Forum Activity for @john-henry

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Hi Todd, over here pasties are usually associated with Cornwall, the extreme S/W tip of England, historicaly an economicaly poor area surrounded on three sides by the sea, a county many of whose residents regard themselves as not being English, but Cornish, and who are still trying to promote their own separate language. In that language is found the word 'Hoggin' from which is derived 'oggy', the local name for short crust pastry with a little meat, but mostly onion, swede, turnip and potatoe at one end, and a sweet filling at the other, often jam of some description. It traditionaly had a 'thick crust' because as you indicate, lack of washing falcilities underground dictated that you ate down to the crust then chucked it. When I was young and worked on constuction sites my mother often made 'Cornish' pasties for my lunch, for the same reasons, no use of a canteen or hot water to wash your hands with. A gent named Cyril Tawney wrote a song called 'The Oggie Man' !

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I've made the throwaway crust style, but prefer and edible crust.

Those throwaway crusts are prohibited by the Geneva Convention, you know. The Welsh regiments used them as lethal weapons!!

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Hi Ken, re miners pasty, do you do 'em with the throwaway crust ? There's not so many Brits these days who relate to packed lunches suitable for use down a tin mine !

best wishes

JohnH Ken Hulme said:

Lisa, that jelly looks scrumptuous!! It's good to know there are still folks who make savory jellies, not just sweet ones. What's the base that gives it that broth color?

Todd - One lonely rutabaga? How sad... I make pasties several times a year, including the "miner's dinner" version with savory meat & veg at one end and sweet fruit in the other!

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Hi Ken, thanks. The peeled garlic is sort of ivory colored, so once it got blended and then boiled with rosemary, sugar, and white vinegar, it was a semi-clear light golden color. Maybe the rosemary helped tint it? I think if you boiled a bunch of fresh rosemary in hot water it might turn a bit golden. There is a lot of creamy garlic 'mash' and little garlic pieces suspended in the jelly.

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Lisa, that jelly looks scrumptuous!! It's good to know there are still folks who make savory jellies, not just sweet ones. What's the base that gives it that broth color?

Todd - One lonely rutabaga? How sad... I make pasties several times a year, including the "miner's dinner" version with savory meat & veg at one end and sweet fruit in the other!

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This week i made twenty-two 8 oz. jars of garlic-rosemary jelly . I like to have it with roast chicken, roast pork or lamb, and chops. MMmmmmm....now I have about a 2 year supply! 

updated by @strumelia: 10/25/17 09:31:20AM

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Making APPLE SAUCE on Halloween...
If you click on these photos, you will see them much larger. :)
We made apple sauce all day on Halloween this year. We bought a full bushel of Jona Gold apples at a local orchard and set up our kitchen assembly line. Brian peeled and cored the apples on our little hand crank coring machine, and he got each big pot of apples cooking- stirring, adding about 1/2 to one cup of water, and a few dashes of cinammon.
My job was to fill the sterilized pint jars with the finished apple sauce, process the jars in the boiling canning bath for 15 minutes, then give the lids a final tightening and let cool, making sure they sealed properly. I like to hear the little metallic "ping!" of each lid as its vacuum dimple pops in while the jars cool in stacks on the kitchen table. I think of it as little temple bells ringing.
One bushel yielded 38 pints (19 quarts) of really good apple sauce. We figure if we eat an average of one pint per week (and don't give away more than a couple of jars), this will last us into next June, when fresh fruit will again be available locally.

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I actually have put together a Kilted Cook Book over last last week or so. I have it as a .PDF that's going on a CD. A gift to the first of my nieces & nephews to get married. Next week I'm going to Toledo, OH for a few days for the wedding. My niece is getting married to a fella of Scottish ancestry and she requested I wear my kilt!This happens to be the last recipe in the book, for some reason. If you love Chantrelle mushrooms and Brie cheese, this will knock your proverbial socks off.Pizza ProvenalClassic provincial French bread - Fougasse - with traditional toppings, cooked in an Italian manner. I came up with this as an entry in an Isle de France Cheese recipe contest. Didn't win anything significant, but that's OK. I got to eat the experiment, and It Was Good!12 oz. Bread Flour1 packet Rapid Rise YeastA pinch of sugar8 oz. Chantrelle mushrooms, sliced8 oz. Ile de France Brie, sliced with rind in place (I like the rind, take it off if you don't)2-3 tablespoons Olive Oil2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted1-2 tablespoons Herbs de ProvenceDissolve yeast in a few spoonfuls of warm water; add 3 Tbsp flour and a pinch of sugar; mix well to form a soft smooth starter. Form the starter into a ball, cover with cloth and rise in a warm draft-free place for 30 minutes (I use the inside of my microwave).Put the rest of the flour on a work surface and form a well in the center. Add the yeast starter, salt, oil and enough water to make a workable dough. Knead into a ball, place in a bowl, cover and let rise for 30 minutes.Roll the dough into a rectangle to fit a lubed baking sheet. Once the dough is spread out, slash the surface of bread in the traditional herringbone or leaf vein pattern. If you cut all the way through to the pan, it's OK. Sprinkle the dough with the Herbs de Provence. Arrange the cheese and mushroom slices on the surface. Bake in a preheated 450-500F oven 15-20 minutes until GB&D. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

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I had never thought of sticking whole cloves into a salmon steak before, though I've done that with pork. Years ago I used to make a dill-infused butter specifically for seafood. It's been a while; maybe I should try that again.The Honduran tamales are steamed. They are much larger than Mexican tamales (but not as large as your Oaxacan tamales) and my mother-in-law also puts in what I consider odd ingredients, such as dates, raisins, olives, carrots and potatoes along with the chicken or pork. The last time we made a batch I made a few with crabmeat and corn, which tasted great with a green tomatillo sauce. The corn kernels added a nice contrast to the texture of crabmeat and masa. The hardest part about the tamales is actually wrapping them up in a uniform manner. They seem to taste great with almost anything you put inside.Your two-foot long zacahuile would be quite a sight! I'll have to tell my mother-in-law about those.I'm waiting for the Honduran cookbook to arrive. I'll write up a mini-review when it does. Ken Hulme said:

Awwww, man! I love wild sockeye! Orange sesame oil sounds about right; although I like both sticking a steak with whole cloves before grilling; or dusting with dill as well.

Are Honduran tamales steamed, or baked? Since we have banana leaves everywhere here, I make the Oaxacan style giant baked tamales (6" diameter x 2+ ft long) called zacahuile.

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Awwww, man! I love wild sockeye! Orange sesame oil sounds about right; although I like both sticking a steak with whole cloves before grilling; or dusting with dill as well.Are Honduran tamales steamed, or baked? Since we have banana leaves everywhere here, I make the Oaxacan style giant baked tamales (6" diameter x 2+ ft long) called zacahuile.

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Thanks, for your efforts, Folkfan.I had indeed spent a lot of time searching the web and never found a Honduran cookbook, though you might have noticed that Ken H did indeed find me one. I like your idea of making one of my own. The fact is that my mother-in-law isn't quite as coherent as she once was, so she can't really follow a recipe. Finding a Honduran cookbook was really just a way to show her that we value her background.I've ordered the bilingual cookbook Ken H found and hopefully we'll have some nice family moments recreating some of those recipes. I think I mentioned elsewhere that around the holidays we all make Honduran tamales together (they are larger than Mexican tamales and wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks). Maybe we'll be able to add some other Honduran recipes to that festivity.With my wife's mother from Honduras, her father from Colombia but of Lebanese descent, my mother of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, and my father of Scots Presbyterian/French Huguenot stock, we can spend all our time trying to honor the various ethnicities, cultures, and religions that represent our ancestry and never really satisfy everyone. Maybe we'll just develop some kind of family gumbo that has a little of everything.

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Given the continuous pouring of oil into the Gulf, you might want to come this way just to get some fresh seafood.I just bought several pounds of wild sockeye salmon that was caught up north of here. The flesh of the fish is unbelievably dark red. My plan tomorrow is to drizzle some with an orange sesame sauce, wrap it in foil, and grill it. Add some wild rice, a jicama/cucumber salad with fresh dill, and a chilled bottle of white, and we'll enjoy a nice summertime meal! On the 4th, I'll probably grill some to serve with a mango salsa. I'll save you some leftovers, Ken. Ken Hulme said:

If I ever get out to the"other" West Coast, I'll take you up on that!

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DT, I didn't find a cookbook exactly, but when I googled Honduran food recipes I came up with several thousand hits. How about browsing some of the different sites which frequently give you the option to do a special Print copy. You could come up with foods from Appetizers to Desserts and copy them off, add family pictures, and make up a notebook cookbook. Your mother in law could be encouraged to write down her own recipes and you could add pictures of her working them up. It would then truly be a family heirloom. Plus you could put all the recipes into those plastic notebook cover sheets and make it a wipe off the splatters cookbook. Dusty Turtle said:

Speaking of cookbooks, has anyone come across a Honduran cookbook? Perhaps even a Central American cookbook?

Several years ago I bought my wife an expensive and beautifully produced cookbook entitled The Taste of Colombia . She was really excited, as was her Colombian father. But her Honduran mother then replied, "Well now you should find her a Honduran cookbook, too." As silly as it seems, she really felt that her side of the family was being ignored.

But I have been unsuccessful at placating my mother-in-law by fulfilling her request. A Honduran cookbook? I am afraid there is no such beast.

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If I ever get out to the"other" West Coast, I'll take you up on that!

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Wow, Ken, I can't thank you enough. I've searched online and never found that book (or any other Honduran cookbook). That one seems like it is truly an informative resource. I'm about to order a copy.I don't know how to thank you other than cooking you some Honduran food should you ever make it out to northern California.Thanks so much. Ken Hulme said:

Ah, but the beast just lieth in hiding! I discovered that there was the definitive Honduran cookbook written in 1997 and a second edition produced in 2002. It is 312 pages of bi-lingual, Honduran Spanish and English recipes, food history and more.

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Ah, but the beast just lieth in hiding! I discovered that there was the definitive Honduran cookbook written in 1997 and a second edition produced in 2002. It is 312 pages of bi-lingual, Honduran Spanish and English recipes, food history and more. Below is a review written for the release of the Second Edition.There is one spiral bound copy on Amazon right now for $42; the others run from $95 to over $200!!There are undoubtedly other sources from which to obtain the book, but my Spanglish isn't good enough to search them out..."In 1997, Valentina Zaldivar de Farach published the first edition of the book titled: The Honduran Cookbook or El Cocinero Hondureno. The book is a bilingual, historic compilation of valuable information in regards to the way Hondurans cook today as a result of their roots, the influence of the Spanish conquerors and of the various groups of immigrants that came to this land at different times. With this book, Valentina has filled an enormous emptiness within Honduran literature, as she skillfully distinguishes the culinary elements brought by the Indians, the Spanish and the combination of the two, which lead to the birth of Honduran Creole food. She refers to the contribution of Africans from the middle of the 16th century, the Garifuna in the 18th century, and of the Arabian, Italian and Chinese immigrants throughout the Republican life of Honduras, says national historian Mario Martinez Castillo.Indeed, Valentina provides readers with a range of contemporary creole recipes classified according to the one element they are based on: corn, rice and beans, meat, vegetables or tropical fruits. Meanwhile, she added a list of dishes that are specially made on holidays, delicacies from the coast and island regions.Microbiology, dietary values and tipsBut more than offering a collection of delightful recipes, The Honduran Cookbook dedicates several pages to educate the reader on local culinary techniques such as making tortillas that include colorful illustrations that make it easier for you to learn.It is also important to notice that each recipe comes with its respective nutritional values, such as the amount of calories, cholesterol, proteins, fat, fiber and vitamins per serving. In fact, the chapter titled Nutritional Guidelines, presents a large list of food products with their respective nutritional value per 100 grams.But the author goes even further in her research, by introducing the world of food microbiology, as it incorporates updated advances on freezing techniques for popular consumer products and prepared dishes.From corn cream, chilate, and rice with crawfish, to eggplant antipasto, mondongo soup and roasted pork with guaro, this 312 page long book will enrich any daily menu with the most representative, tastier dishes of this country.About the authorValentina Zaldivar de Farach is a Honduran Microbiology professional with wide academic experience as university teacher. Back in the eighties, she directed the Extension Department of the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH), where she performed a remarkable job aimed at rescuing Honduran values, and conceived the project of a literary work aimed at promoting the local culinary culture in a complete way.While living in the United States when her husband Wadi Farach was assigned to the San Francisco Consulate, she was amazed to realize how much this kind of information was sought, but not available.With the advice and help of national and foreign experts in health, nutrition, research and other related matters, she finally was able to print her unique English-Spanish book for the first time in 1997. The 2002 edition presents visual improvements, with the added value of a useful chapter about food conservation.The books cover presents a cutlery set drawn with figures evoking the multicultural influences and natural elements referred to inside. A corn husk, a Mayan face and even the leaning tower of Pisa, Italy are represented in this black and white work of art by Honduran Rafael Caceres, whose other beautiful drawings can be seen throughout the book.This publication intends to serve as an instrument to strengthen the national identity of Honduras, says the author modestly, who invited HTW readers to acquire The Honduran Cookbook at bookstores, and become part of this rich, tasty experience.

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Speaking of cookbooks, has anyone come across a Honduran cookbook? Perhaps even a Central American cookbook?Several years ago I bought my wife an expensive and beautifully produced cookbook entitled The Taste of Colombia. She was really excited, as was her Colombian father. But her Honduran mother then replied, "Well now you should find her a Honduran cookbook, too." As silly as it seems, she really felt that her side of the family was being ignored.But I have been unsuccessful at placating my mother-in-law by fulfilling her request. A Honduran cookbook? I am afraid there is no such beast.

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Ken, I agree Lisa has a knack. In particular, her photos of her garden and fresh veggies are just beautiful. Perhaps you could collaborate on something like From the Garden to the Table where each recipe would highlight a particular garden crop, with a photo of the veggie fresh picked and then another photo of a dish fully plated.I watched you on the Food Network competition and was really impressed. I haven't made them yet, but I downloaded the recipes for the Spice Islands Salad and Shrimp & Pork meatballs, which I keep in a file entitled "Uncontrite Modal Recipes." Ken Hulme said:

Thanks DT;

I was actually moderately serious. Lisa takes beautiful food photos, and a collaboration could produce a really great project whether aimed at the dulcimer community or the world at large.

I have written and self-published a couple of cookbooks in the past. Those were without photos although I did have illustrations in one of them. No matter how good the recipes are, what really sells a cookbook today are the photos. But that is also the mega-expensive part of publishing a book - quality color photo reproduction. Self-publishing on-line; where the purchaser gets a .pdf or similar file would be the simplest, least expensive option. Electronic books are becoming all the rage.

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Thanks DT;I was actually moderately serious. Lisa takes beautiful food photos, and a collaboration could produce a really great project whether aimed at the dulcimer community or the world at large.I have written and self-published a couple of cookbooks in the past. Those were without photos although I did have illustrations in one of them. No matter how good the recipes are, what really sells a cookbook today are the photos. But that is also the mega-expensive part of publishing a book - quality color photo reproduction. Self-publishing on-line; where the purchaser gets a .pdf or similar file would be the simplest, least expensive option. Electronic books are becoming all the rage.

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Ken, I don't know how serious you were being with this comment, but I would strongly urge you to put a cookbook together. You obviously have a lot of recipes for a variety of different foods. You are already spending the time to write them out and describe them. And you have all sorts of tidbits about local history and culture to add to the recipes. And you have a knack not only for how to prepare the food, but how to present it as well. And the best news for marketing purposes is that you already have a small audience of dulcimer players who would buy a copy immediately.In short, the book is half-completed, you obviously enjoy the process, and there are many a hungry dulcimer players out there. Ken Hulme said:

Lisa - you and I need to collaborate on a cookbook. My recipes and your photos. Maybe a dulcimer-focused cookbook. I'm a trained photographer, but you have "the eye" for food photography!!

We could self-publish online with a paid download for the whole illustrated book.

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Ayup! You're the cover girl; not me... I used to have brains, but I took 'em out to wash, and can't remember where I left 'em!Look at the up side - you and Brian would get to cook and eat the dishes as well as photograph them...

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Ken Hulme said:

Lisa - you and I need to collaborate on a cookbook. My recipes and your photos. Maybe a dulcimer-focused cookbook. I'm a trained photographer, but you have "the eye" for food photography!!

Yeah, sort of like 'your brains and my looks'. lol! 

updated by @strumelia: 10/25/17 09:29:47AM

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Lisa - you and I need to collaborate on a cookbook. My recipes and your photos. Maybe a dulcimer-focused cookbook. I'm a trained photographer, but you have "the eye" for food photography!!We could self-publish online with a paid download for the whole illustrated book.

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We've been mostly eating various kinds of salads fresh from our garden this past month.Here was last night's dinner straight from the backyard, left to right: purple kohlrabi, romaine lettuce, scallions, and butterhead lettuce. I added some fresh mozarella slices, and dressing. Cold and crispy, nothing else was needed except the iced tea!

updated by @strumelia: 10/25/17 09:29:31AM

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The pizza recipe sounds great, portabellos and salmon go together well, and I love smoked salmon on pizza. The cooking time seems a bit long though. It all depends on your oven, I suppose.That sorbet sounds fabulous. Gotta get a watermelon today and try it. My icecream maker is the "freeze the liner" kind rather than the ice and rock salt kind.If you like thin crust pizza, here's the best recipe I know:Thin Crust PizzaYield: 1 Pizza1 each .25 oz. pkt. Active Dry Yeast1/4 tsp. granulated sugar3/4 cup 110 degree water1-3/4 cups AP Flour1/2 tsp. saltCheeses and toppings of choice...Dissolve yeast and sugar in water; allow to rest for 8 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture and mix well. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. Working from the edges to the center, press dough into a 12" circle. Place on a lightly greased pizza pan and stretch dough to edges - less than 1/4 thick. Spread sauce and desired toppings. Bake in a 500 degree oven for 8-12 minutes, or until edges are golden. Dough will be firm and crispy, not soggy and soft like many other doughs.

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Watermelon SorbetI got this recipe from my friend the folksinger Eve Goldberg, who got it from her mother Ruth. I don't particularly like watermelon as is, but this works for me on a hot summer night.1 watermelon of your choice, relatively small, 8 to 10 lbs.1 cup (roughly) of sugar, about 2 tbsp. per cup of watermelon juice, or to taste3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more if you like1. Slice the watermelon in half and scoop the flesh out into a large bowl.2. Cut the flesh into pieces and put them into a blender or food processor (you will probably need to process in several batches); puree.3. Using a sieve, strain the seeds and pulp out of the watermelon puree and reserve the liquid. (Eve recommends straining even if you use seedless watermelon; it seems to shorten freezing time and makes the finished product smoother.)4. Add sugar and lemon juice to the watermelon juice and stir.5. Pour the juice into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. You'll need lots of ice (I'd get at least 20 pounds, to be safe) and some rock salt. It usually takes at least 20 minutes, but the freezing time is highly variable.IF you want to get really fancy you can section and freeze the watermelon rind, reassemble the sections, scoop the freshly-frozen sorbet into the shells with frozen wild blueberries for seeds, freeze overnight as a reassembled melon, slice along the section lines and serve the slices ...

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Smoked salmon ApizzaApizza, indigenous to the New Haven area of Connecticut, differs from the regular American-style pizza mainly in using no mozzarella.This uses a prepared crust ... yeah, I know, it's lazy ... but I'm not ready to essay a pizza crust yet!prebaked pizza crustolive oil, to condition crustfresh basil leavesportobello mushrooms, slicedsmoked salmon in 1X2 - inch piecesrehydrated sun-dried tomatoCondition the crust with olive oil. Layer the other ingredients on top. Bake 20 minutes at 450 F. Yum.

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Mmmmmm. Ken Hulme said:

Mandarin Orange Muffins
Although the recipe calls for canned mandarin oranges, you can also use fresh tangerine or clementine orange wedges, or even loquats for an equally tasty treat. I usually make a double batch, either as muffins, or baked in a 9x13 pan to make a fruited bread.


1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup milk

Topping:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


Preheat oven to 350F. Place muffin papers in muffin tins or spray tins with vegetable oil. Drain oranges and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Whisk together egg and milk. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Do not over-mix. Carefully fold in mandarin oranges. Add a little extra water if the batter seems too stiff.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until centers test done and muffins are lightly golden. Alternately, spread mixture in a lubed 8x8 pan to make a fruit bread.

While muffins are baking, place melted butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon.

When muffins are done, dip each hot muffin first into the butter and then into the cinnamon sugar. For bread version, brush melted butter one top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Let cool.

Yield: 12 large muffins or 24 mini-muffins.

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Mandarin Orange MuffinsAlthough the recipe calls for canned mandarin oranges, you can also use fresh tangerine or clementine orange wedges, or even loquats for an equally tasty treat. I usually make a double batch, either as muffins, or baked in a 9x13 pan to make a fruited bread.1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour1-3/4 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon allspice1/2 cup sugar1/3 cup shortening1 egg, slightly beaten1/3 cup milkTopping:1/4 cup melted butter1/4 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamonPreheat oven to 350F. Place muffin papers in muffin tins or spray tins with vegetable oil. Drain oranges and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.Whisk together egg and milk. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a fork just until combined. Do not over-mix. Carefully fold in mandarin oranges. Add a little extra water if the batter seems too stiff.Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until centers test done and muffins are lightly golden. Alternately, spread mixture in a lubed 8x8 pan to make a fruit bread.While muffins are baking, place melted butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon.When muffins are done, dip each hot muffin first into the butter and then into the cinnamon sugar. For bread version, brush melted butter one top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Let cool.Yield: 12 large muffins or 24 mini-muffins.

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It's history in a nutshell! I'm a segregationist for initial plating, it's true. It's just prettier that way. But leftovers are unceremoniously dumped together.I've had Kentucky Hoppin Johns where rice was mixed with the beans, and then that served over a bed of rice with a side of tortillas! Costa Rican/Nicaraguan Gallo Pinto is usually integrated before the two components are finished cooking. In New Orleans you get Red Beans and Rice served both ways.Anyway you serve it, I don't think I've ever had a bad dish of beans & rice.

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Looks and sounds real good. I'm more used to Moros y Cristianos being mixed up together, though. Yours seems more like Hoppin' John, but with black beans.

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This week Ken's Kitchen is featuring Black Beans and Yellow Rice - not only a beautiful, but a tasty pairing. Cultures all over the world combine beans and rice. This is my take on Moros y Cristianos - the Cuban version. The Moors are the black beans... get it?I use a pound of dried black beans. Don't bother to soak overnight; it makes virtually no difference in the cooking time - trust me.Pick them over real good so you're not cooking any rocks. Put them in a big pot with a couple quarts of water and a pound or so of smoked pig shank, neck bones or similar smoked pork. While that's coming to a rolling boil, dice up an onion, some celery and maybe a red bell pepper and add that to the pot.Now add a little paprika, a tablespoon of dried thyme, and a touch of chile powder. Anytime you cook beans add thyme it's the perfect herb for any bean.Reduce the heat and simmer for about two hours, until the beans are done and creamy textured.While the beans are finishing, making a pot of long grain white rice - 1 cup rice and two cups water; bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes (actually I use a rice cooker - best money I ever spent). No brown rice need apply. No short of medium grain rice, either. To that rice water add a Sazn Tropical packet.Sazn is a brand of spice mixes found in the Mexican food section. Tropical is a particular blend of spice. Not hot at all, just wonderfully flavorful. Can't find Sazn? Use a teaspoon of turmeric and a 1/4 tsp each of onion, garlic and chile powder. As it cooks the rice absorbs those wonderful flavors and turns bright yellow.When the beans are done, I strain out any leftover liquid. Then I pull the wonderful bits of meat off the bones and add that back into the beans. Plate a big scoop of rice, top with a scoop of beans, and you have a tasty, healthy dinner!

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I make clafouti with all sorts of fruits - fresh or frozen. Mango is good; so is Loquat. All the berries. Have not tried citrus, although mandarin orange/tangerine/Clementines would probably be really good. Diced apple or pear might be good too...

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Ken, that looks mighty good. Think I'm gonna have to try this.

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Ken, that's almost too pretty to eat. I might try this after berries come on this summer. Thanks!

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Blueberry ClafoutiTraditionally a French dessert using cherries, clafouti [Klah-foo-tea] is neither a fruit-filled pancake; nor a fruity egg custard but half way between. It is a very easy and healthier alternative to berry pie.Cooking Spray or Butter for the pan16 ounces fresh Blueberries, Black Berries, or Red Raspberries*, drained3 large eggs1/3 cup sugar3/4 cup whole milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract3/4 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon cinnamonPreheat oven to 400F. Spray or butter the bottom and sides of a 12 cast iron skillet**. Spread the fruit to cover the entire bottom of the skillet.Whisk together the eggs and sugar until frothy and lighter in color. Add the milk, vanilla and flour, and whisk to combine. Pour the batter over the fruit.Bake on the middle rack, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Remove from oven and dust with cinnamon while still warm and soft.Cool for 30 minutes before removing from the skillet, slicing and serving. Serves 4-6.* Wrong season for fresh berries? Use frozen berries thawed in a colander and discard the juice.** Dont have a cast iron skillet? Any 10-12 oven-safe skillet will do. If all else fails, use a large pie pan. Do Not use a plastic-handled or non-stick lined skillet, as they can produce unhealthy vapors at oven temperatures and cooking times.

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I dunno Ross. I see lots of German places serving both sauerkraut and rotekohl on the same plate. I think chicken and rotekohl would be good cooked together.BTW - Caster sugar, for the Americans who don't know, is "ultrafine" - much smaller grains than regular white sugar. You can buy it in the grocery store. If all you have is regular sugar, ut 1-1/2 cups in a food processor, and give it a whirrr for 3-4 minutes. Then weigh out 300 grams (weighing is much more accurate for baking...).

The Kitchen Sink - talk about food

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Here's a contribution to the recipe collection, passed on from an Aussie science-fiction fan on the Lois-Bujold listserv: Killer Chocolate Thingies 300 grams ground walnuts300 grams caster sugar9 egg whites9 egg yolks300 grams powdered sugar200 grams butter2 tablespoons cornstarch200 grams chocolateCrust: Beat the egg whites, add the caster sugar, beat till shiny and stiff. Fold in the walnuts. Line 2 40 x 30 cm tins with baking paper. Pre-heat the oven to 170C. Divide the mixture into the tins and bake until just set (check with a toothpick after about 10 minutes.)Filling: Beat the egg yolks with powdered sugar, butter, cornstarch and chocolate and cook over a pot of simmering water in a double boiler for about half an hour. Leave covered to cool a bit.Assembly: Put the cake together while the filling is still lukewarm: crust-filling-crust-filling. When completely cooled, cut in small pieces.Conversions of weights and temperatures are left as an exercise for the cook.

The Kitchen Sink - talk about food

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The slaw seems superfluous, given the sauerkraut.Wonder how this would come out with German sweet pickled red cabbage, aka rotekohl ? And green peppers are unripe peppers, I'd wanna use orange or yellow Bells. I'd be tempted to flatten the thighs and serve it on slices of a good medium rye bread, e.g. a Munchner-style. Ken Hulme said:

Reuben-esque Thighs
6 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1 lb Sauerkraut (drained)1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced thin2 Tbsp White Wine (or water)1 Tbsp Brown Sugar1 Tsp Caraway Seed6 Tbsp Thousand Island Dressing3 slices Swiss Cheese, cut into stripsBrine the thighs 30-45 minutes. Drain, Pat dry. Spray or oil 12 non-stick skillet. Heat to med-high. Brown meat on both sides, 5-7 minutes per side. Remove from skillet. Add sauerkraut, green pepper, wine, sugar caraway and 2 Tbsp dressing. Top with thighs. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook 25-30 minutes. Spoon remaining dressing over chicken and top chicken with cheese strips. Cover and cook another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.Serve with: Grilled Cole Slaw 1 head Red Cabbage, cored and cut into 8 wedges3 Tbsp Olive oil, for brushing4-1/2 Tbsp Mayonnaise4-1/2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar3 Pickled Peppers (jalapeo, banana, or Italian) seeded and minced2 tsp Pickling Liquid from the pepper jarSalt & Pepper to tastePreheat the grill. Dont want to fire the grill? Use your ovens broiler with the rack set to the highest mark.Brush cabbage wedges with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill cabbage until it starts to char and blacken - about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a work surface. When the cabbage is cool enough to handle, finely slice it crosswise with a sharp knife.Whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, and pickling liquid. Toss with the shredded cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.

The Kitchen Sink - talk about food

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The cabbage wedges wouldn't make it past the grilling stage with me. Ken Hulme said:

They are easy to do and so good tasting!

So... When are you serving them??? Enquiring minds and all that...