clinging to the wreckage: Pot Luck Night!

Monday 1 October 2007

Pot Luck Night!

Its the weekly pot luck supper tonight, here in Mario's marina. Its a little cooler on the river so I have fired up the oven and was going to take these Cheese Straws along as my contribution, BUT I can't find the walnuts, maybe I've run out!Bugger I'll make Caramelized onion and fruit pilaf instead. Thought you might like this recipe anyway!

Recipe for Cheese Straws.

Makes: 24 cheese straws
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

225g/8oz Plain flour
Pinch Salt
25g/1oz Walnuts (bashed in a bag with a rolling pin to grind)
25g/1oz Sunflower seeds.
75g/3oz Butter, chilled
75g/3oz Cheddar, grated
2 Medium egg yolks
2 tbsp Cold water

Method

Sieve the flour and salt into a medium size bow and stir in sunflower seeds and roughly ground walnuts.
Coarsely grate the butter into the flour along with the cheese. Add egg yolks and water and combine together using a fork and then by hand.
Transfer mix onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour and knead until smooth.
Roll out in an approximate rectangle to the thickness of a £1 coin.
Cut into even pencil length strips and carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment using a palette knife or spatula.
Bake at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 until golden brown in colour and crisp. Cool on baking sheet for 2 – 3 minutes to harden before transferring to a cooling tray.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

The news from Chile continues to come in, our friends are currently hove to in 35k of wind, having a rest and waiting for the weather to pass, they should be through it in the next 24 hours. Moral is high on board and they are eating the Cornish pasties that have just come out of the oven! Way to go guys!

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Cuban-style shrimps with rum

100ml rum
few drops tabasco sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
2tsps worcester sauce
2.5tbso plain flour
pinch of ground cumin
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
24 large shrimp,peeled and deveined
10z butter
80ml olive oil
4 large cloves garlic,crushed
1tbsp chopped parsley
1tbsp chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves

Mix rum,tabasco,lime juice and zest and worcester sauce in a small bowl.
Mix flour with cumin,nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.Dip the shrimp in the mix before cooking.
Melt half butter with half oil in large saute pan, when hot add half garlic and half shrimp. Cook until prawns are pale pink and lightly golden. Lift on serving plate, keep warm. repeat with remaining butter,oil, garlic and shrimp.
Pour rum mix into pan and allow to bubble for a minute or two, stirring.
Mix with parsley and ciltrano.
pour over shrimp and serve with rice as a main dish or alone as a starter.

Delicious!

Caramalised Onion,Fruit and Nut Pilau

2tbsp Ghee
2 large onions, sliced
2tbsp Ghee, extra
1tsp hot chilli powder
1tsp ground black pepper
1/4tsp saffron threads
4 cardamon pods, crushed
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1tsp salt
2 cups basmati rice, washed and drained
4 cups water
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled

Heat ghee in large pan. Cook the onions until caramelized. Remove from pan.

Add extra ghee and spices to same pan, cook stirring, until fragrant. Stir in salt, rice and onions.

Add water, bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cover until rice is tender and all water has been absorbed.Stir in fruit, cover and stand 5 mins.

Just before serving stir in nuts.

Carrol Shelby's Chili Recipe.

1/4	lb suet or 1/4 cup cooking oil
1	lb beef round steak, coarse chili grind
1	lb beef chuck, coarse chili grind
8	ounces can tomato sauce
12	ounces beer
2	tablespoons crushed red chili peppers
2	medium garlic cloves, minced
1	small onion, finely chopped
1 1/4	teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2	teaspoon paprika
1 1/2	teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4	teaspoons salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4	lb monterey jack cheese, grated

Melt suet or heat the oil in a heavy 3-quart (or larger) pot over medium-high heat.
Remove the unrendered suet and crumble meat into the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally. until meat is evenly browned.
Add tomato sauce, beer, crushed red chile, garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, 1 teaspoons of the cumin, and salt. Stir to blend and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding cayenne pepper.
Simmer uncovered 1 hour longer.
Stir in the cheese and the remaining 1/2 teaspoons cumin.
Simmer 1/2 hour longer, stirring often to keep cheese from burning.
I serve the chili with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese to garnish, and warm cornbread on the side.
The cookbook actually called for 1/4 cup of crushed red chile pepper, but unless you have a taste for fire, use less! I use half that amount, and I really like hot food.