Thursday, March 20, 2014

Super Bowl Party

SUPER BOWL PARTY 2014

I served Macaroni and Cheese with Ham, Coleslaw with Red Bell Pepper, French Potato Salad and Beef on Weck.

Serving about 25 people.


Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

2 lbs.                          Elbow macaroni
1/4 lbs.                       Butter
1/4 lbs.                       All-purpose flour
1 tablespoon              Powdered mustard
8 cups                        Whole milk
16 ounces                  Cheddar cheese, sharp, shredded
16 ounces                  Monterey Jack, sharp, shredded
16 ounces                  Ham, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cut into      
                                  1/4 inch squares



  1. Bring water in a large pasta pot to boil. Cook elbow macaroni for 10 minutes. Drain pasta and set aside in colander.
  2. Heat butter until foaming. Add flour and mustard and whisk well to combine. Gradually whisk in milk, bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly until thickened to consistency of heavy cream.
  3. Turn off heat, whisk in cheeses until cheeses are fully melted, about 5 minutes.  Add to 13" x 3" round dish and add pasta and ham, stirring constantly.



Coleslaw
Coleslaw with Red Bell Pepper

1 cup                        Cider vinegar
1/4 cup                     Olive oil
1/4 cup                     Lime juice
1 teaspoon                Ground black pepper
1                               Medium green cabbage, cored and                                            shredded fine
1                               Medium  purple  cabbage, cored and    shredded fine
3/4 cup                     Sugar
3 teaspoons              Salt
1                               Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1                               Green bell pepper, thinly sliced
10                             Scallion, thinly sliced






  1. Combine vinegar, olive oil, ground black pepper, and lime juice in a bowl. 
  2. Toss green and purple cabbage together. Add sugar and salt into the large bowl. Set for 2 hours.
  3. Transfer cabbages to salad spinner and spin cabbages until excess water is removed. 
  4. Add cabbages, red and green bell peppers and scallion, vinegar mixture and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Toss again before serving.



French Potato Salad
French Potato Salad

8 pounds                           Red potato, unpeeled and cut into                                             1/4-inch thick slices
1/4 cup                             Salt
1/2 cup                             Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons                    Dijon mustard
1-1/2 cups                         Olive oil
                                          Black pepper
4 - 6                                  Shallots, minced
1/3 cup                              Chive leaves, minced fresh
1/3 cup                              Parsley leaves, minced fresh
1/3 cup                              Tarragon leaves, minced fresh








  1. Place potatoes, salt and cold water in large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Lower the heat and bring the water to a simmer, about 40 minutes. Drain potatoes.
  2. Toss shallots, herbs, vinegar, mustard, oil and pepper in bowl until combined. Drizzle dressing evenly over warm potatoes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.



BEEF ON WECK


Beef

12-15 pounds                  beef
                                        Flour
                                        Salt and fresh ground pepper
  2 quarts                         Beef broth


  1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
  2. Place the beef in an open shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with a flour and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 500 degrees for 60 minutes. Turn off the oven. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR AT ANY TIME. Leave the roast in the oven for 2 hours.
  3. After 2 hours, take the roast out of the oven, cut thin slices and place them in a pan.
  4.  Pour the beef broth on top of the beef.


Weck Roll
BEEF ON KIMMELWECK (WECK)

Source: "The Neighborhood Bake Shop" by Jill Van Cleave

Serves 16 rolls.

5 teaspoons                    Active dry yeast
2 cups                            Water, lukewarm
4 tablespoons                 Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons                 Sugars
1 tablespoon                   Salt
2 teaspoons                    Barley malt syrup
4 large                            Egg whites
6 to 6-1/2 cups               Bread flour, high-gluten
2 tablespoons                 Water
                                       Sea salt, for spindling
                                       Caraway, for spindling



  1. Sprinkle the yeast oven 1/2 cup of the lukewarm in a small bowl. Set aside to proof until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
  2. Combine the remaining 1-1/2 cups lukewarm water, oil, sugar, salt, barley malt syrup and 1 egg white in a large mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix flour smooth. Add the yeast solution and slowly stir in an additional 3 cups of the flour.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and elastic but still slightly tacky to the touch. Transfer to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature to rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  4. Punch the dough down, cover the bowl  again, and let the dough rise a second time, for about 30 minutes.
  5. Return the dough to the surface and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth round, then flatten the rounds slightly. Place on a parchment-lined, well spaced to allow spreading. Cover loosely with a towel and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  7. Combine the remaining egg white and 1 tbsp. water in a small dish and blend.
  8. Brush the rolls lightly with the egg white wash. Using the tip of a sharp razor, cut 4 crescent-shaped slits into each roll, radiating out from the center. (see the note) Sprinkle the rolls with the coarse salt and caraway seeds and spritz, with water.
  9. Bake for 5 minutes. Quickly open the oven door, spritz the rolls again with water, and close the oven. Bake the rolls about 15 minutes more, until browned and crisp. Cool the rolls on wire racks.
Note:
I use a knife, Matfer made in France.



Matfer

I USE ONLY LEFT HAND!!!

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Bread and Butter Pickles


Pickles!!! I have a mandoline and cucumbers for cutting.


Cucumbers and Mandoline


BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES 


Serving size is 6 quarts.

6 pounds                                 Cucumbers
3                                             Onions, cut in half, then sliced
3 tablespoons                         Kosher salt
6 tablespoons                          Mustard seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons                       Celery seeds
3 tablespoons                          Coriander powder
1-1/2 teaspoons                       Turmeric powder
5 cups                                      White vinegar
1 cup                                       Sugar

1-1/2 cups                           Kosher salt


  1. Using a 1/16 slide on the mandoline, slice the cucumbers and place them into a colander.
  2. Then place the colander into an empty bowl that will allow for drainage.
  3. Mix the cucumber slices with 3 tablespoons salt. Then place them in the fridge to drain overnight. The next day, drain and get rid of the excess salt.
  4. The next day, you want to toast your mustard seeds, celery seeds, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Set aside.
  5. Using the mandoline, slice the onion and set aside. 
  6.  Mix together the cucumbers, the seed and powder mixture, the sliced onion, the white vinegar, and sugar.
  7. Heat the above mixture in a stockpot on the stove for 15 minutes.
  8.  In a large enamel pot, place the wire rack into the pot and boil water.
  9. Next, pour the mixture into the canning jars and put the lids on. Make sure the wire rack's handles are hooked on the lip of the pot.
  10. Place the canning jars into the enamel pot on the wire rack.
  11. Remove the hooks, so that the jars are now submerged. Let boil for 15 minutes.
  12. Lift the wire rack up and place the hooks on the lip of the pot. One by one, use tongs to place the jars on the counter.

Pot, stainer, tong, funner, lid & jar



I USE  ONLY MY LEFT HAND!!!