Monthly Cooking Thread - March 2020

[Jamestown1630]

I went to a 'Fat Tuesday Potluck' last week, and one young lady brought Shrimp Etouffee, which I had never had. Instead of rice, she served it over grits, and I was in Heaven.

Here is Chef John's recipe, thoughtfully adapted to frozen shrimp because it's all that many of us can procure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx1yprdgs80

We're coming up on Asparagus Time, and I'm looking for new ways to use it. We can get it nearly all year now, but find the nice big ones in Summer. We usually put it on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast it. But if you have favorite recipes, please share.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

That looks not too different from the one my Granny made, in Virginia; or husband’s mom makes in Pennsylvania; or my Korean friends make, with the addition of their Gochugaru.

(The Big World is actually pretty Small :-)

[nopardons]

As I stated in an earlier post, sans the fish topping, the Hungarian version is almost exactly like the Japanese sunomono!

The Korean version probably is akin to the Japanese one, is my guess,

Some Hungarians serve our cucumber salad with a dash of white pepper on top. some with a dollop of sour cream, some use both, and I use neither. This is all just a matter of taste. :-)

[Jamestown1630]

I’m a fan of sour cream, so load me up :-)

[MomwithHope]

The only paprika we like (love) is smoked sweet paprika. We order it out of Detroit. A friend gave me some she brought back from Hungary and we couldn’t eat it. Hot and very little flavor.

[MomwithHope]

thin sliced cold cucumbers, sour cream and fresh dill. Yum.

[nopardons]

My grandmother made THE best sour cream cookies; they were amazing! I don’t know if I have the recipe, though.

[Jamestown1630]

I’m sure you can find it - and we’re very patient on this thread :-)

[nopardons]

Szeged, the ONLY brand to buy, has a smoked paprika; however, I don't use it so don't know if it's any good or not. Szeged makes HOT, Smoked, and sweet.

My family, hence I, only use the sweet kind.

[nopardons]

I’ll look for it, but it’ll take me a while to find, IF I actually have it. They’re rather “soft” cookies and not overtly sweet; as I remember them.

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve noticed that a lot of European ‘sweets’ are not nearly as sweet as the American ones are; and that’s probably often a good thing.

I know a man who loves hot Mexican food; but he says that if there is too much heat, after a certain point, all you perceive is the ‘heat’, and no flavor.

I think it can be the same with ‘sweet’.

[nopardons]

He's and YOU are probably correct!

And though Hungarian cake layers are ONLY there to hold great swaths of icing ( especially Dubos Torte ), they aren't teeth hurting/stomach turning all that sweet at all!

[Liz]

A veg main dish accompanied by hearty stuffed bread, side of salad,
preceded by tomato soup. Can do ahead then roast at dinnertime.

ROASTED BROCCOLI CHEESE PATTIES

ING 12 oz pkg Broccoli Frozen & Defrosted 2 tsp Vegetable Oil 2 minced gar/cl
1/2 Onion- Chopped 3/4 Cup Panko 1/2 Cup shredded Sharp Cheddar 1/3 Cup Parm 2 beaten Eggs

METHOD Lightly grease sheetpan; line w/ foil. Heat oil on med. Saute tender s/p garlic and onions. Set aside to cool.
Squeeze out moisture from defrosted broccoli. Place into bowl. Add/mix in onion/garlic. Then add Panko, cheeses, eggs, s/p.

FINAL Bake on prepared sheetpan 400 deg 15 min. Flip; bake 15 min more til browned and crispy.

[Jamestown1630]

Broccoli was made for cheese.

[KC Burke]

1.). Do you peel your cucumbers?
2.) Do you split and seed them?

[nopardons]

I always peel them; even the ones from my own garden.

No, never split them; the tissue paper thin rounds are supposed top be ROUND, not pieces!

There's no need to "seed" them, since when you are rinsing and squeezing each handful, the seeds pop out and IF any are missed, they tend to later float on top of the brine...making them easy to remove from the bowel.

[KC Burke]

Yes, I was taught that the peel adds bitterness however they are used. With a gastrectomy I try to keep seeds to a minimum since everything goes straight to the intestines.

I also find that medium spicy dishes are now tooooo spicy.

[nopardons]

The Hungarian recipes that have been handed down, in my family, are centuries, if not millennia old. There have been certain "adjustments", through the generations ( when they came to America, when wood fueled stoves were replaced by gas ones, when butter replaced lard, because the lard here was not only different, but supposedly "inferior", etc. ), but those "changes" are about a century and 1/2 old and have stood the test of time.

As I said, the cucumber seeds come out, as you make this condiment, so you won't be bothered with them IF/when you make it.

And very few ( if any at all ) Hungarian dishes are "spicy". My family and I ONLY use sweet paprika, so you're "safe" if you ever make one of the recipes I post here.

[KC Burke]

For the old Mess Sgt to be re-learning to eat means I have to re-learn how to cook.

And small portions — whoever heard of small portions. Things I once enjoyed are now impossible for me.

[nopardons]

Oh gee...sorry to hear about your problems!

If I can help you with some recipes, that you would enjoy but which wouldn't cause you any more problems than you already have, please FRmail me with your likes and no-nos and I'll see IF I can be of any help.

[KC Burke]

Thanks so much.

I like to check in on this thread as there is always a lot of new ideas. Cooking is fun to read even if the dish goes unprepared — everyone here enjoys the artestry of the craft. I tried an Onion and Cucumber sour cream compromise last month and I am headed back to vinegar and sugar next time in one variation or another.

Had an old in-law that had as great cream seeming version but I never got his recipe from him before he passed.