, toothpick. Deep-fry till floats. Dip in horseradish tartar sauce.
Two or three per person as a main course.
Loved your story! So glad you gave the info for the cake because I was going to ask. Was reading a profile of someone recently & they mentioned food52.......a recipe site I believe. Haven’t checked it out yet. In bed, going to read a little more Le Carre’ & drift off........love this thread, it feels like an old friend.
Oh, and the other thing to consider, even if you do put in a Forno Bravo, is maybe get a Blackstone for quick pizza making.
http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=25127.0
You don’t have to have wood for proper bottom char, you need temperature. 650-700F on the bottom stone, as measured by an IR gun thermometer, is what I shoot for.
But I get the prepper aspects of a wood oven, for sure.
I worked at Godfathers pizza in the late 70’s- early 80’s
Never had a pizza as good before or since.
They don’t make them like that anymore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDXdram-VrQ
What type of pickles are you looking to make? I make several kinds including the ones that take a couple of weeks and end up super-sweet & crisp. Have Grandma’s recipes and will be happy to share:)
I would LOVE to learn how to make the batter that Popeye’s uses for their fried chicken.
I remember when I tried a copycat recipe for Long John Silver’s chicken planks, but the batter tasted like Chinese chicken instead. That recipe is a keeper for pork, but not the same as LJS.
Mmmmmmm.......Ruth Chris serves the dish w/ a sweet-hot sauce w/ Asian notes. You might try this:
Cook/slightly brown a min 3 tb heated veg oil, tsp minced ginger, chp scallion. Add 1/2 c chix broth, 3 tb soy sauce, 2 tb br/sugar, tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. At the boil, add cornstarch/sherry roux; stir/slightly thicken.
I always get asked for this recipe and do it 4th of July type events. You can make it ahead of time and just do the final deep fry a few minutes before serving.
I did see a deep fried cheesecake recipe but have not been able to go there!
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/michael-symon/twice-fried-chicken-with-sriracha-honey.html
thanks.. funny just saw a similar sauce on FB with one of the pictorial recipes.. It started with honey for the sauce instead of brown sugar. Used a bit of ACV. The cornstarch added with all ingredients initially & whipped. No roux. Then heated slowly. It is fun experimenting with oriental/indian sauces.
My favorite one to date has brown sugar; soy sauce; fresh ginger; veggie broth; coconut oil; sea salt; touch turmeric; Ginger brandy; minced hot peppers of choice and minced sweet onion.Garnish with sesame seeds. Next time Im going to try a tad of ACV and sub the honey for brown sugar. I like your idea of the red pepper flakes.
Your fave is a wowser of a recipe. Added to my collection.
Here is a copy cat recipe for Popeyes. My friend makes it and really likes it.I have not done this.
http://www.food.com/recipe/tsr-version-of-popeyes-fried-chicken-by-todd-wilbur-89925
I’ve experimented a lot with asian sauces. I do use cornstarch in all & whip them smooth before heating. I often heat low in crock pot rather than pan on stove. Also use fresh onions & green pepper
My favorite new sauces to experiment with are Indians sauces.. Curries using coconut milk and various curry pastes. Ginger, turmeric are mainstays & I like to add touches of cinnamon and nutmeg sometimes. Still learning.
Thai I love but have never had great success with the recipes. The subtle of lemon grass and others mixtures of herbs are enticing to me
Good to know (700 degrees = char).I didn’t realize there was a pizza making forum! I’ll be checking it out, and looking for a wood oven and wood bookstore forum, when I get set up. I’m also looking at a wood stove (heating) that I can use the cooktop for boiling. I want to find a wood cookstove to put next to the pizza oven, but that may not materialize since hubby might think I’ve gone off the deep end. but I can still practice cooking on a campfire ;)
This is Paula Deen’s recipe for deep fried cheesecake. I have not made it. I did try something similar to this at a State fair and was not impressed, but husband loved it.
I/m with you....all the flavors of the Orient are wonderfully complex...sweet, sour, spicy.
Yummy.
Once read about a chef/s first encounter w/ Thai food-—a beef salad w/ lime dressing——when she was on a trip. She was so enchanted...she actually drove back 800 miles...just to taste it again.
I am surprised you are looking at a Forno Bravo and didn’t know about that forum. In the ovens section you should find a good Forno Bravo discussion thread or three.
And there is a forum for *everything*!
Thank you very much.
Some are fairly cheap, too.
On my to-do list of things to try from last Fall.
Weather's been all over the place since. Supposed to be in the 60s the next couple of days, but snow and in the 'teens Sunday.
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