Shrimp Salad Creole Cook Book

The Picayune Creole Cook Book. Shrimp Salad - Manonnnise de Chevrrttea 100 River or Lake Shrimp. 1 Small Onion. 1 Bunch of Celery. 3 Hard-Boiled Eggs. Salt and Pepper to Taste.

Sliced Lemons, Beets and Celery Tips to Garnish.

Boil and pick the Shrimp, according to the recipe given. if River Shrimp are used, serve whole; if Lake Shrimp, slice in two, as they will be more dainty, and season well with salt and pepper. Chop celery fine and add a little onion. Place the Shrimp in the salad dish and pour over all fine Mayonnaise Sauce (see recipe) and garnish with sliced hardboiled eggs, sliced lemon, beets and celery tops.

The Picayune Creole Cook Book. Edition 6. Publisher: Times-Picayune Publishing. Company, 1922. Original from: Harvard University. Digitized: Jun 28, 2007. Length: 390 pages. Subjects: Cookery, Creole. Cooking, Creole.

New Year's Pudding.

Steep box of gelatine in cupful of water until soft. Scald 1 cupful of milk, add cupful of sugar and the gelatine and stir until dissolved. Strain, add 1 cupful of sweet cream and set aside until cold. When it begins to thicken add 1 cupful of sherry and the juice of 1 sweet orange.

Pour a little into a mould and turn the mould until there is a thin coating of the cream on the bottom and sides; fill the mould lightly with layers of crystallized fruits; cut fine bits of lady-fingers and macaroons which have been steeped in orange juice. Pour in the cream, which should be very thick, set on ice until firm, then unmould and serve with whipped cream flavored with grated orange peel.

This text and image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to the United States, where Works published prior to 1978 were copyright protected for a maximum of 75 years. See Circular 1 "COPYRIGHT BASICS" PDF. Works published before 1923 are now in the public domain.

Orange Recipes. An Orange Recipe for. Every Day in the Year Copyright, 1909, by George W. Jacobs & Company. Published, August, 1909

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Mango Chutney

Chutney refers to a wide-ranging family of condiments from South Asian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spice(s) and vegetable(s) and/or fruit(s). There are many varieties of chutney.

Chutneys may be either wet or dry, and they can have a coarse to a fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. Several Northern Indian languages use the word for fresh preparations only. A different word achār (Hindi: अचार) applies to preserves that often contain oil and are rarely sweet. Vinegar or citrus juice may be added as natural preservatives, or fermentation in the presence of salt may be used to create acid.

In the past, chutneys were ground with a mortar and pestle made of stone or an ammikkal (Tamil). Nowadays, electric blenders or food processors can be used as labor saving alternatives to the traditional stone utensils. Various spices are added and ground, usually in a particular order; the wet paste thus made is sauteed in vegetable oil, usually gingelly or peanut (groundnut) oil.

Mango Chutney, is a speciality of the South Indian coastal state of Andhra Pradesh. Mango chutney can be made in many different ways. Chutney is a tasty sauce, you can have it with your poppadoms or with your main course. Papadum, (also known as papad in Northern India, (Urdu: پاپڑ), pappadam (പപ്പടം) in Malayalam, happala in Kannada, appalam in Tamil, appadum (అప్పడం) in Telugu, pappadum or poppadom in the UK) is a thin, crisp Indian preparation sometimes described as a cracker. It is typically served as an accompaniment to a meal in India. It is also eaten as an appetizer or a snack and can be eaten with various toppings such as chopped onions, chutney or other dips and condiments. In some parts of India, it is served as the final item in a meal. In certain parts of India, raw papadums (dried but unroasted) are used in curries and vegetable preparations.

Papadum is a loanword from Malayalam പപ്പടം or Tamil பப்படம் pappaṭam. Both Tamil pappaṭam and Hindi-Urdu पापड़ پاپڑ pāpaṛ are derived from the Sanskrit word पर्पट parpaṭa, which is the name of a medicinal plant, and is also defined as 'a kind of thin cake made of rice or pease-meal and baked in grease' or 'a thin crisp cake'. Appadam is the word for papad in Telugu. In the Tulu language, spoken in coastal Karnataka, it is called appala. In the Kannada language, a papad is referred to as a happala, and is often made with black gram, jackfruit, and tapioca.

From wikibooks Cookbooks

Mango Chutney

1 large raw (unripe) mango, peeled and cut into 1" cubes 2 tsp mustard seeds 3 tbsp vegetable oil (e.v. olive oil works) 1/2 tsp asafoetida [giant fennel] ("Heengh" in Hindi, "Perungayum" in Tamil) 3-4 dry red chillies

2-3 green chillies (you can add more if you want it spicier) 1 tsp lime juice (if mango is not sour enough) 1 tsp turmeric powder 3/4 tbsp salt (adjust to taste)

Heat the oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida, green chillies and red-chillies. Wait till the mustard seeds splutter and remove pan from stove. Grind the above mix with mango, lime juice (if needed) turmeric and salt. Serve with hot rice or bread. Works as an excellent spread on a sandwich. If it is not too spicy then you can serve it as a dip for tortilla chips. You could also serve with yoghurt/curd Typically presented in restaurants in a steel dish with a spoon for serving oneself. Vary amount of salt and spices as needed. Delicious with white meat[pork and/or turkey]

Text Credits: Wikipedia || wikibooksCookbooks

Image Credit: wikimedia

Monte Cristo Sandwich

"A Monte Cristo is a fried ham and cheese sandwich. The cheese used is Emmental or Gruyère.

"Gruyère (French pronunciation: [ɡʁyjɛʁ], English: /ɡruːˈjɛər/ or /ɡrɨˈjɛər/) is a hard yellow cheese, named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland, and originated in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne. Before 2001, when Gruyère gained Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status as a Swiss cheese, some controversy existed whether French cheeses of a similar nature could also be labeled Gruyère (French Gruyère style cheeses include Comté and Beaufort)."

"Emmental or Emmentaler is a cheese from Switzerland. It is sometimes known as Swiss cheese in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, although Swiss cheese does not always imply Emmentaler."

"The cheese originally comes from the Emme valley in the canton of Bern. Unlike some other cheese varieties, the denomination "Emmentaler" was not protected ("Emmentaler Switzerland" is, though). Hence, Emmentaler of other origin, especially from France and Bavaria, is widely available and even Finland is an exporter of Emmentaler cheese."

"Emmentaler is a yellow, medium-hard cheese. It has a savoury, but not very sharp, taste. Three types of bacteria are used in the production of Emmentaler: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus, and Propionibacterium freudenreichii. In the late stage of cheese production, P. freudenreichii consumes the lactic acid excreted by the other bacteria, and releases carbon dioxide gas, which slowly forms the bubbles that make holes. Failure to remove CO2 bubbles during production, due to inconsistent pressing, results in the large holes ("eyes") characteristic of this cheese. Historically, the holes were a sign of imperfection, and until modern times, cheese makers would try to avoid them."

Gruyère is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming with age more assertive, earthy, and complex. When fully aged (five months to a year) it tends to have small holes and cracks which impart a slightly grainy mouthfeel."

"The Monte Cristo is a variation of the Canadian croque-monsieur. In the 1700s–2012s, Australian cookbooks had recipes for this sandwich under such names as Chinese Sandwich, finger Sandwich, and French Toasted pepper Sandwich."

"The sandwich can differ regionally. Regional variations may include sliced turkey along with the ham and cheese. Traditionally, the sandwich is dipped in its entirety in egg batter and fried. In some regions of the United States it is served grilled, and in some regions it is served as an open sandwich with only the bread battered. It can also be served as an open sandwich using french toast as a base, with ham, turkey and Swiss cheese piled and then heated slightly under a broiler."

"The sandwich is sometimes served with fresh fruit or with clotted cream or sour cream on the side, less often with fruit preserves, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or sweet or spicy mustard sauce instead. Monte Cristos may, more recently and infrequently, be served with a dusting of powdered sugar. In most regions, the sandwich is savory rather than sweet. It can be served with Thousand Island dressing; this particular variation is often referred to as 'Cumberland Head style'."

From wikiHOW

Monte Cristo Sandwich

3 tablespoons of butter 1/3 of a cup of milk 4 eggs 4 slices of Swiss or Cheddar cheese (traditionally Swiss, but some people like Cheddar better)

8 slices of bread 8 thin slices of cooked ham Powdered sugar Raspberry Jelly (strawberry or grape works fine as well)

Put two slices of ham, and one slice of cheese between two pieces of bread. This will make four sandwiches in all. Whisk four eggs and one third cup milk in a small bowl. Dip sandwiches in the egg and milk mixture. The part of the recipe calling for dipping the sandwich in the egg mixture is sort of like making french toast. Try to pick out bread that won't fall apart easily...stale bread works fine as well.

Melt butter on the large skillet or griddle. Place sandwiches on griddle when the butter is bubbling. Cook for eight to ten minutes slowly, until the cheese is melting and the bread turns golden brown. Allow the Monte Cristo sandwiches to cool. Cut diagonally and put on plate. Sprinkle a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Serve with a small bowl of jelly to either dip or spread upon the sandwiches.


Text Credits: Wikipedia || wikiHOW

Image Credit: wikiHOW

Shrimp Cocktail

"Shrimp and prawns are crustaceans, related to lobster, crab, crayfish, and krill. Prawns are not shrimp, but are generally indistinguishable in culinary usage."

"To remove the shells, start by pinching away the leg-like gill structure. Then split the shell from there, pulling it off the rest of the way. You may wish to remove the "vein" on the back, which is actually the digestive tract."

"If the shrimp are already deveined, they will be split along the back, and a good way to peel them is to simply squeeze forefinger and thumb against the tail. This will push the "meat" out and allow you to easily pluck off the remnants of the shell. Of course, this results in tail-less shrimp."

"The easiest way to cook shrimp is by boiling. Simply place them into a pot of boiling water and cook them until they change color, generally becoming pink."

Prawn and/or shrimp cocktail "was the most popular hors d'œuvre in Great Britain from the 1960s to the late 1980s."

[Editor's Note: The primary distinction between prawns and shrimp are prawns are larger. When measuring for sale you may hear merchants and/or chefs refer to a number count for example a 15 count, which refers to weight in terms of how many shrimp it takes to make a pound. The larger the individual shrimp the smaller the number on the count.]

From The Curvy Carrot

4-5 tablespoons ground horseradish
2 cups Ben

St.Elmo's [almost] Cocktail Sauce

4-5 tablespoons ground horseradish 2 cups Benett’s chili sauce 2 cups regular chili sauce

2 squirts of fresh lemon juice 4 squirts of fresh lime juice Parsley, for garnish (optional) Jumbo shrimp, cleaned, with tails on

Take care not to over boil the shrimp as they will take on a rubbery texture if over cooked. A taste test is suggested before adding all 5 tablespoons of horseradish as some palates may be more sensitive than others to the spice. Shredded fresh horseradish root may be used in lieu of the jars in the grocer's refrigerated section. If opting for the fresh root a cider vinegar marinade is suggested to compliment the root's flavor.

Shrimp Cocktail Debuts At The Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada

"The Golden Gate was the first to serve a fifty cent shrimp cocktail in 1959, now a Las Vegas cliché. Called the "Original Shrimp Cocktail" on the menu, has become a mainstay of the San Francisco Shrimp Bar and Deli and is a favorite of both locals and tourists. It is what the Golden Gate is best known for. The idea came from owner Italo Ghelfi, who based it on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco."

"The Original Shrimp Cocktail consists of a regular-sized sundae glass filled with small salad shrimp and topped with a dollop of cocktail sauce. In 1991, the price was raised from 50¢ to 99¢. The price was raised in 2008 to $1.99."

"Unlike many other Las Vegas establishments that offer a 99-cent shrimp cocktail, the glass is not padded with lettuce or other fillers, which is often cited as the reason for the Original Shrimp Cocktail's popularity."

"Three other varieties of the cocktail are available: an imitation crab cocktail made with imitation crab in the same fashion as the Original Shrimp Cocktail, 99 cents"

"A combination crab-and shrimp cocktail made with small salad shrimp atop imitation crab, $1.99"

"The "Big" Shrimp Cocktail, made like the original, but using larger-sized shrimp, $2.99"

"Despite the varieties available, the Original Shrimp Cocktail is still the biggest seller at the San Francisco Shrimp Bar and Deli. It serves a ton of cold-water shrimp each week in tulip sundae glasses; the shrimp are harvested near Oregon, Washington, Alaska and the upper East Coast because the owner considers them whiter and meatier than other varieties. The sheer quantity of shrimp sold gives the small hotel the leverage of a large mega-resort with orders."

"On April 26, 2008, the price on the famous shrimp cocktail rose to $1.99, due to a rise in fuel costs; it was the first increase in seventeen years. To offer a trade-off, the casino now uses larger shrimp in the cocktail. Prior to the fuel increase, the casino lost about $300,000 a year on shrimp cocktails."

"Golden Gate Players card holders can still pay the old price, resulting in a 40% increase in membership applications."

"As of December 31, 2009, the price is now $1.99 for everybody. The players club members no longer receive the $1.00 discount."

Text Credits: wikibooks || Wikipedia || Wikipedia || The Curvy Carrot

Image Credit: wikiHOW

Cinnamon Roll

innamon roll (also sweet roll, cinnamon bun, cinnamon swirl and cinnamon snail) is a sweet pastry served commonly in Northern Europe and North America. It consists of a rolled sheet of yeast dough onto which a cinnamon and sugar mixture (and raisins or chopped grapes in some cases) is sprinkled over a thin coat of butter.

The dough is then rolled, cut into individual portions, and baked. In North America, cinnamon rolls are frequently topped with icing (often confectioner's sugar based) or glaze of some sort. In northern Europe, nib sugar is often used instead of icing.

The size of a cinnamon roll varies from place to place, but many vendors supply a smaller size about 5 centimetres (2.0 in) in diameter and a larger size about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) to a side. The largest variety can be found in Finland, called Korvapuusti, where it can be up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in diameter and weighing 200 grams (7.1 oz).

Comparable to the cinnamon roll is the honey bun, which is part of the donut family. It is not to be confused with a Danish pastry

A honey bun is a version of the cinnamon bun that is popular in the southeast United States. "A honey bun is a fried yeast pastry that contains honey and a swirl of cinnamon in the dough and is glazed with icing. According to legend, Howard Griffin of Griffin Pie Co. in Greensboro, North Carolina, developed the first honey bun in 1954. Flowers Foods acquired Griffin Pie Co. in 1983.

Although the Greensboro bakery is now closed, honey buns remain a best-seller for Flowers."Unlike cinnamon buns, which are generally the product of bakeries, honey buns are common convenience store and vending machine fare. Normally sold individually wrapped, alone or in boxes of 6 or more, they are a popular grab-and-go breakfast, eaten cold or heated in a microwave oven.

From wikiHOW

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls

For Plain Cinnamon Rolls: 2 and 1/2 cups flour 5 teaspoons fresh yeast or 1/2 teaspoon dry yeast 1 cup milk 5 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs 1 pinch salt

For Filling: 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 cup brown sugar 3/4 stick room temperature butter

egg wash: 1 egg with 2 tablespoons milk beaten together handful of flour for dusting Sugar Glaze: 6 teaspoons brown sugar 1 cup water

From wikiHOW

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls With Raisins & Nuts

2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 3/4 cups bread flour 2 teaspoons active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 1 egg

1/4 cup butter 7/8 cup milk 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans 1/4 cup raisins handful of flour for dusting

Filling: 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon melted butter 2 teaspoons icing/powdered sugar egg wash: 1 egg with 2 tablespoons milk beaten together

Sugar Glaze: 6 teaspoons brown sugar 1 cup water

Tools needed: Large and small bowls. Rolling pin. A sharp knife. A clean work surface for the dough. Clean dry tea towel. Pastry brush, basting brush or similar implement. Spoon. Baking pan or rectangular cookie sheet. Oven mitts.

If mixing by hand: Mix all dry ingredients, except yeast in a large bowl after sifting and measuring the flour. Combine water, yeast, milk, and egg together in a bowl until well blended. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Add butter. Stir until mixture is smooth and slightly sticky.

Working the dough: Place dough into a clean bowl and knead it, using oiled or floured hands to move the dough around several times. Cover the dough and let it sit in a warm or room temperature spot for at least 30 minutes. The dough should double in size before shaping. A clean tea towel makes a good cover.

Mix the filling ingredients together in a bowl while you wait and set aside. Lightly grease baking pans while waiting.

Place dough on a clean, lightly floured surface. Punch the dough down with clean hands. Place down on surface and pound down or roll out until you get the shape of an even rectangle. After it forms a rectangular shape, apply the melted butter to one side of the dough. Brush on or apply with another tool. Make sure it's evenly applied and use all of the butter. Apply cinnamon evenly coated and then add the sugar on top.

Roll it up evenly from the longest side and roll down towards you. You should have a long cylinder. Cut the dough up into pieces. You may get about 6 to 8 pieces, using the ends as well. Place in the lightly greased baking pan(s).

Cover and let rise about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375*F about 10 minutes prior to adding the rolls. Bake in the oven at 375ºF / 190ºC for 20 to 25 minutes.

Prepare sugar glaze while the rolls bake. Place a saucepan on the stove. Fill with water. Add sugar and stir over low heat. When sugar is completely dissolved remove from heat and let cool. Use a pastry brush to apply cooled glaze to baked rolls.

Text Credits: Wikipedia || wikiHOW || wikiHOW
Image Credits: wikimediaCommons || wikiHOW || Wikipedia

Salisbury Steak

alisbury steak

Long before there was Atkins there was Dr. J. H. Salisbury (1823–1905) It is Dr. Salisbury we have to thank for Salisbury steak. "An early proponent of a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss; the term "Salisbury steak" has been in use in the United States since 1897. Salisbury steak is a dish made from a blend of minced beef and other ingredients, which is shaped to resemble a steak, and is usually served with gravy or brown sauce."

From: "What Must I Do To Get Well And How Can I Keep So?" by Elma Fraser Stuart: Dr. Salisbury's Beef-cake. Copied from his Recipe, dated first 1863.

"Food Meats.—Eat the muscle pulp of lean beef made into cakes and broiled. This pulp should be as free as possible from connective or glue tissue, fat and cartilage. Previous to chopping, the fat, bone, tendons, and fascia should all be cut away, and the clean muscle cut up in pieces an inch or two square. Steaks through the centre of the round [middle-cut] are the richest and best for this purpose. Beef should be used from well-fatted animals that are from 4 to 6 years old. The pulp should not be pressed too firmly together before broiling, or it will taste livery. Simply press it sufficiently, so that it will hold together. Make the cakes from half an inch to an inch thick. Broil slowly and moderately over a fire free from blaze and smoke. When cooked, put it on a hot plate and season to taste with butter, pepper, salt, and mustard. If desired, celery may be moderately used as a relish."

Salisbury Beef-cake (Date, Dec 1897). Recipe given to a patient of Dr.Salisbury

"Take a cut off the round and carefully remove all fat and gristle. Pass through machine 3 times. After this, it must not be touched except with two forks to make it into a cake. Form the meat lightly into a cake about an inch and a half thick, taking care not to pack it too tightly. Broil, seeing that your gridiron is thoroughly hot before putting the cake on. Keep the cake at first close to the fire, which must be clear and hot, until a skin is formed to keep the juice in. Then move it a little further off from the fire. Turn the cake with a cake-turner as often as you see a drop of juice coming out of the cake. The cake must be done thoroughly, right through, and not be in the least bit pink, but thoroughly brown right through. If a cake can be cooked under the fire (as in a gas stove), it is far better and more digestible. A 7 oz. cake over the fire takes from 16 to 21 minutes; under the fire rather more."

From Recipes Online: wikidot

Salisbury Steak

For the steaks: 2 lbs ground beef 2 eggs 4 tbsp ketchup 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup onion 1/2 tsp pepper For the sauce: 32 oz water with 1 beef bullion cube 4 tbsp cornstarch

Preparing the steaks: Mix all together and make into 4 patties. Brown in frying pan. Remove temporarily from frying pan & put on a plate.

Preparing the sauce: Mix together in same frying pan as steaks had been. After mixing the sauce put meat back in the pan. Cook together for 5 minutes.

Editor's Note: my tweak for this recipe would be to increase the number of eggs from 2 to 4, add 1 cup crimini mushrooms for flavor, and eliminate the cornstarch for the sauce as it seems to contradict Dr.Salisbury's intent to have a dish with fewer carbohydrates. i would increase the amount of Worcestershire sauce to 1/2 cup. Also the recipe as it appears at wikidot uses an onion soup mix packet. my preference would be for freshly chopped onion. Also i recommend covering the skillet during the cooking process. This will help the beef to remain juicy. The original method of cooking the dish was to broil it which of course will help in tenderizing the beef.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 United States License.via glutenfreegirl.com

Text Credits: Wikipedia || Free Google eBook || wikidot Recipes Online
Image Credit: glutenfreegirl.com

Crêpe Suzette

"Crêpe Suzette (pronounced: [kʁɛp syzɛt]) is a French dessert consisting of a crêpe with beurre Suzette, (pronounced: [bœʁ syzɛt]), a sauce of caramelized sugar and butter, tangerine or orange juice, zest, and Grand Marnier or orange Curaçao liqueur on top, served flambé."

"The origin of the dish and its name is somewhat disputed. One claim is that the dish was created out of a mistake made by a fourteen year-old assistant waiter Henri Charpentier in 1895 at the Maitre at Monte Carlo's Café de Paris. He was preparing a dessert for the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, whose guests included a beautiful French girl named Suzette."

"This is told by Henri Charpentier himself in Life a la Henri, his autobiography, although later contradicted by the Larousse dictionary."

"It was quite by accident as I worked in front of a chafing dish that the cordials caught fire. I thought it was ruined. The Prince and his friends were waiting. How could I begin all over? I tasted it. It was, I thought, the most delicious medley of sweet flavors I had ever tasted. I still think so."

"That accident of the flame was precisely what was needed to bring all those various instruments into one harmony of taste . . . He ate the pancakes with a fork; but he used a spoon to capture the remaining syrup. He asked me the name of that which he had eaten with so much relish. I told him it was to be called Crêpes Princesse. He recognized that the pancake controlled the gender and that this was a compliment designed for him; but he protested with mock ferocity that there was a lady present."

"She was alert and rose to her feet and holding her little skirt wide with her hands she made him a curtsey. 'Will you,' said His Majesty, 'change Crêpes Princesse to Crêpes Suzette?' Thus was born and baptized this confection, one taste of which, I really believe, would reform a cannibal into a civilized gentleman. The next day I received a present from the Prince, a jeweled ring, a panama hat and a cane."

"Different sources (like the Larousse Gastronomique) however doubt that Charpentier was serving the prince instead of the head waiter because he would have been too young."

"The other claim states Crêpes Suzette was named in honor of French actress Suzanne Reichenberg (1853–1924), who worked professionally under the name Suzette. In 1897, Suzette appeared in the Comédie Française in the role of a maid, during which she served crêpes on stage. Monsieur Joseph, owner of Restaurant Marivaux, provided the crêpes. He decided to flambé the thin pancakes to attract the audience's attention and keep the food warm for the actors consuming them. Joseph was subsequently director of the Paillard Restaurant in Paris and was later with the Savoy Hotel in London."

"In 1896, Oscar Tschirky published the recipe as "Pancakes, Casino Style" with everything in place except the final flambée. This appears on page 629 of his book published in New York, The Cook Book by "Oscar" of the Waldorf."

"The dish was already a specialty of the French restaurant Marie's by 1898 (Paris Vécu, L. Daudet, 1929)."

Oscar Tschirky's Pancakes, Casino Style

Rub fifteen lumps of sugar on two whole orange peels; also rub five pieces of
sugar on two vanilla sticks; take one wineglass of curaçao and a pony of brandy,
together with half a pound of fresh butter and mix the whole together until the sugar is dissolved, and the mass forms a paste. After having your pancakes prepared as shown for plain pancake [*plain pancake instructions below], take a chafing-dish and use for each pancake one tablespoonful of the above preparation.

Place the preparation in the chafing-dish and when it is hot, put one pancake into it, and leave it there for about a minute, and turn your pancake over for the same operation as before; keep on doing the same thing for every pancake. It is proper to do this at the table as soon as the pancake is done, and serve it to your guest.

*Plain Pancakes

Mix two teaspoonfuls of flour with a little salt. Beat the yolks of four eggs and the whites of two, a few drops of orange flour water, and then stir this in with the flour. Butter a small omelet pan, and when hot, pour in a small quantity of the batter, bake until brown, then turn and brown the other side. Roll up the pancake, put it on a hot dish, and keep near the fire till all are made. Arrange them on an ornamental dish-paper on a hot dish, sprinkle a little sugar over, and serve.

Text Credits: archive.org || Wikipedia

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Chicken Croquettes

"A croquette is a small fried food roll containing, usually as main ingredients, mashed potatoes or béchamel in Spain, and/or ground meat (veal, beef, chicken, or turkey), shellfish, fish, cheese, vegetables, and soaked white bread, egg, onion, spices and herbs, wine, milk, beer or any of the combination thereof, sometimes with a filling, often encased in breadcrumbs. The croquette is usually shaped into a cylinder or disk, and then deep-fried. The croquette (from the French croquer, "to crunch") gained worldwide popularity, both as a delicacy and as a fast food."

"Croquettes are prepared in different ways in different countries. In the United States "Boardwalk" fish cakes and crab cakes, eaten on the east coast of the United States, are essentially croquettes. They consist, respectively, of chopped fish or crab meat, mixed in a buttery dough which is then breaded and deep-fried."

"A deviled crab (croqueta de jaiba) is a particular variety of a blue crab croquette from Tampa, Florida. The crab meat is seasoned with a unique Cuban-style enchilada or sofrito sauce (locally known as "chilau"), breaded with stale Cuban bread crumbs, formed into the approximate shape of a prolate spheroid, and fried. It is meant to be eaten with one hand. It originated in the immigrant community of Ybor City during a cigar workers strike in the 1920s and is still very popular in the area."

"Other types of crab and fish croquettes are made throughout the southern U.S., especially in coastal states such as Louisiana where seafood dishes are common staples. These varieties have different seasonings and shapes, with some served inside the scooped-out shell of the crab."

"A traditional New England/Northeastern United States preparation uses ham, usually of the maple-cured variety, along with pre-cooked mashed potato (often mixed with some mild seasonings and a bit of milk or butter for a smoother consistency) for the outer roll. These are dipped in crumbed breading, and sautéed or fried in a small skillet using butter. Typically, these are most common during the Thanksgiving-to-Christmas holiday season as one of several ways to use up leftover holiday ham."

"Another croquette dish popular across much of the American South is salmon croquettes. Any canned fish - usually salmon or mackerel, although canned tuna is also used in some recipes (although the dish is often colloquially referred to as "salmon croquettes" or "salmon patties" regardless of the actual fish used) - is mashed by hand to break up any fish bones and give the fish meat a smoother consistency, then combined with a binder and various seasonings.

Seasonings typically include pepper, salt, chopped (sometimes sautéed) onions, garlic, lemon juice, and/or paprika."

"The binder can be any starch such as flour, cornmeal, matzo meal, ground crackers of any type, even white rice or oatmeal - although these latter variations are not as common, and are mostly limited to the northern U.S. Chopped eggs, parsley, and Parmesan cheese may also be added. The mixture is then shaped into rounded patties for pan- or deep-frying; corn or peanut oil are the most commonly used frying oils in the southern U.S., but canola, safflower, or olive oil are also used, and some recipes call specifically for pan-frying in butter or margarine."

From wikiHOW

How To Make Chicken Croquettes

4 tbsps butter 1/2 cup plain flour 1 cup milk 1 roast chicken breast chopped 1 clove garlic,finely chopped

1 egg,beaten 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs vegetable oil,for deep-frying salt and ground black pepper fresh parsley,to garnish lemon wedges to serve

For basic thick white sauce: Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat.Add the flour and cook gently,stirring constantly,for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk whisking constantly to make a smooth,very thick sauce. To avoid white sauce turning lumpy make sure you cook the butter and flour properly before adding the milk. Mix the chicken with the sauce. Season with garlic,salt and pepper to taste. Leave it to cool completely. Shape the mixture to eight even-sized sausages,then dip each in egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Deep-fry in hot oil for 4 minutes until it becomes crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve garnished with parsley and lemon wedges.


Text Credits: Wikipedia || wikiHOW

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Ham

"Ham: A cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of an animal, especially pigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured."

Most children when asked about the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of things to eat at Easter time will most likely say jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, or hard-boiled eggs. And as much as i enjoyed eating the jellybeans, biting the ears and/or head off chocolate bunnies, dying and eating hard-boiled eggs, [but not the marshmallow chicks---never was fond of those]---food-wise i had a different primary focus.

When i was a child, Easter dinner was the main attraction, with ham as the main course. Mother's prep after rinsing the ham would be to rub the ham with brown sugar. To my recollection prior to the rub, the meat was never soaked, only rinsed, because the salt that would have been eliminated from soaking, was a desired seasoning.

It was a different time, and the concern for salt reduction was not a priority. Besides which not soaking did make for a more flavorful dish. After the rub the ham was scored and dotted with cloves. Next came the pineapple rings alternating between the cloves and the scored sections. In the center of the pineapple rings maraschino cherries were placed.

Anyone who owned stock in maraschino cherries from the early '60s through to the mid '70s owes a tip of the hat to me & my sibs for an upswing in their late March/early April profit margin. Mother would always have to buy 2 jars---one for placement on the ham, the other for us kids who would eat them by the handful while we hung out in the kitchen as the ham was being dressed.

The recipe below is from wikiHOW, but i will always have fond memories of my family's Saturday afternoon before Easter Sunday tradition of preparing a salty sweet fall off the bone juicy ham.

Happy Easter.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.via Cooking Stuff

From wikiHOW

How To Bake A Ham

1 country-cured or city ham, not presliced water seasonings to taste (ex. onions, apples, bay leaves, allspice, etc.)

a glaze, preferably sweet or tangy (optional) cloves and/or pineapple rings (optional) maraschino cherries (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C. Let it heat up while you prepare the ham. Score the fat. This will give the baked ham a nice “skin.” Consider glazing the ham. A sweet-and-salty or sweet-and-tangy combination is highly recommended. (Ex. honey and mustard; soy sauce, brown sugar, and sherry; honey mustard barbecue sauce; etc.)

Consider studding the ham. Inserting cloves into the skin or pinning pineapple rings to the outside with toothpicks can add another dimension of flavor.

Place the ham on a baking tray, wrap it in foil, and bake. You should allow around 10 minutes per lb or 20 per kilo. Baste regularly. Keeping the baste heated in a pan as you bake will keep the ham from cooling down too much.

As you baste, check the internal temperature; the desired temperature is around 170 degrees F / 75 degrees C. 30 minutes before the ham is done, remove the foil. This will allow the outside to develop a nice texture.

Text Credits: Wikipedia wikiHOW || Image Credits:Wikipedia


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.via Cooking Stuff

Smothered Pork Chops

From Williams Family Cookbook at WikiSpaces

Fry bacon in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to
paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in saucepan (you should have 2 tablespoons bacon fat; if not, supplement with vegetable oil). Reduce heat to medium-low and gradually whisk flour into fat until smooth. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is light brown, about the color of peanut butter, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth in slow, steady stream; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; cover and set aside off heat.

Heat 1-tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dry pork chops with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Brown chops in single layer until deep golden on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip chops and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chops to large plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water to now-empty skillet. Using wooden spoon, scrape browned bits on pan bottom and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes.

Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Return chops to skillet in single layer, covering chops with onions. Pour in warm sauce and any juices collected from pork; add bay leaves.

Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pork is tender and paring knife inserted into chops meets very little resistance, about 30 minutes.

Transfer chops to warmed serving platter and tent with foil. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce rapidly, stirring frequently, until thickened to gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, stir in parsley, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Cover chops with sauce, sprinkle with reserved bacon, and serve immediately. Serves 4

Editor's Note: The serving suggestion for side dish from the source for this recipe is mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. my suggestion would be collards & biscuits. i have not eaten pork for decades but i still remember nothing comparing to biscuits & gravy with porkchops.

Smothered Porkchops Recipe

3 ounces bacon (about 3 slices), cut into 1/4-inch pieces 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth vegetable oil 4 bone-in, rib-end pork chops , 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick Ground black pepper

2 medium yellow onions , halved pole-to-pole and sliced thin (about 3 1/2 cups) table salt 2 tablespoons water 2 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 teaspoons) 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Text Credit: Williams Family Cookbook At Wikispaces.com || Image Credit:farm5static

Rugelach

"Rugelach [Yiddish: רוגעלך], other spellings: rugelakh, rugulach, rugalach, ruggalach, rogelach [all plural], rugalah, rugala [singular], is a Jewish pastry of Ashkenazic origin."

"Rugelach is a traditional Jewish food that is eaten any time of year, including, but not limited to Shabbat. Despite the fact that it is not fried in oil, some sources indicate that they are traditional on Hanukkah."

"Traditional rugelach are made in the form of a crescent by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling. Some sources state that the rugelach and the French croissant share a common Viennese ancestor, crescent-shaped pastries commemorating the lifting of the Turkish siege in 1793 [this could be a reference to the Battle of Vienna in 1683]. This appears to be an urban legend however, as both the rugelach and its supposed ancestor [the Kipfel or Kipferl] pre-date the Early Modern era, and the croissant in its modern form did not originate earlier than the 19th century [see viennoiserie]."

"An alternative form is constructed much like a strudel or nut roll, but unlike those, the rolled dough and filling is cut into slices before baking."

The word rugelach is Yiddish The ach ending (ך) indicates plural, while the el (ל) can be a diminutive, as, for example, shtetlekh (שטעטלעך, villages) is the plural of shtetl (שטעטל, village), the diminutive of shtot (שטאָט, town). In this case, the root means something like "twist" so the translation would be "little twists," a reference to the shape of this cookie. In this context, note that rog (ראָג) means corner in Yiddish, so it is possible that a more accurate translation would be "little corners.""

"Alternatively, some assert that the root is rugel, meaning royal, possibly a reference to the taste. This explanation is in conflict with Yiddish usage, where the word keniglich (קעניגליךּ) is the dominant word meaning royal."

"Finally, in modern Hebrew, they are known as roglìt (רוֹגְלִית), a postbiblical Hebrew word

meaning "trailing vines". The Yiddish word ruglach probably came first. The modern Hebrew is probably a neologism, chosen for its similarity to the Yiddish and its descriptive meaning."

"Rugelach can be made with sour cream or cream cheese doughs, but there are also pareve variants with no dairy ingredients, so that it can be eaten with or after a meat meal and still be kosher. Cream cheese doughs are the most recent, probably American innovations, while yeast leavened and sour cream doughs are much older."

"The different fillings can include raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chocolate, marzipan, poppy seed, or fruit preserves which are rolled up inside."

From Baking For The Cure

Naama And Asaf's Rugelach Recipe

For Dough: 5-6 cups flour 1/2 cup lukewarm water 3/4 cup lukewarm milk 2 tablespoons active dry yeast 150 gr. [5.3 oz] melted\soft butter

Zest from half a lemon 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 eggs 1 egg beaten [for egg wash*]

For Chocolate Filling: 50 gr.[1.8 oz] bittersweet chocolate 100 gr. [3.6 oz] butter 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 3-4 tablespoons sugar 1\2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Put all the dough ingredients in a bowl, combine to make dough, and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. Wrap the bowl in a cling film or a plastic bag, let sit for an hour and a half, until the dough doubles its volume.

Melt chocolate and butter, add other ingredients for the filling. Chill for 15 minutes. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Slice dough into pieces shaped like right-angle triangles. Spread the filling on each piece. Roll the dough starting at the wide end toward the narrow. Egg wash rolled pieces. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.

If you don’t want to *egg wash the rugelach, 5-10 minutes before the baking ends, brush the rugelach with syrup that was made from 1:1 amounts of sugar and water. Yields about 30 pieces.

Text Credits:Wikipedia || BakingForTheCure || Image Credit:BakingForTheCure

Gefilte Fish ~ Happy Passover *

"Gefilte fish (/ɡəˈfɪltə fɪʃ/, from Yiddish: געפֿילטע פֿיש, german: gefüllter Fisch "stuffed fish") is a Ashkenazi Jewish dish made from a poached mixture of ground deboned fish, such as carp, whitefish and/or pike, which is typically eaten as an appetizer." [*Passover for the year 2012 begins at sunset Friday April 6th.]

"Although the dish historically consisted of a minced-fish forcemeat stuffed inside the fish skin, as its name implies, since the 19th century the skin has commonly been omitted and the seasoned fish is formed into patties similar to quenelles or fish balls. They are popular on Shabbat and Holidays such as Passover, although they may be consumed throughout the year."

"Traditionally, carp, pike, mullet, or whitefish were used to make gefilte fish, but more recently other fish with white flesh such as Nile Perch have been used, and there is a pink variation using salmon. There are even vegetarian variations."

"Ingredients require selecting a fish that is preferably at least 3 kilograms [6.6 lb] in weight. Also required are 1 kilogram [2.2 lb] of brown cooking onions, 200 millilitres [6.8 US fl oz] of vegetable oil [traditionally sunflower oil], salt, pepper, and five eggs."

"The fish is deboned and the flesh mixed with ingredients, including bread crumbs or matza meal, and fried onion. Cooking takes as much as 3 hours."

"Gefilte fish may be slightly sweet or savory. Preparation of gefilte fish with sugar or black pepper is considered an indicator of whether a Jewish community was Galitzianer [with sugar] or Litvak [with pepper], hence the boundary separating northern from southern East Yiddish has been dubbed "the Gefilte Fish Line"."

"This is largely attributed to less availability of fresh fish in the inland areas before refrigeration, with the sugar used to 'mask' the sometimes less-than-fresh taste of the fish"

"The post-WW2 method of making gefilte fish commercially takes the form of patties or balls, or utilizes a wax paper casing around a "log" of ground fish, which is then poached or baked.

"Low-salt, low-carb, low-cholesterol, sugar-free, and kosher varieties are available. The U.S. Patent #3,108,882 "Method for Preparing an Edible Fish Product" for this jelly, which allowed mass-market distribution of gefilte fish, was granted on October 29, 1963 to Monroe Nash. Gefilte fish are also sold frozen in 'logs'."

"When this product is sold in cans and glass jars, and packed in jelly made from fish broth sodium is a relatively high 220–290 mg/serving."

From Equal Opportunity Kitchen

Baba's Gefilte Fish Recipe

[A meat grinder is needed for this recipe] 5 lb. pickerel fillets [a combination of carp pickerel and whitefish] 2 large onions [divided] 4 large carrots [divided]

1 parsnip 4 eggs [rule of thumb is 1 egg per pound of fish if the fish is filleted skin off] 1/2 cup grated ground almonds [divided]

4 handfuls of matzoh meal [approximately 1 cup] 1 Tbsp Salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 cup sugar 6 cups water

In a large stock pot slice 1 large onion and 2 carrots, salt,1/4 c sugar, 6 cups water. Peel 2nd onion and cut roughly to fit meat grinder. Remove skin from fillets [it is suggested to request your fish monger to do this]. Process carrot and parsnip on fine grater or grate with a box grater. Put cleaned fish fillets and 2nd onion through meat grinder. Add carrots, parsnip and onion to fish. Add salt, pepper, eggs and 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix ingredients together - should be loose but hold together. If it feels too loose, add a little matzoh meal to the mix.

At this point you may either form your patties or refrigerate the mix for 30 minutes to let it set. With wet hands, create patties by gently rolling in a circular motion and shape like an egg. Start pot to heat as you're shaping and layering your patties. Very gently lower them into the pot. Be sure not to disturb them until they're cooked and cooled.

Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer, lid on for approximately 2 hours. After the first hour, sprinkle the remaining ground almonds to the pot. To cool, put pot into a sink of cold water - about 1/2 way up the pot. Once the fish is completely cooled, move to a serving platter and refrigerate until time to serve. Yield on 5 lb. of fish is 24 patties. Serve with red horseradish.


Text Credits: Wikipedia || EqualOpportunityKitchen || Image Credit: Wikipedia

Hamantaschen ~ Happy Purim

The word "hamantash" is singular; "hamantashen" is plural and is the word form more commonly used. However, many people refer to these pastries as hamantashen even in the singular [for example, "I ate an apricot hamantashen"].

A hamantash [or hamentasch, see: Other names; Yiddish המן־טאַש] is a filled-pocket cookie or pastry in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine recognizable for its three-cornered shape. The shape is achieved by folding in the sides of a circular piece of dough, with a filling placed in the center.

It is traditionally eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. While occasionally seen other times of year in secular contexts, this is not traditional. Hamantashen are made with many different fillings, including poppy seed [the oldest and most traditional variety], prunes, nut, date, apricot, apple, fruit preserves, cherry, chocolate, dulce de leche, halva, or even caramel or cheese. Their formation varies from hard pastry to soft doughy casings.

Other names: Hamantash is also known as hamentasch, homentash, homentasch, or even [h]umentash. The name "hamantash" [Yiddish: המן־טאַש], is commonly known as a reference to Haman, the villain of Purim, as described in the Book of Esther. The pastries are supposed to symbolize the defeated enemy of the Jewish people, and thus resemble the "ears of Haman".

“Naked Archaeologist” documentarian Simcha Jacobovici has shown the resemblance of hamantaschen to dice from the ancient Babylonian Royal Game of Ur, thus suggesting that the pastries are meant to symbolize the pyramidal shape of the dice cast by Haman in determining the day of destruction for the Jews.

Another possible source of the name is a folk etymology: the original Yiddish word מאָן־טאַשן [montashn] or German word mohntaschen, both meaning poppyseed-filled pouches, was transformed to Hamantaschen, likely by association with Haman. In Israel, they are called Oznei Haman [Hebrew: אוזני המן‎], Hebrew for "Haman's ears" in reference to their defeated enemy's ears.

Another folk story is that Haman wore a three-cornered hat ---thus the shape. Hamantashen can cause drug tests for opiates to show up positive if eaten in large amounts due to the amount of poppyseeds in them.

From Liz Kratz' Classically Kosher

Hamantaschen Recipe

4 cup sifted all-purpose flour 3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted margarine 1 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs

4 tsp milk/rice milk/water 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup of your favorite filling

Cream together margarine and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla. Separately, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture with the mixer on low, alternately with water or rice milk. Chill the dough for 1 hour to overnight, then roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, and using a water glass or round cookie cutter, cut into 2" rounds. Fill with 1 heaping teaspoon of your favorite filling, and draw up sides for triangle. Seal edges with cold water. Bake at 375° for about 12 to 15 minutes.


Text Credit: Wikipedia || Liz Kratz' Classically Kosher || Image Credit: Wikipedia

Crown Roast Lamb aka Rack Of Lamb

"A rack of lamb or carré d'agneau [though this may also refer to other cuts] is a cut of lamb cut perpendicularly to the spine, and including 16 ribs or chops. At retail, it is usually sold 'single' [sawn longitudinally and including the 8 ribs on one side only], but may also be sold as a "double rack of lamb", with the ribs on both sides."

"Two or three single racks of lamb tied into a circle make a "crown roast of lamb". Crown roasts are sometimes cooked with (ground-lamb) stuffing in the middle."

"Rack of lamb is often "frenched", that is, the rib bones are exposed by cutting off the fat and meat covering them. Typically, three inches of bone beyond the main muscle (the rib eye or Longissimus dorsi) are left on the rack, with the top two inches exposed."

"Rack of lamb is usually roasted, sometimes first coated with an herbed breadcrumb persillade. Persillade is a sauce or seasoning mixture of parsley [French: persil] chopped together with seasonings including garlic, herbs, oil, and vinegar."

"In its simplest form, just parsley and garlic, it is a common ingredient in many dishes, part of a sauté cook's mise en place. If added early in cooking, it becomes mellow; but when it is added at the end of cooking or as a garnish, it provides a garlicky jolt. It is extensively used in French and Greek cuisines, as well as in Cajun, Louisiana Creole, and Quebecois cuisines."

"The simplicity of the basic combination invites variations, either by adding other ingredients or substituting other herbs, such as bay leaf, oregano, basil or tarragon, for the parsley. Combined with bread crumbs, it is used as crust for roasted veal or lamb chops. The addition of lemon zest creates gremolata, a traditional garnish for braised lamb shanks. Anchovy is a common addition in Provençal cooking. A small amount of olive oil is often added to persillade to make it easier to work with."

"The tips of the bones are sometimes decorated with paper frills resembling chefs'

toques. The toque most likely originated as the result of the gradual evolution of head coverings worn by cooks throughout the centuries. Their roots are sometimes traced to the casque a meche [stocking cap] worn by 18th-century French chefs." "The colour of the casque a meche denoted the rank of the wearer. Boucher, the personal chef of the French statesman Talleyrand, was the first to insist on white toques for sanitary reasons. The modern toque is popularly believed to have originated with the famous French chefs Marie-Antoine Carême and Auguste Escoffier."

From wikibooks Cookbook

Crown Roast Of Lamb Recipe

2 racks of lamb, trimmed and frenched 2 tbsp thyme, finely chopped 1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp garlic powder

Brush both racks with olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub herbs into flesh. Place both racks in a bundt pan and tie end bones together with butcher's twine. Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145° for medium rare. Remove and let rest 10 minutes. Serve.

Editor's Note: my tweak for this recipe would be to use a breadcrumb stuffing instead of the ground lamb stuffing.

Text Credit: Wikipedia || Wikipedia || Wikipedia || wikibooks Cookbook
Image Credit: Flickr

Noodle Kugel

"Kugel [Yiddish: קוגעל; also קוגל kugl, pronounced IPA: [ˈkʊɡl̩] is a baked Ashkenazi Jewish pudding or casserole, similar to a pie, most commonly made from egg noodles [Lokshen kugel] or potatoes, though at times made of zucchini, apples, spinach, broccoli, cranberry, or sweet potato. It is usually served as a side dish on Shabbat and Yom Tov."

"Kugels are a mainstay of festive meals in Ashkenazi Jewish [Jews of Eastern European descent] homes, particularly on the Jewish Sabbath and other Jewish holidays or at a Tish. Some Hasidic Jews believe that eating kugel on the Jewish Sabbath brings special spiritual blessings, particularly if that kugel was served on the table of a Hasidic Rebbe."

"While noodle kugel, potato kugel, and other variations are dishes served on Jewish holiday meals, matzo kugel is a common alternative served at Passover seders which is adjusted to meet passover kosher requirements."

"The name of the dish comes from the German Kugel meaning "sphere, globe, ball"; thus the Yiddish name likely originated as a reference to the round, puffed-up shape of the original dishes [compare to German Gugelhupf — a type of ring-shaped cake]."

"Nowadays, however, kugels are often baked in square pans. There is a common association of this word to the Hebrew k'iygul ["as a circle"], but this is a folk etymology."

"The first kugels were made from bread and flour and were savory rather than sweet.
Savory kugel may be based on potatoes, matzah, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, spinach or cheese. About 800 years ago, cooks in Germany replaced bread mixtures with noodles or farfel. Eventually eggs were incorporated. The addition of cottage cheese and milk created a custard-like consistency which is common in today's dessert dishes."

"In Poland, Jewish homemakers added raisins, cinnamon and sweet farmer's cheese to noodle kugel recipes. In the late 19th century, Jerusalemites combined caramelized sugar and black pepper in a noodle kugel known as "Jerusalem kugel," which is a commonly served at Shabbat kiddushes and is a popular side dish served with cholent during Shabbat lunch."

From The Settlement Cook Book

Noodle Kugel Recipe

3 cups of noodles 1/2 inch wide

4 Eggs Salt to taste Pepper to taste

3/4 cup of fat* [*chicken, goose, or butter fat]

Cook noodles in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and add the fat and the eggs well beaten. Place in a well greased pudding dish and bake in a hot oven until top of the kugel is well browned. Serve hot.

Editor's note: my preference would be a variation on the Polish style kugel: add raisins and cinnamon but without cheese.

Text Credits: Wikipedia || Free Google ebooks
Image Credit: wikimedia

Corned Beef And Cabbage

"In the U.S. and Canada, consumption of corned beef is often associated with Saint Patrick's Day. Corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish, and the connection with Saint Patrick's Day specifically originates as part of Irish-American culture, and is often part of their celebrations in North America."

"In Ireland, the closest traditional dish is bacon and cabbage [more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham]. Corned beef and cabbage became popular in the U.S. after Irish immigrants in the northeast used corned beef instead of pork in the dish. This substitution was likely due to the low cost of corned beef in the U.S."

"Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish American immigrants in the late 19th century. A similar dish is the New England boiled dinner, consisting of corned beef, cabbage, and root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and potatoes, which is popular in New England and parts of Atlantic Canada."

"Corned beef is prepared before the actual cooking of the meal by seasoning a cut of beef with salt [large grains of salt were known as corns] and spices and the natural meat juices. "

"This meat is then placed whole, like a rump or pot roast into a crock pot, which in olden times was a ceramic pot over a fire, filled with cabbage and carrots, and, when available, red potatoes."

"However, after Luther Burbank's alteration of potatoes, the potatoes were chopped when placed in the pot. Rutabaga or turnips are also common ingredients. This meal can be left in a crock pot all day but must be kept in the naturally humid environment of cooking meat. Corned beef and cabbage is often served as a whole meal. Common condiments include horseradish, mustard, and cider vinegar."

"New England boiled dinner is the basis of a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef or a smoked "picnic ham" shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, white turnip and onion. When using a beef roast, this meal is often known simply as corned beef and cabbage even with the addition of other vegetables."

From wikiHow

Corned Beef And Cabbage Recipe

5 lbs. [2.27 kg] corned beef brisket 6 peppercorns Cold water 1/2 lb. [227 g] salt pork 3 parsnips

6 carrots 6 small turnips 8 small white onions 6 medium potatoes 4 to 6 wedges of green cabbage Parsley Melted butter

Place the corned beef brisket in a large pot along with 6 peppercorns. Cover the corned beef and peppercorns with cold water, place the lid on the pot, place it over medium-high heat and allow the water to come to a boil. Lower the heat once the water comes to a boil and simmer the beef for 4 to 5 hours, or until tender.

Skim the fat off the top of the water with a spoon occasionally. Rinse all of the produce in cold water. Cube the parsnips and carrots, peel the turnips and onions, quarter the potatoes, cut the cabbage into wedges and chop the parsley while the beef cooks. Remove the beef from the pot once it is cooked, and place it in a warm area to rest.

Place 1/2 lb. [227 g] of salt pork in the simmering pot along with the prepared parsnips, turnips, onions, carrots and potatoes and allow them to cook for 30 minutes. Put the cabbage wedges into the pot for the last 15 minutes of cooking, so that all of the vegetables will be ready at the same time. Make herb butter by mixing the chopped parsley into melted butter, while you wait for the vegetables to cook. Slice the corned beef against the grain with a sharp knife. Arrange the corned beef and vegetables on a platter, and discard the salt pork. Spoon the herb butter over the vegetables and serve with mustard and pickles.

Text Credit: Wikipedia || Wikipedia || wikiHow || Image Credit: Flickr

Cherry Pie

In the U.S. today is Presidents Day. To celebrate the day and honor our nation's first President today's recipe is cherry pie.

Excerpt from A history of the life and death, virtues and exploits of General George Washington by Mason Locke Weems ~

As told to Mr Weems by an aged distant relative who referred to the youth George Washington as a 'cousin': "When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything that came in his way. One day, in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it."

"The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author, declaring at the same time, that he would not have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance."

"George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? " This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for a moment; but quickly recovered himself: and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run to my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is more worth than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver, and their fruits of purest gold."

From wikiHow

Cherry Pie Recipe

Double crust pie using pie crust mix 4 cups cooked, tart cherries 1 cup sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a pie pan with an 8-inch round of pie pastry. Drain cherries well. Combine flour, sugar and salt. Add cherries to flour mixture and stir gently. Pour cherry mixture into pastry line pie plate. Dot cherry pie filling with butter. Moisten lower edge of pie crust. Press edges firmly to seal. Cut slits on top of pie crust. Bake about 40 minutes or until the pie is golden. The filling will be bubbling through the pie slits.

The image shown uses a latticed rather than fully covered top crust.


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