Risotto con la Verza e il Parmigiano (Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Parmesan)

 Mom asked me to randomly select recipes to make for mother's day, so I used a random number generator to choose 6 recipes (one for each of her kids). I liked three, which seems like a fairly high batting average. This is from Marcella Hazan's "Marcella's Italian Kitchen."

3 T chopped onion

1/2 c pancetta cut into very thin strips

1 T oil

4 T butter

1 lb cabbage, shredded very fine

salt

2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 5 c water of 1 c canned beef broth diluted with 4 c water

1 1/2 c arborio rice

1/2 c parmesan

black pepper (didn't use this time)

Put onion, pancetta, oil, and 3 T butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Turn eat to medium high. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is light gold. Add shredded cabbage, a little salt, and turn with a wooden spoon a few times. Cover pot, and turn down the heat to medium. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the cabbage has become colored "a rich nut brown." (I foolishly didn't use the Savoy cabbage called for-- I think I used Napa-- and even after a really long time, I wouldn't call it a rich nut brown, but a sort of pale dead grass brown.) 

Bring the broth to a low simmer. Add the rice to the pot containing the cabbage, uncover, and raise heat to medium high. Stir the rice quickly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon, then add a ladleful of broth. Stir constantly, wiping away the rice from the bottom and side of the pot, until the broth has evaporated/absorbed. Add another ladleful, continue thus. When done, rice should be tender and toothsome and there should be enough broth that it is slightly runny. If you run out of broth before the rice is done, continue with water.

Add grated cheese and the remaining T of butter. Stir well and season. Serve immediately.

Retrenchment oatmeal cake.

 Adapted from cookingclassy.com

Cake

1 1/4 c boiling water

1 c (97 g) old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 c (113 g) butter, softened

1/2 c (105 g) packed light brown sugar

1/2 c (100 g) sugar

1 large egg

1 t vanilla

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 1/3 c (188 g) AP flour

Topping

1/4 c butter, melted

3 T milk

1/2 t vanilla

1/2 c (105 g) packed light brown sugar

1 c (85 g) sweetened shredded coconut

1/3 c chopped pecans

Oven to 350. Spray a 8x8 or 9x9 or 7x11 pan. Cover oats with boiling water and let cool. Whip butters and sugars until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and spices; then add soggy oatmeal. Mix dries, then mix dries into wets. Bake 30 min. Meanwhile, mix topping ingredients. When you take the cake out, pour the topping mix evenly over. Return to center rack and broil for a minute or so. (Watch it!) Cool for a bit.

Retrenchment pudding

Around the time I was being retrenched*, Mom made a retrenchment-themed dinner.** As one of two desserts***, she combined two Russian Cream recipes****.

Lisa C Kunz: (Pam's Julie Monson in parentheses)*****

3/4 c sugar (1 c)

1 envelope gelatin (1 T)

1/2 c water (hot)

1 c whipping cream (3 c)

1 1/2 c sour cream (2 c)

1 t vanilla (1/2 t)

In saucepan, mix sugar and gelatin. Add water, mix well. Let stand 5 min. Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, pour in cream. In med bowl, blend sour cream and vanilla. Then gradually beat in sugar mixture with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into individual molds or dessert bowls, 1/4 to 1/2 c per serving. Should make 12-16 servings. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Top with Danish dessert.

(Soften gelatin in hot water. Heat, but don't boil, cream and sugar. Add gelatin. Remove from heat and let cool till mixture stops steaming. Mix sour cream with vanilla, add to cream mix. Mix well and fridge in molds till set. 15 small servings.)

*Total replacement of sewer line.

**Inspired by a quote from Brigham Young to the Relief Society.

***Yes, BY included multiple desserts in his suggested retrenchment spread.

****I think BY's quote said blancmange, which is the same as Russian cream.

****These two recipes are from old newspaper clippings and you may wonder why I have included two recipes without putting them together and the answer is that I don't know how and I'm too embarrassed to admit it.

RebEatWorld (west coast style) Chow Mein

 I just made an enormous amount of enormously delicious chow mein. (Which, in the west coast style, is a stir-fried noodle with a sauce cooked down to cling, not crispy noodles.)

Mix in a small bowl:

2 T soy sauce

1.5 T oyster sauce (heaped 1 T)

1 T mirin

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 t ginger, grated

1 T sesame oil

Squort each: sriracha, maggi, fish sauce

White pepper, MSG, ushroom powder

Set water to boil for two 6 oz packages of chow mein (such as Sun Luck brand). When time comes to cook, cook on the short end of the recommended time (3 min for Sun Luck) and drain thoroughly.

While the water is coming to a boil, stir fry in oil:

1 onion, in thin wedges

then add 2-3 stalks celery, cut on diagonal

then add 1 bag coleslaw mix (cabbage & carrots) or equivalent (I added an additonal ~1/5 of a cabbage and ~1 c matchstick carrots, since they were on hand)

Cook this down with soy sauce and/or Maggi and season until it is nicely seasoned, but not QUITE as salty as you'd want it, but otherwise the textures you hope for in your finished product. Remove to a bowl.

Add oil to the skillet and stir fry noodles, adding the sauce after a bit and mixing it all around. Add to the veg in the bowl and mix it all up.

Decadent solo pancakes for Shrove Tuesday

These are true to the charter of Shrove Tuesday celebration: rich but finite.

Mix dries:

    40g AP flour

    1 1/2 t malted milk powder

    1 1/2 t baking powder

    1/8 t salt

Mix wets:

    1/4 c milk (I use 2% fat)

    1 large egg yolk

    1 T buttery flavored oil (as sold for popcorn)

    1/2 t vanilla

Mix wets into dries. The batter may seem runny, but whisk & wait and it will thicken. Heat griddle over medium heat and grease with a stick of butter. Cook pancakes!

Pan de Muerto

 This excellent recipe comes from Pati Jinich, host of Pati's Mexican Table on PBS. The recipe was published on King Arthur Flour's website: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/pan-de-muerto-day-of-the-dead-bread-recipe

Starter

    1/2 c (113g) whole milk, lukewarm

    1 T instant yeast

    1 t sugar

    1/2 c (60g) AP flour

Dough

    2 T orange blossom water (or rose water or water)

    2 t grated orange zest

    1 1/2 t anise seeds

    3 1/2 c (420 g) AP flour

    1 t salt

    1/2 c (99g) sugar

    4 large eggs

    16T (226g) butter, cut into 1/2" cubes, at room temperature

Topping

    6T (85g) butter, melted

    1/3 c (66g) sugar, for dusting

1. To make the starter: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the lukewarm milk, yeast, sugar, and flour. Stir with a whisk or fork, cover, and set aside until the mixture begins to bubble, about 20 to 25 minutes.

2. To make the dough: Add the remaining ingredients (except the butter) to the starter. Using the flat beater attachment, beat at low speed until everything is combined.

3. Scrape the bowl and beater and switch to the dough hook. Knead at medium speed for 10 to 12 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the dough pulls away from the sides and makes a slapping sound.

4. On low speed, add 3 tablespoons of the butter at a time, incorporating each addition before adding the next. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

5. 1. Once all the butter has been incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough slaps against the bowl. It will be smooth, yet still a bit sticky; resist the urge to add more flour.

   2. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and allow it to rise until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

   3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface and gently fold it over on itself. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

   4. To shape the bread: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let it rest in a warm spot for about 30 to 45 minutes to come to room temperature.

   5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.

   6. Portion off one-quarter of the dough (about 280g). Divide that quarter into two pieces (140g each). Set them aside.

   7. Divide the remaining three-quarters of the dough into two pieces (about 425g each). Shape each piece into a ball, then press down gently to make flatter rounds about 6” in diameter. Place the rounds on the prepared baking sheet.

   8. Divide each of the smaller pieces of dough into thirds (about 46g each), to make a total of six pieces. Shape two of the pieces into balls and roll the other four into ropes about 6” to 7” long. Pinch the ropes at intervals to make them look like bones.

   9. Place two of the “bones” over one of the large dough rounds, crossing them in the middle. Place one of the small dough balls in the center and press down firmly to anchor it as securely as possible.

   10. Shape the rest of the dough the same way you shaped the first loaf, making a second loaf.

   11. Cover the loaves and allow them to rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

   12. While the loaves are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

   13. To bake the bread: Bake the loaves for 20 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Open the oven and loosely cover both loaves with foil. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the loaves are fully baked and dark golden brown on the bottom and top, and their internal temperature is 190°F.

   14. Remove the loaves from the oven and let them cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 20 minutes.

   15. To top the bread: Brush the loaves with melted butter. Repeat a second time, brushing a section of the loaf with the melted butter and immediately covering that section with a generous amount of sugar, so the sugar sticks before the butter cools and dries.

   16. Continue buttering and sugaring the loaves section by section. Transfer them to a rack to cool completely before slicing.

   17. Storage information: Store the loaves, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days.

Udon for one that is as quick as ramen and only uses pantry things

Put on a pot of water to boil. 

Mix in a small bowl, not fussing too much over weights and measures:

1 T soy sauce

shy T oyster sauce

1/2 T mirin

1 t brown sugar or maple syrup

1/2 t rice wine vinegar

squort of sriracha

A minute or so before the water boils, set a skillet over med-high heat; heat with a small glug of oil + a smaller glug sesame oil.

When the water boils, put in 1 frozen brick of udon for just 1 min.

Transfer soba and sauce to the hot oil in the skillet and stir-fry it all up to a tight, clingy sauce.

Serve with a  generous dose of furikake.