Prog Chefs Unite!!!

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

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.

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

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

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: 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!

And this sounds like a dish that's better the next day. I'm trying this, sans the capers. Everything else sounds awesome. Bonus check may be used up by the saffron, however.

E

Sorry - not a story about my cooking but about my birthday dinner Friday night - so good I have to share.  Great Italian restaurant right in the town where I live, my main course was an outstanding salt crusted sea bass, which they filleted right at table side onto my plate, and drizzled lemon juice, olive oil, and a little pepper on it - that's it, very simple - best fish I've ever tasted, no contest.  Started this fine meal with a seafood soup - outstanding broth with clams, mussels, calamari, etc.  and also some spinach gnocchi - washed down with a nice Pinot Grigio - I WAS IN HEAVEN PEOPLE!!  

I recommend Fried Yuca with butter,parsley,garlic,pepper and salt of course,surrounded by fried plantains with white cheese and golden chicken breast with oreganum,pepper ,and potato pure

Grilled sirloin steaks (all natural from the organic store) with some salad and twice baked taters. Just for giggles, however, I got a couple of fresh sea scallops, lightly seasoned them with a little salt and pepper, seared them and added a little garlic butter. Little guys practically melted in my mouth.

E

 ^ must do ravioli sometime.. it must be just heavenly when it's fresh