Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I've had a recipe for a long time that I've hesitated to post. It's something that I enjoyed at a friend's home many years ago, and for which I only have very sketchy instructions. I've made it myself once, a long time ago, when my friend's verbal directions were still fresh in my mind - but I'm thinking that the great FR cooks can figure it out - and Good Luck to you :-)

I believe that this recipe originally came from a magazine, back in the 1980s, but I don't know which one. It's a twist on Beef Wellington, involving an expensive cut of meat and a LOT of work - but very 'worth it' for an exceptionally special occasion. It was called:

Australian Fillet

2-1/2 lb. Fillet of Beef (tenderloin), trimmed

8 oz. Mushrooms, finely chopped

4 to 6 oz. Butter

11 slices Cooked Ham or Bacon (Canadian Bacon)

1 Egg Yolk

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 clove Garlic, crushed

Brandy (!)

Softened Butter

Bearnaise Sauce

and:

PUFF PASTRY (the recipe actually says 'make 1 lb. of Puff Pastry in the usual way, using plain flour' - and knowing my friend, she probably did that! But you can buy Puff Pastry ready-made now :-)

Directions:

Saute the mushrooms and onions, seasoned to taste in a little butter, and reserve.

Season the fillet with Garlic, or rub the pan with it for a milder flavor. Brush the fillet with Brandy, and slice into 12 equal parts, without completely separating the slices.

Place a thin slice of ham or bacon, cut to fit, between each slice, and spread with one-half of the sauteed Mushroom-Onion mixture. (I believe in this recipe that the half of the mushroom mixture was spread between the slices.)

Reform the fillet, using metal skewers, and roast in a moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until about half-cooked.

Allow filet to cool slightly, and remove the skewers, and any fat. Spread with softened butter, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and spread thinly with the remaining mushroom-onion mixture.

Roll out the Puff Pastry to a thin sheet, and wrap the fillet in it, securing neatly. Brush the pastry with cold water, and bake in a hot oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Brush the pastry with the lightly-beaten egg yolk, and continue baking until the crust is browned. Serve on a heated plate with Bearnaise Sauce.

Bearnaise Sauce

1/4 C. Tarragon Vinegar

1/2 C. Water

4 oz. Butter

6 to 8 Shallots, finely chopped

2 egg yolks

Salt, Pepper, and a little Lemon Juice

Chopped Chervil and Tarragon (I'm assuming 'fresh')

Boil the shallots in the vinegar and water until liquid is reduced by 2/3. Place the shallot/vinegar mixture in top of a double boiler (or other 'bain marie' setup) and stir in the well-beaten egg yolks. Add the butter in small pieces, stirring steadily as the sauce thickens. Season to taste, and gradually stir in the Lemon Juice. Sieve the sauce (!) add a little chopped Chervil and Tarragon, and SERVE (after you've taken your tranquilizer, of course!)

Here are some links that include pretty ways to do the crust; recipes for the more classic Beef Wellington; and last is an excellent video showing how to assemble the classic dish that includes the traditional pate and inner lining of crepes (the video is about 6 minutes long):

http://www.womanandhome.com/recipes/533320/beef-wellington-recipe

http://www.foodtolove.com.au/recipes/beef-wellington-14786

http://www.finecooking.com/videos/how-to-make-classic-beef-wellington.aspx

-JT

[Liz]

I don/t want to be an alarmist....but I feel I should mention....be careful w/ coconut products.

WHAT I LEARNED: on a recipe site for coconut macaroons, a woman blogged she will never eat coconut again. Seems her hubby brought home a bag full of her favorite coconut macaroons.

She pigged out on the whole bag and within hours she was in intensive care. Her entire G/I system shut down and they were ready to do surgery on her after three days in I/C.

She never said why this happened. Later I read that coconut has a property that when ingested absorbs all the fluids in your system as its being digested.

I also noticed coconut water mfg also warns that drinking it might cause constipation.

It/s like everything else....eat coconut in moderation.

[miss marmelstein]

Geez! To lose all my bodily fluids - just like Jack D. Ripper in Doctor Strangelove! I do make coconut cake on occasion but I’ll try not to overindulge with this one. The first review didn’t sound so good so we’ll see if my guests gag on it.

[Liz]

I love the taste of coconut....a little goes a long way.

Sometimes I hold back ing in a recipe. Almond and lemon extract are
both strong---so I never add the full amt required. Just a droplet will do.

[miss marmelstein]

I do that with sugar. Always less. Isn't almond extract prussic acid? I have it here but never use it. It's vanilla for me, generally. My go-to extract - the good kind as Ina Garten says ad naseum.

[Aliska]

The lemon extract I just bought the other day. It's brand new. I opened it to see what it smells like. Not bad. I did read a few reviews on Amazon but they bunch all the flavors together for reviews.

I didn't know about the forms for lemon flavor. Now that I have it, I will try it only use half what the recipe calls for.

When I was a kid learning to cook, I put it in something and thought it tasted awful, but I don't know what brand it was.

[Aliska]

I doubt I'll be trying to duplicate the Sara Lee pound cake. There's more to the texture than just cornstarch I think; it's definitely part of it. The browned top is unique, too, it kind of would peel off the cake.

I guess I can't help you with your lime-coconut cake. I made twice now two different versions of a German chocolate pound cake. It was not a stunning success but I love the way I got the frosting flavored.

Most chocolate cakes are usually winners. I found a recipe for one that uses sour dough starter. It had what looked like a very loose crumb but looked delicious. The topping was frosting but looked more like whipped, flavored with instant coffee.

[Jamestown1630]

My husband loves beef liver, but we can’t find it around here anymore either. Fortunately, he also like the little chicken ones, and we can still get those.

-JT

[miss marmelstein]

Chicken livers are heavenly. I don’t buy beef liver - it’s too tough and strong-tasting, I only buy calf. I came across veal liver today - 10 dollars for less than half a pound! No thank you!

[miss marmelstein]

Chocolate cake does always seem to work out. I admit I buy cake mixes sometimes and doctor them up and then slather them with homemade frosting. Always seems to go down a treat.

Sara Lee pound cake is wonderful. I don’t know why it is; so soft with that nice, thin brown crust...

[Aliska]

I've been experimenting with homemade cakes since Duncan Hines, the last holdout, lowered the net weight of their mixes.

But two of my tried and true were with Duncan Hines Devil's Food. One was a pound cake with an easy ganache-like but simpler drip glaze.

One of my childrens' favorites was the above cake mix in a 9X13 pan, then my mom's 7 minute frosting. That was followed with a melted square of bitter chocolate dripped in lines across with a toothpick drawn through in opposite cirections. It's nice on a bias, too, you've seen the effect I'm sure.

My mom's 7 minute white marshmallow frosting was no fail, didn't matter what the humidity was, required double boiler or deep bowl over hot water but no fuss with Italian meringue-style mixing.. It wasn't the usual you will find on the web; her club friend gave it to her, and I don't know who developed it. It did form a little crust by the next day (but I liked that, too).

That frosting was also good on yellow cake with coconut sprinkled over the top. I like Pillsbury yellow cake mix the best though.

All three of the above were fast compared to fussing with frosting layers, easier to cut and serve.

[miss marmelstein]

I still find that no matter how I doctor up a white cake mix the chemical taste still comes through. So I generally avoid it. Sounds like you’re a great baker!!

[heartwood]

I don’t mind the way it smells in the bottle, but when I’ve cooked with it, the results have been unhappy.

[leaning conservative]

I’m a little bit late to the rodeo. That cake is beautiful & looks so delicious. I read the posts & a great thing to poke holes in a cake is a wooden shish kebab skewer. I also use them to spear bananas for frozen, chocolate covered bananas for my husband. Yuck!

[Aliska]

I’m not better at baking than anyone else on here. Win a few. Lose a few. Some tried and true.

[Aliska]

It concerns me but I'm determined to start there and then scrap it or tweak it. If worse comes to worse, I can adapt it into a 9X13 quickie with the buttercream frosting. I start with Kittencal's bakery style frosting about the same as Wilton's.

I was thinking if I can get a decent-tasting buttermilk cake, it doesn't need lemon flavor so long as I can get some in the frosting.

Or I could poke it although I'm not big on poke cakes, did a pineapple custard one. I really really don't like 3 milk cakes, the condensed milk you boil but I belatedly discovered penuche frosting which I love. And I do love the carmelized sugar caramel both as syrup and sauce.

I liked the boiled condensed milk stuff until I almost made myself sick on it, eating some out of the can with a spoon lol.

[Aliska]

I looked at some on Amazon. I nit pick on something cheap like those then buy something I may not get enough good out of. Some skewers would be handy though.

Years ago I had the best fondue, Reese brand. You skewered a piece of crusty bread, you know how it works, haven't been to a party or social function for so long. Then it was no longer sold in the stores. Now I have seen something just like it in a packet the same size. But I don't want to make it just for myself.

I would need skewers for it though.

[leaning conservative]

I used to get packets of fondue made in Switzerland & it was so look good. My husband is not a fondue guy & I found you can reheat the fondue the next day & it is perfect! I will try & find the Reese brand. I am embarrassed to say that I can eat a whole fondue. They are hard to find though.

[Aliska]

I forgot your comment about doctoring up white cake. It is too sweet and has a chemical preservative taste. But I did get a red velvet cake out of it, a flan cake or two. With the former, I used Joy of Baking, Stephanie Jaworski (sp?) her mascarpone and whipped cream frosting. To die for. It was cupcakes with the large closed star tip which made the frosting such pretty ruffley scallops, done in a couple big circles like the 1M star tip you see so many pictures of.

I still have my old scratch recipe for red velvet cake. For some reason, it only had 1 tbsp, tsp, or very little cocoa and a whole bottle of red food coloring which is not needed, a few tablespoons are sufficient. Only years later did I find that out.

And my last banana cake wasn't the success I'd hoped for but I made these wonderful banana crumb muffins, followed the recipe to a T, they are outstanding, one of the most popular on. People will post a recipe and it gets replicated all over and on pinterest. I used the one on food.com I think.

[Aliska]

Reese might not make it any more but the box I saw at the store looked just like the size (packaging in a flat box) they used. I’ll check the brand name next time I get to the store. I tried to make a fondue from scratch, it takes a special touch to get it right. Mine wasn’t something I wanted to make again. It had a liqueur in it, too, Kirsch I think. I should put more of that in there lol.

[miss marmelstein]

Sounds fantastic. All of your cakes! I’m a little tired of red velvet which has become a worldwide craze - a cake that doesn’t have a lot of flavor, although I’ll bet yours are great.