 |
|
|
March 23, 2006 The Carefree Gourmet by Joyce McCombs A Bit of Irish My plans to interview a local chef didn’t work out (but they will soon, I promise!) so today’s offerings are a bit scattered, rather like my cooking during the last couple of weeks. I always think of March as being a challenging month, menu wise. I don’t seem to be inspired to add anything new to my tried and true routine. I already feel guilty that I haven’t yet used up that container of tasty beef stock from January. The salmon I found in the bottom of the freezer under the locker beef should have been cooked long ago. I should probably bake something to keep the Carefree spouse amused, but I don’t feel like doing anything complicated. And try as I might, making yet another green salad for dinner just sounds boring. We do have an abundance of corned beef from St. Pat’s Day, and I’m always in favor of potatoes, and baking when it’s cold and windy is always a good idea, so let’s take a look and see what’s been on the training tables at the Carefree Test Kitchens for the past few days. Champ A traditional Irish specialty, Champ is many things to many people, but to me it’s just plain delicious. I made a batch on St. Paddy’s day and left out the peas entirely and it was still terrific. I added a bit of diced, cooked bacon, which usually improves things and in this case made it spectacular. Tasty for breakfast made into patties, too. 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2 stick butter 1/2 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup milk 1/4 cup parsley Salt and pepper 1 cup fresh baby peas, cooked and drained Cook the spuds as you usually do, drain them well, return to the pan and set aside to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the green onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat. While mashing potatoes, slowly add the milk, incorporating well until the potatoes are creamy. Add 1/2 of the hot butter with the green onions and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked peas. If you’re adding bacon, now’s the time to toss it in. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining butter and onions over the top. Serve hot. Here are two ideas for bread that make a nice change from the ever present garlic toast or rolls or biscuits. This first one is pale golden when baked, and the scones that follow come out a deep, toasty brown that tastes as good as they look. Both make your house smell heavenly! Best Irish Soda Bread 3 1/2 cups flour 1 3/4 cups cake flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons fine salt 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces 1 1/2 cups buttermilk Preheat oven to 400 and lightly butter or spray a baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and, using your hands, work it into flour mixture, until it is about the size of small peas. (It takes a while, so be patient!) Add the buttermilk and stir with a spatula, just until the flour is moistened and comes together in shaggy dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until just smooth, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a ball and place on the center of the prepared baking sheet. It’s tradition to cut a 1/4-inch-deep "X" into the top of the dough to “let the fairies out so the bread will rise.” Bake one hour until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped lightly with your knuckles. Let cool a bit then pull apart to serve. Don’t use a knife to slice it until it’s cooled overnight or it will crumble to bits. (Yes, I had to learn this the hard way.) Brown Scones If you like currants or raisins, toss in a handful toward the end. Thinly sliced dried apricots are also quite tasty. 1 cup flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon rolled oats 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk Additional 2 tablespoons buttermilk Preheat oven to 400 and spray baking sheet. Combine all ingredients except buttermilk; mix well. Make a well in the center; add 1 cup buttermilk. Stir just until moistened. (Add dried fruit at this point if using). On a lightly floured surface, gently knead until dough holds together. Place on greased cookie sheet; pat out into 7 inch circle. Lightly score top of circle into equal wedges, about 1/4 inch deep. Brush top with additional 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Scones should break apart easily along wedge lines. 1000 Island Slaw A bag of coleslaw mix works great for this super fast salad and get ready for a taste bud wake up call with this spicy sweet dressing. 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons chili sauce 2 tablespoons sour cream 2 tablespoons pickle relish 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar Salt and pepper 1 hard cooked egg, finely chopped 4 cups shredded cabbage Mix together the first 7 ingredients. Add the chopped egg. Pour over the cabbage. Stir well to combine. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. SALMON PATTIES After I bake the small salmon I just found in the freezer, the leftovers are destined for these tasty morsels. If you have time to refrigerate the patties before you cook them, they seem to hold together much better in the skillet. 3 cups cooked, flaked salmon 1/2 small onion, very finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon dried dill weed Salt and pepper 1-1/2 cups plain bread crumbs Olive oil In a medium bowl, combine salmon, onion, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Add the beaten egg and mix well, then add the dill, and salt and pepper and stir again. Shape into 8 large patties. Coat with the bread crumbs and pat until they stick. Refrigerate 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon patties and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Sprinkle with additional lemon if desired. Classic Rueben Of course, it’s all about the corned beef, but the sauerkraut is important, too. Don’t serve it straight from the can or jar, but blanch it in a bit of boiling water with a pinch of sugar for a few minutes while you assemble the rest of the ingredients. At the last minute, drain it well and then top your sandwich. You’ll be amazed at the fresh taste and tender texture. For dressing, combine until smooth: 1/2 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons chili sauce 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish 1/4 teaspoon salt Then, assemble these things: 8 slices rye bread 1/2 cup well-drained, blanched sauerkraut (see above) 8 think slices cooked corned beef 8 slices Swiss cheese Butter, softened for spreading Spread dressing on each slice of bread. Spread 2 tablespoons of well drained sauerkraut onto 4 slices of bread. Top each with 2 slices corned beef, 2 slices Swiss cheese and cover with the remaining 4 slices bread. Butter both sides of each sandwich. Heat skillet to medium low and grill slowly, turning once, until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Chef Dave’s Corned Beef Hash and Eggs You may think you know how to make hash, but David Bulla, a chef from Austin, Texas has classic corned beef has down to a science. No fancy or strange ingredients like green peppers or pinto beans here, thank goodness. He insists that all you need are the basics and that all important secret ingredient - the beef broth. Chef Dave recommends using a cast iron skillet, and so do I, because the steady, even heat gives wonderful crispy crust. 1 pound corned beef, chopped fine 1 russet potato, diced 1 cup finely minced yellow onion 1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup beef broth Salt and pepper to taste Over medium high heat, melt the butter in the oil, and add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are half tender. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. Add beef broth and finally the corned beef. Cover and cook over medium low heat until the broth is reduced by half, then remove cover, turn hash and continue cooking until potatoes are very soft and bottom of hash is crispy. Serve topped with fried or poached egg. Serves 3-4. See you back here next time with either that darn interview I can’t nail down, or some Easter dinner recipes - think Spring! JMc |
|
|||
|
Index to Carefree Gourmet Articles Sourdough Sensations June 29, 2007 Kitty Treats June 29, 2007 Dog Treats April 20, 2007 Sandwich Plan March 23, 2007 Carefree Wacky Ingredients March 8, 2007 Homestead Hearth January 25, 2007 Carefree Cooking 101 January 11, 2007 Holiday Punch December 23, 2006 Holiday Treats December 12, 2006 Thanksgiving II November 20, 2006 Standby Favorites October 16, 2006 Cabbage October 11, 2006 Apples September 22, 2006 Kids Cook July 6, 2006 Wacky Tips June 8, 2006 Graduation May 11, 2006 African Cuisine April 13, 2006 A Bit of Irish March 23, 2006 Crazy for Carrots March 9, 2006 February Vacation February 23, 2006 Easy Budget January 12, 2006 Christmas Treats December 22, 2005 Sweet Surprises December 8, 2005 Turkey Times November 22, 2005 Grand Champions - Part 2 - October 13, 2005 Janet Boyer September 22, 2005 Grand Champions September 5, 2005 Blueberries August 12, 2005 Halibut and Zukes July 28, 2005 Orange Juice July 14, 2005 Happy Birthday June 30, 2005 Honey June 9, 2005 Picnic Dishes May 26, 2005 Celebration Salads May 12, 2005 Kraft Foods April 21, 2005 Shrimp April 7, 2005 Carry on Airline snacks March 25, 2005 Sandwiches March 10, 2005 Back from Vacation February 24, 2005 Super Bowl Snack Attack January 14, 2005 Ginger Snaps December 29, 2004 Christmas Memories - December 12, 2004 Thanksgiving November 23, 2004 Glen and Meat October 29, 2004 Blueberry Pie Champion September 30, 2004 Fair Winners September 2, 2004 Glen's Knives June 11, 2004 Aunt Aggie Tells All... May 13, 2004 Crazy About Catsup April 29, 2004 Carefree Clearance Special April 8, 2004 Seattle Adventure March 26, 2004 Vegas, part 2 March 12, 2004 Vegas Wind February 12, 2004 Casserole Bonanza January 11, 2004 No Fuss Dishes December 19, 2003 Fake and Bake Christmas December 11, 2003
|
||||