WTF Cookbook
-
From wtg:
Cauliflower Masala from Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu
The finished dish:
The recipe is from a cookbook by a very sweet Indian lady, Alamelu Vairavan, who had a cooking show for a few years on Milwaukee Public Television. Her recipes are generally pretty unfussy and easy to make.
Here goes:
3 cups cauliflower pieces cut in 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks including short stems
2 tbsps oil (I used ghee)
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal (I substituted cumin seeds, per Alamelu's suggested substitutions for ingredients you may not have on hand)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (fresh from my garden!)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed, and diced (my addition, not in her recipe... because I have more jalapeno peppers than I know what to do with in my garden! Also provided some green because Mr wtg doesn't like cilantro, so I never use it)
2 or 3 garlic cloves chopped
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup tomato sauce. (I had none in the house, but I did have my trusty tomato powder. See this guide to using tomato powder. I get mine from The Spice House. Once you try it, you'll never be without it.)
1 tsp salt
The photo in the cookbook also shows a cilantro garnish.
-
Steam the cauliflower pieces until crisp-tender.
-
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, but not smoking, add mustard seeds and urad dal. cover and cook until mustard seeds pop and urad dal is golden brown, about 30 seconds.
-
Add onions, tomatoes, jalapenos (if using), and garlic. Stir fry for 1 minute over medium heat.
-
Add turmeric, cayenne, and cumin. Stir well over medium heat for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and salt. Mix well to obtain a thick paste-like consistency.
-
Add steamed cauliflower pieces and stir carefully to coat with sauce. cook uncovered over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
-
-
From piqaboo:
Made Broccoli Cheddar soup last night -
This recipe comes up 1, 2,3, 4 on the search engine, although no one site credits any other site. Apparently they all simultaneously developed it. The link below is the link I used.I used 30% more broccoli.
I pureed all the original veg after cooking, then used that extra 30% as small florets in the soup.
Also used real half&half because what the hell is fat-free half&half?We ate it before the cheese went in and after. Excellent both ways. Thinking about making cheddar jalapeno bread to serve with the cheeseless soup.
First time through, about two hours of playing in kitchen. Next time will take less than an hour HOT.
-
From wtg:
Might want to have your cardiologist on speed dial.
But it's so worth it.
From the New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (the Silver Palate team)
Berta's Chopped Liver
1 pound chicken livers
1/4 cup rendered chicken fat (aka schmaltz, the essential ingredient in this dish)
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 hard-cooked egg, coarsely shopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste-
Clean the chicken livers well. Bring a medium size saucepan of water to a boil, and add the livers. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.
-
Heat the chicken fat in a medium-size skillet. Add the onions and cook until wilted and lightly browned, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
-
Cut the chicken livers into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Add the onions and chicken fat, egg, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
-
Place the mixture in a food processor and pulse until it is almost smooth. Do not overprocess, as it should have a bit of texture. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate, covered. (This can be made a day ahead.) Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving
Makes 2 cups.
Note: Chopped liver freezes well. Defrost it in the refrigerator one day before serving.
-
-
From wtg:
One-Pot Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo
Yield: Serves 6 to 8Prep Time: 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes to 22 minutes
Ingredients
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
2 cloves garlic
1 pound cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried orzo pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups whole milk
4 cups packed baby spinach (about 4 ounces)
Instructions
Finely grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup). Mince 2 cloves garlic and slice 1 pound cremini mushrooms 1/4-inch thick.Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and 1 pound dried orzo pasta (about 2 1/2 cups) and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth and 2 cups whole milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently to keep the orzo from sticking, until the orzo is al dente and most of the liquid is absorbed and has formed a creamy sauce, about 10 minutes or according to package instructions.
Remove from the heat. Add 4 cups packed baby spinach and the Parmesan and stir until the spinach is just wilted and the cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Serve garnished with more grated Parmesan cheese.
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
My notes:
A pound of orzo sounded like a lot, so I halved the orzo and liquid amounts. I decided to go heavy on veggies. I had a 24 ounce container of mushrooms, and a 5 ounce box of baby spinach. I used everything, and added some diced onions, too, when I was sauteeing the mush.
I was a little worried that the orzo wouldn't be all submerged in liquid and cook properly, so I opted to take out the sauteed onions and mushrooms and set them aside while I proceeded with the rest of the recipe. I added the reserved veggies and the spinach at the end.
The verdict is.....Delish!!!
This would be good as a side with meatloaf....
-
Justme's recipe, by way of Big Al
BROWNED BUTTER CARDAMOM COOKIES
1 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tspn ground cardamom
2 Cups flour1 Cup powdered sugar
Melt butter in 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and watching closely, until butter just begins to turn golden brown (5-8 minutes). Immediately remove from heat. Pour into bowl; refrigerate until cooled (30 minutes).
Heat oven to 350. Combine cooled brown butter and sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well mixed. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and cardamom; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; beat, while gradually adding flour, until mixture is no longer crumbly and forms a dough.
Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 1" apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies puff and just start to turn light golden brown. (Cookies will have cracks in them.)
Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool 1 minute. Roll cookies in powdered sugar while warm and again when cool.
Store between sheets of waxed paper in loosely covered container.
-
From Bernard:
Seriously, I made this salad last year and remember it being pretty good.
Brussels sprouts salad
Use the freshest Brussels sprouts you can find, ideally the little, tender ones. I used brousse, a soft, goat’s milk cheese, to dot over the salad, but you can use any soft, mild goat’s cheese or curd cheese. You can also use toasted walnuts or hazelnuts if you prefer, or if that’s what you have.
350g Brussels sprouts
Zest of a lemon – grate this directly over the prepped Brussels sprouts so you don’t lose any of the beautiful oils
70g pecans, toasted* (see TIP)
50g dried cranberries
30g grated Parmesan
80g soft goat’s cheeseFor the dressing
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of half a lemon, about 2 tbsp
6 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepperTrim the ends off the Brussels sprouts and remove any damaged or less-than-sprightly outer leaves. Halve them through the stem and with a sharp knife, shred them as finely as you can. You could use a mandolin for this if you are some kind of hero who hasn’t yet touched the sherry.
Finely grate the lemon zest over the Brussels sprouts, sprinkle on a little salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss it all together well. Add the toasted pecans, cranberries and Parmesan and toss again.
To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients or shake them together in a tightly sealed jam jar until it is emulsified (thick and smooth, like a disastrous boyfriend). Toss the salad really well in the dressing and transfer onto a platter or into a serving bowl. Dot with the goat’s cheese and serve. Because Brussels sprouts are sturdy little beasts, this salad holds quite well – you can make it up to an our or so before you want to serve it, just add the nuts and cranberries and dot with the cheese just before you want to serve it.
*TIP How to toast nuts
Heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, turning once. Set a timer. You think you’ll remember but you won’t and they can burn quickly. I’ve been toasting them in an air fryer recently, for speed and fuel economy. I toast them at 190C for 5-6 minutes, rattling the basket halfway through.
-
OK, I think I got everything from the WTF Cookbook copied over here. There is a separate Thanksgiving cookbook thread over on groupee.
For now:
https://well-temperedforum.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2960022933/m/8190056954
-
Had some buttermilk to use up, so tried a new cornbread recipe. Great crumb, bit of sweetness, and the browned outside crust is fabulous.
Five stars.
-
Speaking of cornbread…
It's down home midwestern night at Chez Mik. Cornbread taco bake. Subbing buttermilk for milk, who knows what else.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cornbread-taco-bake/#RecipeCard
Twas very good.
-
We have been having this recipe on repeat. It is so delicious, quick, easy, and makes fantastic leftovers. We have it as a main but it would be delightful with a grilled bit of salmon or chicken as well. From NYT cooking.
Crispy Gnocchi With Spinach and Feta
YIELD 4 servings
TIME 25 minutes (Prep 5 minutes | Cook 20 minutes)
INGREDIENTS
5 ounces baby spinach
6 ounces Greek feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1 lemon, halved
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 (16- to 17-ounce) package potato gnocchi (shelf-stable, fresh or frozen)
¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Big handful of chopped dill
Big handful of chopped mintPREPARATION
Step 1
Place the spinach into a large bowl. Add half of the feta, juice of ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt; rub the
ingredients vigorously into the spinach to tenderize it. Leave to sit and soften further while you cook the gnocchi.Step 2
Heat a large (about 12-inch) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high; add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the gnocchi to
the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until golden and crispy all over. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes; they will further crisp as
they cool.Step 3
Add the gnocchi to the spinach, along with the red pepper, scallions, dill and mint. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive
oil, add the remaining crumbled feta and toss to combine. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over top and serve. -
Made this the other night. Delicious and easy.
-
W wtg referenced this topic
