Sunday, June 28, 2009

Jade Soup




Jade Soup

2 bunches of scallions with 3 inches of green left on
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 10 oz. packages of frozen green peas, thawed
6 Cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 C. fresh mint leaves
1 Tablespoon chopped chives as a garnish


1. Coarsely slice scallions and combine with onion, peas and brother in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature.

2. Puree the pea mixture in small batches in a blender until smooth, adding mint to the last batch. Pass soup through a strainer to remove the pea skins.

3. Serve warm or chilled. Garnish with chopped chives.

This recipe is really good cold on a hot summer day with a fresh tomato salad. For Donna's Moly.

INTERESTING PROPOSITION!

Ok, so there is an event in San Diego called University Heights Arts Open.  this year it is coinciding with the even Taste of University Heights and they are asking for art to display with a food theme.  I read the article and immediately thought of our molys!! I would have to turn in a representative image by july 2nd, and if they chose it, the moly(s) would be on display sep. 4-20th but after the preview party on the 4th, i could take it home if i chose. this is sort of a random idea, but i was thinking it would be really interesting and a rather cool experience. I dont really know the best way of doing it....i could just turn in the one that i would have in september, or maybe if others want to send me more and we could do multiple (i of course would send it back after the event is over)....
just an idea, if you think it would mess up the rotation and times feel free to shoot it down, i wouldnt be hurt. i just thought it was too cool to not let my other foodies know about!!
-Morissa

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Calamari

My entry for Sachiko's moly is Calamari.

Ingredients

  • 2 cup calamari sliced into rings (use tubes and tentacles)
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • Oil, for frying
  • 2 tablespoons whole butter
  • 3/4 cup sliced mild banana peppers
  • 3/4 cup large diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions

Directions

Clean and soak calamari in buttermilk for 2 hours before cooking. Drain well in a large mixing bowl. Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge calamari with flour until each ring separates easily from others. Put in sifter and shake off excess flour. Heat oil and fry calamari until golden brown. DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Start with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, add peppers and tomatoes. Deglaze with lemon juice. Add remaining butter and scallions. Toss. Add calamari and toss. Serve

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

posting time?

Hi folks, how are we doing? Jen and Danny do you think you will be ready to post soon? I think we have nearly all got a book ready......

Monday, June 15, 2009


Im sorry this is so late!! this is for donnas book yum yum yum!!!
1/2 brown sugar
1/4 white sugar

2/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease two large light metal baking sheets.

Mix together sugars, oil, milk and tapioca flour in a mixing bowl. Use a strong fork and mix really well, for about 2 minutes, until it resembles smooth caramel. There is a chemical reaction when sugar and oil collide, so it’s important that you don’t get lazy about that step. Mix in the vanilla.

Add 1 cup of the flour, the baking soda and salt. Mix until well incorporated. Mix in the rest of the flour. Fold in the chocolate chips. The dough will be a little stuff so use your hands to really work them in.

For 3 inch cookies, roll the dough into about ping pong ball size balls. Flatten them out in your hands to about 2 1/2 inches. They will spread just a bit. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes - no more than 9 - until they are just a little browned around the edges. I usually get 16 out of these so I do two rounds of eight cookies. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

For 2 dozen two inch cookies roll dough into walnut sized balls and flatten to about 1 1/2 inches and bake for only six minutes.


Monday, June 8, 2009

My entry for Morissa's book - Chopsuey



When life gets too hectic, it doesn't hurt to get some take out once in a while. I decided to do another pop-up and had fun with this chinese take out box.

I hope you like it.

Chopsuey

chop and stir fry 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 onion, 1/2 stalk celery in canola oil
add 1/2 cup cauliflower and 1/2 cup brocolli florettes
add water, a little cornstarch, and soy sauce to taste and bring to boil
add sliced carrots, sliced button mushrooms, green and red bell pepper and 2/3 cup shredded cabbage then simmer for 2 minutes.

serve hot with rice.




Monday, June 1, 2009

Lamb on a spit








αρνί στη σούβλα - Roasted Lamb on a spit
Ingredients:
* 1 whole lamb, dressed
* aromatic wood (olive, oak, apple, cherry), or hardwood charcoal
* olive oil * lemon juice
* sea sal * pepper
* crushed Greek oregano (rigani) * crushed garlic (optional)
Preparation:
Tip: According to local experts, the best size lamb for spit roasting is generally around 22-25 pounds (10-11 kilos). Cooking time is 3-5 hours.)
Start the fire about 2 hours before cooking.
The spit should be at least 20 inches longer than the lamb (10 inches or more to extend out each side).
Sprinkle the inside of the lamb liberally with salt and pepper and rub in. Lay the lamb on a flat surface and pass the spit between the hind legs, through the stomach cavity and out through the mouth. The lamb's spine should be straight along the line of the spit. Tie the front and hind legs to the spit. Tie the middle of the lamb to the spit or clamp along the spine. (For a larger lamb, tie in two places: behind the front legs and at the top of the hind leg. Sew the stomach cavity closed with butcher's twine or aluminum wire (use a pliers). The lamb should be tied securely and not slip when turned.
With hands rub the entire lamb with lemon juice and oregano.
Place the spit over the fire and spread the coals so they are under the shoulder and thigh (thickest parts). A drip pan can be set under the middle of the animal to catch the juices.
Keep olive oil at hand with a paint brush.
At the beginning, the lamb needs to be turned quickly in order not to burn. Once the fire settles and the lamb is golden all around and starting to crisp, turning can slow, to approximately 1/4 turn every 15 minutes. Replenish wood or charcoal as needed. Brush occasionally with the oil.
Cooking time will depend on the size of the lamb. The skin on the legs and chest of the lamb will crisp and crack open. The color should be a deep brown.
Testing for doneness: With a meat thermometer, internal temperature at the thickest part should be 155°F for medium. If you don't have a meat thermometer, stick a knife or skewer into the thigh (thickest part). The juice should run clear.

michaels moly














Tom Bawcock's Eve
Mousehole has its own unique holiday. It is a particularly "merry place" to be on the evening of December 23. Tom Bawcock's Eve is in memory of a famous episode in the village's past. It seems that long ago bad weather forced fishing boats to stay in harbour, and the villagers were faced with starvation. In a short lull in the storm one brave man, by the name of Tom Bawcock, managed to catch enough fish to keep the villagers alive until the storm abated. The fish was baked into a large pie, called Stargazy Pie.


 Stargazy pie,
4 pilchards, herring or mackerel
juice and rind of 1 lemon
2 sliced hard-boiled eggs
6 oz. flaky pastry 
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 chopped Spanish onion
4 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 rasher bacon 
freshly ground sea salt and pepper
1/4 pint white wine

Clean and gut the fish but leave the heads on. Soak the breadcrumbs in milk to make them swell. Add the lemon peel, half the onion and lemon juice, and the parsley. Stuff each fish with this mixture, fold and place in a pie dish, with the heads hanging over the edge. Cover with the chopped eggs and bacon, the seasoning and the rest of the onion and lemon juice, then pour over the quarter pint of white wine. Roll the pastry out to size and cover, leaving the fish heads outside. Bake at 220 degreesC/425 degrees F/Gas Mark 7 for 20 minutes, then for a further 10 minutes at 180 degrees C/350 degrees F/Gas Mark 4.

who has books

who has which moly at the moment? 
Michael how many do you have? Have they all arrived safely for their next addition? It will be sad to let the rythmn we have achieved get lost......
I am thinking that the next postal date to aim for is June 27 ......

I have Michaels Moly and it will be the 5th entry ( including his own ), so I had hoped that we would all be on the same page.... but I think I have only had 3 (inc mine) in my book.....so things are not going quite as well as hoped, and communication not as up to date....please lets not post on to people who haven't finished pages and ready to post....Michael had 2 books in his photo, and that shouldn't be happening a quick up date would be good :-)