Lamb Shanks with Orzo and Feta

Lamb Shanks with Orzo and Feta
For four servings, may be doubled

Sure -- its very easy:

Olive Oil
4 to 5 meaty lamb shanks
1 (35 oz) can tomatoes (or equivalent amount of smaller cans), pref. imported
2/3 cup to one wineglass full of red wine
a LOT of garlic, chopped. A whole ball is a good start.
2 to 2-1/2 lbs onions, coarsely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1/2 to 1 tsp cumin, (preferably toasted whole in a dry skillet and then ground in a
mortar and pestle, but I am very fussy)
1 tsp rosemary
1 bay leaf  (added the first time posted)
a pinch of cinnamon, JUST a pinch, do not go overboard (not added the first time posted)
salt and pepper to taste
handful of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
1/2 lb feta, pref. sheep's milk feta, if you can get it
1 lb orzo pasta

In large dutch oven, sear lamb shanks in olive oil over med-high heat until well browned. Remove to a plate. Sauté onions and garlic with oregano, cumin, rosemary and cinnamon, in remaining oil in the pan until golden brown. Pour in wine, and heat, scraping up bits. Add tomatoes, return lamb to pot. Cover and simmer on low for 3 hours. (Alternatively, you can sear meat and saute onions, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low all day).

When 3 hours have passed, remove shanks, and take the meat off the bones. Return meat to stew pot.  If it seems to thin, bring to a fast simmer with lid off to reduce a bit, about 30 minutes or so, until sauce thickens up a bit (not essential if you are getting sick of waiting).. Gnaw on bones when no one is looking, taking care to eat all of the lovely marrow.

Boil water for pasta. Cook orzo until al dente. Just before serving, correct for salt and pepper, add a handful of fresh parsley. Serve stew over pasta, crumble feta on top.

Done. YUM!

Carolyn, noting that this is her very favorite dish in the whole wide world.
(12/5/00) and reposted (8/31/01) with slight changes, noted in the recipe above.

Hazelnut Dome Cake

Hazelnut Dome Cake
Serves 12 to 14.

Chocolate ganache and hazelnut cream are encased in a tender nut cake.

For cake:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2-2/3 cups blanched slivered almonds (about 11 oz), toasted
1-3/4 cups hazelnuts (about 7 oz), toasted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cake flour
9 large egg whites

For chocolate ganache:
10 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups whipping cream

For hazelnut cream:
2 cups chilled whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp amaretto or other almond liqueur
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, chopped (about 2 oz)
1/3 cup finely chopped semisweet chocolate (about 2 oz)

Unsweetened cocoa powder
Powdered sugar
Fresh raspberries and blackberries

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 15" x 10" x 1" baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Line with parchment paper. Butter parchment. Combine nuts, sugar and flour in processor. Process until nuts are finely ground. Beat egg whites in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold nut mixture into whites in 3 additions (whites will deflate). Spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake until cake starts to pull away from sides of baking sheet and is light golden on top, about 35 minutes (cake will be slightly moist). Cool cake 10 minutes.

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Invert cake onto parchment. Cool cake completely.

Make chocolate ganache:
Place chocolate in large bowl. Bring cream to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Chill until firm enough to spread, at least 6 hours or overnight. (Cake and chocolate ganache can be made 1 day ahead. Cover cake tightly with plastic wrap; leave at room temperature. Keep ganache refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature until spreadable.)

Make hazelnut cream:
Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and 1/4 cup amaretto, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in chopped hazelnuts and chocolate.

Line 2-quart bowl with plastic wrap, overlapping sides by 2". Cut cake lengthwise into 1/3"-wide slices. Line bowl with cake, placing slices cut side down and tightly side by side in single layer, trimming to fit and completely covering bowl (if cake slices break, piece together to fit).

Brush cake with 1-1/2 tablespoons amaretto. Spread ganache over cake, covering completely. Spoon hazelnut cream into center; smooth top. Cover filling with cake, placing slices side by side, fitting tightly together and trimming to fit. Brush with 1-1/2 tablespoons amaretto. Cover; chill at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.

Uncover cake. Invert onto platter. Remove plastic. Sift cocoa powder and powdered sugar over. Serve with berries.

Linda, getting out a nice plate and a silver fork in anticipation...
(8/24/01)

Theresa's Lemon Curd

Theresa's Lemon Curd

Of course I'll share. Recipes aren't meant to be hoarded anymore than the food they create. Here you go...

1 lb. sugar
1/4 lb. butter (do NOT use margarine or I'll hit you with something)
5 eggs, very well beaten
Juice of 3 lemons
Grated zest of 2 lemons

Put sugar in saucepan and grate the rind over it. Add juice, very well beaten eggs and butter. Place over low/med heat and stir until like thick cream. DO NOT BOIL and stir constantly.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

The above brought to you courtesy of my sister's MIL (does that make her my MIL once removed?), Betsy Oliphant, whose brother brought it back from England after being stationed there (don't quote me, but I think it was during WWII). Absolutely delicious on hot, buttered toast.

Grins,
Theresa
(8/20/01)

J. Gayle's Scalloped Tomatoes

J. Gayle's Scalloped Tomatoes

Why, soitanly. I didn't measure, just eyed things, and used store-boughten croutons cuz I was in a rush (but I rarely make my own anyway).

2 lg tomatoes
1 med onion
1 tbsp garlic
celery salt to taste
Tiger seasoning
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
1 box croutons (choose your flavor)

Coarsely chop tomatoes; slice or chop onion; toss together in bowl. Season with garlic, celery salt and Tiger Seasoning. Add olive oil and stir to mix flavorings. Add croutons and stir well to coat croutons.

Pour into a 9"x9" baking pan sprayed with Pam or brushed with olive oil. Bake 30 minutes at 400°F.

If you like less done, bake at a lower temp or bake a shorter time at a high temp. I really have no idea how much oil was used - I just poured until I thought the amount of liquid looked right (big help there, eh). There needs to be enough liquid, from the tomatoes along with the oil, to coat all of the croutons.

I think maybe the true southern recipe didn't have olive oil, or maybe even oil at all, but it seemed right at mixing, and tasted wonderful. It surely didn't have Praise Allah/Tiger Seasoning but that seemed a good idea at the time, also.

J. Gayle
(8/20/01)

BBQ Sauce (from Robin)

BBQ Sauce (from Robin)

Years ago I was given a BBQ sauce recipe by my sister. It was "invented" by a friend and is very unorthodox. It is tried and true and, in fact, when we owned and operated a restaurant, this is the
sauce that got rave reviews. Not your run of the mill BBQ sauce.sau

1 cup ketchup
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup double strength coffee. Yes, coffee
1 stick of butter melted
three cloves of garlic minced
1 tbsp sugar

Combine and use. It will keep forever in the fridge and is better after it's aged a bit.

It is wonderful on everything that we tried it on: pork, chicken, ribs (what we used it on in the restaurant) and some fish. Didn't try it on very many different kinds of fish as we aren't big fish eaters.

Robin S, spinner, weaver and shepherd
Border Collie Rescue - CA
(8/20/01)

Beef BBQ Sauce (from Princess Re and J Gayle)

Beef BBQ Sauce

My beef BBQ sauce may assault your sensibilities, but it tastes damned good. I have no measurements so will guess at what I dump in the pot.

2 cups ketchup (Heinz, the good stuff)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup worchestershire sauce
hot sauce, enough to make it interesting for your family

When I'm feeling fancy I saute onions and garlic (gobs) first then add the above.

Heat the batch up and there's your sauce.

Princess Re
Funny Farm
(8/20/01)

~

I use basically the same recipe, but change it a little:

2 tbsp of Wooster Sauce
1/4 to 1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1 tbsp mustard

Low simmer at least 30 minutes.

J. Gayle

Scottish Shortbread Cookies (from Debbi)

Scottish Shortbread Cookies (from Debbi)

This is the recipe I give with my shortbread cookie stamps. It is very good and a batch never makes it past 24 hours. The baking time is vague and so is the oven temp. If you have a small oven, use the lower temp and if you have a larger oven, use the higher temp. Baking times varies with your oven size. Really. (vbg)

1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 cup Butter, softened (DO NOT substitute margarine... nasty)

Mix together dry ingredients. Knead in butter. You may need to add more flour, depending on humidity, etc.

Make dough into balls. Stamp with floured stamp or press with a floured glass.

Bake at 350°F to 375°F degrees until the stamp pattern begins to barely brown or the bottom just barely browns, 8 to 12 minutes maybe.

Debbi (PotWench)
(8/20/01)

H & C Irish Cream Liqueur

H & C Irish Cream Liqueur
Makes approximately one fifth

In our testing for an Irish Cream Liqueur, we used as our standard Bailey's original Irish Cream - so good and so expensive. We found this one of the most difficult liqueurs to reproduce. We tried lots of' homemade recipes, but all missed the mark of our standard: The best. So we threw everything out (except the Bailey's) and started again.

Relax; we finally got it - great, inexpensive, quick and easy. ready in just one week.  Serve within six months. (I was wrong about the cream being in it and a six month shelf life isn't bad. It should last so long at my house.)

2 eggs
1-1/3 cups evaporated milk
1/2 tsp chocolate syrup
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 tsp lemon extract
1/4 tsp instant coffee
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups Irish whiskey

Place all ingredients in blender, blend well. Bottle and let mellow in refrigerator at least one week before serving. We found this best after 1 to weeks. Store in refrigerator.

Note: Due to problems in some parts of the country where eggs have been found containing the bacteria Salmonella, we would suggest basic precautions when preparing food or drink containing uncooked eggs. Refrigerate liqueur. Avoid serving to high risk persons - children, elderly and pregnant.

from Classic Liqueurs by Cheryl Long and Heather Kibbey

Susan H
(8/16/01)

Rumblings (a dessert)

Rumblings (a dessert)

Our quick tart that I whip out late at night when we have a sweet tooth:

Butter pastry crust with 1 tbsp of sugar mixed in

1/2 cup sour cream (live culture) plus 1 tbsp of sugar and a few drops of vanilla or scrapings of vanilla bean

half a package of frozen raspberries plus 1 tbsp of sugar

Dump berries in a saucepan, add sugar and simmer on the stovetop.

Mix, roll out, prick or weight and bake crust while remembering to stir the berries.

Gently combine the sour cream with sugar and vanilla. Spread on baked crust.

Spread reduced berries over sour cream. If your ingredients are still too hot, reverse the order and spread the berry mixture on the tart shell, then swoosh the sour cream on in a spiral or squiggles. Eat
right away as it does NOT keep!

--Sylvia, who adds grated dark chocolate to hers...
(8/15/01)

Michelada

Michelada
Yield: 1 cocktail

1/2 lime, preferably a Key lime
Coarse salt
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 dash soy sauce
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1 pinch black pepper
1 dash Maggi seasoning, optional
12 oz beer, preferably a dark Mexican beer like Negra Modelo.

1. Squeeze the juice from the lime and reserve. Salt the rim of a highball glass by rubbing it with the lime and dipping it in coarse salt. Fill with ice.

2. Add lime juice, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Tabasco, pepper and Maggi, if desired. Pour in beer, stir and serve, adding more beer as you sip.

Article from NYTimes.com
(8/15/01)

Baba Ganoush and Hummous 2

Baba Ganoush

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed, I like it very lemony), garlic, roasted eggplants (put them in a 350°F oven on a cookie sheet, or into your grill, until soft, about 45 minutes), tahini, a bit of salt, black pepper, and a bit of cumin, pinch cayenne, toasted and ground.

I don't measure, just go by taste.

Whiz it around in the food processor, but don't puree it too much.

Hummous

Chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, pinch of cumin and salt, if necessary (I use dried and cooked chickpeas, if using canned, you may have enough salt already).

I also like a pinch cayenne in this.

Carolyn
(8/9/01)

Hummus (2 recipes)

Hummus (2 recipes)

Robin's Hummus
Very good, low fat.

1 big can Chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
2 Garlic cloves (chopped)
4 tbsp. Lemon juice
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 dash Paprika

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Puree or chop, depending on what consistency you want to get. You may need to add water (or more oil) to get it to process all the way through.

David's Hummus
Very good , not nearly low fat

3 cups garbanzo beans
several grinds of fresh black pepper
1 tbsp. (-ish) Sun dried Tomatoes with oil
1-1/2 tsp garlic (crushed)
4 tbsp. Tahini Paste
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Puree or chop, depending on what consistency you want to get. Add olive oil as needed to get the whole thing processed.

Lisa C.
(8/9/01)

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush

I suppose I'm the only one who makes it with eggplant...

2 large eggplants
2-4 cloves garlic, or to taste
salt
1/2 cup tahini (less if the eggplants are small)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
a few black olives or 1 tomato, thinly slice, to garnish

Cook the eggplants over charcoal or under a broiler until the skin blackens and blisters. I then put them in a colander facing down to allow them to drain the bitter juice...about 30 minutes. Peel or scoop out the guts.

Crush the garlic cloves with salt. Mash the eggplants with a fork or potato masher, add the garlic and a little more salt....pound to a smooth, creamy puree. I actually use the food processor. Add the tahini and lemon juice alternately blending using the pulse feature. Add the olive oil. Mix. Garnish with parsley, black olives and tomatoes.

This is (sigh) wonderful!

The Purple Puddled Princess
(8/9/01)

Hummus from Bev's Daughter

I was chatting with my DD last night on ICQ and asked her about her drop dead killer to-die-for hummus she makes.  I asked what she puts in it.  She said:

Hummus from Bev's Daughter

Beans, olive oil, lots of lemon juice, salt, pepper, greek seasoning (to taste), and all purpose herbs. Those are the ingredients, I have no idea how much of each. I just do it by looks and taste.

The Greek season is the Cavender's in the yellow "can" that we can't live without here (don't bother with the low salt one, it sucks).  The all purpose herbs are the Schillings? blend by that name.  I don't cook much with salt.. use only kosher salt for table and for cooking.. I can taste the iodine in the other now,  blechhhh... but use lots and lots of herbs and herb blends.

Fortunately, DD is coming on Sunday and I'll watch her make a batch.  I'll probably try my hand at it in the meantime.  Oddly enough, the best pita bread around is the Food Lion store brand onion pita.  Otherwise I have to wait until I get to the Big City to buy it.

B
(8/9/01)

Baba Ganoush and Hummus

Baba Ganoush

Broil a couple eggplants until they're really black. When they're cool, puree the pulp in a food processor with about a couple tbsp. of tahina (sesame paste), a couple peeled garlic cloves (or less), some lemon juice, and salt.

Hummus

Do the same with a couple cups of cooked chickpeas but up the tahina to about a 1/4 of a cup and enough chickpea liquid to make a paste.

Avital
(8/8/01)

Haggis, Tatties and Neeps

Haggis, Tatties and Neeps
Yield: 6 servings
Recipes for Clootie Dumpling and Scotch Broth at the very bottom. Recipes for traditional Haggis and a "calmer" version included below.

2 lb haggis (recipes at the bottom)
2 lb potatoes, peeled & cut into eighths
1-1/2 lb yellow turnips (rutabagas), peeled & cut into 1/2" cubes
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup milk, warmed
fresh lavender, rosemary, & sage for garnish (opt)
scotch whiskey

In a 6 quart sauce pot, bring 3 quarts water to boiling. Pierce casing of the haggis once with a fork. Carefully place the haggis into the pot of boiling water and boil 45 to 60 minutes or until haggis feels firm and is cooked through.

One-half hour before haggis had finished cooking, prepare Tatties (mashed potatoes) and Neeps (turnips). In a 3 quart saucepan, combine potatoes and water to cover. Heat to boiling over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender- about 20 minutes.

In a 2 quart saucepan, combine turnips, 1/2 tsp salt, and water to cover. Heat to boiling over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until turnips are tender- about 25 to 30 minutes.

When potatoes are tender, drain well and return to saucepan. With electric mixer, beat potatoes on low speed until all pieces are broken up. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp butter, and half of the milk. Beat until mixture is smooth. Add remaining milk and beat at high speed until smooth and fluffy. Keep warm until ready to serve. If desired, place some of potatoes in large pastry bag with large star tip.
When turnips are tender, drain well and return to saucepan. Add remaining 2 tbsp butter and keep warm until ready to serve.

To Serve: place haggis on serving platter. Spoon, or, if desired, pipe several mounds of mashed potatoes around haggis leaving space between mounds. Spoon some of turnips between potato mounds. Garnish with lavender, rosemary, and sage, if desired. Pass remaining potatoes and turnips. Give each guest a glass of Scotch to pour over the haggis or to enjoy with it. If haggis has collagen casing, guests may want to remove it from slices before eating.

Homemade Haggis
Yield: 6 servings

1 lb boneless lamb shoulder or breast, cut into pieces, or use ground lamb
1/2 lb lamb liver, cut into pieces
1/2 cup water
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 lg egg
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper, black
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ginger, ground
1/8 tsp cloves, ground
1/8 tsp nutmeg, ground
1 cup oats, rolled, old fashioned

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8-1/2" by 4-1/2" loaf pan.

In food processor with chopping blade, process together half of the lamb, the liver, water, onion, egg, salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. Add the remaining half of the lamb and the oats, process until well combined.

Spoon lamb mixture into the greased pan, pat surface to level. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until center feels firm when gently pressed. Cool 5 minutes in pan, unmold onto platter, slice and serve.

Notes: This skinless haggis is planned for American tastes, yet contains many of the ingredients found in the real thing. You can unmold the loaf and serve it in place of the purchased haggis recipes.

The Dreaded Haggis

1 sheep's stomach
1 sheep heart
1 sheep liver
1/2 lb suet, fresh (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
3/4 cup oatmeal
3 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup stock

Wash stomach well, rub with salt and rinse. Remove membranes and excess fat. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Turn stomach inside out for stuffing.

Cover heart and liver with cold water, Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Chop heart and coarsely grate liver. Toast oatmeal in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Loosely pack mixture into stomach, about two-thirds full. Remember, oatmeal expands in cooking.

Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Put into boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell, this keeps the bag from bursting. Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Serve with a spoon. Ceremoniously served with "neeps and nips", mashed turnips, nips of whiskey and mashed potatoes.

Clootie Dumpling

6 oz flour
3 oz suet, shredded
3 oz currants
1 oz sultanas
2 oz caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup sour milk

Mix flour with suet, fruit, sugar, cinnamon and soda. Stir in enough milk to make a soft batter. Dip a pudding cloth (cheesecloth) into boiling water, sink it in a basin large enough to hold the batter. Dredge it lightly with flour and spoon in the batter. Draw the fullness of the cloth together evenly, then tie it tightly with string, but leave enough room for the dumpling to swell. Place a saucer or plate in the bottom of a large saucepan. Lift the dumpling into the pan. Pour in enough boiling water to cover. Simmer for a full 2 hours, then untie. Turn out carefully onto a hot serving dish. Dredge with castor sugar. Serve with hot custard sauce. Yields 4 to 6 servings.

For the hot custard sauce, we usually use Byrd's Custard. If you have the availability of British goods in your area, they should have Byrd's custard. It comes in a large tin, like a container of powdered chocolate for chocolate milk. Just follow the directions to make a custard, only dilute it a little more to make it sauce-like.

Traditional Scotch Broth

1 lb neck of mutton
2 qt water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp pearl barley
2 tbsp yellow split peas
2 tbsp dried green peas
2 carrots
2 leeks
3 tbsp rutabaga, diced
1 med. onion
1/2 sm. cabbage
1 tsp parsley, finely chopped
salt
pepper

Put the meat, water, salt and washed pearl barley into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil very slowly and skim. Dice the vegetables and wash and shred the cabbage and add to the pan. Bring the soup back to a boil again and simmer very gently until the meat is cooked and the peas are tender - about two hours. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

http://www.recipecottage.com/ethnic/burns-supper02.html
Bright Blessings
Spiral Crone
(8/7/01)

Dark Chocolate Souffle Cake

Dark Chocolate Souffle Cake
Yields 12 servings

I got this one out of Cooking Light magazine a few years ago... Another of the "little goes a long way" recipes. Also another of the "very yummy" variety.

Cooking Spray
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp instant espresso or 2 tbsp instant coffee
2/3 cup Dutch process or unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. Kahlua
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
6 large egg whites (room temp)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 cup raspberries (opt.)
chocolate curls (opt.)

  1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
  2. Coat bottom of a 9 springform pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  3. Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar. 1/2 cup brown sugar, water, and espresso in a large saucepan; stir well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add cocoa, salt, and chocolates, stirring with a whisk until chocolate melts. Stir in Kahlua and egg yolks. Stir in flour; cool to room temperature. Set aside.
  4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold one-fourth of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; repeat with remaining egg white mixture, one-fourth at a time. Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake at 300° F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.

Cool completely on wire rack. Remove sides from pan, sift powdered sugar over cake. Garnish with raspberries and chocolate curls, if desired.

(as usual, the powdered sugar is best added right before serving, so it doesn't melt and get gooey with the moisture)

Ashley
(8/2/01)

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