jackal10

Grills, or steak, or fish or other protein, Even grilled in a frying or ridged pan. Stirfrys Pasta

Too many choices...what sort of sausage should I make first? It wants to be semi-dried and cold smoked, and prefereably with garlic. A kosher style beef salami is one possiblity (I grew up with Bloom's) but I'm rather inclined to Saucisson de Menage Fume from Jerry Predika's book "The Sausage Making Cookbook". There is a similar recipe in Grigson. However Grigson uses saltpeter, which Predika warns against, and uses red wine or brandy and Vitamin C instead. I'm confused. Should I add saltpeter or not? Also, if I start from supermarket organic pork, do I really need to freeze against Trichonosis? Your good advise please...

Buy a copy of Pomaine's Cooking in Ten Minutes: Or the Adaptation of Cooking to the Rhythm of Our Time Raymond Blanc (Foreword), Edouard De Pomiane, Andre Giroux (Illustrator), Peggie Benton (Translator) ISBN: 1897959044 Wonderful book!

From my blog last year (do these count?) Dan Lepard and Pizza Tarte Flambe (Pizza crust, onions, bacon, creme fraiche) cooking Plum and Apple pizzas Very good: Pizza base, fruit, butter, sugar

Cambridge wine (http://www.cambridgewine.co.uk) hosted their annual Grand St Georges Day Port tasting last night - the Colleges buy a lot of port. Grand indeed, with 44 ports, and an additional 15 2003 cask samples. Since there was also a seperate Charles Taylor Wines (http://www.charlestaylorwines.com) tasting of 2004 clarets (don't bother), yesterday was busy. Here are the cask samples, including a 2003 Quinta de Nova Nacional. This extremely rare port is from prephyloxera vines, and is only declared in an exceptional year, which 2003 has all the makings of being. Definately the star, but at around $250/bottle, and 20 years or so before its ready to drink, I doubt if I'll be buying any. This illustrates an issue. Since there are perfectly respectable aged ports available (for example a Croft 1977 at £35.73 was shown), it makes little sense to buy higher, or even to celler them yourself. I doubt if they will even give much of a return as an investment. Even better value are second single quinta wines, such as a SWH Quinta de Santa Madalena at £13.80, or a Fonseca "Guimarens" 1986 at £16.06. I know I would prefer 10 bottles of one of these, rather than one of the Nacional, and I might even get to drink them while I can still appreciate them.. After the tasting the was a dinner for friends, including some of the Port trade representives, staff etc. Some fizz to start with and clean the palate, and Brett Turner, the owner of Cambridge Wine laying up. I provided the breads (Organic wholemeal sourdough miche, with 10% rye and spelt; Onion and Raisin, Bacon and cheddar) Luke Webster, our chef for the night pouring chilled cucumber soup, with a white port to go with. Note his braces (suspenders) in Magdelene College colours. Asparagus and Hollandaise, with a Riesling Spatlese. I made the hollandaise. Don't seem to have pictures for the next course. It was poached salmon, with a chicory and fennel gratin, green salad, accompanied by an interesting Portugese Rose (Niepoort Redoma Rosado 2002 I think) made from the Nacional grapes. This wine is made from the spare must that is run off to allow the grape skins to make a deeper colour. Desert was Eton Mess (strawberries, crushed meringue and whipped cream), with a Mosacato.

Its not Pomerol but Lalande de Pomerol. Retails at around $10 Not really a wine designed to last, so I would enjoy it now.

I have Florence Lin and its wonderful. I wish they would reprint it, as the secondhand price is something awful. I also have just got the Blonder book, and I'm not so impressed. Very westernised, a bit basic, and drawings not photos. I have other ones of Kenneth Lo's books, and also not that impressed. OK for a western TV chef I suppose. Anyone care to comment on the others? If I want to buy just one or two others, which should they be?

My meagre effort. Recipe from "Dim Sum" by Ellen Leong Blonder: I cheated and used sausagemeat instead of ground pork, since that what was in the fridge. I also whizzed the lot in the food processer instead of hand chopping. For the topping, which I believe originally was fish eggs, later substituted with the cheaper chopped carrot, I used smoked cods's roe (tara). It was not that succesful, as it whitened in cooking. I must also work on my wrappers more. These, just flour and water were OK, but a bit thick and chewy. I guess I should not have used bread flour, and add some tapioca flour.

An Alsace Pinot Gris (or even a red Pinot d'Alsace) from 2003. Enough fullness to match the salmon... or a Mosel Spatlese (say Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling) 1996

may be too late, but cast iron pans work fine. Make sure they are hot. The batter should sizzle as you put it in.

Just leave out the candied peel; it will be fine. You should be able to get suet from a butcher. The high sugar and alcohol mean they can be stored at room temperature; in the store cupboard with jams or an ordinary kitchen cupboard. Summer heat won't hurt - these puddings get boiled for 8 hours.. Main danger is mice if they are in your house and can get to this delcious treat...

I'm not that much of an expert, but I think you puree the cooked onions, npot the water they are boiled in. I also believe its fenugreek seed, although recipes vary

Did you strain the onions before blending them? I guess I wasn't very clear on that. I've not tried these Madras Add to Mild curry base 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsm cumin 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp hot chilli 1 fried onion 2 Tsp garam masala 1 Tbl dry genugreek leaves 1 Tbs lemon juice Vindaloo 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 Tsp black pepper 2-4 Tsp hot chilli 1 fried onion 2 Tsp garam masala 1 Tbs dry fenugreek leaves 1 Tbs vinegar Add boiled potato to extend the meat.

Green ginger is the normal fresh ginger root, not dried. The extra tomatos would add liquid. This is a mild base sauce; MAdras and Vandaloo have a lot more spice added (and Vinegar for Vindaloo) Chicken Tikka should be cooked in a tandoor

A proper Christmas pudding must have Suet, beer, alcohol, and no carrots (some wartime recipes used carrots to cut down on the sugar) Illustrated recipe is in the eGCI Autumn preserves unit http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=30785 Scroll down and you will come to it. Best aged for a year before eating...if you are more organised than I am, you make this year's batch and eat last years

hmm... lighter version: * Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Roasted Red Pepper, and Fresh Basil - leave out the goats cheese, just do a veggy bruschetta? * Foie Gras with Mushroom Duxelle on Puff Pastry with Morel Sauce - Omit the puff pastry. Does it really need it? Maybe a sweet gelly? * Shrimp Cocktail with Serrano-Mint Sauce -*or*- * Halibut with Fennel, Carrots, Lemon, and Garlic - yum! I'd also go for the halibut * Pecorino Ravioli with Marjoram and Walnuts - OK, but could be a lighter filling? * Apple and Chestnut Soup with Spiced Cream (not Spring-y, I know, but it's a fav) - OK. Where do you get the ingredients, this time of year? * Asparagus with Sauce Maltaise * Roast Leg of Lamb With Mint, Garlic, and Lima Bean Puree - Good suggestions in the posts. I'd like the new season potatoes, and maybe baby fava beans. Hope the lamb is long time low temperature cooked. Mint sauce * Pink Grapefruit Terrine * Chocolate 'flowers' with Almond Pound Cake, White Chocolate Mousse, Fresh Fruit, and Melba Sauce - OK...does it need all this? Could you omit the white chocolate mousse or swap it for something lighter, say a vanilla gelatine foam? * Raspberry Chocolate Truffles - Who can resist? So the only real suggestions are to omit the cheese and the puff pastry.

Parsley, ideally parsley root may be the key flavour component you are missing

Turnip (Navet) is traditional with lamb, but any root vegetable such as celeriac or a well buttered new potato puree would be nice. I'd leave out the mint from the shrimp cocktail. Its too dominant. Why mess with a classic? Are you sure about the Maltaise with the lamb? Might do better with the asparagus as a seperate course, or maybe a bearnaise. You've a lot of food there, and many courses quite high in fat. Tiny portions, or people will blow up...

I've just made the Pasover Rolls. Fantastic! Thankyou. A great addition to the repertoire. A bit more like thick choux buns than bread, but fills a hole...

David: Are you baking them long enough? That looks like not a hole from an air bubble, but from where the partly cooked batter has collapsed as they cooled.

Tell me more. I've just discovered how to use my brick oven as a cold smoker, and would like to try this. What I'd really like is a recipe for garlic wurst, However I worry about botulism. I know people add lactobacillus to ensure an acid evironement. I wondered if sourdough starter would work?

Where are you? Parsley is easily growable. If you are a novice, start from plants. If you start from seed, start the seed indoors, and transplant. PAsrley takes a long time to germinate, however. Its a bi-annual, so you will need new plants each year Hmm... I'd start with (all from plants). All fairly indestructable, and can be planted now, or grown in pots. Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Chives, Mint (in a pot), Bay. What then? Well, different flavours of mints, thymes, sages etc. Maybe scented geraniums (not frost hardy); A scented rose, perhaps. Tomatos need more attention and daily watering. Best use a grow bag and a watering system (I use one called Easi-grow from Bulrush Peat)

I had an orthodox education and come from an orthodox family even if I'm not a believer, and I'm not an expert, so this may be mis-remembered and greatly simplified. The concept of sin in Judaism is a little more complex. The recording angel records one's good deeds and bad deeds, and when one's supposed soul goes to heaven (there is no hell in the theology) the balance determines how close to the Almighty one is placed. I always found the concept of Jewish Heaven rather like a celestial sun parlour, or the chairs around a pool, or seats in a theatre; the better person you were, the better chair you got, and the really bad were banished to the outer darkness. Thus good deeds counteract bad deeds "Prayer, penitence and charity can avert the severe decree" as the Yom Kippur prayer has it. Also the action of one's children can affect your place, for example if they say the mourner's prayer (kidush) the relative is advanced one place in heaven. There is no concept of food or drink in this version of heaven, since the Almighty radiance suffices for all pleasure and sustanance. Don't get me started on Jewish Heaven jokes... Back to this wonderful blog...

Dairy is milk or milk products, like cheese or butter. Eggs are parve, unless they have blood spots in them or are found inside a chicken at slaughter, in which case they are meat. (chicken is meat). I don't know what the status of milk found in a cow at slaughter is, but no doubt this a question the Rabbi's have considered. I suspect it is like blood, not kosher (no black puddings). Turkey and cheese, or chicken with buttermilk are fobidden.

There are many versions posted on the Web. Here is the BBC's take. They were the original broadcasters. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A799419 See also http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=26662