Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

After Benjamin Franklin, my favorite 'American Eccentric' has always been Tasha Tudor (1915-2008).

At a certain point, Tasha appears to have decided that she should have lived - and should always live - in the early 19th Century. She proceeded to build a long lifetime in accord with that ideal, wearing the clothing of that era, cooking and house-holding as a woman would have done then, even learning to roast a turkey in a 'tin oven' before a fire; and devoting herself to country life, art, hand-crafts, gardening, and animals. She is famous for her artwork and illustrated books for children; but her inner life was much larger than that; and she believed in, and exemplified, Thoreau's advice in 'Walden':

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours..."

Among the many lovely things that Tasha left us are a number of recipes; and one of my favorites is her Cranberry Sauce recipe, a very simple one found in 'The Tasha Tudor Cookbook'. I actually bought an antique yellow-ware mold with an ear of corn carved in it, so that I could make this recipe exactly as Tasha did; the only problem is that I'm the only one in my circle who really LIKES Cranberry Sauce; so I don't get to make it very often.

This has always unmolded for me very nicely:

Cranberry Sauce Tasha Tudor

2 pounds fresh Cranberries

2 Cups cold Water, approximately

2 Pounds Sugar

Place the cranberries in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to not quite cover the berries when they are pressed down. Add the sugar. Bring to a simmer and skim off the foam occasionally. Cook the cranberries until their juice jells when it is dropped on a cold plate.

Pour into a mold and chill overnight.

To remove the sauce from the mold, gently run a paring knife around the edge, dip the mold in hot water for a moment, and then invert it onto a platter. Yields approximately 1-1/2 quarts.

If you are interested, here is a short video of Tasha which shows her in her garden and house, and showcases some of her artwork (the narration is in Japanese; she has had a very strong 'cult' following among the Japanese):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zU-15to8d4

________________________________________________

Some years ago, I heard people raving about a seasonal offering at Starbucks: Cranberry Bliss bars. I don't think Starbucks still offers this; but it looks very nice. Here is a copycat recipe that I found and want to try during the holidays:

http://www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-bliss-bars-starbucks-copycat-203229

[Stand Watch Listen]

CRANBERRY ORANGE COOKIES

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 14 Minutes
Ready In: 34 Minutes
Servings: 48

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugarc
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
icing
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F *

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.

3. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

4. In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set

Options/Hints:
• ****add 1/4 teaspoon of almond flavoring
• added 1 1/2 teaspoons of orange zest, cut fresh cranberries in half, added 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and I used slivered almonds instead of walnuts.
The first tray flatted out too much unless you like really, really, thin cookies.
had the next batch ready to go in the oven and threw them back in the bowl and added about a half cup more of flour.
---- *baking at 350 instead of 375. If you don't want dark brown edges!

[JRandomFreeper]

Not cranberries. Not in the budget this month.

I did make an apple tart, scone, whatever you want to call it. Easy to make.

One cup each of flour, sugar, and milk. I pour that over a can of apple pie filling. A little baking soda and salt in with the flour and bake until done. Add more flour if needed for a cake-like consistncy.

Let cool, slice, freeze into IQF single servings.

All of this came out of 'emergency' storage.

/johnny

[pugmama]

I did the pie last year, but not the ice cream. Pie was wonderful.

Cranberry-Pecan Pie and Pumpkin-Pie Ice Cream

Provided by: Chef Larry and Marc Forgione

Ingredients
Pie crust

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small squares
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs. solid vegetable shortening
1 tbs. white vinegar

For the filling

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon
3 eggs
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans

Pumpkin-Pie Ice Cream

2 cups cream
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups pumpkin purée
5 egg yolks
2 tbs. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tbs. Linzer spices (or substitute pumpkin-pie spice)
1/2 tbs. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Angostura bitters

Instructions

Pie crust

In a food processor or medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt briefly. Add the butter and shortening, and cut the ingredients together until the mixture resembles small crumbs. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and 2 tbs. water, and add to the crumb mixture, mixing briefly. If necessary, add just enough cold water for the dough to come together. Gather it into a ball, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least half an hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out fairly thin into a neat circle. Fit it, without stretching, into a buttered deep 9 1/2- or 10-inch pie pan. Form a high fluted border. Chill the pie shell.

For the filling

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely. In a large bowl or KitchenAid mixer, add the maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, bourbon, and eggs, beating until well combined. Add the cooled melted-butter mixture, and mix well. Stir in the cranberries and pecans, and pour into a prepared pie crust. Bake the pie for about 40 to 50 minutes or until the filling is firm. Cool to room temperature before serving with pumpkin-pie ice cream.

Pumpkin-Pie Ice Cream

In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, sugar, and pumpkin purée, and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is simmering. Remove from heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly drizzling one third of the milk-cream mixture into the yolks, constantly stirring gently (but not whisking) with a whisk, taking care not to cook the yolks. Pour the tempered egg yolks slowly into the milk-cream mixture while constantly whisking. Stir in the corn syrup, salt, Linzer spices, powdered sugar, and Angostura bitters. Return the saucepan to the stovetop, and, over low heat, stir the custard until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5 to 8 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Transfer the custard into an ice-cream machine, and freeze according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Serves 8.

[pugmama]

Make these every year

Cranberry Margaritas

1 1/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup fresh frozen cranberries, rinsed
3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 cup tequila
1/2 cup Grand Marnier
ice

Pour half of mixture in the blender and fill rest with ice. Blend. Repeat with second half of mixture. Makes minimum of two blender batches.

[miss marmelstein]

Stick them in a pan, I guess, and hold them over the fire. I have a bed warmer that would be perfect for the job but since I moved, I lost my fireplace!

A friend of mine cooks them in the microwave.

[miss marmelstein]

Anybody around?

I found in the supermarket today duck breasts, skinless and boneless, and snapped them up because I had a yen for duck and had bought some wild rice. It seems they should be marinated and then cooked in red wine but I’d love any recipe.

[Liz]

I love Nigella's hot Duck Salad w/ an Asian twist.

HOT DUCK SALAD

METHOD Grill duck breast fat-side down to juicy pinkness. Rest on board; make sauce. Add to sauce grilled duck thinly carved on diagonal; stir well. Turn out onto server covered w/ baby spinach (or use combo watercress, lambs lettuce, mesclun).

SAUCE 2 tb fish sauce, juiced lime/orange, minced chilli, gingeroot, bit sesame oil, duck juices.

[Aliska]

Thank you for the yummy looking cranberry orange cookie recipe. They are really pretty! I will try to make some for the holidays. I've got one of those cookie sheets with the air trapped between the aluminum and another big plain aluminum from my mom's things. The air one works great, doesn't burn on the bottoms as easily but you still have to watch them.

I was using parchment paper but have gone back to greasing because the paper slips right off the cookie sheet if you aren't careful putting in and taking out.

Of course I suppose I could "glue" the paper down with something. The frosting looks pretty on those, too, the way it is drizzled. I saved the recipe and will print it out. Thank you again!

And thanks for the warning about cookie spread. I have noticed that I had that issue with the last cookies I made, a Caribbean version of Ranger Cookies. I thought it might be my butter so I will compare the quantities in yours to mine and either adjust the flour or use half shortening. I've got to experiment anyway to get my chocolate chip cookies just the right amount of spread and be chewy. I buy the cheap store brand of butter, and that might make a difference if I'd used the more expensive Land o'Lakes.

JT, I did a little searching on the web, and the only cran rasp relish recipes I could find (several) are the whole berry versions. Now they did look very pretty so maybe I will go that route myself just for a change plus it would be easier. But it's definitely wouldn't be the same in texture and even taste. Stephanie Jaworsky on Joy of Cooking has a nice plain raspberry sauce, very thick, but a small amount for baking. She pushed the raspberries through a fine sieve until all that was left were seeds. I can't remember the procedure without going back, but I have a big fine strainer so may improvise with my raspberries, both red and black for different things plus I splurged and bought two cans of boysenberries, dang I could not remember that word and had to hunt all over the web. They must not be too popular any more. I love them and need to use them up.

[Jamestown1630]

You must have ESP! I’ve been working on a Duck Thread, but haven’t got it entirely ‘in the can’ yet.

In the meantime, this is one of the recipes that I found intriguing (and I’m sure you can switch-out some of the more exotic ingredients for ones that are more readily available):

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016469-duck-with-cherries-and-red-wine-vinegar

And here’s one for Duck Breast Lettuce Wraps:

http://www.benekeith.com/food/recipes/oriental-duck-lettuce-wraps

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I was looking at her family’s website tonight - it contains a page of recipes - and this looked like a nice appetizer or tea thing:

http://tashatudorandfamily.com/documents/NancysHotCheeseRounds.pdf

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks for your advice. I’ve lost most of the weight I’ve wanted to lose, but still have some pounds to go; the only thing I really ever crave is something CHOCOLATE, that doesn’t have too many carbs. I appreciate the sweetening advice.

-JT

[Liz]

You could always go classic w/ duck a l'orange-- seared duck breast
glazed with sweet orange sauce. American swooned over French cuisine
when Duck L'Orange appeared in 5-star eateries like La Grenouille.

Duck L'Orange

MARTHA STEWART'S ORANGE SAUCE
Cook 1/4 cup sugar ; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar; zested orange
(2 teaspoons), cup fresh oj. Add supremed Sunkist orange at service.

[CottonBall]

Sorry, I don’t like cranberries. They make my mouth pucker.

[JRandomFreeper]

I feel good enough today that I will get some work done.

A couple of loads of laundry in that cute little washer and dryer.

Then I'll be cooking potatoes au gratin. Good stuff. Then I'll be making mac and cheese with chicken and veg surprise.

/johnny

[MomwithHope]

Keep on truckin’ brother. Have a great day!

[Liz]

Amazing French recipe---easy to make, even w/out the skills of a masterful confectioner. Original uses dried cherries--but dried cranberries can be subbed. Makes 2 dozen.

Crispy Almond Cherry Rochers

METHOD Press 1/3 cup Almond Paste or Marzipan into 1/2" thick disc then cut into 1/4" strips; lastly, make 1/4" cubes. Chill 15 min. Remove to counter; separate cubes; hold at room temp.

COATING Melt in bain over gently simmering water: 8 oz fine-chp best quality bittersweet or dark milk chocolate. Offheat, rubber spatula to melt smooth; keep warm.

ASSEMBLY Add to melted chocolate: almond cubes, 1/4 c fine-diced dried cherries (or cranberries), cup puffed rice cereal. Gently fold/evenly coat. W/ two spoons, liftout clumps onto parchmented sheetpan. Firm up in cool place.

SERVE in fluted paper cases.

[Jamestown1630]

LOL! That’s why there’s so much sugar in the recipe :-)

I was once prescribed plain, unsweetened Cranberry juice, by a Naturopath. That stuff is so dry and sour, you really do gag on it - almost impossible to get down.

Oddly, some raw cranberries tossed into a muffin recipe come out great! Again - Sugar :-)

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

What’s the ‘surprise’?

-JT

[JRandomFreeper]

The surprise is whatever I didn't know I had tucked away in the veggie bin. I believe in using everything up. I'm trying to figure out a way to use the squeak.

/johnny

[Jamestown1630]

Good idea. People don’t realize how much that they throw away can be used effectively. Like mushroom stems, and other trimmings from vegetables: great for stock. And lots of little leftovers can make a soup, or go into a casserole.

We’re learning about Bone Broth, now; and all the bones are going into the freezer.

-JT