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sgreen0

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    Hungarian Feast

    in Elsewhere in Europe: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Well, the Hungarian Feast is history. Here is the menu (cum place card).

    Most of the recipes were from George Lang's The Cuisine of Hungary. A few were gleaned from other places on the net.

    My thanks to EvergreenDan in Spirits and Cocktails for his idea for the cocktail:

    "I also liked equal parts Kirshwasser, Zwack Liqueur, and Campari. Next time, I may add a bit of lemon to this, in juice, peel, or bitters form. "

    Now I'm looking for another country to raid for next year's feast!

    Thanks to all on eGullet for you suggestions...

    Stephen

    Hungarian Menu.jpg

    Hungarian Coffee with Egg

    in Elsewhere in Europe: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by sgreen0 (log)

    Well, I got around to trying the Hungarian Egg Coffee I mentioned. the recipe I used is here:

    Hungarian Egg Coffee

    The result, in my opinion, was just OK. Just not worth the trouble. I suppose now we have good filter coffee systems, we don't need to fiddle with the egg, which I understand is there only to clarify the water...

    Stephen

    PS There is a video here that is similar to Hungarian, but is called Swedish:

    Egg in My Coffee

    S

    Hungarian Feast

    in Elsewhere in Europe: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    It sounds like you definitely have some favorites!

    Would you mind translating. I do have George Lang's "The Cuisine of Hungary" to refer to, but I haven't found some of those terms in it...

    Thanks.

    Stephen

    1. barack palinka

    2. gulyas leves

    3. more barack palinka

    4. toltott kaposzta

    5. szalonna

    6. palinka

    7. and maybe a meat dish and some palinka

    Hungarian Feast

    in Elsewhere in Europe: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by sgreen0 (log)

    It's almost time for me to host a big dinner again (for 8). I'm thinking of Hungarian. It will be summer California when I do this.

    Does anyone have suggestions for:

    Cocktail

    Appetizers (I probably need 3)

    Soup (I'm thinking Cold Sour Cherry, or another cold fruit soup)

    Main dish and sides

    Desserts (2 - almost certainly a Dobos Torte)

    Wines for any of the courses

    Thanks for any suggestions you may offer.

    Stephen

    Coffee Recipes

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Thanks, everyone for the suggestions.

    I will certainly try some of them soon.

    For the dinner, I have decided to prepare a Coffee-Cocoa Spiced Rack of Lamb that I found on Epicurious. (Kona Coffee Crusted Rack of Lamb was a close second - from The Food Network).

    This will be part of a Coffee and Tea dinner where everything will be prepared with either coffee or tea.

    The probable menu:

    Espresso Cocktail

    Tea-Smoked Duck Breast Toasts with Soy Ginger Mayonnaise

    Coffee and Chestnut Pate

    Tea spiced Pecans

    Pear, Chevre, and Watercress Salad with Tea Vinaigrette

    Coffee-Cocoa Spiced Rack of Lamb

    Baby Root Vegetable Stew with Back Tea Prunes

    Tea Scented Asparagus

    Gateau Malakoff au Cafe

    ChaIce Cream with Blackberry Coulis

    Orange Cranberry Jasmine Biscotti

    Tea Buffet - with individual tea pots (Assorted Loose Leaf Teas)

    Recipes were garnered from several sources including Tea Cuisine, and A Little Coffee Cookbook.

    Stephen

    Cooking With Tea

    in Cooking

    Posted

    I'm working on a dinner for 8. I was thinking of creating a theme around coffee and tea.

    Can anyone suggest recipes that include tea? That would be for appetizers, main dishes, side dishes, and dessert.

    Thanks.

    Stephen

    There's a separate thread for coffee...

    Coffee Recipes

    in Cooking

    Posted

    I'm working on a dinner for 8. I was thinking of creating a theme around coffee and tea.

    Can anyone suggest recipes that include coffee? That would be for appetizers, main dishes, side dishes, and dessert.

    Thanks.

    Stephen

    I'll start a separate thread for tea...

    Indian Feast

    in India: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    After last year's successful Moroccan Feast, I'm setting out to create an Indian Feast for 8.

    I'd like to have appetizers, main dishes (a Thali, perhaps), desserts and...

    Any suggestions for menu or recipes would be greatly appreciated.

    I also need to find a source for serving dishes (trays with bowls...).

    Thanks.

    Stephen

    Moroccan Tagine Cooking

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Well!

    The Moroccan dinner is history. It went extremely well.

    The menu ended up like this:

    Spiced Olives and Nuts

    Bisteeya

    served with Ginger Pomegranate Champagne Cocktails

    Moroccan Orange Salad

    Harira

    Pomegranate Granita

    Tagine of Lamb with Prunes and Apples

    Tagine of Chicken with Olives and Lemon

    Spiced Couscous

    Spiced Carrots

    Moroccan Bread

    served with Amazir Maroc Beni M'Tir red wine

    M'hanncha (the snake) - we made small individual coils

    Moroccan Cake (Le Russe)

    Moroccan Oranges

    served with Moroccan Mint Tea and Spiced Coffee

    I want to thank everyone on this board who contributed to this thread. I learned a lot from you. Special thanks to Paula, whose recipes for Bisteeya, Tagines, Bread, Tea, and Coffee were nothing short of fabulous, and to BekkiM, who generously shared her recipes for the Champagne, Olives, Nuts, Carrots and Couscous.

    I had planned to include some photos, but our recently repaired camera didn't cooperate - back to Nikon it goes.

    I was surprised at how easy it was to use the tagines (one Rifi and one Beldi). I did use heat diffusers as it was my first time. They seemed quite efficient allowing the tagines to bubble away with the element set to 2 or 3 (out of 9).

    Both tagines had excess liquid - especially the lamb. I removed some and reduced some and all was fine. Both meats fell from the bone and melted in the mouth.

    The Graber Olives recommended by Paula were amazing - meaty and rich.

    I used Preserved Lemons from zamourispices.com. What an amazing depth of flavor! Next time, I'll try to find time to make some myself.

    I was unsuccessful in finding Mahia (Mahya) a Fig Eau-de-vie of the Moroccan Jews. In my search I was surprised to find a Fig Vodka (from Germany of all places). It is only 40 proof and on tasting was almost like an aperitif (fairly sweet). So I offered that to wrap it all up.

    I'm pleased to report that all our guest left happy and overfed!

    Thanks again to everyone.

    Stephen

    Moroccan Tagine Cooking

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by sgreen0 (log)

    Thanks. Some more questions (sorry).

    1) I read in an earlier post that coking times are increased in traditional tagines. Did I understand that correctly - perhaps in was in a conversation about braziers. I'm cooking over electric elements covered with heat diffusers.

    The lamb is delicious when cooked for an extra hour in a tagine.

    I would change the chicken recipe and use legs and thighs. The cooking time will be about one hour.

    2) I'm planning to prepare the filling for the bisteeya the day before. If possible, I'd like to do more that day.[

    It's fine to prepare the three parts of the bisteeya in advance. Don't bake it until one hour before serving.

    your Harira II be made in advance. I could work it up to (and including) Step 4. The reheat the soup the next day and add the noodles and egg/lemon mixture. What do you think?

    I think it's fine.

    Can any part of the tagine recipes (Chicken Emshmel and Lamb with Prunes and Apples) be made in advance?

    I wouldn't cook the tagine in advance.

    Thanks. Report to come...

    Stephen

    Moroccan Tagine Cooking

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    It depends upon the size of the tagine. I would add about 1/2 inch of water.

    Thanks. Some more questions (sorry).

    1) I read in an earlier post that coking times are increased in traditional tagines. Did I understand that correctly - perhaps in was in a conversation about braziers. I'm cooking over electric elements covered with heat diffusers.

    The chicken says 1 hour and the lamb 2. Should I allow for more?

    2) I'm planning to prepare the filling for the bisteeya the day before. If possible, I'd like to do more that day.

    Can your Harira II be made in advance. I could work it up to (and including) Step 4. The reheat the soup the next day and add the noodles and egg/lemon mixture. What do you think?

    Can any part of the tagine recipes (Chicken Emshmel and Lamb with Prunes and Apples) be made in advance?

    I much appreciate your (and others') advice.

    Stephen

    Moroccan Tagine Cooking

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    The book was written back in the early seventies when very few olive varieties were available in the US market.

    I suggest you use Picholines when a Moroccan recipe calls for green olives.

    For the green-brown olives, I use  Mustapha's Bigardier (red) olives from chefshop.com or Turkish red ta-ze from Taste of Turkey.com. Stephen, if you don't have the time to order the green-brown aka 'red,' then just substitute California Grabers.

    Thanks so much. I'll have to use Grabers due to time limitations. I should have asked earlier.

    I have read (in this thread) that traditional tagines need less water in the recipes. Do you have a suggestion for the degree of reduction - half, 1/3?

    Thanks again.

    Stephen

    Moroccan Tagine Cooking

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    OK! It's crunch time. Dinner on Saturday!

    I'm having difficulty in the olive department. For Chicken with lemons and Olives Emshmel from Paula's book (Couscous, etc.), what kind of olives should I look for. I don't seem to find olives called "cracked" or "green-brown". I was in Gelsen's in LA and found most of the usual names including just "Green". I did find Picholines and "Moroccan oil cured olives" - these were very dark and dry.

    I've got two tagines from tagines.com. One Rifi and one Beldi - this one is glazed on the outside of the top and the inside of the bottom. I cured both - the Rifi with ashes and oil; it looks quite good now. I'm making the chicken in one (the Rifi, I think) and Lamb with prunes and Apples in the other.

    Sorry no pics - my digital camera is out for repairs...

    Thanks for any advice you can offer.

    Stephen

    Los Angeles

    Moroccan Tagine Cooking

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    These were doing business a couple of years ago.

    Mediterranean market, on the corner of Colorado and San Fernando Road in Los Angeles. (east of the I-5)

    Kabul on Reseda Blvd., in Reseda, in the Valley. She thinks it is close to Sherman Way. And Islamic Meat market is on Sherman way close to Reseda Blvd., in Reseda.

    Fez Market on Vernon, between Crenshaw and Arlington, a few blocks east of the La Brea area.

    See if you can get the phone numbers and call first to make sure they are still open.

    And ask if they carry tagines.  They may have to order them or you can buy online.

    Thanks for the info. I'll check these places out and report back...

    Stephen

    Well, I've had no luck finding a Moroccan market here in LA. Hard to believe. I did find a Moroccan Import store (called, surprisingly, Moroccan Imports!) that carried furniture and some household goods (tea glasses). I almost bought a fez to wear for the dinner, but...

    I ended up ordering from tagines.com and zamourispices.com.

    BTW, I found Moroccan wines at astorwines.com. I still haven't found a sources for Mahia (Mahya), a Moroccan (Jewish) eau de vie made from figs - though I did find a fig vodka that I got just for fun (Kleiner Feigling).

    Stephen

    Moroccan Dinner

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Woud you mind sharing your Champagne Cocktail recipe?  It sounds like a winner.

    I PM'd this to you, but here it is in case anyone else is interested:

    Ginger Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

    2 cup pomegranate juice

    2 tbsp sugar

    3-inch slice fresh ginger (in ¼ inch slices)

    ½ cup fresh orange juice

    2 teas of orange liqueur like Contreau or Grand Marnier

    1 750-ml bottle brut Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

    Combine pomegranate juice, sugar and ginger in a pan over high heat until mixture is reduced to 1/3 of a cup. Stir constantly. Set aside until cool. In each glass pour 4 tsp of pomegranate syrup, 1 tbsp orange juice, and ¼ tsp orange liqueur into each of four Champagne flutes. Top off with champagne or sparkling wine.

    Thanks so much. Sounds delicious!

    Stephen

    Moroccan Dinner

    in Middle East & Africa: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    I've done Moroccan dinners several times--they're good for a dinner party b/c most things can be prepared ahead of time and the flavors are relatively accessible.

    Courses:

    1) Mezze: Spiced Olives and Spiced Moroccan Nuts

    I also server Ginger Pomegranite Champagne cocktails because the ginger and the pomegranite seemed to "fit" with the theme

    2) Appetizers: Spicy Wrapped Meatballs with Harissa, Moroccan Cigars w/Charmoula, and Moroccan Chicken Wings with Preserved Lemons

    3) Salad: Moroccan Orange Salad (oranges, cantalope, shredded carrots, mint, and spinach)

    4) Individual B'stillas

    The recipe I used called for rolling them up like burritos, but I wish I had been more creative/less timid and done them in small tart pans for individual servings--they would have been much more attractive.  However, they do work great as individual servings--and there are a ton of recipes on the web with tons of variations.  I picked my favorite ideas from several different ones to come up with my spin on them.  Definitely include them in your menu, though, b/c they're wonderful and people really like the flavor combinations.

    5) Moroccan Mint Tea Granita

    6) Mrouzia (North African Sweet Lamb Stew) w/Glazed Carrots and Mezgaldi of Onions (basically a spiced confit) and, of course, Couscous (in timbales w/Moroccan spices)

    I didn't use a tagine for my lamb stew--just my big stew pot--and it turned out very well (probably not completely authentic, but passable).  It was very rich and very yummy.

    7) Dessert: Mint Tea, Moroccan Oranges (peeled, sliced, and macerated in cinnamon/ginger simple syrup and a little Grand Mariner), and Baklava

    Good luck!  I had a ton of fun with my dinner and I know my guests (11 of my dearest girlfriends) enjoyed themselves as well.  Wish I had pictures, but then, given the amount of port we drank at the end of the night, they'd probably be incriminating...  :biggrin:

    Becki!

    Woud you mind sharing your Champagne Cocktail recipe? It sounds like a winner.

    So far, I'm going with:

    Olives & nuts with the Champagne cocktail

    B'stilla - I think I'll make a large casserole version and cut into diamond shapes for serving...

    Harira

    A Blood Orange granita

    Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

    Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Apples

    served with couscous

    Mint tea, Spiced coffee with M'hancha (the snake)

    Any suggestions?

    Thanks.

    Stephen

    Mahia

    in Spirits & Cocktails

    Posted

    Does anyone know where I might buy some Mahia? It is an Eau de Vie of Prunes that is typical of Moroccan Jews.

    I've searched online and found many references to it - even a picture of a bottle of Mahia. But I haven't found a source for purchase.

    Thanks for any help you can offer.

    Stephen Green

    Los Angeles

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