What's cooking / VT cookbook merge

[peterms]

Good point...

It's just that I have used bread makers in the past and found them pretty decent.

Can't replace a home made curry though ;-)

Yes, they're ok. That's it though; just ok. You'll do better yourself. Takes a couple of goes, of course, like making anything.

[Morkery]

I can see Rob appearing on Dragon's den with a curry machine

[Gingerlad]

I can see Rob appearing on Dragon's den with a curry machine

Or crimewatch.

One or the other really.

[Shillzz]

Can't replace a home made curry though

Amen to that.

I spent some time last tuesday knocking up batches of various curry pastes, having procured all of the required ingredients from my local market. I find this is a really cost effective way of cooking any of the South East Asian style currys as I was able to buy large amounts of chillis, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, ginger, coriander etc all at very reasonable prices. These can all then be frozen and taken out on the morning of the day which you want to use them. This means that you can make your home style south asian currys in about half an hour, as opposed to 2 hours (plus cuts down on washing up).

Anyway - Curry pastes that I was able to make

Mussuam (Malaysian)

Amok something or another (Cambodian effort that goes well with white fish)

Green Thai

Red Thai

Yellow Thai

Rendang

All of the above pretty much use the staples of Shallots, Garlic, Shrimp Paste, Lemongrass, Chillis & Ginger with other additional spices/ingredients to define their flavour, like Peanuts, Star Anise, Turmeric, Cumin, Coconut etc

Anyway, Worth a bash if anyone has the time and effort required (aswell as a mini food processor).

[leviramsey]

I can see Rob appearing on Dragon's den with a curry machine

Or crimewatch.

One or the other really.

Why not try for the trifecta of Dragon's Den, Crimewatch, and Big Brother?

[leviramsey]

Thanksgiving cake (I suppose you lot could make this Christmas cake, which has alliteration as another point in its favor)

Whether this Thanksgiving centerpiece incites horror, amazement, or confusion when it’s served, it’s certain to evoke some kind of outburst. Warning: This dish is not recommended for people who require an inch of space between food groups.

Game plan: The mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes can be made ahead. Rewarm them just prior to assembling the cake, so they are easy to spread.

If your attention lapses and the marshmallows happen to burn or catch fire while broiling (this actually happened to us), relax and just blow out the flames. Peel away the burnt marshmallows, leaving the sweet potato layer intact, and start over with a fresh topping of marshmallows.

For the turkey layers:

Unsalted butter, for coating the pans

2 pounds ground turkey breast

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated on the small holes of a box grater

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh sage leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

For the sweet potato layer:

1 pound sweet potatoes

1/4 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

Pinch ground mace or nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

About 5 cups or 1 recipe Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, warm

1/2 cup cranberry sauce, such as our Cranberry and Citrus Sauce, chilled, excess liquid drained

2 1/2 cups Sausage Stuffing, warm

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Gravy, for serving (optional)

For the turkey layers:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat 2 (8-inch) cake pans with butter; set aside.

2. Place all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix, using clean hands, until combined (don’t squeeze or overwork). Divide the mixture evenly between the pans, spreading it to the edges and smoothing out the top. Bake until cooked through and the cakes begin to pull away from the edges of the pans, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven (but leave the oven on), and let cool for about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, blot away any excess fat from the cake layers’ surface; set aside. (While the turkey cakes are cooking, make the sweet potatoes.)

For the sweet potato layer:

1. Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan with a tightfitting lid. Add enough water to reach just below the basket; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer.

2. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Once the water is simmering, place the cubes in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until the potatoes just give when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the steamer basket with the potatoes to a plate; set aside.

3. Discard the water in the saucepan. Place the milk and butter in the saucepan and heat over low heat until the butter has melted. Turn off the heat, add the reserved sweet potatoes and the brown sugar, salt, and mace or nutmeg, and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired; keep warm.

To assemble:

1. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven.

2. Run a knife around the edge of the turkey cakes. Unmold one of the turkey layers and place it bottom-side up on an overturned 8-inch cake pan or in an ovenproof serving dish. With a long knife or offset spatula, evenly spread 1 1/4 cups of the mashed potatoes over the top of the cake, leaving a 1/2 -inch border (keep the remaining potatoes warm).

3. Using the back of a clean spoon, spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the mashed potatoes.

4. Using your hands, gently pack the stuffing in an even layer over the cranberry sauce, using one hand to keep any stuffing from falling off the side. Press gently on the stuffing to make sure it adheres to the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.

5. Evenly spread another 1 1/4 cups of the mashed potatoes over the stuffing (keep the remaining potatoes warm).

6. Unmold the second turkey layer and place it bottom-side up on top of the mashed potatoes.

7. Transfer the cake pan or serving dish with the partially assembled cake to a baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 30 to 40 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 165°F).

8. Remove from the oven and set aside. Heat the oven to broil.

9. With a long knife or offset spatula, evenly coat the outside (but not top) of the entire cake with the remaining mashed potatoes (you may have a little left over).

10. With a clean long knife or offset spatula, evenly spread all of the sweet potatoes on top of the cake. Arrange the marshmallows across the top and gently press them into the sweet potatoes.

11. Return the baking sheet with the assembled cake to the oven and broil until the marshmallows are golden, about 1 to 2 minutes (watch closely so the marshmallows don’t burn). Using two flat spatulas, carefully transfer the cake to a serving dish. Serve immediately with gravy, if desired.

It's basically a shepherd's pie with turkey and cranberry sauce with a sweet potato/marshmallow topping, but dayumn.

[BOF]

Polly shouldn't be.

[BOF]

Tonight's curry

Parsee Mumbai Red Chicken Curry

The lousy picture doesn't do it justice really. It smells absolutely heavenly

12 red chillies

1 whole coconut grated

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

3 cloves

6 peppercorns

1 inch cinnamon

3 cardamoms

1.5cm x 1cm ginger chopped

4 large garlic cloves chopped

2 medium onions roughly chopped

65ml peanut oil

800g chicken breast in pieces

2 tomatoes finely chopped

1 tablespoon apple vinegar

Put the coconut in 600ml water for 20 mins and squeeze out for milk.

Grind all the spices except the garam masala. Then put the powder into a processor with the garlic, ginger, chillies & onions. Add a bit of water to make a paste.

Heat the oil and lob the paste in for 5 mins.

Throw the chicken in for 5 mins.

Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 5 mins

Add the coconut milk + 100ml water (total 700ml liquid) and cook until chicken is ready.

Now add the vinegar and garam masala.

At this point the sauce was too runny so I added the grated coconut back into it to thicken it.

This is by far the most fragrant of the curries I've made so far and I can't wait to dig in. And those 12 chillies mean it certainly has a kick to it

Cooks in no time really. The pain is in preparing the coconut from scratch.

[Meath_Villan]

that looks like something I made in the toilet last sunday morning

[BOF]

The recipe says Kashmiri chillies to give it a red colour. But it says you can't really get them outside western India. The ones I used didn't really give it a colour but they still gave it the flavour.

[Mr_Dogg]

It's basically a shepherd's pie with turkey and cranberry sauce with a sweet potato/marshmallow topping, but dayumn.

I just puked.

Here's a picture of it:

[BOF]

:cry:

[peterms]

:cry:

It sounded fine Brian. The photo has a lot of light reflecting off the surface of the food, which probably doesn't make it look right.

[Gingerlad]

:cry:

It sounded fine Brian. The photo has a lot of light reflecting off the surface of the food, which probably make it look like pavement pizza.

[leviramsey]

A comparison between fast food advertising and the real thing

[b6bloke]

well with being snowed in i got cooking

Guinness an Chocolate cake

Malteaser Cake

Peanut Butter Cheesecake

[rjw63]

Will you marry me? ;-)

[b6bloke]

Will you marry me? ;-)

Your not short or ginger

[rjw63]

Damn! :-)

[Gingerlad]

What do you consider 'short'?