Prog Chefs Unite!!!

Aso Pao

Put a whole chicken cut into 8 parts in a large bowl with some olive oil, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp dry oregano, salt & pepper, toss to coat, and brown pieces in pan big enough to hold all eight parts (non-stick best).   In a large roasting pan or casserole, heat a bit more olive oil and lightly sautee 3 cloves crushed garlic, a coarsely cut pork chop or pork shoulder, and some good ham chunks just a minute or so; Add 1 chopped yellow onion, 1 chopped bell pepper and saute for five minutes on medium, add a chopped tomato and simmer... add browned chicken, chopped sausage (Chorizo is traditional but any tasty smoked sausage should do), add a good handful of stuffed green olives, capers (if you like), a pinch of saffron (careful, stuff is pricey.. and strong), 2 cups rice and 3 cups water, cover and simmer on low till rice is tender.. salt and pepper to taste.


a bit complex but worth it..  and lasts for days!



 


Edited by Atavachron - April 06 2008 at 20:54

Atavachron wrote: never made gumbo, though I love a good jambalaya   ..I also like paella but my favorite rice dish (from similar Spanish roots) is Puerto Rican Aso Pao, a lot like paella but without the seafood and plenty of sausage, chicken, pork shoulder, ham and of course a bit of saffron

prog-chick wrote: E-Dub wrote:   What's a 'nice buttery mash'?   Well, I guess it's different for different people, but here is how I do it!   Par boil you spuds in slightly salted water, (I know some folk don't like the salt but a small sprinkle adds to the flavour later in the dish! )  don't over boil they don't want to get too soft!    Then strain in a BIG colander, and allow to almost dry off (20 mins or so)  meanwhile in your pan melt some butter a good 3 oz's I guess, I'm not sure but err on the side of generous, in the melting butter (low heat) add a pinch of yellow mustard powder then about a good amount of milk (enough to be about 3/4 inch up the pan) warm the whole lot, whisking all the while so you don't burn the milk or get 'skin' and only then do you return your spuds to the pan and mash like crazy until those dry spuds soak up all the butter milk mixture and scream for more!   Once mashed pop in a warm bowl, and add a scrape of butter to the top, and stick under the grill (or back in the oven) for 5-10 mins.   Best mash EVER!!!!   we often do it with 3/4 regular pots, 1/4 sweet pot/parsnip  (YUM YUM........ top with cheese........YUM YUM YUM!!!)   Use homemade butter if you can, the taste is amazing!    Easy way to make butter........ pour some FRESH double cream into a CLEAN DRY jar about 3/4 of the way up the jar, screw on the top and shake up'n'down for all your worth until you lose the will to live (about 15 mins should do it ........... you'll shake and shake (I get the kids to do it ) then just when you think "screw that prog-chick she knows nuffink!"  it'll go THUD! and you'll have your self a pat of creamy butter........ the butter milk (clearish white  liquid)  that surrounds your pat can be used in baking (good for scones) drop your pat onto a thick layer of kitchen towel and gently squeeze out any remaining buttermilk, and dry it off. (It makes sense when you do it) there you have it the worlds greatest butter!    My daughter used to love this when she was younger, she would (with my help!) make the butter, pop it in the fridge then make scones, and serve them warm with her butter and homemade jam (jelly) or cheese scones just with butter.   YUM YUM YUM   So now you all know where my waist went!!!!     P-C x

Holy smokes, that sounds awesome!!!

E

Talking of butter and sjalots.... I made a great Chicken Gumbo yesterday: onions and okra fried in butter, and a bit of fat of strips of smoked pork belly and chicken drum sticks that went in there first. Then put it all (except the belly) in chicken broth for half an hour (until it thickens). The pork belly strips and some sjallot greens go in there only the last five minutes. Served with rice and tabasco on the table, as I was told it should be - but in the original recipe I got the pork belly is not there, the real cajun use andouille....

Yummy.

we made fresh butter once when I was little kid in school, great fun  ..nice recipe for mash, p-c, sounds more tasty than just throwing everything together.. I like to add some sour cream to my mashed spuds when I can (not always on hand though)









Edited by Atavachron - April 06 2008 at 17:04

I recommend Cocada ,I dont have exactly the recipe but is made with milk,condensed milk ,sugar and coconut pulp (white part in the seed) and water of coconut ,mix and shake well with frappe ice in a liquifyer ,after add sweet cinnamon and more condensed milk or chocolate syrup....well for me is delicious..

Edited by markosherrera - April 06 2008 at 13:29

I have the pleasure of retiring my cast iron dutch oven and christening my new coated cast iron dutch oven. The former has served me well, but the care that goes into maintaining cast iron was getting old.

So, today I'm making Kentucky Burgoo--a stew made of beef, pork tenderloin and chicken with vegetables (corn, okra, bell peppers) in a rich sauce that's sweetened with just a little brown sugar.

E

Atavachron wrote: Pomi is a great Italian brand of tomatoes that come in a resealable package instead of a can, Raff probably knows it..  comes diced or pureed, perfect to have around for fresh-tasting tomatoes

I have to admit that at first I didn't recognise the name.. That was because in Italian it is spelled Pomì (we are quite big on those last-syllable stresses). The Italian word for tomato is pomodoro (meaning 'golden apple'), and Pomì is an abbreviation of this word. Personally, I don't have a favourite brand, because they are all generally very good, and don't contain any salt. Of course, in summer, when tomatoes (the plum variety, or San Marzano) are at their best and cheapest, there are people who make their own tomato purée. My mom used to do it, but it's a lot of work, and I've become way too lazy.

A couple of buddies and myself got drunk over Easter and watched Apocalypse Now Redux and we has this big slab of beef  sprinkled it with steak spice and then we just threw the thing in the oven for an hour and a half. Then we ate it like savages and gave what was left to the dogs.

Interesting you should say this Rachel - as normally I worship at the temple of Delia, but this new series of hers, 'how to cheat', I'm really not sure about - effectively saying, "no, you don't have to spend time preparing, so long as you're willing to use everything out of cans & spend 4 times as much money doing so"...

...methinks my erstwhile Goddess has sold her soul to Mammon

...and Waitrose   

+++ch-ching+++