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Cage bach (Welshcakes) Serves 24 as Dessert. When I was studying in Carmarthen (southwest Wales), they had a market with fabulous cage bach (called Welshcakes in English), sold warm in little packages. Top 'em with clotted cream and strawberries, or even just a bit of butter, and they were delicious. This is my best shot at reconstructing 'em, after fiddling with three or four recipes from various locations and substituting things like sugar (easy to find in America) for "golden syrup" (much harder to find here but easy to find in Britain). 2 c self-rising flour (or add 1 to 2 tsp. baking powder to regular) 1 stick of butter (4 oz or 1/2 cup) 1/2 c sugar 2/3 c currants, soaked in hot liquid to plump up 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp ginger 1 egg, beaten 1 c milk (but you probably won't use all of it) Hot liquid of choice for the currants - could be water, apple juice, Ribena (a currant drink), or something like brandy * Rinse the currants well and put them in the hot liquid to soak for at least 30 minutes or until they're plump and tasty. * Stir together the flour, baking powder (if needed), salt, and spices. * Cut the butter into small bits (I quarter a stick lengthwise and then chop into little bits that way) and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until it's like fine crumbles. * Drain the soaking liquid off the currants. * Make a hollow in the middle of the flour mixture and add the sugar, the beaten egg, about 1/4 cup milk, and the drained currants. Stir together. If it needs more liquid, add the rest of the milk, but it should be a somewhat stiff dough (stiffer than chocolate chip cookie dough). * Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick (I often do this between two floured sheets of waxed paper) and cut in three-inch circles (you can use a juice glass for this). * Cook over low heat on a griddle or nonstick frying pan that's been very lightly oiled with something flavorless like canola oil. (Don't use olive oil or they'll turn out smelling like a salad!) Cook them like little pancakes -- wait a while until one side is toasty golden, then flip and toast the other side. They won't really toast any further if you keep flipping them, so make sure one side's nice and golden before you flip the first time. (Try one as an experiment to get the timing right before you cook up a big batch, because I never seem to get the same amount of heat out of my stovetop twice in a row.) * Sprinkle the top with sugar while they're still warm. * Eat as is or top with something like honey, jam, lemon curd, a bit of butter, or Devonshire double cream. They keep well in an airtight tin if any survive the initial ooo-warm nibbles from anyone in the building. (Don't put toppings on until you're ready to eat them though.) I've read that you can bake them at 350 for about 15 minutes instead of griddling them. Technically, you can, but they don't turn out quite right -- they won't be that toasty golden color on both sides... stick with a griddle, even if you don't have a cast-iron Welsh bakestone. Keywords: Dessert, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Snack, Cookie, British ( RG1491 )

Easy peach lassi Serves 2 as Appetizer. One night I wanted lassi to go with a spicy dal I was having for dinner, but I didn't have any mango on hand. Canned peaches made an easy and tasty alternative. 1 pkg canned peaches (8 oz. size) 1 c plain yogurt 1 T sugar Pinch of salt Half a blender full of ice cubes Put them all in a blender and pulse until smooth. Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Dessert, Vegetarian, Easy, Fruit, Indian ( RG1490 )

Daifuku mochi (Mayan hot chocolate style) Serves 12 as Side. Daifuku mochi (rice cakes stuffed with something else) are very traditional Japanese food. What's not so traditional about this recipe is the chocolate! If you want a more traditional version, leave out the cinnamon and almond and chocolate and fill the mochi with something like anko (sweet bean paste) and strawberries. I got started developing this recipe from online daifuku mochi recipes from both the Tsuji Culinary Institute (in Japanese) and a person named Konny with a wagashi website, but I found the Tsuji method would take a lot of time and some of Konny's simplified microwave directions and proportions were a little difficult to follow (particularly how much sugar was supposed to go into how much water). So I played around until I came up with a version I could manage more easily. Mochi 1 c mochiko (glutinous rice flour) 1 c water Flavored syrup 3/4 c sugar 1/4 c water 1 tsp almond extract 3/4 tsp cinnamon Filling Semisweet chocolate chips (or more traditional ingredients) Dusting powder Mochiko as needed Sugar and cocoa are tasty additions A Silpat and heat-proof spatulas are very useful here. <b>With the syrup ingredients:</b> Microwave 1/4 cup water for about a minute, then add 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Microwave for another 45 seconds. Add another 1/4 cup sugar, stir, microwave another 45 seconds. Add the last 1/4 cup sugar, stir, microwave 45 seconds. (It should be bubbling at this point.) With a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the almond extract and cinnamon. Don't worry when it crystallizes like mad; just mix it together until it's the color of fudge and set it aside. <b>With the mochi ingredients:</b> Mix together a cup of mochiko and a cup of water and a pinch of salt in a microwavable bowl. Cover with saran wrap, microwave for one minute and stir; repeat until it starts getting puffy (about 5 shots in my microwave; it may take longer or shorter at a different power). At this point you have unflavored mochi that you can use by itself if you want. Rewarm the sugar syrup for about 20 seconds (because it's probably set up into a solid mass while the mochi is being microwaved), then pour the syrup over the mochi and stir like mad for a long time until it's turned smooth and brown-sugar-colored again. (It'll look like a gloppy mess at first but it does mix up fine... just keep at it. I've discovered a heat-proof silicon spatula is REALLY useful when mixing mochi.) <b>For shaping and filling the mochi:</b> Scatter the cocoa-mochiko-sugar mix all over your Silpat or whatever you're using for a catcher. Pour the mochi-napalm over the mix. Scatter more coca-mochiko-sugar on top and put a piece of Saran wrap over it and roll it flatter to cool (take the Saran wrap off when done, it's just there to keep the mochi-napalm from adhering to your hands and burning you). When it's cool enough to handle, cut or tear off bits and make thin palm-sized disks out of the mochiko. (If you cut them in rectangular shapes, you can get little mochi pillows instead of balls, and they're a bit easier to handle and shape.) Either way, put some chocolate chips in the center and pinch the edges closed and roll into a ball shape and then re-roll in the cocoa-flour-etc mix. (Stop and reroll everything whenever anything starts sticking, actually.) I get about a dozen of them out of this proportion of ingredients. When you're done rolling them, put them in a pile on a small plate and put them back in the microwave for two or three 15-second shots. The chocolate melts in the center but doesn't get scalding, and you bite into this oozing chocolate center. Yum... Keywords: Dessert, Vegetarian, Intermediate, Rice, Snack, Japanese ( RG1489 )

Beef Tenderloin with Coffee & Cocoa Coating Serves 4 as Main Dish. This is based on Robert Del Grande' recipe. It has been published in the Houston Chronicle and numerous cookbooks. It should be served with grits and some sort of bitter greens. The beef comes out with almost a custard texture when cooked this way. He also prepared it on a Julia Child episode. 1 2 lb beef fillet (large end) 1 tsp each, salt & pepper 2 T each, fine ground coffee & EVOO 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder 1/8 tsp cinnamon 2 T butter, divided 3/4 lb shiitakes, stems removed, caps quartered 1 T butter 1/2 large white onion, chopped 8 garlic cloves, peeled 2 Pasilla chilis,stemmed,seeded 1 6 in. white corn tortilla 2-1/2 c chicken stock 1/4 c heavy cream 1 tsp each, salt, brown sugar Tie fillet with string at 1/2 inch intervals. Sprnkle with salt and pepper; rub with olive oil. Combine coffee, cocoa and cinnamon in small bowl and mix well. Coat fillet evenly with mixture and let stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400. Place fillet on a rack in a roasting pan; roast 10 min. Immediately reduce heat to 250 and continue roasting. After 20 minutes check internal temp of fillet--125/med rare, 135/medium. When desired doneness reached remove from the oven and keep warm. Melt one Tbs butter in a skillet over med-high heat until foaming. Add quartered shiitake caps and saute until done. Set aside and keep warm. Melt butter in a saucepan over med-high heat-add onions and garlic --saute until browned. Add chilis and torn tortilla; saute slowly until golden brown--reduce heat if necessery. Add chickenstock and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer 10 min. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth- about one min. Strain and stir in cream, salt, and brown sugar; blend well. add stock to thin if necessery-- set aside and keep warm. Remove string from fillet and slice 1/4 inch thick. Serve with mushrooms and pour Pasilla sauce over. Note: The Pasilla chili is a dried form of the chilaca chili. It anges in color from dark brown to black, 6-8 inches long, also called chili negro. Keywords: Main Dish, Easy, Beef, Dinner ( RG1488 )

Batter Cake with Fresh Pears from the Correze -- Flaugnarde Serves 4 as Dessert. From The Cooking of Southwest France, published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Copyright 2005 by Paula Wolfert "It's our best dessert," says Albert Parveaux, proprietor of the Chateau de Castel Novel. He is speaking of the flaugnarde of Corrèze, a superb soufflé-like fruit cake, similar to a German apple pancake. "But," he adds, "its simplicity is misunderstood by some of our guests, who think complexity is the same thing as excellence." He explained the secrets of a successful flaugnarde: "First, never put sugar into it the way they do in the Périgord, because it won't rise on account of the extra weight. Second, be sure to use a metal dish, since metal heats up quicker and thus will give the batter a better rise. Third, only fill the pan to one third of its height‑the flaugnarde will thus have room to rise, and it will in fact fill the pan when baked. You must eat this dessert while hot, though it will hold its rise as long as 10 minutes. When serving, slip it out of its pan onto a serving plate; then dust heavily with granulated sugar. Be sure and visit the Cooking of the Southwest France topic in the cooking forum for a discussion of the book, testing notes and photos. 3 eggs 7 oz (about 1 1/2 cups) unbleached pastry flour Pinch of salt 1 c warm milk 1 T dark rum 2 tasty sweet pears, such as Cornice or Anjou 2-1/2 T unsalted butter Superfine sugar 2 TO 3 1/2 HOURS BEFORE SERVING, lightly beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Sift the flour and salt; add to the eggs, stirring. Add 2 tablespoons warm milk and mix until the batter is completely smooth. Gradually stir in the remaining milk and the rum. Strain through a fine sieve and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 1/2 hours. About 1 HOUR BEFORE SERVING, preheat the oven to 450°F. Peel, , halve, core, and thinly slice the pear; the 3 mm slicing disk of a food processor is perfect for the job. Using half the butter, lavishly grease a 8‑ or 9‑inch cake pan or straight‑sided ovenproof skillet. Pour in the batter and delicately lay the fruit slices on top. Dot with the remaining butter. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, or until well puffed and golden brown. Use a spatula around the edges and under the cake to loosen. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle lavishly with sugar and serve within 5 minutes. Keywords: Dessert, French ( RG1487 )

Potato, Leek and White Bean soup with Olive Puree in the manner of Ciboure - La Soupe de Haricots Comme en Ciboure Serves 4 as Soup. From The Cooking of Southwest France, published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Copyright 2005 by Paula Wolfert This very simple, utterly delicious soup shows off the talent of Biarritz-born Gerald Hirigoyen, chef-owner of the restaurant Piperade in San Francisco. Gerald’s gift is to take a country-style nuturing dish such as this simple bean soup, and make it sing. In his restaurant, he coaxes flavor out of tomatoes, peppers, cheese, and beans, recreating the magnificent flavors of his region. Click here for a discussion of Cooking of the Southwest France on the cooking forum, which includes photos, recipe notes, etc. 1 c dried white beans, preferably Greek gigantes or French Tarbais beans 5 T extra virgin olive oil 1 sprig of fresh rosemary 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved 1 large leek (1/4 pound), trimmed and thinly sliced Salt 1/2 lb baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1-1/2 qt light chicken or vegetable stock, lightly salted 2 oz Picholine or other green olives, pitted, Freshly ground black pepper 8 thinly sliced rounds of French bread, toasted lightly and rubbed with garlic 1. Pick over the beans to remove any grit. Soak them overnight in 3 cups of water. Drain and rinse. 2. In a heavy 3- or 4-quart saucepan, heat half the olive oil. Add the rosemary, garlic, and leek and cook over moderately high heat until golden but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, a pinch of salt, potato slices and stock to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove and discard the rosemary and discard. Allow the soup to cool slightly. 3. Meanwhile, soak the olives in several changes of water for 20 minutes to remove excess salt and brine. Drain the olives and place in a blender or food processor. Add the remaining olive oil and 1 to 2 tablespoons water and puree until smooth. Scrape the olive puree to a small bowl.Add the bean and potato soup to the blender or processor in batches and puree on high speed until smooth . (The recipe can be prepared ahead up to this point; cool and refrigerate.) 4. ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING, gently reheat the soup. If necessary, add a little water to thin to desired consistency. Bring the soup back to a boil, then remove from the heat. Swirl in the olive puree and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve at once and pass the garlic toasts on the side. Keywords: Soup, Easy, French ( RG1486 )

Oxtail Daube - Daube de Queue de Bœuf Serves 5 as Main Dish. From The Cooking of Southwest France, published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Copyright 2005 by Paula Wolfert Consider a perfectly cooked prime-grade porterhouse steak. We know it is the marbling in the meat, the streaks of fat, that make it so succulent and delicious. We know it isn’t healthy to eat much meat fat, but for flavor’s sake we do. Here is a dish which uses fat to enhance its flavor but which is served close to fat-free because it is double-degreased. In fact, when you read the recipe, you will see that I have actually added fat for extra flavor, but that is eliminated, too, before the dish is served. The result is a very soft, fleshy oxtail daube of incredible lightness and flavor. The secret is long, slow cooking in a closed pot. During this time the meat is never moved, and the juices are never allowed to boil. (If they did boil, the fats would bind with the wine and the sauce would be muddy.) Through long, slow cooking the meat renders out all of its fat; the meat and sauce retain the flavor of fat, which is water-soluble, but not the fat itself. This dish, like many stews and daubes, benefits from being made one day in advance. In fact, some of the salmis (stews of wild birds and domestic barnyard fowl) and daubes of tough cuts of meat of the South-West are slowly reheated and cooled each day for a period of four or five days so that, with each reheating, the flavors grow stronger and deeper. For our cuts of meat this is not possible—one would end up with a mushy, tasteless stew. Serve with noodles or amottes and a bitter green salad. Click here for a discussion of "The Cooking of Southwest France," complete with recipe notes and photos. 4 1/2–5 1/2 pounds oxtail, cut into pieces 1 calf’s foot or pig’s foot, split (optional for extra body) 3/4 lb slab lean salt pork 1 T olive or French peanut oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 4 medium onions, coarsely chopped 1 bottle full-bodied red wine such as Syrah 1/3 c red wine vinegar Herb bouquet: 3 sprigs parsley, 1 sprig thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied together 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 oz chunk jambon de Bayonne, prosciutto, or Serrano ham, cut into ½-inch dice 3/4 oz dried imported French cèpes or Italian porcini, crumbled 1. The day before you plan to serve the daube, preheat the oven to 275°F. Trim off all excess fat from the pieces of oxtail. 2. Blanch the calf’s foot and salt pork in a saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes; drain. Slice the rind off the salt pork and reserve. Cube the salt pork and divide into 2 batches. In a heavy nonreactive skillet, heat the oil and slowly cook half the salt pork, stirring often, until the cubes turn golden brown and a great deal of their fat has rendered out, about 10 minutes. Line a flameproof ceramic or enameled cast-iron 5- or 6-quart casserole with pork rind, fat side down. Transfer the browned salt pork to the casserole. 3. Season the oxtail pieces with salt and pepper. Brown oxtail pieces over moderately high heat in batches without crowding in the skillet used to cook the salt pork, about 10 minutes per batch. As they brown, transfer the pieces to the casserole. 4. Remove and discard half the fat in the skillet. Cook onions in remaining hot fat until golden brown. Add onions to casserole. 5. Deglaze the skillet with 1 cup of the wine. Boil down to a glaze. Add another 1 cup of wine and repeat. Add the remaining wine, vinegar, and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring just to a boil and skim carefully. Pour over the meats. Add calf’s foot, herb bouquet, and garlic. Cover tightly and place in oven to cook very slowly for 3 hours without disturbing. 6. Carefully remove oxtail to a deep bowl; cover and keep moist. Remove the meat from the calf’s food while still warm and place in a food processor. Add the remaining salt pork cubes, the cooked pork rind, cooked garlic, and the ham. Grind to a smooth paste. 7. Strain the cooking liquid, pushing down on the onions to extract all their juices. Remove as much fat as possible and pour the juices into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderate, and boil slowly, skimming from time to time, until reduced by one third. 8. Carefully return the pieces of oxtail to the casserole and spread the meat paste on top. Add the reduced liquid. Rinse the cèpes under running water, drain, and add to the casserole. Cover and bake in a 275°F. oven for 2 ½ hours without disturbing. 9. Remove the casserole from the oven; transfer the oxtails to a work surface; discard any loose bones. Season with salt and pepper, place in a bowl, and cover and refrigerate. Separately, cover and refrigerate the cooking liquid 10. About 2 ½ hours before serving, preheat the oven to 275°F. Remove the jellied liquid from the refrigerator and lift off all congealed fat. Combine liquid and meat in the casserole, cover and reheat the daube without stirring for 1 ½ hours. 11. To serve, remove the oxtails to a deep heatproof platter. Cover with foil and keep warm in the turned-off oven. Strain the sauce into a small saucepan, pressing down on solids. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook at a slow boil, half over the heat, skimming, until sauce lightly coats a spoon about 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Pour over the meat and serve hot. Inspired by a recipe from Lucien Vanel, a now retired two star chef from Toulouse. Keywords: Main Dish, French ( RG1485 )

Compote of Rabbit with Prunes From The Cooking of Southwest France, published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Copyright 2005 by Paula Wolfert This unusual and heavenly dish of shredded rabbit and plump prunes set in aspic is Lucien Vanel’s version of an old French recipe. In the Southwest, the word compote can be applied to any sort of stewed shredded meat or poultry (rilletes). One of the problems with rabbit is that it often comes out tasteless and dry. In this dish, however, the flesh is tender and moist. When shredded, it gives the compote the texture of rillettes. The main difference between this compote and rillettes is lightness—instead of enriching it with duck, goose, or pork fat, Vanel’s recipe calls for a small amount of fresh cream. The tangy, piquant touch of sorrel rounds out the dish, and the rich, plump prunes make a sweet counterpoint and a textural impression of fat. This dish must be made 2 to 3 days in advance so the compote has time to mellow. It is wonderful on thin slices of lightly buttered toast. Click here for a discussion, comlete with recipe testing notes, photos, etc. on the cooking forum. 1 mature stewing rabbit or fryer (about 3 pounds), fresh or frozen 2 c dry white wine 2/3 c plus 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 medium onions, thinly sliced 1/2 c sliced carrots 1 shallot, sliced 1 garlic clove, halved 5 oz pancetta, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 tsp Dijon mustard 4 c unsalted chicken stock Herb bouquet: 3 sprigs parsley, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or 3 fresh sprigs, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig, and 1 bay leaf tied in cheesecloth Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 c heavy cream 12 fresh sorrel leaves, depending upon size and pungency, finely shredded Fresh lemon juice 12 pitted prunes 1 c brewed tea, preferably linden or orange pekoe 1. Have the butcher cut the rabbit into 7 or 8 pieces. Combine the wine, 2/3 cup of the olive oil, the onions, carrot, shallot, and garlic in a large ceramic or glass bowl; mix well. Add the rabbit pieces to the marinade and turn them over until well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Frozen rabbit defrosts directly in the marinade; add 6 hours to the marination time.) 2. THE FOLLOWING DAY, remove the rabbit and pat dry. Strain the marinade, reserving the vegetables and liquid separately. 3. Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a large skillet over moderately high heat, sauté the pancetta cubes in the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, transferring them to a 4-quart casserole as they are browned. 4. In the same skillet over moderate heat, brown the rabbit pieces in the fat, a few at a time, on both sides. Transfer the rabbit pieces to the casserole as they are browned. Add the reserved vegetables to the skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, add the vegetables to the casserole. 5. Add the mustard to the casserole. Set over low heat and cook, stirring, to blend the mustard with the juices exuded from the rabbit, pork cubes, and vegetables. 6. Pour off the fat from the skillet and deglaze with the strained marinade. Bring to a boil, stirring, then immediately remove from the heat. Slowly stir the marinade into the casserole. 7. Add the chicken stock to the casserole and bring to a boil, skimming. Add the herb bouquet, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cover tightly. Transfer to the oven and bake, covered, for 4 hours, or until the rabbit meat is falling off the bones. 8. Carefully remove the rabbit pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Strain the liquid into and skim off as much fat as possible. Return the cooking liquid to a clean saucepan and bring to a boil. Set the pan half on and half off the heat and boil slowly for 20 minutes, skimming off any fat and other impurities frequently. 9. Meanwhile, bone each piece of rabbit, being sure to remove all the tiny bones with your fingers. Crush the meat with the back of a fork. Place in a wide bowl. 10. Add the cream to the reduced cooking liquid and boil until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup. Add the shredded sorrel and bring to a boil. Pour the hot sauce over the rabbit and let cool. The rabbit meat should absorb all the sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper, and, if you want extra piquancy, a few drops of lemon juice. Pack down in an oiled stainless steel bowl and let cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 7 days. 11. THE DAY THE COMPOTE IS TO BE SERVED, soak the prunes in a small saucepan of hot tea until swollen. Then simmer for 10 minutes; drain. Set aside until ready to serve. 12. About 1 HOUR BEFORE SERVING, remove the compote from the refrigerator. To serve, unmold onto a round platter. Garnish with the prunes. Keywords: Appetizer, Main Dish, French ( RG1484 )

Chuka Tare Serves 4 as Main Dish. This is a terrific sauce for steamed chicken breasts, thinly sliced pork, Chinese cold egg noodles, and especially make ham slices go "wowie"! Use this as a topping for ham slices. It is best to top ham slices no more than 1 hour before serving. 6 T soy sauce 6 T rice vinegar 1 tsp tohbandjan 2 garlic cloves, minced 1-1/2 tsp ginger, minced 1 green onion, minced 2 tsp sesame oil Combine all ingredients at least 2-3 hours before serving. This sauce keeps well for at least 1 week in refrigerator. Keywords: Easy, Sauce, Japanese ( RG1483 )

Lime Cilantro cookies This is a recipe from an old issue of Northern Gardener (published by the Minnesota Horticultural Society) which I've tweaked 1 c powdered sugar 1 c white sugar 1 c shortening 1 beaten egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp cream of tartar 3 c flour zest of 2 limes juice of 1 lime 3-1/2 T minced cilantro leaves (this is one case where you don't want the stems extra white sugar extra cilantro leaves Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Cream 1 c. each of the powdered and white sugars and shortening together. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in all remaining ingredients except the extra sugar and cilantro leaves. Roll teaspoon sized dough blobs into balls. Dip balls into sugar, flatten slightly with a glass and top each cookie with a cilantro leaf. Bake for about 15 minutes. These are a crispy cookie and keep very well. Keywords: Dessert, Easy ( RG1480 )

Mildred Tays' Salt Rising Bread Salt rising bread (SRB) is a delicious American (U.S.) food item the origin of which is unknown. Past misunderstandings have caused it to fall from grace -so to speak. There are many recipes published for SRB. Unfortunately, most of them are accompanied by misleading instructions. The accompanying recipe from "The Mississippi Cookbook" (1972) is all but foolproof in the original and, with my modification, one must work to make it fail. sweet milk corn meal sweet milk sugar all-purpose flour shortening sugar salt shortening to brush tops of loaves oleo to brush tops of loaves sweet milk corn meal sweet milk sugar all-purpose flour shortening sugar salt Scald 1 cup milk. Add corn meal and cook until thick. Place in a quart jar with top and place in warm place to sour overnight. When bubbles form, it is ready to use Mix 1 quart of milk and 1 tablespoon sugar and scald. Cool slightly and add to first mixture. Gradually add six cups of the flour. Set in warm place to rise double (approximately 2 hours). Next add shortening, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Mix well. Gradually add six cups flour and work in. Put remaning flour on board and turn dough mixture onto board. Work in more flour and knead for about 20 to 30 minutes. Divide into four equal parts, make up loaves, and put in greased and floured loaf pans. Brush tops with shortening and place in warm place to rise double (about 2 hours). Place in preheated 200 degree oven. Gradually turn heat to 300 degrees and bake for 45 minutes. Take loaves from oven and brush tops with oleo. Total cooking time is approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Yields 4 loaves. Loaves will be flat-topped if not concave. "This recipe is over 150 years old. It was handed down by the families of Mrs. Gordon Smith and Mrs. Andrew A. Tays. Miss Mildred Tays, Booneville, Miss." SRB is leavened by the bacterium Clostridium perfringens which functions best at temperatures near and slightly above 100F. A gas oven with pilot light can be the "warm place" if the temperature holds above 80F although 100F will be better. Rather than scalding the milk quantities, simply warm the initial cup to about 100F and add half of a wine-makers Campden tablet (potassium metabisulphite) which yields sulphur dioxide when hydrated. Sulphur dioxide is a more reliable yeast killer than scalding. No need to cook until thick nor for Campden in the quart of milk. Cover on the quart jar prevents entry of random yeasts, etc. Overnight, the starter will become gassy and may increase to double volume. Use stainless steel bowls for convenience in heating the flour before incorporating with liquid ingredients. My version of gradual addition is dumping the flour into a bowl and hand-stirring in for the sponge. Final flour is dumped into bowl of a KitchenAid, with dough hook, together with the sponge. Let the KitchenAid work the dough for 10 to 15 minutes. It climbs the hook and must be pushed back down, but that's less work than 20 minutes of hand kneading. Finished product has the characteristic SRB odor, fine pores in the crumb, and a a nice crust. Some have described the bread as cake-like because the crumb is tender and somewhat sweeter than that from other recipes. Keywords: Intermediate, Bread, American ( RG1479 )

Saucer Sized Sugar Cookies This is a combination of saw-dust cookies, a Rebecca Rather sugar cookie and an old Amish recipe. 1 c oil 1 c butter, at room temp 1 c granulated sugar 1 c powdered sugar 2 eggs 1 T vanilla paste 4-1/2 c flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets. Beat oil, butter and both sguars. Beat in eggs and vanilla paste. Stir together dry ingredients, then stir dry ingredients into batter. Chill dough for an hour. Using a standard size ice cream scoop, drop scoops onto cookie sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are golden. Let cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Note: You may also make these small. Use a rounded tablespoon of dough and bake 8-10 minutes. ( RG1478 )

Ricotta Cheese Serves 4 as Main Dish. Homemade ricotta is easy and superior to any run of the mill supermarket brand. Even though it uses buttermilk, it does not taste like buttermilk at all. It is rather sweet and mild. This recipe makes about 2 generous cups of ricotta. 2 qt Whole Milk 2 c Buttermilk In a heavy pot heat the ingredients over medium heat until they reach 180F on a thermometer (about 20 minutes). Simmer the mixture for an extra 25-30 minutes or until the curds are seperated from the whey and float on the surface with a texture like firm custard. Do not stir the curds, simply let them cook gently. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour in the ricotta mixture. Let it drain for at least 45 minutes, longer for a drier more crumbly texture. Store the ricotta in an air tight container with a piece of wax paper pressed on the surface for up to a week. Keywords: Vegetarian, Easy ( RG1477 )

Big Sturdy Cookie Bouquet Type Cookies Someone gave this to me with promises the dough would be easy to work with. It was. These cookies taste pretty good too. 1 c granulated sugar 1 c shortening (butter flavored is good) 3 eggs 2 tsp cream of tartar 2 tsp baking soda 3 c flour 1 tsp vanilla extract Beat sugar and shortening in a large bowl. Beat in eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. Form dough into a ball. Roll out and cut. Bake cut-outs at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. ( RG1476 )

Swedish Sourdough Cookies (aka, Lofthouse copycats) This is a recipe I found while looking for soft, cakey cut-outs. People seem to think they taste like a brand called Lofthouse. 1 c butter 1 c sugar 3 eggs 1-1/2 c sour cream 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 5 c flour, plus extra for rolling Beat together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and sour cream. Mix together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out dough to a 1/4 to 3/8 inch thickness using a generous amount of flour. Cut out shapes and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Frost and decorate. ( RG1475 )

Sugar Cookies Made With Heavy Cream These were given to me by a friend who found them on a bb. This is my re-written version, which I have yet to try. Word on the street is, these are good. 3/4 c butter, softened 1 c sugar 1 egg 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/2 c heavy cream 2-3/4 c flour, all purpose 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in cream. Stir together flour, soda and salt. Stir flour mixture into cream mixture. Form into balls and flatten or roll and cut. Bake at 350 8-10 minutes or until done. ( RG1474 )

Basic Rolled Sugar Cookies -- Cut Outs Serves 5. This is my tried and true cut-out sugar cookie recipe. It's an old Betty Crocker recipe. 1-1/2 c powdered sugar 1 c butter, softened 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp almond extract 2-1/2 c flour, all purpose 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cream of tartar Beat together powdered sugar and butter. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in extracts. Stir together flour, baking soda and cream of tartar and add stir into batter. Chill three hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll to 3/16 inch and cut into shapes. Place on lightly greased (I prefer lined) baking sheets and bake for 7-8 minutes. ( RG1473 )

Sawdust Sugar Cookies -- Cut Outs or Circles Despite their unfortunate name, these cut-out cookies are delicious. They have a crisp, ethereal texture that borders on sandie. This recipe, which seems to turn up in ladies' auxillary and church cookbooks, usually calls for margarine. In fact, I've seen recipes saying "Use margarine for best results" which is why I usually make them with margarine. I made them with butter once, but don't remember them as being any better made with the butter. The dough is softer than a lot of cut-out doughs, so I work with small sections at a time and keep what I'm not working with in the refrigerator. Another trick is to put the soft dough in a zipper bag, roll it out into a circle in the bag, freeze the dough circe (bag and all), then cut away the bag and punch out frozen dough shapes. As you work with the frozen dough, it will soften up. 1 c oil 1 c margarine or butter 1 c granulated sugar 1 c powdered sugar 1 egg 3 T vanilla 5 c flour 1 Tbls. cream of tartar 1 Tbls. baking soda 1/2 tsp salt Cream together oil, margarine, and both sugars. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine all dry ingredients in separate bowl. Gradually add to sugar mixture. Form 1 inch balls and roll in a bowl of granulated sugar. Flatten cookies with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. To make cut outs, chill dough, roll it out, freeze it and punch from frozen dough. Keywords: Cookie ( RG1472 )

Big Crispy Sugar Cookies With a Touch of Lemon Serves 36 as Dessert. This recipe, which was adapted from a recipe by Helen Witty, really opened my eyes to how good a sugar cookie can be without vanilla extract. It's almost as if the lack of vanilla allows the butter and lemon flavor to shine through. Of course, you can always leave out the lemon and nutmeg and use vanilla instead. If you skip the chilling step, the cookies will spread more. These cookies are pretty crispy -- not cakey in the least. 1 c butter, unsalted, room temperature 1 c granulated sugar 1/2 c light brown sugar 2 egg yolks 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp lemon zest 2-1/2 c all purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 2 tsp water, if needed Coarse or granulated sugar for coating Beat butter until soft. Add both sugars and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in yolks, one by one, followed by nutmeg and lemon zest. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt, then stir flour mixture into sugar mixture. Add water if dough seems too dry. Form into a ball and chill for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or a Silpat (or something). I don't recommend greasing, because these cookies do spread. To make 3 inch cookies, measure out dough by rounded tablespoonfuls. Form dough into balls and roll in coarse sugar. Flatten dough balls to 2 inches diameter. Leave about 3 inches space between cookies. Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Keywords: Cookie ( RG1471 )

Amy's Chili My best chili. From the Chili--Cook-Off XV thread. 4 slices bacon 1 large onion, chopped 3 lb beef chuck, 1/2" dice, or ground 1 T cumin seeds 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 large ancho chiles, ground 4 medium-hot chiles, ground 1 T paprika 1 T ground cumin seeds 1 tsp smoked salt 1 tsp Mexican oregano, crushed 1 tsp ground coriander seeds 1 tsp cocoa powder (unsweetened) 1 tsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1/4 tsp ground cloves 2 bay leaves 1 can beef broth (14 ounces) 1 can beer (12 ounces) 1/2 c brewed coffee 3 T tomato paste 1 T cider vinegar Toppings: minced onion grated Cheddar cheese sour cream crumbled bacon chopped cilantro In dry pan, toast chiles; remove. Toast cumin and coriander seeds; remove. Once cooled, place in spice grinder and pulverize to fine powder. Cook bacon in large pan; remove to plate and set aside. Cook onion in bacon fat until it starts to caramelize; then push to side of pan. Add beef and cumin seeds to pan, brown; then add garlic. Stir in seasonings and liquids. Cook chili at a bare simmer (partially covered) until beef is tender and sauce has reduced, about 4 hours. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Remove bay leaves. Finish with hits of smoked paprika, fresh lime juice, and cilantro to brighten flavor. Serve with cornbread or over rice, with toppings. Keywords: Main Dish, Beef, American ( RG1470 )

Veggie Curry Serves 6 as Main Dish. I am by no means a vegetarian, but this is a nice rustic dish for a summer day or a chilly fall or winter. Brown rice rounds out its hearty-ness, cashewnut butter is the secret ingredient. 2 T ghee 2 onions, sliced crosswise 2 cloves garlic 1 T chopped ginger 1 T cumin 2 T cayenne (I like it hot) 1 tsp tumeric clove 3 c butternut squash 1 zuchinni (chopped) garbanzo beans (drained) 2 c chopped tomato coconut milk 2 T cashewnut butter 2 c potatoes, chopped ( I used Russian banana) 4 c culiflower 1. In an appropriate pot, melt ghee over medium heat. 2. Saute onion slowly unit brown. 3. Add garlic and ginger and saute for about 1 minute. 4. Add dry spices and cook for 1 minute. 5. Add squash, zuchinni, beans, tomato, coconut milk, cashewnut butter, potatoes, and culiflower. 6. Add water to cover ingredients. 7. Simmmer for two hours. 8. Serve with brown rice. Keywords: Main Dish, Vegetarian, Easy, Rice, Dinner, Indian ( RG1469 )

Palingbroodjes - Smoked eel rolls Makes 10 rolls. 250 g flour 150 ml milk 20 g butter 1 sachet dried yeast (7 grams) salt 100 g smoked eel fillets 1 beaten egg Warm the milk (don't let it boil), add the butter, When the butter has melted, add the yeast and whisk until combined. Put the flour in a large bowl, add the milk/buter/yeast mixture and a large pinch of salt, and mix well. Knead for about 5 minutes until you have smooth dough. Set aside in a warm place, covered with a towel, to rise for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, into a large rectangle. Cut it lengthwise in halve and cut each halve into 5 pieces so you end up with 10 rectangles. Cut the eel fillets into pieces that have the same lenght as the dough rectangles'longest side. Divide the fish between the pieces of dough. Moisten the longer sides of the rectangles with a little water and roll them up. Don't pinch the sides, the fish should remain slightly visible. Put them on a buttered baking tray and leave to rest for about 15 minutes. Glaze with the beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes, until puffed up and golden. from Dutch Cooking thread Keywords: Easy, Hors d'oeuvre, Appetizer, Snack ( RG1468 )

Dutch musselsoup - Zeeuwse mosselsoep Serves 4 as Appetizeror 2 as Main Dish. Zeeland is the Dutch coastal province that is famous for it's mussels. This is an old fashioned recipe for musselsoup, flavoured with two types of celery: celery root and celery leaves. If you can't find the celery leaves, use more parsley. 1 kg mussels, cleaned 1 l water 1 onion 1 leek 1 fat carrot 1/4 celery root (about 200 grams) 50 g butter handful of celery leaves handful of parsley salt, pepper Put the mussels in a pan with the liter of water and salt. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-10 minutes or untill all mussels have opened. Drain (saving the cooking liquid!). Sieve the cooking liquid through some kitchen paper, making sure there is no sand or grit left in it. Take the mussels from their shells. Chop up all the vegetables, fairly small. Melt the butter in al large pot and sautee the vegetables for 10 minutes. Add the sieved mussel cooking liquid, bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. The vegetables should be well done. Chop up the herbs and add them to the pan together with the mussels. Heat through, briefly, and serve with good crusty bread, and butter. From the Dutch Cooking thread Keywords: Soup, Easy, Main Dish, Appetizer, Fish ( RG1467 )

Ricotta, sausage and Spinach Calzones Serves 4 as Main Dish. This is a rough recipe for a favorite clazone of mine. I never follow a recipe for this but the following is a rough estimate. The key to those is the overnight rest in the fridge and using the best quality ricotta you can find. If you cannot find any, then make your own. Dough (enough for 4 to 5 calzones): 4 c bread flour 2 tsp Kosher salt 1 tsp instant yeast 2 T extra virgin olive oil 1-1/2 c tepid water Filling Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking and drizzling 3 Italian sausages, removed from the casing and crumbled 2 Large garlic cloves, chopped 1 (8 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted 2 c good quality crumbly ricotta, preferably homemade 1/2 c good quality freshly grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper 1-1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese Crushed chile flakes (optional) Semolina Flour for dusting Start these the night before you want to bake them. Prepare the dough by putting all ingredients in a food processor and mix for a few seconds to incorporate. Start adding the water. Add one cup at first and process for 25 seconds, add the remaining water and process until you have a cohesive elastic dough. Let the processor work the dough for about thirty seconds to develop the gluten. It should not be too wet or sticky. It should be easy to handle and elastic. Put the dough on a floured kitchen surface and knead for a minute or so. Form into a ball. Oil a bowl with a little olive oil and put the dough in there. Roll it around to cover it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for about 2.5 hours or until it doubles in size. Make the filling by sautéing the sausage in some olive oil over medium heat until cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, do not allow it to color. Squeeze your spinach dry and add it to the pan. Saute for about a minute. In a large bowl, crumble your ricotta. Once the spinach mixture is cool add it to the ricotta along with the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper and if it is a little too dry add a glug or two of good extra virgin olive oil (I always do). When the dough is proofed, cut it into 4 equal pieces, form each one into a ball. Now flatten them and use a rolling pin to roll them into rough circles about 10-12 inches in diameter. If the dough is too elastic let it rest for a few minutes and then keep on rolling. Fill each round of dough on one half, with the ricotta mixture, top it with a good portion of the shredded mozzarella and some crushed chile flakes if you like them. Fold the dough over, like a half moon and press the edges with your fingers. Chances are you will have a lot of extra “edge”. Trim this with a sharp knife leaving no more than 1/2 an inch. Crimp the edge with a fork to seal properly or fold the edge over itself to give it a more cool look. With the trimmed edges you can probably make a fifth calzone. Dust a baking sheet heavily with semolina flour and lay the clazones on it. Brush them with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Heat your oven to 400F. When the oven is heating remove the calzones from the fridge, dust them with semolina (this is optional, but it gives them an extra layer of texture that is lovely), and make three vents in each one with a sharp knife or scisors. Bake for about 30 minutes or until GB&D, golden brown and deliciouse. Let them rest, if you can, for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Keywords: Main Dish, Dinner, Intermediate, Bread, Cheese, Italian, Lunch ( RG1466 )

Sandy's Standard Chili Recipe Serves 12 as Main Dish. The measurements given in this recipe are suggestions only. Please feel free to vary them according to your taste or whim; I do all the time. The one thing you must do is make lots of this at once. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers; chili is always better reheated. 3 lb ground beef or chuck, 80/20 2 medium onions, chopped 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped 22 oz can diced tomatoes, drained 39 oz can seasoned chili beans, drained 6 cloves garlic, minced 6 dried chilies de arbol, crushed 1 T ancho chile powder 1/2 T chipotle powder 2 T cumin 6 oz can tomato paste 1 bay leaf shredded Cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese for topping (optional) Sour cream for topping (optional) Brown ground beef in skillet; drain off fat. Place all ingredients except bay leaf in Crock-Pot; stir. Add bay leaf. Cover and cook 8-10 hours on Low or 6 hours on High. Keywords: Beef, Beans, Main Dish, Easy, Hot and Spicy, Crock Pot ( RG1465 )