Braised Lamb Shanks

10 Tuesday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Lamb, Main Dish, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Things To Do

I’m always looking for a good recipe for Lamb Shanks. I have at least one, that suffices, but this one looks good. Think I’ll try it. Enjoy these lamb shanks!

Braised Lamb Shanks

Long, slow, braised Lamb Shanks are perfect comfort food, so welcome on a chilly autumn or cold winters day. There are many recipes for Braised Lamb Shanks but this is one of my favorites. The Lamb Shank is cooked very slowly in a good red wine (I emphasize good, never cook with wine you wouldn’t drink), which tenderizes the meat until, when it is cooked, the meat will quite literally fall from the bone.

Adapted From: British Food About Dot Com (Some of the spelling and terminology had to be changed)
Prep Time: 0 hour, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 0 minute
Serves: 6

Ingredients:
6 Lamb Shanks
2 T Olive Oil
16fl oz /500ml/ good Red Wine
1 Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Garlic Bulb, cut in half cross-wise
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
1 T Greek Oregano
1 T Harissa
3 pints /1.5 litre Beef Stock
2oz /55g ice cold Butter
Salt and ground Black Pepper

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320 °F/Gas 2.

1). Sprinkle a chopping board with salt and freshly ground pepper, then roll each lamb shank over the board to cover lightly with seasoning.
2). In a large ovenproof casserole heat the oil, once hot, two at a time brown the lamb shanks. Remove the lamb shanks and keep to one side. Pour in the red wine, bring to a gentle boil, leave to simmer until reduced by half. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, rosemary, harissa and finally the lamb shanks.
3). Pour in enough beef stock to cover the meat, don’t worry if the bones are sticking out, this is fine. Bring back to a simmer then cover the dish and place in the oven. Cook for 3 hours, checking from time to time that the meat is still covered in stock and top up as necessary and turn the shanks from time to time.
4). Once cooked, remove the shanks and keep to one side or the cooking pot. Place the casserole on the burner and bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes. When the lamb shanks are cooked through, remove them from the cooking liquid and set aside on a warm plate. Strain the sauce and check the seasoning. Whisk in the cold butter to create a really glossy sauce.

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So there you have it. Give these a try. Serve with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. Here is a Recipe Link to a printable coy of the recipe. Cheers!

Jerri’s Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery

05 Thursday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Dessert, Food, Local Markets, Party Time, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

I am a very firm believer in supporting local businesses – resorts, ranches, hotels, pizza stores, restaurants, bakers, etc. Here is another local business trying to make a “go of it”. Please support Jerri’s Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery. Wouldn’t a fresh Pecan Pie or a fresh Pumpkin Pie go great at Thanksgiving?

Jerri’s Old Fashioned Pie Shop & Bakery
208-863-4768
jerri-nelson@hotmail.com

Custom order bake goods. Are you looking for that something special for your holiday gathering but don’t have the time to make it yourself? Give me a call and see if we can make that special event more memorable!

Sugar and spice and baked so nice…

PIES
$14.
Huckleberry-Apple

Cranberry-Apple

Huckleberry-Peach

Lemon Meringue

Washington Walnut

Pecan

Jerri-Berry w/Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries & Blueberries

$12.
Apple or Dutch Apple

Boysenberry

Peach or Dutch Peach

Cherry

Pumpkin
Black Bottom Banana Split

(dark chocolate ganache, banana cream, topped with a Jerri-berry glaze)

$9
German Chocolate

Coconut

Chocolate

Banana Cream

Do you have a favorite pie that is not listed above? Please ask if I can make it.

Rolls
White or Wheat Rolls $5 per dozen

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So there you have it. We have had these goodies before and they are awesome!! Try several – You won’t go wrong! Cheers!

Worcestershire Sauce

01 Sunday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Condiments, Food, Food Trivia, Herbs, Interesting Information, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

Looks like it might have been a slow day in Boise. Not really! They were having a big debate on the Food Network today on the origin and uses of Worcestershire Sauce. Here, from Wikipedia, is some information. Some of this is not cited and may need citation.

Worcestershire Sauce

From Wikipedia,
Worcestershire sauce (pronounced WOOS-tər-sheer saws), is a fermented liquid condiment used for flavouring many cooked and uncooked dishes, especially with grilled or barbecued meats. It is also used as an ingredient in the preparation of cocktails and drinks.

First made at 68 Broad Street, Worcester, England, by two dispensing chemists, John Wheeley Lea and William Henry Perrins, the Lea & Perrins brand was commercialised in 1837 and has been produced in the current Midlands Road factory in Worcester since 16 October 1897. In 1930 the business was sold to HP Foods and was subsequently acquired by the Groupe Danone. It was purchased by H.J. Heinz Company in 2005 who continue to manufacture and market “The Original Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce”, under the name Lea & Perrins, Inc. Other companies manufacture similar products, often also called Worcester Sauce, and marketed under different brands.

Origins
A fermented fish sauce called garum was a staple of Greco-Roman cuisine and of the Mediterranean economy of the Roman Empire, and the use of some similar fermented anchovy sauces in Europe can be traced back to the 17th century. The Worcestershire variety became popular in the 1840s and is one of the many legacies of the British rule of the Indian sub continent. Several disputed theories exist concerning its exact discovery or invention by John Lea and William Perrins.

History
A widely reported legend has it that “Lord Marcus Sandys, ex-Governor of Bengal” (a figure unknown to history outside this tale) encountered it while in India under the Honourable East India Company in the 1830s, missed it on his return and commissioned the local apothecaries to recreate it. However, author Brian Keogh concluded in his privately published history of the Lea & Perrins firm on the 100th anniversary of the Midland Road plant, that “No Lord Sandys was ever governor of Bengal, or as far as any records show, ever in India.”

The Lord in question, whose identity was being discreetly veiled by Messrs Lea and Perrins (who used to aver on the bottle’s paper wrapping that the sauce came “from the recipe of a nobleman in the county”) was Arthur Moyses William Sandys, 2nd Baron Sandys (1792–1860) of Ombersley Court, Worcestershire, Lieutenant-General and politician, a member of the House of Commons at the time of the legend, whose given name is being confused in the tale with that of his brother and heir, Arthur Marcus Cecil Sandys, 3rd Baron Sandys (1798–1863), who did not succeed to the title, however, until 1860, when the sauce was already established on the British market. The barony in the Sandys family (pronounced “sands”) had been revived in 1802 for the second baron’s mother, Mary Sandys Hill, so at the date of the legend, in the 1830s, “Lord” Sandys was actually a Lady. No identifiable reference to her could possibly appear on a commercially bottled sauce without a serious breach of decorum. It is likely her heir agreed to sell the recipe.

A more accurate version that was published by Thomas Smith: We quote the following history of the well-known Worcester Sauce, as given in the World. The label shows it is prepared “from the recipe of a nobleman in the county.” The nobleman may be Lord Sandys. Many years ago, Mrs. Grey, author of The Gambler’s Wife and other novels, was on a visit at Ombersley Court, when Lady Sandys chanced to remark that she wished she could get some very good curry powder, which elicited from Mrs. Grey that she had in her desk an excellent recipe, which her uncle, Sir Charles, Chief Justice of India, had brought thence, and given her. Lady Sandys said that there were some clever chemists in Worcester, who perhaps might be able to make up the powder. Messrs. Lea and Perrins looked at the recipe, doubted if they could procure all the ingredients, but said they would do their best, and in due time forwarded a packet of the powder. Subsequently the happy thought struck someone in the business that the powder might, in solution, make a good sauce. The profits now amount to thousands of pounds a year.

Upon completing the necessary steps, however, the resulting product was found to be so strong that it was considered inedible, and a barrel of the sauce was exiled to the basement of Lea & Perrins’ premises. Looking to make space in the storage area a few years later, the chemists decided to try it once again, only to discover that the sauce had fermented and mellowed and was now quite palatable. In 1838 the first bottles of “Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce” were released to the general public.

An alternative story was published by historian and Herald for Wales, Major Francis Jones, 1908-1993, who attributed the introduction of the recipe to Captain Henry Lewis Edwardes 1788-1866. Edwardes, originally of Rhyd-y-gors, Carmarthenshire, was a veteran of the Napoleonic wars and held the position of Deputy-Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire. He is believed to have brought the recipe home after travels in India. The article does not say how the recipe found its way to Messrs Lea and Perrins. Messrs Lea and Perrins, being John Wheeley Lea (research and product development) and William Perrins (finance), from their building in Broad Street, Worcester, ran by far the most important and successful chemist and druggist business in the county. They made their fortunes from manufacturing and selling the sauce. They built a new factory with railway access in Midland Road, Worcester and made various charitable donations to the city such as Perrins Hall in a Worcester School.

Lea & Perrins Original Recipe
The ingredients of a traditional bottle of Worcestershire sauce sold in the United Kingdom under the name “The Original & Genuine Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce” are listed as malt vinegar (from barley), spirit vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions, garlic, spice, and flavouring. Apart from distribution for its home market, Lea & Perrins also supplies this recipe in concentrate form to be bottled abroad.

Japanese Worcestershire sauce, often simply known as sōsu (“sauce”), or Usutā sōsu (“Worcester sauce”) is made from purees of fruits and vegetables such as apples and tomatoes, matured with sugar, salt, spices, starch and caramel. Despite this appellation, it bears only moderate resemblance to Western Worcestershire sauce. Sōsu comes in a variety of thickness, with the thicker sauces looking and tasting like a cross between the original Worcestershire sauce and HP sauce. There are many variations according to flavour and thickness, and are often named after the foods they are designed to go with, such as okonomiyaki sauce and tonkatsu sauce. These sauces, however, and others that are Worcestershire relatives are much closer in taste to American barbecue sauce. These variants have become a staple table sauce in Japan, particularly in homes and canteens, since the 1950s. It is used for dishes such as tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes), takoyaki, yakisoba, yaki udon, sōsu katsudon and korokke.

Holbrooks worcestershire sauce from 1902
In Sheffield, England, Henderson’s Relish, very similar to Worcester sauce, is made and sold locally. This sauce is sold in the same size and shape of bottle as Lea and Perrins Worcester sauce and also has an orange label, which calls it ‘The Spicy Yorkshire Sauce’; it does not contain anchovies.

Lionel Brand (Australia) worcestershire sauce
In Australia the best-selling brand of Worcestershire sauce is Holbrooks , holding over half the market share in black sauce. Historically there were several different manufacturers of Worcestershire sauce in Australia, e.g. Lionel Brand from Taringa in Brisbane.

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce in the USA differs slightly from the original British recipe. Its ingredients are listed as: vinegar, molasses, high fructose corn syrup, anchovies, water, onions, salt, garlic, tamarind concentrate, cloves, natural flavorings and chili pepper extract. The original British recipe uses malt vinegar while the American version uses distilled white vinegar, giving the British version a slightly deeper flavour. Also, the American version uses high fructose corn syrup while the original British recipe still uses sugar, giving the American version a somewhat sweeter and less spicy taste.

Vegetarian and gluten free alternatives are available and some Worcestershire sauce powders are marketed as suitable for vegetarians. The vegetarian variety omits the anchovies (notably Henderson’s Relish, which is similar, although not considered a variety of Worcestershire Sauce). ‘Life’ Worcester sauce, produced by MH Foods (Morehands Ltd), is also vegetarian. Both this and Lea & Perrins’ sauce are suitable for coeliacs. The actual ingredients may vary between countries, for example the Canadian version of Lea & Perrins’ sauce contains gluten in the form of malt vinegar from barley. Angostura also offers a fish-free sauce, but does not advertise it as “vegetarian”. The deluxe Worcestershire Sauce Powder produced by Nikken Foods contains no anchovies. Orthodox Jews refrain from eating fish and meat in the same dish, causing Worcestershire to be problematic, as many people are unaware that it contains anchovies. Certain brands that are certified to contain less than 1/60th of the fish product can be used with meat.

Dishes using Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce is often an ingredient of Caesar Salad and can be used as steak sauce.
Welsh rarebit is a combination of Caerphilly cheese, English mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and other ingredients, frequently eaten with bread, toast or crackers. A simpler version uses Worcestershire sauce with cheese on toast, with the sauce added to the plain version during the grilling process. Worcestershire sauce also plays a key role in the flavour of original recipe Chex Mix. In the U.K., advertising by Lea & Perrins has made Worcestershire Sauce popular for use on spaghetti bolognese, beans on toast, cheese on toast, chips (French fries), gravy and sausages. It is also frequently used in chili con carne, Bloody Mary cocktails, and in a cocktail known mostly to Canadians called a Caesar.

Worcestershire sauce, known as salsa inglesa (English sauce) in Spanish, is an essential ingredient of the popular Mexican beer cocktail, the Michelada. It is also used to flavour cheeseburgers and in Mexico, it is often used on pizza. The sauce it is nearly universally available as a condiment in steakhouses throughout North America, and is also sometimes used as a condiment for bacon and eggs, hamburgers, pork chops, chicken, and certain other meats and fish. Certain brands of crisps (potato chips), such as Walker’s (U.K.) sell Worcestershire sauce flavoured crisps.

Worcestershire sauce plays a significant part in the cuisine of Asian regions which have seen significant exposure to Western cuisine. In Cantonese cuisine, Worcestershire sauce was introduced in the 19th century via Hong Kong and is today used in dim sum items such as steamed beef meatballs and spring rolls. The Cantonese name for this sauce is “gip-jap” (Chinese; pinyin: jiézhī; Cantonese Yale: gip jāp). It is also used in a variety of Hong Kong-style Chinese and “Western” dishes.

In Shanghainese cuisine, the use of Worcestershire sauce spread from European-style restaurants in the 19th and 20th century to its use as an ingredient in ubiquitous, Eastern European-inspired dishes such as Shanghai-style borscht, and as a dipping sauce in Western fusion foods such as Shanghai-style breaded pork cutlets. It is also commonly used for Chinese foods such as the shengjian mantou, which are small, pan-fried pork buns. In Shanghai, Worcestershire sauce is called “la jiangyou” (Chinese: pinyin: làjiàngyóu; literally “spicy soy sauce”). After imported Worcestershire sauce became scarce in Shanghai after 1949, a variety of local brands appeared. These are now in turn exported around the world for use in Shanghai-style dishes. Lea & Perrins has in recent years established a plant in Guangdong, China, thus increasing availability of the original variety in China. However, it does not have a dominant market share compared to the native-grown varieties. In Thailand, the Lea & Perrins Original Worcestershire sauce on sale is, according to its label, imported directly from England.

Well there is some information that you were really waiting for! Cheers!

South India Lamb Curry

31 Saturday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Herbs, Lamb, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Things To Do

≈ Leave a comment

At least, that’s what it started as. This recipe is adapted from the Food Network’s Tyler Florence. Southern India can have some really spicy, hot foods, more so than the New Delhi area. I changed that spicy hot to more or a medium to low intensity. Look at the recipe and where it calls for Red Pepper Flakes, change that to 1 Fresh Red Chili. Also, when steaming the basmati rice to serve with it, place 2 – 1″ rounds of fresh ginger in with water before adding the rice. The spices used are very traditional. Grinding them fresh adds another dimension to the curry that you will not get with commercially produced curry spice combinations. And finally, if you don’t want to use lamb, I have also had this with goat. Using beef would be truly a non-traditional curry, but it can be used. The recipe only looks involved – actually it is pretty easy to do. Cheers!

Indian Lamb Curry

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
¼ c Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1½ T Cloves
1½ T Cumin seed
1½ T Fennel seed
1½ T Coriander seed
1½ T Turmeric
1 Cinnamon stick
2 fresh Bay Leaves
10 fresh Curry Leaves
3 lbs Lamb, boned shoulder cut into 1” cubes
¼ t Red Pepper Flakes
2 med Onions, roughly chopped
5 cloves Garlic, peeled
2 T Ginger, fresh and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 lg fresh Tomatoes
½ c plain Yogurt, unsweetened natural
½ bunch fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped
1 Scallion, cut into strips
6 c steamed Basmati rice, steamed with 2 rounds of fresh ginger

Directions:
1). Begin by setting a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Grind the cloves, fennel, cumin, coriander, and turmeric in a spice grinder. Add oil to the hot pot and pour in the spices. Throw in cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, curry leaves, and chili. Toast for 2-3 minutes until golden and aromatic. While they are toasting, add onion, garlic and ginger to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

2). Season cubed lamb with salt and pepper then add to the pot of oil and spices. Brown all over, about 5-7 minutes. Add onion puree and sweat a little to remove some of the moisture – about 8 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon as you go.

3). Add fresh tomatoes and cover slightly with lid. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes until the lamb is tender. Remove the lid and skim fat off the surface. Fold in the yogurt and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

4). Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and scallions serve with steamed Basmati rice.

Cooking Times:
Prep – 20 min
Cook – 52 min
Total – 1hr 12 min

Halloween Eve!

31 Saturday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Classic Sauces, Food, Things To Do, Vegetables, Wine Dinners

≈ Leave a comment

I can almost see Miss Itchy Witchy flying on her whisk broom. You know, for short hops! But really, its time for dinner. Try this salmon. It’s great!

Salmon in Beurre Rouge Sauce

Fresh Asparagus

Twice Baked Idaho Potato

Homemade Biscuits

2007 Cinder Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Blend

And it was very good! Had to have this tonight because tomorrow Boise State University has a football game and that might insist that there be “football junk food”! Pizza, Nachos, Brats, Hot Dogs, Beer. Who knows! Hope you enjoy the photos. Guess we need “Smell-A-Vision” or something. Cheers! Go Broncos!!!

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

29 Thursday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Main Dish, Photos, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

So what does one do in Boise on a cold, “looks like snow” day? We could go to Manleys for Biscuits and Gravy. Oh …. I forgot. Manleys closed about 10 or 12 years ago. Boo Hoo! 4 of their biscuits would fill a pie plate and they were probably 2″ or so high. So, maybe I should make my own. No Bisquick? No problem!!

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Yield: 12 Biscuits, or so

1¼ c Cake flour
¾ c All-Purpose flour
1½ t Baking Powder
½ t Baking Soda
½ t Salt
¼ lbs Butter, cut into small chunks
¾ c Buttermilk

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 500° F
2. Prepare ingredients: Cut butter into small chunks, place in a bowl and return to fridge. Measure out buttermilk and set aside. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and have extra flour nearby for your hands and biscuit cutter. Have biscuit cutter and an ungreased baking sheet handy
3. Mix dough: In a medium-large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt until very well blended. Add butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and stir lightly until dough comes together in a ball.
4. Knead dough and cut biscuits: Dump dough mixture out onto floured work surface. With floured hands, lightly knead dough a few times until it is fairly well blended. Pat out into a circle, ¾ – 1 inch thick. Dip cutter into flour and cut biscuits without twisting the cutter. Form the dough scraps into an extra biscuit-like shape instead of re-rolling the dough. Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that the sides are touching. Brush tops with melted butter, if desired.
5. Bake biscuits: place baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 500° F oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove biscuits to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

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OK, so now I have the biscuits. (I really need to cut them to 1″ thick before baking. They would be higher.) How about an old stand-by: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy? Sounds good to me. Just break up some sausage links, or use ground sausage – I would not use an Italian sausage for this – some butter and flour for a roux, salt and pepper, some nutmeg and whole milk. Mix all together with the sausage until it thickens and serve on the biscuits you just made. A hearty cup of El Pico coffee and you are set!!! What a delightful way to spend this gloomy day (even Buddy is gloomy!). Make some fresh and homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy for my blushing Bride!! Yup! That’ll work. Cheers!

Where to buy lamb in Boise

27 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Lamb, Local Farmers Markets, Main Dish, Things To Do

≈ 2 Comments

I have had some questions on where to buy lamb in Boise. There are several sources: (1) WinCo, (2) Albertsons and (3) Costco – which I think has the better selection of most meats of the three listed. Costco, I think, has the best selection and quality.
There is a group of us that get a lamb a year from a 4-H source that we have. Then they have the lamb butchered, cut and frozen at Custom Butcher & Smokehouse. We – Robin and I – have always been greatly satisfied with the lamb that we get from there. You may want to contact Custom Butcher & Smokehouse and see if they have any “in stock”.
So, if you know of a 4-H source, you may want to start placing an order. I will check with our source and see if it is OK to publicize their information here. I like using the 4-H group because it really is Idaho produced, and I like to buy local! Anyway, there is a start. Cheers!

Beef and Lamb Stew

26 Monday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do, Wine and Food

≈ 1 Comment

So it is a cold and blustery day here in Boise. Heavy snows are forecast for the 5000 foot level in the mountains, rain and high winds here in the valley. What a good day for a stew!! A good hardy stew – full of vegies, beef and lamb. So, I guess I’d best list the recipe. It calls for a combination of beef and lamb, but, if you don’t like lamb you can add more beef. And if you want a straight lamb stew, just add more lamb.

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Beef and Lamb Stew

Ingredients:
1 T Orange infused oil
2 T Garlic infused oil
. . Salt and Pepper to taste
1 lg Onion, cut into chunks
2 lg Leeks, cut into ¼” rounds
2 lg Carrots, cut into ¼” thick rounds
¾ lbs Mushrooms, thick sliced
1 lg Parsnip. cut into ¼” thick rounds
1 Rutabaga, sliced and cut into ¼” thick pieces
½ c Celery, diced
1 Turnip, sliced and cut into ¼” pieces
1 lbs Lamb Stew meat
¾ lbs Beef Stew meat
32 oz Chicken stock
32 oz Beef stock
½ c Red wine
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T Kitchen Bouquet
6 sprigs Thyme, fresh
1 T Sage, fresh and chopped
3 T Parsley, fresh and chopped
2 T Cornstarch
½ c Red Wine

Directions:
1). Add the oil and salt and pepper to a large stock pot. Heat until hot. Add the onion and leeks and sauté until translucent.

2). Add the meats and sauté until browned.

3). Add the beef stock, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, Kitchen Bouquet and wine. Bring up to a low simmer. Add the thyme, sage and parsley. Mix to combine. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours or longer. Taste and adjust as necessary.

4). 15 minutes before serving, mix 2 T cornstarch and ½ cup of red wine. Add to the pot to thicken the sauce into a gravy. Serve piping hot.

Cooking Times:

Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Inactive Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours

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So there you have it. If you want a better copy of the recipe, either click on the page title above or Click Here.

A Super Day In The Life Of ……

23 Friday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Classic Sauces, Food, Party Time, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

Today really was a super day for us. We had an audition for teaching a dance program at Arts West School in Eagle, Idaho, a private school dedicated to the arts. They evidently liked our abilities and dance/teaching skills, because there will be a contract issued next week. The contract will run from January 2010 through May 2010. But then there was dinner. Wanted to celebrate in some small way. Thought about taking Robin out for Halibut Beurre Blanc,
but Andrae’s closed about a year ago, so I’m not sure anyone in Boise can make it now. Except ………ME!! And if you look left, you can see the results. (Just should have let it thicken a little more) But it really was good and the vegetable medley went well with it. The Chardonnay we had to go with it was “over the hill”, a 1998 Ravenswood. It is now in the vinegar jar. (We have a wine vinegar going) Oh well, can’t have everything. Cheers! Oh, But wait! Here is the recipe for the Beurre Blanc, Jerri. It’s really one of the classic sauces and one you should have. But just remember, this classic sauce is not for the “faint of heart” to prepare, it does take some practice. Temperatures are extremely important. Just keep that in mind.

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Beurre Blanc

Yield: ~1 cup
Recipe Source: Bob and Robin Young

Ingredients:
½ c White wine
½ c White wine vinegar
1 lg Shallot diced
4 Cloves, whole
1 Garlic clove, chopped
4 T French Tarragon, fresh and coarsely chopped
3 T Cream
¼ lbs Butter, cold

Procedure:
1). In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine vinegar, wine, shallots, cloves, garlic and tarragon leaves to make an infusion. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture is reduced to about ½ cup.
2). Add the cream and continue to simmer until reduced again to about ½ cup. Cream is added to make the sauce more stable and less likely to separate.
3). Strain to remove large pieces of the herbs. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the chunks of butter in small batches. The butter should melt without the sauce getting too hot, producing a creamy emulsified sauce. Do not let the sauce go over 130°F, where it will separate. If the sauce starts to break, remove from heat, add 2 ice cubes and whisk until it cools down and comes back together.
4).Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Keep covered in a warm place for a few hours, if needed.

Serve warm with fish or vegetables, halibut and asparagus goes great with a Beurre Blanc.

Smoked Salmon Dip and Pâté

20 Tuesday Oct 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Appetizers, Food Prep, Party Time, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Things To Do

≈ 1 Comment

“Ask and ye shall receive”. Yea Silver City Jerri! I found two recipes in our files for Smoked Salmon. One for a dip and the other for a Pâté, which is a lot more involved. Enjoy! Here we go …………..

Smoked Salmon Dip

Ingredients:
½ lb Smoked Salmon
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 T light Mayonnaise
1 T Lemon Juice
¼ c Green Onions, chopped
1 T fresh Dill, chopped
¼ t Pepper

Directions:
In food processor, puree salmon, cream cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice until smooth. Mix in onions, dill and pepper. Serve smoked salmon dip with pumpernickel bread or crackers, or on cucumber slices. Garnish with fresh dill or green onions.

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Smoked Salmon Pâté

Ingredients:
1 sl White Bread.
1 T unsalted Butter.
½ c diced Onion.
½ c dry White Wine.
4 Eggs.
3 Egg Whites.
½ lb Whitefish.
1¼ lb Smoked Salmon.
1 t Salt.
1 t ground White Pepper.
1 t ground Coriander.
¼ t ground Nutmeg.
½ c Whipping Cream.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Remove and discard the crust from the bread. Tear the bread into pieces and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat on the stove, add the onions and cook, stirring for five minutes or until softened. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for one minute. Add the bread and cook, stirring for five minutes. Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl.
4. Roughly cut the whitefish and salmon into one-inch pieces and add to the bread in the mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, coriander and nutmeg and mix. Place the mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and place bowl over a pan of ice water. Add the eggs and the whites and mix well. Slowly add the cream.
5. Pack the mixture into a 9”x5”x3” inch glass, ceramic or metal loaf pan. Tap the pan on a counter to firmly pack. Cover tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil.
6. Place loaf pan in a larger pan and fill with boiling water until it rises halfway to the top of the loaf pan. Place in the oven for an hour.
7. Remove Pâté from oven and its water bath. Place loaf pan on a baking sheet. Cool for an hour then refrigerate for three hours.
8. To remove the Pâté, run a knife around edges of the pate. Dip loaf pan in hot water for a minute. Turn out onto a plate.
9. Serve the Pâté with crackers or toast.

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So there you have it. The dip, I know, was presented to the Treasure Valley Wine Society several years ago. The Pâté was presented to them too, but I don’t remember when. At any rate, do enjoy them and Cheers!