Archives for the 'recipe' tag
Adventures in Grilling, Boozing
Having spent my summer grilling and drinking rum, I thought I’d share two recipes useful for outdoor entertaining.
The first is a dry rub for steak that I impulsively whipped together early in the season:
1 Tbsp. granulated brown sugar
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix all ingredients and rub into a thin-cut steak. Allow to sit a half-hour or so before grilling. Works best with indirect heat; that is, cooking the steak to the side rather than immediately over the coals. This allows the sugar to glaze over the steak.
The granulated brown sugar is important since regular brown sugar is difficult to spread evenly on the meat, leading to clumping and burning. Also, while McCormick curry powder is fine, I use Oriental Brand Hot Jamaican, which has anise and is heavier on the turmeric, giving it a smokier taste that lends itself to grilling.
Busting Out with Bustrengo
September 3 is the festal day of Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino, founded in 301 by one Marinus, erstwhile stonemason, future saint, but at the time, just an eligible bachelor on the run, seeking to be left the heck alone:
According to legend, Marinus died in the Winter of 366, and his last words were: “Relinquo vos liberos ab utroque homine.” (”I leave you free from both men”). This somewhat mysterious phrase is most likely to refer to the two “men” from whose oppressive power Saint Marinus had decided to separate himself, becoming a hermit on Mount Titano: respectively the Emperor and the Pope. This affirmation of freedom from both the State and the Church, however legendary, has always been the inspiration of the tiny republic.
I felt inspired myself, inspired to make something Sammarinese as a tribute to this sensible, freedom-seeking individual. Being of a one track mind, I turned to the dessert options and found a recipe for a cake called Bustrengo. It involves dried figs, and I am biased toward figs.
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Spam fingers are as good as they sound
Better late than never, I present to you the recipe for my Spam Fingers with Aioli that I served at the Crispy potluck last week.
First, the aioli. In a mixer, combine 2 egg yolks, 4 crushed garlic cloves (I like to use a microplane to disintegrate them), and 1/8 cup lemon juice. Get the mixer going nice and fast and slowly stream in 2 cups of mild olive oil. If it gets too thick, add a bit more lemon juice. Season with salt to taste.
For the Spam Fingers, heat the oven to 375. Slice a can of Spam into finger-like pieces. Beat one egg and 2 tablespoons of milk in a bowl. Coat each Spam finger with flour, then dip in the milk mixture and roll in panko. Place the fingers in a alumium-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with the aioli over them and/or as a side dipping sauce.
Pie #2: Chocolate Chess Pie or Thursday’s Sin
Yes, I know. It’s Saturday, and I baked the pie on Friday. But the pie is Thursday’s Sin, a Blue Ribbon Winner in Historic Lexington Cooks. Even on Friday, it was a hit at the office.
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1/2 c. butter
2 (1 oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate 2 eggs 1 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 c. milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 unbaked 9″ pastry shell Melt chocolate and butter; set aside to cool.Beat eggs well. Add sugar and beat until light. Add chocolate mixture, milk, and vanilla and beat well. Pour chocolate mixture into pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until set. Let cool completely. Yield: 1 (9″) pie.
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Pie #1-Kentucky Apple Pie
Crust:
2/3 cup of lard
2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp. salt
ice water to bind
Cut the lard into the combined flour and salt until it is the size of dried peas. Bind with ice water. Divide into two balls. Roll out one and line the bottom of a 9 in pie plate. Roll out other for top. Reserve.
Filling:
Peel, core, and slice enough tart apples to fill a 9 in pie plate (Unhelpful I know. I think I used about 7 medium apples, possibly 8, when all was said and done, but then I also used a 10 in pie plate. As you can see, precise measurement is not my gig. This may explain issues with cakes.)
Combine apples with
1/4 tsp mace ( I used mace because I could, and because I am out to prove Mario Batali wrong. (My spices and herbs get a lot of turnover, thank you, Mr. Molto.) You could use nutmeg or something else. Never let ingredient lists cramp your style, but remember the story of the strawberry cake.)
1/4 t. cinnamon
2/3 cup of brown sugar (if you use sweeter apples, drop the sugar to 1/2 cup)
2 T. arrowroot. (Again, I used it because I could. I am slightly obsessed with arrowroot. My mother, not having this obsession, would use 3 T. of minute tapioca, which works splendidly.)
a generous jigger of bourbon.
Pour into lined pie plate, top with other crust, crimp edges, and cut vents in top, bake in a 400 F oven for 45 minutes or so (until browned to your liking and bubbling). Remember to cover the edge with foil before baking to prevent burnt edges.
My Sweet Gourd
Consider the versatility of the pumpkin. Reducible to bread, cheesecake, beer, and — most vitally — ice cream, chock full of vitamin A and beta carotene, is not genus Cucurbita truly the messiah of fruits?
Here’s a recipe for curried pumpkin soup I’ve used for many autumns; I intend to publish it in my eventual cookbook featuring only pumpkin- and maple-syrup-based recipes (forthcoming circa 2029). I originally ripped it off KraftFoods.com. I’ve increased the amount of curry powder used, and there’s no reason you can’t use vegetable stock for a vegetarian dish.
Creamy Curried Pumpkin Soup
(Makes seven 1-cup servings)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed
1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion; cook and stir 3 min. or until crisp-tender.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except cream cheese until well blended. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Place cream cheese in big bowl and knead with tines of a fork. Ladle hot soup onto the cream cheese and continue to knead, adding as much hot soup as necessary until cheese is evenly melted. Add mixture to main pot and stir until blended.
For special meals (I did this one Thanksgiving), it’s fun to serve the soup in actual pumpkins. Buy as many small pumpkins (1-2 lbs.) as you have guests; wash; slice off the top third or so to make a wide mouth; scrape out the innards; and ladle the soup inside.
You see? Edible and adaptable into crockery! Pumpkins are like big, orange taco boats.
