CHEAP & DELICIOUS RECIPES

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Re: that is my favorite

Postby TheDuke » Mon Nov 08, 2010 2:01 am

annie aronburg wrote:like I'm gonna find green papaya out here in the sticks....


Hi Annie

As someone who eats som tam nearly daily, some alternatives using the same dressings are carrot, cucumber and green beans (snake beans).

I prefer my somtam boo pra ra (boo bala) which means it's made with salted crab and fermented fish paste. Serve with sticky rice and bbq chicken :tongout
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Re: CHEAP & DELICIOUS RECIPES

Postby annie aronburg » Mon Nov 08, 2010 3:34 am

Thanks, TheDuke, daikon is also a good substitute.

I have been able to convince the local supermarket to order a case of green papaya when I feel a Thai food bender coming on.

Now I need to find a good source for pickled tea leaves so I can make La Phet Thote.

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"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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Postby Perelandra » Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:59 pm

This sounds good, although I'd use coconut oil to fry.
I just stumbled across the recipe for Chef Belcham's crispy ceci courtesy of VanMag:

Crispy Ceci for six:

1½c dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water
2c baby arugula
1c baby spinach
¼c fresh mint, torn into small pieces
2 scallions, sliced thin on a bias
¼c Italian parsley, leaves sliced thin
1½tsp chili flakes
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
6c canola oil

Take the soaked chickpeas and cook them in fresh water until very tender. Season with salt at the end of the cooking process. The cooking time (45 to 60 minutes) will vary according to the age of the chickpeas. Once cooked, they can be kept in the fridge for up to two days.

In a pot that can hold at least 12c (the more the better) bring the canola oil to a temperature of 375F. Drain the chickpeas, dry them on paper towels and then slowly pour them into the hot oil. While they are cooking, add to a large bowl the arugula, spinach, scallion, mint and parsley. After about four minutes of frying, remove the chickpeas and drain well. While they are still very hot, add them to the bowl of greens. Season everything with salt, chilies, lemon zest, juice and, finally, the extra virgin olive oil. Toss very well and check for seasoning. Add more of anything you like, divide among six warm bowls and serve.
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Postby Perelandra » Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:14 am

This old girl is awesome and makes me miss my grandma. There's a bunch of vids at the link.



http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=depression+cooking&aq=f
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Re: CHEAP & DELICIOUS RECIPES

Postby §ê¢rꆧ » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:57 am

^ She's awesome, makes me miss my gramma too. She had the best Depression stories.
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tasty

Postby annie aronburg » Fri May 20, 2011 11:09 am

I made spruce tip jelly, following this recipe:
http://www.rainsoaked.com/2010/05/13/spruce-tip-jelly/
from tips I picked off the trees at my work.

The tips also make a tart and refreshing tea that is delicious iced and lightly sweetened. Just the thing to put your teeth back in their sockets after a long, fruitless winter. Tastes like an herbal limeade, probably quite complimentary with gin.

Or rhubarb
http://www.playingwithfireandwater.com/ ... ooler.html

Some other recipes for spruce tips:
http://medcookingalaska.blogspot.com/20 ... cipes.html
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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Re: tasty

Postby Perelandra » Mon May 23, 2011 9:11 pm

annie aronburg wrote:I made spruce tip jelly,
How do you like the jelly? Awhile ago, I picked a bunch of pine tips and steeped them, but the result was a rather murky-looking liquid, which I didn't think would be nice. I definitely want to try again, though, maybe next year.

Here are some nice recipes for rhubarb, among other things. I am going to make cordial with my current harvest.
Rhubarb Jam and Simple Syrup
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Re: CHEAP & DELICIOUS RECIPES

Postby annie aronburg » Thu May 26, 2011 1:12 am

I quite enjoy the jelly, though the taste is pretty subtle. It's one of those flavors that's hard to make out until it's almost gone. It's all about the aftertaste, which is floral and herbal.

The spruce tea was murky and greenish-grey initially, but once it was boiled into jelly, it turned a clear, pale scarlet. The tea was nice iced with a bit of honey and sparkling water, probably would go quite well with gin.

I used the tips of Blue Norway, Birds Nest and Alberta spruce. It's best to pick the tips right when the paper husk comes off and they are pale, tight nubs, once they start to unfurl the flavor shifts to the Pine-Sol end of the spectrum.

Speaking of which, my grandma liked to drink Spruce Beer, this jelly doesn't taste anything like it.

Image
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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Mayo for those summer salads

Postby Perelandra » Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:46 pm

^^That's interesting about the color change. Must do next year.


Homemade Mayonnaise

1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup vegetable oil (I use peanut)
1 dash paprika (optional)

Recipe makes 1-1/4 cups mayonnaise.
Wash the egg shell with soap and water, if you're nervous.
In blender, add egg, dry mustard, lemon juice, salt, optional paprika and 1/4 cup oil.
Turn on low for 1-2 minutes.
Turn blender off, and scrape sides if necessary.
Turn blender on, and while it is running, slowly add the remaining 3/4 cups oil.
Blend until the consistency of mayonnaise.
Any other desired seasonings can be added.
Refrigerate in non-reactive container.
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Re: Low-cost Menu from the Hillbilly Housewife

Postby blanc » Mon Jul 25, 2011 3:23 am

Annie, or anyone who knows about this, I decided to try the recipe for hoe cakes given on

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm

having a bag of the cornmeal used for polenta at the back of the cupboard; its a simple recipe - equal parts of boiling water to cornmeal, stir, form into 'cakes' and fry both sides. Mine didn't stick together well and broke apart when trying to turn them ever so gently with 2 spatulas. Wrong sort of corn? Use more water?
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Polenta Pizzette

Postby annie aronburg » Tue Jul 26, 2011 4:46 am

Blanc, from your description I can't tell if your hoe cakes were too dry or too wet. If following that particular recipe I'd make sure the meal had plenty of time to absorb the water. I think hoe cakes are typically made with more powdery meal than polenta so you might want to run some through a blender or clean coffee grinder to get a more cohesive batter. Just before frying you could stir in a pinch of baking powder to make them fluffy.

I would boil the corn meal and water as if I were making polenta. Once cooked I would pour it out on a large oiled cookie sheet or a clean, oiled counter top, if lacking in cookie sheets. When the mush was cool i would cut it into squares (or circles for a special presentation) and either brown in a pan or brush with olive oil and broil until crispy on both sides. This is even more delicious if you stir some cheese in the grits while they are in the pot. You can top the slices with red sauce, basil and cheese and whatever else strikes your fancy and budget (sauteed mushrooms, feta, olives, roasted red pepper and/or your favorite cured meats) before broiling them to a sizzle.

You can also roll the cooled mush into a log with the help of some plastic wrap or let it solidify in an oiled loaf pan. Once fully refrigerated you can cut individual slices to cook as needed.

Mmmm yum.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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Re: CHEAP & DELICIOUS RECIPES

Postby blanc » Tue Jul 26, 2011 7:22 am

Thanks for the directions Annie A , i will try the new version. It makes sense if the grain I was using wasn't fine enough. Each grain is about the size of a poppy seed - as in poppy seeds you sprinkle on bread before baking.
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Postby Perelandra » Tue Aug 02, 2011 7:31 pm

Annie's description of polenta making is a good one. I am always confused by the differences among cornmeal, grits, and polenta, etc. Here's a good discussion about that.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/375653

If you search there for hoecakes or jonnycakes you'll find more info and recipes.
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Re: CHEAP & DELICIOUS RECIPES

Postby annie aronburg » Tue Sep 20, 2011 1:11 am

I'm going out of town this week and I want Mr Aronburg to have good nutrition while I am gone, so I am making him a hearty broth to augment his meals:
Simmer beef bones,
chicken wing tips
pork fat
dried anchovies
red, green, and black seaweed
shitakes
carrot
shallots
leeks
garlic
lemongrass
galangal
ginger
cayenne
star anise
parsley
lovage
tomatoes
in a gallon of water.

Remove the chile and anise after an hour. Strain the broth after a few more hours of simmering. Once cool pour the broth into ice cube trays and freeze. Store the cubes in a bag in the freezer for easy use.

This broth is a lurid yellow-orange like the yolk of a chicken that's been eating a lot of marigolds. It would be good heated to cook small noodles, with kimchee, thin slices of the protein of your choice and a raw egg thrown in just before serving.

Mr A is trying to get off decaf, so I am encouraging him to drink a few of these heated cubes in the morning, adding a spoonful of miso and grated ginger to his cup.
"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.
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Postby Perelandra » Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:03 pm

Condensed Cream of Celery Soup

Yield: The amount of 2 cans

3-4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. minced onion
3 celery ribs, minced (a food processor works great for this)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add onion & celery and saute until tender (about 10 minutes).
Add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly (mixture will be thick). Gradually add milk & broth, whisking to keep smooth.
Bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly. Simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Add salt & pepper to taste.

You can alter this to make whatever kind of condensed soup you want.

*My celery was not fully cooked at 10 minutes, so maybe saute longer or simmer the chicken broth with it for awhile.
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