Posted on 07/26/2016 4:47:11 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
I attended a buffet-style party recently where the food reminded me of the classic Italian appetizer/starter ‘antipasto’ - which literally means ‘before the meal’, or before the main course. And given the temperatures we’ve had here during the past week, it seems that a nice antipasto platter, along with a good bread and a round red wine would be a perfect meal in itself, for an unbearably hot evening - the kind where one would just like to ‘graze’ lazily on some cold, refreshing bites, and share a long conversation while the cicadas sing.
The offering classically consists of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and various fresh and marinated or pickled vegetables:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/26694/antipasto-platter/
I’ve always liked the Marinated Mushrooms, and especially like this recipe from the website ‘Peas and Crayons’, because the mushrooms are first sauteed in olive oil, instead of blanched in water; and because it uses button mushrooms – a lot of recipes use Cremini, which tend to have slightly tougher surfaces. I just think it works better with buttons. Make them far enough ahead so that they can age at least a day or two, for more intense flavor:
http://peasandcrayons.com/2015/05/10-minute-marinated-mushrooms.html
Another nice addition is Marinated Mozzarella balls; but you can do it with slices of mozzarella too, if you can’t find or don't want to make the little balls:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/cheeserecipes/r/bldairy24.htm
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I was out shopping yesterday, when our heat index was near 105; and at the point where I was dying for something to drink, I found a ginger-flavored limeade in a drugstore. It reminded me of this recipe from ‘Yin and Yang Living’, which I want to try:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Cnuu6bEi8k
-JT
http://www.instructables.com/id/Styrofoam-Sous-Vide-Salmon/?ALLSTEPS
he he he. I cook, in fact I groumand. ;-)
what about rice wine?
so, you add brown sugar to the oyster sauce?
good one!
That looks really good for dinner on a hot day. No cooking. Thanks for posting this.
“big” green tomatoes - using the word bug on a cooking or gardening thread is verboten I know!
Damn!
I showed your post to my husband (tomato guy); he followed the link, and I couldn’t get the computer back from him ;-)
Then he saw your recipe, and was sold. I’m saving this!
-JT
DANG! I’m impressed...very... and totally entertained!
Tri-tip roasted over oak log flames! Corn on the cob and garlic bread. Great BBQ.
I had never heard of ‘Schlotzskys’, but looked it up; it seems to be like a Muffaletta (?)
-JT
tee hee. I have one of these http://anovaculinary.com/
and one of these for searing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9JQonaytdg
Souse vide a steak at 130 f for an hour and thirty seconds or so of flame and KAPOW. Edge to edge medium rare. Beautiful crust.
Lets not talk about what I can do with the humble egg.
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/the-egg-calculator
How about the mayo I made for the slaw tonight. Less than 2 minutes. All perfectly fresh ingredients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3xx8Bpau0E or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7IfhMoxlPE
It is so easy and you can add almost anything you want.
Chick Fil-a has a Frosty Lemonade - it is SO very refreshing and not too sweet or filling. Love it in the summer!
A long time ago I remember a recipe from Jeff Smith for a take on a Bloody Mary appetizer/party nosh. He took cherry tomatoes, cut an x on each and blanched them in boiling water for ten seconds or so then an ice water bath to stop cooking. He then peeled them and - here’s the genius part - put them in a container, covered them in VODKA! and stuck them in the freezer for several hours or overnite. He then served them with toothpicks alongside a bowl of seasoned salt. You dipped the drunken tomato into the salt and then popped the whole thing in your mouth. Doesn’t that sound cool and refreshing?
One of the greatest meals I have ever had in my life was one prepared by a Korean American woman.
She had made everything and all of its was healthy and delicious. I counted ten different dishes on the table.
There was beef BBQ, shrimp, kimchi, other pickled veggies - wish I could remember it all.
Such an amazing meal and lady. She has been married to a dear friend of mine for over 30 years.
They really know good food.
The first meal I had in a Korean home was very much like that.
I had introduced a young Korean woman to a friend of mine, and we all went out to a movie - I think we went to see the first ‘Star Wars’ flick, that night.
The next weekend, she invited us all to her family’s house, where she had created this ginormous buffet - there must have been 20 different little dishes there! She explained to us that the number of dishes you prepare is a sign of how much you honor your guests. It was amazing.
(She wound up marrying the man I had introduced her to, and I enjoyed many wonderful home-cooked Korean dishes, learned to cook some great food, and was gifted with beautiful Hanbok, due to being a ‘matchmaker’ - and, on top of it all, I’ve got now a gorgeous godchild, who has become an accomplished engineer :-)
-JT
Have any of y’all ever tasted a “Creole” tomato? They aren’t pretty - cracks on top, part green and part red - but they are the absolute BEST tomatoes I ever ate. Perfect balance of sweet and acidic - all you need is a shaker of salt. Used to get them at the French Market in New Orleans but never found them anywhere else. Now that we’re back in Florida, I plan on finding me some good Ruskin beefsteak tomatoes - a close second to the Creole.
I have been wanting that. I need to go to the farmers’ market on Sat. to get some good tomatoes for that and tomato pie.
Spread pesto on it and bake it. I have a couple more complicated recipes but that one is easy and delicious.
Can’t say I have, but if other Creole foods are any indication I should.
We’ve been having a lot of gazpacho, but this is a great idea, too.
It’s a sandwich on a sourdough bun. The sourdough is a must but it’s super easy to make. No kneeding. Takes 2 minutes to stir the ingredients for the dough and let it sit all day. In the evening, stir in the remaining ingredients, pour into bun sized baking dishes to rise an hour and bake. Any small oven proof dishes will do - those small corningware sauce dishes with a handle, 6” pyrex pie plates, or improvise. When baked, melt the cheeses on the buns and slap together the filling. Our little grocery store doesn’t carry cotta salami but it’s fine leaving it off.
One 6” restaurant sandwich costs about the same as five homemade sandwiches.
SCHLOTSKY’S ORIGINAL SANDWICH
SOURDOUGH STARTER
1 C warm water (110 degrees F)
1/2 T active dry yeast
2 1/2 t sugar
1 C flour
Stir all together. Cover loosely & let rest in warm draft-free place for 8 hrs.
SANDWICH BUNS - Makes six 6” med sandwich buns
1 recipe sourdough starter
2 1/4 C flour
3/4 C lukewarm milk or water
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
Stir all together.
Heat oven on lowest setting.
Spray baking dishes. Divide the dough into each.
Turn OFF oven.
Place dishes into warmed oven and let rise 1 hour.
Bake 350 for 20 mins. Let cool before slicing.
CREAMY GARLIC DRESSING
1 C mayonnaise
1 T dried parsley
1 T vinegar
1/2 t powdered garlic
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar
Stir together in a pint jar.
FILLING
Parmesan cheese, grated
1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 C cheddar cheese, shredded
6 slices cotta salami
6 slices ham
slices genoa salami (opt)
yellow mustard
onion, sliced thin
tomatos, sliced thin
lettuce, shredded
1/2 C black olives, minced or sliced
Slice open buns. Spread garlic dressing and sprinkle a bit of Parmesan on each bun.
Distribute cheddar cheese on bottom buns & mozzarella on the top buns. Put buns under broiler or microwave to barely melt cheeses.
Add meats and veggies.
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