Cookbook Challenge

[DanielK]

The recipe asks that you pour the scotch directly over the gelato and espresso powder. The only scotch I have in the house is a Macallan 15; not so good with ice cream.

I think there's a typo there. The espresso powder goes over the gelato. You pour the scotch over your lips.

[Heather]

I am just not about the pig heads this week. So, I'm gonna have a little fun. This week I will be cooking from The Better Homes and Gardens cookbook collection, circa 1964. These books (Meat, Salad, Desserts, and my favorite, Casseroles) were part of my mother's wedding gifts. The Meat book is particularly choice, with chapter titles like "Spark mealtimes with sausages and frankfurters" (yeah, I bet).

I'm going to wear my ruffled apron, with heels and pearls, and have a hot dinner on the table for my man every night at 6 PM. He'll relax with a tumbler of scotch while I whip up some horrifying shit like Tuna-Spaghetti Bake, or even better, Bologna Kabobs.

Feel free to start a pool on how many times we order takeout after tasting my creations.

[DameEdna]

I'm going to wear my ruffled apron, with heels and pearls

give me strength ...

[Heather]

give me strength ...

Maybe the new tweed Ferragamos I bought this weekend...

Here's a little taste of some of the WTF we're in for this week. Dig the ingredients:

Ham-Cabbage Molds

1 3-ounce package lemon flavored gelatin

1/2 t. salt

1 cup boiling water

1 1/2 T. vinegar

3/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (that would be Miracle Whip, folks)

1 t. prepared mustard

1 1/2 cups finely diced ham

1 cup finely shredded cabbage

2 T. minced onion

Arrange with ham slices and deviled eggs.

The photo (thankfully in black & white) is captioned "Enchant guests with crunchy Ham-Cabbage Molds. They're sure to ask for the recipe."

[Pat]

I made my planned menu from Faye Levy's Feast from the Mideast last night, with one exception. Since I had fresh green beans and didn't have fresh peas, I made Armenian green beans instead of Yemenite peas. I actually ended up making 5 recipes from the book, since I baked the pita as well. I've had the book several years and don't think I'd made any of the recipes before.

These were the dishes:

Cilantro-Garlic Eggplant on Pita Crisps with Roasted Peppers

Turkey Thighs with Cumin and Tomatoes

Armenian Green Beans

Wheat Berry Pudding with Walnuts, Dried Fruit, Milk and Honey

Overall I was pleased with the results (but I'd have been happier if I hadn't sliced my finger while chopping onions ). I think if I made the turkey/green beans combo again, I'd just add the beans and bell pepper called for in that recipe into the turkey mixture. Making both full recipes was somewhat redundant, but I wanted to make the recipes as they were written, this time around at least.

The pita appetizer was excellent, served with a little Greek yogurt on top. The pitas were good, with nigella seeds in the dough, but didn't make pockets. I split them and toasted them lightly. Instead of breaking them into smaller pieces, I left the halves intact, and the bread halves made a substantial vehicle for the toppings. This recipe would be fairly quickly made using storebought pitas. I roasted the eggplants and peppers at the same time, and it would not have been a production to make this had I not been baking the bread. (Smokey asked for the recipe, so I'll post a summary of ingredients/technique it a little later.)

I think I'll try a different recipe next time I made pitas, though. I had been looking at the pita directions in Bread Baker's Apprentice, which uses a lavash dough. I think those might have produced results closer to what I was expecting, but I decided to go with only recipes from the one book. Another factor may have been that my oven seems to take forever to get to temperature. Even though I started preheating quite a bit ahead of time, the dough was ready before the oven was, so the dough was starting to rise slightly again before it went into the oven.

The dessert was creamy and wonderful--sweet but not too sweet. I think it will make a nice breakfast this morning as well. My husband said that the pudding was the best wheatberry dish he'd ever had. They're not a food he's incredibly fond of, but I love them. He endured my wheatberry kick a couple of years ago quite patiently .

I found the directions in the book lacking in some places. It was nothing I couldn't work around or figure out, but I had to keep looking back at the recipes to see whether I was misreading or the recipe was unclear. The turkey had a nice flavor, but I ended up with rather irregular sized pieces, as I tried to remove the bones once it was cooked. The directions didn't indicate whether the pieces should be left fairly intact or cut smaller. I also think I should have thickened the sauce before serving, but I was losing steam by that time and nursing my bandaged finger. The recipe included a comment about thinning the sauce if it got too thick, but since it was simmered covered, it would seem thickening it at the end would be a more likely scenario than thinning it. Again, maybe my reading comprehension was off, but I was having trouble figuring out just how stewlike the dish was supposed to be.

[Heather]

"So they can post it on the internet and make fun of it behind your back". Just like one of my all-time favorite sites.

Oh, absolutely. Was there something in the water back then? Was everybody high all the time? Because this stuff is just wack. I mean, lemon jello and ham? I will try to post some pictures this week.

Pat it sounds like that cookbook might not be a keeper.

This is one of the books I will be cooking from this week. And be sure to read the caption on this one.

[smokey]

(Smokey asked for the recipe, so I'll post a summary of ingredients/technique it a little later.)

Thanks, Pat! Just to clarify (and because in re-reading my post, I realized it wasn't clear) I'm particularly interested in the eggplant portion of things. Veg Cooking for Everyone by D. Madison has a nice pita recipe (is it pita or naan? now that I think about it, it's naan. anyway...) that I've been pretty happy with, but that eggplant dish sounded good.

Eggplants are particularly on my mind as last night I made a dish from Hot sour salty sweet (or whatever the order is) called the 'best eggplant dish ever'. I was woefully disappointed (far from the best, let's just say). While I think it was fine, the flavor came across as really unidimensional, in spite of different spices being used. I'll admit to taking some shortcuts. I don't have a mortar and pestle and while i'm sure using something like that would have made for a more authentic 'sauce', I didn't have time and went for more of a brute force approach (think, immersion blender). Regardless, there was almost no nuance and it wasn't the best. The +1 practically grimaced when he tried it (although he'll concede to not being much of an eggplant liker).

In the "healthy cuisine of India" (or some such) by Bharti Kirchner there is a dish that I consider to be the best eggplant dish ever. All of this eggplant talk is making me want to revisit that. Anyway, I would love any info on the dish you tried, Pat, as I love eggplant!

[bilrus]

Eggplants are particularly on my mind as last night I made a dish from Hot sour salty sweet (or whatever the order is) called the 'best eggplant dish ever'. I was woefully disappointed (far from the best, let's just say). While I think it was fine, the flavor came across as really unidimensional, in spite of different spices being used. I'll admit to taking some shortcuts. I don't have a mortar and pestle and while i'm sure using something like that would have made for a more authentic 'sauce', I didn't have time and went for more of a brute force approach (think, immersion blender). Regardless, there was almost no nuance and it wasn't the best. The +1 practically grimaced when he tried it (although he'll concede to not being much of an eggplant liker).

I have both this book and Mangoes and Curry Leaves - the same authors' take on the Indian Subcontinent. Beautiful books, with interesting stories and interesting recipes that look great sitting on the cookbook stand. The only problem is that with one exception (their Chicken Kaprow recipe is probably my #1 go-to recipe of all time), everything I've made from them has been really, really bad. Either tasteless or strange tasting or the recipe seems to have a fatal flaw in it.

[smokey]

Interesting take, bilrus, thanks. I made it in part because I'm participating in a cookbook of the month type thing with chowhound and HSSS was the February book (yeah, I'm working behind a bit) and I feel as though everybody's postings have been pretty positive. Many folks tried this specific dish and so far nobody has said anything negative. The recipe also calls for pork, which I didn't add, but I really don't think that's the problem (they state specifically in the ingredients that it's optional). I've already been trying to sort out how I'm going to serve this eggplant in a way that I can get anybody besides myself to eat it. One of the tofu dishes you posted earlier (whose name escapes me at the moment, the tofu with oyster sauce and...) was on my short list.

[Pat]

Thanks, Pat! Just to clarify (and because in re-reading my post, I realized it wasn't clear) I'm particularly interested in the eggplant portion of things. Veg Cooking for Everyone by D. Madison has a nice pita recipe (is it pita or naan? now that I think about it, it's naan. anyway...) that I've been pretty happy with, but that eggplant dish sounded good.

I have that Madison book but haven't checked it for bread recipes. I'll have to pull that book out and look.

Revised, with my notes. I cooled this and served it at close to room temperature on toasted pita bread halves. It was really nice topped with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt.

Cilantro-Garlic Eggplant on Pita Crisps with Roasted Peppers

from Faye Levy, Feast from the Mideast

about 2 1/2 lbs. eggplant (2 medium)

3 to 5 Tbsp. olive oil

6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. Aleppo pepper, or cayenne pepper to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 red bell peppers, grilled or roasted and peeled

4 to 8 pita breads, made into crisps or split and lightly toasted

Grill, broil, or roast eggplant. Peel and chop.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add garlic and sauté over low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in coriander and cumin. Add eggplant, Aleppo pepper, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Add 2 Tbsp. of the cilantro. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until eggplant becomes a thick chunky puree. Cool to room temperature.

Cut pepper into thin strips. To serve, spread eggplant on pita crisps and garnish with pepper strips, top with yogurt and remaining cilantro.

[porcupine]

Maybe the new tweed Ferragamos I bought this weekend...

need pix

[Pat]

Oh, absolutely. Was there something in the water back then? Was everybody high all the time? Because this stuff is just wack. I mean, lemon jello and ham? I will try to post some pictures this week.

At one point, I thought of doing recipes from the paperback BH&G Cookbook I've got. It's a relic, one of two cookbooks (along with JOC) my husband had when we met. A friend and I were talking about the cream puff recipe in there, which got me to looking through the book. I found it really amusing that there was a chicken puff recipe (same choux pastry but split and filled with a chicken salad mixture) in the book, mixed in there with the wieners and beans recipes. The from scratch recipes mixed in with the convenience food recipes really strikes me as being an interesting moment in time. I guess all cookbooks represent the time in which they're produced, but it's fascinating to see what of the old stays when the new comes in.

Pat it sounds like that cookbook might not be a keeper.

Given that I keep cookbooks with recipes that flat out don't work, I'll probably hang on to this one . It's really more a contextual book--it's recipes from the lands of the Bible--than a straightforward recipe collection. Since it's dealing with similar recipes from different cultures, that may be one reason it seems vague in places. I'm interested to try this vis-a-vis Wolfert's Mediterranean Grains and Greens, also on my kitchen shelves. Since it's a somewhat similar concept, comparison should be helpful.

[Barbara]

I'm going to wear my ruffled apron, with heels and pearls, and have a hot dinner on the table for my man every night at 6 PM. He'll relax with a tumbler of scotch while I whip up some horrifying shit like Tuna-Spaghetti Bake, or even better, Bologna Kabobs.

Feel free to start a pool on how many times we order takeout after tasting my creations.

Mr. Shorter must have done something DREADFUL to drive you to such a creative punishment.

[cjsadler]

Eggplants are particularly on my mind as last night I made a dish from Hot sour salty sweet (or whatever the order is) called the 'best eggplant dish ever'. I was woefully disappointed (far from the best, let's just say). While I think it was fine, the flavor came across as really unidimensional, in spite of different spices being used. I'll admit to taking some shortcuts. I don't have a mortar and pestle and while i'm sure using something like that would have made for a more authentic 'sauce', I didn't have time and went for more of a brute force approach (think, immersion blender). Regardless, there was almost no nuance and it wasn't the best. The +1 practically grimaced when he tried it (although he'll concede to not being much of an eggplant liker)

Yeah, I made this too and it was more like "worst eggplant dish ever" (and I took no shortcuts). I have both those books (HSSS and Mangoes and Curry Leaves). Like Bilrus, I've found there seems to be some serious flaws with many of the recipes, but I've had ok luck with some things as well (I think the most recent success was the coconut dal from MaCL).

[Heather]

Tonight: Beef Stroganoff and a tossed salad. The Salad book has an entire page of helpful "Tossing Tips." Double entendres for dessert.

[Heather]

Creamed Water Chestnuts

That sounds utterly disgusting. Wow. Yes, my friends would certainly be surprised if that showed up on my table.

The tenderloin at Whole Foods looked eh, so instead of stroganoff we're having pot roast. So far so good, but I couldn't bring myself to use canned beef broth, so it's being cooked in stock and wine.

[Heather]

Pot roast: chuck, salt, pepper, bay leaf, stock, thyme, "red burgundy" wine.

Not bad, exacty. But boring. Really really boring. So boring that even high heels and a ruffled apron wouldn't liven it up. Did we really eat this way once upon a time?

The dessert cookbook is amusing. All of the cakes are from scratch, which is amazing considering the amount of convenience products called for in the other books. But every single one calls for shortening instead of butter. Even the pound cake. Gross.

I picked up a quart of berries at Costco and will make blueberry Buckle tomorrow afternoon.

[mdt]

I was going through my cookbooks and found the 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cookbook (original reprint) by Fannie Merritt Farmer.

I am thinking about doing some recipes from this. One interesting recipe that I noticed was Lettuce Soup! They also go into detail on how to clean a terrapin.

[jm chen]

I've had to scale back on my cookbook-exploring plans because it's not a good week to indulge, but I did christen my copy of Eating Cuban: 120 Recipes From the Streets of Havana to American Shores last night by making a batch of Cuban Pumpkin Salad.

It's pretty straightforward -- boiling chunks of pumpkin or butternut squash, peeling them, combining with sliced sweet onion, and dressing with a vinaigrette containing ginger, cinnamon, paprika, garlic, and cumin. I tried a couple of bites and can't tell whether the crisp onion with the soft squash is a nice contrast, or a fundamental mismatch. Great flavor. Planning to eat it today after the dressing has soaked in and the flavors have had a chance to meld.

A good, solid recipe, which bodes well for the rest of the book. I was glad I followed my instincts instead of the letter of the law, though -- half a cup of olive oil in the dressing seemed like way too much for one pound of squash. I used a quarter cup and it was still plenty.

The book also has great photography and a wide range of dishes -- there are sections for "Creole Classics" and "New Wave Cooking" as well as "Street Food" -- and I'm psyched to try some more. The recipe for Guava Barbecue Sauce is up next.

[bilrus]

They also go into detail on how to clean a terrapin.

I'd insert a Duke joke here, but that doesn't work this year.

[Anna Blume]

Yeah, I made this too and it was more like "worst eggplant dish ever" (and I took no shortcuts). I have both those books (HSSS and Mangoes and Curry Leaves). Like Bilrus, I've found there seems to be some serious flaws with many of the recipes, but I've had ok luck with some things as well (I think the most recent success was the coconut dal from MaCL).

For me, the WEDE would have to be a custardy eggplant and mushroom dish from Deborah Madison's Greens. While I really like moussaka, I don't like soft, wet eggplant mixed directly into custard. I reported problems here with one of DM's cabbage gratins, too, so in general the combination of certain vegetables and eggs just doesn't work for me.

* * *

Heather: the pot roast does sound boring, but I wonder if it's the book more than the time period. I grew up in a household where there were maybe three cookbooks in addition to a few of the Time-Life serials. Our general go-to book was a thick volume the CIA published just for wives and mothers. I recall the pot roast fondly; it had a thickened (meat coated with flour?) tomatoey sauce and was full of carrots, onions, potatoes and finished with peas. I doubt there was any wine--maybe canned beef broth. Dehydrated parsley flakes, possibly. Changes in meat may also be a factor.

[Heather]

Our general go-to book was a thick volume the CIA published just for wives and mothers.

Do you remember the name? I would love to track that down.

It's probably the book. My mom made pot roast with V-8 juice, carrots, and lots of onions, and it made delicious gravy. I love it and still make it.

Next week I will be cooking from I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris. This was a Christmas gift from Waitman and Mrs. B (I gave them the same book, funny enough.) I can't wait to try "Captain's Mouthwatering Bite-size Blue Ball Cheese Balls" with a Salty Dog.

[Anna Blume]

Do you remember the name? I would love to track that down.

Sadly, no, but if any more information occurs to me, I'll let you know. I spotted it once at a library book sale, but was not in a retro mood. However, I also think James Beard is a good one to turn to for this kind of recipe. The reprint of American Cookery is in most bookstores and the original in secondhand ones from time to time.

P.S. I look forward to Sedaris reports. That requires a completely different kind of outfit.

[ol_ironstomach]

Our general go-to book was a thick volume the CIA published just for wives and mothers.

Just to be clear, you're not talking about that other CIA are you? This isn't a companion volume to the World Factbook?

For some reason I was reminded of Chef Executive Officer, a 1980's collection of (fairly bad) recipes from Silicon Valley executives.

[Heather]

The Better Homes blueberry Buckle was OK. I refuse to contemplate making anything else from these books, and will keep them for the kitsch value.

Next week, from I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris: Pot Roast for Jack Black, Southern Green Beans, Buttermilk Pound Cake, and maybe Colbert's Shrimp Paste (a half recipe, unless anyone wants to come over for drinks and help me eat it).

[Anna Blume]

Just to be clear, you're not talking about that other CIA are you? This isn't a companion volume to the World Factbook?

For some reason I was reminded of Chef Executive Officer, a 1980's collection of (fairly bad) recipes from Silicon Valley executives.

You know, Dave, it might as well have been that CIA for all the luck I've had tracking it down in the catalog of the LOC or even WorldCat (a compendium of participating libraries). Perhaps the culinary one used to go by a different name? At least one entry for a different, early publication reminded me that the school used to be in New Haven, a reason we might have had it at home.

And, yes, it is sometimes reassuring that in a day when you can't find a fresh apricot with the flavor of one's childhood, at least some of the things we're eating are better...

Might I suggest a food magazine challenge once we tire of our cookbooks? I have all these issues of Gourmet from the late 80s & 90s and have started to get a free subscription thanks to ordering books through Jessica's Biscuit. I used to write shopping lists after sitting down with a stack on Friday. Now, I never cook from them and am thinking of conducting a cold-hearted purge.

[Heather]

Magazines? Sure. Although now that much is available on the internet I have thrown many of them away, and even stopped subscribing to all but one (Saveur).

[rkduggins]

Challenge Dinner 3/9/07: Southern Living Recipes 2006

Mango avocado salsa

Slow cooker beef brisket

Black bean cakes w/chipotle cream

Lime marinated tomatoes w/cilantro

Tres leches flan

I was unsure about the brisket, as I never have good luck with slow cooker recipes. Everything always turns out dry as toast and perfectly inedible. I don't know what the story is around that. The brisket turned out moist and nicely done wtih this recipe. My guests and I agreed that everything was a little bland. The flan was the hit of the evening; tender, rich and silky.

[Heather]

Interesting, Rachel. Could you post the recipe?

Slow cookers seem like a waste of time to me - never been impressed with the tenderness of meat cooked in one, and for stews, etc., I feel it muddies the flavors. Plus, you have to brown things on the stove to get any caramelization and then transfer, which sort of blows the "one pot" idea.

[rkduggins]

Heather;

I"m not sure whether you meant the flan or the brisket. Here's both:

Tres Leches Flan

1/2 c sugar

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

2 large eggs, room temp.

2 egg yolks, room temp.

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 1/2 c. milk

1 t vanilla extract

Hot water

1. Cook sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 5-7 mins or until melted and medium-brown in color. Quickly pour into a 9 inch round cake pan with 2 inch sides. Using oven mitts, tilt cakepan to evenly coat bottom and seal edges.

2. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer in a large bowl 1 minute. (Do not overbeat.) Reduce speed to low; add eggs and yolks, and beat until blended. Add sweetened condensed milk, and next 3 ingredients, beating at low speed 1 minute. (Mixture should not be foamy and may be slightly lumpy.) Pour milk mixture over sugar in pan. Place cakepan in a roasting pan; add hot water halfway up sides of cake pan.

3. Bake @325 for one hour or until edges are set. (The middle will not be set.) Remove from oven; remove cakepan from water and place on a wire rack. Let cool completely. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Run a knife around edges to loosen, and invert onto a serving platter. Makes 8 servings.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 (2-3 lb.) beef brisket

2 t salt

1 1/2 ground chipotle powder

1 c coarsley chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place first three ingredients in a 6 qt. slow cooker.

2. Cut brisket into 3 inch pieces. Rub brisket with 2 t salt and 1 1/2 t chipotle powder, and place on top of vegetables in slow cooker. Top with 1 c cilantro.

3. Cover and cook on HIGH 6-8 hours or until brisket pieces shred easily with a fork.

4. Remove brisket from slow cooker, and cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Serve in flour tortillas with desired topings and lime wedges. Makes 6 servings.

[Ilaine]

You know, Dave, it might as well have been that CIA for all the luck I've had tracking it down in the catalog of the LOC or even WorldCat (a compendium of participating libraries).

Have you tried sending the Culinary Institute an email, asking them to forward it to the proper person? They probably have something like a library and librarian.

[Heather]

Have you tried sending the Culinary Institute an email, asking them to forward it to the proper person? They probably have something like a library and librarian.

Is this it? Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook - 1950

I might actually order it.

[mdt]

Did a little bit of cooking this weekend.

Last night I made the shrimp casserole from Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way. And it was enjoyable and fast. Basically, peeled and de-veined shrimp tossed with melted butter, green onion, garlic, S&P, and mushrooms put into a pie plate, covered with bread crumbs, sprinkled with white wine and baked for about 12 minutes.

Dessert was leftover Plum Clafouti from Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America, that we made the night before. I enjoyed it, although I would have added more vanilla that it called for in the recipe.

Saturday night was braised lamb shoulder steaks from a Marcella Hazan cookbook (but I don't remember which one right now). The meat is browned in fat then braised in red wine vinegar with sage and rosemary. I think it is a good recipe, but wished that I had fresh sage and rosemary as my dried stuff did not perform as well as I would have liked.

All was served with standard veggie or rice sides.

[Pat]

Last night's menu was from Staffmeals from Chanterelle. I don't know how many years ago I bought the book, but I liked the premise (the in-house meals for restaurant staff adapted for the home kitchen). It's a very attractive well laid-out book as well. The recipes have a simple elegance to them that's inviting. I'll definitely be delving farther into the book.

The menu:

Mushroom-Barley Soup

Smothered Pork Chops

Sabrina’s Baked Beans

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

The baked beans were fantastic. Pairing them with the braised pork chops worked out well. I wasn't that hungry by the time we ate and didn't have any soup last night, but my husband enjoyed it. I tried a little for breakfast this morning, and the soup is rich and earthy. The mushrooms add a nice meatiness to it, and the barley adds a contrasting bite. I thought the recipe called for a lot of mushrooms (4 oz. dried), but it gives the soup a lot of flavor and texture. It took longer for the barley to cook than the recipe indicated, but otherwise it was a fairly straightforward recipe. I didn't have enough porcinis and rounded the recipe out with shiitakes.

In the "I can't believe I'm actually out of this" category, I was already started on the cake (mise en place? ) when I realized that I didn't have enough all purpose flour. I always have excess bags of AP flour. I don't know what happened . I substituted pastry flour for the remainder. We were too full to eat the cake last night, but I had thin slice this morning and it seems to have come out just fine, though I'm sure the pastry flour changed the texture of the cake from what it would have been. I'm going to pull some blackberries out of the freezer and make a compote to go with it tonight.

Mmmm. Mushroom soup and pound cake for breakfast .

ETA: Just had the pound cake with blackberry compote. Wowza! That was good.

[bilrus]

I finally got around to making the Ethiopian Stir Fried Beef Stew from the Samuelsson book. I don't think I had quite the right type of dried chiles when I made my Berebere, so I imagine that this would be hotter if I did, but as it was it was pleasantly hot and very flavorful. I'd also say that you can cut down a bit on the amount of butter in the recipe and not lose much except a bit of extra greasiness.

I wimped out / was too lazy to make the injera so I ate it with some flat breads I had in the pantry. This worked fine and might even be a way into Ethiopian for those who are wiered out by the traditional, cold spongy bread (that does make it sound pretty nasty, doesn't it?).

So I really enjoyed both of the recipes I made from the book. I'm going to move on to another in my collection- probably the Peruvian book I mentioned up top - but I expect I will be back cooking out of this book sooner rather than later.

[mktye]

As part of this challenge, I've been making recipes from Modern Greek by Andy Harris. I cannot remember why, where or when I bought this cookbook, but I had never cooked from it before this last week.

The first recipe I made was "Roast Lamb with Lemon Potatoes". (For those who have recently been reading the Komi thread, the recipe says you can also use "Katsikaki" ) Quartered potatoes and garlic cloves cooked with the lamb with lemon juice, olive oil and oregano drizzled over all. Easy, but the time given for baking was about an hour too long and would have totally killed the lamb. I pulled the lamb after ~1.5 hours and roasted the potatoes another half hour or so. I was worried the potatoes might be too lemony, but they and the lamb were both delicious. The only changes I'd make next time would be to coarsely chop the garlic cloves so they'd be more dispersed among the potatoes and to cook it all in a slightly larger pan (I used a 9"x13" pan) so the potatoes would brown a bit more. However, I don't think anything is "modern" about this recipe and it is pretty much identical to ones found in nearly every Greek cookbook I own.

Next up was a recipe for "Revithokeftedes" aka chickpea fritters. Instead of used dried chickpeas and cooking them, I cheated and used canned chickpeas. The fritters were good, but not fantastic, perhaps due to using the canned chickpeas. Definitely needed something along the lines of tzatziki to accompany them. The directions for this recipe were quite vague regarding the size of the fritters, but then specified a rather exact cooking time (but no temperature for the oil). Not the end of the world, but it was a definite balancing act getting the fritters to lose all of the raw flour taste and harshness of the minced onion while not burning the outside -- thinness of the fritters and careful watching near the end of cooking was the key.

Since none of the sides in the book really appealed to me, I decided to make two desserts (and does this really surprise anyone? ). The first was "Melitinia", sweet cheese pastries. Basically little ricotta tarts. Bad recipe. Bad. Bad. Bad. Although I ignored the directions as written and mixed the flour and olive oil together first before adding any liquid in hopes of reducing gluten formation as much as possible, the resulting crusts were still pretty darn tough. But the worst was that the filling made over twice the amount needed for the amount of crust (one of my pet peeves) and was far too sweet. Next time, I'd halve the filling amount overall and halve the amount of sugar used in that. And what happened to the leftover filling? I poured it into ramekins, put them in the oven to bake and proceeded to leave them there for three hours! Good thing I went back downstairs for a glass of water before I went to bed.

I just made the second dessert this afternoon. "Melomakarona" which are described as honeyed biscuits. For those who have been fortunate enough to have some of Ferhat's hurma, these are very similar. Interestingly, the recipe note states that these cookies are also called "Phoenikia" because they are Phoenician in origin. Well, I'll stick with my other (Turkish) recipe for these cookies (or try to sweet talk Ferhat into making more since I still can't quite duplicate his ). Like all the other recipes I tried in this cookbook, the directions were vague and the proportions of ingredients off.

Bottom line: While this cookbook has gorgeous pictures and some interesting recipes, be prepared to do a lot of thinking for yourself and tweaking to produce good results. There are a few more recipes I would like to try from this book, but I will definitely be cross-checking them against similar recipes and using my instincts and experience rather than trusting the recipes as written.

[bilrus]

Is anyone planning on continuing the challenge?

My this week is to cook two nights from The Art of Peruvian Cuisine - a big and beautiful book my nother lugged back for me from a trip to Macchu Pichu. She personally hated the cooking there, but I've always liked stopping at my local Peruvian restaurant and I've also never had the guts to try the Peruvian "delicacy" cuy as she did. It turns out the cookbook has its own website and two of the three recipes I'm making are on there - the Lomo Saltado and one of the two ceviche recipes I'm doing.

[Pat]

Is anyone planning on continuing the challenge?

I made several cookbook recipes on Saturday (discussed in the dinner party thread). It ended up being four from Babbo, if I want to stretch things (brown chicken stock, pumpkin orzo, braised short ribs, and bittersweet chocolate cookies). Those short ribs were amazing.

I also made fabulous lemon shortbread cookies from The Chicago Tribune Good Eating Cookbook. I have dough left and can't find the right sized cookie cutter to make more.

I had a less good experience with pasta handkerchiefs with wild mushrooms from the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook, mostly because the pasta didn't turn out right (mushrooms were excellent). I'm not sure if it was me or the recipe, so I'll try that pasta again. It seemed to have an awful lot of eggs.

Last night I made a quite satisfying soup from James Peterson's Splendid Soups (Swiss Chard with Garlic and Parsley--I'd have to look up the exact name).

[Pat]

My this week is to cook two nights from The Art of Peruvian Cuisine - a big and beautiful book my nother lugged back for me from a trip to Macchu Pichu. She personally hated the cooking there, but I've always liked stopping at my local Peruvian restaurant and I've also never had the guts to try the Peruvian "delicacy" cuy as she did. It turns out the cookbook has its own website and two of the three recipes I'm making are on there - the Lomo Saltado and one of the two ceviche recipes I'm doing.

The causa recipe they have on that site is really elaborate. I have a recipe from a friend's mother, who is originally from Peru, that is much simpler. I love that stuff--basically cold mashed potatoes with lime and olive oil. He used to make the causa and didn't remember details. I used to watch him carefully and tried to reproduce it. I finally got the recipe from her on one of her visits.

I also have a flan recipe from her and a bean salad recipe. One of the interesting anthropological aspects of getting these recipes was her discussion of how easy it was to use canned beans to make the bean salad in the US. I guess a lot of traditional recipes get Americanized due to convenience and/or unavailability of ingredients. The bean salad--despite the canned origins--is really good, though. It may just be the "Mom" factor .

[Pat]

Last night, I made three recipes from Molly O'Neill's A Well-Seasoned Appetite:

Turnip Bisque

Baked Yams with Red Onions

Escarole Risotto with Duck

Of the three, the risotto was the clear standout. Unfortunately, I had timing issues and the risotto finished before the other food was ready and before I had cooked the duck. That meant that the beautiful bright green escarole that's only supposed to cook a couple of minutes sat in the pan of risotto long enough to turn a dark, overcooked green. When I make this again, I will make sure that anything else served with the meal has been prepared before I start the risotto and that I cook the duck breast before the escarole goes into the risotto. (The duck is pan-seared, sliced and served over top.) The way the recipe is written, you complete the risotto before starting the duck, and then I let the duck rest a bit before slicing (in addition to cooking a bit longer than called for to get it to medium rare). It is a dish I would make again but will definitely approach differently timewise.

The yams and onions were good enough, but not remarkable. The recipe called for for 3 medium yams and 3 medium onions. All I could fit in a dish the size the recipe called for was the equivalent of one large onion and one medium-to-large yam. I'd make this again, but I doubt it would go into my regular rotation.

The turnip bisque was the most disappointing. It came out with the consistency of applesauce or cream of wheat . I'd think that maybe I did something wrong, but the appears to be an error in the recipe re: the turnips. When I read the recipe ahead of time, it called for peeling long slices off a turnip with a vegetable peeler and crisping them in the oven. I decided I didn't want that garnish, so I ignored that aspect of the recipe. When I looked back later, I realized that the recipe calls for 4 turnips that have already been peeled and cubed; yet, the long, thin crisped slices would have to come from an intact turnip . That means that the recipe should probably call for 3 turnips, cut, plus one for the crisps. That would likely explain my consistency problem.

I'm making the Banana-Walnut tarte tatin from the book tonight. Since I've seen several problems with the way the recipes are written, I'm going to be extra attentive. I don't know how many more recipes I'll try from the book. We'll see after this next one. I'm thinking this book might be better as a general guide for recipe ideas (i.e., what seasonal ingredients go well together) than as as a straightforward cookbook.

[Heather]

Bill, I am planning to continue this once I can eat like a normal human again. Which Peruvian recipes are you planning to try? That's one cuisine I know nothing about.

[Anna Blume]

This week someone approaching his 85th birthday sent me a copy of The Art of Italian Cooking by Mario Lo Pinto, published in 1948 by Doubleday. It's a small, slim volume, less than two hundred pages long and a pleasure to consult, especially the sections preceding the recipes which include menus for special occasions and different times of the year. There are also glossaries of terms such as this under herbs:

AGLIO-Garlic: A bulb, which has a characteristic strong scent and pungent flavor, composed of a number of smaller bulbs called cloves. Used in flavoring meats, sauces, vegetables and salad dressings.

Or, among unfamiliar items: Manteca, a small brick of butter covered w Mozzarella that is eaten sliced. Not for cooking.

Here's the Easter Menu:

Chilled Marsala

Manicotti with Tomato Sauce

Whole Roasted Baby Lamb

Sautéed Spinach

Roasted Artichokes

Mixed Salad

Roasted Chestnuts

Cassatelli [sic? recipe for cassatelle is for a type of Sicilian cream tart]

Fruit in Season

Asti Spumanti

Caffe Espresso

Cognac

"Chilled claret or riesling may be served with baby lamb."

[ctay122]

I made several cookbook recipes on Saturday (discussed in the dinner party thread). It ended up being four from Babbo, if I want to stretch things (brown chicken stock, pumpkin orzo, braised short ribs, and bittersweet chocolate cookies). Those short ribs were amazing.

I also made fabulous lemon shortbread cookies from The Chicago Tribune Good Eating Cookbook. I have dough left and can't find the right sized cookie cutter to make more.

I had a less good experience with pasta handkerchiefs with wild mushrooms from the Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook, mostly because the pasta didn't turn out right (mushrooms were excellent). I'm not sure if it was me or the recipe, so I'll try that pasta again. It seemed to have an awful lot of eggs.

Last night I made a quite satisfying soup from James Peterson's Splendid Soups (Swiss Chard with Garlic and Parsley--I'd have to look up the exact name).

Pat,

All these recipes spond wonderful. Too bad I'm dieting. I think I'll have to buy the Babbo cookbook.

[legant]

My cookbook selection: Japanese Women... I stumbled across it while reaching for the Lucques/Goins book at the library. Although not technically a cookbook, it did offer a few recipes.

I’ve been working on the Japanese Country Power Breakfast: miso soup with baked (rather than fried) tofu, Edamame, leftover veggies, spinach, chopped egg, brown rice, nori and green onions. I don’t understand how anyone can eat this for breakfast; it is quite filling. And tons of protein. It did, however, work as a late-morning breakfast or early lunch; it curbed late afternoon hunger pangs: not only did I forgo the second half of a dinner burger; I often snacked on raw veggies for dinner. (Enough of a difference to result in a favorable outcome this week in the Fit for Summer challenge. )

[bilrus]

Which Peruvian recipes are you planning to try? That's one cuisine I know nothing about.

Well, I finally got around to making one tonight. I made the Lomo Saltado listed here. You've got to love a recipe that includes french fries as an ingredient and that is served over rice. I did cheat a little bit and used frozen french fries instead of making my own, but it turned out really good. This is an interesting example of fusion cooking being a national dish - it is a stir fry, complete with soy sauce, but the Peruvian aji amarillo chiles give it a unique taste.

I also messed around and made that crack-like yeloow sauce that is served in squeeze bottles at Peruvian places. Now I need to find a recipe for Peruvian chicken - surprisingly there isn't one in the book. And I'm eventually going to make a few of the ceviches.

[Pat]

Well, I finally got around to making one tonight. I made the Lomo Saltado listed here. You've got to love a recipe that includes french fries as an ingredient and that is served over rice. I did cheat a little bit and used frozen french fries instead of making my own, but it turned out really good. This is an interesting example of fusion cooking being a national dish - it is a stir fry, complete with soy sauce, but the Peruvian aji amarillo chiles give it a unique taste.

I also messed around and made that crack-like yeloow sauce that is served in squeeze bottles at Peruvian places. Now I need to find a recipe for Peruvian chicken - surprisingly there isn't one in the book. And I'm eventually going to make a few of the ceviches.

That looks gorgeous. Where did you find the aji peppers? Mail order, or can you find them locally? I'd like to expand my Peruvian repertoire beyond causa .

[bilrus]

That looks gorgeous. Where did you find the aji peppers? Mail order, or can you find them locally? I'd like to expand my Peruvian repertoire beyond causa .

I was wondering the same thing when I got the cookbook, but amazingly, one of the sources listed in the back of the book for Peruvian products was located on Eldon St. in Herndon, not far from my office, called Mercadito Hisapano (or something similar). The amarillos were frozen, but when thawed, worked fine for this and the majic yellow sauce.

The recipe also calls for Aji Limo, which you can substitute habaneros for. The amaraillos have a pretty unique spicy/sweet taste and I couldn't think of a chile that would be a good sub there.

[Pat]

I've made two meyer lemon recipes from Chez Panisse Cafe Cookbook in the past few days. The results of both were excellent. I wrote about the Meyer lemon relish here.

Yesterday I made Meyer lemon eclairs, filled with lemon curd and whipped cream. The pate a choux came out wonderfully, and the lemon curd was delicious. My shaping was a bit irregular, so they looked more like cream puffs than eclairs, but the texture and flavor were just right. The pastries came out so light and airy, I couldn't believe I was the one who made them .

These results were encouraging, after an earlier attempt from this book had been not so successful.

[Pat]

I was wondering the same thing when I got the cookbook, but amazingly, one of the sources listed in the back of the book for Peruvian products was located on Eldon St. in Herndon, not far from my office, called Mercadito Hisapano (or something similar). The amarillos were frozen, but when thawed, worked fine for this and the majic yellow sauce.

The recipe also calls for Aji Limo, which you can substitute habaneros for. The amaraillos have a pretty unique spicy/sweet taste and I couldn't think of a chile that would be a good sub there.

Thanks. I'll keep my eyes open for the peppers.

[cjsadler]

Haven't had much time to cook lately, but this thread was a great idea and I've wanted to play along. Finally cooked something out of Rick Bayless' "Mexican Everyday", which I got as a Xmas present this year.

Sweet potato and caramelized onion salad with guajillo chile dressing

Good, especially the dressing, which involves warming the chile and garlic in the oil.

Red chile steak with beans

Pretty good-- served it with rice over a crisped tortilla. Not sure how I feel about the Trader Joe's tri-tip, though (a bit liver-y to me)

Neither of these recipes were particularly quick, though (this is a bandwagon jumping quick/easy cookbook)