Soups - Turkey Stock
Place in a large stockpot:
- 1 Turkey or Chicken carcass
The spices (Bouquet Garni) are added next either in a cheesecloth sachet or loose. They are:
- 2 TBSPS. Dry Parsley
- 2 TBSPS. Dry Thyme
- 1 TBSP. Peppercorn (Whole or Ground)
- 2 Bay Leaves
Then add the veg matter (Mirepoix) to the pot:
- 2 rough chopped carrots (without the ends since it will sour the flavor)
- 2 rough chopped onions (skins too, lots of flavor)
- 2 rough chopped stalks of celery (no ends or leaves)
- 1 large or 2 small rough chopped Leak (cut off the root end, cut it the long way first and rinse out the mud before cutting it up)
Fill the pot with COLD water to the point that the ingredients are just covered and put in on to boil. The cold water will allow the protein to leach out of the leaks. After it boils, turn the heat down to a simmer with a loose lid on the pot and leave it on the stove for 24 hours. Skim off the fat as needed. Drain it though a sieve and measure it. You should add enough water to make the yield an even gallon's worth. It can be used right away or frozen for later meals for up to a year.
Hint: To get all of the fat out skim it on the stove until you can't get anymore out and then drag an undyed paper towel across the surface of the stock and it will soak up the rest orrefrigerate the pot and the last of the fat will solidify on the top. Just poke a hole and drain off the stock.
Other - Basil Olive Oil
Ingredients:
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup olive oil, good quality-any type
Blanch the basil leaves for 2 minutes in boiling water. Remove and squeeze the leaves dry in a clean towel. Place the leaves and 1/2 of the olive oil in a blender. Process until smooth. Slowly add the remainder of the oil. Pour into a glass jar and steep in the refrigerator for a day for the flavors to blend. You can use this as you would pesto or other herb oil.
Dessert - 'Moon Cakes'
This recipe for Mooncakes comes from Shanghai. Originally made in moon cakemolds with imprints such as chrysanthemum pattern or other traditional Chinese characters. They should be about three inches (seven centimeters) in diameter. Before baking - invent and draw your own "traditional patterns"!
- 4 cups flour
- 4 tbsp. brown sugar
- half tsp. salt
- 4oz (11Og) margarine
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
For the filling:
- 2 tbsp. peanuts
- 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp. walnuts or pine nuts
- 2 tbsp. chestnuts, boiled until tender, or blanched almonds
- 2 tbsp. sultanas or other dried fruit, chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped dried apricots
- 4 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. Margarine
- 2 tbsp. rice flour or poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 400F or 200C - Recipe makes about 15 cakes.
Sift the flout, sugar and salt together.
Chop the margarine into pieces and rub into the flour until crumbs form.
Add enough hot water (about half a cup) to make a pastry dough.
Cover with a cloth.
Roast the peanuts in a hot pan for two minutes.
Add the sesame seeds, then put a lid on to stop them from jumping out of the pan. Roast for a further two minutes.
Put the peanuts and seeds in a food processor or blender and grind with the other nuts.
Add to the rest of the filling ingredients and mix together.
Roll out the pastry on a floured board.
Cut rounds with a pastry cutter to fill the mold - if you have one - or make little pie cases.
Rub the mold with margarine and spread pastry over the bottom and sides of the mold.
Put in a tablespoon of filling. Press down gently.
Wet the edges of the pastry and cover with another round to make a lid.
Seal together, and remove from the mold if you are using one.
Put all the cakes on a greased baking sheet.
Beat the eggs and sesame oil together and brush each cake with this mixture.
Bake about thirty minutes until the cakes are golden brown
Dessert - Lavender Faerie Cookies
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 tablespoon Finely chopped lavender flowers
- 1-1/2 cup Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla; stir in the dry ingredients until well blended. Drop by half-teaspoons on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, and cool slightly on baking sheet before transferring to plates.
From "Where the Wild Thyme Grows" article in "The Herb Companion."April/May 1993, Vol. 5, No. 4. Pg. 57.
Beverage - May Day Mead
- 4 quarts water
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/8 cups (about) granulated sugar
- 2 lemons, washed and sliced thinly
- 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon raisins
Heat the water to boiling and stir in the brown and granulated sugars.
Add lemon slices. Cool to lukewarm and transfer liquid to anon-metallic container. Add the yeast and stir (but don't add the yeast until thel iquid has cooled enough, or it won't work. To test, place a few drops on your wrist. If it's not warm or cold, it's just right.
Let this water-sugar-lemon-yeast mixture stand overnight or at least 8 to 10 hours in a warm place. There should be tiny bubbles around the edge of the liquid after this length of time.
Sterilize 8 pints, 4 quart bottles or a gallon jug, and place 1 or 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar per quart of liquid into each container, as well as 3 or 4 raisins. Strain liquid through cheesecloth and pour into containers.
Cork tightly (if you happen to NOT have corks, use a balloon). Let stand at room temperature until the raisins have risen to the top of the bottle. In winter, this may take 2 days or more; in warm weather, only 8 hours.
Chill and store in the refrigerator or a cool place. Makes 1 gallon.
This is only slightly alcoholic, since the brewing time is so short, therefore your alcohol content is very low.
Dessert - Pine Bark
Pine Bark
35 saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
5 (4 oz.) milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces
Heat oven to 400°.
Line a 15x10 jelly roll pan with foil.
Lightly spray foil with a non-stick cooking spray.
Place saltine crackers, salty side up, in prepared pan.
In a saucepan, boil butter and sugar for 2 to3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
Pour mixture over crackers and bake for 4 to 6 minutes.
Remove from oven, top with candy bars and spread evenly as chocolate begins to melt.
Cool slightly and transfer onto waxed paper.
Allow to cool completely.
Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen
Paula's Home Cooking Show
http://www.foodnetwork.com/
