472608 Tue Dec 25 00:26:36 -0800 2007 35 31 Home Cooking 0 3235566 Had a few friends over for drinks so i hit the liquor store and picked up too many bottles of everything...i'll eventually drink the vodkas and gin that i bought, but i'm not a huge lover of brandy...any suggestions for recipes with brandy? i was thinking along the lines of brandy cake, brandy cookies...but honestly, i'm not a big sweets eater, so any savory ideas would be much appreciated as well. Thanks! Tue Dec 25 00:26:36 -0800 2007 56183 soypower 1 3235574 a nice thick steak pan seared in olive oil is what I would do. when steak is done deglaze the pan with a big dose of the brandy and throw in a handful of your favorite mushrooms and let them meld together. once they're done the steak will be rested well enough to be smothered in your hearty brandy-mushroom gravy. happy holidays and don't forget the cayenne and black pepper. Tue Dec 25 00:57:40 -0800 2007 3235566 108995 abe stein 2 3235675 wow. sounds amazing! i don't usually like any kind of sauce on my steak, but you just mentioned of my favorite things -- mushrooms...now i know what to do w/ the ribeyes i have in the fridge! thanks~ Tue Dec 25 06:12:36 -0800 2007 3235574 56183 soypower 2 3239921 Add a little heavy cream to that and it's perfection! Thu Dec 27 09:54:00 -0800 2007 3235574 14386 BobB 2 3241174 Even if you don't feel like dealing with mushrooms (or onions are good too), just deglazing with brandy and letting it reduce is very nice too. If you happen to have over-bought Irish whiskey, that's really good too (but not Scotch, reduced "peat" is pretty gross.) Thu Dec 27 16:43:34 -0800 2007 3235574 11980 MikeG 3 3521562 i am ALL OVER this 'shrooms subthread!!!!! must use at least some of that brandy with beef and the mushroom sauce. comfort food, de luxe! http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_29207,00.html (filet with brandy mushroom sauce) http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49223.asp (steak diane) http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brandy-Flamed-Peppercorn-Steak/Detail.aspx brandy flamed peppercorn steak http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1627,149166-228201,00.html mignonettes of veal with creamy peppercorn sauce --- use brandy instead of madeira. to finish: bread pudding with brandy sauce. http://www.virtualcities.com/ons/tx/s/txs18012.htm now, get cookin'! Mon Mar 24 07:27:23 -0700 2008 3241174 105717 alkapal 4 4536400 The brandy mushroom sauce from your first link makes wonderful hamburgers. Charcoal burgers. Toast buns. Smear mayonnaise on bun. Add meat. Top with warm sauce. Delicious. Wed Mar 25 07:32:21 -0700 2009 3521562 11389 Plano Rose 5 4536452 piano rose, how bizarre that my latest post was exactly one year after my initial post. (i'd even forgotten i was in on the thread ;-). this reminds me that i need to make some sauce for a couple of filets mignon i have to cook. Wed Mar 25 07:49:52 -0700 2009 4536400 105717 alkapal 1 3235725 not sure where you live but if there are really nice cherries or berries you could let them soak for a few months in the brandy? Tue Dec 25 07:03:46 -0800 2007 3235566 53762 geminigirl 2 3236774 great idea..i live in seattle though so fruit is a little scary this time of year...but i think i've seen some nice cherries at whole foods... Tue Dec 25 23:33:39 -0800 2007 3235725 56183 soypower 3 3236862 I just put figs in brandy, figured the liquid would be good for cooking later too. Wed Dec 26 04:58:29 -0800 2007 3236774 11097 coll 3 3518955 I have a fig tree and am desperate to preserve what the parrots have left me. I really want a recipe for brandied figs, but am no cook so need fairly explicit instructions. Time is of the essence as the figs are ripe now and won't keep. Can you help? Sun Mar 23 03:52:42 -0700 2008 3236774 177150 Elaine08 4 3519033 sorry, all I can suggest is sending me directions to your house so I can come and gorge myself on fresh figs, can you tell I am jealous....try checking out the spirits board or posting this over there, you might have better luck. I would think a gentle rinse and into the bottle with brandy poured over them would work. You could always just try a small bottle this year and see how you like them... Sun Mar 23 05:48:12 -0700 2008 3518955 53762 geminigirl 4 3520636 Is it possible to brandy dried figs, or only fresh? I, too, have a surfeit of brandy that I've got to get rid of before moving. I love brandied figs, but all the recipes I've managed to find use fresh fruit. Any ideas? Sun Mar 23 18:54:08 -0700 2008 3518955 27933 pamplemousse 5 3521101 Want to send me a recipe for brandied FRESH figs? I've been searching but no luck so far. Is brandy enough or should one include sugar? Sun Mar 23 22:55:50 -0700 2008 3520636 177150 Elaine08 4 3521128 http://www.knitlist.com/96gift/gfigs.htm Sun Mar 23 23:17:48 -0700 2008 3518955 60923 MobyRichard 4 4525647 Hi Elaine, I would just use Google. This is what I found, sounds easy enough but time consuming! There were more.... Make heavy syrup - 1 pound sugar, 1 pint water 1. Leave small stalk on figs and wipe fruit. 2. Place in syrup and boil for 1 hour on FIRST day. 3. Leave overnight, covered with a plate to submerge fruit. 4. SECOND and THIRD days, boil for one half to three quarters of an hour. Submerge with plate again after SECOND day's cooking. 5. After THIRD day's cooking place fruit into sterilized jars three quarters filled with syrup. Top up with brandy, cover tightly and turn upside down once to mix syrup and brandy. (This can be tricky if the lid doesn't fit well. Just ask me!) 6. Stand for 2-3 weeks before eating. Delicious served over ice cream. Keeps for ages unopened. Gets eaten quickly once opened. Sat Mar 21 13:58:31 -0700 2009 3518955 276275 Johnnyquest 1 3235752 Drink a bottle of grolsch beer with the snap cap. Clean it out put in 6-8 split vanilla beans and put it in a dark place for 6 weeks shaking occasionally. Strain into another bottle. Now you have real extract. Or you could just use the brandy in Sangria :) dc Tue Dec 25 07:35:35 -0800 2007 3235566 73130 don515 1 3235756 of course add brandy to the beans..... Tue Dec 25 07:36:11 -0800 2007 3235566 73130 don515 1 3236879 brandy, cream,and tomato sauce for pasta and/or seafood. Wed Dec 26 05:28:58 -0800 2007 3235566 127625 fern 1 3236898 Red sangria will use it up a bit at a time. Or it can be used as a marinade ingredient for chicken - mix up the following and let chicken marinate for 4 hours or so, then grill. 1/4 cup brandy 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 Tbsp. molasses 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger root -- grated 1/4 cup dry white wine Wed Dec 26 05:44:40 -0800 2007 3235566 10532 LindaWhit 2 3236950 oh boy, this sounds good. i'm hoping to cook on the grill before the kids go back to college and this looks like a great recipe for us to try. Wed Dec 26 06:25:22 -0800 2007 3236898 127625 fern 1 3237289 Wild mushroom bisque with brandy. Wed Dec 26 09:08:43 -0800 2007 3235566 95489 mschow 2 3241191 I degalze the pan with brandy when I make onion soup. Thu Dec 27 16:49:57 -0800 2007 3237289 22220 Kelli2006 3 3241934 It's great to splash in clam chowder when serving, especially Manhattan. Fri Dec 28 01:24:20 -0800 2007 3241191 11097 coll 1 3237299 All the suggestions sound good. I'm particularly a fan of sangria. And the other thing is, you have plenty of time to use it up. It's not going to go bad any time soon. Wed Dec 26 09:11:34 -0800 2007 3235566 126235 NYCkaren 2 3237569 Exactly what I was thinking -- your brandy will keep for approximately forever, so don't worry about using it up. It is one of the ingredients often added to cream sauces, so you could probably use it to punch up a lot of recipes. Since it's winter, I'll tell you that most of my brandy get consumed *cough* medicinally *cough* -- one part brandy, one part hot water, lemon juice and honey to taste makes an excellent cough remedy. Even my doctor approved it, pointing out that alcohol is a natural cough suppressant (most cough syrup has about the same percentage alcohol as brandy!), and that various components of that mixuture soothe the throat and/or help break up mucuous. And it's a lot better for you than commercial cough syrups (not to mention less expensive, especially if you already have brandy you're trying to use up). When I have a bad cold I keep a small glass of brandy by the bed, because a couple of sips will stop those midnight coughing fits dead in their tracks, not to mention help me sleep! Wed Dec 26 10:56:48 -0800 2007 3237299 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 3239168 Sangria I think peach is key canned will do in a pinch -1 sliced somewhat firm peach/nectarine -granny smith apple sliced -1 orange sliced (save thee ends) put above in your pitcher add -1 cup brandy -1/4 cup triple sec -2 tbs sugar (optional) mix and let stand for 30 min or so if you can add bottle wine red or white squezze orange ends into the mix and add an heathly splash of oz dc Thu Dec 27 03:36:23 -0800 2007 3235566 73130 don515 2 3239271 Whereas I only use the oranges - to me, a peach or apple would get too soft soaking in the liquid. Here's the recipe I use, adapted from a local Spanish restaurant I frequent. * Exported from MasterCook * Dali's Sangria Recipe By :adapted by Linda Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Drinks Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 bottles Spanish rioja wine 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup brandy 1 oz Triple Sec 2 cups orange juice 2 oranges -- cut into eighths and each eighth cut in half 1 liter club soda -- or less Make this in a big container and mix well to dissolve the sugar. (Wait until about an hour before serving to add the club soda.) You can refrigerate it probably up to a week, pouring over ice to serve. Dali usually tops the small and large pitchers off with another sploosh of red wine. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From an interview with the owner of Dali Restaurant: The fruit and brandy are combined with sugar and orange juice and allowed to sit for at the least 24 hours for the flavors to mellow. ''It's important to let it stand,'' Iriarte says. His sangria has a fuller, sweeter flavor than red wine sangrias made without the orange brandy. And lacking citrus fruits, the drink is less tart than other variations. The intense sweetness is lightened with a splash of sparkling water, which should be added after the sangria has been poured over ice, immediately before serving. ''To bring alive the dormant juices,'' according to Iriarte. A few lessons learned during testing: when making the red wine sangria, use a bottle of red wine (as Dali's Iriarte does) but if the mixture seems excessively sweet, add another half bottle or so, and let it rest another 24 hours. Thu Dec 27 05:56:30 -0800 2007 3239168 10532 LindaWhit 3 3240086 Buy a big glass jar of rock candy. Cram in as many sliced oranges and lemons as possible. Fill with brandy and stick it under the bed or in the back of a closet for a few months. You will end up with a lovely, syrupy cough medicine that works better than anything from the drugstore. Tastes a lot better, too! Thu Dec 27 10:53:05 -0800 2007 3239271 11995 pikawicca 4 3240470 I wanna be sick at your house, pikawicca. <vbg> Thu Dec 27 12:34:51 -0800 2007 3240086 10532 LindaWhit 4 3240508 Obviously we're on the same wavelength, pikawicca (see my post, above)! Your version of the brandy cough medicine sounds good, too. Thu Dec 27 12:43:58 -0800 2007 3240086 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 3519351 Soon you will be buying more brandy, soypower! Sun Mar 23 08:59:18 -0700 2008 3235566 162977 sarah galvin 1 4525691 Unlike wine brandy will keep very well after opening so don't feel like you have to use it up quickly Sat Mar 21 14:23:01 -0700 2009 3235566 89493 scubadoo97 1 4535135 it's been over a year. are ya done with the brandy? Tue Mar 24 17:50:41 -0700 2009 3235566 105717 alkapal 1 4537291 On the mushrooms theme, when I'm using them in risotto I deglaze with a little brandy after sauteeing and before adding rice. Wed Mar 25 11:36:39 -0700 2009 3235566 13445 Louise