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For polenta ... by the way, I forgot to mention the Yorkshire Pudding, which is not a pudding at all, but a batter cooked in 'patty' tins, in a hot oven. A link to the recipe is at the bottom of this link for roast beef:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/get_cooking/cooks_guide/beef.shtml

polenta

thanks Login for the address.

polenta

Photos of Yorkshire pudding show it looks very much like what we call vol-au-vent.
It's like a very "refined" bread basket made of a dough with lots of butter that can also be filled. This dough takes lots of time and layers and is not easy to make. Well, when I go to England I'll buy some Yorkshire puddings.

Dragon

My mom makes fantastic Yorkshire Puddings. The way I've always seen them made is to make a batter, then take a muffin tin and fill each cup about half way up with cooking oil (usually vegetable oil I think) you put the muffin tin in the oven until the oil is quite hot then pour batter into each cup and return to oven until cooked. Anyone feel fee to correct me if I got this wrong, I've never made them, only watched (and of course eaten them!)

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It sounds about right to me, Dragon.

polenta

then it's a different dough. The other takes lots of time and has many layers and requires putting it in the fridge many times after stretching it . This one seems easier. Yorkshire puddings seem very tasty. I've learned something, you see.

Baldur

The batter for Yorkshire pudding is rather similar to the recipe used to make the hollow shells for cream puffs and chocolate eclairs.
It is not rolled as vol-au-vent or puff pastry would be.

Dragon

I didn't know that Baldur. It always looked a lot like pancake batter to me.

Baldur

It's made with a touch more flour for pastries and called pate' choux.
It can be run through a pastry bag or scooped out and placed on a baking pan.
They actually have some differences in preparation but they end up the same way
Popovers start with a wet batter too

Robindcr8l

From post 2784 on Channel Baldur:

hmmm Artichokes and pierogis.

Admittingly Baldur rarely eats whole artichokes because it seems they are typically just a carrier to get melted butter directly into one's bloodstream.
Usually they are prepared much as you suggest marius and then each petal is dipped into melted butter, the little fleshy bit and the butter of course being scraped off with one's teeth.
More often I will use marinated artichoke hearts in salads or on pizza. Those are marvelous.
Have you ever tried stuffing them?
Now that is a marvelous recipe.

Baldur's stuffed artichokes

Choose a shallow earthenware or ovenproof glass casserole dish that will comfortably hold the number of artichokes you would like to prepare (while allowing them to stand upright shoulder to shoulder) with a little extra room for expansion. Spray the casserole dish with cooking spray or butter it lightly, put aside.

Prepare the artichokes by trimming the sharp points with kitchen shears and cutting the nub of the stems off level with the bottom. They should be able to stand upright.
Cook them as usual in a large cauldron of boiling water (bay leaf enhanced with whatever additives you'd like), but remove the artichokes while they are still slightly underdone. Aim for about 5 minutes shy of perfect doneness.
Remove the artichokes from the boiling water and place them in a large bowl of cold water to cool them down rapidly

Meanwhile prepare the dressing:
(I will state the quantities based on stuffing 4 artichokes, but you may adjust it up or down as necessary)

In a saute' pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter
add 1 medium onion minced fine and cook until the onion is translucent.
Add 1 or 2 cloves of peeled and smashed garlic and continue to cook for another minute or so.
Turn the flame down very low under the pan and add 2 cups of crushed butter flavored crackers (in the US these would be 'Ritz' crackers, but you may substitute other types of crackers that readily absorb liquid or even use bread (Italian, French, Sourdough etc) torn into little bits.
Remember when using crackers that most likely you will not need additional salt in the recipe.
To the onion/cracker mixture add some chopped herbs.
Good choices here are basil, green onion or chives, oregano, tarragon etc.
Turn off the stove and add a small amount of vegetable (or animal based) broth. 1/2 cup might be enough but add more if the stuffing seems too dry.

Baldur will now point out that you can add animal products at this point, but match the broth to the critter. Precooked and crumbled sausage meat would be good with chicken broth. Shredded lobster or crabmeat would be good with clambroth.
Taste the stuffing and adjust the seasonings.
You can also add chopped olives, mushrooms, hot pepper flakes, really feel free to customize it as you like.
Drain the now cool artichokes and shake them dry.
With your fingers separate the topmost petals and then with both hands force all the petals downward to open the center up.
It should look somewhat like a green sunflower trying to curl back up into a ball.
With a large spoon take a 1/2 cup ball of stuffing and mound it into the center of each artichoke. Press it in on itself as you go to make a firm mass.
The artichoke petals should cradle it in a neat mound.
Arrange the artichokes in the prepared casserole dish.
Pour approximately 1/2 inch of hot broth into the bottom of the dish.
Over the tops of the stuffed artichokes you may sprinkle a quantity of shredded cheese or you can just top it off with some paprika.
Place it in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Farenheit and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

To remove the artichokes from the pan to a plate use two spoons and cradle it from both sides, taking care to remember there may still be broth underneath that could drip.

Robindcr8l

That last recipe was from Baldur. I forgot to give him credit.

Post 2792 from Channel Baldur, by MaddyJean:


Good for six pork chops!
Okay here goes.

First, put a stick of butter in a bowl and melt it, microwave, hair-dryer, whatever. DOES NOT NEED TO BE COMPLETELY MELTED!
Mix parmesean cheese and crackers into a zip-lock bag, about 1/4 full. Get it crushed together, rolling pin, bare hands, again, whatever. Put you pork chops in a glass pan ( reason is a secret!). Pour your melted butter evenly on top of your pork chops. Then, spread your parmesean mix, once again, evenly on top. Bake.

maddyjean08

Sides that go great with my recipe are baked potatoe and green beens!

Dragon

I have a wonderful stuffed tomato recipe but I don't really have measurements.

Cut tomatos in half and scoop out the centers so you have fairly firm tomato cups. Chop up (or smash) the centers of the tomato and set aside. Chop some mushroom stems (and the tops if you like them) very fine and add to tomato mash. Should have about half as much mushrooms as tomato centers. Chop very fine or smash some garlic, I'm a large fan of garlic and use about 1 clove per full tomato. Add this to tomato/mushroom mash. Throw all of this in a pan with some olive oil and sautee until the garlic and mushroom is cooked. I like to add ground pepper, and fresh parsley and basil. While sauteeing (is that a word?) add finely crushed soda crackers or bread crumbs, I just keep adding them until the concocotion looks good- you don't need a large amount, maybe half the mushrooms. When this is all cooked scoop it into the tomato cups. They should be sort of heaping. Throw it into the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. The tomatoes should be cooked but not mushy. You can sprinkle some shredded cheese on top if you so desire.

maddyjean08

That sounds good, but I don't like tomatoes so everyone else will try this, not me.

marius

Just made this today. Yum!

Honey Wheat Bread

Ingredients:
2 & ½ c. water
1 & ½ tbsp. dry yeast
Scant ½ c. honey
¾ tbsp. salt
¼ c. Roman meal cereal* (see below)
1 egg
¾ c. powdered milk
¼ c. wheat germ
¼ c. bulgar wheat
¼ c. wheat berries
1 & ¾ c flour (do about ½ each of white and wheat)
Optional: ¼ to ½ c. unsalted sunflower seeds

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and beat well for five minutes.
Then add 4 more cups of flour (any kind) and let dough rest 15 minutes.
Knead until it feels right – maybe 10-15 minutes.
Let rise until double – about 1 & ½ hours.
Press down, press out excess air and put in pans.
Let rise again -30-40 minutes.
Back at 375 for 30 minutes, then at 350 for last 10-15 minutes.

Makes two regular sized loaves.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------Note: Roman meal cereal used to be in the “cold cereal” isles at the store. It was a flake cereal, like corn flakes. Roman Meal doesn’t make it anymore, but they do make a “hot” cereal rather like oatmeal with tons of extras. Having read the ingredient list, it might make a great substitution. For now, I used Hyvee brand “whole grain wheat and brown rice flakes” and it worked perfectly.

Dragon

Baldur's Spaghetti Squash recipe

Cut the spaghetti squash in half, removing the seeds and placing the halves cut side down in a baking dish.
Add a half inch of water to the dish and bake until the squash feels soft if you press down on it.
In a skillet toss some olive oil and smashed garlic and heat until fragrant
add any of the following:
diced ripe tomato
black olives
mushrooms
artichoke hearts
roasted red peppers
torn basil leaves
etc, and just cook briefly until warmed through.
Using a big spoon scrape the spaghettiish (+4 points) strands from the squash into a large bowl and top with the heated seasonings.
Add grated cheese and serve.

Robindcr8l

I am making homemade chicken soup today, and love to add leeks to my soup. I never really knew the right way to clean them, and they are a dirty veggie if you don't clean them right, so I googled it. Here is a quick and easy article on proper cleaning of leeks!

http://www.cookthink.com/blog/?p=171

Robindcr8l

From Baldur, post #2988 on Channel Baldur:

Rice pudding is one of the easiest desserts.
You place the boiled rice in a double boiler and pour milk over it.
You cook it until the milk has been totally absorbed and then you add more milk and repeat the process.
Baldur actually uses Rice milk instead of critter milk.
By the time the second quantity of milk is absorbed the rice has become quite soft and creamy.
Then you can add a small amount of sugar, a splash of vanilla extract and some Nutmeg and/or Cinnamon. If you are adding raisins you should also do that at the very end. Otherwise they color the whole pudding a beige tone.
What's an interesting change from raisins, especially if served warm is to add sliced ripe bananas and a splash of rum. You might also use brown sugar rather than white in that instance.

Baldur

It's very untidy of Baldur to leave his recipes everywhere so that Robin needs to pick them up and file them.

Dragon

I'm making Turkey soup tonight, I never thought to use leeks. I love them, they would make a nice addition. Though I had some red onions bought at the farmers market that needed using up so it's probably best that I used them. Thanks for the cleaning tip Robin.