FoodMan

I think I can help but you might have to scale it up to 35 people. My recipe feeds about 4 as a side. I’ve never really written a recipe for my Tabbouleh so the following is an approximation but it should work out fine. 2 bunches flat leaf parsley 1/2 cup diced onions (small dice maybe ¼ inch) 12 mint leaves (or to taste, but I like it a little on the minty side) 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes 1/2 cup Bulghur (cracked wheat) Juice of 2 lemons (or to taste) 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt and pepper Finely chop the parsley and mint. Put them in a bowl, add the tomatoes, onions and bulghur and mix well. Now add the lemon juice oil and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings and acidity. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, so the bulghur can get a little soft then serve. NOTE: If you plan on making it ahead of time. DO NOT mix it all together or the bulghur will get very mushy. Instead get everything ready and mix it up 30-40 minutes before serving. Hope this helps. FM

How did you like it?? I've made it three times already and I absolutely love this tart. -eggs and potatoes: sauteed yukon gold potato cubes in evoo until cooked through then added three eggs and cooked them together for a minute or so. -fried eggplant with pomagranate molasses sauce -Labne (drained yogurt) with EVOO, and salt -plate of olives and Pita bread to go with everything FM

I did not mean to be pushy FG. I will now sit and wait patiently for my answer Thanks FM

I guess this question was missed so here it goes again. FM

Once the roux is made, what is the proper way to store it? For how long can it be kept without altering its flavor? FM

Sunday: Adobo marinated roasted chicken. Crispy oven roasted yukon gold potatoe cubes with garlic, evoo and cilantro Dessert: bannana bread pudding with raisins and chocolate chips Monday: Homemade Pizza night: Margarita provolone and mushrooms and salami Fresh mozz with preserved eggplant Dessert: Spongy chocolate pudding FM

FG and Carolyn- Thank you so much for these great sessions. I cannot wait to transform my 4+ lbs of chicken carcasses and bones in the freezer to a wonderful reduced stock this weekend. I was wonderig though, do you have an approximate ratio for how much reduced stock (cubes or Tbsp) per gallon, quart or cup of water you would use for something like the thai vegetable soup you demonstrated? Thanks FM

Sounds VERY interesting. However, a quick search online returned Mango Chicken Curry made with mango pulp. This recipe does not sound too appetising though . Certainly a green mango one sounds much better. FM

Why is it you never see pork stock?? Is it because it is too fatty?? Not much flavor in the bones?? Or maybe too much over powering flavor?? FM

They should all be tatse tested plain, unadorned with any condiments and breads... at least as a preliminary test. All meat cuts should weigh the same and be similar in fat content. I guess since I live in the south, it is out of the question for me to be on the tasting committee FM

-cool pea mint soup with creme fraiche -steak sandwiches. Thick top sirloin steak rubbed with rosemary, sage and olive oil then seared medium rare. sliced thin. Served in fresh french baguettes topped with mushrooms cooked with onions in butter and balsamico with a heavy pat of Dijon smeared on the bread. -side of pan juices for dipping -Homemade double fried French Fries. FM

Dill! I think fresh Marjoram makes the best herb to sprinkle on beets....hmmm I love beets fresh roasted and dressed, or raw shaved very thin and tossed in a salad. I never thought they tasted like dirt though. FM

The first thing that comes to my mind is Gnocchi (sp?)...or a nice Lebanese potato and egg "mahroosa" (mash) like my mom makes. Basically boil and peel potaoes and hard boil and peel eggs (roughly 1 egg for every 2 tennis ball sized potatoes). mash them together with plenty of good evoo, chopped fresh mint, lots of black pepper and salt. Eat with toasted crispy pita bread. I like it as a light dinner with some olives and cucumbers on the side. FM

-Bruschetta: Grilled homemade Pugliese bread topped with preserved eggplant, sliced garlic and thinly sliced red chilies -Spaghetti with Italian sausage, green peas, onions, and mushrooms in a light tomato sauce. Sprinkled with chili flakes and Parm cheese. -Dessert: Rice pudding with raisins, slivered almonds, cinnamon and rosewater. FM

Garlicky crispy chicken , from the article about JJVR's retaurant 66 in the July issue of Food and Wine. Served with plain white rice and a crunchy mango slaw (under ripe mango, red chilli, gomasio, sesame oil and lime juice). The chicken was rubbed in Chinese five spice and refrigerated for a few hours then it was doused with what the recipe calls a syrup made of vinegar, brown sugar, water and BAKING POWDER!! It was then refrigerated overnight and fried in a wok. Served sprinkled with garilc fried in oil. Delicious and crispy, however this bit about putting baking powder into a marinade/syrup struck me as kind of odd since I've never seen it before. What could it add to the dish. Maybe F&W meant to say add corn starch or something?? Does anyone know why would you add baking powder?? The only explanantion that I came up with is maybe to neutralize some of the vinegars acidity. FM

Tony- Thanks for the sharing your experiences with us. Where/when will the article be published?? Has that been decided yet?? FM

Braised beef short ribs in wine. Slowly simmered in the oven for a couple of hours until tender (from the Babbo book). Served on top of Risotto Milanese and topped with pine nut gremolata (toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and pasley). After dinner homemade Limoncello Dessert: Assorted French pastries (Naploleons, eclaire, creme brulee tarts) FM

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Just had to note the irony! Peace! Irony noted peace FM

Word. Excuse my spelling Mathew, now it's fixed and I can vent. FM

By the way -- are there any smug scientific bastards left who can explain to me why heat from a flame (12" away and under a water bath) is different from heat from an oven? I am just reading this thread and I have to say that I am amazed at the level of illiteracy that this person has. Do they check if whoever they hire can read and write???? Polder should be embarassed because they hire such ignorant, illiterate individuals who are supposed to be customer "SERVICE" representatives. FM

Kpurvis- Fresh pistachios are not a myth. In Lebanon I used to eat them all the time. they have an outer reddish skin that needs to be removed and then it looks like the pistachio you know (unroasted or salted of course). If the Pistachio is ripe enough then the shells are already open, roasting does not in any way affect it (unlike a mussel ). I have seen them and bought them in the US in middle eastern stores. However, I am not sure when they are in season. they are very tasty and sweet/fresh tasting compatred to the roasted/dried type, sort of what a fresh green almond is to the roasted or dried almond. FM

Date-Nut bread and black coffee FM

Olive oil will work to make up for the missing fat.

Shredded Pyllo is used in many middle eastern desserts and they are all fantastic. One of the best is "Kenafe". Which is basically a thick layer of cream filling sandwiched between two layers of shredded phylo, baked and drizzled with rose water syrup. Crunchy/buttery on the outside and creamy on the inside..perfect. If you have Claudia Roden's book about Middle Eastern food, you will find several recipe that use it. FM