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Marinated Beef Fondue 3/4 c soy sauce 1/4 c worchestershire sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 2-1/2 lb beef tenderloin, cut into 1 in. cubes 2-1/2 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1 in cubes Horseradish Sauce 1 c sour cream 3 T prepared horseradish 1 T chopped onion 1 tsp vinegar 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper BBQ Sauce 1 can, 8 oz, tomato sauce 1/3 c steak sauce 2 T brown sugar Cooking 6 c peanut or vegetable oil In large resealable plastic bag, combine soy sauce, worchestershire sauce and garlic. Add meat. Seal and turn to coat. Chill for 4 hours. Make Horseradish and BBQ sauces, chill. Drain and discard marinade. Pat meat dry. Heat oil in fondue pot. Enjoy Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Beef ( RG195 )

BBQ Beef Chili Serves 8 as Main Dish. Uses a brisket instead of the traditional ground beef 7 tsp chili powder 1 T garlic powder 2 tsp celery seed 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1 fresh beef brisket, 3-4 lbs 1 medium green pepper, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 bottle, (12 oz) chili sauce 1 c ketchup 1/2 c barbeque sauce 1/3 c packed brown sugar 1/4 c cider vinegar 1/4 c worchestershire sauce 1 tsp ground mustard 1 can, 15 oz hot chili beans 1 can 15 oz, kidney beans, or other beans Combine the first five ingredients, rub over brisket. Cut brisket into eight pieces, place in slow cooker. Combine the rest of the ingredients, except for the beans, and pour over brisket. Cover and cook on high, for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat, cool slightly. Skim fat from cooking juices. Shred meat with two forks, return to slow cooker. Reduce heat to low, add beans. Cover and cook 1 hour longer. Keywords: Main Dish, Beef, Duck, Crock Pot ( RG194 )

Green curry Be careful not to shake the can of coconut milk. I learned to make this when I was growing up in Thailand. I use Maesri or Maeploi curry paste. You can use boneless chicken breasts (1 or 2), cut up into bite-size pieces, or go the more traditional route, which is to take a cleaver to a few pieces of chicken -- with bones in -- wacking them into 1-2" chunks. If you go the latter route, simmer (over very low heat) longer. 1 Can coconut milk T Green curry paste Chicken (see intro above) 1 Onion (optional, cut into wedges) Small, round, white and green Thai eggplants, halved or quartered, depending on size Pinch sugar Nam pla (fish sauce) to taste; I prefer Tiparos brand 1 Handful Thai holy basil leaves Open can of coconut milk carefully with can opener (not church key). Spoon thick coconut cream into saucepan over medium/high heat. Coconut milk will separate; stir in curry paste. Cook for a minute or so, then gradually add coconut milk. NOTE: I often reserve a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream so if the curry is not spicy enough, I can heat this up, add more curry paste and add to the finished curry. When at a simmer, reduce heat and add chicken. If you've used cut-up boneless breasts, cook for just a few minutes and then add the eggplants. If you've used wacked up chicken (including dark meat) with bones, cook for 20 minutes or so (longer is OK) before adding eggplants. Cook until eggplants are barely tender. Taste and add sugar and nampla to taste. When ready to serve, remove from heat and stir in basil until wilted. Serve over jasmine rice. If I'm making this dish in advance of serving, I will usually wait and add eggplants and basil when I reheat just before serving. Keywords: Thai, Easy, Main Dish ( RG193 )

Turducken Serves 25 as Main Dish. The turducken is a mysterious bird that most people have long thought extinct. Though they are hard to find, one can easily duplicate the flavor and texture of a turducken by assembling three different birds and stuffing one inside the next: a duck, a chicken and a turkey. This is no easy task and some people would rather hunt one down in the wild, but for those who are adventuresome and don't mind getting dirty, here's how. Turducken 1 duck (3 - 4 lbs) 1 chicken (3 - 4 lbs) 1 turkey (18 - 21 lbs) Brine 1 gal water 1 c Kosher salt 1 c brown sugar Stuffing 1 package Hot Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage 1 yellow onion 1 lb mushrooms 1 medium apple 1 c butter 2 stalks celery package stuffing mix chicken stock as required My method of praparing a turducken takes two days. On the first the three birds are deboned and then brined. The following day the stuffing is made and then the turducken is assembled and cooked. Though the brining adds a day to the preparation, it is very necessary. Besides making the meat juicier and taste better, it dramatically reduces the cooking time. Deboning the birds will take up to two hours, stuffing less than a half an hour and assembly will take about an hour. Cooking time depends on method, in a smoker at 225 F five hours is sufficient to bring the internal temperature to 155 F and the outside to 165 F which is perfect. Roasting will produce a crisper skin if you put the turducken in at a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes then bring down to 225. Deboning The order of the birds shouldn't matter, but I like to start with the smaller birds and leave the turkey for last as the turkey skin is what is presented to your guests. The duck and the chicken will be completely deboned but the drumsticks of the turkey will be left for presentation purposes. Hopefully I won't have to mention this, but your knives should be very sharp otherwise you will risk cutting yourself. You will primarily use your boning knife but your chef's knife will come in handy for cutting through some of the bones. The duck and the chicken will be very similar to debone. First cut the wings off at the first joint. Reserve with giblets and extra skin for gravy. Flip over and cut along the spine of the bird and gradually pull the skin and eventually meat away from the carcass of the bird. Make your way from neck to tail staying along the carcus. Make sure not to miss the oysters which are along the spine between the thighs and the wings. Be aware that there will be shoulder blades to cut around. I find it's easiest to seperate the breasts before completely boning the legs. Be careful as you work your way to the breastplate as you don't want to cut a whole in the breast skin. After boning the legs remove tendons in the drumsticks. After boning the duck and the chicken, the turkey will be easier. Be careful to leave the skin as intact as possible as it will be holding everything together. Leave the drumstick bones in for final presentation, it will better resmemble an actual bird this way. Brine Mix salt and sugar with the water. Brine is ready when the mixture is completely dissolved. If the water is heated to quicken the process, make sure it is cooled to room temp before placing meat in. Let the three birds sit in brine in the refrigerator overnight. Stuffing I prepare the stuffing according to the recipe on the back fo the commerical mix and add sauteed breakfast sausage, onions, mushrooms, apple and celery. I melt the butter in a separate pot and add the stock, stuffing and sauteed ingredients. This step can be done the day before. Assembly Lay turkey skin side down on a flat surface preferably on a layer of paper towels as it will be wet from the brine. Next put a 1/4" layer of stuffing down. Lay duck skin side down on top of stuffing and then another layer of stuffing. Repeat with the chicken. Begin trussing up the turkey at the neck. Insert metal skewer about half an inch from the edge and up through the other side. Run butcher's twine between skin and skewer and tighten to draw both sides together. Continue down to legs. At least every other skewer, also draw together the duck skin and if possible the chicken skin as well. Tie together turkey legs to resemble standard turkey. Preparation If you have a smoker, by all means smoke your turducken. It will be far more flavorful that way. Just smoke at 225 and rotate every 20 to 30 minutes and try to keep flare ups from the fire to a minimum. If you're roasting the turducken, place in a 500F degree oven for 15 minutes and then turn it down to 225F to finish. You can baste if you like but the skin won't be as crispy. Pull the bird when the internal temperature (the chicken) reaches 155F. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Serving For the most "oohs" and "ahs" cut across the middle of the breast completely through. Give thin slices containing turkey, duck and chicken and top with gravy made of the giblets and stock of the carcusses. Goes well with roasted potatoes. Keywords: Main Dish, Expert, Duck, Chicken, Turkey ( RG192 )

Pancetta Embossed Chicken My creation is no penicillin, ice cream cone, or Toll House cookie, but it could save your life if you are starving and has at least as many calories as the latter. There's nothing wrong with the "bacon-wrapped" motif, but its execution is so often inferior to its promise. The bacon is frequently over- or under-cooked; bacon is sliced so thick that it overwhelms whatever it is wrapping; too much bacon fat is absorbed; and so on. Here's a technique that avoids all of these problems and pairs bacon with one of its ideal partners: chicken skin. It started with a recipe for "Chicken with Pancetta and Balsamic Vinegar" from Mark Bittman’s column in the New York Times. I halved the ingredients and used chicken thighs, and it was quite good. But the best part by far was that bits of pancetta had been caught under the chicken while it was browning. They had become fused with the chicken skin! The crispy chicken-bacon, combined with the tender meat, made for a terrific eating experience. Again this triumph was an accident. I had been trying to avoid the bacon bits when I put the chicken into the pan, figuring I'd end up with a pancetta-laden pan sauce. Good thing I blew it. Unfortunately, because I had chopped the pancetta, these moments of glory were rare. I wanted all of the chicken skin to be bacon-infused. The solution was obvious: give each thigh its own slice of pancetta. It requires no more bacon than the original recipe, but it all ends up in exactly the right place. If you put this stuff in a plastic pouch at the 7-Eleven, it would put jerky out of business. Plus it's my recipe so I get to give it a ridiculous name. 4 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) 4 slices of Pancetta, round and thin 1 T olive oil salt and pepper Place the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook a few seconds until translucent. Add chicken skin-side down, placing each thigh directly onto a pancetta slice. Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 15 minutes or until bacon and skin are well browned. Turn chicken and add a bit more pepper. Cook until underside is browned and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Alternatively turn the chicken, transfer the pan to a 400-degree oven, and bake until cooked through (about 10 minutes, but check around the bone for pinkness and pull it as soon as it's cooked through). If you're using the oven, you may want to transfer the chicken to a foil-lined jelly roll pan so that you can use the skillet to make a pan sauce. For the pan sauce: pour off most of the chicken fat, deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine, reduce by half, and season with salt and pepper. Off the heat, add a pat of butter and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Pool it under the chicken -- you worked hard for that crispy skin, and it would be a shame to spoil it now just because you were feeling saucy. Serve on hot plates with mashed potatoes or egg noodles and your choice of vegetable. Keywords: Chicken, Main Dish, Intermediate, Dinner, Italian, The Daily Gullet ( RG191 )

French Onion Soup 4 T butter 3 lg onions, quartered 1 tsp sugar 1 T flour 20 fl oz beef broth 1/2 c dry red wine 2-1/2 c water 2 T sherry 1 tsp beef demi glace favourite cheese croutons or toast rounds Melt butter over medium heat. Cook quartered onions and sugar together until carmelized. Stir in flour until well blended. Add water, wine and beef broth and demi glace. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer on very low heat for 2-3 hours. Spoon soup into oven proof bowls. Add toast rounds or croutons to bowl. Cover with favourite cheese, mozzarella, gruyere or swiss. Broil until cheese has melted. Keywords: Soup, Appetizer, Easy ( RG190 )

Brandied Chicken Breasts Serves 6 as Main Dish. The trick to this is not to curdle the sauce! (adapted from the Joy of Cooking) 6 boneless chicken breasts Brandy, enough to rub chicken with salt and pepper lightly 1/2 tsp majoriam 6 T butter Sauce 1/2 c dry sherry 1-1/2 c cream 3 egg yolks Topping 1/4 c butter 1/2 c shredded mozzarella 1/4 c bread crumbs Rub boneless chicken breasts with brandy, let stand 10 minutees. Season lightly with salt, pepper and majoriam. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a dutch oven. Saute chicken 8 minutes each side. Remove to platter and keep warm. Add 1/2 cup of Sherry and simmer until liquid is reduced to half. Add, stirring constantly, 1 1/2 cups cream mixed with the egg yolks. Add a dash of pepper and nutmeg. Stir until slightly thickened. Place chicken in an ovenproof dish and pour sauce over chicken. Combine topping ingredients, sprinkle over chicken and broil just a few minutes until slightly browned. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Chicken, Dinner ( RG189 )

Alfredo Sauce This is a different twist on the classic sauce. The cream cheese gives it a thicker texture. Be sure to use unsalted butter in this, or it will be too salty. 1 250 gr. pkg cream cheese 1/2 c unsalted butter 1/2 c milk 3/4 c parmesan In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except parmesan. Stir until smooth and then add parmesan, stirring until melted. Pour over pasta, sprinkle with extra parmesan if desired. Keywords: Easy, Cheese, American, Italian, Sauce, Vegetarian ( RG188 )

Shrimp & Pesto Ravioli with Sherry Cream Sauce & Shiitakes (=Mark) This recipe is a little involved, but the results are more than worth the effort... Pasta 2 c durum semolina flour <BR> 2 eggs water Raviolis 1 lb 31 to 40 count shrimp, peeled, deveined and boiled for 4 minutes. Drain and cool. pesto pitted calamata olives Cream Sauce 1 pt heavy cream 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning olive oil 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms 1/4 c diced shallots 1/4 c dry sherry 1/4 stick butter at room temperature PASTA: Combine eggs and flour thoroughly. If necessary, add water until proper consistency is attained. Knead for 5 minutes, then let rest on counter under a bowl for 20 minutes. Roll out dough with machine into a thin sheet suitable for making the raviolis. Lay pasta on wax paper sprinkled with semolina to prevent sticking. RAVIOLIS: Take a shrimp and smear one side with a dab of pesto and place pesto side down on pasta sheet. Place half of an olive on top of the shrimp. Repeat until there is a double row of 10 or 12 shrimp. Using your finger or a pastry brush, moisten around each shrimp with water. Roll out another sheet of pasta, and carefully lay over shrimp. Using your fingers, press the air out from around the shrimp and press pasta together around the shrimp. Use a pasta/pastry crimper/cutter to cut the individual raviolis. if making a large quantity, separate single layers with wax paper sprinkled with semolina (raviolis touching each other tend to stick and tear) and stack in a baking dish or tray. Raviolis may be prepared and frozen for later use. (Cook frozen raviolis for 2 extra minutes) To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add raviolis and cook for 4 or 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pot and drain in a colander. If not serving immediately, drizzle with a little olive oil and gently toss to prevent sticking. Cream sauce: Heat cream in saucepan until it is boiling vigorously. Reduce to 1/3 of its original volume and add nutmeg and Old Bay. In a sauté pan, sauté shallots and shiitakes in a little olive oil until tender. While over high heat, add the sherry to the pan and flame off the alcohol. reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. remove the mushrooms from the heat, combine with cream in the saucepan and simmer for a few minutes. Add butter and whisk until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle sauce over the raviolis and serve immediately. Keywords: Intermediate, Shrimp, Main Dish ( RG187 )

Two-Spice Chicken Tamales Serves 4 as Main Dishor 12 as Appetizer. These tamales are hot, but not overly so. You can adjust the proportion of spices to suit your particular tastes. In addition to habaneros, these tamales have just a touch of cinammon in the dough. This touch bridges the gap between the hot filling and the sweeteness of the corn kernels embedded in the dough. This recipe makes a dozen tamales. For wrapping 24 corn husk leaves water to soak the leaves For the dough 1-1/2 c white masa harina 1/2 c sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 c chicken stock 3 T bacon drippings, or substitute lard or corn oil 1 tsp habanero sauce, such as El Yucateco brand For the filling 3 chicken thighs, skinned and boned, about 4oz each salt and pepper 2 T light olive or corn oil 12 oz sofrito sauce. You can use a commercial brand like Goya, or make your own from tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro. 2 tsp habanero sauce, or to taste At least two hours ahead of time, preferably eight hours, seperate the corn husk leaves from one another and place them in a wide shallow dish. Cover with water. You may have to put a plate on top of them to weigh them down, otherwise the top ones will not get wet. Begin the tamales by making the dough. Mix the corn into the masa. If you are using fresh corn, be sure to squeeze the corn milk off the cob into the mix. Stir in the liquid ingredients and form the dough into a ball. Set it aside while you work on the filling. Begin the filling by sprinking the chicken with salt and a good amount of black pepper. Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and then the chicken. Cook until golden brown on both sides and just barely cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes. In the mean time, put the sofrito in a medium saucepan and warm it over medium heat. Add the habanero sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, and dice it into 1/2" cubes. Put the chicken into the softrito and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. In this time the sauce should thicken and be partially absorbed into the chicken. Now, it's time to assemble the tamales. Take one large or two small corn husk leaves out of the water and pat them dry. They should be soft and flexible. Lay the leaves flat on the work surface, overlapping two leaves by 1-1/2" if they are not large. The top (pointy end) of the leaves should be facing away from you, and the flat side where they were cut should face you. Place roughly 2T of dough in the center of the leaves, and spread it out into a rectangle. The rectangle should come to withing 1" of the bottom of the leaves, and about 1-1/2" of the sides. Leave a little extra room at the top where the leaves are pointy. Place about 2T of filling in the center. Roll the corn husks up from both sides so that the dough meets at the top and seals in the filling, then let the husks lie back flat on the table. The filling should be completely enclosed in a layer of dough. Patch with additional dough if necessary. Now, fold the bottom of the leaves over the dough, then roll from one side to the other. The fold on the bottom should hold the dough in as you roll. Tie the top closed with a short length of butcher's twine. Tie a second length around the tamale about 1" from the bottom. If you want to be extra authentic, you can tie your tamales with thin strands cut from an extra corn husk instead of using string. As you are assembling the rest of the tamales, bring some water to a boil in a large pot with a steamer insert. A stock pot with a pasta/steamer insert is ideal for this. The water should come up to just below the insert. You can also use a bamboo steamer. Once all the tamales are assembled, place them in the steamer. Let them steam for 45-60 minutes. You can tell when they are done because they will feel firm. If you want to be extra sure, remove one from the steamer and open it. The dough should be firm and should release from the corn husks. If it is still soft and sticky, tie it back up and return it to the steamer. When the tamales are ready, serve them up with some refritos and your favorite salsa. Keywords: Chicken, Main Dish, Mexican, Easy ( RG186 )

Zaafraani Kulfi (Indian Ice-Cream) (Suvir Saran) There is no dessert as popular in the northern summer as Kulfi. This Indian version of ice cream is greatly addictive. In restaurants and street side vending carts, Kulfi is served with Falooda (Indian noodles) and a gentle dab of rose water. The frozen dense ice cream the silky playful noodles and the tingling floral bouquet from the rose water, are a perfect counter to the scorching afternoon sun. I also remember weddings where Kulfi frozen in individual terracotta containers was served. Nothing matches the wonders of eating Kulfi holding a cold terracotta container. There is something magical about it. But the magic is close enough when walking down a crowded New York street and finding a Kulfi vendor selling Kulfi in New York City on sticks like Popsicles. And the magic continues when you make it at home, with love and a sense of how you will share with your guests something sublime, Kulfi makes for a great and fulfilling dessert. Suvir Saran 1/2 gal half and half 2 cans evaporated whole milk reserve two tablespoons of this for later use 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar, or to taste 1/4 c blanched chopped almonds 1/4 c blanched pistachios, chopped finely 1/2 c golden raisins 1/2 tsp saffron strands 8 to 10 cardamom pods, peeled, seeded and ground into fine powder 2 T ghee 1. In a heavy bottom pan pour 2 tablespoon water and then pour all the half and half. Bring to a boil over high flame. When the milk is boiling, lower heat to a very low simmer, and with a flat metal spatula, keep scraping the bottom of the pan as the milk cooks over a period of 3-4 hours. 2. As the milk is cooking and you are scraping the base of the pan, in another small pan, take the ghee and heat it over a low flame. Add the ground cardamom seed powder and the raisins and nuts. Sautee for close to 5 minutes till the nuts and raisins are brown but not burned. As and when the content of the pan are sticking to the bottom, you can pour some boiling half and half into the pan to add moisture. 3. The milk will start forming dry layers around the rim of the pan. Scrape these back into the milk and continue to cook, making sure no milk is sticking at the base. You really want to reduce the milk by as much as you can. Place a custard bowl into the freezer for using to test the thickness later. 4. After two hours of cooking, add the evaporated milk to the pan and cook for another hour or more. Make sure you keep scraping the pan to ensure that the milk is not sticking and burning. The milk should be reduced by no less than half of what you began with. 5. Add 1 cup sugar into the pan. Turn the fire off. Test sugar by pouring some of the custard into the bowl from the freezer. Place the bowl with the custard back in the freezer and take it out after 5 minutes. Taste for sugar and add more if you feel the need. 6. In a small frying pan, sauté the saffron strands on a very low flame for a minute or two. Till they darken but aren't burned. Once ready, pour them into a mortar and pestle(or spice grinder). Grind into a fine powder. 7. To this fine powder, add the two tablespoons of evaporated milk and continue to blend it in the mortar and pestle. You will see how beautifully the color bleeds into the cream and also smell the intense aroma of saffron. Pour this into the custard 8. Transfer into Kulfi Containers or into a bread pan or even ice trays. You can also set the Kulfi in Popsicle molds to serve it on sticks. Freeze until solid and serve as you would ice cream. Serves 8-10 Keywords: Dessert, Coffee/Spice Grinder, Intermediate, Indian ( RG185 )

Basmati Rice (Version 2) I've had good results with this recipe given to me by a Parsi friend of mine. 4 c water 2 c (500 ml) basmati rice 2 tsp (10 ml) salt 1 T canola oil 5 green cardamom pods 5 whole cloves Wash the rice in cold water until the water is clear, rubbing the grains gently between your fingers. Pour four cups water into a medium-size pot and dissolve the salt. Add the oil and bring to a boil. Add the rice, stir once, add the spices, stir again, cover and reduce to lowest heat. Continue to cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and with a spatula, turn the rice over (it will be moist at the bottom). Leave it for a few more minutes, uncovered, for the moisture to be absorbed. Serves 6 Keywords: Side, Indian, Easy, Rice ( RG184 )

Basmati Rice (Version 1) 1/2 onion finely chopped 1 T ghee/canola/or corn oil, in order of preference 1 c basmati rice 1 bay leaf 2 to 3 cardomon pods 1 to 2 cloves 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp salt 1-3/4 c water Let rice soak in 2 cups water for 30 minutes. The quality of the rice determines whether or not it should also be washed, but most basmati rice sold in North America should not require much washing. In a heavy oven-proof pot lightly saute onion until it is translucent. Add the spices and saute quickly . (The amounts listed are approximations and should be adjusted to taste) Sometimes I add 1/4 t of Patak mild curry paste. Strain the rice and saute it lightly as well. After the rice is very lightly tanned and mixed well with the spices, add the water and bring to a boil. At this point you can either, lower the heat and cook on the stove top for about 20 minutes or move the pot to a low oven, 300 F, and let cook for about 15 minutes. The oven-baked rice has a richer taste, but you must be careful not to let it overcook. Keywords: Side, Easy, Indian ( RG183 )

Green chutney (Haree chutney) Almost every north Indian home makes a version of this recipe that is unique to that family. In many homes, it's served with every meal. The last time I was in India I was ecstatic for the simple reason that every single day I was able to eat fresh green chutney made with mint, cilantro and green mango. This recipe is easy to vary. You can omit the mint and use cilantro alone. Or you can use chopped green mango, if you can find it -- the mango gives the chutney a delicious sour taste. Increase the number of chilies (I have been known to add up to 10) to make a hot pepper chutney. Or you can make a mint chutney by increasing the mint and using less cilantro (but do include some cilantro or the chutney will be bitter). Suvir Saran 1-1/2 c firmly packed, chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 c firmly packed mint leaves 2 to 3 fresh, hot green chilies, stemmed 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks 1/2 red onion, quartered Juice of 2 lemons 1 T sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 c water Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process to a puree. (This won’t blend easily; you’ll need to stop and start the blending and scrape and stir the ingredients often to get the mixture to catch. You can add a bit more water to facilitate the process but the flavor of the chutney will be milder.) Makes 1 1/2 cups. Keywords: Easy, Blender, Condiment, Indian, The Daily Gullet ( RG182 )

Tamarind chutney (Imlee kee chutney) Tamarind makes a sweet and sour chutney with the consistency of hot fudge sauce. It's an important element in the street- and snack-foods of northern India. Suvir Saran 1 T canola oil 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 1/2 tsp asafetida 1/2 tsp garam masala 2 c water 1-1/4 c sugar 3 T tamarind concentrate Combine the oil and the spices in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, 1 minute Add the water, the sugar and the tamarind concentrate. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer until it turns a chocolaty brown color and is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 20 to 30 minutes. (While still warm, it will look like a thin chocolate sauce and it will thicken a bit as it cools.) Makes about 1 1/4 cups. Keywords: Easy, Condiment, Indian, The Daily Gullet ( RG181 )

Bhel poori The finished product will be quite good even if made with store-bought chutneys, but for the best results you'll of course want to make your own. See recipes for: Tamarind Chutney and Green Chutney Suvir Saran 1/2 package (400 grams) bhel mix 1/2 red onion, chopped 1 tomato, chopped 2 T green chutney (store-bought, or see recipe for Green Chutney) 2-1/2 T tamarind chutney (store-bought or see recipe for Tamarind Chutney) Fold everything together in a large bowl and serve immediately. Serves 3 to 4 normal people or 1 very hungry schoolboy. Keywords: Easy, Snack, Indian, The Daily Gullet ( RG180 )

Cheddar Fondue 1/4 c butter 1/4 c flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp ground mustard 1/4 tsp worchestershire sauce 1-1/2 c milk 2 c shredded cheddar cheese In saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and worchestershire sauce. Stir until smooth. Add cheese, stir until melted. Transfer to fondue dish. Serve with bread cubes, ham cubes, bite size sausages, or broccoli florets. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy ( RG179 )

Maple BBQ Ribs 3 lb pork side ribs 1 c maple syrup 1 small onion, chopped 1 T sesame seeds 1 T white vinegar 1 T worchestershire sauce 1 T chili sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground mustard 1/8 tsp pepper Place ribs, meat side down on a rack in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan; cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cut ribs into serving size pieces, return to pan (with rack removed), meat side up. Pour sauce over ribs. Bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour or until tender, basting occassionally. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Pork, Dinner, American ( RG178 )

Crispy Buttermilk Waffles Serves 4. These waffles have a crispy exterior and a light spongy center that is great for soaking up maple syrup. I make these on a thin American-style waffle iron. If you have a thick Belgian one, you may need to be extra careful in handling them as there may be too much sponge in the center to keep the crisp crusts together. Makes 10-12 4" square waffles, more or less depending on your waffle iron. 6 oz all purpose flour 2 T sugar 1 tsp salt 4 tsp baking powder 2 eggs, seperated 2 c buttermilk 1/4 c vegetable oil vegetable oil for spraying the waffle iron Preheat your waffle iron, and set the oven for 200 F to keep the waffles warm as they are ready. Sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together into a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks just until combined. Add the buttermilk and oil and stir together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until large limps are gone. At this point, the batter will begin expanding rapidly, to the point of becoming more a foam than a liquid. In a seperate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, trying to keep as much volume as possible. Some loss is inevitable, but more than half is too much. One the waffle iron is hot, spray both sides with a light coating of oil, then use a spatula to put some batter in. Take care to spread the batter all the way around the iron, as it does not flow like a thinner batter will. You should have a nice thin layer of batter all around before you close the lid. Baking time varies a lot from iron to iron, but generally these should go for a longer rather than shorter time. I set mine on 7 and these come out great, but that probably means nothing to you. Another hint as to when they are ready is that the flow of steam out the sides of the iron reduces noticably. When the first batch of waffles are done, remove them from the waffle iron with tongs and place them on a rack in a warm oven. Leave them uncovered or condensation will ruin their crispness. Proceed to make the rest of the waffles. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup. Keywords: Breakfast, Easy, Brunch, American, Waffle Iron ( RG177 )

Chinese Broccoli (Gai-lan), several ways Serves 4 as Side. One of our favorite vegetables, we frequently order Gai-lan when out for Dim Sum or other Chinese meals. It looks similar to Broccoli Rabe, but tastes like a cross between regular broccoli and asparagus with none of the bitterness of broccoli rabe. We generally prepare it Chinese-style, but it can also be prepared Italian-style, just like other forms of broccoli. Chinese Broccoli or Gai-lan, figure 1 bunch for 4 people With Oyster Sauce 1/4 c Oyster Sauce, best quality Sauteed with Garlic 1/3 c Peanut or Olive Oil 6 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and sliced Salt or Soy Sauce, to taste 1 tsp Sesame Oil, optional Blanch the vegetable: Set a large pot of water to boil, add salt when it comes to the boil. Have a large bowl of ice water ready. Prepare the Chinese Broccoli by trimming the cut ends, washing, then separate the leafy, thinner-stalked half from the larger stem half by cutting approximately in half. Blanch the vegetable, adding the thicker stemmed portion to the water about 1 minute before the thinner stemmed/leafy portion. After about another minute the vegetable will turn bright green.* Use a pasta scoop or spider web chan to remove the vegetable and shock in ice water. When cold, drain and saute the vegetables. Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce * If planning to serve immediately with Oyster Sauce, do not shock, but cook the vegetable just a little longer in the boiling water, then remove to a platter. Drizzle the Oyster Sauce all over the vegetable and serve immediately. Chinese Broccoli Sauteed with Garlic - Chinese Style Heat Peanut Oil in a wok and add the garlic and blanched Gai-lan. Stir fry until the vegetable is heated through and the garlic is lightly golden. Drizzle with Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil and serve. Chinese Broccoli Sauteed with Garlic - Italian Style In a very large skillet (or wok), place garlic slices and Olive Oil and bring up to heat, adding Gai-lan and a sprinnkle of salt while the garlic is still white. You can either briefly saute it to keep the vegetable crisp-tender, or lower the heat and cook it until wilted, like Broccoli Rabe. Keywords: Side, Vegan, Vegetarian, Kosher, Easy, Vegetables, Dinner, Chinese ( RG176 )

Fried Stuffed Lotus Root (Zha Ou He) Our friend Lin's mother made these for us when she was visiting from China. Here's a url: Lotus Root, Can you deep-fry it? "Fried lotus root was one of the holiday dishes you could see on many families' dining tables" especially for "Spring Festival." All ingredient measures are approximate below, Lin didn't give any measurements, I'm basing this on other Chinese dumpling fillings and her notes to me. As Lin said, "I don’t have the exact measure. It does not matter you have put in too much ground pork or too many scallions. Just follow your experience or instinct, and do not put too much sesame oil or salt." Whole Lotus Root Oil for deep frying Filling 1 lb Ground Pork 3 Scallions, chopped 1 T Soy Sauce 1 tsp Sesame Oil 1/4 tsp Salt Batter 1/4 c Flour 1 Egg Water Wash your fresh lotus root. If the skin looks very clean, keep the skin; if not, peel the skin. Steam or boil the whole lotus root until it is cooked. Cool then slice the lotus root crosswise into thick slices, then slice each of these in half, like a clamshell with one end still attached. While lotus root is cooking, stir the filling ingredients together. Optional seasonings include 5-Spice Powder, Ginger, Black Pepper. Prepare the batter: "Several tablespoonful of flour. Add 1 egg, and some water. Stir well. When it is well mixed, it should look like pancake mix, but a lot thinner." Spread some filling between the double sliced lotus root. Heat the oil in a wok or deep fryer. Dip each filled double slice into the batter. Then deep-fry it until it turns brown. Keywords: Appetizer, Side, Hors d'oeuvre, Intermediate, Pork, Vegetables, Dinner, Lunch, Snack, Chinese, Deep Fryer ( RG175 )

Spicy Mustard Spread Spice up your hot dogs and hamburgers with this zesty spread 1/4 c butter, softened 2 T ground mustard 2 T white vinegar 1/4 tsp garlic salt 4 drops hot pepper sauce Combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth. Chill. Serve with hotdogs, hamburgers, steaks or pork chops. Keywords: Easy, Condiment ( RG174 )

Mustard Sauce for Pork 1 T flour 3/4 c milk 1/2 tsp dried mint 3 T dijon mustard 2 T chicken broth 1/4 c sour cream 1/8 tsp pepper Combine flour, milk and mint in small saucepan until blended, over low heat. Bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in mustard and broth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sour cream and pepper. Serve warm. Keywords: Easy, Condiment ( RG173 )

Easy Crockpot Ribs An easy way to have supper ready when you get home. Ribs are fall off the bone tender. 1 onion, sliced 1 16 oz bottle honey garlic BBQ sauce 2 lb pork side ribs Broil ribs until browned. Slice into serving size pieces. Place sliced onion in bottom of crockpot. Brush each piece of rib with a little bbq sauce and layer ribs in crockpot. Pour the rest of the sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-6 hours. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Pork, American, Crock Pot ( RG172 )

Pepperoni Pizza Dip 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 c sour cream 1/8 tsp dried oregano 1/8 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 c pizza sauce 3/4 c chopped green pepper 10 pepperoni slices, quartered 1/4 c sliced green onions 1/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Spread into an ungreased 9 in pie plate. Cover with pizza sauce and top with green peppers, pepperoni and onions. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with bread sticks or toasted bread rounds Keywords: Appetizer, Easy, Condiment, Italian ( RG171 )