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Mushroom squash I grew up in the forties and fifties in northern rural Illinois, in "the little bump on the big bump" eight miles from the Mississippi. Here's the mushroom squash recipe. The reason it appears in this form is because I've copied it from my cookbook manuscript. I just got the proofs back this week, and am starting to get excited. Enjoy. This recipe is one of a trio of very similar recipes which I use constantly: the mushroom stuffing for Rock Cornish hens, the mushroom mixture spread over the top in this squash favorite, and a filling for mushroom appetizers in cream cheese pastry or filo pastry. The poultry version is seasoned with thyme and has lots of chopped onion; the pastry filling is bound by egg and substitutes green onion; this one is given an Italian flavor with the additions of garlic and cheese. I created one of them, although I can't remember which, and the other two are variations; mushroom lovers adore all. I served this at a buffet supper once, and it was the most popular dish of all! 9 small or 12-16 tiny small yellow crookneck squash 1/2 c butter 1 onion, grated 12 oz mushrooms, washed and finely chopped 1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed 1-1/2 c fresh bread crumbs Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 c Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese Scrub squash and cut in half lengthwise. Place, cut side up, on a buttered baking dish just large enough to hold squash in a single layer when crowded tightly. Lightly salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat and cook onion a few minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook rapidly until almost all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, stir in breadcrumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly over squash and sprinkle top with cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Oven temperature: 350 degrees Yield: 8 servings (or fewer; quantities are from a multi-course menu with other vegetables) Keywords: Appetizer, Easy, American ( RG119 )

Butter Chicken (Chicken Tikka Masala) The recipe below is my version of the classic preparation. It is relatively easy to prepare and will win you many admirers. People seem to love this preparation and can never have enough of this dish. I also have served this sauce with boiled eggs instead of chicken and also baby new potatoes. Suvir Saran MARINADE 4 garlic cloves 2 inches fresh ginger, coarsely chopped 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp garam masala 1/4 c yogurt MAIN DISH 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds), cut crosswise into thirds 1 large red onion, cut into large chunks 4 garlic cloves 1/3 c cup canola oil 1 Inch cinnamon stick 1-1/2 lb tomato, pureed in a food processor 1 T ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 c heavy cream 1 inch fresh ginger, julienned 1. For the marinade, combine the garlic, ginger, onion, cayenne and cream in a food processor and process to a puree. Toss with the chicken in a bowl and let marinate at least 1 hour, 3 to 4 hours or overnight, if you can. 2. Grind the onion with the ginger and garlic in a food processor to a puree. 3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, about 1 minute. Add the onion puree and cook, stirring, until it turns a light golden brown color, about 20 minutes. Keep a measuring cup of water by the stove etc. 4. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute. 5. Add the tomato, give it a stir, and simmer until the oil separates, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and salt, bring it to a simmer and take the sauce off the heat. 6. Heat the oven to 350?F. Lift the chicken out of the marinade, put them in a single layer on a foil lined drip tray, cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. 7. Drop the grilled chicken into the cream sauce, bring to a simmer and serve garnished with ginger juliennes. Keywords: Indian, Main Dish, Intermediate ( RG118 )

Chinese Hot & Sour Soup Recipe courtesy =Mark 6 c 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 c can sliced bamboo shoots 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 can sliced water chestnuts finely chopped scallions for garnish 1/4 c dried black fungus (cloud ears), soaked in water for one hour, drained and sliced. 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. Keywords: Chinese, Easy, Soup ( RG117 )

Sauteed Fresh Shitake Mushrooms from China I contributed these mushrooms to the eGullet bread event last Sunday and have had a number of requests for the recipe. Here it is. 3 lb fresh shitake mushrooms 3 T olive oil salt black and white pepper 1/4 c minced scallion tops (green part) or parsley Prepare ahead: Trim away and discard the mushroom stems (they are good for stock), then clean them by wiping with a damp cloth or if they are very dirty, briefly swishing them in a basin of cold water. Dry the mushroom caps if necessary, then cut into coarse shreds. To cook: Put 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a preheated saucepan large enough to hold all the mushrooms. Add the shallots and cook for a minute without browning. Add the mushrooms and a little salt and cook over fairly high heat, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking. After a couple of minutes the mushrooms will start to give off liquid, wilt, and decrease in volume. At this point increase the heat and boil down the liquid until it has completely evaporated and the mushrooms have a concentrated flavor. This will take about 5-10 minutes depending upon your stove, the pan you’re using, and how much liquid is thrown off. Next, adjust the seasonings, the mushrooms will be bland without enough salt and pepper, and at the last minute toss in the scallions or parsley. Note: The quality of this dish is really all based on the terrific quality of the mushrooms. These fresh shitakes from China, known as ‘hwa goo’ or flower mushroom in English, are only available at a few Chinese specialty vegetable shops in NYC’s Chinatowns. In Manhattan I have bought them at a few different street vendors at the corner of Grand and Forsyth/Chrystie Sts. Keywords: Side, Chinese, Easy, Vegetables ( RG116 )

Chicken Pakoras Traditional Scottish Dishes - Chicken Pakora! A slight variation on the recipe given to me by Babu the Pakistani chef who taught me. It is really simple, but tastes quite fantastic and is commonly eaten here as a snack on it's own or as a starter. 1 kilogram chicken filet sliced into 2-3 inch pieces 300-400g besan (gram) flour 2 T (heaped) Patak's tandoori paste 1-1/2 tsp salt 1 T (level) sugar (castor is best) 1 tsp (heaped) chili powder 1 tsp (heaped) garam masala 1 T (heaped) curry powder (see note) 1 T (level) deep red colour poweder (orange if you prefer, but red is a delight to contrast with the coriander leaves when serving) 5-600 ml water 2 T lemon juice Enough cooking oil to fill a pan 4-5 inches deep SIMPLE PAKORA DIPPNG SAUCE 250 ml good tomato ketchup 250 ml water 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp mint sauce 1 T lemon juice 1. Mix the chilli, garam masala, salt, sugar, food colour, curry powder, lemon juice and tandoori paste together until you have a thick, deep purple paste. 2. Add the water a little at a time and mix thoroughly until you have a thinnish liquid. 3. Add the Besan flour stirring consistently until you have a thick batter like consistency. This needs to be stirred a lot to avoid unblended lumps of besan. 4. Add the chicken strips and mix them until you have them completely coated and leave this to marinate for at least 4 hours. Overnight in the fridge is best of all. 5. Heat the oil to 300F. 6. Drop the coated strips of chicken into the fat one at a time (no more than 6 or seven in a batch) and fry for three minutes. This will result in a firm coating and the chicken will be very moist. You can cook it longer if you prefer a crunchier pakora. SIMPLE PAKORA DIPPING SAUCE. Mix sauce ingredients well and serve in a small bowl. Easy! The finished pakora can be served with a raita, a simple dipping pakora sauce (recipe above) and garnished with coriander leaves and lemon slices. It also works brilliantly served in hot, fresh pitta with salad and a light chilli sauce. It's a great sliced for pizza topping and can even be used as a main course when served with a milder curry sauce and pilau rice. Keywords: Indian, Appetizer, Easy, Chicken, Deep Fryer ( RG115 )

Klink's Dry Rub This is a dry rub I made up of just what I had in the kitchen and it works very well with brisket (let it go at least 24 hours), ribs, lamb and beef roasts. 1/2 c Kosher salt 1/2 c brown sugar 1/2 c coarse ground pepper 1/2 c dried garlic 1/4 c paprika 1/4 c sumac 3 T turmeric 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried parsley 1 tsp dried basil Mix all ingredients and store in a cool dry place. For dry rubs to work properly, let the meat sit with the rub at least overnight before roasting, grilling or smoking. This rub will also go well with chicken and poultry but those should be brined before rubbed. This rub was made for and discussed here: Inaugural Pacific NW Smokeout Keywords: American, Easy ( RG114 )

Dijon Sauce for Fish This goes well with the Potato-Crusted Salmon recipe which is also found in this archive. 1 T butter 1 T flour 1 c milk 3 T dijon mustard. More if you want a stronger flavor salt and white pepper to taste Begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan over a medium flame. Once it is melted and bubbling, add the flour and stir thoroughly until a uniform paste is formed. Continue cooking until the roux just starts to brown. Add a quarter of the milk, and wisk to incorporate. Repeat three more times until all the milk has been added. Lower the flame to prevent boiling. Cook, stirring a couple of times, for five minutes, then wisk in the mustard. Taste, and add salt and pepper to taste. Hold over a very low flame, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve. Keywords: Easy ( RG113 )

Potato-Crusted Salmon Filet with Dijon Sauce This is more a technique than a recipe. It will work with other firm-fleshed fish as well. For the fish 3/4 lb Alaskan Coho or other salmon fillet 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper 1/4 tsp salt 2 sprigs lemon thyme, leaves stripped from stems 1 medium-sized russet potato 2 cloves garlic 2 T olive oil For the sauce 1 T butter 1 T flour 1 c milk 3 T dijon mustard, more if you like a stronger flavor salt and white pepper Cut the salmon filet vertically into two strips, one for each serving. Remove the pin bones from the fish with a pair of needle-nose pliers, or by hand if you can get a good grip. Place the strips skin side down and season with the pepper, salt, and lemon thyme leaves. Peel the potato, and slice as thin as possible with a mandoline. With a little careful adjustment, you should be able to produce flexible translucent slices approximately one millimeter thick. Cut the cloves of garlic in half lengthwise, score the cut surfaces with a knife, and rub the over the potato slices. This will flavor them, and help prevent them from oxidizing. Cover the surface of the salmon with a layer of the potato slices. Add a second layer, draping it from the top over the sides of the fish. Before cooking the fish, start the sauce. It's really just a bechemel with some mustard added. Begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan over a medium flame. Once it is melted and bubbling, add the flour and stir thoroughly until a uniform paste is formed. Continue cooking until the roux just starts to brown. Add a quarter of the milk, and wisk to incorporate. Repeat three more times until all the milk has been added. Lower the flame to prevent boiling. Cook, stirring a couple of times, for five minutes, then wisk in the mustard. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Heat a large skillet over a medium flame. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil. It should shimmer, and begin to just barely smoke. Place the fish potato side down in the pan. This is easier said than done. The key is not to bend the fish, otherwise the potato layer will tend to peel off. I like to place the fish skin side down on the end of a wide fish spatula, then roll it over into the hot oil. Once the fish is in the pan, let it cook completely undisturbed for two minutes. In this time, the potato will develop into a crispy crust and will release itself from the pan. If you try to mover or turn the fish too early, the potato is likely to stick to the pan. Once the crust forms, carefully turn the fish over so that the skin side is down. The potato crust should be a lovely golden brown. Continue to cook on the skin side until the skin becomes crisp and the fish is medium rare to medium. This should take about four or five minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet. A small knife tip in the side of the fish can be used to check doneness. Plate the fish potato side up, garnished with the sauce and some greens. I like quickly sauteed spinach with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Seafood, Mandoline, Fish, Dinner ( RG112 )

Chicken Tikka Masala Even though it is about as Indian as Alec Guiness in Passage to India. I am making this for friends tonight and thought I would share the recipe. It is delicious and works really well. Chicken Tikka Masala FOR THE CHICKEN 4 chicken breasts cut into big chunks 1 ginger 7 cloves garlic (fat) 4 green chillies 1 bunch corriander 1 large tub yoghurt 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp corriander (ground) 1 tsp cumin (ground) 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp fenugreek (ground 1 juice of lime FOR THE SAUCE 1 tin of tomatoes 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp corriander (ground) 1/2 tsp cumin (ground) 1/2 tsp red chillie powder 1/2 tsp fenugreek 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 small carton cream Method Blend the ginger and garlic into a paste in a grinder with some salt and a little water. Put half over the chicken and keep some for the sauce. In a blender, mix the yoghurt, corriander leaves and chillies and lime juice and pour over the chicken. Add the lime juice and the dry spices and mix throughly. Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least 5 hours ( better overnight ) When ready to cook, place the chicken on a foil layered baking tray and cook for 25 mins. For the sauce just sweat the onion and ginger/garlic paste in oil and add the dry spices. Cook for one minute to allow the spices to lose their rawness. Add the tomatoes and a tinful of water and allow to cook for about 20 mins making sure it does not go too dry. When reduced to quite a thick sauce add the carton of cream and cook through gently. Mix in the chicken chunks ( which should have been kept warm ) and warm through Before serving, add corriander leaves and squeeze lime over the top Keywords: Indian, Dinner, Easy ( RG111 )

Velvet Falernum Syrup One of the key components of the Flaming Orange Gully, the official cocktail of eGullet.com 10 Limes 10 Cloves 1/4 tsp almond extract 1 l white rum Zest the 10 limes, reserve the zested limes for juicing for the Flaming Orange Gully. Marinate first three ingredients in the rum for 24 hours. Strain and bottle the rum. Store in a cool place. To make syrup, add 8 oz. of rum marinade to one quart of simple syrup (2 parts water to 1 part sugar). Adjust to taste. Keywords: Easy ( RG110 )

Flaming Orange Gully Serves 1. DURING OUR recent Q&A session with master mixologist Dale DeGroff here on eGullet, Dale was challenged by user "Varmint" to create "a new cocktail that we, as eGulleteers, can call our own. We'll gladly order this cocktail whenever we meet, singing your praises." Was Dale up to the challenge? As if . . . ! Today, eGullet.com and Dale DeGroff are proud to unveil Dale's new cocktail to our thirsty audience. The Flaming Orange Gully is a spicy, sexy melange of fresh orange juice, Stolichnaya Ohranj, Angostura Bitters, Velvet Falernum Syrup, and fresh grated nutmeg (recipe follows). What went into its creation? As Dale notes, "I was really challenged because the group has very high standards when it comes to the culinary arts. I wanted something with layers of flavor and I thought the Velvet Falernum and nutmeg would provide that without getting too esoteric." 1-1/2 fl oz Stolichnaya Ohranj Vodka 1/2 fl oz Fresh Lime Juice 1 fl oz Velvet Falernum Syrup 1 fl oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel and fresh grated nutmeg. Keywords: Cocktail, Intermediate, The Daily Gullet ( RG109 )

Smoked Chicken This is whole smoked chicken and it's a really easy recipe though it takes a little more work than the average roasted chicken. The payoff? It's better than any roasted chicken and your family and friends will think you're a master chef. 1 whole fryer chicken 1/2 c Kosher salt 1/2 c brown sugar 8 c water The day before prepare a brine for the bird. Add salt and sugar to water and let the chicken sit in the brine overnight. You can brine a whole chicken in as little as an hour if you quarter it quarter it, but letting it go overnight will achieve better flavor. Brine in a non-corrosive vessal such as Tupperware or plastic freezer bags. An hour before smoking, drain the brine and pat the skin dry. At this point you can add fresh herbs such as rosemary in the cavity or under the skin as variations. Smoke chicken until the breast measures 155F which is about an hour and a half. Cut pieces will finish in less time. If smoking on an offset smoker, rotate chicken every 15 to 20 minutes for even cooking. Save remaining bones and skin for stock to make gravy for the next smoked chicken. Keywords: Intermediate, Main Dish, Chicken, Barbeque, Smoker ( RG108 )

Chick Peas and Chorizo Serves 20 as Amuseor 10 as Appetizer. Inspired by a dish we tasted at Ole Ole Food Warehouse. I made this for the NJ Potluck. You can, of course, use dried chickpeas, but it really isn't necessary as you want a very soft texture to the beans. Rachel Perlow 2 T Olive Oil 1 Onion, quartered and sliced 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced 8 oz Spanish Chorizo, diced 45 oz Chick Peas (3 15 oz cans), drained and rinsed 1/2 tsp Spanish Sweet Paprika In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook over medium heat until wilted, about 5-10 minutes. Add garlic, continue sauteing until the onions barely begin to brown on the edges, another 5 minutes. Add Chorizo, cook slowly until the pieces begin to render their fat and are tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stir to combine all ingredients and heat through, about 5 minutes. Keywords: Appetizer, Amuse, Easy, Spanish/Portugese, Beans, Pork ( RG106 )

Nacho Dip An easy appetizer to put together. 8 oz cream cheese 250 ml sour cream nacho cheese sauce mix 2 peppers diced 2 tomatos diced 8 oz salsa shredded cheese Mix cream cheese, sour cream and nacho cheese sauce mix together. Place in the bottom of serving dish. Pour salsa on top. Top with shredded cheese, diced peppers, diced tomatoes and olives if desired. Chill for at least two hours. Keywords: Mexican, Appetizer, Easy ( RG105 )

Peperonata con Bruschetta Adapted from Trattoria Cooking, by Biba Caggiano 8 thin, round slices pancetta 1/4 c olive oil 5 bell peppers (your choice of red, yellow, green, or a mixture), seeded and cut into thin strips 1 large onion, halved pole-to-pole and thinly sliced 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen), drained, juice reserved 1/4 c red wine vinegar salt and pepper 1 loaf rustic bread (such as the Como Loaf from Seattle's Grand Central Bakery, or La Brea's Country Sourdough Oval), cut into 1/2 garlic cloves, peeled In a 12" skillet, fry the pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Drain the pancetta on paper towels, leaving the fat in the skillet. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the olive oil to the pancetta fat in the skillet and let heat for one minute or until shimmering. Add the peppers (they will mound up in the pan) and cook three minutes, stirring often. Add the onion and reduce heat to medium. (If there's anything better than standing next to a pan of onions, it's standing next to a pan of onions and peppers with the lingering scent of bacon in the air.) Cook five minutes or until the onion is translucent and just beginning to brown. Around this time, start toasting the bread in a toaster, under the broiler, or in a panini grill. Add the tomatoes and cook five minutes, stirring often. Add a bit of the reserved tomato juice if the pan is getting too dry. Check a pepper for texture; it shouldn't be crunchy, but it should still give slight resistance to the tooth. Add the vinegar, raise the heat to high, and cook one minute to reduce the liquid. Season with salt and pepper (it may be easier to check for seasonings if you let the peperonata cool briefly). Let diners assemble the bruschette at the table. Take a slice of toast, rub it gently with a garlic clove, and top with a slice of pancetta and a large spoonful of peperonata. Wine would be appropriate, of course (something acidic and low on tannin and oak, like barbaresco, barbera, Macon-Villages, or pinot grigio), but most of the time I'd rather pop open a can of Limonata, San Pellegrino's lemon soda. Keywords: Italian, Easy, Appetizer, The Daily Gullet ( RG104 )

Toast Serves 1. Another gem from the pre-alpha days when I was just trying to get stuff into the database and back out again. For the toast itself 2 slices of bread To go on top of the toast 1-1/2 T butter Put the bread in a toaster and toast according to the manufacturer's directions. Spread each slice of toast with half of the butter. Keywords: American, British, Breakfast, Easy, Brunch ( RG103 )

Pancakes Serves 2. The classic Sunday morning treat. The pancakes 5 oz all purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1-1/4 tsp baking powder 1 c milk 1 large egg 1 T butter, melted The toppings butter, preferably at room temperature, so it melts on the warm pancakes warm maple syrup your favorite fruit preserves or jam (optional) Preheat a griddle. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix the egg and milk together and add to the dry ingredients. Stir gently, just until it's combined and large lumps are gone. Stir in melted butter. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter at a time onto the hot griddle. Flip the pancakes when the bubbles on top have burst. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup. Some people also like preserves. Keywords: Breakfast, American, Easy, Vegetarian, Brunch ( RG102 )

Chocolate Milk Serves 1. A classic childhood treat. The first recipe ever to go into the archive way back in the pre-alpha days when the whole thing looked like total crap. 12 fl oz milk 3 T chocolate syrup Pour half of the milk into a tall glass. Add the chocolate syrup and stir vigorously until combined. Add the remaining milk and stir to combine. Keywords: Easy ( RG101 )

Chocolate Toffee Butter cookies Here's one of my favourite recipes from the Vancouver Egullet cookie exchange! 2 c AP flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 c unsalted butter 1 c packed light brown sugar 1 eg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 c Heath toffee bits 1 c semisweet chocolate chips 1 T vegetable oil 2/3 c finely chopped pecans 1) Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. With electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter on medium until fluffy (~ 3 minutes) Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined about 30 seconds further. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in two parts and mix until incorporated. Stir in toffee bits. Divide dough in half and roll each into a log about 9 inches long and 1 ½ inches in diameter. Then flatten log until about 2 ½ inches wide. Wrap and refrigerate until firm about 1 ½ hours. 2) Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Like 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 3) Using a chef’s knife, cut dough into ¼ inch slices, transfer to baking sheets spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake until just browned around edges, 10-12 minutes, rotating the direction and position of the baking sheets halfway through. Cool completely on baking sheets and use remaining dough to make second batch. 4) Transfer cookies to wire rack set over baking sheets. Melt chocolate and mix with oil until smooth. Drizzle chocolate cookies and sprinkle with pecans. Don’t touch until chocolate sets – about 1 hour. ( RG1527 )

satay chicken SATAY CHICKEN (or any other meat) 750 g chicken MARINADE. 1/2 c cooking oil 4 T brown sugar 12 shallots 6 garlic 2 inch galagal 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp white/black peppercorn 1 tsp toasted coriander seeds ground 2 tsp toasted fennel seeds ground 2 tsp toasted cumin ground 1 tsp belacan shrimp paste 2 T water SATAY SAUCE 5 medium onions 8 cloves garlic 1/2 c chili paste (sambal ozlek) 4 stalks lemongrass 1 tsp belacan shrimp paste 2 T water candlenuts/macadamia nuts 1/4 c rice vinegar 4 T sugar 3 c coconut milk 1 c crush roast peanuts The marinade: Blitz all ingredients in a blender until smooth then marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours. skewer and grill. The sauce: Blitz all the ingredients in a blender until smooth (except the coconut milk and peanuts.) Then fry the paste in 4T cooking oil for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Then stir in the coconut milk and simmer 10 minutes. Finally add in the peanuts. Serving: serve the chicken satay with the sauce, chopped cucumber and onion chunks and pressed cold rice cakes. Keywords: Appetizer, Chicken, Intermediate, Marinade, Dinner, Grill, Southeast Asian ( RG1364 )

Rhubarb fool ice cream A rhubarb fool has rhubarb and thick cream. I think this is even better, because it's an ice. This can be made with whatever quantity of rhubarb you have available, though you may have to run more than one batch through your ice cream maker. Rhubarb Creme fraiche or thick cream Sugar Water Slice rhubarb into roughly 2cm pieces, discarding ends and removing stringy bits. Put it in a saucepan. Make sufficient sugar syrup with equal weights of sugar and water (i.e. 100g of sugar to 100ml of water) to barely cover the rhubarb slices. Poach the rhubarb in the syrup until it is extremely soft. Put a stick blender into the pan and puree the rhubarb, or pour the mixture into an ordinary blender and puree. Add thick cream or creme fraiche to taste. You could leave this out altogether for a sorbet. If you've added cream, put the mixture back on the heat until it just bubbles; this will stop the cream from turning into butter in the ice cream machine. Strain the mixture (though if it has poached long enough this is not necessary) and cool. Spin in an ice cream maker. Serve immediately. Keywords: Dessert, Easy, Ice Cream Maker, Ice Cream ( RG1233 )

Brooksie's Tomato Basil Pie This is an easy pie to make and will totally impress guests for breakfast, brunch, dinner, or supper. The key is great tomatoes and fresh basil. Really good cheese helps as well. Pre Bake Shell Slice tomatoes (number depends on size and type-5 creoles usually gets the job done) and dry on paper towels Layer in this order 1/2 of the Tomatoes (salt and pepper them in the shell) Chopped green onions and 1/2 of the basil Repeat Layer on cheeses (use buffalo milk mozz if you can get it, regular mozz if not) Blend Sour Cream and mayo and layer on top Bake at 350F until the whole thing bubbles evenly (about 15-20 min) Let pie cool a bit and slice. Eat. For me, if summer could be canned, this is what it would taste like. ( RG1075 )

Macadamia Toffee This recipe is adapted from Francois Payard's "Simply Sensational Desserts". I found that if I followed his instructions, the result was disaster every time. So I adapted the instructions and describe them below in detail. 290 g heavy cream (1 1/4 c) 41 g light corn syrup (2 T) 334 g sugar (1 2/3 c) 400 g macadamia nuts (lightly toasted, salted), crushed (2 3/4 c) METHOD (Don't try this without a candy thermometer) Line a cookie sheet or 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper. Better yet, if you have a marble slab, oil it lightly with neutral vegetable oil (peanut or canola) and have it standing by. Also have a rolling pin and a sheet of parchment on call. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a heavy saucepan large enough to hold 4 times the volume of these ingredients (this should save you having the whole mess boil over). Bring to a boil over slightly hotter than medium heat while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue boiling, without stirring, until the mixture starts to turn a pale golden color, and from this point on give it your UNDIVIDED attention. Stick the candy thermometer in the pan and DO NOT be tempted to up the heat (the temperature will rise painfully slowly). Using a wooden utensil with a flat edge, stir occasionally at first and then constantly as the temperature approaches 260°F. Keep boiling and stirring until the mixture reaches 284°F. Turn off the heat and dump the nuts into the pan, stirring vigorously (the mixture will stiffen very quickly). When the nuts and toffee are well combined (gotta work FAST), dump the whole mass out onto the prepared cookie sheet or marble slab. Place the sheet of parchment over the toffee and roll it out with the rolling pin, using lots of muscle, until it's about 3/8 inch thick. Let cool completely, then break into irregular shapes and store in an airtight container. Crushing the macadamia nuts is easier if you freeze them first. Put them in a large Ziploc bag and hammer them with a mallet or some such. Try not to hit them more than twice, or you'll end up with something resembling macadamia paste instead of the desired chunks. Let the nuts come back to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. ( RG1021 )

Flaumen-Kartoffel Tzimmis (Sweet Prune-Potato Tzimmis) If you add the meat, this is obviously fleischig. If you leave out the meat, this can be served with any kind of meal, meat or dairy. Eat in good health! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Work quickly so potatoes do not oxidize. Pour into a deep, disposable roasting pan. Cover tightly and bake for 2 to 3 hours. If it appears to be drying out (unlikely, but you never know), add a little boiling water. It is just about impossible to overcook this. Serve from a deep bowl. Do not worry if everything seems to be blending. That is why it is called a "tzimmis." Usually tastes even better when cooked a day ahead and rewarmed. ( RG927 )

Pickled Shrimp This recipe is at least 50 years old. I remember eating it at my Aunt Audrey’s house where we went every Christmas Eve. She was old enough to be my father’s mother so there is no telling how old it is. My sister got this recipe from her before she died and it has been handed down in my family ever since. It is truly terrific and I find it fascinating that this was around so long before recipes like this were trendy. Think of it as a very early escabeche. I have no idea where she got the capers back then but she did use them. I remember wondering what the heck those things were. 2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined 3 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced 12 or so whole cloves 6 or so bay leaves 1-1/4 c salad oil (Canola or other light vegetable oil, NOT olive oil) 3/4 c white or cider vinegar 1 large clove garlic, finely minced 1-1/2 tsp salt 2-1/2 tsp celery seed 2-1/2 tsp capers and juice Boil cleaned shrimp. Do not over cook. Arrange shrimp and onion rings in layers in a glass bowl or jar. Sprinkle with cloves and tuck in bay leaves as you go. Cover with marinade made with the last 6 ingredients. Let stand in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Can be kept for 3 days in a jar with a good lid. Pretty served in clear glass. Notes: I tend to increase the cloves, bay leaves and capers. I think it makes it better. I have marinated blanched asparagus in the left over marinade after eating all of the shrimp. Fabulous. You could do other vegetables as well and serve on top of greens as a terrific salad, including the onions. Fresh shrimp are always best but you could get pre-prepared shrimp from the grocery and it would probably still be good. At least that might inspire you to make this. Alternate cooking method for the shrimp: Instead of boiling the shrimp, brine them for 30 minutes in ¼ cup Kosher salt to 1 quart of water. Drain and rinse. Steam the shrimp until just done. Reduce the salt in the recipe by about half. Keywords: Appetizer, Easy, Shrimp, Snack, Hors d'oeuvre ( RG838 )