Let's Talk Cooking Newsletter

Let's Talk Cooking Newsletter

For January, 2002

The holiday season is over, the decorations put away, the company gone and we can breathe easier for a while. However, there is an event coming up February 3 that a lot of people call a party day. Super Bowl Sunday is a special day to so many and it often calls for goodies - appetizers, food and beverages on which to nibble. This newsletter will address this event and provide some appetizers and sandwiches. We kind of figure you will probably have the beverages covered. However, I will include a alcohol free punch for those that don’t drink beer (the beverage of choice for these events), wine or hard liquor.

But first we will cover the usual format. For the new subscribers, I am Shirley, my husband is Dwight and Dick is my husband’s uncle who is an excellent cook and loves doing it. He provides lots of hints and recipes which I like to include in the newsletter since he is such an important part of it. I do the cooking, recipe testing, shopping and the newsletter. In addition I write most of the copy you see on the web page and in the front of our cookbooks. Dwight is the one that set up the web page, takes what I write and inserts it on the web site, does the marketing, takes the pictures and makes everything work. He is my guru and without him there wouldn’t be a web site or cookbooks. We all do a tremendous amount of research and in most cases will not release a recipe to the cookbook until it has been successfully tested.

Kitchen Hints by Dick

Peanut Oil: Oil extracted from peanuts is prized for its flavor and high temperature cooking properties. It is often the preferred choice of oil for stir-frying. The popular method of deep frying turkeys usually specifies the use of peanut oil. American peanut oils tend to be somewhat neutral, while the Chinese varieties have a more pronounced flavor. Peanut oil is usually higher in price than other vegetable oils.

Cotto Sausages: Cotto means "cooked" (usually by smoking) in Italian. It is often much softer than the Italian hard sausages (like pepperoni) and frequently contains whole peppercorns. Cotto sausages are especially good in sandwiches and platters. It can be bought sliced and ready to use.

Beef and Chorizo Chili: This hearty bean delight is great for a filling winter dish. The full flavor of chorizo sausage adds a special touch to the recipe. Serves 6.

¾ pound ground chuck
½ pound Chorizo sausage
1 medium onion, diced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 cups black beans, cooked
1 cup tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 ½ cups tomato juice
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef and chorizo in a heavy pot. Drain off any
excess fat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until just
soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Rock Shrimp: Many seafood stores offer a product called rock shrimp (or
sometimes labeled Langostino). Rock shrimp are related to the more familiar varieties of commercially available shrimp. Their smaller size (and reasonable price) makes them a good ingredient to use when preparing soups, gumbos, stews, or salads. Look for them in the frozen fish section. As with all shellfish, overcooking can produce a chewy and
tough end result.

Texas Caviar: Enjoy this bean and salsa-like dish with your favorite corn chips. The recipe makes about 4 cups.

3 cups black-eyed peas, canned, drained
3 large tomatoes, diced
3 green onions, sliced
1 can diced green chilies, mild
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
hot pepper sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Allow to set for 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Refrigerate unused portion.

Poor Boys: Americans' penchant for consuming meals stuffed into loaves of bread is well documented. The grinder of New England is a cousin to the hoagie of Philadelphia and both are kissin' kin to the ubiquitous submarine. But in the sandwich equivalent of the Social Register, none ranks higher than the poor boy (or po' boy) of New Orleans and the pride of that family is the oyster poor boy. Watch a local eat one in a restaurant! There's no gobbling, no gush of sauce or cascade of stuffing from the sandwich, no talking with the mouth full. Instead, the pace of eating is measured, the chewing thoughtful, the sigh after the final bite appreciative and satisfied. And why not? New Orleans, the “Big Easy,'' is among the most sensual of cities. It also has a bread fixation. Natives often start their day with pain perdu and end it with bread pudding. A sandwich at midday, made with the city's distinctive French bread, bespeaks of continuity. For its part, the mysterious oyster, with its five-star aphrodisiac rating, is among the most sensual of foods. Properly fried, it provides sweet-salty and crisp-creamy contrasts that are downright libidinous. Certainly residents are remarkably faithful to their favorite poor boy purveyors, jealously defending the attributes of one restaurant's version and joyfully denigrating its rivals. Their detailed recommendations and advice will soon convince a visitor that this is the most pro-active eating town in the universe. In addition, the quirky variations in sandwiches at such time-honored poor boy emporiums as Casamento's, Domilise's, Franky & Johnny's, Uglesich's and Mother's encourage debate. These places tend to be small and scruffy with limited menus. But the poor boy cognoscenti demand more than ambience. For instance, a visitor in search of a superior sandwich would be advised to estimate the distance between his table and the kitchen or counter where the poor boys are prepared. If it is more than 10 paces, or if there is a heat lamp on the counter to keep cooked oysters warm, a local would cancel his order. This is because the first rule of oyster enjoyment is to minimize the time between cooking and consuming the delicate bivalve (which is why you should never purchase an oyster poor boy to carry out and eat later).

The poor boy sandwich was born in 1929, according to local folk historian Buddy Stall. “The catalyst,'' he explains, “was a long and bitter strike by local transit workers. Two brothers named Martin took pity on those ‘poor boys,’ the out-of-work streetcar drivers and conductors. They began offering sandwiches made from leftovers to any workers who came to their restaurant's back door at the end of the day. For five cents, a striker could buy a sandwich filled with gravy and ‘debris' (trimmings and end pieces from beef roasts) or gravy and sliced potatoes.'' Soon the sandwich, which quickly became known as the poor boy, was being filled with seafood, most notably fried oysters and fried shrimp. Its popularity has continued to the present moment. In those now distant days, shellfish was abundant and cheap. The affluent joined the crowd because, at lunch or snack time, a poor boy filled with oysters was quicker to consume and easier to digest than one filled with roast beef. Also, no nutritional stigma was attached to deep frying and, Stall points out, “the edict against eating meat on Fridays and during Lent was taken seriously'' in a strongly Roman Catholic city. Finally, the sandwich was -- and is -- widely available. Not only do the ingredients and condiments employed in building a poor boy make a magical combination of taste and texture, the sandwich is so easy to assemble that storefront sandwich shops with no culinary pretension could offer the oyster poor boy as a specialty. Why has it -- and the entire “I don't know,'' says Patti Domilise of the family that has operated Domilise's Po-boys for more than half a century. “There's no secret. Everything's fresh and we cook from scratch. That's all.'' This sandwich is purely American in its variety of sauces and condiments. It is uniquely New Orleans because the oysters are local, as is the remarkably crisp and airy bread, as distinctive as the sourdough of San Francisco. Consider these other ingredients:

Fat: Corn, peanut and canola oil have become prevalent, but Casamento's still uses pure lard.

Sauce: Do you prefer red or white? Red is, far too often, merely ketchup, doctored and thinned with lemon juice, horseradish and perhaps a few drops of hot pepper sauce. White sauce has a base of mayonnaise that may be unadorned or may contain chopped pickle or mustard. Barbecue sauce has its advocates, but is far too assertive for a true oyster lover. Usually, the amount of sauce on a sandwich is modest - just a light coating on the bread.

Lettuce: Iceberg is the overwhelming choice here. It provides crunch and acts as a pillow or blanket for the oysters.
Tomato: This seems to be the most dubious garnish of all. Out of season, the flavorless, thin-cut slices add only pale color; in season, they may make the sandwich soggy and watery.

Pickles: Usually three or four sliced dill pickle chips or rounds are the last addition; more slices may be served on the side.
Lemon wedges and hot pepper sauce: Optional and very acceptable additions if applied with restraint.

Oyster poor boys -- so accessible, still relatively inexpensive and somewhat messy to make -- are more frequently ordered in restaurants than prepared at home. It's done, though, both for the family and for parties. The recipes that follow include two preparations of fried oysters and two different sauces. Whichever version you choose, here's how to put together a poor boy:

Purchase or make 1 small loaf of French bread (about 8 inches long) per person. Cut each loaf in half horizontally and pull out some of the bread in the interior. Paint the inside of the loaf with one of the sauces and top one side with eight freshly fried oysters. Place shredded lettuce, two or three thin slices of tomato and two or three slices of pickle on the oysters. Cover with the other side of the loaf and attack immediately.

CORN-FLOUR FRIED OYSTERS FOR POOR BOYS

3 cups vegetable oil or lard

½ cup masa harina, (see note)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

32 plump oysters, freshly shucked, well drained

Heat oil in medium saucepan until hot, but not smoking, about 350 degrees. Mix masa harina, salt and pepper in shallow bowl. Roll oysters in seasoned mixture; shake off excess. Place oysters in hot oil in batches. Cook until light golden brown and oysters rise to surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove oysters with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Place oysters on prepared bread for poor boys. Repeat process until desired number of sandwiches has been made. Makes enough oysters for 4 sandwiches

Note: Masa harina is flour made from dried masa (ground corn). It is found in the baking or Hispanic food sections of most supermarkets.

BATTER-FRIED OYSTERS FOR POOR BOYS

3 cups vegetable oil or lard
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup milk
½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
1cup cracker crumbs
32 plump oysters, freshly shucked, well drained

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until hot, but not smoking - about350 degrees. Combine egg, milk and hot pepper sauce in shallow bowl. Add additional hot sauce to taste. Pour crumbs into separate bowl. Dip oysters in milk mixture, roll in crumbs; shake off excess. Place oysters in oil in batches. Cook until golden brown and oysters rise to surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove oysters with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Place oysters on prepared bread for poor boys. Repeat process until desired number of sandwiches has been made. Serve at once. The recipe makes enough oysters for 4 sandwiches.

RAVIGOTE SAUCE

¼ cup Creole or Dijon mustard
¼ cup finely chopped drained capers
2 tbsp. each: finely chopped parsley, mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. each: dry mustard, prepared cream-style horseradish
¼ tsp. salt or to taste freshly ground pepper
1 hard-cooked egg, coarsely chopped

Stir together mustard, capers, parsley, mayonnaise, lemon juice,
Worcestershire, dry mustard and horseradish in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in chopped egg. Makes 1 cup.

RED SAUCE FOR POOR BOYS

1 small onion, grated
1 cup good-quality chili sauce
2 tbsp. each: finely chopped parsley, prepared horseradish
2 tsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. celery seeds
freshly ground pepper, hot pepper sauce

Combine onion, chili sauce, parsley, horseradish, lemon juice, celery seeds and pepper to taste in small bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add hot pepper sauce to taste. Makes 1 cup.

Shirley's Helpful Hints

Expiration Dates: It is important to check the date of expiration on yeast and gelatins before adding it to a recipe. Yeast is a living ingredient and won't perform correctly if it is past its prime. It is especially important for the casual baker to check the date to avoid wasting a lot of time and ingredients. If you’ve ever made a molded salad where it just plain wouldn’t set up, it was probably because you used old gelatin. I also find that when adding other ingredients to gelatins that I use a half cup to a quarter of a cup less liquid as many fruits and vegetables retain a lot of juice or water and it gets added to the recipe.

Herbs, Spices, Oils, Vinegars and Pastas: Avoid keeping ingredients like herbs, oils, pastas and vinegar's on that back shelf of your range. The extreme heat can seriously alter the flavor of these delicate items. Never keep glass containers of any kind in that area. Shattered glass can cause you to throw away delicious (and expensive) preparations. Oils should be kept in a dark dry place. Vinegars keep best when refrigerated.

Even though dried herbs and spices are widely available, their care shouldn't be taken for granted. Keeping them in airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark place is the best way to ensure their freshness. A rack is handy for easy access, but you should install it on the inside of a cupboard or pantry door, not in direct sunlight or near a heat source. (Once exposed to air, light, and heat, the fragrant oils that provide aroma and flavor begin to deteriorate.) It's a good idea to replace ground spices and herbs (which tend to sit on store shelves indefinitely) about once a year and whole spices and herbs about every two years. It pays to read labels carefully; many dried seasonings have been irradiated to extend their shelf life. And buy small amounts of the very best you can afford: Premium dried seasonings will retain their distinctive qualities for a longer period of time, and bargain brands are no bargain. (It's also worth noting that dried parsley and chives are virtually worthless — unless you crave green flecks in your food.) If you're hesitating over that dusty collection of stuffing herbs in your pantry, first examine them visually; then crumble them in your hand. Discolored or faded leaves or a musty, hay-like smell are good indications that they are past their prime and should be tossed out. Check out our web site and look up various herbs and spices. When you find one you want to purchase, click on it and it will take you to our spice affiliate where you can purchase various sizes of almost any herb or spice you desire.

Butter: Buy butter when it is on sale and freeze it. I like to wrap it or enclose it in a zip-lock bag to make certain freezer smells do not invade the butter which is very susceptible to absorbing odors. Incidentally, if your recipe calls for butter at room temperature, place it in a microwave safe bowl and zap it for 15 to 20 seconds (no longer, please). It works just beautifully. Frozen butter doesn’t work that way. It just melts.

Some Recipes for Your Super Bowl Sunday Party

The recipes were available to those people who signed up for the monthly newsletter. These recipes are for sale and available in the various electronic cookbooks we have on the web page. Click here to preview and order.

Italian Submarine Sandwich

Submarine Sandwich

Antipasto

Poached Salmon in Court Bouillon

Hot Wings

Chili Con Queso

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

Coconut Prawns with Pineapple-Apricot Salsa

Sweet & Sour Sausage Balls

Shrimp and Cream Cheese Spread

Chinese Barbequed Pork

Mild Salsa

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Hot Spiced Fruit Punch

Recipe of the Month

This section of the newsletter is to try to familiarize you with some of the more unusual fruits, vegetables or spices seen in the grocery store or market. This month’s product is fennel. I will address fresh fennel from the produce section of the supermarket and the dried fennel seeds.

Fennel is a bulb with a green top that has soft fluffy fronds. In most cases I discard the green fronds, but sometimes a recipe calls for them to be chopped up and added to it as it does in the case of the enclosed salad recipe. The bulb is white with a pale greenish cast to it. It reminds me of celery the way it grows. When you cut into the white part a pungent anise or licorice smell is very obvious, but don’t let this throw you off. It has a very mild anise taste and it isn’t at all offensive. Now the seeds are one of the spices that is usually used in whole form. These seeds provide a sweet, anise flavor to many foods (especially sausages). Try adding a pinch of fennel seed to your favorite Italian-style tomato sauce for pasta or pizza. Use it sparingly, as it can overpower a recipe.

Fennel Salad

2 whole fennel bulbs -- with stalks

½ large cucumber -- English

6 whole radishes -- sliced

2 tablespoons chopped chives

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon fennel stalks -- minced, soft part only

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Remove the green stalks and wash the fennel bulb carefully, removing any discoloration at the bottom or any stalks that have discoloration. Slice very thinly through the entire bulb.

2. Cut a quarter off an English cucumber and save the larger part for another use. Do not peel. Thinly slice.

3. Clean and thinly slice radishes. Finely slice chives.

4. Place remaining ingredients into a cruet or jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake well.

5. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and allow to stand for an hour, refrigerated.

Hangover Helpers (from Bon Appetit, December, 2001)

You know the symptoms; a pounding head, eyeballs that feel like Brillo pads, a fear of noise and lights. But what about the cures? While the favorite fixes here are the cheeseburger-and-fries combo or tomato juice, in many Latin countries sufferers slurp down menudo, a spicy soup made with tripe (the lining of beef stomach). If that seems as torturous as your hangover, try the Indian standby, mulligatawny soup, which is seasoned with curry. In France, many opt for onion soup. Or follow the Chinese custom and drink the liquid remaining after two banana peels have been boiled in water. If all else fails, rub the juice of a lemon into your arm pit, as Puerto Rican folklore suggests. Then again, if you’re desperate enough to try that, maybe you should go for the ultimate hangover cure: abstinence.

In Closing: These recipes come from our newest cookbook, Beverages and Appetizers which should be out shortly and available for purchase. As always, your comments would be welcome. From our kitchen to yours, good luck and good cooking.

Shirley Willard

Cooking With Shirley

To unsubscribe send a blank email to Unsubscribe@cookingwithshirley.com