Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve always thought that artichokes – as they are available to a suburbanite like me, in the supermarket – were expensive and time-consuming to prepare and cook. But I like them, and I like the ritual of eating them; so once or twice a year I’ll buy them as a ‘Rite of Spring’.

I’ve always steamed mine but recently found some recipes for roasting them. Since I’ve come to enjoy roasted asparagus much more than I like it steamed, I thought I’d try handling the artichokes this way.

I used this recipe from 'Pinch My Salt', but omitted the garlic, because I wanted to know how roasting, as opposed to steaming, changes the flavor of the artichoke itself:

http://pinchmysalt.com/how-to-roast-whole-artichokes/

They turned out well, but you know what? I still like them better steamed – they just seem fresher, taste more like Spring, and offer more of the flavor of the artichoke itself.

Here’s a good instruction for preparing and steaming them:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/whole-steamed-artichokes

Many folks like dipping the leaves in Mayonnaise, but I like plain melted butter.

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Another vegetable that I like – fortunately less expensive! - is Eggplant, especially in a ’parmigiana’ treatment.

Chef John of ‘Food Wishes’ has a unique way of preparing Eggplant as a ‘Baked Eggplant Sandwich’ which I found last weekend, and thought was brilliant. Here is a link to his site, with recipe and video:

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2013/01/baked-eggplant-sandwiches-getem-while.html

-JT

[Qiviut]

I love this “Eggplant Caviar” from the Silver Palate Chefs (recipe from a magazine series back in the ‘90s) - made it for a party & it was delicious. Eggplants are a favorite including Baba ghanoush & I also have a recipe for a Chinese (I think) eggplant that is, for me, to “die for”. The book with that recipe is packed away & I don’t think I’ll be able to find it - I’ll look around online.

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From Silver Palate Chefs:
It’s often called “the peasant’s caviar” and, with flavors so earthy and full, we’ll take it anytime. Served on a cracker or spooned onto vegetable leaves, it’s sensational!

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized eggplants (about 3 to 3-1/4 lbs)
12 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon coarse (koscher) salt
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
salt to taste (optional)
1/2 cup pitted and chopped imported black olives
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (see note below)
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup diced purple onion
8 heads Belgian endives, leaves separated (optional)

Directions:

1 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2 - Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Make deep slits in the flesh (do not pierce the skin) and insert 2 cloves of garlic in each half. Place eggplants in a shallow roasting pan, skin-side down, and sprinkle tops with salt. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until eggplant and garlic are tender. Cool.
3 - With a spoon, scoop eggplant and garlic out of skin and into a bowl. Mash well with a fork. Stir in lemon juice, oil, pepper and salt. Mix well. Gently fold in remaining ingredients except endive. Refrigerate covered, to chill.
4 - To serve, place a generous spoonful on the end of a Belgian endive leaf and arrange on a decorative platter, tips of leaves facing outward. Or serve with crackers and toast in a decorative bowl.

Yield:
5 cups caviar

To Toast Pine nuts:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Place nuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes - check after 5 minutes, and shaking baking sheet twice while toasting. Once the nuts begin to toast, they will brown quickly so be careful.

[pugmama]

This is a really nice summer halibut dish. I use drained marinated artichokes for this.

http://foodanddrink.ca/lcbo-ear/RecipeController?language=EN&recipeType=1&action=recipe&recipeID=6715

[Jamestown1630]

Thank you, TIK!

[Liz]

From Jacques Pepin's TV show. Serves 6 as a delectable first course.
Jacques' cheffy tip is to add whipped cream just before filling hearts
to give richness. Then he glazes the top under the broiler.

ARTICHOKE HEARTS STUFFED W/ MUSHROOMS IN COGNAC CREAM

PREP 6 artichoke hearts, chokes removed, kept warm in broth

METHOD COOK 2 tb melted sweet butter, 2 c 1/2" diced mushrooms dry. Add tb cognac; flambe/cook 30 sec. Add 1/4 c h/cream, s/p, herbs; BTB. Add/thicken w/ potato starch/slurry, boil a bit. Set offheat.

ASSEMBLY Whip 1/2 c h/cream stiff. Rapidly fold into mushroom mixture, immediately fill 6 drained artichoke bottoms. Sprinkle w/ Romano cheese; broil/brown 2-3 min.

SERVE as first course.

ING 2 tb unsalted butter, 2 cups mushrooms cut into 1/2-inch-thick dice, tb cognac, 2/3 cup heavy cream, 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp black pepper, tb chopped mixed fresh tarragon and parsley, 1/2 tsp potato starch, dissolved in tb cold water, 1 1/2 tsp Pecorino Romano cheese.

[Jane Long]

YUMMMMM!! Just copied that recipe.

Thanks, Liz.

[Liz]

That recipe is a delicious treasure.......a keeper for sure.

[Liz]

QUICKIE BREAKFAST-—so healthy
To heated ol/oil, add some chile flakes, then add a big handful of spinach (or leftover veggies on hand).

Sauté quickly—just to soften and heat.

Then add in 2 eggs stirred. Scramble it up.

SERVE on a plate or stuffed in a warm pita.

[Covenantor]

Looks great and sounds outstanding. Keeping this one.

Thanks!

[Covenantor]

SWL box sounds much like Kratky hydroponic method, which utilizes closed water/nutrient system. No water or air pump. Youtube has several series of videos, from simple mason jar size for herb window box to larger scale wooden tubs.

All my lumbar discs are crapped out so the gardening stoop work is totally off the board. But I do have a dozen 5 gal buckets suitable for trial attempt. Have sketched up a simple wood frame which will bring the tops of the buckets to stand up inspection height, and harvest if all goes well. Apparently this method is very suitable for leafy greens...lettuce, spinach,etc. Setting the frame for five buckets this week, just waiting for net cups to arrive.

[leaning conservative]

Thanks JT! My first & last whole artichoke was w/ her. And I have to say it was delicious.

[leaning conservative]

I love anything in a warm pita......yum

[V K Lee]

TIP: Toast your sugar.
A quick note to suggest that you all toast your sugar. I learned of the technique from Stella Parks (one of the greats!) over on Serious Eats. She uses granulated sugar in place of beans or pie weights when she is blind baking pie shells. The sugar eventually takes on color and a caramelized flavor. But you don’t need to wait for the next time you’re making pie, toasted sugar can be made anytime. Instructions here:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/05/how-to-make-caramel-without-melting-sugar.html

I like the results after about 3 hours. And this stuff is great in a lot of places. Pavlovas! Ice cream! Scones! Cookies!

http://www.lottieanddoof.com/

[V K Lee]

A site that lists numerous popular food blogs and links
FEASTIE
http://www.feastie.com/recipe-sources

[Liz]

Toasting sugar is so innovative....and I loved the ideas bloggers came up with.

One blogger steeps the toasted sugar w/ a vanilla bean before using in baking. And what a treat stirred into coffee.

[Liz]

Rachel Ray does an Eggplant Panini Pita

Layer in pita pocket eggplant slices grilled w/ herbed olive oil, Cambozola cheese slices, prosciutto, arugula.

Foldover, crisp up in grill pan weighted down-—no need to melt cheese or heat inside.

NOTE Cambozola is kinda like Brie w/ a blue vein.

[V K Lee]

This intrigued me. The Blog at King Arthur Flour has suggested this as well. Really not much of a
“crusty” person. Many times they are soggy (awful!); much better w/o the crust (IE. pumpkin pie). It would be interesting to try this just to see the baked results of the crust itself.

[Liz]

If you haven’t already....try making pumpkin and custard pies using an oil-based pie crust recipe rather than shortening.

My experience is the oil-based crusts bake up crisper.

There’s also the trick -—baking the fillings/crust separately-—— then popping the filling into the crust at service.

Gotta have a very wide spatula to do that.

[kalee]

Thanks for posting that link.

[V K Lee]

Thanks, Liz. FWIW, I do like crust - but only if flaky and crisp. LOL the baked crust with sugar might have been a great ‘find’ to feed the beast

[Liz]

From a famous Texas restaurant.

Fried Eggplant Sandwich

PREP Thick slices of eggplant lightly breaded and fried.

ASSEMBLY Layer on Hoagie bun, fried eggplant, blanket with smoked Gouda, add sauteed onions, mushrooms, red bells.

SERVE garnished with leaf lettuce, tomato, shaved red onions.

The restaurant serves its fries/special sauce on side.