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Back in the day we
had recipe contests that celebrated onions because we packed Onion
Bags with our blocks for temporary storage. But the government
has been concerned about plastic bags and also bags with pull closed
loops, so we gave them up. And we haven't had a contest in a
long time. But here are the recipes. If you have a
recipe for something unusual, we'd like to hear about it.
|
Archie's MilSpec Salsa
This is to make a batch of Fresh Salsa Cruda. Collect the following: 6 fresh Poblano peppers - not Anehiems. Procedure: Plan (A): Open a beer. Use Poblano chilies and a couple of jalapenos. Poblanos are shortish, fattish, thick fleshed and dark green. They have an excellent chili flavor. Peel them by roasting under a broiler until the skin blisters. A salamander is most effective. Don't over do it as the chili flesh will overcook and go mushy. After roasting put 'em in a plastic bag for a while as it will help loosen the skin. Peel off the skin under running water, it does not have to be anywhere near a perfect job. Gloves prevent later problems. When you wash up, get under the finger nails. or (B): Drive around until you find a roadside roasting operation. Ask yourself if you want Salmonella. then (C): Skin the tomatoes by briefly
plunging them in boiling water.... 60 seconds each ought to get it.
These can be regulars or romanos or a mix. Ripe if that can be had. Now
you need - Onion, green onion, garlic, and fresh Cilantro. Also
tomatillos. They provide a citrus snap. Forget about skinning them, it
can't be done. Chop it all up and plop it together. Reserve some of the
chilies and all of the really hot peppers to balance the heat at the
end. Refrigerate as soon as finished. Here are the tricks: 1. THE CHOP. The size of the chop is important when it comes time to put it on a chip. If the pieces are too big then you can't get the whole range of ingredients on a single Tostitos. Also the chips will break while scooping. Too small is not visually appealing - The colors get submerged in red and a decent amount will not stay on the chip. It also looses that luxurious feel on the palate. De-stem the cilantro a bit and chop the remaining leaves and stems to release the flavor. A rough chop here so you can see it in the mix. Get a lot of the green parts of the scallions. 2. THE HEAT. Here you have to think about how many of the chili ribs and seeds (where the majority of the heat resides) you want as you are chopping. The seeds will be mostly clustered right under the stem while the ribs are like the good old Green Bell. Poblanos are medium to hot. Sometimes I also roast and throw in a couple of Jalapenos as boosters. Mad dogs use habaneros or scotch bonnets. The use of either will change the overall flavor and may cause a violent reaction among your soon to be former friends. Have that second beer in arms reach during the testing phase. Blood curdling screams are acceptable culinary observations. 3. THE SNAP. Cilantro is important. It has to be fresh NEVER dried. Don't be goosey about using it. Chop it rough including the stems. The tomatillos provide a citrus background that is subtle, but very important. 4. THE BALANCE. The onion, green onion, tomato, tomatillo ratio is something to fiddle with. Essentially we have tomato with onion salsa not onion with tomato. Garlic is good, however the desired effect is a Poblano Chile/Cilantro dynamic in a tomato/onion base with helpers. Careful with salt. 5. THE CARRIER/BINDER. This is a problem. Your freshly assembled salsa will look great. It will look worse in an hour, "breaking," when the water comes out of the tomatoes. On the one hand the water looks bad and can cause the salsa to slide off the chip exactly one inch from the tip of your tongue and onto your shirt. Women wearing a dcollet will be miffed, unless of course you are alone together and on good terms. On the other hand liquid is needed to suspend the "stuff." One way is to squeeze out the chopped tomatoes and substitute some thickish tomato juice. Also, tomato paste can be used for the same effect. Be careful with this part as too much TJ or paste can submerge the target flavors. Commercial outfits use thickeners and binders such as xanthan gum. A variation is to strongly de-water the salsa by wringing it in a towel and serve it as relish or vegetable course with dinner. Great with a good steak! Use a decent chip. Now you know why the stuff is expensive and tedious to make. In addition you know now why a chili loving society HAD to invent those roasters on the sides of the roads. A food processor is a must for any sort of scale production. 6. Now you know why the stuff is
expensive and tedious to make. In addition you know now why a chili
loving society HAD to invent those fresh roasters on the sides of the
roads. A food processor is a must for any sort of scale production. 7. NO-NOs - Tabasco, black pepper or any other heating agent is an abomination unto the chili god (who, incidentally, lives in Hatch, New Mexico). Any sweet fruits or other veggies - Are there no purists anymore? Use a decent flour or corn chips - not potato chips. Do not let your salsa get warm without being eaten, the flavors will muddle. The difference is much like that between a cool Clausen and any other pickle. 8. THE ADVENTURE CLUB. Leeks instead of
onions for that European twist. Use all jalapenos - this will be some
hot. Run it all through a vegetable liquefier for a refreshing summer
drink. 10. CANNING - As if for tomatoes. A little lemon juice on top helps preserve the color. It's not the same, but doing a hundred quarts at a time can get you through the winter. Notes:1. It is sooooo annoying to hit the
store, buy some nice Poblanos, but get told that they are Pascillas at
the checkout stand. They are not. Both Kroger and Safeway do that out
here in Colorado. I have actually seen only one actual Pascilla which I
bought in Denver at Avanza Market. Get your learn on here: http://www.chetbacon.com/peppers/Hotpeppers.html 
Ginger's fresh Salsa  Anitha's Ridge Gourd Chutney Ridge gourd chutney:Ingredients: Ridge gourd - 2 oil - 2-3 tbsp Split black gram dhal - 2-3 tbsp Red chilies - 3-4 Asafetida - a pinch Tamarind - size of a marble Salt - to taste Method : Fry dhal, red chilies, asafetida and tamarind in 1 1/2 tbsp of oil until the dhals turn golden brown. Set aside. Fry the chopped up ridge gourd in the remaining oil for a few minutes. Add a little water. Cover and cook till tender and till all the water has been absorbed. Now, grind the vegetables along with previously fried mixture in a blender. Also add salt. Do not add excess water. Makes a spicy chutney.
As the dictionary defines condiment as "something used to give additional flavor to food," I definitely think this qualifies! A few ice cubes of Zing Sauce will add flavor to blah soups and perk up flat sauces. I tried it in an uninteresting black bean soup and the result was complete transformation! Every cook can use such a condiment on hand! Moreover, I have found it useful when cooking for a relative on a restricted diet because it avoids problem ingredients. 3 lbs red tomatoes, skinned and chopped 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup frozen onions 2 carrots, peeled and diced 2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped 3 tsp butter 3 tsp millet (or all-purpose) flour juice of 1/2 a lime pepper to taste Place peeled tomatoes and salt in a food processor and puree. Place mixture in a saucepan. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve to get a watery broth. In a skillet melt butter and add flour. Stir until mixed. Gradually add tomato broth. Bring to a boil and boil to desired thickness. Remove from burner, add juice of 1/2 a lime and pepper to taste. Pour into an ice tray and freeze. Use to flavor soups and sauces. It could also be poured over chicken.
2 large ripe tomatoes 2 to 3 fresh cucumbers 1 large Vidalia onion salt, pepper Dice tomatoes, cucumbers, onion into medium size chunks. Toss together and season with salt, pepper, and any other favorite seasonings (I also like to use Morton's "Nature's Seasonings"). Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Best on grilled hot dogs. Also nice on burgers, tacos, grilled pork chops, or all by itself in a toasted whole wheat pita pocket! |
Sandy's Maple
Syrup Find or obtain the following stuff: 1. A Sugar Maple, Black Maple, Red Maple, Silver Maple, Big Leaf Maple, or Box Elder. 2. A five gallon plastic bucket with a lid. 3. A 4 inch long stainless steel or copper Nipple, 3/8 in diameter (OD). 4. about 5 feet of plastic tubing that fits tightly over the end of the nipple. 5. An electric drill with a 11/32 bit. 6. a Large Pot. 7. Some small (1/2 pt.) canning jars or freezer containers. (In Indiana) begin to work when the sap begins to rise around the first week in March. About 40" off the ground, drill a hole directly into the tree about 3 inches being sure to clear the hole. Insert the nipple about 1-1/2 inches or until it is firmly and tightly lodged. Drill a slightly oversized hole for the tubing in side of the bucket a little below the line of the edge of the attached lid. Make a drip loop in the plastic tubing so that rain won't enter and attach the other end of the tubing to the nipple inserted into the tree. Simply put, use the tubing to drain the nipple into the covered bucket. The sap will run for the next three weeks or so. It will run fastest on a warm day following a cold night. At it's peak, you should be able to obtain about 2 gallons of sap a day from a large tree. Empty the bucket into your pot and start boiling. The sap has to be reduced a great deal, and two gallons will make no more than about 1/2 pint - more from some trees than others. The boiling can be ignored until you get fairly close to the end at which time the heat should be reduced to avoid burning the sugar. If you want to filter the stuff, we use a metal coffee filter salvaged from an automatic coffee maker and do the filtering before you get to the final stages. The cost of boiling it is high, but I think it's probably less than buying the stuff which costs a fortune in the grocery store. The syrup will be reduced to a honey consistency if you go too far, so stop while it is still syrupy. Remember that it is thinner when hot and will thicken as it cools. They say that the sap from the Box Elder is the best. My Maple is a Black Maple, and the syrup is very fine indeed and a nice medium amber. Remove the nipple when you are finished (copper will eventually poison the tree) and plug the hole neatly with a tapered wooden plug. Keep your syrup refrigerated or frozen as it will spoil. Potentially, you might can it, but I've not done this myself.
Nona's Perugian Ravioli
(Umbrian Style) Any nice Italian sauce is good for pouring on top. Garnish with plenty of Basil.
Sandy's Mango Chutney This recipe makes quite a bit of Chutney. Collect the following: 15 Peaches 1. Wash and defuzz the peaches and chop into thumb sized pieces 2. Outsmart the Mangoes as follows. Along the seam side, cut around the pit to get a palm sized oval. Using the tip of your knife, cut the meat into 1/2 inch cubes like ice cubes. Pop the half inside out and nick off the cubes. Do the same to the second half and cut off any remainder from the pit. There's less mango to a mango than you would suppose. 3. Scoop out the seeds and chop the papayas. 4. Mix the fruit with 2 tablespoons of ginger, 1/4 cup of candied lemon peel, chopped pepper and onion, and add a cup of raisins. Cook in a pot with 3 cups of brown sugar and 3 cups of red wine vinegar. Add a teaspoon of turmeric, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of cumin, and a teaspoon of curry. When the mixture begins to boil add a spice bag made of 2 cinnamon sticks, 20 whole cloves, and a teaspoon of coriander seeds. Simmer for 20 minutes and then remove the spice bag.
I like this best with curried lamb and rice. Good side dishes are fresh pineapple, peanuts, shredded coconut, pickled watermelon, and some genuine Greek olives. The only hard part is finding the candied lemon peel. You can make it, but that's a whole different problem. I leave that for you to discover.
Chantel's Spring Snack Gather the following: 1. A bunch of Spring Onions Saut the crushed garlic in a small frying pan. Slice or dice the potatoes, and add when the oil is hot. Cut the tomato and onions into thumb sized pieces and add to the mix just as the potatoes begin to soften. Salt and pepper to taste, then roll up in a fresh tortilla. Kiss somebody you like and tell them:
Pat's Dynamite Rice-Sausage Casserole Fry 1 lb. sausage drain off excess fat. Add 1/2cup
chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped green pepper, and 1 cup chopped celery.
Cook with
Page's Pico!! Mince or chop the tomatoes and onion into small cubes. If you want to skin the Jalepenos, hold them in a pair of pliers, and roast them over a burner, peel the skin, then chop into small pieces. The seeds have a lot of the heat, so remove the seeds if you don't like it really hot. Leave them in if you do! Put in a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix it up! Store in fridge! Great as a dip for tortilla chips. My husband loves it on his Huevos Rancheros. Fabulous on fajitas!! Great appetizer with chips to go with your favorite Margarita! Make the Margaritas by filling a glass
with ice, adding 1 1/2 ounces of Tequila, 1/2 ounce of Cointreau, half a
teaspoon of sugar, and reducing the whole thing to mush in a blender.
Salt the rims of the glasses. Drink four of these quickly.
Time to rock and roll! |
sausage until tender, then add 1/2 cup uncooked rice, 1 can of cream of
mushroom soup, 1 1/2 cups of milk, and 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
(optional). In a casserole, bake closely covered for 50 minutes at 350
degrees, stirring occasionally, and bake 20 minutes longer uncovered.