pixelchef

I've made that gratin more than a few times. It's delicious. Highly recommended. Good luck! (not that you need it)

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It's great to see people signing up because they've been "gulleted" (like slashdotted). Shows how much pull eGullet has. So with that, a heart-felt welcome, jane! And a pat on the back to everyone and everything that has made eGullet such a destination for everything and everyone "food".

Wow, that introductory article has me completely curious about your life. You're a great writer -- you hooked me with >1000 words!

Anyone have any recommendations for the best Pho in the city? I'd be extremely grateful for some guidance.

Fresh Breakfast Sausage 1 lb pork, boned 1 tsp pickling salt, non iodized 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp sage 1/8 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp thyme 1/4 tsp paprika 2 fl oz water Grind pork through a 3/16" plate. Mix all other ingredients in bowl and then mix into ground meat. Chill in freezer for 30 min. Grind through 1/4" plate. If you just want bulk sausage, you can form into patties or just store in freezer bags, in freezer. If you are going to stuff..... Chill in freezer for 30 min. Stuff into sheep casings. This is no more difficult than it sounds if you know a few tricks. Just rinse about 3 feet of sheep casings in cold water and after finding the hole in one end, feed this onto the stuffing tube. Just keep sliding it on the tube until you reach the end. Tie a knot at the end and start stuffing. It is a lot easier with a helper to either keep the stuffer full or to do the stuffing. When the 3 ft casing is full, lay it out on a counter and smooth it out with the hands to a uniform thickness. About 3" from one end, pinch the casing and give the link a full twist. Pinch again about 3" from the first link and twist in the opposite direction. Continue in this manner to the end, always twisting the current link in the opposite direction from the previous. I always put the meat back into the freezer while linking just to keep it cold. Once the process is learned, you can stuff the whole batch and link them all at one time. Hang the stuffed sausage in a cool place to dry to the touch, approximately 30 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze immediately after drying. You now have your own home made sausage. All the fresh sausages are made in the same manner. Keywords: Pork ( RG406 )

Maybe Worchestire Sauce made it brown(er)?

Here's a great recipe for Breakfast Sausage, Stone: Breakfast Sausage Recipe PORK, boned ..........................................1 lb SALT, pickling (non iodized)................. 1 tsp PEPPER, ground ......................................1/4 tsp SAGE, rubbed.............................................1/2 tsp GINGER.........................................................1/8 tsp NUTMEG.......................................................1/4 tsp THYME...........................................................1/4 tsp PAPRIKA........................................................1/4 tsp WATER..........................................................2 oz Grind pork through a 3/16" plate. Mix all other ingredients in bowl and then mix into ground meat. Chill in freezer for 30 min. Grind through 1/4" plate. If you just want bulk sausage, you can form into patties or just store in freezer bags, in freezer. If you are going to stuff..... Chill in freezer for 30 min. Stuff into sheep casings. This is no more difficult than it sounds if you know a few tricks. Just rinse about 3 feet of sheep casings in cold water and after finding the hole in one end, feed this onto the stuffing tube. Just keep sliding it on the tube until you reach the end. Tie a knot at the end and start stuffing. It is a lot easier with a helper to either keep the stuffer full or to do the stuffing. When the 3 ft casing is full, lay it out on a counter and smooth it out with the hands to a uniform thickness. About 3" from one end, pinch the casing and give the link a full twist. Pinch again about 3" from the first link and twist in the opposite direction. Continue in this manner to the end, always twisting the current link in the opposite direction from the previous. I always put the meat back into the freezer while linking just to keep it cold. Once the process is learned, you can stuff the whole batch and link them all at one time. Hang the stuffed sausage in a cool place to dry to the touch, approximately 30 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze immediately after drying. You now have your own home made sausage. All the fresh sausages are made in the same manner.

Welcome to eGullet mjmchef! That was wonderful advice. If I may be so bold as to ask, are you a professional chef yourself? Your name seems to suggest so. If so, where are you cooking? :)

Pan: they're poisonous.

Just do not, I repeat do not, eat the leaves.

Keller's Warm Potato Sald With California Dill Butter Dill Butter 2 T dry white wine, stock or water 8 T unsalted California butter, at room temperature 1 T fresh dill, chopped salt and pepper to taste Potato Salad 1 lb new potatoes, skin-on 4 T dill butter base 1 T chopped capers 1 T chopped shallots salt and pepper to taste Dill Butter: Bring liquid to boil in a 1-1/2 to 2 quart saucepan, watching constantly. Reduce heat to low and add 2 tablespoons butter. Immediately start whisking and continue to whisk until butter has blended smoothly into liquid. Add remaining butter in 2 tablespoon pieces, whisking constantly after each addition until smooth. (Do not let mixture boil.) Remove from heat and add chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm and reserve. Potato Salad: Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 or 25 minutes. Peel potatoes and mash lightly with a fork. Toss potatoes with dill butter, chopped capers and chopped shallots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Presentation: 4 tablespoons dill butter additional chopped dill Spoon 1 tablespoon dill butter onto each of four plates. Mound potatoes in middle of dill butter. Arrange seared salmon on top of potatoes. Sprinkle with additional chopped dill, if desired. Keywords: Side, Salad, Expert, Potatoes, Snack, French ( RG401 )

Forest Mushroom Broth 5 c full-flavoured chicken stock 3/4 c dried morel mushrooms 3 oz fresh chantrelle mushrooms 3 oz fresh oyster mushrooms 2 T butter 2 T minced shallots 1/4 c brandy 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves plus more to taste 3 T chives finely sliced sea salt and fresh pepper to taste 1/2 c Jersey cream, whipped 1. Heat 1 cup of the stock; combine with the morels. Soak 2-3 minutes, until tender enough to slice. Trim off the tough tip of the base, then quarter each mushroom lengthwise. Rinse lightly in the broth. Strain the soaking liquid through a dampened, fine mesh cheesecloth, pouring slowly to keep out the sand. 2. Trim the fresh mushrooms, removing any heavy or tough stems. Cut into thin slices. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan. Add the dried and fresh mushrooms. Soften slightly over moderately high heat, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the shallots; stir for 1 minute. Add the the brandy and 1/2 teaspoon thyme and stir for 1 minute. 3. Add the remaining 4 cups chicken stock (and the strained stock used to soften the morels). Simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of chives. Season with salt and pepper and additional brandy, thyme and chives to taste. 4. Ladle into 4 coffee cups, distributing the mushrooms equally. Pipe the whipped jersey cream onto the top. Serve at once. Keywords: Soup, Vegetables, Intermediate, French ( RG400 )

Picone's Chestnut Soup This is Chef Mark Picone's velvet chestnut soup. This recipe has gone through many changes over the years since he first gave it to a friend of mine, but this initial recipe you see here is what totally him away. Enjoy! 1/2 lb of chestnuts(fresh or dried - if dried, soak overnight covered in fridge) 1 small onion, chopped 1 parsnip, chopped 1 celery root, chopped 1 apple, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 l of vegetable stock Extra Virgin Olive Oil Seasoning(lemon zest, Kosher salt, and white pepper in 1,1,1 ratio) Heavy cream 1. Simmer chestnuts until soft, then remove from heat and strain. 2. While the chestnuts are cooking, saute the vegetables in a pot, in the EVOO until soft, NOT browned. 3. When the vegetables are completely cooked, add to them, the vegetable stock and 3/4 of the chestnuts and simmer for 15mins. 4. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender and pass it through a sieve. 5. Roughly chop the remaining 1/4 of the chestnuts and add them to the soup. 6. Add the "seasoning" to taste. 7. Add heavy cream to desired "velvety" consistency. 8. Garnish the soup by floating a drizzle of EVOO and a few drops of honey on top of the finished soup just before service. Keywords: Soup, Intermediate, Vegetables, Italian, Food Processor, Blender ( RG399 )

Asparagus With Orange & Hazelnut Serves 4 as Side. This recipe works great as a side dish, or the base for a lighter lunch salad. It's incredibly simple, and incredibly tasty. 2 T finely chopped hazelnuts 1-1/2 lb asparagus stalks, washed and trimmed 1/4 tsp freshly grated orange zest 2 tsp fresh orange juice 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 2 T extra-virgin olive oil Coarse kosher salt Coarsely ground black pepper Preheat oven to 375°F. Toast hazelnuts in a small shallow baking pan until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Cook asparagus in a large frying pan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes, and drain well in a colander. Transfer hot asparagus to serving platter or individual serving plates. In a small bowl, whisk together orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Spoon orange dressing over top or asparagus and sprinkle with nuts. Keywords: Side, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables ( RG398 )

Shrimp Stock 4 qt of shrimp shells (about the remains of two lbs. of shrimp) 8 qt cold water 2 T oil 4 oz onions, diced 4 oz leeks, white portion only, washed well, trimmed and chopped 4 oz celery, diced 4 oz parsnips, chopped 2 lemons, halved 1 c parsley, coarsely chopped, stems and all 8 bay leaves 1/2 tsp dried basil leaves 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves 1/2 tsp dried tarragon leaves 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns Rinse the shells briefly under cold water and drain well. Sweat the shells briefly in the oil, then add the mirepoix (onions, leeks celery, parsnips) and sweat for 2-3 minutes. Add to cold water, add the parsley and sachet (all the herbs placed into a 4" square of cheesecloth and tied into a sack) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain the stock thoroughly in a china cap or strainer layered with cheesecloth. Cool the stock completely in an ice-water bath and use, refrigerate or freeze immediately. Keywords: Easy, Soup, Seafood, Shrimp ( RG397 )

Jin, how long do these menus take you to prepare each night? They sound sooooo incredibly involved (and incredibly delicious!)

Tuna Niçoise Crostini Serves 10 as Hors d'oeuvre. 1/2 c green olives, pitted 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled 5 T mayonnaise 1 three-ounce can solid white tuna in oil, drained and broken into small pieces 2 T capers, drained and chopped 1 T chopped fresh tarragon leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper Crostini Additional Fresh tarragon leaves for garnish 1. Finely chop half the olives; set aside. Thinly slice the remaining olives; set aside. 2. Remove yolks from eggs; set aside. Place whites in a bowl. Using a fork, mash egg whites until 1/4-inch pieces are formed. Add mayonnaise, tuna, reserved chopped olives, capers, and chopped tarragon; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Place 1 tablespoon mixture onto each crostini. 3. Place reserved yolks in a sieve. With a spoon, press yolks through sieve into a bowl. Top each crostini with yolk, garnish with tarragon and reserved olives, and serve. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Easy, Fish, Snack ( RG395 )

Maple Orange Cornish Hens Serves 6 as Main Dish. 1/3 c maple syrup or packed brown sugar 1/3 c orange juice 2 T white wine (optional) 2 tsp chopped dried rosemary 3 1 1/4 lb. Cornish hens 1 T finely grated orange rind pinch each salt and pepper fresh rosemary sprigs orange slices In small saucepan, whisk together maple syrup, orange juice, wine (if using) and rosemary. Bring to boil; boil for 3 to 5 minutes or until glaze is slightly thickened. Let cool slightly. Meanwhile, cut wing tips from hens. Using kitchen shears or sharp knife, cut along each side of backbone; discard backbone. Cut through breastbone to separate into halves. Trim off excess fat and skin. Gently loosen skin from each half of hens, leaving skin attached at back side. Starting at breast, ease in orange rind over flesh under skin. Place hens, skin side up, in foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; brush with one-third of the glaze. Roast in 375°F oven, brushing twice with glaze, for 45 minutes or until browned and juices run clear when hen is pierced. Arrange hens on serving platter; garnish with rosemary and orange slices. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Chicken ( RG394 )

Sweet Potato Soup With Apple and Cinnamon Serves 8 as Soup. Perfect "winter" soup, or for when you just need some good old comfort food. Very soothing. 8 c vegetable stock 1 c apple, juice 1 c apple sauce 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, and, cubed, (about 4 cups) 2 potatoes, peeled, and, cubed 2 apples, peeled, cored, and, cubed 1 small onion, chopped 1 T lemon, juice 1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 bay leaf In a large soup pot, combine the stock, apple juice and applesauce. Bring to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes, potatoes, apples, onion, lemon juice, basil, cinnamon, black pepper and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes; reduce heat and simmer another 10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and potatoes are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Serve hot. Keywords: Soup, Vegetarian, Easy, Potatoes, American ( RG393 )

Pear and Celery Soup Serves 8 as Soup. 3 T butter 5 c finely chopped celery 4 onions, sliced 1/4 c minced fresh chives 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 6 c vegetable stock 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and, sliced 1/2 c 10% cream In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook celery, onions, chives, thyme, salt and pepper, covered and stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until softened and translucent. Pour in stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until celery is very tender. Add pears; cook for 5 minutes or until pears are tender. In batches, puree in blender. Return to saucepan; pour in cream and heat through without boiling. Keywords: Soup, Vegetarian, Easy, Vegetables, French ( RG392 )

I actually really loved McDonald's pizza when it was around. I miss that pizza.

Roasted Pineapple and Avocado Salad Serves 4 as Salad. A really simple, but really flavourful salad. Big bursts of flavour in the chunked pineapple really make it a crowd-pleaser. 2 c peeled and cored fresh pineapple (3/4" chunks) 1/2 tsp light brown sugar Kosher salt 1-1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/2 T balsamic vinegar 2 Hass avocados, cut into 3/4-inch chunks 4 oz cleaned baby spinach (4 cups) 12 mint leaves Freshly ground pepper Lime wedges, for serving 1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, toss the pineapple with the brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Spread the pineapple on a baking sheet and roast in the upper third of the oven for about 10 minutes, or until softened and just beginning to brown. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil with the vinegar. Add the avocados, spinach and mint, season with salt and pepper and toss. Transfer the salad to plates, top with the pineapple and serve with lime wedges. Keywords: Salad, Vegetarian, Easy, Snack ( RG390 )

Vanilla Risotto With Caramelized Pears Serves 4 as Dessert. This is an insanely tasty, yet insanely simple dessert. It's rustic, yet refined all at once. I promise it'll please. 3-1/2 c milk 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped 40 g butter 1 c arborio rice 1/4 c sugar 1/2 c brown sugar 40 g butter, extra 1/4 c water 4 small pears such as corella, halved Place the milk and vanilla bean and seeds in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes or until hot but not boiling. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat and add the rice. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the rice is translucent. Add the hot milk mixture to the rice 1 cup at a time, stirring between additions until each cup of liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Stir through the sugar. While the risotto is cooking, cook the pears. Place the brown sugar, extra butter and water in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the pear halves and cook, cut-side down, for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the pears and cook for 5 minutes or until tender. To serve, spoon the risotto into bowls and top with the pears and some syrup. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Rice, Italian ( RG389 )

Hehehe, I love Momo! I also love that piece of writing. I was completely immersed in it. Thanks so much for such a thorough and genuine report. Great work, both of you (and Momo).