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916

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:54:15 pm »

carlo's pasta fagioli

for the beans:

1 pound of pinto beans (or borlotti if available)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves of whole garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt

soak the pinto beans in plenty of water with the baking soda overnight. drain the beans and combine with the other bean ingredients. cover with wter adn cook until beans are tender, but not soggy.

drain beans but retain cooking water.


for the sauce:

6 tablespoons olive oil, one for each person
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 vegetable buillion cubes
red pepper flakes
1 large can of peeled tomatoes, mashed
salt to taste
parsley and basil

heat olive oil and saute onion, celery and garlic. cook about 5 minutes over medium heat. add tomatoes, buillion cubes, red pepper flakes and salt. cook an additional 30 minutes.


for the pasta:

1 pound of short elbow pasta or linguini broken into pieces about 3 inches long

cook pasta al dente in plenty of salted water.

drain pasta.

combine pasta, beans and sauce. if the combination is too dry, add some liquid drained from the beans. the pasta fagioli should be soupy. sprinkle with parsley and basil.

serve pasta fagioli in a bowl with ground parmesan and extra red pepper flakes on the side.

917

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:53:57 pm »

stracciatella (italian egg drop soup)

4 cups chicken broth
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper

bring broth to a boil. beat two eggs with a fork. add remaining ingredients and mix. the mixture should be a dense fluid. if it's too dense, add either another egg or a little milk.

remove boiling broth from heat and stir in egg mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumping. return to heat for 3 minutes.

serve with additional parmesan.


chicken broth (stock)

1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
1 onion, stuck with 2 cloves
3 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 quarts water

put all ingredients in a large pot anc cook gently for 2 or 3 hours. skim often if necessary. remove chicken and bone it for use as desired. after broth has cooled, remove fat from top.

the chicken makes an excellent chicken salad mixed with chopped celry, sweet pickes, hard-cooked eggs and mayonnaise.

be sure to season the broth when you use it. some cooks prefer chicken broth without the onion and celery.

918

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:53:37 pm »

fried eggplant balls

2 pounds medium eggplant
3 eggs, separated
2 cups bread crumbs
2 cups grated pecorino cheese
1/2 cup chopped basil
red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying

cut the eggplants into small pieces, put in colander, salt well, and allow to rest at least 1hour to remove excess fluid. dry, removing salt and fluid.

cook in salted water, but be aware eggplant already has some salt.

drain eggplant and chop finely. combine eggplant with bread crumbs, pecorino cheese, egg yolks, basil, red pepper flakes and pepper.

form eggplant mixture into balls the size of ping-pong balls. fry in hot oil. the eggplant balls may be dredged in egg whites and bread crumbs then fried.

this recipe is from the region of Calabria.

919

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:52:40 pm »

anise cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon anise flavoring
1 stick butter
1 cup chopped pecans
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
raisins (optional)
whiskey (optional)

mix all ingredients and knead slightly. gradually add mor flour until dough consistency is hard.

make dough into 1/3 to 1/2 inch rolls and cut into 2 inch pieces.

place cookies on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.


this recipe was from my grandmother (RIP), louise, who go the recipe from her sister nancy mancini biondini.

920

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:52:17 pm »

tiramisu (trasnlation: "lift me up")

9 eggs, separated
9 tablespoons sugar
1 cup brandy or or sweet marsala, divided
1 cup strong espresso coffee, divided
1 pound mascarpone cheese at room temperature, divided
2 pints heavy cream
2 packages of Savoiardi or ladyfingers
4 tablespoons grated semisweet cocoa, divided

make a zabaione by beating the egg yolks and add sugar gradually in the top of a double boiler until ivory colored. add 3/4 cup brandy (or marsala) and whisk over simmering water until mixture begins to thicken. let cool.

stir 1/2 cup espresso coffee into the mascarpone. whip heavy cream to soft peaks. beat egg whites until stiff. fold the egg whites into the zabaione.

arrange Savoiardi (ladyfingers) in a single layer in the bottom and on all sides of a large trifle bowl (10 or 11 inches) or rectangular dish (10 x 13 x 3). sprinkle savoiardi (ladyfingers), until soaked but not soggy, with mixture of remaining brandy (or marsala) and espresso (1/2 of each).

over the Savoiardi (ladyfingers), layer half the mascarpone, then half the zabaione and one third of the whipped cream. sprinkle with one-third of the cocoa. repeat layers, finishing with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining cocoa. refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferable overnight.

serves 12 to 15.

921

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:51:44 pm »

eggplant parmesan

the original sicilian recipe for eggplant parmesan included sliced potatoes and sliced onion, each fried separately and placed in alternate layers with the eggplants. finally, there was a topping of tomato sauce, medallions of mozzarella and basil leaves.

3 medium eggplants
1 quart of basic tomato sauce
1/2 pound of sliced mozzarella
2 cups grated parmesan
bread crumbs
butter
olive oil for frying (yes, olive oil)
fresh basil

cut the eggplants lengthwise (japanese eggplant) or the other way for the big round eggplants and allow them to drain either laying them out in the sun or by salting and laying them on an inclined surface.

fry the eggplants in olive oil, not so much as to cover the eggplant however. do not drain the eggplant. in an oiled pan, layer the eggplant slices, tomatoe sauce, mozzarella slices, and parmesan cheese. end with a topping of parmesan, bread crumbs & small pieces of butter.

bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. garnish with fresh basil.

922

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:51:04 pm »

Lasagna

in the region of the Marche, and nowhere else, lasagne is called Vincisgrassi. some say the name "Vincisgrassi" is drived from Windish Graetz, Napolean's general who occupied Ancona in 1799. according to this theory, the Austrian general's personal chef invented thie pasta dish that became Windish Greatz's favorite. others claim the pasta dish was already in existence before the napoleonic wars of 1799. in a publication of 1780, Antonio Nebbia, a chef from Macerata, Marche Region, describes a sauce for "Princisgras" became "Vincigrassi".

Vincisgrassi

the basic ingredients of lasagna consist of sheets of pasta dough, a bechamel sauce and a meatsauce. older recipes for the meat sauce contained the outer extremities and the inner organs of chickens (rigalie di pollo) and the brain and sweetbreads of calves (cervella, filoni e animelle).

sheets of dough sufficient to make 5 or six layers in a baking pan appriximately 8 x 10 inches

for the meatsauce:

1 pound ground beef
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 can (28 ounces) tomato puree (passato) or diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

brown the beef in olive oil. add onion, celery and carrot and cook about 10 minutes. add tomatoes, salt and pepper. cook an additional hour. the sauce should have a thick, fluid consistency. if it appears to get to dry, add a little water. if it's too fluid, cook a little longer.


for bechamel sauce:

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 quart milk
zest of 1 lemon
salt

melt butter in saucepan. add flour and whisk until blended.

in another saucepan, bring milk to a boil. add milk and lemon zest to flour, stirring rapidly to blend. cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.

cut the dough into manageable sheets, about 4 x 6 inches. cook sheets in salted water, a few at a time, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta. remove sheets one at a time, and spread on a clean damp cloth.

cover bottom of buttered baking pan with liquid from meatsauce. then cover the bottom with 1 layer of cooked lasagne sheets. cover the layer lightly with meatsauce. then spread on bechamel sauce lightly. finally sprinkle generously with parmesan. repeat the layering process for 5 or 6 layers if the baking pan permits. be sure to allow sufficient space for the sauce to bubble without spilling over.

dot the top layer with butter, after sauces and parmesan. cook in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. allow pasta to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

923

All Things Food / Re: Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:50:42 pm »

here are some non-traditional italian recipes....

Bolognese (meat sauce)

very few italian dishes have one set recipe. different regions and different families have their own way of doing dishes that go by the same name. Consequently, there is no one way to do Bolognese Sauce. This is the most basic recipe.

1/2 - 3/4 pound lean beaf, coarsely ground
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
parsley, chopped
thyme, leaves only
2 bay leaves
2 pieces clove
salt and pepper to taste
stock

optional: cup of red wine
1 small can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of flour
parmesan cheese

heat butter in a tall skillet or a saucepan. add onion, celery, carrot and meat. when the meat begins to brown, add a little stock and continue adding from time to time so the bottom of the pan always has some liquid. at this time you may also add a cup of red wine. allow the wine to evaporate before adding more stock. after the wine has evaporated, tomatoes may be added. also, a sprinkling of flour may be added. bolognese with tomatoes is more common than without.

add parsley, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, salt and pepper. lower heat and cook, covered, for one hour or more.

serve grated parmesan on the size.

924

The Pub / Re: Who is a famous person that you've had a beer with?

« on: November 18, 2009, 01:42:03 pm »

not so much "with" him, but i was at a beer dinner hosted by michael jackson (beer hunter) and sat a table over from him.  the dinner was at bosco's pizza kitchen in germantown, tn.

925

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: November 18, 2009, 12:05:37 pm »

Balsamic Grilled Pork Chops

Description: Serves 2 or more, depending on the meat selection you make. This recipes marinade is good for Chops or tenderloins (whole) or medallions.

Ingredients:

1 Cup EVOO
Cup Basil (chopped fresh if you have it)
Cup Parsley (chopped fresh if you have it)
5 Large Garlic Cloves (minced)
1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar (to taste and size of meat portions)

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over Chops in a shallow square pan or substitute a 1 gallon freezer bag and mix/shake.
2. Place in refrigerator for 4 hours minimum and turn occasionally.
3. Remove chops from marinade and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (discard remaining marinade).
4. While the chops are coming up to room temperature fire up the Big Green Egg and bring to a stabilized temperature of about 350 degrees.
5. Place chops directly on the grill for approximately 6 minutes per side (lid down and no peeking).
6. When internal temperature reaches 150 degrees remove from grill and let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Nice! Do you have any pics?

I love Balsamic...but the real aged vinegar is outstanding as opposed to the supermarket kind.

It better be for $10 an ounce.

if you have a local "tuesday morning", check there.  good stuff for good prices.

926

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: November 18, 2009, 10:16:37 am »

went 2-1-2 on these at 250 degrees.... coated with some regular mustard... dizzy pig dizzy dust and red eye express, john henry pecan rub... an hour in foil with some sweet baby ray's... finishing them off with some sweet baby rays with some dizzy pig jamaican firewalk mixed in.... ought to go good with some southern pecan i think.

Man those ribs look finger smackin' delicious!

I am going to try 3-2-1 on my next batch in the chimney water smoker. 

some of the best i've done.  i wish i had some now!!!!

927

The Pub / Re: What's for dinner?

« on: November 17, 2009, 12:07:39 pm »

semi-homemade chili tonight.....

928

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: November 17, 2009, 08:13:09 am »

sorry, but i don't have pics on the computer of these.

Balsamic Grilled Pork Chops

Description: Serves 2 or more, depending on the meat selection you make. This recipes marinade is good for Chops or tenderloins (whole) or medallions.

Ingredients:

1 Cup EVOO
Cup Basil (chopped fresh if you have it)
Cup Parsley (chopped fresh if you have it)
5 Large Garlic Cloves (minced)
1/3 Cup Balsamic Vinegar (to taste and size of meat portions)

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over Chops in a shallow square pan or substitute a 1 gallon freezer bag and mix/shake.
2. Place in refrigerator for 4 hours minimum and turn occasionally.
3. Remove chops from marinade and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (discard remaining marinade).
4. While the chops are coming up to room temperature fire up the Big Green Egg and bring to a stabilized temperature of about 350 degrees.
5. Place chops directly on the grill for approximately 6 minutes per side (lid down and no peeking).
6. When internal temperature reaches 150 degrees remove from grill and let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Nice! Do you have any pics?

I love Balsamic...but the real aged vinegar is outstanding as opposed to the supermarket kind.

929

All Things Food / Re: BBQ Style

« on: November 17, 2009, 08:12:35 am »

went 2-1-2 on these at 250 degrees.... coated with some regular mustard... dizzy pig dizzy dust and red eye express, john henry pecan rub... an hour in foil with some sweet baby ray's... finishing them off with some sweet baby rays with some dizzy pig jamaican firewalk mixed in.... ought to go good with some southern pecan i think.









.

930

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: How many carboys do you own?

« on: November 17, 2009, 07:30:13 am »

(1) 6..5 gal. glass
(2) 5 gal. glass
(1) 5 gal. better bottle
(2) 6 gal. better bottle

will be buying more 6 gallon better bottles.