505105 Tue Apr 01 19:24:37 -0700 2008 114 31 Home Cooking 0 3551527 This is a blanket thread for all veg. Tue Apr 01 19:24:37 -0700 2008 10245 oakjoan 1 3552140 Asparagus with Parmesan, p. 14 I didn't use his method for cooking the spears, but instead put them in a frying pan, added cold water and salt, and brought to a boil - they are usually done by then. Didn't peel the stalks, even though they were pretty fat. The grill pan worked out very nicely in terms of getting char marks etc. on the asparagus. I think I ended up putting on less chopped egg than called for - just didn't seem to need that much. I served this with a salmon dish, but I think it is better as a starter. I didn't drizzle on more olive oil at the end because I forgot - still plenty of nice flavor. P.S. Looking at the photo now, I think it would have been nice if I'd chopped the egg into finer pieces. Also, my parmesan was hard so the curls weren't so pretty! Wed Apr 02 04:05:48 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 2 3552187 I also tried the Asparagus with Parmesan, p. 14 It's one of the few recipes that requires almost no modifications to fit my diet, except that I have to count the extra points for the Parmesan cheese, so I only used 1/2 what the recipe called for. Not that it was such an excessive amount of cheese or anything; I just try to shave off points where I can. We did use a grill pan but my asparagus was also fat. I probably should have cooked them longer--I was a bit too impatient. That is an error of the chef, however, not of the recipe-writer. Oh, and my shopper brought home grated parm instead of a hunk of parm, so mine isn't shaved like MMR's is. Overall, very simple dish. Photo attached. You can also see on the plate there that I served it with a Hopkinson-esque "cepes tartlet," which I will post about on the vegetables thread, and some roasted pork (not from a Hopkinson recipe) I don't know why my photos are so fuzzy lately. I must have done something weird with the settings. ~TDQ Wed Apr 02 04:51:14 -0700 2008 3552140 12005 The Dairy Queen 3 3552190 The tartlet looks great too! Wed Apr 02 04:52:56 -0700 2008 3552187 10985 MMRuth 4 3552231 Thank you! I just realized, the tartlet belongs in this thread too, so I shall now discuss it. So, this is more of a Hopkinson "inspired" recipe. I started with the cepes tarts recipe on page 24...but needed to cut some calories. Since I was completely winging this recipe, I didn't want to use really precious mushrooms (I saw some dried cepes online for $50 for 16 oz) until I was sure this adaptation would work. His recipe call for 1 lb fresh cepes OR 4 oz of dried cepes plus 8 oz of flat mushrooms (which I think we've determined that portabello mushrooms can be used as a substitute). I had intended to use whatever dried mushrooms I found in my cupboard (turned out to be leftover wood ear mushrooms from Dunlop cooking) and fresh portobello mushrooms, except we had a big snowstorm and I couldn't get to the market to get the portobello mushrooms, so, I ended up just using fresh button mushrooms I already had on hand. Since I figured this would be somewhat devoid of mushroom flavor, I sprinkled in maybe a tsp of something I have called "Mushroom Truffle Hunt", which is a Shiitake, Porcini and Pepper blend that comes in a spice bottle by a company called Urban Accents. It literally just has little bits of mushroom pieces in it. Again, I cut the amount of Parm cheese in half. And, instead of breadcrumbs (not "core" according to my diet)...I used...shredded wheat. Sounds gross and weird, but it was delicious! I didn't need the egg. Instead of the butter, I used 8 tsp of Canola plus a couple dashes of Molly McButter butter flavoring (which is our preferred butter flavor substitute because it's made of actual butter solids so doesn't impart a chemical flavor). Finally, instead of the pastry, I used won ton wrappers. This is something I saw in a WW recipe for (some other kind of) tartlets they have you cook in a mini-muffin pan. I didn't have a mini-muffin pan, so I just use a regular muffin pan. Spray it first with food release, laid the won ton wrapper in the muffin cup, spooned in a couple of spoonfuls of the mushroom filling, sprinkled on parm cheese, and put it in the oven. The WW recipe said to spray food release on the exposed tips of the won ton wrappers, but I didn't do that because a) it sounded gross and b) I decided I had less wrapper showing because I was using larger muffin cups. The WW recipe said to cook for 15 minutes, but I pulled them out after only 10, which I think was too long as my won ton tips were overly brown. Next time, I might brush them with a bit of olive oil or butter or something. (Or do you think Canola oil would be better?) and check on them a little sooner than 10 minutes. Overall, we liked this, even as adapted. The won ton wrapper comes out a bit crunchy on the edges and soft on the bottom. Certainly not nice and flaky like a "real" crust, but interesting enough as a delivery vehicle for the mushroom filling. I will definitely try it again with cepes and portobello mushrooms, along with brushing the exposed won ton wrappers with olive oil or butter or something. You can see the photo of the tartlet in my asparagus post above. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/505105#3552187 One thing I wasn't sure about is that Hopkinson says to let your mushroom mixture cool after you saute it. I don't know why this step is necessary if you're just going to put it in the oven, but I guess so it doesn't melt the pastry and or parm cheese before you even get it in the oven? I count this as core, plus whatever points for the won top wrapper and parm cheese. ~TDQ Wed Apr 02 05:21:46 -0700 2008 3552190 12005 The Dairy Queen 5 3552386 More good work, TDQ. I was thinking that maybe you could use filo pastry for the pastry casing instead of wonton skins? I'd also maybe use olive oil spray on the edges of the "pastry" to stop them browning too much. Wed Apr 02 06:34:49 -0700 2008 3552231 110146 greedygirl 6 3552470 Good suggestion--I'll have to check out phyllo pastry--according to WW website, it's about 1 point per sheet. Can you just buy that in the fridge or freezer section of most grocery stores? I forgot to mention that I got about 8 tartlets out of the above recipe. Per weight watchers website, won ton wrappers are a half a point per wrapper. That plus 1 TSBP of grated parm cheese (which is .5 points per TBSP), divided by 8 servings means these tartlets as I've made them are WW core plus about a point (or less.) I'm afraid I don't know how to count them for WW flex/points. ~TDQ Wed Apr 02 07:03:31 -0700 2008 3552386 12005 The Dairy Queen 7 3552572 It's usually in the freezer section, I think. One sheet should be enough for a couple of tartlets, so probably no more point-tastic than using wontons. Wed Apr 02 07:34:08 -0700 2008 3552470 110146 greedygirl 1 3558837 Question on leeks everyone - he says to get leeks that are thumb-width. Holy cow (holy chow?), the ones I find are closer to wrist-width. Any thoughts on how I'd adjust the cooking time (I'm thinking of the leeks vinaigrette), or is it silly to even try with something so big? Thanks in advance for any ideas. Thu Apr 03 15:15:31 -0700 2008 3551527 56762 LulusMom 2 3558890 I'd go ahead and use the bigger ones - though I've never seen ones that big, and they are probaby less tender, so you might need to cook them a little longer, and then slice them into quarters, instead of halves. Thu Apr 03 15:27:19 -0700 2008 3558837 10985 MMRuth 3 3559221 I was probably just a wee bit over-doing their size, but they are much much bigger than thumb size. And he has them being cooked whole. My instinct was to halve and cook them (the whole cooked whole thing seems kind of gross with leeks, what with the grit and all). Or maybe I'm mistaken and he has them halved ... but thank you. I'll cut them into some sort of reasonable width and then just take it from there. BTW, I had a great few hours with the book, and am amazed by how many recipes I'm interested in trying. Thu Apr 03 17:07:08 -0700 2008 3558890 56762 LulusMom 4 3560903 The thumb-sized leeks are fairly common in the UK (if more expensive and less tasty than normal sized ones). I would cook whatever you have and then cut them to however you think makes the nicest presentation. I do a similar recipe that is dressed with vinaigrette and Parmesan - with big leeks, I'd cut them into thickish rounds to sit on the serving dish. Fri Apr 04 08:20:55 -0700 2008 3559221 154102 Harters 5 3560995 I just decided to make this and bought leeks - they were also a big thicker than a thumb and there are only two of us, so I just bought 6 of them. Fri Apr 04 08:45:05 -0700 2008 3560903 10985 MMRuth 6 3562124 Oh, do please let us know how it turns out. I'm likely to make this in the next week or two. Fri Apr 04 12:52:58 -0700 2008 3560995 56762 LulusMom 7 3562130 You know I will ;-). But, I just realized that I only bought 6 of them and they only have about an inch and a half of white - so it may not turn out so well - I left more pale green on b/c of that. Fri Apr 04 12:54:30 -0700 2008 3562124 10985 MMRuth 3 3590289 I've been getting leeks in my CSA box for the past month or so and they look like something out of "Invasion of the Giant Leeks From Mars". I've only made the leek tart a couple of times, using sliced up leeks, so the size didn't matter in the cooking time. Sun Apr 13 14:06:23 -0700 2008 3558890 10245 oakjoan 1 3559556 Cold Spinach with Creme Fraiche, Garlic and Black Pepper page 197 We tried this tonight. The only substitution I made was I used 2% Greek Yogurt (Fage) instead of Creme Fraiche. Also, I have no idea how much spinach I used --it was a giant bunch, but quite possibly less than 4 lbs. I found this way, way too lemon-y. I don't know if it's because perhaps the proportions were off (maybe I didn't have enough spinach relative to the yogurt/lemon sauce?) or maybe because the yogurt was a poor substitution for the creme fraiche. I'm guessing the fat in the creme fraiche (that the recipe called for) might have cut some of the acidity of the lemon juice. Also, the tartness of the yogurt probably amplified the sourness of the lemon juice instead of cutting it. I am finding some of Hopkinson's directions to be imprecise. For instance, he doesn't give you any kind of direction regarding how long to cook the spinach. Until it goes limp? For 3 minutes? The only direction he says is not to let the garlic to brown... He also doesn't say how high the heat should be--high? medium? I'd be interested in hearing how this recipe turns out for someone who actually follows the directions... At least it was very pretty! I served this with grilled sweet potato fries (2 sweet potatoes, drizzled with 6 tsp of olive oil, salt, and a couple of shakes of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning) and Steak with Bread Crumb Salsa (a recipe from Flexitarian Table) http://www.chowhound.com/topics/434103#3559582. ~TDQ Thu Apr 03 18:54:12 -0700 2008 3551527 12005 The Dairy Queen 2 3560021 I spent all day doing taxes and paying bills. Yuck! So to reward myself, I decided to make the leek tart. I had 2 gigantic CSA Box leeks from last week's box. One had been out on the table all week, but it looked okay and I took off several layers. It calls for a butter crust that you pre-bake. So far so good. He says that the leeks need to saute in the butter for a long time, so I sauteed them on a low fire for about 20 minutes. You make a simple custard with egg yolks and (he calls for) cream and mix with the leeks. I didn't have any cream and wouldn't have used it anyway. Just too rich, especially with the butter crust. So I used 1% milk and a bit of Greek yoghurt and mixed it with the leeks. Oh, I forgot to mention that I had some chard also left over from last week's box. I chopped that up and sauteed it with the leeks. After the veg have sauteed their little hearts out you mix them with the custard stuff and pour into the prepared tart shell. Hopkinson says that a bit of Parmesan adds a bit of zing. I only had Pecorino Romano and added that, grated. I baked the tart per the directions and, when I took it out it looked great. However, it had a strange aftertaste. I noticed it first and husband said he didn't taste it. He had a piece a couple of hours after dinner and then said he did taste it. I don't know what it was. Tasted a bit like dirt. I washed the leeks thoroughly and there was no dirt on them. I also used only the tops and stopped slicing them when I got to the green. While they were sauteeing, there was a lovely smell coming from the pan, so I don't think it could be the leeks. I'm wondering if the cheese was the culprit. Or the chard. In any case, I'm going to have to make it again and this time follow directions for ingredients! Thu Apr 03 23:12:46 -0700 2008 3559556 10245 oakjoan 3 3560222 I'm so envious of those of you with year-round CSAs! I keep waiting for mine to start. Anyway, oakjoan, I can very much relate to the difficulty in trying to determine where a recipe went wrong when you've made a couple substitutions...your ingredients sound to me like they would have been delicious, but what do I know. I'll be interested in finding out how it goes when you you try it again! ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 04:12:12 -0700 2008 3560021 12005 The Dairy Queen 3 3560226 I also can't think of what would lead to the "dirt" taste - maybe there is some strange chemical interaction between chard and leeks ;-). Did the custard work well with the milk and yogurt, by the way? And did you make his crust or one that you had already? Thanks! Fri Apr 04 04:17:05 -0700 2008 3560021 10985 MMRuth 4 3563690 I made his crust. I'm so proud of myself that in the past few years I've mastered pie crusts and don't dread them anymore. My lazy fave, though, is the one with melted butter in Medrich's pure dessert. Talk about easy! The custard came out pretty well...it was a tiny bit gummy. Sat Apr 05 00:08:00 -0700 2008 3560226 10245 oakjoan 5 3563795 oakjoan, you will be my inspiration later this week. I *haven't* mastered pie crusts, but I'm going to attempt the anchovy and onion tart. I figure its about time, and this sounds worth it. Sat Apr 05 03:35:19 -0700 2008 3563690 56762 LulusMom 2 3560223 4 lbs is an awful lot of spinach - it's unlikely, I think, that even a large bunch would weigh a pound. How many servings would you say you got out of your bunch? I also think you are right about the tartness being heightened by the yogurt (even though creme fraiche can be slightly tart as well). That steak looks lovely. Fri Apr 04 04:12:27 -0700 2008 3559556 10985 MMRuth 3 3560234 Just looked at the book - on p. 194, he says it takes "just seconds" to stirfry the spinach. I have used that "recipe" - cooking it in "nut-brown butter", adding in some nutmeg and really liked it. Edit - also - did you use the full 4T of olive oil - if not, that might be part of it as the oil would cut the lemon juice too. Fri Apr 04 04:23:57 -0700 2008 3560223 10985 MMRuth 4 3560272 I agree--4 lbs is a lot! I don't even know how it would all fit in one pan. I'd say we got 2 1/2 - 3 very generous servings out of our bunch. Ah, yes, your suspicion is correct that I used far less than 4TSBP of olive oil--I forgot to mention that, so, thank you for pointing that out. That's one of those adaptations I do so automatically that I sometimes forget I've done so. So, yes indeed, that would be another way in which the way I prepared the recipe--by cutting more of the fat-- could cause the taste of the lemon to overpower. I think next time, if I'm going to tinker with the fat, I would cut back on quantity of lemon juice and use something different that yogurt. Greedygirl mentioned something in the main thread (I think it was) about half creme fraiche or something like that. Maybe that would be a better choice, though, I can't say I've ever noticed it in a market. You know, now that you mention it, I did see that comment on p 194 about it taking just seconds to stirfry spinach, but it didn't come to mind in the heat of the moment when I was in the middle of cooking. But, of course, I only did stir fry it for a couple of minutes, until it turned bright green and was completely limp. ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 05:06:32 -0700 2008 3560234 12005 The Dairy Queen 5 3560284 Yes - if you try it again - use less lemon juice - and then taste - you can always squeeze more on. I tend to do that generally anyway, because the amount of juice one can get out of a lemon can vary so, because of the size and also just the overall juiciness. Also - and this may not be correct on my part, with this book, even though it's adjusted for the US, I tend to assume that he means smaller rather than larger things - i.e., a "bunch" of parsley - b/c I think of us in the US as having this "bigger" than in the U.K. Of course, even here, the size of a parsley bunch in my local markets varies from market to market. I do generally prefer when cookbook authors say "1 cup chopped parsley" rather than "one bunch", but on the other hand, over time, it teaches one to figure out for one's self how much of an ingredient is appropriate. And, of course, it's easier to add more, than to take out too much! Fri Apr 04 05:12:42 -0700 2008 3560272 10985 MMRuth 6 3560304 That's a good suggestion about using less lemon juice up front and squeezing more on later if need be. I will say it was probably a large lemon I was using. And, thank you for the comment in general about things possibly being "bigger" in the U.S. I think that's a very interesting point! One of the things I've felt some of the recipes have lacked is a mention of the size of ingredients. In the U.S., it's very typical for a recipe to call for, "juice of half a MEDIUM lemon" or 4 MEDIUM eggs" or whatever. Even in the strawberry pots de creme recipe I was puzzled because he didn't say what size ramekin to use. In the end, I used my smallest ones because those were individual servings. But, if you approach these recipes with the assumption for the most part these items come in only one size and that size is what we think of in the U.S. as small, that might be a helpful way of looking at things. I'll try that for awhile and see how it goes. Oh, and the steak (from Flex Table recipe) was very good. My husband really liked it, too, though he commented that he would have never let me prepare a better cut of steak (ie., the cut of steak the recipe called for) that way...ie., covering every inch of the steak with salt and pepper, then burying it in a bread crumb salsa. I intend to try it with a better cut of steak one of these days anyway! Ha! ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 05:22:21 -0700 2008 3560284 12005 The Dairy Queen 7 3560500 I wondered about that ramekin thing myself in reading through thte book yesterday. There are a couple of times when I felt a bit unsure what size vessel (or "bunch") he was talking about. Big I figured that is the kind of thing that is normally ok with winging. Fri Apr 04 06:33:59 -0700 2008 3560304 56762 LulusMom 8 3560550 He means a single portion ramekin, about 9 centimetres across. Most people would only have the small ramekins (like the ones for creme brulee) and would know instantly what he meant. Fri Apr 04 06:52:32 -0700 2008 3560500 110146 greedygirl 9 3560555 My new Hopkinson mantra--when in doubt, choose small. :) ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 06:53:50 -0700 2008 3560550 12005 The Dairy Queen 10 3560564 Although I think he's on the, ahem, portly side himself! (And no wonder given all that butter and cream!) Fri Apr 04 06:56:06 -0700 2008 3560555 110146 greedygirl 10 3560572 I'd go for large eggs though - British chefs who don't specify the size of their eggs usually mean large. Fri Apr 04 06:58:20 -0700 2008 3560555 110146 greedygirl 11 3560586 Oh, good to know! ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 07:01:04 -0700 2008 3560572 12005 The Dairy Queen 5 3560322 It's half-fat creme fraiche which is widely available in the UK but maybe not in the States? Here's a link which also has an interesting tip about substituting yoghurt but adding a bit of cornflour to stabilise it. I find Greek yoghurt to be the creamiest, and Total do a 0% fat version which is quite good. http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/c.shtml?creme_fraiche Fri Apr 04 05:28:26 -0700 2008 3560272 110146 greedygirl 6 3560518 Thanks for that info. Very interesting as I'm always looking for ways to trim fat and calories... ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 06:40:40 -0700 2008 3560322 12005 The Dairy Queen 6 3563714 I'm a sucker for Fage yoghurt. Sat Apr 05 00:33:29 -0700 2008 3560322 10245 oakjoan 7 3563748 OJ - was just about to say that we don't have it here but have just googled it to find that it's the same as the Total brand I mentioned (which is Greek, I think). TDQ - you should really see whether half-fat creme fraiche is available in the US. It's a god-send for a cook on a diet. Do you get the President French brand in the States for butter/cheese etc? Their creme fraiche, although not the best in terms of taste, is much lower in calories than other brands and fine for cooking. Sat Apr 05 01:32:34 -0700 2008 3563714 110146 greedygirl 2 3825831 TDQ, I made sweet potato fries your way last night (well, I did them in the oven but will try grilling sometime) and they were a hit. I had the Mrs Dash SW Chipotle seasoning in the cupboard but hadn't used it on anything yet. Probably picked it up when things were buy1/get 1 but had no plans for it. Will definitely make these again. Thanks for the quick new side idea! Mon Jun 30 06:40:48 -0700 2008 3559556 127625 fern 3 3825849 I'm so glad you like them! They are one of our favorites--healthy, easy, though not especially quick because they pretty much take 25 minutes no matter what you do. Now that the weather's gotten nice, we've been doing our sweet potato fries on our grill in our "wok" (the special "grill" wok that has the holes in it). We like them that way, too, though much of the olive oil escapes... ~TDQ Mon Jun 30 06:46:25 -0700 2008 3825831 12005 The Dairy Queen 1 3560531 Forgive me for being a TDQ-come-lately, as I know the topic of substitutions for cepes was much discussed in one of the general threads, but I've come to the conclusion that not only are porcini an acceptable substitution for cepes, but that the are in fact one and the same. I believe porcini is simply the Italian name for them and cepes, the French. Figured that out when I went to dictionary.com to confirm the pronounciation of cepe (my French is a bit rusty and I'm always a little insecure about it) and it said, "See porcino." Rhymes with step, by the way. :). Anyway, I don't know if anyone else has already come to this same conclusion, but that's my latest thinking. ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 06:45:10 -0700 2008 3551527 12005 The Dairy Queen 2 3560535 I thought that as well, but had not done any research into it. Fri Apr 04 06:46:51 -0700 2008 3560531 10985 MMRuth 3 3560574 I thought he actually said as much in that chapter? Fri Apr 04 06:58:53 -0700 2008 3560535 56762 LulusMom 4 3560594 I thought he was saying they were an acceptable substitute--but, I didn't get that they were different names for the same thing. Then again, I'm notorious for skimming rather than really reading cookbooks. I really need to work on that. But, nevertheless, if we're all coming to the same conclusion different ways, that must be a good thing! ~TDQ Fri Apr 04 07:02:20 -0700 2008 3560574 12005 The Dairy Queen 5 3560812 The good news is that this makes them easier to find! Fri Apr 04 07:57:38 -0700 2008 3560594 56762 LulusMom 6 3560999 I'm going to try that the cepe and potato soup - dried porcini, and I found some pretty nice ripe plum tomatoes, so I'm going to use 8 of them, and maybe just make 2/3 of the soup. Fri Apr 04 08:46:12 -0700 2008 3560812 10985 MMRuth 4 3560699 You are absolutely right - "the cepe - also known as porcini, penny bun, Boletus edulis." Fri Apr 04 07:29:09 -0700 2008 3560574 10985 MMRuth 2 3560865 Porcini/cepe - same thing. And definately rhymes with step (as "sep") Fri Apr 04 08:10:10 -0700 2008 3560531 154102 Harters 1 3564931 Vinegared eggplant w/ chilli and spring onion (p. 79) Rating: pretty good. So last night -- Friday I'm always exhausted when it comes to dinner time -- I found I had an eggplant, looked through Hoppy's book and found a recipe that . . . calls for black vinegar! Nice segway from Fuschia, eh? (I had a full bottle minus about 2 t.) Well, Hoppy mentions black vinegar which he claims he could not locate (in 1994??) so he substitutes balsamic. Hah, I say. I'm substituting back! He says fry the eggplant cut into cubes. No way was I standing at the stove as the eggplant invariably soaks up oil like a sponge, and contrary to what some say, in my world it never gets back out. So I poured some peanut oil on a baking pan, turned the oven on to 425 or so, and baked. Oh, and I needed more oil -- I started w/ about 3 T versus his 6. It browned well, I must say, and I had time to feed the pets. Put a little oil in a pan, added black vinegar, sugar, salt, scallions and sichuan peppers(yes I still have a big supply!) ground in a mortar, and added back eggplant. Cilantro would have made a nice garnish, as Hoppy says, but Friday night, hungry. Ate happily. Another dish, such as a main dish, would have been nice and maybe sometime I'll do that. I would say I have never met an eggplant dish I don't adore (though I once made a mousse-like thing which did not do justice to such a noble vegetable). It was good. But that one eggplant dish alone does not yet allow me to join the chorus of most useful cookbook of all time. (Given my druthers I would revert to Bittman's scrumptious baked eggplant w/ garlic, oil & parsley.) Sat Apr 05 14:05:38 -0700 2008 3551527 33755 NYchowcook 2 3564958 That dish is on my list for tomorrow, or the day after maybe, so that report is very timely, thank you. I was also going to use black vinegar because I need to buy some in anticipation of my Dunlop book arriving next week. Unfortunately I couldn't get to the Chinese supermarket today because a fire in my neighbourhood had closed a couple of roads! I was thinking it might go nicely with soy-glazed salmon or similar? Sat Apr 05 14:16:00 -0700 2008 3564931 110146 greedygirl 1 3564988 Grilled Eggplant with Pesto, p. 78 Well, as you can see from the photo, this was quite a failure, but I think it is my fault on several accounts, as there is no way my husband and I don't like eggplant with pesto! First - you roast the sliced, oiled, incised eggplant halves at 425. He says 20 - 30 minutes, and I think I misjudged and thought they were cooked at 20 minutes. So, I'd definitely cook for 30 minutes next time, and make sure the eggplant is nice and soft before removing it. Whizzed up the pesto in the FP, then decided to get the eggplant ready to go under the broiler at the last minute, so I spooned the pesto onto the eggplant, where it then sat for the next hour or so - I'm guessing the oil in the pesto may have seeped down, and there was a little bit of a "crust" on top by the time I stuck the eggplant under the broiler. I think the broiler was my final downfall - it's one those bottom ones - and almost before I could turn around, the tops were very dark brown instead of "golden and bubbly". How sad! You'll see in the photos. I had a bite or two but the egg plant really wasn't well done enough. To resurrect - I put them back in a pan, flesh side down, and cooked for another 10 minutes. I'm going to process in the FP later with the some of the leftover pesto (I only made 1 eggplant, but the full pesto) in hopes of salvaging as a spread. It is rich tasting, so next time I make it, I'll make it with a plainer dish than the Poulet Saute au Vinaigre. Sat Apr 05 14:24:51 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 2 3565026 Oh dear - what a sad end for those poor little aubergines. I feel almost sorry for them! Sat Apr 05 14:38:59 -0700 2008 3564988 110146 greedygirl 3 3565028 Well - I am trying to resurrect them ;-). I'll let you know - but yes, they do look just dreadful. Sat Apr 05 14:40:21 -0700 2008 3565026 10985 MMRuth 4 3565037 I think your idea of whizzing them up with pesto is a pretty good one. Hopefully the fact that they were under the grill too long might add an interesting smoky taste, rather like baba ganoush. :-) Sat Apr 05 14:42:26 -0700 2008 3565028 110146 greedygirl 5 3567556 It turned out nicely - I scooped out in the insides and just ran them through the food mill with a little more pesto - we've been nibbling on it on bread while waiting for Mr. Pheasant .... also the Parmesan crackers, but will report on proper thread. Sun Apr 06 15:07:33 -0700 2008 3565037 10985 MMRuth 4 3565288 Hey! Put some rubber bands around them and you can use them for beach sandals! I feel I have the right to joke at your expense since I managed to incorporate the taste of dirt in my leek tart without actually using dirt! Sat Apr 05 16:58:56 -0700 2008 3565028 10245 oakjoan 5 3565490 Jokes are just fine - it really looks dreadful - just not sure I want that burnt pesto squishing under my feet! Sat Apr 05 18:36:23 -0700 2008 3565288 10985 MMRuth 2 3565481 Oh dear--what a disappointing perfect storm. How did the resurrecting work? At least the rest of your meal sounds like it turned out delicious! ~TDQ Sat Apr 05 18:32:31 -0700 2008 3564988 12005 The Dairy Queen 3 3565501 Since the cooking was on Friday, I'm waiting until Sunday for the resurrection - haven't put it in the FP yet - think it will be an appetizer for Sunday dinner, on some toasted bread! I'll let you know - the chicken certainly was a winner, as was the soup today. Sat Apr 05 18:39:47 -0700 2008 3565481 10985 MMRuth 2 5148575 Grilled Eggplant with Pesto, Pg. 78 I halved the recipe but wish I hadn't... cuz then I'd have more leftovers for lunch. Anyway, eggplant is halved lengthwise, the cut side is marked with crosshatches about 1" deep, seasoned with EVOO and S & P then baked iin a 425F oven for 20 - 30 minutes. DH took it out of the oven at 30 min. It was slightly over cooked. In the meantime make the pesto with all the usual ingredients, etc. I subbed unsalted cashews for the pine nuts though, because that's what I had in the pantry. The pesto is spread over the top of the eggplant and then they are grilled till "golden and bubbly." Mine remained green but did get "bubbly." Nice! Can't wait for lunch. Mon Nov 02 06:39:23 -0800 2009 3564988 75332 Gio 1 3565021 Leeks Vinaigrette, p. 121 I'll say it straight out - I don't think my husband and I like leeks vinaigrette, period. However, there were some thoughts I have on improving what I did. First - the size of the leeks - he refers to "thumb sized" thickness - the smallest one I had was the most tender, the other, thicker ones, were decidedly less so (perhaps b/c I cooked them all for the same amount of time, about ten minutes, checking after 5). If your leeks are thicker, I'd suggest removing some of the outside layers - maybe after cooking? Two - I'd bought my groceries in a rush yesterday, and when I went to prepare the leeks, I saw that each had about an inch or an inch and a half of white! I was sad - you will see my stumpy leeks in the photos. For the sake of having some semblance of these things looking like leeks, I left on more of the green, but it certainly is less tender than the white. Three - don't use peanut oil unless yours is truly flavorless. I ended up using about 1.25 cups of oil, of which about 1/3 was peanut oil (the other was grapeseed, which I really like). There was a distinct peanut taste (this may also be b/c I used my cheap peanut oil that I bought in Chinatown, and not a more upscale one!). The dish is pretty quick and easy, and I liked both the practicality of grating the egg rather than chopping it, and the appearance. Sat Apr 05 14:38:09 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 2 3566975 I just realized while cleaning out my fridge and spotting the chives, I forgot to add the chopped chives to this dish. While I don't think it would have made me a huge convert, I would have liked it better with them. Sun Apr 06 11:14:43 -0700 2008 3565021 10985 MMRuth 2 3572640 Made the Leeks Vinaigrette last night to go with some roasted fish. We liked this a lot. Ours wasn't even close to as pretty as MMRuth's - I got a little over zealous in my trimming of the leeks and cut them too far down, and so about half of them fell apart during the cooking. My leeks were all pretty much the same width (much bigger than a thumb, but still the thinnest I've ever come across), and I boiled them for about 10 minutes - very soft but still just that tiny little bite, and a beautiful spring green color. We skipped the egg but did add the chives. We had lots of left-over dressing, which will go on salad tonight. Tue Apr 08 06:19:41 -0700 2008 3565021 56762 LulusMom 3 3572645 Oh good! What kind of oil did you use? I really think my peanut oil ruined this - I used some of the vinaigrette on a salad and it was just too cloying - I'm going to throw the rest out. Tue Apr 08 06:20:57 -0700 2008 3572640 10985 MMRuth 4 3572661 Simple old canola! It was the only thing vaguely flavorless that I had (and I really had to resist the urge to just go ahead and use olive oil). I find it interesting that in this vinaigrette he uses peanut oil only, but in the vinaigrette recipe he wants some walnut oil added. I guess simple greens have less flavor in his mind and need the addition? Just something that had me wondering. Tue Apr 08 06:26:08 -0700 2008 3572645 56762 LulusMom 1 3565045 Cepe and Potato Broth, p. 25 I made this for lunch today - halved the recipe. I had two packets of .71 oz of beautiful looking dried porcinis, and at $5.99 each, and not finding the extra I thought I had in my pantry, I decided just to use that smaller amount than the full 2 oz. Another straight forward recipe - and a delicious one. It had a lovely porcini earthy flavor even w/ that lesser amount of mushrooms. My only real comment is that I don't know why he refers to it as a "broth" - it's a hearty soup - maybe would have been slightly less so had I used a finer holed thing for my food mill. I actually added a bit of the soaking liquid after running the dish through the food mill, which I'd saved just in case, as I remembered that his mussel soup was also quite thick. Next time, I'd add even more of the soaking liquid (strained!). A keeper for us - and a different kind of mushroom soup than I've had before. We had it with a lightly dressed baby arugula salad (fresh from the morning's farmer's market) and a nice cheese from the market and some leftover slices of bread. Tomorrow - Parmesan crackers, Chocolate Bavarois, and Pheasant (found one at the farmer's market - recipe in Week In, Week Out). Sat Apr 05 14:50:17 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 2 3565066 wow pheasant! Can't wait to read your report! good luck! Sat Apr 05 14:59:24 -0700 2008 3565045 33755 NYchowcook 2 3565147 I love pheasant - but it's well out of season for us now. Still, not that long till September...... Sat Apr 05 15:39:01 -0700 2008 3565045 154102 Harters 3 3565494 To be honest, I have no idea what the season here is - seems to me it should be a fall thing, but they were fresh, not frozen. I don't think I've ever eaten pheasant ... other than the eggs a couple of weeks ago. Sat Apr 05 18:37:31 -0700 2008 3565147 10985 MMRuth 4 3566053 You're in for a treat - pheasant is delicious if cooked right. I usually braise it because it can be a bit dry (also depends on whether you've got a male or female bird). Good luck! Sun Apr 06 00:42:33 -0700 2008 3565494 110146 greedygirl 4 3566156 Oh, pheasant season is most certainly in the fall--it would never be in spring when the birds are looking after their nests. Your pheasant was probably wasn't wild. I've never had pheasant either--maybe I'll be inspired by your efforts! When did you have the pheasant eggs? I missed that! P.S. Can't wait to hear the end of the eggplant saga. ~TDQ Sun Apr 06 04:36:54 -0700 2008 3565494 12005 The Dairy Queen 5 3566163 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/501646#3517280 Sun Apr 06 04:43:31 -0700 2008 3566156 10985 MMRuth 4 3566502 I've ordered pheasant from FreshDirect. It was delicious. And I see it at the farmer's markets. It seems to be available year-round here. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Sun Apr 06 08:05:25 -0700 2008 3565494 126235 NYCkaren 1 3567184 Vinegared Aubergine with Chilli and Spring Onion, p.22 (UK edition) I made this tonight and liked it a lot. It was also very easy to make. I fried the aubergine in a wok, and used 4 tbsp of vegetable oil. I also used black vinegar, and a bit less salt than he calls for. I think I used a little bit too much chilli though. My dried chillis are FIERCE. I served it with plain roast salmon and brown basmati rice for a pretty healthy dinner. Sun Apr 06 12:55:13 -0700 2008 3551527 110146 greedygirl 1 3572492 COTM: Vinegared Eggplant with Chili and Spring Onions, Pg. 79 This recipe seems to be the ROTW...... It was delicious! Essentially it's a large eggplant sliced in small chunks, fried in peanut oil with balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, shredded spring onion (scallions), and as much crushed chili pepper you want...we used 2 teaspoons. That's it. Used a wok with less oil than specified. It's good hot, room temp or cold. I can see it as a component in an Italian salumi and cheese sandwich, over rice....anyway one would want. The next time I try it I'm going to use Chinese black vinegar as a chef friend of Mr. Hopkinson originally conceived the recipe. The main dish was a spicy bisson chipotle meatloaf a la Chef Paul Prudhomme. A fab combination and satisfied DH's love of chilis....mine too. Tonight it's the vinegared chicken. Guess we're on a vinegar kick. Tue Apr 08 05:07:21 -0700 2008 3551527 75332 Gio 2 3572496 ROTW? Recipe of the Week? Tue Apr 08 05:10:52 -0700 2008 3572492 10985 MMRuth 3 3572510 Yes..... looks lke we all like eggplant. ;- ) I have to find your pheasant review.....I love roast pheasant! Tue Apr 08 05:19:08 -0700 2008 3572496 75332 Gio 2 3599179 I'm a week late, but I finally got arond to the Vinegared Eggplant with Chili and Spring Onions. Made it with Dunlop's Dry Fried Chicken (wonderful, and really easy). I learned from my Dunlop eggplant experience to just go ahead and bake/roast the eggplant instead of frying it first, and this really did work perfectly. Then just tossed it in with the other ingredients when they were hot and smelling good. Like most of you, I used some of the black vinegar I'd gotten last month. I think a lot must depend on the quality of your vinegar. We liked this but I think maybe my vinegar is *really* strong, since it took over flavor-wise (I think maybe more than it needed to). But again, we did like it. Wed Apr 16 06:18:14 -0700 2008 3572492 56762 LulusMom 2 5177232 I served this with Roast Pork and have to say, thought it was yummy. The addition of balsamic vinegar really does make the dish (as does the dried red chili). I tend to use more oil than called for because I like my eggplant kind of oily (bad for my arteries, I know). Didn't have any leftovers to try and eat cold but it would be perfect for a picnic, as Simon suggests. Thu Nov 12 17:06:55 -0800 2009 3572492 193015 always_eating 3 5177306 So glad to read your reports, always_eating! These COTMs have put a renewed interest in our otherwise over worked menus. After cooking for more years than I care to remember it's a needed shot in the culinary arm and we're loving all the various cuisines we've experimented with. I hope you continue to follow the adventures of the intrepid cooks on the COTM board! Thu Nov 12 17:33:36 -0800 2009 5177232 75332 Gio 4 5178579 Thanks, Gio. It is a good way to shake up my menus & try different recipes that I wouldn't normally, except when entertaining (which there has been very little of in the last little while). Fri Nov 13 08:17:21 -0800 2009 5177306 193015 always_eating 1 3589949 Asparagus with parmesan This was an emergency starter prepared in a rush because my cauliflower soup turned out bitter! Thank God the shop down the road sells asparagus! Very straightforward to make and delicious. My guests raved. I omitted the chopped egg because I a couple of people don't like them. Sun Apr 13 12:09:29 -0700 2008 3551527 110146 greedygirl 2 3590300 Emergency starter - I'm going to make the prosciutto with warm wilted greens this week and so finally read the recipe through, and it might make a nice starter as well, as you actually roll up the greens in the prosciutto slices, which I hadn't realized before. Sun Apr 13 14:10:55 -0700 2008 3589949 10985 MMRuth 2 3590893 We made the asparagus with parmesan on Saturday paired with Dunlop's Lamb Polo . It went very well together. Sun Apr 13 18:16:18 -0700 2008 3589949 75332 Gio 1 3591789 Delices d'Argenteuil, p. 13 We had this for a "light" dinner last night. It's actually pretty straight forward, though with a number of components - making the pancake (crepe?) batter, which has to rest for at least an hour, cooking the aspargus, and making the hollandaise. I made the batter first, and strained it as he says, though all it caught in my v. fine strainer was a couple of large pieces of pepper. I cooked the asparagus as I usually do (in frying pan, covered with cold water, a little salt, bring to a boil and it's usually done - no peeling). I then realized that it made sense to make the hollandaise after making the pancakes, as the rolled pancakes go into the oven for 10 minutes, leaving enough time to make the sauce. The pancakes were so easy - I just had to be careful not to put too much batter in the pan - one was too thick, so I didn't use it. I had my asparagus and prosciutto ready to go, and rolled each pancake up as the next one was cooking. Then into a buttered pan and into the oven for 10 minutes. The hollandaise - I'd used his method for making it in a salmon recipe, and knew it worked and was easy. I halved the recipe and had the yolk and a half at room temperature. I'd been perplexed earlier in the day by "butter, incited", but based on reading the other recipes, and comments by other posters, decided that this meant "clarified" - which, in the salmon recipe, he does by melting the butter, skimming off the solids on top, and then, when whisking the butter into the egg yolks, stopping when you get to the solids at the end. He says to make the sauce over "a thread of heat", so, since my stove top was warm from the hot oven, I just whisked on a burner with no flame. Then, you just plate the pancakes, spoon the hollandaise over them, and put under the broiler until "lightly glazed". Given my broiler fiasco with the eggplant, I kept an eagle eye on each plate and whisked it out quite quickly from the broiler. I wish I'd taken a photo of a cut one - v. pretty inside with the asparagus and prosciutto. I had two pancakes and my husband three - definitely something I'll make again. I had some batter left over this morning, and had a pancake with beautiful smoked salmon rolled up in it for breakfast. Edit - discussions of "incited butter": http://www.chowhound.com/topics/508898 http://www.chowhound.com/topics/505098#3589751 Mon Apr 14 05:28:29 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 2 3591935 Impressive looking! And I'm excited to hear that the crepes/pancakes were actually easy to make. Mon Apr 14 06:40:27 -0700 2008 3591789 56762 LulusMom 3 3591937 Yes, they brown nicely, v. slightly crispy on the edge, and so were easy to flip (well, I used a spatula). I meant to add that I think one could make them and roll them ahead of time, then heat and add the hollandaise sauce at the last minute, without losing much in terms of flavor/texture, etc. Mon Apr 14 06:41:42 -0700 2008 3591935 10985 MMRuth 4 3601870 You can definitely make crepes ahead and reheat, especially if you are adding a sauce. Wed Apr 16 17:27:24 -0700 2008 3591937 10074 Caitlin McGrath 5 3601874 Thanks. I think this would make a great "luncheon" dish. Wed Apr 16 17:28:32 -0700 2008 3601870 10985 MMRuth 6 3602395 Indeed, it sounds lovely - with rhubarb fool for dessert, an elegant spring lunch, indeed! Wed Apr 16 20:20:20 -0700 2008 3601874 10074 Caitlin McGrath 2 3592005 Oooh, gorgeous! Crepes are one thing I've never made. Maybe I'll try. Mon Apr 14 07:04:21 -0700 2008 3591789 126235 NYCkaren 3 3592010 I'm pretty sure they are proper "crepes" (though I've not made crepes) even though he doesn't refer to them as such. I wonder if this is another "translation" from the UK version. Mon Apr 14 07:05:32 -0700 2008 3592005 10985 MMRuth 4 3592279 They sure *look* like crepes! I probably wouldn't have even thought of trying them without your post. Mon Apr 14 08:26:45 -0700 2008 3592010 56762 LulusMom 4 3592417 Yes, it is. Yet another example of our two countries divided by a common language (I think someone famous once said that). The "original" says pancakes, as that is what we'd call them in the UK. But they are what the French would call crepes. Presumably changed in your edition to distinguish them from the delicious, but entirely dfferent, American pancake. Mrs H's "standard" pancake/crepe recipe (for about 12) is taken from Delia Smith (who, until her recent sellout, was the doyenne of Brit celebrity "home cooks): 110gr plain flour 2 eggs 200ml milk mixed with 75ml water Sieve the flour to get some air into it. Break the eggs into it and whisk together. Gradually whisk in the milk/water mixture. You want a consistency of thin cream. When you're ready to cook, heat a frying pan. Add a teaspoon of butter and coat the base (tip out any excess). Add about 2 tablespoons of batter and swirl round. It should take about 30 seconds to cook on one side. Flip it over and cook the other for a little time. BE PREPARED TO WORK FAST! The first pancake is always a bit of mess. Eating it is the cook's treat (or partner of cook). We keep them warm on a plate over a pan of simmering water. Fancy a crepe "cake"? Make each crepe; spread each with apple puree, add another crepe to the stack,etc, etc. Might need a few minutes to warm through in the oven or microwave. Fab with cream - trust me. Crepes are really easy - even I can do them. EDIT: The more layers to the "cake", the better. I would do the full recipe quantity - say 10 pancake layers. Mon Apr 14 09:07:26 -0700 2008 3592010 154102 Harters 5 3592443 These sound delicious! Pancakes are like novels--you always throw the first one out. ;-). ~TDQ Mon Apr 14 09:15:36 -0700 2008 3592417 12005 The Dairy Queen 5 3601860 The confusion was because it *wasn't* changed in the US edition - they are still called pancakes, not crepes, as we in the US would call them. Wed Apr 16 17:24:32 -0700 2008 3592417 10074 Caitlin McGrath 1 3599257 Pickled endives, Page 91. I made a half recipe. So three endives _ not large ones _ 3/4 cup of vinegar, spices and sugar. He says to simmer the vinegar and spices and then pour it over the endives, which have been quartered. There was very little liquid. I don't have a lot of pickling experience, but my recollection is that other recipes I've made involve adding water to the vinegar and spices. Hopkinson doesn't say anything about water. After it had cooled I put everything into jars. There was about an inch of liquid in each jar. I put the jars in the refrigerator. Then, on reflection, I decided that the endives would never get pickled sitting in so little liquid. So I filled the jars with boiling water and put them back in the refrigerator. I tried the pickles last night. Pretty good. I liked the combination of spices _ cinnamon, cloves, ginger, star anise. But the texture of the endives was a little lacking. Not enough bite. I would make the recipe again but add water to the vinegar and spices before boiling. I'm pretty sure that even if I'd made a full recipe I would have had way too little liquid. Maybe he just assumes that you would know to add water. What do you think? Wed Apr 16 06:43:54 -0700 2008 3551527 126235 NYCkaren 2 3599333 A couple of thoughts. As others have noted, Hopkinson's "large" is often our "pretty damn small." I bought some endives a couple of months ago for a recipe that gave the weight and discovered that two of my endives were the same weight as the six called for in the recipe. (Yet another reason--rant, rant--I wish more recipes included the weight of ingredients.) Who knows what size he considers "large." And they do vary tremendously. Also, you may have had your picking ingredients on a brisk "simmer" and ended up reducing the liquid more than intended. I don't do a great deal of pickling, but Carol's Pickled Onions from "The Zuni Cafe Cookbook" is a condiment I alway have on hand and, for what it's worth, that recipe calls for an equal amount of water and vinegar. My guess is that Hopkinson expects the recipe to be prepared without water, but that adding it was almost definitely the right decision. Wed Apr 16 07:04:03 -0700 2008 3599257 11407 JoanN 3 3599343 On the endive size - sometimes I see tiny ones and sometimes I see absolutely huge ones, so it is really hard sometimes to know which ones are right for a certain recipes. Wed Apr 16 07:06:11 -0700 2008 3599333 10985 MMRuth 3 3599463 You're probably right. I thought my endives seemed small but who knows what he considers a large endive. In any event, I'll tinker with the proportions and make this again. I love endives and I like the idea of serving homemade pickles with cured meats, which I think is what he suggests. Wed Apr 16 07:40:10 -0700 2008 3599333 126235 NYCkaren 1 3611905 Grilled Red Onion Relish, p. 135 Served this with some boneless ribeye steaks on Friday night, along with the Saffron Mashed Potatoes (report on Saffron thread). Pretty easy to make - just note the 1 hour marinating time after the dish is put together. I wanted to make half the recipe, and used 4 quite small red onions that I grilled on my grill pan (I don't know what he means by a "ribbed infrared grill") and halved the rest of the ingredients. I used only half of a largish jalapeno pepper - I tasted it and it seemed very hot to me. The dish really highlighted the flavor of the jalapeno, and, with the amount I added, wasn't particularly hot - would have been much more so had I added the amount called for. It was great with the steak, and quite pretty as well. Sun Apr 20 08:53:13 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 1 3625075 Oriental Salad, Page 44 This was made a few nights ago to go with a bison meatloaf. It was delicious and so flavorful. Because I only had vermicelli in the pantry that's what I used, but had all the other necessary veggies and seasonings. This plainly can be used as a light dinner sans meat in Summer, which I intend to do. In fact we really didn't need the meatloaf as evidenced by the nearly 3/4 left over. Thu Apr 24 06:14:02 -0700 2008 3551527 75332 Gio 2 3625211 Thanks Gio - that's good to know - might be a nice Saturday light lunch. Was it quick to put together? What kind of chilis did you use? Thu Apr 24 07:05:13 -0700 2008 3625075 10985 MMRuth 3 3625277 MM - I used 2 large red bell peppers and 2 smallish jalepenos....wanted the heat. After the prep the salad was very easy to put together. I highly recommend it. As I said in another thread - I think his recipes can be adjusted to suit one's craving at the time. I don't think one needs to be a slave to his exact ingredients, keeping in mind his original idea/dish. Thu Apr 24 07:25:49 -0700 2008 3625211 75332 Gio 4 3625281 Thanks! I made that substitution myself a number of times in the Dunlop recipes. Thu Apr 24 07:27:08 -0700 2008 3625277 10985 MMRuth 1 3627493 Tonight - Potato Salad. I don't have the book in front of me for the page number, sorry, but I'll edit in the morning. This was absolutely fabulous. I used very small red bliss potatoes and followed the recipe exactly. The dressing was slightly sparce but adequate, and very tasty. I'll be making this again. I paired it with very spicy ground turkey burgers with Davwud's chipotle mayo. Good Lord - this was wonderful!! ( DH put his burger on a Kaiser roll , but I simply used a handful of mixed salad greens.) What a super combination. Edit: I have to say, I've been very lucky in choosing the various Chowhounds personal recipes. Every one, so far, has been spot on. So, I say Thank You one and all for giving me the opportunity to add to my repertoire of tasty and satisfying dishes. Thu Apr 24 17:20:40 -0700 2008 3551527 75332 Gio 2 3628212 Wow, I'm going to have to look at that recipe again. Sounds wonderful. Fri Apr 25 02:36:13 -0700 2008 3627493 56762 LulusMom 3 3628216 What I really like about this book is that recipe that don't sound much when you read them, turn out to have wonderful flavours. It's a real art to do simple recipes well. Fri Apr 25 03:02:24 -0700 2008 3628212 110146 greedygirl 4 3628254 I was just saying that exact same thing to a friend yesterday - in large part, the ingredient lists are short, but the results wonderful. Fri Apr 25 04:19:46 -0700 2008 3628216 10985 MMRuth 4 3628390 Sounds like thats the case with the potato salad - I must have just skimmed over it without thinking much of it. I've had mostly good luck with these recipes, and consider them very company-worthy, which is nice. Fri Apr 25 06:10:17 -0700 2008 3628216 56762 LulusMom 1 3633261 Roasted new season garlic with creamed goat's cheese. I served this as a starter, with the basque chiorro for the main course. I liked it a lot, but next time I think it's better suited for a summer lunch in the garden, with maybe some charcuterie and a big salad. It was a bit rustic for a dinner party really. Delicious though, and easy to make, which is good as I was a bit rushed on Friday night. I bought new season garlic which wasn't as "wet" as I would have liked, but still with big cloves. I sliced the tops off the garlic, doused the whole lot with olive oil and baked in the oven for about 50 minutes. I did have to turn the oven down, as he suggested, because it was cooking too fast at 200 Celsius. For the goat's cheese, I used a soft, young cheese, mixed with a little double cream, some salt, and some chilli flakes. A nice bi-product of this dish is the wonderfully flavoured garlic oil you get at the bottom of the roasting pan. Yumtious. Sun Apr 27 03:51:20 -0700 2008 3551527 110146 greedygirl 1 3633539 Garlic and Sorrel soup (don't have book nearby for page number). I was excited to make this as I found sorrel at the farmer's market and was having a small dinner party last night - with guests with whom I don't mind trying out something new. You basically cooked smashed garlic cloves in the peel in water with various herbs/spices for 30 minutes, then add a diced potato for 30 more, strain, press the solids to maximize flavor of the broth, combine some w/ 2 eggs, add the julienned sorrel to the broth, then add the whisked egg/broth mixture and gently reheat. Wonderful croutons go with this. However, I wasn't thrilled with the results - it really had an acrid garlic flavor. I think this could be for two reasons - my four heads of garlic were quite big, so I might try it again with 3 heads and, secondly, I really did press the the solids through the sieve, and maybe that was over kill. So, I added a little more water to it, and also strained it again before finishing it up. The sorrel did have a nice lemony flavor in contrast to the garlic broth, and the croutons probably made it more palatable than it would otherwise be. My husband did have seconds, but said afterward that it wasn't a great dish. I served this as a first course, followed by the Salmon en Croute with Currants and Ginger, a medley of favas/peas/asparagus tips/morels and chanterelles, then ended the meal with three cheeses from the farmer's market and grapes. Sun Apr 27 07:58:56 -0700 2008 3551527 10985 MMRuth 1 3638113 Roasted Onions (don't have the book in front of me for the page, and too dejected feeling to go get it). No. Just ... no. This was the closest I've come to a catastrophe in this book. I went into this knowing there could be issues, based on previous realizations about the size of onions in the UK vs. the US. But even with adjustments, this just didn't work. Nothing at all special (which, c'mon, roasted onions should be) and pan-ruining, smoked kitchen inducing, not much fun eating blahness. Mon Apr 28 17:07:53 -0700 2008 3551527 56762 LulusMom 1 3638182 I hate to say this but I'm finished with SH for this month. There are still a few recipes I will try over the next few months...so it's not a total loss, but for a start to finish menu I think this book does not add up to our needs. Also, I'm sure that I'll refer to several of the sauces, vegetable and fish dishes from time to time. What I did cook we liked very much. Oh, maybe I should clarify that regarding the roast chicken, but all told it was a good learning experience as are all the COTM cook-alongs. Mon Apr 28 17:31:12 -0700 2008 3551527 75332 Gio 1 3992713 I didn't get a chance to participate back in April other than thumbing through the book, and one recipe jumped out at me -- Green Paste, in the cilantro chapter. I finally got around to making it last night (fudging the proportions a bit -- upped the mint, cut down the cilantro, used a couple of unidentified HOT red chilies from the garden instead of several green chilies and I cheated and used ginger juice (from the Ginger People) instead of real ginger root, but this was in fact the lovely green Indian chutney I get with my takeaway and always crave. I made a "tandoori" chicken (quick marinade in Trader Joe's Mediterranean style cheese yogurt mixed with cumin, coriander, ginger, salt, red chili flakes and garam masala, then sauted in olive oil) and served it with garlic raita (just yogurt, salt and garlic, I don't like cucumbers) and some sweet potatoes. Delicious! Wed Aug 27 18:39:47 -0700 2008 3551527 10669 Amuse Bouches 1 4146550 Roast Potatoes with Olive Oil, Rosemary, and Garlic (page 163) Was looking for something to make with some lovely new potatoes from the farmers market, thought about the Batali recipe everyone was raving about, then came across this one and it was this sentence that decided it for me: “The end result should be golden brown nuggets of crunch with a gooey potato inside; the garlic cloves will have puffed up, will have a crisp skin, and will be equally gooey.” Man, if that doesn’t suck you in, nothing will. He says to cut russets into 1-inch chunks, but I used small new potatoes and just quartered them. The potatoes are parboiled until just about cooked through then dried for a bit. Garlic cloves are parboiled for 10 minutes and drained. You then heat oil (he says to use olive, but not virgin; but virgin was all I had) on the stovetop, add the potatoes, season with s&p, and let the potatoes soak up the oil. Add the garlic cloves, tuck in a few sprigs of rosemary, and roast at 450F for 30 to 40 minutes (mine looked done after 30). You then drain off all the oil, put in a serving dish, and sprinkle with a bit of red wine vinegar. These were stupendously yummy, almost more oven-fried than roasted, and may well become my go-to recipe for roasted potatoes. I served them with blue fish fillets and a broccoli mush, both from “The Art of Simple Food”, and reported on in the appropriate threads. Mon Nov 03 11:15:56 -0800 2008 3551527 11407 JoanN