sift

ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND COOKING

2010-03-06T23:43:00.000-08:00

GRILLED PINEAPPLE SWEET CHILI SAUCE

Basically this is Leela of shesimmers http://www.shesimmers.com/2009/02/how-to-make-thai-sweet-chili-dipping.html Thai sweet chilli sauce. But I can't leave well enough alone. So I added grilled pineapple and treated the chili's a little different and bingo I'm done (the secret to life is make other people's genius your own)

Ingredients

2-4 red and green hot peppers

3 cloves garlic
1 slice fresh pineapple

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch

2 tablespoons water

Grill the pineapple and let cool.

Slice circles off 1/4 of the tips of the peppers, set a side. Ruff chop the rest of the peppers (I keep 1/2 the seeds) and the garlic.

Cut pineapple in to 1/8 in. squares set 1/2 a side. Puree garlic, chopped peppers and 1/2 the pineapple. combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, except for the lost two. . Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minute. Combine the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and continue to simmer one or two more minute.

BATTEL SWEET POTATO

2010-03-05T02:26:00.000-08:00

SWEET POTATO CRUSTED SHRIMP with grilled pineapple sweet chili sauce

Ingredients
1 cup Sweet potato flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
cornstarch, for dredging
1 sweet potato peeled and grated

Directions

Pour oil into a deep fryer or large heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl combine, sweet potato flour, flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cayenne pepper. In a separate bowl beat the egg slightly and mix with the milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once, and stir only enough times to bring the batter together; there should be lumps.(add more milk if needed) Set batter aside and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Onto the skewers, thread the shrimp tail first

Scatter the cornstarch into a dry pie pan. Roll each shrimp in the cornstarch and tap well to remove any excess and dip in and out of the batter. Immediately roll in grated sweet potatoes.

Deep fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

IS NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY

2010-02-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sifted whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

Peel and cut sweet potato in to 1 inch squares. place in a bowl and cover with water, microwave tell soft about 6 minutes. Drain the water and mash the potato up on a plate with a fork.

Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop by spoons onto hot greased griddle or skillet and fry, turning once, until browned on both sides.

2010-02-15T23:21:00.000-08:00

PRESIDENT'S DAY

BATTLE MUSHROOM

2010-02-03T23:23:00.000-08:00

MUSHROOM AND PURPLE POTATO

TAMALES WITH ROASTED PEPPER

SAUCE

ingredients

2 packages Banana leaves

(available at Whole Foods Market)

16 oz. baby portobello mushrooms

1/4 cup dried chanterelle mushrooms

6-8 purple potatoes

1 teaspoon mexican oregano

1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin seed

6 oz. graded queso chihuahua

Soak dried Chanterelle mushrooms in 1/4 cup warm water for 20 minutes

Cut Mushrooms in to wedge shape, remove Chanterelle from water and dice. Saute Portobello and Chanterelle in a little olive oil with the Oregano and Cumin till tender

remove from the pan ad the soaking water from the Chanterelle to the cooking juices and reduce to 1/8 combined with the potatoes, mushroom, salt, pepper and let cool

Cut potatoes in to small 1/4 inch pieces coat with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit till tender about 8 minutes, let cool

prepare the tamale dough to package instructions

Unfold banana leaves and wipe clean with a damp cloth. Cut with scissors into 8x6 pieces.

Warm over open flame on the stove or boiling water for a few seconds before filling,

fold all four sides and tie with string if you want. Steam for 20 minutes

Roasted Pepper Sauce

ingredients

2-3 (12-15 Baby peppers) yellow and red peppers

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup Mexican cream

Salt and Pepper

Core and seed the Peppers. Roast at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes.

Combined all ingredients and blend till smooth.

information about mushrooms in Chile and Mexico

http://eatingchile.blogspot.com/2009/10/eating-chilean-wild-mushrooms-hongos.html

http://goodfoodmexicocity.blogspot.com/2009/08/seasons-greetings-part-1-wild-mushrooms.html

PLEASE STAND BY

2010-01-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

BATTLE NAPA CABBAGE

2010-01-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

USZKA (little ears) BARSSCZ (clare red beet soup)

To make the Uszka dough, make a crater with the flour on your tabletop. Add the eggs, Sour Cream and water to the center of the flour crate (you can use a bowl or a mixer with a dough hook) incorporate the flour into the eggs with a fork

Then knead the flour and eggs together to form dough. Knead until the dough is thoroughly worked together, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. wrap the dough in plastic and let rest for about 10 minutes

then roll it out to the second thinnest setting on a pasta machine.

cut into 2-inch squares. Place a spoonful of filling on each square.

Moisten two edges of the dough with water and fold in half to form a triangle, pressing out any air and lap the point over and press them together.

they will look a little like a tri-cornered hat. Drop uszka into boiling broth or water and cook 10 minutes or until tender when tested.

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups Flour

1 tsp Salt

2 Eggs

2 tablespoons Sour Cream

1/4 cup Lukewarm Water

To make the filling

Soak the dried mushrooms in the warm duck stock for 20 min. remove the mushrooms from the stock and dice.

Cut the cabbage lengthwise into eighths, then thin strips across Saute the cabbage, mushrooms with the butter and duck stock till just wilted

Cut the cabbage lengthwise into eighths, then thin strips across Saute the cabbage, mushrooms with the butter and duck stock till just wilted.

chop up the duck meat and add to cabbage and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, let cool.

Ingredients

filling:

1 head Napa Cabbage

6 pieces dried dried porcini mushrooms

1/4 cup Duck stock

2 tablespoons Butter

1/3 cup cooked Duck meat

Salt & Pepper

to make the soup

In a medium pot, bring stock to a simmer, add beets, garlic, sugar, lemon slices, lemon juice. Simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

strain through a colander in to a clean pot, keep hot till ready to serve.

Barszcz (Borshch, Clear Beet Soup)

4 cups clarified duck stock

1 beet sliced

1 clove garlic sliced

2 slices lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

salt and pepper

fennel fronds and duck cracklings for garnish

Duck Cracklings

Place duck skin on a baking sheet pan, bake at 225 degrees F. till crisp and golden brown let cool, cut in to thin strips (a toaster oven works good for this)

2010-01-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

COMING SOON

USZKA

CLARIFYING DUCK STOCK

2010-01-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

For each quart of stock, you will use one egg white and one crumpled egg shell

To get most of the fat out of a stock, you can simply chill it. The fat will harden and float on top of the stock where it can be scooped off easily. One can also use a fat separator, which are like a big measuring cup with a siphon from the bottom, which allows you to pour the stock out while trapping the fat.

Separate the eggs (I use my hands not the shell, discard the yolk or save for another use).

Beat egg whites to soft peaks, Crumple the eggs-shells and mix them through the egg whites.

Stir the mixture in to the stock and bring it to a simmer, do not let it boil.

The egg-whites will coagulate, rise, and take any particles and cloudiness out of the stock. Keep a close eye on the simmer (push the coagulated egg-whites to the side a bit to see) and let it simmer for about ten minutes.

Finally Place a large sieve or colander lined with several layers of damp 100-percent-cotton cheesecloth over a large bowl. Pour the stock through the cloth to strain out the particles and egg white.

DUCK STOCK

2010-01-04T21:39:00.000-08:00

A few Months ago I purchased a Crock-pot to slow cook a Pork Butt. The results were ok, not great. This things real talent is for making Stocks. With a leftover Roast Duck carcass and Bones and a few things from the old root cellar I made some Duck Stock. I did the same thing with a leftover roast Turkey. I have a Ham bone in the Freezer. Who knows what's next. The neighbor's Dog barks a lot.

Ingredients

Duck bones

3 yellow onions, quartered (skin left on)

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

1 bay leaves

about 10 whole peppercorns

fresh Herbs thyme, parsley, rosemary, what ever you have( if not use dried)

Combine duck bones, onion, celery, and carrots in the crock-pot add clod water till the ingredients are covered, set crock-pot to medium and take a nap.

After your nap skim the scum off the top. cook at least 6 hours. Let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

When ready to use place in a pot on the stove over high heat and cook until reduced by half.

note: if your bones are raw Combine bones, onions, celery, and carrots in a large roasting pan; toss with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast until the bones and vegetables are a rich golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes.

BATTLE FENNEL

2010-01-03T21:25:00.000-08:00

Fennel Three ways

Fennel and Salmon Terrine, Fennel Seed Breadsticks and Roasted Beet and Tomato Salad

with Fennel Frond, lemon, Saffron- Yogurt Dressing

Fennel and Salmon Terrine

Ingredients:

8 oz. salmon

1 fennel bulb

3 eggs

1 bunch spinach

3/4 cup heavy cream

Salt

Pepper

Cut and core the fennel bulb. Toss with olive oil. Salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 400 degrees until soft and browned, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool.

Use a blender, food processor or immersion blender (that’s what I used). Combine the fennel, one egg, 1/4 cup of cream, salt and pepper, and process until desired consistency (approximate to the consistency of guacamole). Place in a bowl and refrigerate. Skin and cut the salmon into cubes. Combine with 1/2 cup of cream, 2 eggs, salt and pepper, and process the same as in 3. above. Put bowl in refrigerator.

Line a buttered terrine mold with parchment paper (I actually used a glass butter dish as my terrine that held approximately 2 cups. If your terrine is bigger, adjust your recipe accordingly). Carefully layer spinach leaves to cover the bottom and the sides of the mold, letting them hang over the sides so they can be folded over the top.

Spoon the fennel mixture into the terrine until half full. Add a layer of spinach leaves. Spoon in the salmon mixture to fill the terrine. Fold the spinach leaves over to cover the top of the terrine.

Cover terrine and bake in a water bath at 450 degrees for one hour or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees and is set.

Remove from bath and let cool. Refrigerate overnight.

Fennel Seed Breadsticks (grissini)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup salad oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup cold water

2-3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon instant yeast (or 1/2 package)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Chopped fennel seeds

Sea salt

Pour the salad and olive oils into the bowl of a KitchenAid; swirl to cover the sides of the bowl. Add the water, flour, cornmeal and salt. Start combining with the dough hook while adding the yeast. Continue blending until the dough comes together (be patient, this will happen without help). After the dough comes together, knead for 10 minutes.

Cover with plastic and let rise until it doubles in volume (takes about 1-1/2 to 2 hours).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into four equal parts. Keep the pieces you’re not working with covered. Roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Place the sheet of dough on the baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch strips. Fold each strip over and roll into a stick shape. Keep the sticks evenly separated on the baking sheet.

Lightly spray or brush the sticks with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt (I used pink Hawaiian sea salt) and chopped fennel seeds (I rolled the sticks back and forth on the baking sheet to pick up more sea salt and fennel).

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Repeat process with the rest of the dough.

Fennel Frond-Lemon Saffron Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 pint plain yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon chopped fennel fronds

1/4 teaspoon saffron

Salt

White pepper

Combine all ingredients.

Refrigerate for one hour.

Stir before serving.

BATTLE BEET

2010-01-02T19:09:00.000-08:00

BEET-BQ CHICKEN

Marinade

2 or 3 Baby Beets

1 Tablespoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Peel and dice Beets. Place Beets in a 2 Qt. sauce pan cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook till tender about 15 minuter let cool. Puree in a blender the Beets and cooking water. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Chicken is your choice. I used 2 boneless breasts cut into fingers and 2 thighs I boned.

In a re-closable bag or a bowl combined about 1 cup of Beet puree, Sriracha, Salt and Pepper add Chicken refrigerate 4 Hours or over night

Sauce

2/3 Beet puree

1/3 cup Tomato sauce

1/4 cup Ketchup

2 Tablespoon brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Honey

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Tahini

Combined all the ingredients in a sauce pan and mix well, over medium heat bring to a boil stirring frequently, remove from heat

Preheat grill

before cooking the Chicken remove from marinade pat dry with paper towels and coat with oil. I seasoned the Chicken with ground Garam Masala spice mix and Salt.

Starting on the skin side grill till juices run clear. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

I served it with a creamy Coleslaw with Carrots and diced Beet leaves and white Bead

NEW YEARS DAY

2010-01-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

FIRST POST

The Berghoff was issued Liquor License No. 1.

sift

ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND COOKING

Ingredients

BATTEL SWEET POTATO

Ingredients1 cup Sweet potato flour1 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder2 teaspoons kosher salt1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper1 egg1 1/2 cups milk cornstarch, for dredging1 sweet potato peeled and grated

Ingredients

Directions

IS NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY

Ingredients:

Preparation:

BATTLE MUSHROOM

PLEASE STAND BY

BATTLE NAPA CABBAGE

CLARIFYING DUCK STOCK

DUCK STOCK

BATTLE FENNEL

BATTLE BEET

NEW YEARS DAY

Ingredients
1 cup Sweet potato flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 1/2 cups milk
cornstarch, for dredging
1 sweet potato peeled and grated