SUNDAY MORNING FLUFFY BISCUITS

I have been biscuit "challenged" for many years, so when I'm in a hurry, I usually resort to a tube of commercial rolls and try to jazz them up, but they are pretty unmistakable (and getting expensive!!). 

The last few years, I've tried out a lot of biscuit recipes, in hopes of finding the perfect one; one that is flavorful, light, fluffy and EASY............here is my latest success...YUM!!!

Made with baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk AND yeast, these biscuits are light and fluffy. Hot out of the oven with butter and honey, they are a winner!!!

In a small bowl, mix 1 packet of dry active yeast, a pinch of sugar and ¼ cup of warm water (set aside). After a few minutes, it should be foamy like this:

2½ cups of all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of white sugar
6 tablespoons Crisco flavored shortening
1 cup buttermilk (see note)

Stir dry ingredients together and then cut in the shortening until it is about the size of small peas. Stir in the dissolved yeast and buttermilk. Mix well, but do not over mix. Turn out onto floured board and roll to ¾” thick. Cut with a 3” biscuit cutter. Place on parchment paper and bake in preheated 400° oven for 12-14 minutes or until nice and golden. Brush with melted butter when they come out of the oven; they make fantastic breakfast sandwiches!!

NOTE: No kneading needed.

NOTE: This recipe does not work as well if you use butter instead of shortening. I use butter flavored Crisco in all my recipes that call for shortening.

NOTE: Don't be tempted to use your food processor when cutting in the shortening, it will process the shortening to much, it is better to have larger pieces of butter than super fine. I use my pastry cutter.

NOTE: Do NOT add all of the buttermilk at once. Add about 2/3 of it and see if that is enough. Personally, I think 1 cup of milk is too much, but everyone’s flour is different. Just flour your board enough so that the biscuits are not sticky.

NOTE: If you don’t have parchment paper, spray your pan with vegetable spray.

NOTE: Don’t use a twisting motion when you are cutting your biscuits. It seals off
the edges and they won’t raise very high.

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FIVE STAR GREEN PEA SALAD

We still have a lot of snow around the edges of the yard (several feet of it as a matter of fact), but it won't be long before it's barbecue season again, so my thoughts are turning towards side dishes that can be prepared ahead of time. 

Summer Pea Salad, jazzed up with crisp bacon and tomatoes is one of my favorites. It is one of those great salads that travels well and tastes even better after it has been in the fridge for a day or two. If you are going to make this salad, in advance, don't add the crisp bacon right away (it will get soggy), just sprinkle it over the salad before serving.
16 ounce bag of frozen green peas
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped
3 slices of crisp bacon cut up (optional)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded (I use more)
cherry tomatoes, cut in half
sunflower seeds

Fresh green peas are the best in this salad, but when they are not available, frozen peas work very well too.  Microwave peas (covered) with 1 tablespoon of water for about 3 minutes or until slightly cooked (but not soft) then drain and cool.

In a large bowl, mix all of the above ingredients together (except the cherry tomatoes); gently fold in the dressing.

Dressing
3 heaping tablespoons of light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons milk
Whisk the ingredients together and gently fold into salad.

Add cherry tomatoes and an extra sprinkle of cheese to the top of the salad for decoration. Cover and chill.
NOTE: Every microwave cooks at a different rate, so keep an eye on your peas when you microwave them. You don't want them to get overcooked and mushy.

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Eating Our Way...

...through Charleston & Savannah. Follow the adventure @Lucindaville.

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Wood-Fired Cooking

It is clear that I was an arsonist in a previous life. I love fire. I love cooking. So cooking with fire...that is the best.

Let's start at the beginning. In the beginning man cooked meat over an open flame. He survived, so really, how hard can it be? Well, harder than one might imagine. There is fire, but what kind of fire? Charcoal? Wood? What kind of wood? What kind of fire container? There are wood ovens, campfires, grills, big green eggs. Yes, meat is the obvious but what about breads and vegetables and seafood, oh my!

This is where Mary Karlin and Wood-Fired Cooking comes in. She has answers to all these questions. If they are not in the book, there are many answers at her web site, Elements of Taste. There you can also sign up for special cooking classes and find the most eco-friendly charcoal among other things.

Most cooing with wood type books are heavy handed on the barbecue side. Meat, sausage, a rub, a glaze, a sauce, throw in some beans and grilled fruit and there you are. With Wood-Fired Cooking one could just as easily leave out the wood-fired and have a great cookbook. (This is, of course, a bad idea as one would not get the nice char marks and smokey goodness that cooking over fire produces, but I digress.)

The book provides several cooking options depending upon each individual cooking nerd. (I mean that in a nice way, but if you have a roasting box and a big green egg invite me over!) Here is Karlin offering several ways to cook a duck or a chicken.

Tea-Brined Mahogany Duck


Tea Brine

8 cups water
1/2 cup Darjeeling or oolong tea leaves
3 slices fresh ginger
2 star anise pods
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey

Two 3-pound ducks, or one 5-pound roasting chicken

Basting Sauce

1 cup reserved tea brine
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey

To make the brine, combine the water, tea leaves, ginger, and star anise in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. In a large nonreactive container, combine the steeped tea, soy sauce, and honey and stir until the honey is dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Add the bird(s) to the brine; refrigerate ducks for 4 hours, chicken for 6 hours. Keep the bird(s) submerged by placing a plate on top to weight down and at a temperature of not more than 40°F (4°C). Remove from the brine 1 hour before cooking. Rinse and pat dry.

Prepare a medium-hot fire 400°F (200°C) in a wood-fired oven or cooker.

To make the basting sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until the honey is dissolved.

To roast in a box roaster, place the bird(s) breast side down on a wire roasting rack in a roasting pan or clay baker and baste with the basting sauce. Light the charwood once the bird(s) is in place. Roast, covered, with indirect heat for 1 hour. Being careful not to pierce the skin, turn over, baste, and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 175° to 180°F (79°C to 82°C).

To roast in a wood-fired oven or ceramic cooker such as a Big Green Egg, place the bird(s) breast side down in a roasting pan and baste with the basting sauce. Roast for 1 hour. Being careful not to pierce the skin, turn over, baste, and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 175° to 180°F (79°C to 82°C).

Let sit for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Birds and fire...what a great combo. If you are looking to get yourself or someone you know a "barbecue' book for summer, grab a copy of Wood-Fired Cooking. The food will be better for it.

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BACON

Mmmmm, Bacon!!

I am never frying bacon again!! Don't get me wrong, we are not removing bacon from our menu, it is just the frying method that I will never do again. Don't you hate cramming 4 or 5 pieces, at a time, into your largest frying pan... trying to get them all to lay flat as they curl up and leave those white fatty ends on each piece?!?!?  Me too, so I went on an Internet hunt for a "flat bacon miracle" and I found a super easy one!! Maybe everyone already knows about this method, but I sure didn't and I can tell you right now, I'll never fry bacon in a frying pan again!!

Using a large baking sheet that has a lip on it, spray it with a little cooking spray (probably not really necessary, but it makes for easier clean up) and line up the raw bacon slices, side by side, like this (my baking sheet cooked a 12 ounce package of bacon all at once.

Now, depending on how thick your bacon is and how hot your oven runs, it takes roughly 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees (I don't even pre-heat the oven) to bake the whole package at once!! No turning slices, no splattering in your oven, no bacon fat skin burns and no curly bacon....its magic!!

Start watching the bacon at about 20 minutes for regular thickness sliced bacon (I've never timed the thick sliced stuff). It comes out absolutely perfectly flat and Picky-picky husband who is one of the strictest bacon critics that I've ever met, gave this bacon BOTH thumbs up and raved about what a great texture and taste it had.....well, blow me over!!

Not only is this a wonderful way to cook mass amounts of bacon, but it leaves your entire cooking range free for whatever!!

NOTE: If you like super crispy bacon, just leave it in for an extra minute.

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MAPLE PECAN PIE

Picky-picky husband quizzed me on what flavor pie I was making this morning and when I told him it was maple pecan, my "pecan pie purist" husband wrinkled up his nose and went silent...(no fear...I'm used to that response ha! ha!). However, I've noticed him cutting extra slices from the pie more than once today, so I'm guessing he approves (everyone else loved it too!!).

This recipe is a nice, sweet change from traditional pecan pie since it's made with real maple syrup and it goes together quick and easy!! 

2 teaspoons butter
1½ cups pecans
3 eggs
1 cup real maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in a frying pan and toast the pecans for a couple of minutes. Be very careful because they burn FAST!! Let the toasted nuts cool for about 10 minutes before adding them to the pie filling.

Mix everything else in a large bowl, using a whisk to combine well.  Stir in the cooled pecans and pour this filling into an unbaked 9" pie shell.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until the filling is set and puffs a little. My oven takes the full 50 minutes.  Cool to room temperature before slicing.

NOTE: The first time I made this pie, I didn't watch the pecans close enough and they scorched (an expensive lesson!!). So most of the time, I toast them in the oven while it is preheating (just to be safe).

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Passover Cookbook

I find it interesting that there are a number of Passover cookbooks but very few Easter cookbooks. Since we have been wishing everyone we know a Happy Easter, we thought we might take this opportunity to offer up a Passover entry. Since we realized we didn't have anything that might fill our Easter Cookbook needs, we thought we might give Passover the spotlight.

Linda Amster culled the New York Times archives to find this collection of great Passover recipes. No I will admit that I have never cooked for a Seder, but I have been to a couple. With this cookbook, it think I might just be able to cook for one. It has been noted that this cookbook features six kinds of haroseth and seven versions of matzoh balls. And so much more. There are recipes from Alice Waters, Charlie Trotter, Wolfgang Puck, and this salmon by Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Baked Salmon With Basil Oil

4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin on
1/3cup light olive oil
1cup basil leaves
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4sprigs of basil for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Season the salmon with a few drops of olive oil and put it on an oiled baking dish.

2. Wash and drain the basil leaves and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner. Puree them in a blender with the remaining olive oil until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Bake the salmon for 10 minutes. If the skin peels away easily and the salmon flesh flakes when tested with a fork, it is done even though it may not look it (if you prefer it well done, return it to the oven for three more minutes). Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper.

4. Put the fillets on heated individual plates and sprinkle the basil oil in a circle around it. Put a sprig of basil on top of the fish and serve.

Truth is, while these are touted as Passover recipes, they are great for any day of the year.

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VEGGIE CORN BREAD

This super MOIST and tasty (veggie filled) corn bread starts out with two of those little Jiffy corn bread mixes (what could be easier?) and feeds a crowd. It is equally delicious warm or at room temperature, so it is perfect for a pot luck or holiday brunch.

 

(2) boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix

4 eggs (beaten)

1½ sticks butter (melted)

(2) cups broccoli florets (chopped)

1 cup of frozen corn (thawed)
1 medium onion (chopped) saute until tender
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4  teaspoon dry red pepper flakes (or to taste)

Saute broccoli, corn and onion until tender, set aside. In large bowl, beat 4 eggs together and stir in melted butter, cottage cheese and pepper flakes. Add Jiffy mixes and stir until smooth. Gently stir in broccoli, corn and onion. Spread in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish and bake (375°) for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

LOTS OF VEGGIES INSIDE

NOTE: Finely diced sweet red pepper is pretty in this cornbread too, but I was out of it.

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Not A Cookbook ...

... but we were quite amused by this New Yorker cartoon from the current issue.

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Bought, Borrowed & Stolen

We have been quite fond of Allegra McEvedy since we got a copy of her first book, The Good Cook. McEvedy believes in straightforward cooking with great ingredients. That's it. Since The Good Cook, she may be best known for starting Leon, a healthy, fast-food, restaurant chain, like McDonald's only the Big Mac is butternut squash with lentils. (She has since moved on to other things.)

Bought, Borrowed & Stolen is a cookbook, travelogue, and knife lovers dream. The premise of this cookbook is a bit different and engaging. McEvedy shares recipes from her numerous travels based a a particular knife she procured, legitimately or not, from each culinary adventure. Since the recipes are far flung and a sometimes a bit exotic, they may be a bit more complicated than some of McEvedy's usual fare, but they are worth every story. If there is a drawback to this book, it is the fascination with the knives. It would seem that more ink has been given to the tools rather than the food. And why should we be different. (Seriously, you know we love kitchen gadgets!) So here are some knife facts cribbed from The Guardian and the book.





1. Picnic knife, Turkey

My mum bought this one in a Turkish hardware shop because we were going to have a picnic. It is so basic and has no place among my professional tools, yet I love it because when I hold it, it takes me back to that lunch in the biggest pine forest I had ever seen.

2. Artisan knives, New York

The chap responsible for these beauties is a blacksmith (and ex-farrier), with a suitably grizzly beard for a bloke whose best friend is an anvil. Michael Moses Lishinsky operates under the name Wildfire Cutlery (he actually works out of Oregon). His knives are full tang, which means the metal from the blade extends all the way through to the heel, making them stronger. These are made of heat-treated carbon steel, as opposed to stainless steel, so you have to dry them after use (I oil mine too), but they stay sharper longer.

3. Suction-free, San Francisco

I was sitting at a bus stop between restaurant shifts when I noticed my knife roll had gone. Like the scars on my arms, my knives represented my professional culinary journey. Next payday I went down to Japantown to get my first replacement. I had never seen a knife with holes in it before. The idea is that as you are chopping veg super-fast, the holes help to break any suction, so the slices don't stick to the blade (although I have never noticed them make much difference). I was feeling nervy about knife theft, so I went straight to an engraver's and carved my initials on it.

4. Pig-leg boner, Brazil

As I walked past a hardware shop in Salvador, I was attracted to this by its weird shape. When I got home I took it to my butcher but none of us could see how having the handle so high above the blade helped. When I return to Brazil I'm taking it with me and getting a demo – until then it remains my strangest and least-used knife.

5. Pastry slicer, Morocco

The knife man in the main souk in Marrakech sat on a carpet, surrounded by wood shavings. He carved this one to tackle pastry (especially filo) and cakes and I have found it most useful. Shaped from lemonwood, it is the most pleasing thing to hold.

6. Butcher's Chopper, Hong Kong

As I wandered around a vast indoor market in Kowloon, with about 100 butcher's stalls, I noticed that all of them had this knife. It's a serious butcher's knife, made of wood and stainless steel, with well-balanced weight for one so large.

7. Lorenzi's ceramic knife, Italy

G Lorenzi's in Milan is one of the finest names in sharp implements. Ceramic knives keep their edge much better than steel knives, and with that comes an almost surgical precision (mine is the only straight-edged – as opposed to serrated – knife that I use to slice tomatoes). And they are easier to keep clean as the ceramic doesn't absorb odours as much: I've done the garlic test on that.

8. Unagi-Saki, Japan

In Japanese cuisine, almost every job has a specific knife for it. This one is for cleaning eels.

9. Cleaver, Mexico

I like the mid-size of this cleaver: not as daunting as my enormous Chinese chopper, which I use only for the occasional precision strike. This is in my regular armoury for the way it goes through chicken bones, pork ribs, racks of lamb, even fish steak.

10. Fisherman's Friend, Norway

This is a Scandinavian design classic. It has a Japanese steel blade and is extremely efficient at filleting fish.

11. El Jamonero, Spain

No prizes for guessing what my jamonero is for: all 25cm of it are designed to slice ham. Factory-made by Arcos (a well-known Spanish knife producer), its handle is cool to hold and there is a reassuring weight to it. Slicing this dense meat is suprisingly difficult, but the dimples down both sides of the blade help by letting air in, so less pressure is needed and you can keep your strokes smooth. I like the fact that the Spanish still carve ham by hand.

While the cutlery is impressive, the recipes are also quite grand. We are willing to admit that most of these recipes will never end up on our plate, but just seeing them is enough for us.

Burmese Duck Egg Curry

6 duck eggs
125ml / 4fl oz light oil (such as peanut/grapeseed)
2 banana shallots (or 4 regular), peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 onions, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric
2–3 bird's-eye chillies, sliced very small
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
½ a thumb of ginger, washed, gnarly bits trimmed (but not peeled), finely chopped
1½ tbps tomato purée
1 tbps curry powder
250g/8oz okra, trimmed and cut into thirds/halved, or little ones left whole
3 medium tomatoes, chopped large
½ tsp shrimp paste (optional but authentic, though if you want to keep it vegetarian just add a bit more salt)
A handful of chopped coriander
Salt

Bring a pan of water to the boil and carefully lower in the duck eggs. Cook them for 4–6 minutes, depending on size, then drop them into the sink to crack the shells and run them under cold water.

Heat the oil in a wide saucepan. When it's hot, drop in the shallots, breaking them up into rings. Once they are a deep golden brown (5–8 minutes), use a slotted spoon to transfer them on to kitchen paper and sprinkle immediately with salt.

Put the duck eggs into the hot oil and lower the heat. Fry them for 3–4 minutes, turning them to brown on all sides, then take them out of the pan and sit them on kitchen paper, too.

Keeping the pan on a medium heat, add the onions, turmeric, chillies, garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes, until it all starts to soften, then stir in the tomato purée so that the onion is well covered in it. Cook for a minute or two before adding the curry powder and then stir that in well, too.

Add the okra with a big pinch of salt, followed by the tomatoes, and give it all a good stir. Dissolve the shrimp paste in 500ml of hot water, pour it into the pan and bring to a fast simmer. Let it bubble away busily for around 10 minutes without a lid to reduce, then lower the eggs back into the pan giving them a prod so they are mostly submerged in the liquid. Put the lid on and simmer for just another couple of minutes so that the eggs warm through, then turn the heat off and give it a 3 minute rest.

Finish by sprinkling a little salt on each egg and scattering on the shallots, with roughly chopped coriander on hand to top off each serving.

As someone who may have a ill-gotten knife here or there, I found this book to be great fun. Thanks, again, to The Guardian, we have the opportunity to actually watch Allegra McEvedy cook the above recipe. Check her out.

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