General Chat

nudge

I will be back later to explain why I chose my guests,
Weather so bad here that we cannot drive safely as the roads are like fast flowing streams. Fortunately because we are up the hill the water cascades down the streets and gullies so we are not up to our knees in water!! this is meant sincerely as we have seen the devastation that occurs when the weather is this bad for too long...

Of course this would be when I do not have some of the basics left such as onions which I wanted for the Liver and bacon meal. Also running out of potatoes, used the last leek last night when i was making the beef casserole because of lack of onions!!

For the meal I would do

First Course
Twice Baked Individual Souffles

Main Course
Beef Stroganoff with wild rice

Dessert
Chocolate Mousse Pots

Ingredients tomorrow

My guests would be:

Agatha Christie to ask her why she "disappeared" for a while and how she got inspiration for her books
David Attenborough because he would be such a wonderful conversationist
Dawn French because you need someone to be a comedian
George Clooney because he is just so handsome and that voice well !
Queen Elizabeth 1st to ask her how difficult it was to be Queen
Fred Astaire so I could have a dance with him
Delia Smith because she is a no nonsence cook and she might help with the washing up

I haven't had time to think of a menu as I have been making a choc birthday cake for a friend but will get back

I have managed to send the menu so I guess I need to send the process and then I can explain why I have chosen each course.Will do this later today



6 russet baking potatoes (6 to 8 ounces each
)4 tablespoons melted butter, divided
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
salt, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced for garnish


Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Peel potatoes and place in bowl of cold water to prevent browning.

Cut and discard a thin lengthwise slice from the bottom of each potato so they will sit flat on a cutting board. Place two long handled wooden spoons or chopsticks lengthwise on both sides of potato to prevent knife from cutting entirely through the potato. Holding chopsticks or wooden spoons against potato, make crosswise cuts, 1/8 inch apart, down to chopsticks, slices should remain connected at the bottom. Return potato to bowl of water while you prepare the rest of them.

When ready to bake, drain them and pat dry. Place cut side up in a shallow greased baking pan, brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter.

In a food processor puree the Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and 1 tablespoon butter; spread on potatoes pressing to adhere. Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, add parsley and serve.



Desert
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch sugar
1/4 cup butter, frozen, coarsely grated
2 - 3 tablespoons ice water

In processor combine dry ingredients, add butter and pulse until coarse meal forms; slowly add water, do not overwork the dough. Form into a disk, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough. Invert a 4-inch mini pie tin over the rolled out dough and cut six pie crust circles.

Apple Filling
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced
sugar, to taste
ground Cinnamon, to taste
1 tablespoon butter, softened

In a medium bowl combine apples, sugar, cinnamon and butter.

Spoon apple filling into 6 buttered mini tins. Put crusts on top of filling; crimp edges of dough, cut slits in the dough, sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until crust is lightly brown. Can be made 1 day ahead.

To Serve
Vanilla ice cream
Nutmeg, freshly grated

Serve apple pies with a melon ball scoop of ice cream and dust with nutmeg.

Wine recommendation: light dessert wine

First Course
Cucumber Appetizer Cup
cucumbers uniquely cut filled with crab or lobster and lime juice


Second Course
Lamb Loin Chops
seared loin chops coated with Dijon mustard and herbs

Hasselback Potatoes
baking potatoes cut accordian style topped with cheese and breadcrumbs

Spinach Salad
with a fresh orange juice, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar dressing

3rd Course
Mini Apple Pie
4-inch apple pies baked and topped with a small melon ball of ice cream




serves 6

3 teaspoon thyme, finely chopped
3 teaspoon oregano, finely chopped
3 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped
3 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
12 Lamb Loin Chops
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon extra-virgin Olive Oil
Dijon mustard
6 sprigs rosemary for garnish

In a small bowl combine fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary and parsley; set aside.

Score fat side of lamb loin chops to prevent curling; season with salt and pepper. Sear both sides of lamb chops in an ovenproof skillet with 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Can be done ahead and finished just before serving.

Roast lamb loin chops in oven at 375° for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and coat each chop on both sides generously with Dijon mustard and fresh herbs pressing to adhere to the lamb. Roast for 2 minutes more.

Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve with fresh steamed green beans and a Potato Rose Garnish, they can be made in advance.

Wine recommendation: Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot

Recipe created by Peggy Bucholz,
Fine Dining Gourmet Recipes
I have used many of her recipes and they are excellent !

Hope that everyone is well today. I haven't opened the shutters yet except for one quick peek and it is rather grim and the weather forecast is 5 more days of rain!

I have thought quite hard abot who to invite and what meal I would prepare, and in fact still have not made up my mind about the food and drink. So here are those that I would invite this month

I will explain why I have chosen these people when I have decided on the menu!

1. James Laver who in 1935 wrote a wonderful book called Tommy Apple and his Adventures in Banana-Land

2. Dirk Bogarde one of the great film Actors.

3. Margaret Thatcher who was betrayed by her colleagues

4. Florence Nightingale another strong woman who died so young.

Now I have to work out the menu!!

Greenfingers, thanks fror the message and the recipes whicjh I will be trying during the next weekor so. Will try out the curry staws when we next have our curry.I will think about the menu etc for the invite and post on Monday or Tuesday.

Good idea, its actually one of the change of subject ideas that I use at dinner parties, asking who people would invite and why, a good way to ge those who have not said anything (you know the type) to say something. Will think about it and be back Now for some recipes for you Spanish Eyes.

Chees sables

5 oz plain f lour, rub in 3 oz margarine or butter, mix in a pinch of cayenne, and Put in 3 oz grated cheese.. Make into a dugh using water but not too much. Then chill for at least 30 mins, or overnight. Oven at 180oC Roll out the dough about 1/2 cm thick, cut into squares and then cut diagonally across to make triangles , Brush with beaten egg and coook for 10 mins.

Parmesan Shortbread

85g Parmesan grated, 85g plain flour, 70g unsalted butter softened and 2 tsp olive oil. using a wooden spoon mix altogether. Then using your hands make the mixture into a ball roll out to a sausage shape (like you used to do with plasticine) about 23 cm long. Chill for 1 hour then cut into thin slices and bake on a greased tray for about 20 mins Oven a 150oC Cool and eat !

Another version with the cheese straws are curry sticks

Ready rolled puff pastry 4 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp currry powdeer

Oven at 220oC Cut the pastry into 5mm strips wide twist then brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with curry powder and some salt. Put on greased tray and cook for 10-15 mins until golden brown. Cool

and lastly

parmesan Wafers

Makes about 20, oven at 180oC line a baking tray with non stick paper.
Grate 200g Parmesan into a bowl sprinkle over 1 tsp Cayenne mix together . Then placce spoonfuls of the cheese onto the baking sheet, leaving a good space between them Bake for 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Leave on tray for 1 minute and then remove them with a palette knife and leave to harden. Store in an airtight container.

Hope these all help

Just had a thought, please tell me what you think...

I believe it would be fun and interesting if we each set a 3 course meal saying why we have chosen it and the writing the recipes, we could also add who we would invite to dinner and why.

I await your replies, I am out lunch today will be back later but not sure what time as some people we know are having a birthday party where we all have a traditional English Sunday lunch.

Thank you Greenfingers

Will look up some more nibbles for you tonight Spanish Eyes and get back to this thread tommorrow ..

I am, believe it or not sorting out all my paperwork re my family tree and placing everything into surname folders. Whilst doing this I found the following recipe which I thought I would put it on here.

Tiramisu

2tsp Coffee Powder
5fl,oz Hot Water
20-30 sponge fingers
4tbls Coffee Liqueur or Brandy
2 Eggs Separated
25grms Castor Sugar
%00g Mascapone Cheese
150 ml Double Cream

Add Coffee to hot water and allow to cool
Cover base of bowl with single layer of sponge fingers, sprinkle half of the coffee and liqueur over the top
Whisk the egg yolks , sugar, cheese and Cream together
Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold into the cream mixture
Spoon half of the mixture over the fingers and
then cover the mixture with the remaining sponge fingers
Sprinkle the remaining coffee and liqueur over the top.
cover and place in the refrigerator overnight
before serving sift cocoa over the top just before serving

delicious!

No probs Spanish Eyes, we all get confused sometimes

Ann can I claim a senior moment, or a lapse back yo my problems since last year??? Just goes to show that I am still not completely better, Thanks for pointing out my mistake perhaps I should delete it.
Greenfingers sorry if I confused you, you are on the right thread it is me that was confused...

The pork chops were delicious, definitely will be repeated. Had fruit as desert.

Hope you all have a good night.

I thought I had put the recipe on the right site, your question about nibbles is on this page. I have others if you are interested Spanish Eyes, let me know

Regards

Bridget Lol I think you are confusing yourself with the two threads. Greenfingers has put the recipes on this thread which id the Culinary thread.

Ann
I hadn't thought of giving the recipes for a small donation what a great idea. I will try that on the next film night and let you know how I get on.

Greenfingers. I think that I can buy rolled Puff pastry in Carrefour, I will look when we are there next.
About 40 minutes drive away there is a place which I have been told sells English food so I will look there as well when we go out there.
Would you please put these recipes on Culinary delights, then I can keep them all in one place which will encourage others as well.
I am going to try the sliced bread recipe because they sound Delicious, I can use my bits and pieces of food, I hate wasting food.

I am on mainland Spain midway between Barcelona and Valencia called Peniscola., very Spanish, not many Brits.

Spanish eyes..can you get ready rolled puff pastry ? If you canthen two receipes are cheese straws. Cover pastry with a thin layer of nice mustard leaving an edge side to side,then top with grated cheese, fold pastry over an seal edges. Roll lightly and then cut into strips 1" wide is good. twist pastry and cut in half if you want them to be more gentile ! and put on a greased baking tray. Cook at 200C for about ten mins until browning . May need a little longe, have a taste I always do!!!!!!!!!!!. The other alternative is thin sliced bread, take off crusts roll flatter and cover with pate or smoked salmon strips (the cheap stuff) and roll up like a swiss roll. Refrigerate then cut up into little slices, You can use almost anything that you like for the filling.
Hope thats a help, if not get back to me and tell me what you can get where you are, are you on mainland Spain or where ?
Regards