Today felt quite busy: little sleep last night then trips to Covington, Clifton, Indian Hill and three stops at Eastgate meant that a large amount of prep work was not in the cards. Invention never sleeps, so I was glad to pull something very nice together in no time flat and with very little work.
I'm increasingly fond of steelhead trout .. its texture is like salmon (probably because it is freshwater salmon) and it cooks quickly.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb steelhead, filetted, and marinated in brandy and ponzu,* with a spritz of olive cooking spray for 1/2 to 4 hours
1 scallion, chopped
salt to taste
METHOD:
cook on a hot grill for 5 minutes on the skin side
flip and grill 3 minutes more then transfer to a serving plate (the skin will be crisp when you flip it, and lifts off easily while the second side cooks)
add a bit more ponzu and garnish with the chopped scallion
What could be more simple? Or taste better?
Steelhead grilled this way is a wonderful accompaniment to asparagus - or is it the other way around? Since you have heated the grill (or the broiler) anyway, you might as well do the right thing with the grass.
I thought up a new way to serve the grilled asparagus, using less butter.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed.**
1/4C blue cheese salad dressing
1/8C crumbled blue cheese
a little salt
olive cooking spray
METHOD:
put the asparagus on a cold grill when you start the fish and turn the heat to high
after you take the fish off the grill put the asparagus on a plate, tips pointing in
spray the asparagus lightly with the cooking spray
sprinkle a little salt on the asparagus
cover the tips with blue cheese dressing
garnish with the crumbled blue cheese
The texture and flavor are memorable, particulary when paired with the steelhead, a glass of the house white and a simple salad.
for the entire dinner:
two servings, each
290 calories
17 grams of carbohydrate
(and only fifteen minutes)
* Ponzu is a newish form of soy sauce mixed with lemon juice. If you can't find it at the store just use soy and lemon.
** I know I've said this before. I know each stalk of asparagus knows where it should break (that's training and common knowledge). I also know most stalks in a bunch will break at about the same place (experience). I typically break 2-3 stalks to find the approximate breaking point THEN cut the rest of the bunch. I have not found this to be a problem.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Scallops on a bed of Spinach and Mushrooms
The sea bass from a few days ago shared a case with some incredibly large sea scallops, of which I bought nine. Casting my net widely, so to speak, I found several recipes which relate to the recipe which follows; I then made up this one. I resonate strangely with any recipe that begins 'take three knobs of butter.' It represents the slapdash approach to good ingredients I so thoroughly enjoy.
INGREDIENTS:
for the foundation:
2 pkg mushrooms, chopped (white, portabella, crimini)
2 shallots, diced
1 large clove garlic, smashed and chopped
1 pkg frozen spinach
1/2C red wine
2T white wine vinegar
a knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
ground nutmeg
for the scallops:
1/2 lb sea scallops
1t olive oil
a knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice
for the sauce:
a knob of butter
the reserved liquids
METHOD:
saute the mushrooms with the garlic and shallots in the first knob of butter
when the mushrooms have reduced, add the spinach, wine, salt, pepper and nutmeg
simmer for ten minutes
place in a sieve over a bowl
add the vinegar and set aside to drain (reserve the juice)
heat a second pan with the olive oil
add the scallops and let them sizzle undisturbed for 2 minutes
add the second knob of butter, turn the scallops and saute for another 2 minutes
add the salt and pepper
squeeze a quarter lemon over the scallops and remove from the heat
return the spinach pan to the heat
put the third knob of butter in the pan
add the reserved juice from the spinach mixture and the liquid thrown off by the scallops
reduce to a sauce
ASSEMBLY:
divide the mushroom and spinach mixture on two plates
place the scallops on the vegetable bed
pour the reduced sauce over all
serve while hot
I mentioned experimenting with a new type of salad dressing a few days ago, based on raw cashew nuts in a vinaigrette. So far I have decided that, while it goes extremely well on a salad, it is less than convincing when served on steamed cauliflower. The result of a recent taste test comparing this dressing with The Best Salad Dressing Ever was evenly divided.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2C raw cashews
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
2T lemon juice
1/2C White wine vinegar
2T olive oil
1/2C water
1t honey
8 Kalamata olives, pitted
METHOD:
put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
This makes enough dressing for about 5 salads.
for the entire dinner:
two servings, each
750 calories
107 grams of carbohydrate
INGREDIENTS:
for the foundation:
2 pkg mushrooms, chopped (white, portabella, crimini)
2 shallots, diced
1 large clove garlic, smashed and chopped
1 pkg frozen spinach
1/2C red wine
2T white wine vinegar
a knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
ground nutmeg
for the scallops:
1/2 lb sea scallops
1t olive oil
a knob of butter
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice
for the sauce:
a knob of butter
the reserved liquids
METHOD:
saute the mushrooms with the garlic and shallots in the first knob of butter
when the mushrooms have reduced, add the spinach, wine, salt, pepper and nutmeg
simmer for ten minutes
place in a sieve over a bowl
add the vinegar and set aside to drain (reserve the juice)
heat a second pan with the olive oil
add the scallops and let them sizzle undisturbed for 2 minutes
add the second knob of butter, turn the scallops and saute for another 2 minutes
add the salt and pepper
squeeze a quarter lemon over the scallops and remove from the heat
return the spinach pan to the heat
put the third knob of butter in the pan
add the reserved juice from the spinach mixture and the liquid thrown off by the scallops
reduce to a sauce
ASSEMBLY:
divide the mushroom and spinach mixture on two plates
place the scallops on the vegetable bed
pour the reduced sauce over all
serve while hot
I mentioned experimenting with a new type of salad dressing a few days ago, based on raw cashew nuts in a vinaigrette. So far I have decided that, while it goes extremely well on a salad, it is less than convincing when served on steamed cauliflower. The result of a recent taste test comparing this dressing with The Best Salad Dressing Ever was evenly divided.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2C raw cashews
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
2T lemon juice
1/2C White wine vinegar
2T olive oil
1/2C water
1t honey
8 Kalamata olives, pitted
METHOD:
put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
This makes enough dressing for about 5 salads.
for the entire dinner:
two servings, each
750 calories
107 grams of carbohydrate
Cauliflower with Boursin sauce and a red pepper coulis
Cauliflower can be a remarkable replacement for potatoes in a diet. For this dinner it forms an elegant accompaniment to chicken quarters roasted with salt, pepper and crushed rosemary plus a salad and wine. This recipe is entirely my own.
INGREDIENTS:
the cauliflower:
1 cauliflower
1 pkg boursin
1/4C milk
1/2t butter
1/4C parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
ground nutmeg
the coulis:
1 red pepper, roasted and skinned
1/4 C red wine
1/2t cumin
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
the cauliflower:
trim the bottom stalk from the cauliflower
steam for 10 minutes covered, in a saucepan
cool under cold water then cut into florets
heat the butter in the saucepan
add the milk, Boursin, salt, pepper and parmesan
whisk until smooth
add the cauliflower florets and shake to coat with the sauce
the coulis:
grill the red pepper until the skin is blackened
place in a paper bag to cool
peel the skin from the pepper, with your fingers in cold water
put the pepper into a blender with the wine, salt, pepper and cumin
blend until smooth
ASSEMBLY:
pour the cauliflower and sauce into a serving dish
drizzle the pepper coulis over the cauliflower
serve while hot
four servings, each
135 calories
14 grams of carbohydrate
There's a lot of room for do-whiles in making this dish. I'm not describing them because they take place in conjunction with preparing the rest of the meal.
* I've used the stem trimmings in the bottom of a saucepan as a steamer
INGREDIENTS:
the cauliflower:
1 cauliflower
1 pkg boursin
1/4C milk
1/2t butter
1/4C parmesan
salt and pepper to taste
ground nutmeg
the coulis:
1 red pepper, roasted and skinned
1/4 C red wine
1/2t cumin
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
the cauliflower:
trim the bottom stalk from the cauliflower
steam for 10 minutes covered, in a saucepan
cool under cold water then cut into florets
heat the butter in the saucepan
add the milk, Boursin, salt, pepper and parmesan
whisk until smooth
add the cauliflower florets and shake to coat with the sauce
the coulis:
grill the red pepper until the skin is blackened
place in a paper bag to cool
peel the skin from the pepper, with your fingers in cold water
put the pepper into a blender with the wine, salt, pepper and cumin
blend until smooth
ASSEMBLY:
pour the cauliflower and sauce into a serving dish
drizzle the pepper coulis over the cauliflower
serve while hot
four servings, each
135 calories
14 grams of carbohydrate
There's a lot of room for do-whiles in making this dish. I'm not describing them because they take place in conjunction with preparing the rest of the meal.
* I've used the stem trimmings in the bottom of a saucepan as a steamer
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Yau Pao Yiu Gor Yue Kow
From time to time I wind up with more of a particular ingredient than I know what to do with. Just now, it is raw cashews: when I needed half a cup around Thanksgiving the clerk at Deep's Indian Grocery found only a one pound bag. Way too much - not expensive, just inconvenient. My cupboard and freezer have all kinds of half-used stuff. Sometimes it's great to keep around, and sometimes not (I believe I can still put my hand on a half bag of star anise I bought at the beginning of Reagan's first term).
The cashews are great, though. An entire new (to me) class of vinaigrette salad dressing uses ground raw cashews (watch this space - it is still in an experimental stage as far as I'm concerned). And .. well, I believe in a well-stocked larder and like having the ability to pull out odd condiments at will.
Late Friday, considering dinner, I called Nancy from My Local Grocer. "Fish," she said. I splurged, and bought a half pound of sea bass at a truly unfortunate price (though any other white fish would have done as well).
Once home, I riffled through one of my all-time favorite cooking references, The Complete Asian Cookbook.* I prefer this to the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook - the presentation is better, the selection broader, and it has luscious color photographs. On page 378 I discovered Yau Pao Yiu Gor Yue Kow (quick boiled fish with fried cashews). This recipe is modified only slightly to fit what I had at hand.
All the remaining ingredients came from MLG as well; no trip to the Cincinnati Asian Market needed. Preparation and cooking made for a very busy 20 minutes, starting with putting the rice in the rice cooker. The prep happened on the fly, chopping and smashing vegetables as the stock came to a boil and tossing them in. It's easier than it sounds...
INGREDIENTS:
White rice:
1C raw rice (I used Jasmine)
2C water
For the fish:
4C chicken stock**
1 large onion, sliced
4 ribs bok choy, sliced in 1/2" lengths
1 large carrot, sliced in rounds
1 knob fresh ginger, sliced and smashed
8 whole peppercorns
1/2C rice wine
1/2 lb boneless white fish
for the garnish:
1/4C raw cashew nuts
2 oz char siu pork, diced small***
2 scallions, minced
1T soy sauce
2t sesame oil
oil for frying
METHOD:
steam the rice
heat the stock to boiling in a wok
simmer the next six ingredients in the stock for 5 minutes
bring to a fast boil, add the fish and cook for 10 minutes
remove the fish to a plate
strain the stock (reserving liquid and solids separately)
rinse the wok and return it to the heat
when dry, add cashews and oil to barely cover
fry until the cashews begin to change color
remove the cooking oil to a small bowl and reserve
drain the cashews on a paper towel and pat dry
add the char siu to the remaining oil in the wok and fry until crisp
discard the dripping from the pork
drain the pork on a paper towel and pat dry
return 2T of the oil the cashews were fried in to the wok to heat
ASSEMBLY AND PRESENTATION:
put the rice in a serving dish
divide the fish in bite-size portions and place on the rice
spoon the soy sauce and sesame oil over the fish
spoon the hot oil from the wok over the fish
sprinkle the cashews, the crisp pork and the minced scallions over all
Not being one to toss out perfectly good cooked vegetables, I took Ms. Solomon's advice and made a quick soup from the remaining fish stock and vegetables, instead of a salad:
discard the peppercorns from the reserved vegetables
return the ginger slices to the liquid
bring to a boil, together with the scallion ends, for 5 minutes
strain, discard the ginger and scallion bits, and return the liquid to the wok
return the reserved vegetables
add water to make a souplike consistency
drizzle a beaten egg into the hot broth.
Marvelous.
for the entire dinner:
two servings, each
750 calories
107 grams of carbohydrate
* Solomon, Charmaine. The Complete Asian Cookbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985.
ISBN 0-07-059636-0
(aka "800 Authentic Asian Recipes Made Simple" but I warn you .. the term simple is relative)
** This time I used water and chicken gravy base instead of making fresh stock.
Canned stock or chicken bouillion would suffice.
*** The original recipe calls for 'barbecued pork' - which I frequently find as a code word for char siu. I
used salt pork flavored with 5-Spices Powder because that's what I had in the fridge.
The cashews are great, though. An entire new (to me) class of vinaigrette salad dressing uses ground raw cashews (watch this space - it is still in an experimental stage as far as I'm concerned). And .. well, I believe in a well-stocked larder and like having the ability to pull out odd condiments at will.
Late Friday, considering dinner, I called Nancy from My Local Grocer. "Fish," she said. I splurged, and bought a half pound of sea bass at a truly unfortunate price (though any other white fish would have done as well).
Once home, I riffled through one of my all-time favorite cooking references, The Complete Asian Cookbook.* I prefer this to the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook - the presentation is better, the selection broader, and it has luscious color photographs. On page 378 I discovered Yau Pao Yiu Gor Yue Kow (quick boiled fish with fried cashews). This recipe is modified only slightly to fit what I had at hand.
All the remaining ingredients came from MLG as well; no trip to the Cincinnati Asian Market needed. Preparation and cooking made for a very busy 20 minutes, starting with putting the rice in the rice cooker. The prep happened on the fly, chopping and smashing vegetables as the stock came to a boil and tossing them in. It's easier than it sounds...
INGREDIENTS:
White rice:
1C raw rice (I used Jasmine)
2C water
For the fish:
4C chicken stock**
1 large onion, sliced
4 ribs bok choy, sliced in 1/2" lengths
1 large carrot, sliced in rounds
1 knob fresh ginger, sliced and smashed
8 whole peppercorns
1/2C rice wine
1/2 lb boneless white fish
for the garnish:
1/4C raw cashew nuts
2 oz char siu pork, diced small***
2 scallions, minced
1T soy sauce
2t sesame oil
oil for frying
METHOD:
steam the rice
heat the stock to boiling in a wok
simmer the next six ingredients in the stock for 5 minutes
bring to a fast boil, add the fish and cook for 10 minutes
remove the fish to a plate
strain the stock (reserving liquid and solids separately)
rinse the wok and return it to the heat
when dry, add cashews and oil to barely cover
fry until the cashews begin to change color
remove the cooking oil to a small bowl and reserve
drain the cashews on a paper towel and pat dry
add the char siu to the remaining oil in the wok and fry until crisp
discard the dripping from the pork
drain the pork on a paper towel and pat dry
return 2T of the oil the cashews were fried in to the wok to heat
ASSEMBLY AND PRESENTATION:
put the rice in a serving dish
divide the fish in bite-size portions and place on the rice
spoon the soy sauce and sesame oil over the fish
spoon the hot oil from the wok over the fish
sprinkle the cashews, the crisp pork and the minced scallions over all
Not being one to toss out perfectly good cooked vegetables, I took Ms. Solomon's advice and made a quick soup from the remaining fish stock and vegetables, instead of a salad:
discard the peppercorns from the reserved vegetables
return the ginger slices to the liquid
bring to a boil, together with the scallion ends, for 5 minutes
strain, discard the ginger and scallion bits, and return the liquid to the wok
return the reserved vegetables
add water to make a souplike consistency
drizzle a beaten egg into the hot broth.
Marvelous.
for the entire dinner:
two servings, each
750 calories
107 grams of carbohydrate
* Solomon, Charmaine. The Complete Asian Cookbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985.
ISBN 0-07-059636-0
(aka "800 Authentic Asian Recipes Made Simple" but I warn you .. the term simple is relative)
** This time I used water and chicken gravy base instead of making fresh stock.
Canned stock or chicken bouillion would suffice.
*** The original recipe calls for 'barbecued pork' - which I frequently find as a code word for char siu. I
used salt pork flavored with 5-Spices Powder because that's what I had in the fridge.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Louis Eustache Ude
Many people rail against attributing much importance to the pleasures of the table; but it is not observable that these moralists are more averse than others to gratification of the palate when opportunity occurs.- Louis Eustache Ude, The French Cook, 1813.
I never mention my interest in the history of cooking in these pages. Since most of these notes in this blog reflect a day-by-day process of cookery - albeit covering a fairly wide range* of cuisines, ingredients and tastes - the topic rarely comes up. I'm not a scholar in the subject. My kitchen library includes both my grandmothers' cookbooks: a copy of Mrs. Beeton** from the 1920s and a slightly later (though not first edition by any stretch) Joy of Cooking. Another book on my shelf is the 1981 Lord Peter Wimsy Cookbook, a culinary ramble through the fictional works of Dorothy L. Sayers.
A few days ago I developed a hankering for duck with green peas, wondering what that might be like. I couldn't put my hands on the 1981 book, and I still do not know about the recipe, because my online search led me to the name Louis Eustache Ude.
Fascinating.
Ude (1769-1846) cooked for nobility for most of his life. He started in the family business as an apprentice sous-chef in the kitchens of Louis XVI, leaving before the Revolution for several years in other jobs (printer, jeweller, casino employee). He returned to his original career for a two-year stint as the maître d’hôtel of Napoleon's mother, then relocating to England, where he worked twenty years for the Earl of Sefton. Leaving for service with the Duke of York (when the Earl's son added salt to the soup), Ude became the initial chef of William Crockford's gaming club on the death of the Duke. Crockford's is still a London gambling club, though the name has changed to 'Fifty.'
His personality matched the English stereotype of the French at the time, and may well have contributed to it. Lady Chesterfield described him as "whimsical, good-natured, [and] exorbitantly vain." He is famous for one quotation, usually presented as "The English have many religions but one sauce." The actual text is given below.
This man is remembered for his two cookbooks, in particular
He published this extensive work in 1813, and during his lifetime the book went to at least ten editions. It was reissued (probably without royalties) in the US in the mid 19th century. Mrs. Beeton stole his recipe for Turtle Soup.
His major cookbook is still available today. Original copies of The French Cook (pre-1830) can be purchased - typically for upwards of £1000. There is a copy in the Harvard library which has been scanned by Google. And Nabu Press has issued a facsimile edition of 562 pages: The French Cook, Or, The Art Of Cookery, ISBN 114478428X, published at $42.75 but available online for less.
Looking through the online version for 'duck with green peas' I found the following two recipes which I decided on instead:
430. Compote of Quails.
Take six or eight quails, according to the size of your dish. Cut the claws off, empty the birds, without making too large an opening, Truss them en poule, that is to say, with the legs inward. Have a dozen pieces of bacon cut into the shape of corks, blanch them in order to draw the salt out: then let them fry in butter till they are of a light brown; next take them out of the stewpan to make room for the quails, which stew till they begin to be of a light brown also, and then take them out. Make a roux, which moisten with a ladleful of gravy of veal; add a bunch of parsley and and green onions, some small white onions (if approved of), mushrooms, &c. As soon as the quails are done, take them out of the stewpan, and let the bacon stew till thoroughly done. Skim the sauce well, and strain it through a tammy over the quails: then dish the bacon, mushrooms, and small onions, and send up quite hot and well seasoned. This dish will not do for an English dinner.
689. Asparagus Peas.
If the asparagus be properly dressed, it should taste like green peas. Take some young asparagus, which pick with great care; then cut them into small equal pieces, avoiding to put in such parts as are hard or tough. Wash them in several waters, and throw them into boiling water, with a little salt. When the asparagus are nearly done, drain them first through a sieve, and next wipe them quite dry with a towel. Then put them into a stewpan with a small bit of butter, a bunch of parsley, and green onions, and toss them in the stewpan over the fire for ten minutes. Now add a little flour, and a small lump of sugar, and moisten with boiling water. They must boil over a large fire. When well reduced, take out the parsley and green onions, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little cream, and a little salt. Remember that in this entremet sugar must predominate, and that there is to be no sauce. Asparagus are always dressed in this manner, when to be served in the second course; but for first-cours dishes, throw them into some good sauce tournee (No. 19), well reduced. Boil them a few times over a large fire, then powder a little sugar, and make a thickening of one egg. The sauce must be made thick, on account of the asparagus always yielding a certain quantity of water, which will thin the sauce.
The asparagus sat in the fridge, but when I went to the store. MLG let me down - and not for the first time. The package of frozen quails I had seen in the case had disappeared! As a fallback, I decided on halved game hens instead. Instead of bacon I bought a package of cured side meat, which served admirably.
In the end, I made a fresh stock and blanched the cork-sized chunks of side meat in it. These I sauteed in butter, followed by the halved game hens. I put the browned hens in a casserole in the oven while I completed the recipe with the roux, stock, parsley and onions. After straining the gravy over the game hens I served the nibbly bits in a dish separately as Ude suggests. The asparagus took less time to prepare than the recipe takes to read and parse. And it was good, served with no salad or starch and a glass of the house red.
I did not calculate the calories or the carbs for this meal, but the results the following morning were quite satisfactory. I bought the book as well (not the antique, but the reprint).
Notes:
* Was that a pun? I do hope not, as my kitchen range, though flexible, is not large enough for my paella pan in any configuration I consider.
** In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that Elijah, when he was new to the family, took my treasured copy off the shelf and found it quite to his taste.
Online References:
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/louiseustacheude
It is very remarkable, that in France, where there is but one religion, the sauces are infinitely varied, whilst in England, where the different sects are innumerable, there is, we may say, but one single sauce. Melted butter, in English cooking, plays nearly the same part as the Lord Mayor's coach at civic ceremonies, calomel in modern medicine, or silver forks in fashionable novels. Melted butter with anchovies, melted butter and capers, melted butter and parsley, melted butter and eggs, melted butter for ever: this is a sample of the national cookery of this country.- Louis Eustache Ude, The French Cook, 1813.http://books.google.com/books?id=FXXKK6i7mCQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
I never mention my interest in the history of cooking in these pages. Since most of these notes in this blog reflect a day-by-day process of cookery - albeit covering a fairly wide range* of cuisines, ingredients and tastes - the topic rarely comes up. I'm not a scholar in the subject. My kitchen library includes both my grandmothers' cookbooks: a copy of Mrs. Beeton** from the 1920s and a slightly later (though not first edition by any stretch) Joy of Cooking. Another book on my shelf is the 1981 Lord Peter Wimsy Cookbook, a culinary ramble through the fictional works of Dorothy L. Sayers.
A few days ago I developed a hankering for duck with green peas, wondering what that might be like. I couldn't put my hands on the 1981 book, and I still do not know about the recipe, because my online search led me to the name Louis Eustache Ude.
Fascinating.
Ude (1769-1846) cooked for nobility for most of his life. He started in the family business as an apprentice sous-chef in the kitchens of Louis XVI, leaving before the Revolution for several years in other jobs (printer, jeweller, casino employee). He returned to his original career for a two-year stint as the maître d’hôtel of Napoleon's mother, then relocating to England, where he worked twenty years for the Earl of Sefton. Leaving for service with the Duke of York (when the Earl's son added salt to the soup), Ude became the initial chef of William Crockford's gaming club on the death of the Duke. Crockford's is still a London gambling club, though the name has changed to 'Fifty.'
 |
| Louis Eustache Ude, from an early edition of The French Cook |
His personality matched the English stereotype of the French at the time, and may well have contributed to it. Lady Chesterfield described him as "whimsical, good-natured, [and] exorbitantly vain." He is famous for one quotation, usually presented as "The English have many religions but one sauce." The actual text is given below.
This man is remembered for his two cookbooks, in particular
His major cookbook is still available today. Original copies of The French Cook (pre-1830) can be purchased - typically for upwards of £1000. There is a copy in the Harvard library which has been scanned by Google. And Nabu Press has issued a facsimile edition of 562 pages: The French Cook, Or, The Art Of Cookery, ISBN 114478428X, published at $42.75 but available online for less.
Looking through the online version for 'duck with green peas' I found the following two recipes which I decided on instead:
430. Compote of Quails.
Take six or eight quails, according to the size of your dish. Cut the claws off, empty the birds, without making too large an opening, Truss them en poule, that is to say, with the legs inward. Have a dozen pieces of bacon cut into the shape of corks, blanch them in order to draw the salt out: then let them fry in butter till they are of a light brown; next take them out of the stewpan to make room for the quails, which stew till they begin to be of a light brown also, and then take them out. Make a roux, which moisten with a ladleful of gravy of veal; add a bunch of parsley and and green onions, some small white onions (if approved of), mushrooms, &c. As soon as the quails are done, take them out of the stewpan, and let the bacon stew till thoroughly done. Skim the sauce well, and strain it through a tammy over the quails: then dish the bacon, mushrooms, and small onions, and send up quite hot and well seasoned. This dish will not do for an English dinner.
689. Asparagus Peas.
If the asparagus be properly dressed, it should taste like green peas. Take some young asparagus, which pick with great care; then cut them into small equal pieces, avoiding to put in such parts as are hard or tough. Wash them in several waters, and throw them into boiling water, with a little salt. When the asparagus are nearly done, drain them first through a sieve, and next wipe them quite dry with a towel. Then put them into a stewpan with a small bit of butter, a bunch of parsley, and green onions, and toss them in the stewpan over the fire for ten minutes. Now add a little flour, and a small lump of sugar, and moisten with boiling water. They must boil over a large fire. When well reduced, take out the parsley and green onions, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little cream, and a little salt. Remember that in this entremet sugar must predominate, and that there is to be no sauce. Asparagus are always dressed in this manner, when to be served in the second course; but for first-cours dishes, throw them into some good sauce tournee (No. 19), well reduced. Boil them a few times over a large fire, then powder a little sugar, and make a thickening of one egg. The sauce must be made thick, on account of the asparagus always yielding a certain quantity of water, which will thin the sauce.
The asparagus sat in the fridge, but when I went to the store. MLG let me down - and not for the first time. The package of frozen quails I had seen in the case had disappeared! As a fallback, I decided on halved game hens instead. Instead of bacon I bought a package of cured side meat, which served admirably.
In the end, I made a fresh stock and blanched the cork-sized chunks of side meat in it. These I sauteed in butter, followed by the halved game hens. I put the browned hens in a casserole in the oven while I completed the recipe with the roux, stock, parsley and onions. After straining the gravy over the game hens I served the nibbly bits in a dish separately as Ude suggests. The asparagus took less time to prepare than the recipe takes to read and parse. And it was good, served with no salad or starch and a glass of the house red.
I did not calculate the calories or the carbs for this meal, but the results the following morning were quite satisfactory. I bought the book as well (not the antique, but the reprint).
 |
| From the 1828 edition: what a difference 15 years makes! |
* Was that a pun? I do hope not, as my kitchen range, though flexible, is not large enough for my paella pan in any configuration I consider.
** In the interest of full disclosure, I must say that Elijah, when he was new to the family, took my treasured copy off the shelf and found it quite to his taste.
Online References:
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/louiseustacheude
It is very remarkable, that in France, where there is but one religion, the sauces are infinitely varied, whilst in England, where the different sects are innumerable, there is, we may say, but one single sauce. Melted butter, in English cooking, plays nearly the same part as the Lord Mayor's coach at civic ceremonies, calomel in modern medicine, or silver forks in fashionable novels. Melted butter with anchovies, melted butter and capers, melted butter and parsley, melted butter and eggs, melted butter for ever: this is a sample of the national cookery of this country.- Louis Eustache Ude, The French Cook, 1813.http://books.google.com/books?id=FXXKK6i7mCQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ramen Noodles
A day or so ago I described a dish (Huevos Rancheros) I thought should be called more of a process than a recipe, since there are so many possibilities for variance. Here's another one .. among the least expensive items you can buy at the store. I can find it at MLG for as low as six cents a package. It comes in many, many flavors.
And, prepared according to the package directions, it is just about as bland as anything you will find, unless you do something interesting to tart it up. Fortunately that is not a difficult process, and can be quite rewarding.
Any purists in the house can leave now. Stick around if you like, but please don't say anything. This post is not based on any recipe, food group, culture or blog I have ever seen. The result tastes good, and fits well within my present guidelines. It gives an illusion of Asian dining on a pretty low budget. Since my fridge often contains odd scraps of various ingredients that need to be eaten before they spoil, I've become quite experimental.
If you know me, you know I'm a great fan of Asian food. I have eaten it all the world around (except, unfortunately, in Asia. When I was in Singapore* at the age of 11 I ate English food at the Raffles Hotel and Dutch food on the ship). I learned about noodles in Hawaii, where saimin is on the menu at McDonalds and all the cultural edges except your own tend to get a little blurred. Given a recipe, I can follow it .. and if I try to go off the beaten path I still come pretty close.
To be sure, I don't really think I'm that far off base when it comes to my basic idea of 'these noodles are not meant to be eaten plain.' My many ideas for improving the experience are based on what I have seen, with some extrapolation. I know many people eat ramen just as the packet says. They really don't have to do this, and indeed I wish they wouldn't.
In the present global culture, it is my joy to report the presence of CAM in the world. No, I'm not referring to the Cincinnati Art Museum, though that is a wonderful place. I'm talking about the Cincinnati (or Columbus, or Cleveland) Asian Market. This is a tremendous resource, and not just for the immigrant Asian people among us yearning for a taste of home. I love the store. Others do as well:
http://www.huaxin.us/english/news_0E.htm
What you can buy there covers an extremely very wide range. I like the cookware, staples, frozen dumplings, vegetables (cheaper than MLG) and condiments. I steer clear of the candy, toys, and things I wouldn't buy or eat on a bet ('black chicken' comes close, though I tried it once and it wasn't bad. I seriously draw the line at 'frozen pork wombs'). Then there's the other half of the shelf stock that I haven't a clue about, since I can't read the languages.
Something else I like very well at CAM: the absence of Indian foods. Cincinnati hosts many Indian stores to serve our consumers, and I'm certainly one of them. It's just comforting for me to know that I'm not likely to cross that particular international line by accident. I would hate to create, however inadvertently, a dish such as 'kim-chee biryani' and then have to explain it later. That would blow my credibility, such as it is, all away.
INGREDIENTS:
The Basic:
A packet of Ramen noodles
The flavoring envelope that comes in the packet
2C water
condiments***soy sauce
rice wine
sesame oil
fish sauce
five spices powder
ginger
dashi powder (Japanese broth base)
and if you like
cumin
chili
curry powder
sriricha
The range of optional ingredients is huge:protein choiceskamaboko ('krab', fish-cake)
wonton or other dumplings
1 can of protein (tuna, chicken, salmon)
sliced pork or beef
bay scallops
left-over chicken
ground beef
(and, if you want to go out on a limb****)
ham
cheese
bologna*****
vegetable choices:onion
spinach
daikon (Japanese white radish)
bok choy
won bok
and less traditional
turnip
carrot
broccoli
cabbage
garnish:
chopped scallions
sesame seeds
gari ('sushi ginger')
tarako furikake ('preared sesame seed & seaweed'****)
This list is by no means exhaustive. My only advice is that you not go too far in too many directions at once. The add-ins should be tastefully chosen, like Baroque ornaments in the music of Telemann.
My method of preparation is simplicity itself, and bears very little resemblance to the one printed on the back of the packet. One of my goals is to disguise as much water in cooking as I can.******
METHOD:Put two cups of water on to boil
Add any liquid condiments you choose
Put the noodles in the water (which should be getting close to boiling)
Add whatever else you choose
Simmer 5 minutes
Turn off the heat
Add the contents of the flavor packet and stir
Let cool for an additional 5-10 minutes
This recipe makes a single portion, with a variable number of calories and carbs depending on the extras you add. Most of the add-ins do not up the ante a lot, but I do recommend care in their choice.
* The unrepentant home of 'Deep-Fried Chicken Skin' (Balat ng Manok, street food consisting of deep-fried chicken skin breaded with flour, usually dipped in vinegar. Eat your heart out, Colonel Sanders...).
** This was my father's typical lunchtime option.
*** all found in my kitchen on a regular basis .. I can't speak for yours.
**** IMHO the idea of 'Chili Ramen' is fairly adventurous, but with chopped onion, ground beef and shredded cheddar it isn't bad at all.
***** I think that is intended as 'prepared' - it is made by the Futaba Co., Ltd. in Kumamoto, Japan
****** The subject of paying for water in food is another issue, and I really prefer not to go there right now. Let me just say that I don't like paying per-pound meat prices for 'up to 15% of a basting solution added.' I also take a dim view of bacon that has so much water in it that it won't fry, it just sits in the pan and seethes.
Web References:http://www.maruchan.com/index.html
http://www.maruchan.com/recipes_images/maruchan_recipes.pdf
http://www.huaxin.us/english/location_cinE.htm
http://jonography.blogspot.com/2007/08/fried-chicken-skin.html
And, prepared according to the package directions, it is just about as bland as anything you will find, unless you do something interesting to tart it up. Fortunately that is not a difficult process, and can be quite rewarding.
If you know me, you know I'm a great fan of Asian food. I have eaten it all the world around (except, unfortunately, in Asia. When I was in Singapore* at the age of 11 I ate English food at the Raffles Hotel and Dutch food on the ship). I learned about noodles in Hawaii, where saimin is on the menu at McDonalds and all the cultural edges except your own tend to get a little blurred. Given a recipe, I can follow it .. and if I try to go off the beaten path I still come pretty close.
To be sure, I don't really think I'm that far off base when it comes to my basic idea of 'these noodles are not meant to be eaten plain.' My many ideas for improving the experience are based on what I have seen, with some extrapolation. I know many people eat ramen just as the packet says. They really don't have to do this, and indeed I wish they wouldn't.
In the present global culture, it is my joy to report the presence of CAM in the world. No, I'm not referring to the Cincinnati Art Museum, though that is a wonderful place. I'm talking about the Cincinnati (or Columbus, or Cleveland) Asian Market. This is a tremendous resource, and not just for the immigrant Asian people among us yearning for a taste of home. I love the store. Others do as well:
http://www.huaxin.us/english/news_0E.htm
What you can buy there covers an extremely very wide range. I like the cookware, staples, frozen dumplings, vegetables (cheaper than MLG) and condiments. I steer clear of the candy, toys, and things I wouldn't buy or eat on a bet ('black chicken' comes close, though I tried it once and it wasn't bad. I seriously draw the line at 'frozen pork wombs'). Then there's the other half of the shelf stock that I haven't a clue about, since I can't read the languages.
Something else I like very well at CAM: the absence of Indian foods. Cincinnati hosts many Indian stores to serve our consumers, and I'm certainly one of them. It's just comforting for me to know that I'm not likely to cross that particular international line by accident. I would hate to create, however inadvertently, a dish such as 'kim-chee biryani' and then have to explain it later. That would blow my credibility, such as it is, all away.
INGREDIENTS:
The Basic:
A packet of Ramen noodles
The flavoring envelope that comes in the packet
2C water
condiments***soy sauce
rice wine
sesame oil
fish sauce
five spices powder
ginger
dashi powder (Japanese broth base)
and if you like
cumin
chili
curry powder
sriricha
The range of optional ingredients is huge:protein choiceskamaboko ('krab', fish-cake)
wonton or other dumplings
1 can of protein (tuna, chicken, salmon)
sliced pork or beef
bay scallops
left-over chicken
ground beef
(and, if you want to go out on a limb****)
ham
cheese
bologna*****
vegetable choices:onion
spinach
daikon (Japanese white radish)
bok choy
won bok
and less traditional
turnip
carrot
broccoli
cabbage
garnish:
chopped scallions
sesame seeds
gari ('sushi ginger')
tarako furikake ('preared sesame seed & seaweed'****)
This list is by no means exhaustive. My only advice is that you not go too far in too many directions at once. The add-ins should be tastefully chosen, like Baroque ornaments in the music of Telemann.
My method of preparation is simplicity itself, and bears very little resemblance to the one printed on the back of the packet. One of my goals is to disguise as much water in cooking as I can.******
METHOD:Put two cups of water on to boil
Add any liquid condiments you choose
Put the noodles in the water (which should be getting close to boiling)
Add whatever else you choose
Simmer 5 minutes
Turn off the heat
Add the contents of the flavor packet and stir
Let cool for an additional 5-10 minutes
This recipe makes a single portion, with a variable number of calories and carbs depending on the extras you add. Most of the add-ins do not up the ante a lot, but I do recommend care in their choice.
 |
| Balat ng Manok |
* The unrepentant home of 'Deep-Fried Chicken Skin' (Balat ng Manok, street food consisting of deep-fried chicken skin breaded with flour, usually dipped in vinegar. Eat your heart out, Colonel Sanders...).
** This was my father's typical lunchtime option.
*** all found in my kitchen on a regular basis .. I can't speak for yours.
**** IMHO the idea of 'Chili Ramen' is fairly adventurous, but with chopped onion, ground beef and shredded cheddar it isn't bad at all.
***** I think that is intended as 'prepared' - it is made by the Futaba Co., Ltd. in Kumamoto, Japan
****** The subject of paying for water in food is another issue, and I really prefer not to go there right now. Let me just say that I don't like paying per-pound meat prices for 'up to 15% of a basting solution added.' I also take a dim view of bacon that has so much water in it that it won't fry, it just sits in the pan and seethes.
Web References:http://www.maruchan.com/index.html
http://www.maruchan.com/recipes_images/maruchan_recipes.pdf
http://www.huaxin.us/english/location_cinE.htm
http://jonography.blogspot.com/2007/08/fried-chicken-skin.html
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Huevos Rancheros
The dish is known for a certain flexibility. One US food writer cites a version from 1950s Texas where the eggs were poached in a tomato-bacon sauce and served on toast (see the Note, below). I consider this dish more a process than a recipe, and attempt to present it as such.
Over the years I've made (and eaten) Huevos Rancheros in countless ways. I remember with great fondness (and a certain amount of horror and disbelief, given the present state of the world) tortillas smeared with refried beans, topped with uncased chorizo, with fried eggs on top - then garnished with cheese, salsa, sour cream and green onions. "Broke the mout'," as they say in Honolulu. I must say such a preparation is far too rich for my blood (-sugar) these days.
I've worked to come up with a version that meets my current criteria, that tastes as good and is as filling as what I used to fix. Looking back, all I really miss is the chorizo - and a little of that wouldn't hurt a thing. It is so seldom at hand, and what I have is frozen and in the downstairs freezer. I think.
These days I grill the tortillas and scramble the eggs. This is by no means my hard and fast rule. Grilling certainly keeps a lot of fat out. When I first learned to make this, my Arkansas teacher (who worked her way through college as a frat-house cook in Austin) cooked the tortillas and the eggs in lard. I can certainly see the point - the eew! response only occurs when you tell this little cooking secret to the diners. Grilling is, on the whole, better for me. Scrambling the eggs in with the vegetables makes for a more even experience, though the texture and variety of flavor are different from frying or poaching the eggs.
A great salsa** makes all the difference.
INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs, beaten
4 corn tortillas
1/4C shredded cheese (Jack, Cheddar, Queso)
1 onion, sliced
cooking spray
options:
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 capsicum pepper, chopped (green, red, orange, yellow, hot)
cilantro
cumin
hot pepper flakes
chorizo*
frijoles*
chili*
1/8C half-and-half or cream beaten with the eggs.
salt and pepper to taste
garnish:
chopped scallions
salsa
guacamole* or sliced avocado
sour cream (no-fat is good)
METHOD:
Saute the onion and pepper in cooking spray and a little water
Add the pepper flakes, chopped tomato, cilantro, and cumin, if used
When they are soft, stir in the beaten eggs and the cheese
Grill the tortillas, 15-30 seconds per side
Put two tortillas on a plate, add the eggs and put salsa on top
Garnish as you wish
alternatives:
Saute the vegetables and top them with fried or poached eggs, cheese, salsa, etc.
Dry fry the tortillas in a cast-iron skillet, or use a little oil**
This recipe makes two portions, each with
calories and
carbs
NOTES:
In general, I define this dish as a Hispanic-slanted subset of the infamous Eggs Ackley, a term I coined in Pine Bluff Arkansas at the table of Laverne Hanners (1921-1998), may her memory be ever green: the woman who introduced me to Elmer McCurdy. The Ackley in question refers to 'exactly what you have in the refrigerator' - more is not possible.
One of these days I'll have to try huevos motuleños from town of Motul (Yucatán): eggs on tortillas with black beans and cheese, with additions such as ham, peas, plantains, and salsa. This dish can be found in Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Oaxaca as well as in Cuba and Costa Rica. It sounds like a worthwhile variant. Huevos divorciados on the other hand, aside from its 'port and starboard' look, seems a trifle foofy.
* Using these ingredients will increase the calorie count dramatically, so watch out, have a care and be careful.
** We have been using Frontera salsa ever since we had brunch at the Frontera Grill in Chicago, discovered they sell it retail, and that a selection is carried by some of the upscale outlets of My Local Grocer. Many varieties (the store never has the same selection twice in a row) and they are all good.
*** or a lot .. it's your cholesterol count
Web References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huevos_rancheros
http://www.fronterakitchens.com/
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