Vinthaleaux

So close to the end of the month!  My how the time has flown while researching recipes to match each letter.  I have to say, there have been some interesting ones so far and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find something for each.  This one has been a stretch but well worth it.

Today’s recipe is one I have known about for a while.  A co-worker told me about it several years ago and how there are two main variations.  The one known as Vindaloo is the Anglicized version of the ancient dish.  This one is the closest to the original.  Only the name has been changed to make it sound more ‘posh’ back into the 1800s when the British were in control of India.

For the most part, the dish is named after the spices used to season it.  Or so I thought.  It is actually an Indian curry dish popular in the Goa region.  The name comes from Portuguese (strangely enough).  It tends to be very spicy but it isn’t the spiciest coming from India.  I’m almost afraid to ask what could be spicier. /shudder

I have tried this dish.  The version my co-worker let me sample which was enough to sear my taste buds but very good and at a local place where the cooks were happy to tone down the fire a little for me.  Still got the chili pepper kick, but it didn’t knock me onto the floor with it.  I do prefer mutton to the pork variation.  It carries the spices better.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients:

500 g mutton, cut into small pieces

1 tbsp ghee, butter or mustard oil

1 large onion, sliced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp ground cumin seeds

1 tsp ground mustard seeds

1/2 tsp hot chili powder

200 ml meat stock

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

2 dessert spoons vinegar

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

Directions

Heat the ghee, butter or mustard oil in a pan. Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add spices, garlic and fry for 2 minutes then add the mutton and fry until browned all over. Pour in the stock then stir in the salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, cover the pan and cook for 25 minutes, or until the mutton is tender. Just before serving add the vinegar. Serve hot, accompanied by rice.

Read more at Celtnet: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-vinthaleaux
Copyright © celtnet

Check out others in the A to Z Challenge at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html.

Ugba Soup

Trying to find food for the letter ‘U’ was not easy.  Thankfully, Google is my friend and this is what I found.  Naturally, this is a new one on me, but when I read the name of it from the list of Celtnet, it sounded interesting.  Thankfully, they do give a few alternatives since some items cannot be found easily outside of West Africa.

Here is what Celtnet gave on this soup:

This is a traditional Nigerian recipe from the Igbo peoples for a classic stew of oil beans, okra, pumpkin leaf, ground snail and fish with hot chilli powder and Maggi cubes. This is a classic soup (a stew to be served with pounded yam, fufu etc.) from the Igbo peoples of Nigeria. Ugba is the African oil bean (the beans themselves, rather than the pod) which has been sliced thinly and then fermented. They do not last very long, and are not often found outside West Africa. This soup can be made without the ugba, or you can substitute sliced, fresh, broad or fava beans, which though they do not give the same flavor at least approximate the texture and dietary value.

I think I may have to give a variation of this a try.

Ingredients:

60 g ugba (sliced and fermented oil beans)

20 okra, finely sliced into rings

1 bunch of ugu leaves (fluted pumpkin leaf) [use any squash leaf], finely shredded

100 ml red palm oil

4 tbsp dried and ground crayfish (prawns)

6 pieces of giant African land snails (optional)

1 medium piece of dried and smoked fish, washed and flaked

6 pieces of beef (about 80 g each)

1 piece of stock-fish (dried fish), soaked for at least 2 hours

salt, to taste

hot chilli powder, to taste

2 Maggi (or beef stock) cubes

Directions

Combine the beef and stock fish in a large pot. Add just enough water to barely cover then bring to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 60 minutes (add more water as needed). Pour in the palm oil and cook for a further 10 minutes then add the ground crayfish, chilli powder, snail, flaked dried fish and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes more before adding the sliced okra. Continue cooking for 5 minutes then add the ugu and cook for 5 minutes before adding the shredded ugba. Continue cooking until the greens have wilted then serve hot, accompanied by fufu, eba or pounded yam.

Read more at Celtnet: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-ugba-soup
Copyright © celtnet

Check out others in the A to Z Challenge at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html.

Tzatziki

Try and say this one three times fast.  It’s difficult to say it just once.  When I attempt to ask for it at my newest find here in Tulsa, the owner chuckles.  It isn’t said quite the way it is spelled, that much is true.

Since I first tried a gyro (yee-ro not ji-ro ya sillies) when I was about eight, I have been in search of recipes for it and authentic restaurants that didn’t assume Ranch dressing could be a good substitute.  (Though now, I have found a cucumber ranch that comes extremely close)  You honestly have to find a Mediterranean or Greek restaurant to get the real deal.  Finding authentic places of either is like trying to find a real unicorn.

I know, you get my point.  But, to me, this is something everyone should try.

Tzatziki is a very simple sauce, used mostly as a dip for bread, like your basic loaf or pita, as the first course of a meal.  Or, it makes a perfect sauce for a gyro, meat sandwiches, or as a veggie dip.  It is perhaps one of the most versatile foods.  Each country around the Mediterranean Sea has a variation but the differences are minor at best.  A bit less garlic here, or yogurt made from a different mammal, seasoning changes or, exchange the lemon juice for something else.

What I like about Tzatziki is it is pretty healthy.  In moderation, of course.  Greek yogurt (or strained yogurt of sheep or goat origins) is the binder and the fat of the sauce/dip.  From there, it has olive oil, salt, cucumbers… Well, how about I just post the recipe instead?

On to the recipe!

Ingredients

1 pound (1 pint) plain Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 tablespoon of  salt; place it in another sieve, and set it over another bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the cucumber can drain.

Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can and add the cucumber to the yogurt. Mix in the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend. Serve chilled.

Check out others in the A to Z Challenge at http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html.

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Has anyone watching or even visiting tried Stromboli?  Not what you can find at your local pizza place (mom and pop places excluded, they would know), but real Stromboli?  If not, then you are missing out on what I think is one of the best baked sandwiches ever invented.

I’m not positive if it is an Italian thing or something made up here in America, but, to me, it is better than chocolate cake when my birthday rolls around.  Or, just for that everyday special because it’s a good day.  My days always improve when this is pulled out of the oven nice and golden brown, hot and little peeks of the cheese and meats inside trying to escape.

The aroma is out of this world.  Nuff said.

For those not in the know, Stromboli is a baked sandwich containing several kinds of meats layered with provalone or mozzarella cheeses, tomatoes, onions, and a splash of marinara or other sauce then baked for about a half hour.  It’s best when the dough is hand made, especially if the dough is one of several types designed for pizza.

There really is no strict recipe for Stromboli.  The ingredients can vary from person to person.  But there are some things which stay the same throughout.  But, if you want a good one, you’ve got to bribe my mom to get her to make one for you.  Hers is probably one of the best around.  Mine comes in at a close 5th since I don’t make it as often. (It isn’t easy to get out in the middle of ice storms when your birthday falls during the height of cold in OK.)

On to the recipe!

Ingredients

Frozen or homemade dough

Tomato sauce (marinara or plain out of the can)

Half pound of ham sliced thin (I prefer the Black Forest brand)

Half pound of bologna sliced thin(beef or pork not the mystery mix)

Half pound of salami sliced thin

Half pound of pastrami sliced thin

8 oz of shredded mozzarella

Half pound of provalone sliced thin

2 tomatoes sliced thin

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 red onion sliced thin (you can use yellow or white)

Directions

Preheat over to 375

Spread dough out on a large cookie sheet into a rough rectangle shape.  Starting from about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches from the edge, spread your sauce down the middle long ways.  Add as much as you want of the sauce but be careful, baking produces a lot of extra fluid.  Lay down one layer of provalone, about half of the package.  Layer your meats one at a time, overlapping the edges until all is used.  Sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the meat then place a layer of tomatoes, the onion, then the mushrooms.  Put the rest of the provalone on top.

Fold in carefully the ends of the dough.  It’s okay if they can’t cover the fillings very well.  Bring up the top and bottom, crimping them together so they won’t open.  Be sure you don’t tear the dough or you’ll have a lot of lost cheese and fluid on the pan while cooking.  Make sure the ends are worked securely into the crimped top to prevent spillage.  If you want, brush the top with an egg wash or sprinkle on some garlic or Parmesan before baking.

Place on a middle rack and let bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until top is a nice golden brown color.  Do not let it burn.  Allow the Stromboli to stand for about 5 minutes then slice into 1 to 2 inch portions and serve.

This can make 2 Strombolis.

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Instead of a Black Friday post, which, in another meaning of the phrase, this is definitely a Frantic Friday.  Well, I can honestly say, by the time of this post, this post can be classified as a Saturday post.  It has been one of those days all around and it started much the same as any other day.  Then… suddenly… BOOM!  Not in the good way, either.

What I’ll be writing is more to keep things straight in my mind for future reference should I need to go to court over what has happened.  I’m sure I will, but knowing my son, he is as much at fault here, too.  He doesn’t seem to understand that what his father and I tell him is good advice.

The day started normal with the usual yelling match to get him to get ready for school.  He’s still grounded from watching his shows so he was upset, but he was still happy and willing to get off to school.  The day is good.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  No phone calls from the school.  ect, ect, ect… Ad nauseum.

I note the time at 2:23PM that we should expect him to come through the door from school and be ready to go play with his friends.  I was planning to have him help me clean out the car so we can get his grandmother too and from the place she’s getting an oil change, new tires, wipers, and a few other things to prepare for our big trip to Arkansas for Adam’s graduation. (He has grown up way to fast.)

About the time I was getting ready to gather things to clean the car, we get a phone call.  Someone named Mary Love.  I don’t know who, but it could be about a job and it is local.  Instead, the call is about my son.  He was bitten by a dog and was bleeding badly.  She had already called 911 for an ambulance.  The fire truck arrived first for in case the dog was loose and trying to attack again.  I arrive on the scene when the fire truck was pulling in.  From there, it becomes chaos.

Colin is screaming, his foot hurt really bad.  While I tried to calm him down so the first responders can assess the damage and prepare for the ambulance, I learn who saved him.  A sweet older woman who lives in the duplexes near by and she happened to be close enough to yank him out of the dog’s mouth before the animal could pull him through the hole in the fence.  Another of the dog’s neighbors witnessed the saving, but didn’t see what caused it to attack a child going by.

Let me state right here that my son is insanely curious and a lover of all animals.  He has been raised around cats and ferrets and has been around dogs under controlled circumstances.  He knows any of them could hurt him if he wasn’t careful.  Considering we do have two cats, the dog could have smelled them on him.  Or, another child could have aggravated the dog and Colin was the one it saw.  Or, and I wouldn’t put it pass him, Colin might have accidentally put the dog on guard and it attacked because of something he did.  All three fit the scenario.  But the kids who were gathered are all within the same grade level (3rd grade) and live either in our apartment complex or in the houses nearby.

Colin is ADHD and is impulsive as well as problems with defiance which is being treated through his therapy and the medication he’s taking.  Who knows what is going through his mind at any particular moment unless he’s sleeping or playing a game on the computer or his tablet.  The last he wanted to do was to make any animal mad enough to attack.

Until today, I had no idea this dog was there.  All I could see of it through the fence was a decent sized dog.  When it poked its head through the hole it tried to drag my son through, I could see that it had to be a Shephard mix.  The muzzle and shape of the face was that of a German Shepard.  Beautiful creature.  Still, it tasted blood and it could be even more dangerous now as a result.

Back to the subject:

When I saw his foot, there was a large section of skin pulled back on the top of his foot.  You could see the tendons clearly, ligaments, and muscle.  Of course, lots of blood, but not as much as I first feared.  He is very lucky that the major artery that runs across the top of the foot wasn’t cut or nicked by those sharp teeth.  There are other lacerations across the top where his shoe gave way to the jaws but they weren’t near as bad.  What I could see, there was still good color in his toes so no huge blood loss.  The rest we wouldn’t know until later.  At the hospital. /cringe and shudder

No one can say Colin was difficult.  He knew what the medics were doing.  He answered their questions between shouts of pain.  He hurt very bad but kept his wits about him, even when they asked him about his favorite games and other questions to help distract him.  He is a little trooper and handled himself better than most adults in similar situations.

He made me very proud of him for his behavior and willingness to let strangers take care of his big owie.  😀  Even better, he gave Miss Love our number so we’d know what had happened.  We would have noticed within a few minutes regardless because he is very punctual coming home from school.

At the hospital, we learn the extent and it is decided quickly to operate.  Not just to sew up the skin, but to piece together the torn ligaments and tendons they could see.  That’s when we learned how close the dog’s teeth came to slicing open a major artery.  Hearing that didn’t help me much at all.  I was shaking already.  That news made it worse.

Thankfully Dave and mom were there.  Robin had just gotten off her shift and was heading home when the news got to her.  She got me home through the rush hour traffic to get Dave so Colin had both of us there.  He had his three most important people on hand when he went into surgery and I was there when he came out in recovery.  As soon as they could, they got mom and Dave up to his room to help him settle in and talk to the doctor.  He was so happy his daddy brought his tablet to help distract him from the pain in his foot.

I’ll be camping out in his room until he’s released.  May be Monday from what the nurses said.  The doctor who did the surgery wants to let the swelling go down some more so they can see if any further damage was done.  The pediatric surgeons will decide if more is needed and how we’ll progress from there for his healing.  The way it sounds right now, he’ll make a full recovery and be able to become a marathon runner when he’s older.

Right now, he’s in a pain-free sleep.  So angelic looking and peaceful.  David, mom, and I didn’t leave until he fell asleep due to the lortab elixir he was given to help the pain.  By then, the adrenaline I was running on was dissipating and my stomach was realizing I hadn’t eaten since around noon.  Dinner was close to midnight and I was feeling the effects of blood sugar getting too low.

The last of the tension has run its course now.  I’m tired, but mom-mode never stops until the child is safe and feeling better.  I may get some sleep here in the room.  Who knows.  Just keep my boy in your thoughts for a speedy recovery.

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First thing, I’m breaking risotto down into what it is; a rice dish cooked to mush in a broth.  Not necessarily mush, but it does have a creamy texture to it.  But, it is a fancy rice dish generally served first unless served with Ossobuco then it is part of the entrée. (Talk about linking together.  ;))

This isn’t made with just any kind of rice.  For one, long grain rice isn’t right.  A short grain, white, rice, such as Arborio, that releases starch quickly and becomes sticky, are the best ones to use when making risottos.  There are several kinds of risotto dishes out there and each one is different from the other.  The ingredients can vary as greatly as any pizza out there.  But, if you make one misstep, you can ruin the whole dish unlike pizza which can take the mistakes to a more delicious height.

This is an interesting dish to enjoy.  My own descriptions don’t come close, but the words rich and flavorful do come to mind.  You don’t want to eat a lot of  this or you won’t be able to enjoy the entrée or even dessert later on.

To best explain the basic preparation, I best quote from my one source, Wikipedia.

There are many different risotto recipes with different ingredients, but they are all based on rice of an appropriate variety cooked in a standard procedure.

The rice is first cooked briefly in a soffritto of onion and butter or olive oil to coat each grain in a film of fat, called tostatura; white or red wine is added and has to be absorbed by the grains. When it has evaporated, the heat is raised to medium high and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while stirring gently, almost constantly: stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. At that point it is taken off the heat for the mantecatura when diced cold butter is vigorously stirred in to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier, and left to cook with its residual heat.

Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy but still with some resistance or bite: al dente, and with separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid, or all’onda (“wavy, or flowing in waves”). It is served on flat dishes and it should easily spread out but not have excess watery liquid around the perimeter. It must be eaten at once as it continues to cook in its own heat and can become too dry with the grains too soft.

My description of mush is far off, I know, but that is how feels to me.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients

8 cups chicken broth, low sodium
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 pound fresh Portobello and crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms, wiped of grit
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Directions

Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 onion and 1 clove garlic, cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, herbs and butter. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle in truffle oil then add the dried porcini mushrooms which were reconstituted in 1 cup of warm chicken broth. Season again with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Saute 1 minute then remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a saucepan with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the remaining 1/2 onion and garlic clove. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well-coated and opaque, 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.

Now, with a ladle, add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cook briefly until melted. Top with a drizzle of truffle oil and chopped parsley before serving.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/mushroom-risotto-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Check out others on the A to Z Challenge.  http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html

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For those of you, like me, that are not chefs or work in fancy restaurants, the word quinoa is not pronounced as it looks.  You know, phonetically.  It actually pronounced like this, keen-wa.  I’m trying to figure out how that pronunciation got in there.

Anyway,..

The actual meaning from, you guessed it, Wikipedia says:

Quinoa (pron.:/ˈkiːnwɑː/ or /kɨˈnoʊ.ə/, Spanish: quinua, from Quechua: kinwa), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach and tumbleweeds.

Basically, it’s not a grain, but is treated much like rice.  In fact, you cook it just like rice and can be used in the same applications.  This little fruit comes from South America in the Andes Mountain regions.  It was first cultivated for human consumption some 3000 to 4000 years ago by the Incas.  But, evidence shows it has been used with herd animals about 5000 to 7000 years ago.  This plant really gets around.

This is one of those things I have tried.  The only place I know that sells a quinoa salad is the local Whole Foods Market.  For years I have heard of it and had the flavor described, but not until recently have tried it.  It is good and picks up flavors well like a high quality rice.  (Yes, I do know what that is, too).  I always thought it was a type of rice.  That is how I have heard it referred.

Strange how a little research changes a few ideas.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 hothouse cucumber, diced
2 scallions
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, diced
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fines herbs (recommended: Spice Island)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons slivered almonds
For serving:
9 cups spring salad mix
1/4 cup light roasted garlic and balsamic salad dressing

Mmmm… looks good to me!

Directions

Combine quinoa and stock in small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Let cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa with remaining ingredients. Toss to mix thoroughly.

Serve chilled on a bed of greens tossed with a little dressing.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/quinoa-salad-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html

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When I think of polenta, nothing comes to mind.  I’ve never had it before.  All I know comes from friends who have tried it or from watching, you guessed it, Food Network.  (Gee, they are getting a lot of advertising from me this month)  From watching Good Eats, Alton Brown describes it as a creamy corn porridge that is very similar to other countries’ dishes.  All they need is a difference in seasoning and cooking.  But, when you get down to it, they are the same.

I think this explains it best;

As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier forms of grain mush (known as puls or pulmentum in Latin or more commonly as gruel or porridge), commonly eaten since Roman times. Before the introduction of corn from the New World in the 16th century, polenta was made with such starchy ingredients as farro, chestnut flour, millet, spelt, or chickpeas.

Polenta has a creamy texture due to the gelatinization of starch in the grain, though it may not be completely homogeneous if a coarse grind or hard grain such as flint corn is used.

Polenta has historically been a peasant food. The reliance on maize, which lacks readily accessible niacin unless cooked with alkali to release it, as a staple caused outbreaks of pellagra throughout the American South and much of Europe until the 20th century. In the 1940s and 1950s, polenta was often eaten with salted anchovy or herring, sometimes topped with sauces.

Strangely enough, Alton Brown is not mentioned anywhere in the wiki article.He does have an episode dedicated to this stuff.  Since I’m not doing a cooking class, I’ll link you to the wiki for more details.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polenta

On to the recipe!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for grilling or sauteing if desired
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and salt and sweat until the onions begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.

Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock, bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every

10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Once they are incorporated, gradually add the Parmesan.

Serve as is, or pour the polenta into 9 by 13-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or grill.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/savory-polenta-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Check out others in the A to Z Challenge.  http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2012-to-z-challenge-sign-up-list.html

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This is a new one me, people.  After hearing it described by boyfriend who has had this stew before, I just had to look it up.  If he says it’s good, then it must be fantastic.  My only problem is his Sicilian grandmother is no longer around to visit and learn some of these recipes he has grown up with.

I will say this, figuring out the spelling wasn’t easy but I am glad that Google is predictive in Chrome to help me out.  I wasn’t far off on the spelling.  😀

Now, down to the subject at hand.  😉  Ossobuco (or osso buco) is essentially a stew made from the braised veal shank.  The original version is made without tomatoes in it while the modern version does.  The seasonings are also different between the two with the original containing cinnamon.  Both variations come from Milan.

There isn’t a whole lot about Ossobuco.  All I could find was that it may have started as a farmer’s dish then moved to a popular restaurant in the 19th century.  What I could find is this is generally served with a type of risotto to make it a complete meal.  In other countries, it can be served with polenta, or even mashed potatoes.

What my wonderful boyfriend has said, it doesn’t have to be made from just veal.  You use any arm roast or protein that you deem fit.  Imagine a whole chicken or even some deer meat braised with all the delectable seasonings on top of rice or pasta.  It makes my tummy rumble just thinking about it.

On to the recipe!

Ingredients

1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 dry bay leaf
2 whole cloves
Cheesecloth
Kitchen twine, for bouquet garni and tying the veal shanks
3 whole veal shanks (about 1 pound per shank), trimmed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All purpose flour, for dredging
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 small carrot, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 stalk celery, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions

Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheesecloth and secure with twine. This will be your bouquet garni.

For the veal shanks, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Veal shanks will brown better when they are dry. Secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine. Season each shank with salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess.

In a large Dutch oven pot, heat vegetable oil until smoking. Add tied veal shanks to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove browned shanks and reserve.

In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables. Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Return browned shanks to the pan and add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Check every 15 minutes, turning shanks and adding more chicken stock as necessary. The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank.

Carefully remove the cooked shanks from the pot and place in a decorative serving platter. Cut off the kitchen twine and discard.

Remove and discard bouquet garni from the pot.

Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/osso-buco-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

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Noodles

Unless you have some strange disease and live under a rock, you’ve had this popular accompaniment to any meal.  In some respects, it is an integral part of the main dish.  They can be spirals, elbow shaped, long and flat, thin as a hair or shaped into bowties, and they can be made from flour, rice, or anything that can be  mixed into dough and blanched or even boiled for a few minutes.  What am I rambling on about?

Noodles!  Also known as pasta.  Or, as my boys used to say it when they were little; noodoos.  How cute is that?  XD

Noodles can be dated back as far as 4000 BC.  Can you believe that?  They were found well preserved in a clay pot deep in China.  There are even records noting noodles and their usage during the Han dynasty.  It is no lie that Marco Polo (the Italian dude not the fun pool game) brought knowledge of noodles into Europe while on one of his many trips into the Asian continent.

Old news, I know.  Who has not had that old history lesson over and over during their school days.

But, did you know the Arabs were playing with these fun pastas back in the 5th century.  This I did not know until I started reading up for this post.  What I find interesting comes from my family roots in Germany.  Before Germany became the nation that it is, well back in the history of modern man, they made spãtzle.  But, according to some medieval illustrations, it goes back even further.  Possibly before Marco was alive.

What I already knew before writing this post were the different flours that noodles can be made from.  Normally, region determines the shape as well as the base for the dough.  For wheat noodles, we are looking at Asia primarily.  Durum wheat is pretty much all Italian and has spread worldwide.  Buckwheat is usually Korean style noodles though Italy has a variation that isn’t well known.  Rice noodles tend to be Chinese innovation but Japan can claim a few there as well.  Just bake your ‘noodle’ (I know, bad pun) there are some cultures who make their noodles out of acorn flour as well as corn, mung beans, and potato starch.  Go figure!

Now, while I was doing my search on noodles, I found quite the listing of restaurants with Noodle in the name.  One place, in Portland, Oregon, is named Noodles.  I think I have a good reason for heading into the northwest.  🙂

Just so I don’t leave you hanging, I’ll link you to the wiki I found all this information.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noodle

On to the recipe!

Chef Anne’s All-Purpose Pasta Dough:

1 pound all-purpose flour
4 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (all heirloom or organic eggs)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons water or more if needed
Kosher salt

Put the all-purpose flour on a clean, dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely better here). Crack all of the eggs and the yolk into the hole and add the olive oil, water and salt.

Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the olive oil, water and salt. Using the fork, begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture; be careful not to break the sides of the well or the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don’t worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place when the sides of the well are broken, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together to a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading.

When kneading it is VERY important to put your body weight into it, get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader and 10 to 15 for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it, you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!

When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 1 hour. If using immediately do not refrigerate.

Roll and cut the pasta into desired shape.

How smooth and supple!

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/raviolo-al-uovo-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

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