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Bracciole Florentine 4 thin-sliced round steaks 12 oz sliced provalone cheese 1 pkg frozen whole leaf spinach 1 c diced shallots Fresh grated Romano cheese 1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms 3 c beef stock 1 c dry red wine 2 T vegetable oil 1 T all purpose flour Salt & pepper to taste 1. Pound roundsteaks to tenderize, being careful not to tear holes in them. In a saute pan, lightly brown 1/2 cup of diced shallots in oil. Thaw spinach (I use a microwave) and squeeze out all excess moisture. 2. Season steaks with salt & pepper. Grate Romano evenly over them. Layer the provalone on the steaks and then layer the spinach. Top with sauteed shallots. 3. Roll up the steaks while retaining as much of the filling as possible. Pin closed with toothpicks. Brown evenly on all sides in little oil and transfer to a 2 qt cassarole. 4. While braccioles are browning, prepare a roux using 1 Tbsp oil and 1 tbsp flour. Stir while cooking over medium, then low heat for 5 - 10 minutes, or until light brown. 5. Add the wine to the pan used to brown the meat to deglaze it. Be sure to scrape up all the little tasty brown bits! Add the mushrooms and the remaining shallots, and bring to a boil. Add the stock, and bring to a boil again. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the roux to the stock while constantly stirring. Continue cooking for a few minutes until thickened. If it gets too thick, add some water until you get a gravy-like consistancy. 6. Pour the mushroom gravy over the Braccioles, cover and bake in a 350^ oven for 45 min to 1 hr. Serve with pasta, rice or potatoes. Careful not to eat the toothpicks! serves 4. ( RG272 )

Italian Minestrone Soup 2 stalks celery 2 T fresh chopped Italian parsley 1 12 oz. can V8 juice 1 can crushed tomatoes 6 c chicken stock 3 c beef stock 1 c dry white wine 3 carrots, 1/4 inch slice 2 medium Idaho potatoes, 1/2 inch dice 1 chopped leek (white plus 1 inch green) 5 chopped plum tomatoes 2 c finely sliced cabbage 1 green & 1 yellow squash, 1/4 inch slice 2 c Italian green beans* 1 c corn* 1 c small red beans* 1 c small white beans* 1 c garbanzos* 1 coarsely chopped green pepper 2 coarsely chopped onions 5 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 T lightly salted butter Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil crushed red pepper to taste (optional) 1 qt cooked pasta (small shells or elbows) grated Parmesan or Romano cheese *Canned or frozen may be substituted 1. Melt butter in large soup pot. When melted, add minced garlic and let saute for a minute, then add leek, onion, green pepper & carrot. simmer covered for 10 or 15 minutes to wilt vegetables. 2. Add tomatoes, potatoes, celery, cabbage, squash, stock, & V8. bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 3. Add red & white beans, corn, green beans and garbanzos, and bring to a slow boil again. Add salt, pepper, oregano, basil, red pepper, wine and parsley. Let simmer for 1/2 hour. 4. in a separate pot bring 2 qt water to a boil. cook pasta til almost done (do not overcook, it will continue to soften in the soup). Drain pasta thoroughly and add to soup. Serve with Italian bread and garnish with grated cheese and chopped parsley. Keywords: Soup, Appetizer, Easy, Italian ( RG271 )

Chinese Hot & Sour Soup From Mark's Website cups chicken stock 1/4 lb julienned lean pork or chicken 2 T garlic & red chile paste 2 T soy sauce 3/4 tsp ground white pepper 4 eggs, beaten 5 T cornstarch 1 c sliced shittake mushrooms 1 can peeled straw mushrooms 1 can sliced bamboo shoots 1 can sliced water chestnuts 1 can baby corn ears 1 cake soft tofu, sliced into 1/4 inch cubes 1/4 c white vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil 1/4 c dried black fungus (cloud ears), soaked in water for one hour, drained and sliced. finely chopped scallions for garnish Preparation: 1. Bring stock to a simmer, add soy, pork, mushrooms & chile paste, simmer for 10 minutes. 2. add pepper, vinegar, bamboo, baby corn, water chestnuts, fungus and tofu, simmer 10 min 3. Mix cornstarch with 5 tbsp water and add. bring back to a simmer and pour the eggs in a very thin stream over the surface. Let stand for 10 seconds before gently stirring in the sesame oil. 4. serve with a garnish of chopped scallions. The pepper, vinegar and chile paste can be varied to taste. You're a chile-head, you know what to do! Keywords: Soup, Appetizer, Easy, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG270 )

Stuffed Baked Brie Serves 8 as Appetizer. From =Mark's Website 14 oz wheel brie cheese (or two 8 oz wedges, smooshed together) 2 oz dry sherry one large shallot, sliced 2 T butter 2-4 oz. pkgs garlic&herb semi-soft cheese 1-1/2 c sliced mushrooms 10"x9" sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed Fresh ground pepper 1 egg, beaten 1 T water skillet, melt butter over high heat. When the butter begins to brown add the mushrooms and shallots, toss to coat. Add sherry and Saute, stirring occasionally, until they have browned around the edges, 5 minutes or so. Transfer the mushrooms & shallots to a plate. Lightly flour baking sheet. Place puff pastry on prepared sheet and roll out gently to remove fold lines. Spoon mushrooms in center of pastry. Spread 1 pkg semi-soft cheese on brie. Season with black pepper on the brie after spreading the cheese, and set on top of mushrooms (s-s cheese side down). Spread remaining-semi-soft cheese on second side of brie. (More pepper!) Bring pasty up around sides and over cheese, wrapping completely and trimming excess pastry. Turn over and place seam side down. Gather pastry scraps and using cookie cutters, cut out shapes of leaves, starts, hearts, etc. and place on top of pastry. Can be repared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking. Combine egg and water and brush over top. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pastry until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm and garnish with grapes, fresh apple slices and star fruit. Serve with crackers and/or crusty french bread. Serves 8-10. Keywords: Appetizer, Cheese, Easy ( RG269 )

Seasoned Mixed Nuts From the PB&J thread comes something better to do with peanuts. 1 T olive oil 1 T seasoned salt 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp cayenne 2 c shelled peanuts 1 c whole blanched almonds 1 c cashews 1 c shelled pumpkin seeds preheat > 400 degrees / mix oil etc together and pour over the nuts, mix well. Divide onto 2 baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 min stirring twice until light brown. Keywords: Easy, Hors d'oeuvre, American, Vegetarian ( RG268 )

Pickled Onions I use red onions with a light vinegar because the result turns a lovely pink color. 2 large red onions 1 c vinegar (distilled, cider, or white wine) 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp sugar Finely slice the onions. Place in a colander and run under hot water for 1 to 2 minutes. Place the onions in a non-reactive bowl and add vinegar, salt, and sugar. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Keywords: Vegetables, Condiment ( RG267 )

Smoked Chicken Tostadas Serves 4 as Main Dish. This would also be good with smoked pork or beef. 4 Smoked Chicken Legs/Thighs 1 ancho chile 1/2 c chicken stock 4 garlic cloves 1/2 c tomato puree 1/4 c lime juice 1 T mexican oregano 7 T lard or vegetable oil 8 stale tortillas 8 T crema or sour cream 1/2 c pickled onions Sauce Remove seeds and stem from ancho chile. Toast the chile in a hot frying pan (no oil) for a few seconds on each side. Remove from the pan and place in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let soak for at least 1/2 hour. Place the garlic cloves (with the skin on) and let them toast for 15 minutes, turning frequently. Add soaked chile, peeled garlic cloves, tomato puree, oregano, and chicken stock to a blender. Puree until smooth and strain. Add 1 Tbs. of the lard or oil to a pan and heat over medium heat. Add the pureed sauce and cook for ten minutes. Add the lime juice and salt (to taste) Chicken Brine and smoke the chicken (Recipe) Let the chicken cool and shred the meat. Tortillas Heat 6 Tbs. of lard or oil in a frying pan. Cook each tortillas until brown and crisp (about 2 minutes). Assembly Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and heat through. Place a spoonful of chicken on each tortilla and top with 1 Tbs. crema and 1 Tbs. pickled onions ( recipe.) Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Chicken, Mexican, Blender ( RG266 )

Salt and Pepper Shrimp Serves 4 as Main Dish. From mamster's Desperate Measures Column 1 lb extra-large shrimp (16-20), shells on 3 tsp salt 4 c peanut oil 2 tsp cornstarch 1 clove garlic, minced 1 fresh hot red pepper (jalapeno, Thai, or Serrano) 1 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry 3 scallions, white part only, julienned (for garnish) 1 tsp ground, roasted Szechuan peppercorns (see below) 1. To make roasted Sichuan pepper, toast a few tablespoons of whole Sichuan peppercorns in a dry skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Toast about five minutes, stirring often, until peppercorns are fragrant and beginning to smoke. Cool to room temperature and grind in a spice grinder. Sift into a jar to remove stems and seeds and store up to a few weeks. 2. Devein and rinse the shrimp without removing the shells. Dissolve 1 tsp of the salt in 1 cup cold water and brine the shrimp in this solution in a Ziploc bag for 10 minutes. (If brining in a bowl, double the solution.) Drain and pat dry with paper towels. 3. Heat the oil to 400 F in a wok. Dust the shrimp with cornstarch (a sieve or flour sifter makes this easy). Fry the shrimp 1 minute, stirring gently. Pour off the hot oil into a heatproof bowl with a strainer perched on top to catch the shrimp. Please do not set yourself on fire while you do this. If you are scared of the idea of pouring off a quart of hot oil (and if you’re not scared of this, the Green Berets need to talk to you), fry the shrimp in a saucepan, lift them out with a bamboo skimmer, and leave the oil in the pan to cool, continuing the recipe with a wok or skillet. 4. Return the wok to high heat. (If you are introducing the wok at this point, add a tablespoon of oil; otherwise the residual oil from the deep-frying is plenty.) Add the garlic and hot pepper and cook 10 seconds. Add the shrimp, ground Sichuan pepper, and remaining 2 tsp salt; toss to combine; and add the rice wine or sherry. Cover for 10 seconds, remove cover, and stir-fry an additional 10 seconds. Turn out onto a platter and garnish with the scallions. Eat with your hands and make rude gestures at the USDA goons. Keywords: Main Dish, Seafood, Shrimp, Chinese, The Daily Gullet ( RG265 )

Sephardic Charoset From the Passover thread: I've been making a sort of improvised Sephardic charoset for the past several years that is always a hit and much tastier than the "standard" mortar. 3 apples, cubed 3 pears, cubed 1/2 c each walnuts, almonds, filberts and pistachios, finely chopped 1 handful each dried apricots, golden raisins, and dates, finely chopped Ground Cinnamon Ground Ginger Pinch ground Nutmeg Kosher White Concord wine 1/3 c Honey Mix together fruits and nuts. Moisten with enough wine and honey to create "mortar-like-texture" and season to taste with ground spices. This is delicious and particularly easy since I cheat and pulse everything except the hand cubed fruit in batches through the food processor and then dump it in a big bowl. I get the fruit stickyness out of the bowl with the wine and honey and mix the spices into the liquids in the processor as well. Makes for a very evenly flavored mixture. Voila! Couldn't be easier. This seems to be particularly popular with children and is a great way to get them to eat something half good for them. Keywords: Kosher, Fruit, Condiment, Jewish, Passover ( RG264 )

Sourdough bread and variants Serves 1. My daily bread...fragrant tastes of the yeast and the grain, crisp crackiling crust. This seems straightforward, but contains the results of years of experimentation and optimisation. Sourdough starters can be bought from many places on the web, or beg some from a local bakery, or make your own by leaving out a mix of flour and water until it goes bubbly, and then follow the refreshing process described four or five times. To refresh the starter 1 c sourdough starter, out of the fridge from last time, or from a friendly source 1 c flour 1 c water For the dough 1 c refreshed sourdough starter 2-1/2 c flour 1-1/2 c water 2 tsp salt Sourdough Bread Instructions Refresh the Starter Mix together starter, flour, and water. It should be the consistency of very thick cream Allow to stand in a warm (85F) place for 4 hours. Should be bubbly. Temperature is fairly critical, as it affects the ratio of yeast to lactobacillus, and hence the sourness of the bread. Any hotter and you start to kill the yeast; colder and it is not as sour and takes longer to rise. Put half the starter back in the pot in the fridge for next time. Ideally should be refreshed (this process) once a week or so, but will keep more or less indefinitely in a closed container in the fridge. May separate into two layers, but just stir them together. If you haven’t used it for a long time refresh it as above a couple of times first to restore the vigour. Doesn’t freeze well, but can be dried for a reserve supply. If you need to ship it, make some into a lasagne sheet, For best results always use the same flour, so the bugs can get used to it. Need not be fancy. Some people keep separate starters for white and for wholemeal. I use a white unbleached flour, which has added Vitamic C as an improver, otherwise you can add 1/2tsp Vitamic C (Ascorbic acid) but it is not critical. Make the Dough Whizz together refreshed starter, flour and water in a food processor for 20 sec. You can knead by hand (10 minutes by the clock), but a food processor is much easier. Should make a softish dough. The wetter the dough the bigger the holes in the final bread. Different flours need different amounts of water – add more water or flour to get the right consistency. Leave for 30 mins. Add the salt and whiz for another 20 sec, or knead for another 10 mins. You add the salt after an initial fermentation period as salt jams the amylisation of starch to sugars to feed the yeast. Leave for 2 hours or so in a warm (85F) place. Turn out onto a floured board. Handle gently - don't knok all the air out. Shape and put upside down into a cloth lined basket (called a banneton). Put into the fridge, covered with a cloth, overnight. The dough is soft, so needs the support of the basket. You could cook it after letting it rise for a hour or so, but its easier to handle, less critical in timing and gives a better crust if you keep it in the fridge (retardation) for between 8 and 24 hours. When you are ready to bake the dough heat the oven as hot as it will go. If you have one, put a pizza stone or a layer of quarry tiles on the shelf to provide bottom heat. Heat the oven at least an hour before you want to bake to allow time to stabilise. Best if you take the dough out of the fridge an hour before you cook it. When ready to cook turn the dough out onto a baking sheet and remove the cloth. Slash the top firmly with a very sharp knife. Professional bakers use a razor blade on a stick. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a good colour. You might need to turn it after 30 mins. Let the bread cool to warm before you slice it. (hard to do). For a better crust, put an empty pan in the bottom of the oven and pour a cup of boiling water into it after you have put the bread in the oven. (care: hot steam), and shut the door quickly. The idea is to provide a burst of steam, which gelatinises the outside of the dough. Professional ovens have steam injection for this purpose. Alternatively (but not as good) you can paint the bread with water before it goes in the oven, or use a garden sprayer. I’d advise practicing plain white bread before trying variations. When you get that right you can get fancier: Flavours and additions: Add with the salt, but you might want to hand-knead them in – the food processor chops them a bit fine. Onions (soften in butter first), Hazelnuts, walnuts Olives, Sun-dried tomatoes Caraway seeds Dill weed Raisins Smarties or M&Ms Seeds: Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame Crust variants: Dust the cloth lining with flour before putting in the bread Brush with milk or cream Brush with egg glaze (egg yolk+milk) Toppings: Porridge oats Muesli Poppy seeds Sesame seeds Cheese Flour variants: I’d recommend only using 1/3rd-1/2 with plain strong white flour Wholemeal (will not rise as much) Granary (has added malt) Rye flour (makes a sticky dough) For dark rye add 1 Tbs black treacle (molasses). Some like caraway seeds Spelt (ancient wheat) Poilane is reputed to use 1/5th Spelt. “Mighty White” (steamed, corned grains) Sweet bread: add sugar and butter with the fruit. Saffron for Easter. Keywords: Bread ( RG263 )

The Neiman-Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie From the Neiman-Marcus website, with permission. 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened 1 c brown sugar 3 T granulated sugar 1 egg 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1-3/4 c flour 1-1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, slightly crushed 8 oz semisweet chocolate chips 1. Cream the butter with the sugars until fluffy. 2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract. 3. Combine the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. 4. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for a crispier cookie. Makes 12 to 15 large cookies Keywords: Cookie ( RG262 )

Chipotle Chicken & Veggie Soup Got the idea for this after sampling a couple bowls of a regional style soup during a trip to the Firey Foods Festival in New Mexico, just substituted Chipotles for the green chiles: 1 6 lb. roasting chicken 1 32 oz can chicken stock 1 c coarsley chopped celery (Save all veggie trimmings for stock) 1 c diced red bell pepper 1 c sliced carrots 2 medium onions coarsely chopped 1 c corn kernels 1 16 oz can diced tomato 1 c chipotles in adobo sauce 1/2 tsp thyme cracked black pepper to taste salt to taste (I use heavy chinese soy sauce) Roast chicken in oven till done, cool overnight. Debone chicken and save all the bones & scraps. Cut meat into bite size bits removing fat & gristle. Refrigerate. In a large stock pot add bones and carcass as well as veggie peelings, carrot butts and onion skins etc and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 to 3 hours, skimming and stirring occasionally. Strain through a collander and add stock back to pot. Add celery, bell pepper, corn, onions and carrots as well as the canned stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until veggies begin to turn tender. Add chicken and canned tomato. While soup is coming back to a simmer, take about a cup of it and put in a food processor with the chipotles & adobo. Whirr it up for about 30 seconds or untill the peppers are well pureed. Add salt, pepper and thyme to the soup, then start adding the chipotle puree about a quarter cup at a time, stirring and tasting for the desired pungency. Using all of it makes for a chileheads delite, but may be too much for some gringos to handle! This makes a big old pot full which would probably serve 20 or 25 people. Good for freezing and serving at a later time. You could use all canned stock and one of those rotisserie chickens from the store, but my life is dull and I got nothin' better to do... Keywords: Soup, Chicken, Tex-Mex, American, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG261 )

Shrimp & Pesto Ravioli with Sherry Cream Sauce & Shitakes 1 lb 31 to 40 count shrimp, peeled, deveined and boiled for 4 minutes. Drain and cool. 2 c durum semolina flour 2 eggs water pesto pitted calamata olives 1/2 lb. shitake mushrooms 1/4 c diced shallots 1/4 c dry sherry 1 pt heavy cream 1/4 tsp nutmeg olive oil 1/4 stick butter at room temperature 1/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning 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 shitakes 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 both 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: Pasta, Seafood, Shrimp ( RG260 )

Chinese Dumplings (Potstickers) Dough: 1/2 tsp salt 2-1/2 c unsifted flour 1 T lard, chopped fine (OK, I use margarine!) 1 c boiling water Filling: 1 lb ground pork 2 T dry sherry 2 T soy sauce 1 tsp grated ginger 1/2 tsp groud white pepper 1 T toasted sesame oil 1 T chopped green onion 1/2 tsp sugar 1 egg white 1 tsp salt 1 T corn starch 2 cloves garlic, finely minced > 2 T finely chopped water chestnuts 2 T finely chopped bamboo shoots 1 T (or more) garlic & red chile paste 1 c finely chopped cabbage with moisture squeezed out Mix all the Dough ingredients and knead thoroughly. Let rest on the counter under a bowl for 20 Min. Combine all filling ingredients and mix into a bowl. 1. Break off about a teaspoon of the dough, and roll into a 3 inch circle. 2. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the circle, and wet the edges of the circle with a little water. Seal into a half-moon shape, avoiding trapped air. 3. Heat a saute pan with 2 tbsp peanut oil, and place the dumplings upright in the pan and cook on medium /high heat until bottoms become nicely browned (3-5 min.) 4. Pour 1 cup chicken stock into the hot pan and immediately cover. Cook another 3 or 4 minutes, until most of the broth is absorbed. 5. serve immediately with a sauce made with 1/2 cup soy with a dash of ginger, scallion and a few drops of sesame oil for dipping. Keywords: Appetizer, Pork, Chinese, Hot and Spicy ( RG259 )

Winter Vegetable Soup Serves 6 as Soup. 4 oz bacon strips, sliced to 1/2 inch 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1" julienne strips 4 ribs celery, sliced 5 c chicken stock 2 c carrot, 1/4 inch slices 1 small rutabaga, peeled and diced to 1/2 inch 3 medium potatoes, 1/2 inch dice 1 pkg frozen chopped spinach 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1-1/2 tsp dried tarragon 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 c dry sherry 1/2 c heavy cream salt to taste in a large soup pot, heat chopped bacon until it begins to brown. Add chopped onion, leeks and celery, and cook until they begin to wilt, about 15 min. Add stock and carrots, and heat until it comes to a simmer. Add potatoes and rutabaga and bring back to a boil. Add frozen spinach. When soup begins to boil again, add tarragon, thyme and black pepper, followed by the sherry. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, but are still firm. Remove about half of the vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in food processor with about a cup of stock. Puree till smooth and return to pot. Add cream and simmer for another 10 minutes, being careful not to let soup come to a full boil. Salt to taste. Serve with chopped parsely or chives for garnish. Keywords: Soup, Vegetables, Lunch, Dinner ( RG258 )

Nieman Marcus $250 Cookies From the legendary spam email of unknown origin. The Nieman Marcus Cookie Thread 2 c butter 24 oz chocolate chips 4 c flour 2 c brown sugar 2 tsp soda 1 tsp salt 2 c sugar 1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated) 5 c blended oatmeal 4 eggs 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp vanilla 3 c chopped nuts (your choice) Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies. Keywords: Dessert, American, Easy, Chocolate, Snack, Cookie ( RG257 )

Piquant Salmon Rolls 8 oz cream cheese 1/4 c walnuts or pecans, chopped 1/4 c green onion, chopped 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp cayenne (or more, to taste. For Chilehead events I’ve used dried habanero powder) 1 stalk celery chopped 2 tsp lemon juice 8 oz (3/4" by 2") thin slices smoked salmon thin sliced cucumber freshly ground pepper your favorite crackers (I use Wheatsworth) fresh dill sprigs hot sauce * 1.In a bowl, soften cream cheese and stir in chives, green onion walnuts and celery. 2. Add lemon juice and spices and mix well. 3. Spread mixture on salmon slices and season with pepper, roll up to form neat rolls 4. Place a cucumber slice on each cracker and place a sprig of dill and a salmon roll on each cucumber. 5. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and garnish with chives if desired. * To add some more heat you can add a couple drops of habanero sauce to the top of the cucumber during assembly. The sauce I use has cloves and honey which seem to compliment the flavor of the salmon. You might want to play around with the seasonings. salmon rolls may be prepared several hours in advance, and assembled just before serving to prevent the cracker from getting soggy. Keywords: Fish, American, Appetizer, Hors d'oeuvre, Seafood, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG256 )

Rich's Chicken Salad Sunrise 3 lb Boneless Chicken Breast. 1 c Celery, cut diagonally. 1/2 c Red Onion, small dice. 8 oz Raisins, black, golden, or a mixture. 8 oz Cashews or other nuts. 1 g fresh Saffron 1 T olive oil 1 T balsamic vinegar 1 c Chicken Stock or Water Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste 1/2 lb pasta, cooked al dente' (I use bow ties) 1 Large red or green Bell Pepper, fine julienne. 1 T Fresh Thyme or Mint (or about 1tsp of dried leaves) 3 c mayonnaise, either homemade or a quality brand like Hellmann's or Kraft Chopped Chives or Green Onions for Garnish 1 c Brandy or Bourbon (optional) 1. Pound the chicken breasts lightly so that they are of an even thickness (~1/2 ") and then grill over a hot flame, marking well, but being careful not to overcook. Refrigerate to cool. When the chicken is cool, cut into 1/2" cubes. 2. As an option, soak the raisins in the brandy or bourbon for an hour. Drain, reserving the liquid. 3. Combine chicken stock or water, olive oil, and vinegar. If you used brandy or bourbon for the raisins, add about 1 tbs. of the reserved liquid as well. The amount of saffron that you will need will vary greatly with the purity and freshness. With this method, having too weak a mixture will be more of a problem than too strong a mixture. Chop the saffron threads very finely. Add the saffron to the stock mixture and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup in volume, and then cool. Mix this liquid into the mayo. The color should be a fairly bright, but not a totally alarming yellow (more than a legal pad, but less than a taxi). If the color and flavor seem too strong, just add more mayo. 4. Gently mix the diced chicken, drained raisins, celery, onion, bell pepper, and thyme or mint in a large bowl. 5. Fold the saffron mayo into the salad, whatever amount looks good to you. Add salt and pepper to taste. It's best if you can let the flavors meld overnight The nuts are best added about 1 hr. before serving so that they don't become too soggy. The left over bourbon or brandy can be used for deglazing sautéed foods. It's especially good when used for pork, game, or poultry. Of course you can also guzzle it as an after dinner drink! Keywords: Pasta, Side, Chicken, American, Salad, Main Dish ( RG255 )

Chef Matt's "Fat Guy" Lobster Chowder Serves 4 as Appetizeror 2 as Main Dish. Chef J. Matthew Seeber invented this dish in Fat Guy's home when Fat Guy was writing an article for Salon.com about mail-order lobsters. Later, Chef Matt converted this rustic version of the dish into a more haute, elegantly plated version (depicted here) that became part of the menu at the restaurant formerly known as Bid, with which he is no longer affiliated. 4 live 1.5-pound lobsters 1 medium onion peeled and quartered 1 large carrot peeled and roughly chopped 1 celery stalk chopped 1/2 small fennel bulb 2 c heavy cream 2 medium potatoes boiled and diced Separate the tails and claws from the four live 1.5-pound lobsters. Boil them until the meat is just cooked, approximately four minutes for the tails and eight minutes for the claws (measured from the time the water comes back up to the boil). Serve the lobster tails immediately, or refrigerate for use in lobster salads or other recipes. Remove and chop the claw meat, and refrigerate for use in the chowder. Remove all innards from each lobster body, setting aside the roe if the lobster is a female. Rinse the bodies thoroughly. In a 4-quart or bigger pot, place the bodies, the peeled and quartered onion, the peeled and roughly chopped carrot, the chopped celery stalk, and, if available, half a small fennel bulb. Cover with approximately 2 quarts of the cooking water from the claws and tails (or use plain water). Do not add salt (lobster is naturally salty). Bring to a boil and simmer for three hours. Strain the stock, discard the solids, and place the liquid back on high heat. Reduce until you have about two cups of thick, rich lobster stock. Add an equal amount of heavy cream, two diced boiled potatoes and the lobster claw meat. Bring back to the boil, heat through and serve. Optional: # Combine the lobster roe with a few tablespoons of room-temperature butter and mix thoroughly with a fork until a smooth green paste is formed. Add this to the chowder at the end of cooking and boil, while stirring, for one minute. The lobster roe, when cooked this way, will turn everything a delightful shade of pink and provide further body and flavor to the chowder. # Add a smoked pork product, like bacon or sausage, to the chowder for a nice smoky flavor. # Add other chopped cooked vegetables (corn, carrots, leeks), fresh herbs (particularly tarragon) and/or shellfish (scallops, clams) to the chowder for variety. # If you perform all three of these optional steps, this will be one of the best, most insanely rich things you've ever eaten. Keywords: Soup, Seafood, American, Appetizer, Fish, Main Dish, Lunch, Expert, Dinner ( RG254 )

Pico de Gallo con Aguacate Pico de Gallo ('peeko day guy-yo') means 'beak of the rooster,' for some reason. Been told it's because it's chopped up, like chicken feed and you pick at it - but who knows. It is an excellent and very typical Mexican relish/condiment. In the U.S. and in Mexico along the U.S. border, the name "Pico de Gallo" connotes a relish with the main ingredients of tomatoes, onions, chiles, salt, lemon juice and oil, cilantro, etc., that kind of thing - but in most of Mexico, that particular combination is more commonly called "Salsa Cruda." Elsewhere in Mexico, "Pico de Gallo" can mean any combination of fresh, crunchy, primarily raw (sometimes chipotle peppers are used, which are smoked) garnish or snack. As a guest in Mexican homes, I've had some wonderful and very interesting picos that were made with various types of chiles, jicama, onions, pineapple, citrus juices, mint leaves, cucumber, crushed red pepper, etc., among many other things. A typical snack "Pico de Gallo" is cubed jicama, orange sections (fresh or canned), fresh lime juice, minced chiles (or dash of chile powder), chopped red onions, and salt. Allow to macerate in the fridge for 3-4 hours. This is served with toothpicks, with which you "peck" or pick out your choices, much like a rooster might. Do this a time or two and the name suddenly makes more sense. The following recipe more closely resembles what you find in Northern Mexico, along the U.S. border -- and in fact, I got it from a favorite restaurant in a small border town. It's wonderful on top of a bowl of beans, or with your fajitas, hamburgers, carnitas, tacos, grilled meats - pretty-much anything. Tear off a little bit of meat, put it in a warm tortilla, add some pico and there you go. 1 large flavorful tomato (or 2 or 3 Romas), water removed, chopped 1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped 2 or more - to taste - jalepenos, or serranos, or other favorite peppers, seeded and minced 1 avocado, not mushy, very coarsely chopped 1 medium-sized lemon, rolled, or zapped in microwave to release juices generous handful cilantro, chopped 1 T olive oil 1 tsp vinegar celery salt to taste dash garlic salt In glass bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, onions, chile peppers, avocados, cilantro. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon over, and add a pretty-good splash of olive oil. Add 1 tsp vinegar. Season to taste with celery salt. Sprinkle a little garlic salt. Toss to blend. Allow to sit in fridge a half/hour or so for flavors to meld, stirring occasionally. Keywords: Appetizer, Condiment, Vegetarian, Dip, Easy, Mexican, Snack ( RG253 )

Chocolate Cheese Cups Serves 24 as Dessert. 8 oz cream cheese 1/3 c sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt 1 c chocolate chips 1-1/2 c flour 1/4 c cocoa 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 c sugar 1/3 c oil 1 c water 1 tsp vinegar 1 tsp vanilla Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake paper. Beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside. Mix dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, soda, salt, sugar) in large bowl. Stir in oil, vinegar, water and vanilla. Mix well. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Spoon cheese batter evenly over chocolate batter. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. ( RG252 )

Easiest Brownies Serves 16. These were the brownies served at a reception for the Victorian Society in America held in New Paltz, NY 30 years ago. I always make it now with brown sugar and usually with a high quality bittersweet chocolate rather than the unsweetened chocolate and white sugar in the original recipe, but I am posting the original as a tribute to those who gave it to me. 2 oz unsweetened chocolate 1/3 c butter 1 c sugar 2 unbeaten eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 c sifted flour 1/2 c chopped nuts (optional) Melt choclate and butter together. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients Pour into greased and floured 8" square pan and bake for 23 minutes at 350F. Cut into 16 squares WHEN COOL. Improvement: Use high quality bittersweet chocolate and reduce the butter and sugar by a bit. Substitute brown sugar for the white sugar. Keywords: Chocolate, Easy, Brownies/Bars ( RG251 )

QUAIL AND LAMB SWEETBREAD PASTRIES WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS Serves 8 as Appetizeror 4 as Main Dish. Basic recipe from Cordon Bleu Paris Superior Cuisine with adaptations by loufood. Principal ingredients 500 g puff pastry 1 egg for egg wash ------ 3 quails, boned, (breasts/legs with skin and livers/ hearts for forcemeat; carcasses for sauce) oil, butter salt, pepper Forcemeat (stuffing) Quail breasts, legs – roughly ground Quail livers, hearts – roughly chopped 2 onions, thinly sliced 2 shallots, thinly sliced 4 shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, degermed/crushed, finely chopped 250 g shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced; reserve some small whole for garnish 1 egg 20 g fresh breadcrumbs 20 ml cream 1 T parsley oil, butter salt, pepper ------ 250 g lamb sweetbreads, soaked, blanched, roughly chopped Sauce Quail carcasses 80 g mirepoix (carrot, onion, celery) 100 ml Madeira 200 ml red wine 250 ml veal stock 20 g butter salt, pepper Sauce. Chop all quail bones, brown lightly. Stuffing. Sweat onion, add thin sliced shallots, cook low to caramel. Add mirepoix to bones, sweat. Sweat 2 finely chopped shallots, add mushrooms, cook low to almost dry. Deglaze sauce pan with Madeira, reduce to almost dry. Sweat 2 finely chopped shallots, add garlic, sweat, add sweatbreads, just sautee, chill. Add red wine to sauce, low boil about 5 minutes then add water to just cover, reduce low by half, skim. Season/taste mushrooms, set aside. Season/taste onions, set aside. Soak breadcrumbs in cream. Grind quail breasts/legs. Add liver, hearts, weigh, season. Add sweetbreads/shallots/garlic, egg, parsley, stir, add breadcrumbs/cream as needed. Cook sample, taste, season as needed. Lightly sautee whole mushrooms, season/taste. Add veal stock to sauce, reduce low. Roll out puff pastry thin, slice rounds, egg wash around edge, add in thin layers caramelized onions, meat mixture, mushrooms, fold edges over, place whole shiitake over, egg wash pastry, chill to dry. Egg wash again, chill to dry. Bake 220C about 10 minutes, then 200C until golden. Chinois sauce, reduce to syrup as needed, season/taste, chinois. Keywords: Appetizer, Lamb, Main Dish, Lunch, Intermediate, Dinner, Game, French ( RG250 )

Thai Green Curry With Shrimp And Gai Lan Serves 2 as Main Dish. 1 can (13.5) oz coconut milk, separated into thick cream and thin milk 3 T green curry paste 1 T fish sauce 1 tsp palm sugar Juice of 1/2 lime or 2 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 1/3 cup hot water and strained 1 lb gai lan (Chinese broccoli), cut into 1" and parboiled 4 minutes, or substitute 3/4 lb regular broccoli, with the head cut into florets and the stem peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 fresh red jalapeno, sliced thin Jasmine rice 1. In a medium saucepan, heat the thick coconut cream over medium-high heat until bubbling furiously. 2. Add the curry paste and stir until well mixed, grinding the paste against the bottom and sides of the pot if necessary. Cook until you see dark streaks of coconut oil forming. 3. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime or tamarind, and thin coconut milk. Stir to mix. 4. Taste and adjust seasonings. 5. Reduce heat to medium. Add broccoli and simmer five minutes. 6. Add the shrimp. They should cook through in 2-3 minutes; remove from heat when the shrimp are just shy of fully cooked and they'll finish cooking at the table. 7. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with fresh jalapeno and serve over rice. Keywords: Vegetables, Shrimp, Main Dish, Dinner, Seafood, Lunch, Vegetables, Thai, The Daily Gullet ( RG249 )

Thai Red Curry With Chicken, Potatoes, And Beans Serves 2 as Main Dish. How do you decide what ingredients to use with what color of curry? There are traditional combinations, but when it comes down to it, it doesn't much matter. Here are two of the unlimited possibilities that can be painted on the Thai curry canvas. I encourage you to work from these simple beginnings and then improvise your own curries. Please let me know if you come up with something irresistible. 1 can (13.5) oz coconut milk, separated into thick cream and thin milk 3 T red curry paste 1 T fish sauce 1 tsp palm sugar Juice of 1/2 lime or 2 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 1/3 cup hot water and strained 1/2 lb chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1/2" cubes 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced 9 oz package frozen green beans or 1/2 lb fresh green beans, cut into 1" lengths 2 fresh serrano or Thai chiles, sliced thin Jasmine rice 1. In a medium saucepan, heat the thick coconut cream over medium-high heat until bubbling furiously. 2. Add the curry paste and stir until well mixed, grinding the paste against the bottom and sides of the pot if necessary. Cook until you see dark streaks of coconut oil forming. 3. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime or tamarind, and thin coconut milk. Stir to mix. 4. Taste and adjust seasonings. 5. Reduce heat to medium. Add chicken, potato, and beans. 6. Simmer 30 minutes or until potato is cooked through. If you don't simmer gently, the coconut milk will separate a lot, and the curry will look kind of weird and be harder to dish up. It will still be perfectly tasty. 7. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the fresh chiles and serve over rice. Keywords: Thai, Main Dish, Beans, Dinner, Potatoes, Lunch, Chicken, The Daily Gullet ( RG248 )