Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

Eggs!

I enjoy a cheese souffle, but I don't always enjoy the work of it. This 'Sturdy Souffle' is adapted from the 1979 edition of the Fanny Farmer Cookbook, and cuts down on the work - no separating or separate beating of eggs. It won't rise as high and light, but doesn't fall as flat as a 'regular' souffle.

Sturdy Souffle

4 T. butter (and some to grease the dish)

1/4 cup flour

1 cup hot milk

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more to sprinkle the baking dish; or just MORE in general)

4 eggs, beaten well

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a 3-cup or 1-qt. ovenproof bowl or baking dish. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese around the bowl, as if flouring a cake pan. Place it in the oven in a pan containing 1 inch of hot water (I don't always follow this step, and just bake it without the water bath.)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and blend until smooth. Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, until smooth and thick (a wire whisk is good for this).

Add the salt, cayenne, and cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and blended into the sauce. Remove from the heat.

Beat 3 T. of the sauce into the eggs, then return the egg-sauce mixture to the saucepan, and beat until smooth. Pour into the baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes, until set.

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Next, a "Chile Relleno" style casserole. There are many versions of this, some with whole stuffed chiles and some that include meat. This is a quick, easy one. It serves 12, but I've halved it in the past with no problem. (This is also a great very low-carb egg dish.)

Chile Relleno Casserole

6 4-oz. cans green chiles

1-1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated

1-1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated

6 eggs, beaten

1-1/4 cups evaporated milk (I use light whipping cream instead)

1/4 cup flour

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350. Drain and clean the chiles, and place in the bottom of a large buttered casserole.

Sprinkle the chiles with 1/2 of each cheese, and then top with another layer of chiles, and then the rest of the cheeses.

Mix the eggs with the milk or cream and salt, and pour over the top of the chile-cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until the eggs are set and casserole is slightly browned.

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I've only ever eaten one thing at our local Silver Diner; not because I haven't gone there frequently, but because I tend to find one thing I really like at a place like that, and never order anything else. The 'thing' at Silver Diner is the Crabcake Benedict. It seems to have disappeared from the menu, but when I ask for it, they always make it for me.

I found this recipe that looks very like what the Silver Diner serves. If you have a good crabcake recipe, make your own; but if you want them ready-made, the Phillips frozen crab cakes are pretty good - but as mentioned in the comments, it needs the addition of tomato slices.

(I hope in the future to do a thread on traditional Maryland recipes, but I will have to master the Crab Cake, first - which is embarrassing for a lifelong Marylander to admit ;-) If anyone has a favorite recipe, please post.

From the 'Mr. Breakfast' website, which is pretty neat:

http://www.mrbreakfast.com/superdisplay.asp?recipeid=1235

-JT

[ken5050]

Those are AWESOME!!!

Will try Sunday!!

[ken5050]

FRYING Question!!!

I'll occasionally pull out the deep fryer. I always use peanut oil, and given the price, I hate discarding it after only one use, though I might not fry again for several weeks. I'm considering straining it, then refrigerating..any thoughts?

[MomwithHope]

Just pulled out the bottle, as I just call it tomato powder. It's made by Knorr - Caldo de Tomate con Sabor de Pollo. So there is chicken flavor in it too. No wonder its s good on devilled eggs. Picture of the bottle

http://www.amazon.com/Knorr-Mexican-Chicken-Bouillon-35-3-Ounce/dp/B008OFGXEK

[trisham]

Excellent. Thank you!

[MomwithHope]

You’re welcome, also good on an omlette, especially if you have no tomatoes and like them.

[trisham]

That’s a great idea, too!

[Aliska]

No pickle relish for me either. I like smooth filling, haven't made them for ages because they are better for parties or family events and not for one or two people. I usually make a lot of whatever I bother to make.

I often found I didn't have enough filling for all the white halves.

Anyway, I did mine your way except used dry mustard, Miracle Whip and sometimes a couple splashes of cider or white vinegar to taste (I like a little tangy flavor). Usually the MW is enough. I keep MW original and Hellman's original on hand and often use a little of both.

I don't use recipes for this type of food. I now have pastry tips; it would be fun to make them fancier with a bag and star tip but usually I go the fastest, easiest way.

I made some ham salad last week and it wasn't quite right. I shouldn't have put Dijon or any mustard (maybe a little dry) in it and I DO like pickle relish in that. I made it in the food processor and had some frozen celery I chopped up. Then I added pieces of frozen red peppers for color, doesn't affect taste particularly.

The ham I had had in the fridge for about a month, Cook's slice sealed in heavy plastic. I needed to use it and it was fine but did rinse it off. Perfect for ham salad. Maybe I should have simmered it a little first? Well I didn't and it seemed already cooked.

I will say texture is a big thing to me. Putting ham in a food processor is not the same as when I used to grind it in my vintage hand grinder (which is a nuisance to clamp on, assemble and clean). I liked the grind better though and think you can get the same texture with the Kitchen Aid attachment but until I grind enough stuff it isn't worth the investment.

I learned how to freeze peppers and celery on ytube because I was wasting so much of it. I wouldn't use the celery except for cooking but it works great and did work for the ham salad. Learned how on youtube (Phyllis Stokes).

[MomwithHope]

I just remembered I do have a devilled egg tip. A friend told me this many years ago. Use a ziploc freezer bag, quart size works well. Put the yolk halves in it, add your other ingredients, spices, mayo etc. Close up bag and smoosh it up good to mix well. Then lay out your egg white halves and cut a corner off the bag bottom and squeeze out the filling like a pastry bag. No mess to clean up, just throw the bag away. I usually just fill up a couple halves at a time, and put the bag in the fridge.

[Liz]

Better make an extra pan of the cheesecake crescent rolls---they go fast.

BTW, if you happen to have an extra can of crescent rolls on hand, try these yummies.

MONTE CRISTO ROLLUPS
Savory bites of cheese and turkey--wrapped n buttery crescent rolls.

METHOD Unroll 8-count Pillsbury Crescent Rolls; pinch 2 triangles together to form rectangle.

Brush on raspberry or blackberry jam. Layer on thin slices Provolone/turkey breast. Rollup; seal edges.

Bake golden seam side down on silpatted sheetpan 350 deg 20-25 min. Rolls will spread; will ooze slightly; push back in w/ plastic knife.

Let cool 10-15 min; cut each into 3 slices. Dust with conf.

SERVE warm. Add to each plate, a ramekin of currant jelly mixed w/ a bit of heavy cream.

[Jamestown1630]

I’m glad to know that I can freeze celery, because I waste a lot of that too; and I don’t see why the frozen couldn’t be used in soups.

You can get disposable pastry bags now, which I like because you just throw them away and don’t have to clean the old-fashioned bag.

Your mention of Ham Salad reminds me of a Deviled Ham recipe that I found while trying to re-create the stuff that comes in the can with the little red devil on the label; and (speaking of eggs) this is a nice filling for bite-sized gougeres, as an appetizer or with drinks:

Deviled Ham

1 1/2 cups cooked ham (about 1/2 pound), chopped

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

3 tablespoons onion, chopped

1 teaspoon whole capers, drained

3-4 tablespoons curly parsley

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or your favorite hot sauce, to taste)

1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse in one second bursts, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Pulse until very well combined, but not quite a smooth paste (some texture here is good). Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld. Serve on crispy crackers or on white bread.

Here’s a recipe for the Gougeres (which are also great plain, with no filling):

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/gougeres-361149

JT

[libertarian27]

I bumped into this thread below a few weeks ago and had to try my hand at Scotch Eggs, never heard of them before.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3299237/posts

A Chef John video made me brave to give it a shot (he also steams his eggs - which works!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkPPn5ycsnc
DH and I loved them - were great re-heated the next day too.

I’m extremely addicted to Chef John videos, I think I’ve seen them all....better than watching tv :)

[Jamestown1630]

I don’t do a lot of deep-frying, but I’ve never re-used fry oil if it was used for meat, poultry or fish; and I don’t save it at all unless I know I’m going to fry again soon. This is largely because I probably wouldn’t use it again for a very long time; and partly because I’m concerned about it retaining flavors.

However, if you do a search on ‘re-using deep-fry oil’ you’ll find a lot of science, along with many differing opinions ;-)

(I wonder if you cooled it completely and froze it, it would have a better re-use shelf life ???)

-JT

[outofsalt]

Wow! Schools now police lunch boxes while handing out birth control!? Glad I can send my kids to private school.

I hope you liked the eggs. Yummy and easy.

[Yardstick]

Oh yeah, eggy/cheesy is a special kind of wonderfulness. And I just realized I had a misconception about soufflés. I was thinking they used a chemical reaction like baking powder to give them lift, but I see from googling it that it’s really heat expanding the trapped air bubbles within the eggy mixture that does the trick. So your recipe works the same way as a traditional soufflé.

[Jamestown1630]

The sturdy souffle isn’t dramatic, like the airy one; but it’s just as tasty. And even when you make the classy one for company, you have to get it out so fast, and show it off quickly before it falls.

Too much pressure for me, for entertaining :-) I’ve made it a few times for fun and learning...

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

That’s a good idea, and it probably helps divide the filling up more easily among the whites. You could probably put a piping tip in there, and make them pretty, too. I make deviled eggs so often (low-carb Husband Unit!) that it’s usually too time consuming for me; but it’s great for parties:

http://afoodcentriclife.com/creamy-deviled-eggs/

-JT

[Paleo Pete]

Shepherd’s Pie

Good all in one pan dinner, not hard to make. Don’t know how well known it is though...

1 lb ground beef browned and drained.
1 can english peas
1 can corn
mashed potatoes for 4 to 6 servings
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

I always add a couple of cloves chopped garlic and some mushrooms.

Brown ground beef, drain. I put the pan at a tilt, pull the meat to the high side and let it sit.

Once drained, put meat on bottom of casserole dish (2 qt I think, not sure, mine is about 10” diameter, 4” deep, ancient crock thing made by MarCrest)

Pour corn and peas on top of meat, add garlic and mushrooms. Other veggies will work, carrots, spinach and so forth but broccoli and asparagus will take over the flavor. It tastes like all broccoli, I made that mistake once...but only once...

Spread mashed potatoes on top of everything then sprinkle on grated cheese. I use mashed potato mix, one of the few mixes I use, because I don’t know how to make the real thing...

Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes until top browns.

Excellent with home made bread...

[MomwithHope]

Time - that’s why I only make them with the bag. I didn’t like cleaning out the food processor or mixer. If you mince up your celery very fine you can cut a really small hole in the bag.

[Aliska]

The small bags I throw away but I have 2 large ones I wash and reuse. I wasn't cut out to be a cake decorator though. Too much extra work.

I think I saw that recipe you printed out. I think I will try it but leave out capera, parsley and the sauces. Worcester is very easy to overdo.

I'm not sure about the whole grain mustard either. I love the stuff; we call it German mustard and Boetje's is manufactured in the area. I can't find my jar so guess I'll get another one then maybe find the one I thought I had. If unopened it keeps indefinitely. It's good on brats and buns and sometimes I put some on burgers for a change. It's good on swiss cheese and rye.

Now I had a can of deviled ham a few months ago with crackers and it wasn't too bad and since I didn't eati it as a kid, I wouldn't know.

If I make your version minus some of the ingredients, I will go easy on the mustard and will process it down almost to a paste. And try the other stuff but just a little bit of each.

Oh, thanks for the gougeres recipe. I saved that to try. Shouldn't be too hard and sounds delicious. I love gruyere, will have to try emmenthaler.

Now I make potato salad a few different ways. One of my inventions is three mustard potato salad which is very simple.

Boil about 2-1/2 pounds of potatoes, love those huge Idaho ones they have now. Then use about 5 or 6 of the hard boiled eggs cut up. Then cut up 3 to 5 (you can get a little too much of those) green onions both white and green part. Then dump on some yellow mustard, the German mustard, and Dijon. Mix and add enough Miracle Whip and Hellman's to bind. I took it to something once and people were crazy about it. I think it has a little more punch for people who are not used to the blander foods I was brought up on.

Have you tried your version of deviled ham yet?

I found a pork chop recipe I want to try. You use a rub of a little sugar, some pink peppercorns and some juniper berries. I've got some in my cart at amazon so I do like to try new things. I have a juniper in front I transplanted to save; it's quite tall and pretty now, and it has berries on it but they're green and the recipe has them dark blue.

I ate 3 tacos and a piece of my angel food cake and am still hungry.

The pork chops would be good with my potato salad but these are a little too thick to cook through to pan fry so I will take a picture and have the butcher cut them about 3/4 inch thick with fat all the way around.

Pan Fried Pork Chops with Juniper Berries and Peppercorns

Did you have ancestors in Jamestown?

[Aliska]

I love Chef John's scalloped oysters but they are expensive to make so it's for a treat. I like his videos. s=Shakea Shakea. And a pinch of cayenne. I like his friendly manner of speaking.

I've watched a lot of them, I think it is Food Wishes, but some of the recipes are too much work. Did you see the one where he make this wonderful cube boullion from lots of bones, some tomato and cooked it forever?