July 30th, 2006 by alice
Tags: Chops, Pork, Stuffed
INGREDIENTS
- 4pork chops(1 1/2 inch thick)
- salt
- pepper
- 2tablespoonsbutter
- 1/2cup choppedonions
- 1cup choppedmushrooms
- 1/4teaspoondried sage
- 1/4teaspoonsalt
- 1/4teaspoonpepper
- 1cupbreadcrumbs
- 2tablespoonsvegetable brothor water
- 1/3cupsour creamor plain yogurt
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Trim fat from chops.
- Cut a 2 inch pocket in each chop.
- Sprinkle inside of each pocket lightly with salt and pepper.
- Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and mushrooms; saute until tender.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in sage, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs.
- Add 1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt to mixture.
- Add enough broth/water to moisten and hold stuffing together.
- Spoon stuffing into pockets.
- Secure pockets with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
- Place chops in baking dish.
- Add remaining broth/water.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove cover, bake for 20 minutes or until tender.
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July 30th, 2006 by alice
Tags: Chocolate, Fudge, Triple
INGREDIENTS
- 4ouncesunsweetened chocolate
- 2 (3 ounce)packagescream cheese, softened
- 1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
- 1/8teaspoonsalt
- 1lbconfectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1cup choppedpecansor walnuts
DIRECTIONS
- Line an 8-inch square pan with waxed paper or foil; set aside.
- Softening cream cheese: Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds or leave unwrapped cream cheese on top of the oven while pre-heating.
- Melt chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat; cool slightly.
- Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Add vanilla and salt.
- Gradually add in confectioners’ sugar, beating continually, until smooth.
- Beat melted chocolate into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add pecans and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Pour fudge into prepared pan.
- Refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).
- Cut into 1-inch squares.
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July 30th, 2006 by alice
Tags: Fish, Smoked
INGREDIENTS
- 10lbs fairly oilyfish fillets, scaled,pin-bones pulled,and rinsed(salmon, tuna, or swordfish, or other oily fish)
- 1cupkosher salt or uniodizedtable salt(kosher salt works best!)
- 1cupsugar or brown sugar, packed,dissolved in
- 1quartwarm water
- 1/2ounce coarsefresh ground black pepper
- 3-4bay leaves, crushed or finely crumbled,not powdered
- wood chips, of choice soaked in water overnight(alder, apple, cherry, maple, oak; NOT hickory or mesquite)
DIRECTIONS
- Mix all brine ingredients thoroughly.
- Cut fish in 1-2″ pieces, leaving skin on.
- If fish is fresh, soak for 1-1/2 hours; if it has been frozen, soak for 45-60 minutes.
- Remove fish from marinade and place on smoker-racks skin-side down.
- Allow to glaze at room temperature for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight.
- I usually set a fan to blow across the fish and help them get dry to the touch and look very glazed.
- Cold-smoke (at 120-140 degrees F) for 8-12 hours to obtain desired flavor.
- Then hot smoke (at 180-200 degrees F) for 1-2 hours or finish in a 300 degree F oven for 30-45 minutes to get desired texture.
- I do not like a mushy fish, so I cook it until it firms up, though it’s hard to tell, though, until after it has cooled down.
- Cool to room temperature, freeze on cookie sheets, package, and store in freezer.
- Best with stronger flavored, oily fish such as salmon, tuna, or swordfish; in general, mild fish smoke poorly.
- Notes: I use a Brinkmann Smok’n Pit water-smoker.
- The water helps to keep the temperature low, and the steam in the smoke keeps meat more moist during long cooking.
- My smoker is intended for charcoal smoking, but for fish, I place soaked wood chips in a metal (not foil, foil will burn through, use real metal) sitting on top of a cheap hot plate (with a rheostat control, not just an on-off switch), which sits on a brick so the pan is up under the bottom of the smoker, where the charcoal pan normally sets.
- Adjust temperature by adjusting hot plate up or down (usually somewhere between low and medium), and throw another handful of wet wood chips into the pie plate every 30-40 minutes, when the smoke stops generating.
- Depending on my mood, and what kind of wood chips are available, I usually smoke fish with alder, cherry, oak, maple, orange or lemon wood (on the rare occasion I can find orange or lemon) Alder and cherry are usually the easiest to find, and they both work beautifully for fish.
- Do not use hickory or mesquite; they are just too strong and completely overwhelm fish!
- I usually double or triple this recipe; I have rigged my double-size smoker to take up to 4 racks to handle the larger amounts.
- Since this whole process takes a lot of time, the little extra effort is worth while, and the smoked fish freezes well, lasting a couple years with only a little deterioration in flavor or texture.
- SAFETY NOTE: Needless to say, DO THIS OUTDOORS!
- Cabon monoxide KILLS!
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July 30th, 2006 by alice
Tags: Dough, Georges, Pizza, Wheat, Whole
INGREDIENTS
- 1packagefast rising yeast
- 1cupwarm water
- 1cupwhole wheat flour
- 1 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
- 2teaspoonsolive oil
- 1teaspoonsugar
- 1teaspoonhoney
- 1teaspoonsalt
- 1/2teaspoongarlic powder
- 1/2teaspoonoregano
- 1/2teaspoonthyme
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the yeast and the water, stir until dissolved.
- Add the remaining ingredients to a bowl.
- Add the yeast mixture and mix using a dough hook.
- Knead dough until it forms a nice ball, using extra flour if necessary.
- Let rest for at least 1/2 hour.
- Bake at 450* for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
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July 30th, 2006 by alice
Tags: Smoked, Turkey
INGREDIENTS
- 14-16lbsturkey, fresh or thawed completely
- 2-3tablespoonslemon & herb seasoning
- garlic granules
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 5-6wood chunks, hickory,applewood,oak,pecan,or other smoking hardwood,soaked in water at least overnight(not chips)
- 10-15lbs good qualitycharcoal(NOT self lighting, and DO NOT use charcoal lighter fluid!)
DIRECTIONS
- This recipe requires a water-smoker such as the Brinkmann”Smoke’n Pit” or the”Cook’N Ca’jun” (http://thebrinkmanncorp. com).
- If you don’t own one, buy one.
- They are great.
- The night before the big meal, wash the thawed turkey thoroughly, inside and out, and pat dry.
- Save the neck and innards for making gravy, if desired.
- Season inside and out with lemon-herb seasoning, granulated garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, and coat with olive oil.
- Do not stuff the turkey.
- If you want stuffing, use your favorite recipe, and cook it in the oven, out of the bird.
- Refrigerate until ready to start smoking.
- Soak 5-6 fairly large chunks of hardwood in water for as long as possible.
- DO NOT USE CHIPS!
- Set your alarm clock for for about 12 hours before dinner.
- Prepare the smoker as follows.
- Place 10 pounds charcoal in the fire-pan.
- Light the charcoal just barely, but make sure it is enough to keep burning.
- (Use an electric starter, or a butane torch, or place charcoal under your oven broiler just until lit. DO NOT use liquid charcoal lighter unless you want kerosene flavored turkey!) Place 2-3 chunks of wet hardwood on top of the charcoal, place water-pan above fire-pan, and fill with water.
- Place turkey on the rack above water-pan, cover smoker, and go back to bed.
- After about 6 hours, check the smoker.
- Stir up the charcoal and add a little more if necessary.
- Place remaining soaked hardwood chunks on top of charcoal, add more water if necessary, close the smoker, and relax for another 5-6 hours.
- It is almost impossible to overcook the turkey using this method, because it is cooking at a very low temperature.
- It will be juicy and tasty.
- Obviously the smoking should be done outside.
- Smoking indoors can be hazardous to your health.
- If the weather is freezing or below, add about 2-3 hours to the cooking time.
- The turkey is done when the leg can be moved easily.
- Carve immediately before serving.
- Notes: I usually use hickory wood, though pecan or oak are also great.
- You can add aromatic herbs or spices to the water pan if desired, but they will mostly be covered by the smoky taste.
- You can also add beer or wine to the water pan, but again, it is mostly covered by the smoke.
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