ER Forum Cookbook -- Recipe Posting Thread

[TromboneAl]

Or, if you were looking for their spicy chicken lettuce wraps:

8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp water
salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
5 Tbsp oil
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis, (optional)
8 oz can bamboo shoots, minced
8 oz can water chestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package

Cooking Sauce:
1 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch

Iceberg lettuce "cups" leaves ( I tried the Iceberg lettuce and did not like it
so I changed it to a bibb or other leaf lettuce )

Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and
discard woody stems. Minces mushrooms. Set aside. Mix all ingredients for
cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, sherry
water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken thoroughly.
Stir in 1 tsp. oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate. Heat wok or large skillet
over medium high heat. Add 3 Tbsp oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about
3-4 minutes. Set aside. Add 2 Tbsp oil to pan. Add ginger, garlic, chilies(if
desired), and onion; stir fry about a minute or so. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots
and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan.
Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Cook until thickened and hot. Break cooked
cellophane noodles into small pieces, and cover bottom of serving dish with
them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of noodles. Spoon into lettuce leaf and
Roll.

We have a pf changs AND another outfit they bought and run under a different name thats sort of a 'changs lite' with a slightly smaller menu and smaller prices. Best wonton soup I've ever had.

 

[TromboneAl]

Split pea soup:
In a large pot, put 8 cups of water, 1 lb of split peas, 1 sliced smoked sausage, 1 or 2 pork hocks. (For the pork hocks you can substitute any bony pork part (neck bones, shank, knuckles) but don't skip this ingredient it.) Simmer uncovered for 1 hour.
Chop up 1 large carrot, onion, and celery stalk. Add this to the broth. Also add 1 tbsp thyme, a bayleaf, some salt, and if you want a bunch of parsley all tied up. Simmer uncovered for another hour.
Fish out the bones and parsley. Serve with bread and lots of freshly ground pepper.

Tim

 

[TromboneAl]

So when you go fishing do you think "you know, I think I would like to catch a 110 pound fish today..." and put on heavier line, or will the normal stuff hold a fish that large?

I agree, salmon is the best. I love to BBQ it.... my fav recipe is this:

4tbs butter
4tbs dijon mustard (not stone ground)
8tbs soy sauce

I'm just guessing on the qty there, and if you have a larger filet, you'll need to scale it up... I just eyeball it =)

mix it up and put it on the fish, and put that sucker on the BBQ (you usually need a little foil 'boat' to put the fish in).... good stuff.

 

[TromboneAl]

Try it 'cedar planked'. Go to the hardware store and find yourself a cedar board or shingle - make sure its untreated - wide enough for a big slab o' salmon. Cut off a long enough piece and soak it in water for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

Fire up the grill, put your piece of salmon on the cedar plank and put it on the grill, closing the cover. Reduce heat to low or medium depending on your grill heat. The idea is to get the bottom of the plank starting to smoke.

Check the fish and remove it, plank and all, when its done. The plank keeps the fish moist, protects it from direct flame, and the wood and little bit of smoke adds nicely to the flavor. And you can use it as a cutting/serving board!

I dont marinate fish prior to cooking, I find the salt in most marinades robs the fish of a lot of its moisture. I like to make a homemade teriyaki glaze with brown sugar, real chinese soy sauce (look at the ingredients list for soybeans instead of wheat), green onions, garlic, ginger and sesame oil. Simmer it in a pan until its maple syrup consistency and paint on the planked salmon.

Another excellent recipe requires very little work. Cold sugar cured salmon.

Take a boned salmon filet with skin still attached. Rinse and pat dry. Put it in a large ziploc bag. Add equal amounts of coarse kosher salt and sugar. You can vary the 'sugar' to be white, brown, mollasses, honey, etc. I use brown sugar with a squirt of honey. You want to completely coat the fish and then some, so several cups of both for a large piece of fish is recommended. Add some green herbs if you have a taste for them...dill is good with salmon. Zip the bag, put it in a shallow pan or dish that allows the filet to lay flat. Put something large and heavy on top of it like another same-size pan with a 16oz can or something else you have inside the fridge like a big bottle of ketchup. You just want to put some pressure on the fish and squeeze it a little bit. After refrigerating a good 10-12 hours, remove from the fridge and drain out the liquid, there will be plenty. Add a little more fresh salt and sugar if you're not getting good coverage and put it back in for another 12-15 hours for cuts under an inch, 15-20 hours for thicker cuts. I usually use a 12" piece from the tail of the salmon thats not terribly thick. Remove from the fridge, rinse the filet and pat it dry.

Slice thinly on a bias and serve with toast or crackers, and cream cheese with green onions. You can also use it in recipes for salmon cakes, salmon croquettes, and soups. Lilghtly sautee some and serve it with bagels, cream cheese, thinly sliced red onions and scrambled eggs for breakfast. The salt/sugar combination removes a lot of the liquid from the salmon, cures it, keeps it relatively stable and safe to eat while refrigerated, and it'll last a week or two in the fridge once prepared this way. Yes its raw, but it has more a consistency of gravlax/cold smoked salmon without the smoke flavor.

This method works with a number of types of fish.

 

[TromboneAl]

When we go fishing we always know the species we are after. We never use larger than 20 lb. test leaders, even for the 100 lb. plus fish. For the Trout - we are down to 3-4 lb. test.

I've had similar receipes as yours for Salmon. I marinate mine in a mixture of Olive Oil, Soy Sauce, Garlic, wine, Salt, pepper, lemon juice, Balsamic Vinegar for 24 hours, then lightly Grill on the Barbie for about 10 -12 minutes. Yummm.

Best I ever had was in Alaska on the beach of the Ocean. Fresh Run Sockeye Salmon Grilled over an open wood fire with onions and Jalapeno peppers! To die for

I am leaving next Friday for Kodiak!

 

[ladelfina]

Linguine with Tuna Sauce

3-4 tbsp. minimum olive oil
2-3 cloves peeled garlic, smashed
1 can light tuna in olive oil* drained/squeezed
1-2 tsp. capers
handful black olives, pitted & chopped**
1-2 small cans chopped or 'ground' tomatoes, by eye

Linguine is the classic, but also good on spaghetti or whatever.

1. Fry garlic in oil over moderate heat until just golden. Remove garlic and discard.
2. Add tuna to oil in pan (watch out for spattering) and mash mash mash mash mash.
3. Throw in capers, olives and as much tomato product as you need to get a tuna/sauce ratio you're happy with.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes, i.e., time to get your pasta water boiling and cook the pasta.

This also freezes well, and all ingredient quantities are negotiable.

*Don't give in to the temptation of using "white" tuna or tuna packed in water, unless you like the tough texture and bland metallic taste. For real full flavor use Italian, Portuguese or Spanish tuna in olive oil. The fat is necessary for the flavor. You could even mash in an anchovy or two for extra fishiness (anchovy haters won't notice).

** Use either deli-style Kalamata-type olives where you have to remove the pit or another OK option is Trader Joe's pitted black olives in a glass jar; they are less flabby/mushy than the usual canned ones. Try not to use the Lindsay/"Black Gold" canned type or you will never taste them.

I love this dish because it's yummy AND because everything comes from the pantry!!!

 

[TromboneAl]

------------ recipes added to this point --------------

Deadline for recipe submission: 12 Noon, Jan 30 !

 

[HFWR]

What? No special recipe brownies?

 

[larry]

Green Bean & dumpling soup:

1 can (15 oz) cut green beans
1 cup flour
2 cups heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

Pour green beans into pot along with 1 can water, bring to boil.

mix flour and pinch of salt with enough cream to make a very thick heavy paste.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into boiling pot. Continue cooking 20-30 minutes and reduce heat and let cool down from boiling (but still hot) and add remaining cream. Stir well and enjoy.

This is a Volga German favorite in these parts and can be enhanced by adding ham and/or noodles.

 

[Nords]

What? No special recipe brownies?

Eh, not widdout one prescription, brah!

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

deadline deadline deadline deadline. yikes. i feel like i'm working in publishing again.

i love soup
« on: January 17, 2007, 02:10:13 PM »

my cousin and i love cabbage soup but we only finally got our hands on a good recipe when she was dating this chef a few years ago. it is precisely the flavor we we'd been looking for.

i'll show you my favorite soup recipe if you show me yours...

cabbage soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion chopped (spoon size)
1.5 tablespoons caraway seed
4 cloves garlic minced (i add more)
1 two lb head cabbage chopped (spoon size)
1 twenty8 oz can crush or diced tomato
2 cups tomato puree (i use 2 small cans sauce)
1 cup florida crystal (unrefined sugar)
1/2 to 3/4 cup lemon juice
6 cups water or tomato juice (i go about 1/2 & 1/2)
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 bay leaves

heat oil, saute over medium high onion, caraway & garlic, add cabbage for one minute, add remaining, bring to boil
recipe says simmer one hour until tender but i like it better crunchy so i just bring to boil, simmer for 10 minutes and then let it rest. add water if too thick. enjoy.

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Re: quick and easy HEALTHY (lo-fat) recipes?
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2007, 02:12:52 PM »

i do another really simple but good black bean dish, takes minutes and tastes great. beans, a bunch of scallion cut up to just smaller than bean size, diced white onion, 1 or 2 minced garlic cloves, cayanne pepper to desired heat, a pinch of salt.

you can add any vegie really, like red pepper for color. or when ready to serve drizzle some raspberry balsamic dressing (i use consorzio). and once i used the orange dressing i think it was. that was good. gonna have to get some.

i do a similar salad with whole granulation kasha (roasted buckwheat) no real recipe. i just throw in whatever vegies taste and look good. onion, red & green pepper, maybe some baby frozen peas, onion, garlic, etc. and then, while it might not be kosher on kasha, i also drizzle some consorzio over that. it gives it an unexpected but wonderful flavor.

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and here's one of my favorites, really easy.

curry tomato noodles

get package of asian egg noodles (usually in produce section of market)
prepare to directions slightly undercooking, set aside.

saute sliced large sliced onion to well done & some garlic (don't burn the garlic) set aside

fry noodles in large pan with some oil on high heat. burn some of the noodles just a little.

remove noodles and set aside

add to pan can of vegie broth, scraping all the flavor from bottom of pan & reduce and thicken with some tapioca or other starch or flour. flavor sauce with curry.

when sauce is almost complete add large cut up pieces of tomato, cook till tender but holding shape.

plate noodles covered in onion & pour over sauce with tomatoes.


am i in under the wire chief? roll the presses.

 

[REWahoo]

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
By REWahoo!

1 cooked chicken, skinned, de-boned and cut into small pieces
2 - 16 oz cans chicken broth (or use broth from cooked chicken above)
1 - 24 oz package thin spaghetti
1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
6 oz can of tomato sauce
1 lb shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt, pepper to taste

Combine chicken broth with two quarts of water in large pot, bring to boil, and cook spaghetti according to directions. Drain. Toss spaghetti with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In separate large bowl, combine soups, tomato sauce, chicken, and ¾ lb of cheese. Add cooked spaghetti, mixing thoroughly. Place in two 9 x 12 baking dishes and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze (required to thoroughly blend flavor).

Cooking instructions: Place frozen in 350 oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover from dish and continue to bake until bubbly (approximately one more hour).

Serves 12.

 

[Martha]

What? No special recipe brownies?

1/4 pound butter
3/4 pound dark chocolate
1 cup raw sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cinnamon
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 ounce cannabis


You might want to cook the weed in the butter and then strain out the leaves so you just have the oil.

No seeds!

 

[Martha]

Al, please don't attribute the preceeding post to me.

 

[TromboneAl]

Al, please don't attribute the preceeding post to me.

Oops, too late. I attributed it to you, and posted it on DEA.gov by mistake. Sorry!

 

[greg]

Al, please don't attribute the preceeding post to me.

wtf? Well, at least you didn't give away the secret ingredient, hashish frosting walnuts.

 

[ladelfina]

Deadline for recipe submission: 12 Noon, Jan 30 !

Of what year!??!?

 

[TromboneAl]

OK, times up. Pencils down, eyes to the front of the room.

Brewer tried Martha's brownies, and sent me a PM asking if he could, like, send in his recipe later, so he's got until tomorrow morning.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Crap we're ER's and we have DEADLINES now?

AUGH!

 

[TromboneAl]

And you're getting homework, on the topic of apostrophes.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Apostropic homework. Delightful! Sounds very collegiate!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Another "tip and trick" I used last night, plus a home-made caesar dressing.

If you're using any leafy greens/lettuces/herbs and want to really put a crispy texture into them or "bring them back to life" if they've been in the fridge too long, this not particularly intuitive trick works wonders.

Place whole or torn up to suit in a large bowl or salad spinner that holds water. Fill the bowl with moderately WARM water. Not hot bath level but pleasantly warm to the touch (i'll have to stick the thermo in it the next time I do it). The warm water is readily absorbed by the greens resulting in old wilted stuff looking like its freshly bought and newer greens becoming study and very crisp. After a long soak - at least 10 minutes but as long as several hours if you wish - drain, rinse and fill the bowl with very cold water or water with some ice in it...this slams the water logged cells shut. Spin or pat dry and if not using right away, store in your salad spinner or some other colander that allows air circulation rather than in a plastic bag...if I shred romaine, hit it with the warm/cold cycle and store it in the spinner basket in the fridge the greens will still be good a week later.

Intuitively I thought the warm water would make the greens more wilty but the results are nothing short of amazing. I got some mustard greens last week to make the smoked oyster sandwiches and...well...they looked a little old. Almost didnt get them. An hour in the sink with warm water and they looked fresh picked.

Caesar Dressing:

We like it cheesy, anchovy-y and garlicky, adjust to suit yourself.

*** disclaimer: this recipe contains raw eggs, which may contain salmonella. The risk last time I checked was ~ 1 in 10,000 eggs and this is mitigated by the coddling process which kills surface bacteria and any just inside the shell...allegedly the source of most salmonella poisoning. You may also use store bought pasteurized eggs which are available in many markets.

Take one large egg and submerge it in the shell in a pan of hot boiling water for one minute. Rinse egg under cool water until you can handle it, break it into a blender.

Juice one large lemon, removing seeds. You can do this by squeezing it into the palm of your cupped hand; the juice will run between your fingers and sluice over the edge of your palm, leaving the seeds in your hand. Add juice to blender.

Start blender on high and add approximately one cup of olive oil through the hole in the cover in a slow steady drizzle. It should take you about a minute to do this. You should hear the tone of the slurshing in the blender change to a "thick" sound close to the end of the cup of oil. Congratulations, you've now made a basic mayonnaise. You can short circuit the process and avoid the raw egg thing by tossing a cup of mayo in the blender and adding the lemon juice. Do not use fat free mayo, it will not create a proper sauce or dressing as the gelatin (or whatever the brand is using as a thickener) will just keep absorbing the liquids you add and make a watery tasting sauce. You can however get away with a "light" mayo. Given the rest of the content, not sure its saving you much vs this home-made olive oil mayo.

Toss in 3-5 large cloves of peeled garlic, then a whole drained small flat can of anchovies. You may substitute a teaspoon or more of worcestershire sauce, which has a heck of a lot of anchovy in it (funny sidebar: I know a lot of people who tell me they hate anchovies, then pour worcestershire sauce all over something...its in your head!)

Next dump in about a half cup of shredded or finely chunked/sliced parmesan cheese and a half teaspoon of dry or prepared mustard and a hearty grating of black pepper.

Taste test it, bearing in mind that the garlic flavor will intensify over the next 10-15 minutes. Add a little more lemon juice, worcestershire, garlic or cheese to suit yourself.

Dressing is done; serve immediately or chill. My favorite presentation is to leave the small to medium size romaine leaves whole and cut down the very large ones to big bite-size chunks. Serve with individual dipping bowls of the dressing and eat with your fingers, dunking the leaves into the dressing.

For those intrigued by making their own mayo, stop at the point where you've created the basic egg/lemon/olive oil emulsion, and season with salt, pepper, dry mustard, tabasco, curry powder or whatever floats your boat. You may also replace the lemon juice with any vinegar including fruit and herb infused ones.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Avocado tricks

Like avocados but have trouble handling them because they're a bit slippery? Most guide suggest you turn out the avocado from its peel to a cutting board and then slice. What a mess! Leave them in their skins to slice/dice and avoid the whole problem!

To halve, cut the avocado in half around the pit lengthwise, then hold one half in each hand and turn half a turn, separating the two halves. Hold the half with the pit and smack it with the edge of a medium size knife, twist and the pit will come out stuck on the knife. Tap the knife on the edge of the sink to dislodge the pit.

Take each half still in its skin, hold it flesh side up in your palm and using a butter knife or other non-pointy tool with an edge, insert it and run it horizontally and/or vertically cut into slices or cubes right in the skin. The skin is tough enough that even a somewhat pointy knife wont easily penetrate it. Then use a spoon all around the edges and under the bottom to separate your slices/cubes from the skin, turn it over into a bowl and you're done!

Sprinkle with a little lemon/lime juice or vinegar to prevent discoloration. When storing in the fridge, cover with plastic wrap and push it down over the avocado slices/chunks to remove as much air as possible.

If you have too many avocados (we all have trees here and are awash in the things half the year), halve, turn them out with a spoon, put in a baggie, squeeze out all the air and freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Also makes a nice baby food...very high nutritional content...mashed ripe avocado with a little seasoning or a spoon of mild salsa mixed in was one of Gabes first foods and remains a regular favorite.

 

[REWahoo]

Avocado tricks

Hey! Watch your language...

 

[Dreamer]

Avocado tricks






If you have too many avocados (we all have trees here and are awash in the things half the year) I have never had that problem, since I have lived most of my life in PA, OH and WV. Enjoy reading all of your cooking tips. Keep it up!