Daily Recipe thread

~~APolaris~~ · #1 July 8th, 2010, 11:15 pm

Based on an idea I've posted on a few other forums in the past until I quit them.

This is my Daily Recipes thread. Dedicated wholly to the memory of the greatest, most beautiful doggy who ever lived. For visitors, replies would also be appreciated so this thread doesn't end up as a series of edits to one long post.

I give free license for anybody who wants to do so to post recipes in here as well, though that's not fully the focus here. About half of the recipes I know were found in cookbooks and given my personal modifications, while the other half were self-invented (particularly among marinades). I will post recipes of all types, ranging from breakfast to dinners, appetizers, desserts, meat dishes, vegetarian dishes, but my specialties are in pasta, some grilled meats, and vegetable side dishes.

Being a New Yorker, I also have a propensity for foods commonly made in this region, though in different ways than most. Depending on country, state, etc. you may have access to some ingredients that I don't, while I may have access to some ingredients you don't. Nonetheless, if I don't already know how to make something that's commonplace in a certain country, I research various recipes for it online, mark my own modifications, and test them. Requests WILL be taken. I will try my best to be daily, but this will not necessarily be 100% possible.

Table of Contents

Appetizers and soups

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Salads

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Side dishes (vegetables)

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Side dishes (rice, potatoes and others)

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Main courses (beef and pork)

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Main courses (chicken and fish)

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Main courses (pasta)

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Main courses (other)

Desserts

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Beverages

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Miscellaneous

I thought for the first day, I'd start off with a rather well-known drink to North American mallgoers, until recently at least. It's also one of the simplest recipes I will ever post.

7/9/10: Orange Julius

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1 cup water
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 medium ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender. On the high setting, liquefy until you can no longer hear ice being crushed. Switch to the low setting/mix for about 5 more seconds. Drink should be cold and slightly frothy. Pour into tall glasses and serve with straws.

Today, I'm going to post another relatively simple recipe. I actually thought I'd invented this recipe until I found out it already existed. How embarassing. It's basically an improvement on mashed potatoes, using common potato toppings instead of butter and milk.

7/10/10: Mashed Potatoes with taste

4 baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chives, garlic, bacon bits, pepper, shredded broccoli, or any other additions you desire

1. Cook potatoes in a medium saucepan, covered, in boiling water for up to 25 minutes; drain water.

2. Dump drained potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add sour cream, cheese, and custom additions. Beat with an electric mixer on low until thoroughly softened and blended.

For day 3, I present my standard green bean side dish. It's a good potluck choice for those who like green beans but can't stand the thought of mushroom soup and dried onions. Memorized from Better Homes & Gardens.

7/11/10: Green Beans Supreme

3 cups fresh green beans, stemmed and halved
4 ounces sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Dash black pepper
1/8 pound shredded American cheese (can be bought in blocks for shredding) or 2 slices, torn
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon butter

1. Cook green beans about halfway in a small amount of boiling water, covered, about 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 F. Stir together sour cream, flour, lemon zest and pepper. Melt butter; stir bread crumbs into butter.
2. Place green beans in a 1.5 quart baking dish or casserole. Stir in sour cream mixture. Top with a sprinkling of bread crumb mixture. Top with American cheese.
3. Bake 25 minutes, uncovered.

For the next recipe, I'm going to post my method of making a common main course served in American restaurants. This is most commonly made with chicken, but I've heard pheasant, pork, and (if you can stomach it) veal work fine with it. In theory eggplant and vegetable broth could probably work for a vegetarian modification.

7/12/10: Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cartilege trimmed and fileted*
A pile of flour
Dash black pepper
Dash ground marjoram
4 tbsp Butter
8 ounces sliced white mushrooms
1 green onion (scallion), bias-sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Marsala or Sherry cooking wine

* To filet chicken breasts: slice in half across the middle to form two thinner cutlets. Non-serrated knives are best.

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet on low to medium heat. Coat the four chicken cutlets in a mixture of the flour, pepper and marjoram.
2. Cook chicken cutlets in skillet over medium heat until approximately done, while springy to the touch. Remove from skillet.
3. Melt additional 2 tbsp butter in skillet. Add mushrooms and scallions; cook until tender.
4. Pour broth and wine into mushrooms in skillet. Bring to a light boil. Add cooked chicken cutlets; simmer until sauce is reduced. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

Variant: to make Lemon Chicken, use 1 tbsp onions instead of mushrooms and scallions. Use 1/8 cup lemon juice instead of wine. Best served over egg noodles or with fettuccine alfredo.

Both recipes can also be made more flavorfully and less professional-looking as strips instead of full cutlets.

Okay, for today, now that my keyboard's back, I thought I'd do something a little different: an Indian-style side dish. I've practiced modifying a recipe I found online for this one until it got into this form, and yes, it is vegan.

7/13/10: Aaloo Paratha

Ingredients:

4 "Eastern"/round white potatoes, peeled, quartered, boiled and well mashed
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground ginger or 2 inches ginger, grated
1/2 tsp plus a few dashes ground turmeric
2 cups flour
Dash curry powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup snipped, finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Combine every ingredient except the cilantro, oil, curry powder, and flour in a large bowl. Stir until mixed well.

In a separate bowl, combine oil and flour and, optionally, a dash of salt; mix with hands. Add a little bit of water at a time and continue kneading until it forms the desired doughy texture. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let sit for up to 90 minutes.

Split prepared dough and roll into smooth meatball-sized portions. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball flat. Spoon 1/8 cup potato mixture into the center of the flattened dough. Fold edges onto top of mixture in a "sack" pattern. Press down lightly. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Use a rolling pin to re-roll each completed "sack." Roll lightly to avoid leaking filling. If shape is too oblong, re-roll again in the other direction. Cook on a well-greased or oiled griddle in a manner similar to pancakes.

Meanwhile, combine 8 ounces plain yogurt, 1/4 cup shredded cucumber, 1 tablespoon minced red onion, 1 tablespoon fresh snipped mint, and a dash of sugar. Season to taste with black or white ground pepper. Stir well to form a raita topping.

July 14: One month after I turned 27 1/2. Yay, I'm over 3/4 of the way between 20 and 30. Yup, that matters. Anyway, to celebrate this *ahem* momentous occasion, I shall post a fine dessert and snack. It goes well with most beverages, though I figure orange julius and some milk-heavy drinks, such as chai lattes, are probably best with it. I'd avoid watery stuff or soda. In a sample lesson, I once used this, along with banana and pumpkin breads, to sort my "students" into groups.

7/14/10: Glazed lemon bread midge loaf

Flour mixture:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash salt

Liquid mixture:
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil (vegetable)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (grated lemon peel)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Glaze:
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x5x3 inch breadpan (I use a Pampered Chef stoneware).
2. Combine flour mixture in a large mixing bowl. Make a "well" in the center.
3. Pour liquid mixture into well and combine thoroughly (batter should still be slightly lumpy, not overly smooth). Pour batter into breadpan.
4. Bake in 350 F oven until nearly done, about 45 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Use a brush to slather top of bread with glaze mixture to taste. Replace in oven for an additional 10 minutes*.

* To test whether a bread is finished, remove breadpan from oven. Insert a wooden toothpick nearly completely into the top of the loaf. If it comes out clean, the bread is finished.

Other twists: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds. Add either of the above to the batter before baking.

Lemongrass · #2 July 15th, 2010, 6:09 am

Just wondering, what is the texture of the Lemon glazed bread like? What can you liken it to, so I have a better idea of the final product?

Cheers.

~~APolaris~~ · #3 July 15th, 2010, 6:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemongrass

Just wondering, what is the texture of the Lemon glazed bread like? What can you liken it to, so I have a better idea of the final product?

Cheers.

Well, here's a photo of the first loaf I ever made in college, shortly after buying a pampered chef stoneware breadpan. (I never figured out how to prevent that fault line in the middle from appearing, so I suppose it's normal.) If you can find one, I highly recommend picking it up. I got mine from a friend's mother off ebay for $25.

When it's ready for the glaze to be brushed on, the bread should be almost done. In the end its texture should be firm to the touch with no trace of liquid, but still soft. In the end the wooden toothpick test is really the best way to check whether the bread is finished. The harder part is knowing whether it's been in too long. So far, I've never burned a loaf of lemon bread (I burnt the bottom of banana bread once though), but I don't particularly know a way of checking the bottom while it's still in the pan either.

Today's recipe is actually a set of two recipes. Hamburgers are very popular in American culture, but while I like them, I personally find that not many, at least in the NY area, make them flavorfully. Most just seem to content themselves with frozen hockey pucks, fast food, or the very occasional from-scratch unseasoned beef. Not at all satisfied with this, I've customized several methods of flavoring hamburgers (not too heavily) from scratch that also leave them as juicy and tender as most are at medium-rare even when cooked medium-well. These are two of them.

7/15/10: The Blackened

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (80% lean is ideal)
Meat tenderizer
Onion powder
Worcestershire sauce
Blackened seasoning (if desired for some reason, a from-scratch blackened seasoning recipe can be found here).

Preheat a charcoal grill (if using gas, set to 325 F after preheating).

Place beef in a bowl. Coat with tenderizer so that it is covered with a thin layer. Add roughly half that amount of onion powder and approximately five drops of Worcestershire sauce.

Mix well. Separate and knead into four equally-sized patties. Press down lightly on the center of each, creating a small crevice*. Wash hands.

Coat the outside of each patty with a thin layer of blackened seasoning. Repeat with opposite site.

Grill over heated charcoal/gas grill until medium to medium-well (160 F)**, turning once. Serve on toasted buns***.

* This crevice, which I learned from Rachel Ray, prevents the center of the patty from plumping and creating a narrow but tall hamburger, as frequently happens otherwise.
** There is a popular myth that the color inside a beef patty is a reliable indicator of doneness. However, it is just that - a myth. It is entirely possible for a patty to have no pink remaining yet still be medium-rare/contain e-coli, while it's equally possible for a patty to be medium-well and retain some pink on the inside. Use a meat thermometer.
*** This burger is best with few or no toppings. The best toppings seem to be cheddar or swiss cheese, steak sauce rather than ketchup, and (I'm told) cooked onions or mushrooms. I detest the latter so I haven't tried them myself.

7/15/10: The Tacoburger

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon taco seasoning*
A few drops of water
2 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh snipped cilantro
Your choice of toppings (mine are shredded lettuce and peeled chopped tomatoes; for an authentic Mexican taco motif, use onion, salsa instead of the sour cream mix, lime juice, and cilantro)

* To create taco seasoning from scratch:
Use 3 parts ground cumin and chili powder
Use 1 part onion powder, ground oregano, meat tenderizer, black pepper, garlic salt, black pepper
To make 1 tbsp of seasoning, 1 part = approx. 1/4 teaspoon

Mix taco seasoning into beef, using drops of water to moisten. Form and cook patties as described in previous recipe. If desired, top with cheddar cheese.

Meanwhile, combine sour cream, lemon juice, and cilantro to form a topping. Serve completed patties on toasted buns or on a split, toasted tortilla.

Generally, I'd say that when customizing burgers, the two most important steps are to use a meat tenderizer and, unless mixing very strong seasonings into the beef, always coat the outside with at least a small amount of seasoning, even if it's just salt and pepper. This traps the juices inside while cooking. If you prefer to avoid tenderizer, try covering the patties with plastic wrap and pounding them with a studded meat mallet, then reforming.

Finally, if desired, both of these can be grilled indirectly. To do this, rearrange the coals and place a drip pan in the center; cook patties over the drip pan. For a gas grill, just shut one of the burners off (the center one if using a three-burner grill) and grill patties over the unlit burner. This method should take 25 to 30 minutes. Avoid lifting the cover except to flip, as a single opening can add over 10 minutes to the grilling time.

July 16: Hey, it's... a day with absolutely no exceptional connotations whatsoever for me. Hmm. Sup, here's a recipe. This one can serve as a dessert or salad and I first learned it from Better Homes.

7/16/10: Fruit & Pasta Salad

Cook 1 cup bowtie pasta (Farfalle) according to package directions. Drain. While in colander, rinse with cold water until chilled. Combine with 1/2 stalk sliced celery and up to 1 cup of sliced, peeled peaches, orange sections, and cubed cantaloupe (any combination). Add half of an Orange Poppy-Seed Dressing recipe and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 24 hours. Immediately before serving, add 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 peeled, sliced kiwifruit.

Orange Poppy-Seed dressing

1. Place 1/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest (finely grated orange peel), 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon minced onion, and a dash of black pepper in a small blender.

2. Cover and blend until combined. While still running, remove the lid and slowly pour 1/3 cup olive oil in a stream until thickened. Mix in 1 teaspoon poppy seeds.

3. Cover and store up to 1 week. Makes 2/3 cup.

Also known as the Pizzaiola for its resemblance to a pasta-based sausage pizza, and as "the sausage thing" by my dad, this self-invented pasta casserole is one of the rare sort in which I actually use jarred sauce, typically preferring to make my own. The best sorts to use are Traditional or Four Cheese. Other sausage can be substituted if you can't find Premio's extremely high-quality Luganega on sale and can't afford it from a butcher, but you'll have to slice thicker sausage much thinner and possibly use less of it. Ground beef or sliced pepperoni might substitute acceptably for the sausage. If unable to find fiori-style pasta, use rote (wheel shapes) or, as a last resort, small shells or penne.

7/17/10: Baked Fiori

Ingredients

8 ounces (1/2 of 1 box) Barilla Fiori pasta (flower-shaped) or Rote (wagon-wheel shaped) pasta
12 ounces Luganega sausage (the thin ones), cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
Ground black pepper
Dried oregano to taste

Preheat oven: 350 degrees F

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, subtracting 1 minute from cooking time; drain. While pasta is boiling, cook sausage, garlic and onion in a medium skillet until sausage is browned. Drain off grease*.

2. In a 2-quart casserole or glass baking dish, pour in sauce. Stir in 3/4 cup Mozzarella and a dash of pepper; add sausage mixture and pasta; mix well.

3. Cover and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Remove lid; top with 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with oregano to form a "pizza topping." Bake uncovered another five minutes, then serve.

Serving suggestions include garlic bread. Premio sausage comes in 16-ounce packs, so you can cook the remaining 4 ounces as a "sausage bites" appetizer.

* Tip: Never under any conditions pour drained grease down a sink drain. Always keep an empty coffee can or similar container handy for used grease storage.

My version of the following drink is probably considered very inauthentic in, say, India, but personally I prefer flavorful and creamy hot drinks over watery ones. Besides, if I want tea mostly on its own, I'll generally take fruit teas over spiced teas. For American drinkers, go ahead with this and enjoy something ten times superior to any premixed stuff you'll find in a coffee shop.

7/18/10: Vanilla Chai

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon loose Darjeeling or Keemun tea, or 1 bag black tea
1 piece stick cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract*
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons honey

Bring tea, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in small saucepan. Cover and let sit off heat. Meanwhile, combine ginger, cardamom, vanilla, and milk in a separate bowl.

When tea is thoroughly brewed and fragrant, remove tea and cinnamon. Add milk and spice mixture and return to medium-low heat. Slowly stir in honey. Heat until moderately warm with honey fully dissolved. Let sit 2 minutes. Makes approx. 3 small mugs.

* If you can figure out how to use vanilla bean, go ahead and use it instead. One bean substitutes for one teaspoon of extract, and using the beans took me 3 tries to get right.

Lemongrass · #4 July 15th, 2010, 6:39 am

Thanks.

So is it dense like a banana bread, or does it have a lighter texture?
Going by the ingredients, I was guessing that it has more of a cake-like texture? I'm thinking of making it today, but I think I will change the glaze and use icing sugar instead or regular sugar, I think you guys call icing sugar, powdered sugar, not sure...

Or, I might make a syrup of the sugar and lemon juice, and then pour it on while both syrup and bread are hot, so it is like sweet/sour and sticky. Hmm we'll see.

*craiggles* · #5 July 15th, 2010, 8:16 am

Ooh, this thread is a great idea, I'm definitely gonna use all of these once I start college and attempt to learn to cook.

~~APolaris~~ · #6 July 19th, 2010, 11:32 pm

This recipe is also from the pasta thread.

I can make Carbonara, but it's much more challenging and less "mainstream" than this one, which is surprisingly simple. Its taste is more associated than the other two main pasta sauces with the quality of the ingredients. Fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese, self-grated, and light cream gives, I find, the best results overall. The powdery cheese in plastic containers tends to make a very lumpy sauce.

7/19/10: Pasta Alfredo

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir in a mixture of 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, a few shakes of salt and black pepper, and a dash of nutmeg (THIS IS THE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS WITH THIS RECIPE). Once the mixture just begins to thicken, stir in 1 cup cream/milk*. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken. When it is bubbling for about 1 minute and visibly turning viscous, stir in 1/2 cup** parmesan/romano cheese. Continue to stir until well thickened and all cheese is melted/blended into the sauce. Serve or let sit to thicken further. Avoid using as a leftover. Also good as a topping for vegetables (try with American or cheddar cheese, works wonders for broccoli and cauliflower).

* The type you use determines the recipe's texture and nutritional value. Milk gives a lower-fat recipe but doesn't thicken very well, especially 2% or lower; try combining it with a little chicken broth and cornstarch to thicken and lend some flavor. Half-and-half is a balanced approach and less pricy than cream. Light cream gives IMO the best texture but is somewhat higher in fat content. Heavy cream is the creamiest, most expensive, the highest in fat content, and IMO comes out too thick.

** This depends on the cheese you are using. If you are using a particularly strong, expensive type of cheese (I define expensive cheese as $8 a pound or more) try using 1/3 cup at first. Plastic jar pregrated cheese may use up to 2/3 cup.

Suggested pastas: Fettuccine, penne, farfalle
Avoid: Spaghetti, ziti, rotini

For a truly excellent dish, try this mixed with about 1/4 pound of torn prosciutto and 1/2 cup of cooked little green peas. Another suggestion is with broccoli florets and Italian-marinated chicken. To make a basic Italian marinade, combine white wine and extra virgin olive oil in a 3:1 ratio (I use 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup per pound of trimmed, cubed chicken cutlets); mix in garlic and Italian seasoning (2 cloves and 1 tablespoon should do the trick with the above amounts) and let sit in a bag for several hours. This is also an excellent pork marinade. For Italian seasoning, combining basil, oregano, and rosemary in a 3:2:1 ratio seems to work well.

Today, in lieu of a single recipe, I present a brief study based on what I've gathered about a common marinade in both American and Japanese culture: Teriyaki.

7/20/10: Teriyaki: a study

Though used in the US mainly as the most common marinade for beef, teriyaki is actually a highly variable, sophisticated recipe that can be made in many different ways and used for many different things. As a marinade, it is also commonly associated with boneless chicken breasts, shrimp, noodles, and occasionally appears as an ingredient in vegetable sides.

In authentic Japanese cooking, teriyaki (teri for "shiny" + yaki for "to grill") seems to refer to grilling with a sweet sauce and is predominantly used for seafood, though it may be used for other things. The meat in question should sit in the marinade for anywhere between 4 and 36 hours depending on the type used, then simply grilled or, alternately, stir-fried in a skillet or wok. If you like vegetables added to yours, the most frequent additions seem to be some combination of green bell pepper, green onion (scallion), white onion (mostly in the West), and ****ake mushrooms. I personally don't like any of these, with onions being my most hated food after seafood, and generally add broccoli, bean sprouts, and/or carrots to mine, despite the cut in authenticity.

Authentic Japanese teriyaki marinade seems to have three important parts. The non-variable is soy sauce. According to internet sources, ingredient #2 is typically supposed to be a sweet, low-alcohol rice wine called Mirin, but if this can't be found, a smaller quantity of sake should suffice. Finally, a sweetener that gives teriyaki the "teri" part of its name. Honey and brown sugar are both options. The sweetener should be increased if using sake. It's apparently popular to include ginger as well, so here's a combination I've tried: 1 cup soy sauce, 1 1/2 cups sake, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. This makes a large quantity usable for multiple recipes and allows the ingredients to sit together for future dishes. For freshly grated ginger root, increase to 2 tablespoons. Keep in mind that I have no way of telling how authentic this is, having never been to Japan myself, but it is very tasty either way.

Another interesting idea is to grill such a dish in cubes on skewers, similar to a kabob. For that variant, I would use thoroughly soaked bamboo skewers and let the ingredients marinate for the far upper end of the marinating time.

Most American supermarkets will carry various brands and styles of American-style teriyaki, which is vastly different from the original, most notably in its absence of rice wine or really of any wine. If you wish to make American-style teriyaki marinade from scratch, I've compiled the following recipe for it: mix 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tablespoon honey. Warm over simmering heat in a saucepan. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; add to saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until well thickened. My favored method of grilling American-style beefsteak consists of scoring the steak (this means making 1/8-inch deep diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides), marinating it in a mixture of American teriyaki and meat tenderizer, and coating the outside with an herb rub; this covers all four methods of keeping a steak tender. Using this combination, I've made medium to medium-well London Broils as tender as most medium-rare to medium Strips or T-Bones, as well as some fairly good chicken stir-fries. For an easy/cheap herb rub, combine 1 teaspoon each of dried, crushed thyme and rosemary (or 1 tablespoon fresh), 1/4 teaspoon onion and garlic powders, and a few dashes of black pepper and salt.

And now, it's time to present a recipe that actually encompasses two days worth of recipes. For the first day, I will explore how to make those bits of deep-fried chicken commonly found in American-style Hunan Chinese food (most of which really isn't served in China). This is how to make the very crispy sort found in restaurants, with less tendency to go mushy.

7/21/10: Deep-fried chicken for American Hunan food

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized cubes
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup rice flour

Coat chicken cubes in cornstarch. Allow to sit for five minutes on a wire rack.

Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into the eggs. Dredge the chicken cubes in the egg mixture.

Coat dredged chicken cubes in rice flour. Allow to sit for five minutes on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a wok, skillet, or deep-fryer, heat enough peanut oil or vegetable oil to completely cover chicken to 350 F (approx. 176.67 C). Add coated chicken cubes; fry until thoroughly done. Remove from oil with a slotted spatula or other slotted item and dry on wire racks*.

* It is absolutely crucial that you use wire racks for the drying and not paper towels or some other surface, which will dilute the crispness of the dish. Paper towels should be set under the racks, not on them.

And now it's time to present a recipe to use this for. The dish is actually not named after the sesame seeds that frequently appear, but rather after the use of sesame oil. I have made and modified this myself and it is outrageously tasty, as good as any take-out or sit-down if not better. If you or a family member happen to be dieting, you may wish to avoid this double deep-fried dish, and first-time cooks should be wary of splattering burn potential.

7/22/10: Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

1 recipe deep-fried chicken (leave oil in pan)
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon chili sauce or hoisin sauce
1 clove minced garlic
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch or rice flour

Return the dried, cooled deep-fried chicken pieces to the oil and deep-fry a second time. This is a process known as double deep-frying and is commonly used in American restaurants. When golden-brown and crisp, remove chicken from oil and dry again on wire racks.

Remove oil from wok or skillet. Return dried chicken to skillet and push to sides, forming a well in the center. Add all remaining ingredients together and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until well thickened and bubbly. Combine with chicken.

If desired, serve with/over sticky white rice and/or steamed fresh broccoli. If desired, garnish with 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds.

ginnygal96 · #7 July 24th, 2010, 2:12 am

I was wondering if you knew how to make butterbeer the correct way. I made it once and it was not very tasty.

~~APolaris~~ · #8 July 28th, 2010, 6:43 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginnygal96

I was wondering if you knew how to make butterbeer the correct way. I made it once and it was not very tasty.

Oh boy, I didn't even notice anybody had taken an interest in this thread! Well, I haven't personally tried any recipes for butterbeer, though I should like to. It's actually second on my list of hilarious fictional recipes to find a good recipe for, after Bridget Jones' blue soup. Personally, I always imagined it as being like a fizzy liquid form of butterscotch, almost like a butterscotch-flavored soda. Perhaps I could try to find some online and test them.

Anyway, since I abandoned this thread under mistaken pretenses and now need to catch back up with it, I suppose it's now time to compensate for those lost days. So, I shall present something particularly good: a seven-course meal. Teachers I had who came from Italy have told me that this is how dinners with guests and Sunday dinners are always served in several European countries, including Italy and France. Meal time is a discussion time, a leisure time, rather than something to get out of the way. The seven courses, in order, are apparently: Antipasto (appetizer), soup/salad, "primo piatto," "secondo piatto," "contorno" (side dish), cheese & fruit, and dessert. Coffee drinks (including espresso, cappuccino, or coffee spiked with Sambuca D'Amore) or tea drinks (see vanilla chai recipe for an excellently tasty example) are traditionally served at the conclusion, after dessert.

I suggest having a helper on hand when holding a meal event of this size, to help prepare ingredients, wash pots and utensils (as you may want to use the same pot for more than one course), and perform other miscellaneous duties. I also suggest preparing the first few dishes (but not the pasta) in advance.

Here is the total structure of a seven-course meal I personally have served. Omitted is the cheese & fruit part; for this, you can merely select cheeses and fruits to slice and serve, as it takes no particular recipe.

7/23/10: Antipasto - Garlic-Parmesan Rolls

I found this recipe in a magazine called Relish, which in turn had gotten it from an apparently famous restaurant near Seattle called Gepetto's. It's so perfect I don't want to mess with it. I also served this alongside honeydew balls wrapped in prosciutto and a dipping plate of extra virgin olive oil, with a few cloves of fresh garlic, red peppers, diced parsley, and a drizzled swirl of balsamic vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cups shredded Romano cheese
1/4 cup diced garlic (3 tablespoons, or approx. 18 cloves)
1/4 teaspoon oregano

In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water. Let stand until foamy.

Add 1 cup of the bread flour and salt; whisk until smooth, about 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining flours of both types, 1/2 cup at a time, until the bowl is thoroughly cleared.

On a floured surface, knead the dough about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary. The end result should be soft and not sticky. Placed in a greased bowl and turn over. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at least 1 1/2 hours.

Form the dough into golf ball-sized spheres. Place the balls on a lightly greased baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and let rise about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F (that's 204.44 C) and prepare topping by mixing oil, cheese, garlic and oregano. Spoon topping over risen doughballs; bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

7/24/10: Soup/salad - Meatball Soup

This is my modification to taste of a recipe from Better Homes. I've had both, but I like my version slightly more. The original is most likely on their website. Like most soups, I would advise making this ahead, not only to save time on the day of the meal, but also to let the soup sit in the refrigerator. (Generally, a common trait of tomato-based soups and sauces is that the longer they sit, the tastier and more blended they become.)

Ingredients:

Dash black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (or use chopped onion and garlic to taste)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 beaten egg white
1/2 pound ground beef, 80% lean or more
14 ounces beef broth
14 ounces chicken broth
1/8 cup red wine, such as Merlot or Burgundy
One pound skinned, diced plum tomatoes* or use a 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes with herbs, undrained
15 ounces chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed and drained again
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup Acini di Pepe or 1/2 cup Orzo (small pasta types)
2 cups fresh spinach, thoroughly washed and torn

Combine the egg white and bread crumbs with the first ingredient set. Add ground beef and mix well. When thoroughly mixed, form small one-inch meatballs with the mixture (about 16-18 meatballs). Cook the meatballs thoroughly over medium-low heat in a large skillet until well done, ensuring all sides are browned evenly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine broths, wine, tomatoes, chickpeas, mushrooms, water, and cooked meatballs over high heat. When boiling, add pasta and boil over medium-high heat for the length of time required by directions. Add spinach; continue to cook until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat; let sit until warm. Spoon into storage containers and allow to sit overnight in refrigerator; reheat in large saucepan and serve.

* To prepare fresh tomatoes: boil them briefly in enough water to cover them. When removed from the water, their skins should simply peel off very easily. Then chop them, ensuring as little of the juice is lost as possible.

7/25/10: Primo Piatto - Olio e Aglio

Italian for "Oil and Garlic," this is the method by which the vast majority of pasta in Italy is actually served. Americans accustomed to large, heavily sauced main-dish portions should be aware that Italian pasta is typically lightly coated in its sauce, so as to not mask the texture and taste of the pasta, and served in smaller portions. It also is more akin to a rice side than as the main entree, but is also afforded a course all its own. Fish or rice courses are also common primi piatti. It's a very simple recipe, but requires constant attention - five seconds off and it has to be remade.

The dish is really best with fresh pasta, but if you're actually making the entire seven-course meal, I doubt you have time or willpower to actually do so, particularly if you're going to have guests.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound spaghetti or penne
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil*
Parsley as a garnish

Cook pasta according to directions and drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Cook while stirring, watching carefully, until garlic begins to sizzle. Cook approximately 1 more minute or until garlic just begins to turn golden; if it turns golden-brown, you have burnt the recipe and ruined the flavor and need to remove the garlic and start over

Don't worry, I have done it myself. Remove from heat immediately. Mix garlic & oil with cooked pasta and toss to coat thoroughly; garnish each plate with parsley.

* The type of olive oil used is very important. Olive oil marked "pure" in supermarkets is typically heated and put through other processes, and therefore deprived of much of its flavor; it's best used for sauteing or adding to pasta water. Virgin olive oil is typically from the second pressing, while extra virgin is typically from the first pressing. While the latter is far more expensive, its flavor is worth it, and it can be found on sale periodically for as little as pure olive oil and should be bought in bulk then. Avoid using the virgin olive oils for sauteing, as they create too much smoke.

7/26/10: Secondo Piatto - Bistro-style Beef with Mushrooms

A lovely recipe I found in Better Homes and memorized, though I pick out the mushrooms when eating it myself. It is not actually the best recipe I know for filet, but it's probably 2nd. Keep in mind that filet (or beef tenderloin - the terms are often used interchangeably, though technically filet is just the skinny end of the tenderloin) is the highest quality, tenderest, tastiest, smallest cut of beef (or really of any meat) - there being only 5-6 pounds from an entire cow - and is consequently extremely pricy. At my supermarket, it can periodically be found on sale for as little as $4 to the pound, but when not on sale averages at least $15 to the pound, with select or prime cuts from a butcher being priced even higher. That's $20 vs. $75 for a five-pound tenderloin. Lesson: when not buying from a butcher, buy it in bulk when on sale. Prime or select have higher marbling and consequently more tenderness, but are so pricy that for most people they are a never or once in a lifetime sort of proposition, and don't even think about getting Wagyu or Kobe Beef for this.

Ingredients:

Approx. 1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into four 3/4-inch thick steaks
Dijon mustard
Pure olive oil
8 ounces sliced portobello, ****ake, or crimini mushrooms
1/3 cup Merlot or Sherry wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

Trim largest fat globules and any "silver skin" from steaks. Layer a small amount of Dijon on each side of each steak. Meanwhile, combine wine, Worcestershire, and thyme in a small bowl and let sit.

Using a large skillet, heat a small pouring of olive oil. Add steaks; cook over medium heat to just short of medium doneness (approx. 155 F)*. Remove steaks from skillet.

Add just barely enough oil to drippings to cook mushrooms in. Add mushrooms; cook until tender, approx. 3-4 minutes. Stir in wine mixture; bring to just simmering. Return steaks to skillet; cook until sauce is semi-reduced, about 3 minutes, flipping steaks once. Transfer steaks to a serving platter; spoon sauce and mushrooms over them.

* If desired, cook to medium-rare instead (145 F). Keep in mind, however, that is risking e-coli food poisoning.

7/27/10: Contorno - Specialty Green Beans

I've made this recipe on just about every occasion in which I've ever made Bistro-style beef. They just have ridiculous chemistry. Originally learned this one from a Weight Watchers card my dad carried that I modified, while also mixing Splenda as a substitute for sugar as he's diabetic.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh green beans or yellow wax beans, washed, stemmed and halved
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar

In a medium saucepan, cook green beans in a small amount of boiling water, covered, until done (about 10 minutes). Drain water; remove green beans into a serving bowl.

Add a small amount of olive oil to saucepan. Add garlic; cook lightly. Add soy sauce and sugar; cook until slightly reduced. Return green beans to pot. Cook uncovered, stirring to coat green beans, until thoroughly reduced. Transfer entire dish to serving bowl.

7/28/10: Cappuccino

The day I made this meal, I actually served St. Joseph's Sphinges, a special type of pastry made by select bakeries for St. Joseph's Feast Day, for dessert. However, most bakeries, at least in the New York area, also serve cannolis and other such pastries year-round. Desserts can be served before or during the "coffee" phase, though in Italy they are separate.

The following directions are for cappuccino, but if you have an espresso/cappuccino machine, follow its directions and amounts instead.

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water
1/3 cup ground roast coffee beans
1 cup lowfat milk
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg or grated chocolate

Using a drip coffeemaker, brew coffee as standard procedure dictates. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm lowfat milk until hot, but not boiling. Pour milk into a small food processor bowl or blender and process until frothy. Divide espresso into four half-cup mini-mugs; top with milk. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or chocolate and serve with a sugar bowl.

HermioneJ657 · #9 August 6th, 2010, 1:12 pm

My Chocolate Cookies....YUM!! If I do say so myself! :P Okay, there is a minor secret ingredient that I use. It's 1/4 more vanilla extract. I hope you guys enjoy!

2 sticks of butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda- MUST BE EXACT!!!! x-(
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 15 minutes for crispiness and 9-14 minutes for softer results. Cool for about 3 minutes and enjoy!!!

~~APolaris~~ · #10 August 7th, 2010, 1:11 am

Huh... oh yeah, this thread exists. Adding Hermione's entry to the glossary.

I'll add an entry tomorrow, maybe.

*bellatrix93* · #11 March 21st, 2011, 9:58 am

Bump!

I had this 'apple bread' recipe and I thought to share it:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups apples - peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 cup broken walnuts

Directions:

1. In bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl, place oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and apples. Stir into flour mixture. Add walnuts and mix.

3. Divided mixture between two greased 8-in. x 4-in. bread pans. Bake at 175 C (350 F) for 40-45 minutes or until bread test done. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack before removing from pan.

~~APolaris~~ · #12 May 17th, 2011, 5:38 am

I suppose this thread isn't really daily, but I guess periodically I'll stop in and randomly add something.

The following is the recipe I used for chicken parmigiana when I made it while visiting my girlfriend's family last month. I put two hours of fresh saucemaking into it. By accounts, it is the best chicken parm any of us has ever had and includes the best dredging method: the flour holds the egg-milk mixture in place, which in turn holds the breadcrumbs. Makes 6.

My next recipe will most likely be for my version of Bolognese sauce. Subtracting the meat gives the sauce I used for the aforementioned meal.

5/17/11: Chicken Parmigiana

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and fileted (see chicken marsala)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
A small amount of milk
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned dry breadcrumbs
Fresh or jarred tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Grated Pecorino, Romano, or Parmesan cheese
Oregano

Combine beaten egg and milk in a small bowl. Pour flour and breadcrumbs onto separate plates or into separate bowls.

Coat a chicken cutlet with flour, shaking off excess. Dredge it in the egg-milk mixture followed by a thick coating of breadcrumbs. Set aside. Repeat until all cutlets are well-dredged.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Coat a skillet's cooking surface in oil* and preheat it over medium heat. Cook chicken cutlets, turning once, until thoroughly done and golden brown, while still springy to the touch, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from saucepan. (If all steps were done properly to this point, no bread crumbs will fall off during cooking.)

Spread a light amount of tomato sauce over the bottom of a glass baking dish. Add cooked breaded cutlets; spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce on each. Top with a thin coat of mozzarella cheese**. Sprinkle a light amount of grated Romano and oregano on each.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately with a side of pasta and garlic bread.

* Olive oil is generally healthier than vegetable or canola oil, but takes better heat control, as it smokes easily and is less forgiving at burning. Avoid butter for this dish.

** It's generally better to cut part of the block into very thin rectangles instead of shredding it.

Bressen · #13 August 16th, 2011, 4:07 am

It is a wonderful thread and i love it. These all recipes are amazing and wonderful. thanks everyone to share these recipes here. I need fresh vegetable pizza recipe. Can you share it with me. Thanks in advance.

PandoraTrilling · #14 August 28th, 2011, 2:48 pm

Well, I don't have a veggie pizza recipe, but here is my Taco Soup recipe. I usually make sweet cornbread to go with it. It's fast and easy to make.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 lg. yellow onion
3 cans (16 oz.) chili beans, undrained
1 can (16 oz.) kernal corn, undrained
1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 small can of Ro-Tel (tomatoes and chiles)
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 or 2 small pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 small pkg. ranch salad dressing mix
1 1/2 cups beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat with onion in a stock pot and drain the fat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Taste soup and adjust the seasonings, as necessary.

Makes about 3 1/2 quarts of soup. You can always add more chiles if you'd like a spicier soup. I sometimes add a tablespoon or two of Kitchen Bouquet or garlic.

~~APolaris~~ · #15 September 11th, 2011, 8:39 pm

Oh yeah, I forgot about this. The Bolognese sauce. Right.

While not authentic Italian, which would use chicken livers among other things, this is the American equivalent of Bolognese. It's also my best sauce. The best pastas for this one include rotini, penne, and medium shells; the worst include spaghetti, fettuccine, and linguine. Alternately, use it in lasagna or other baked dishes. Without meat, it makes a vegan homemade marinara sauce that's also good for parmigiana dishes. A pink sauce can be made by adding 1/4 cup cream at the end, but in truth this kills the flavor.

Take note that, as with most soups, tomato sauces actually improve in flavor over time. This recipe therefore makes excellent leftovers. If being kept for more than 5 days, freeze, then thaw before reheating.

9/11/11: Bolognese sauce

3 pounds roma plum tomatoes OR one 26-ounce can diced tomatoes OR one 26-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup red wine (Chianti, Merlot, Burgundy are best)
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup very finely chopped onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 cup sliced celery
1/8 cup bias-sliced then halved carrot
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh snipped basil OR 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed dried basil
1 tablespoon fresh snipped oregano OR 1 teaspon crushed dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon fresh snipped rosemary OR 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
Few dashes sea salt
Few dashed black pepper
If using fresh tomatoes, cut a small x in bottom of each tomato. Boil tomatoes in enough water to cover for about 1 minute; manually remove skins. Optionally, remove seeds. Dice skinned tomatoes, reserving as much juice as possible. Or put half of the tomatoes through a tomato press sauce maker.

1. Combine tomatoes, paste, wine, and dried herbs (if using) in a small mixing bowl. Stir well and set aside.

2. Cook ground beef in a medium-large saucepan until browned. About halfway through, add onion, pepper, garlic, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is well browned and vegetables are aromatic, but not browning.

3. Add liquid tomato mixture to saucepan. Stir well to combine. Bring to a light boil.

4. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered: 30 minutes for crushed or pureed tomatoes, 45 minutes for diced tomatoes, one hour for fresh diced tomatoes.

5. Add fresh herbs (if using), a few dashes of sea salt, and a few dashes of black pepper. Remove lid and simmer an additional: 15 minutes if using canned tomatoes, 30 minutes if using fresh tomatoes.

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