baby rambutan

i must confess, i made these fish cakes specifically so i could enjoy them with this dip.

it’s very easy and quick to make, especially if you use a food processor to chop up the seafood. otherwise if you’re handy with a knife or mezzaluna, you’ll just end up with a chunkier mix.
my kids don’t like wild lime leaves (from “kaffir” limes) so i just used, sparingly now, but maybe more and more as time goes by to get their tastebuds acculturated, Maesri red curry paste (a mix of garlic, shallots, lemongrass, lime leaves, dried red chili peppers, cumin, coriander, cardamom bay leaves, and sugar and salt).

just mix up ground fish (haddock, scrod, cod or other firm, white-fleshed fish), ground shrimp, 1 beaten egg, chopped scallions, a few drops of fish sauce, freshly ground black pepper, and a teaspoon or so of red curry paste. you can add bread crumbs (i used panko) or not (or a dusting of all-purpose flour instead), and you can add finely sliced dark long beans or green beans for a bit of color and texture (not to mention vegetable goodness!).

heat vegetable oil to a depth of about an inch then gently drop in spoonfuls of fish and shrimp mixture coated with bread crumbs or flour and fry for about 2 minutes per side (depending on the thickness and size).

enjoy with a cucumber and red onion mix steeped in a vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper dip–with a bit of red chili if you like!
i dissolved 1/2 cup of sugar in 1 cup of white vinegar (or rice vinegar) in a small saucepan, brought up the mixture to a gentle simmer while stirring, then added salt and pepper to taste, before pouring into finely diced cucumber and red onions.
delicious! and gone in a flash…

it might have something to do with my latest obsession, watching old episodes of The Vicar of Dibley. i just always snubbed this show, being that it dealt with a Vicar. how funny can it be, i thought, dealing with the Church and the bible.
but i saw the Christmas special finale, the one where Geraldine finally found her someone, and it was so irreverently hilariously outrageously funny that i thought i’d track down all the old episodes (it was put down after 10 years on air, circa 1994.)

it might also have something to do with my Anglophilia, according to husband.
whatevah!
he brought home a rib roast for our dinner tonight. i had almost two hours to roast it so i had a moment of Domestic Goddessness and dug out her “Feast” cookbook to make these lovely little gems.
Yorkshire puddings, the traditional accompaniment to the Christmas roast beast, always look so enticing with their puffed up gloriousness that i’ve always been wanting to try.

now, i’ve had quite a bit of a struggle with her recipes, and this one is no exception: i thought it lacking in instruction but since i’d seen an episode with another self-proclaimed Diva (Tita Martha) with A Real Diva, Anne Willan, i was able to make some passable enough for my family to enjoy.
i think it’s got a lot to do with the pan used (i used a jumbo-muffin pan, but it’s said that a twelve-cup one will work, just as well as an 8-inch round cake pan), and will be on the lookout for a popover pan, the kind where the cups are deeper and divided by thin wires. or maybe the oven temperature wasn’t quite hot enough… my kids said it tasted like rich thick crepes. which they like.

substitute melted butter if you haven’t had the time to get drippings from the rib roast.

4 eggs
1 & 1/3 cups 2% milk (i used half 1 % milk and half heavy cream, because that’s all i had)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 & 2/3 cups flour

preheat oven to 425ºF.
whisk together eggs, milk and salt until combined then let stand at least 15 minutes. whisk in flour then let stand until ready to bake.

pour about a tablespoon or so of roast beef drippings or melted butter into each muffin/popover pan cup. heat in the oven before pouring in the batter.

bake for 15 - 20 minutes until puffed up and browned.


it was certainly a welcome and delicious change from just mashed potatoes and gravy. the puddings when smothered in peas and gravy went very well with the juicy rib roast.

and no, there was no special occasion, unless you count making it to Friday, a special occasion.

something sweet and something spicy to welcome to the new year.
every new year’s eve it seems now i’ve served fondue to the kids whether they like it or not. i don’t know why i love it so, maybe it’s the crackling little flame under the fondue pot? the interactivity and suspense of keeping your dipper in your fondue fork? but i got another electric one so we can have both cheese and chocolate fondue…i think the three had had enough rich food over Christmas dinners that they sort of groaned when i announced the fondue plans. i said, don’t worry, children, it will be a little bit different.

i chose a cheddar cheese mix with red bell peppers and jalapeno, for dipping with bread & ham cubes, tortilla chips,
fresh and cooked vegetables.

i also made spiced beef so that the #1son could opt for tacos–he who seemed reluctant to partake of melted cheese.
as midnight approached i melted the chocolate and chopped up bananas, rinsed the strawberries and cubed the brown butter pound cake.

ahhh! i suddenly remembered my ma’s “bruun cake(?)” that she used to prepare whenever she got a hold of this special canned butter, from Denmark maybe? the method of melting the butter until the milk solids turn dark brown, then freezing to congeal, then mixing with eggs and sugar, and flour, made the butter flavor so deep and profound and caramelly, just perfect with the dripping semisweet/bittersweet chocolates, and for eating for breakfast, this New Year’s Day.

i hope you had a loud and raucous Eve! did you remember to jump at the stroke of midnight?!

is a cheat’s recipe. sorry.

i think Mama Sita’s barbecue marinade is a great base for chicken wing barbecue marinade. i always have some on hand, and with my ever growing impatience for spring to really arrive, i mean REALLY, not just keep teasing us with warm weather one day, and then five days of bone chilling cold and rainy-day-gray weather, and then another warm day…you get the picture?
we threw away our cheap little grill after last summer, and are now anticipating the imminent purchase of our new name-brand (albeit still cheap) charcoal grill. until then i got the itch to grill something in my oven.
Mama Sita plus, husband calls it:
barbecue marinade, plus crushed garlic, a splash of pineapple juice, lashings of freshly ground black pepper and a shake of sea salt.
marinate the chicken wings for at least an hour, and then bake on high heat (450F) tightly covered with foil for 30 minutes, occasionally basting with the marinade. then uncover and broil, vigilantly watching over them like a hawk, until well browned.
finger bowls optional.

it sure feels like it’s been a long long week. with temperatures stuck in the negative numbers (way way way below freezing) it hurts to go outside–man it even hurts to do laundry in the basement!
thank GOODNESS it’s Friday then. i’ve started assembling the ingredients for a winter dish that i’ve been craving since… last summer! a hint: i’m attempting to make my own duck confit as a first step. i hope all goes well and i can serve it this weekend.

meanwhile here’s a different take on deep fried chicken wings which my children, all three, devoured really quickly. like within minutes.

“Crispy Italian Fliers” from the “Wings” collection of Debra Moose.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely ground white cornmeal (i used the mini food processor)
1 & 1/2 tbsps. grated Parmesan (i used more, because we like Parmesan)
2 tsps. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 wings, cut in half at joints, wing tips removed
vegetable oil
warm marinara sauce

in a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, Parmesan, oregano, basil,thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. coat the wings in the mixture and shake off any excess.
pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat to 350F. fry the wings for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until golden brown. you may need to turn frequently near the end for even browning.
drain the wings on a rack set over a platter.
serve the wings with warm marinara sauce for dipping, if desired.
(i drizzled some Frank’s Red Hot sauce into my dip.)

got a party tonight? it’s not too late to make something to go with your bubbly, if you’re not under the gun from a snowstorm that is, and can still go out and score the ingredients. my minivan is starting to disappear in the snowdrifts…

chicken wings are America’s favorite party nibble and here’s a new take on it, fresh and fiery and fruity, my first try from “Wings” by Debbie Moose, from Wiley Publishing. (this is from the “fire it up” chapter). i really loved the combination of hot peppers and pineapple juice and peach preserves, it’s quite surprisingly, seriously, searingly delicious!

yup, it got a bit too charred under the broiler! i think i’ll do this over a charcoal grill…yeah right after the snowstorm

this is a nice little collection of party dips also from Wiley’s, ranging from hot dips to cold dips and everything in between; great for cocktails and appetizers.

wings with fiery fruit glaze
2 cups pineapple juice
2 tbsps. plus 2 tsps. white wine vinegar
2 tbsps. sugar
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. garlic
1 tbsp. hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco, Frank’s Red Hot)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 wings, cut in half at joints, wing tips removed and discarded
1 12-oz. jar peach jam (used Bonne Maman peach preserves–i just mashed up the big pieces of fruit)
1 habanero, finely chopped, or more, to taste (i chickened out and used a milder serrano chile)

in a bowl combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, garlic, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. stir to dissolve the sugar.
place the wings in a resealable plastic bag. pour in the pineapple mixture and shake to cover the wings. refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as overnight.
place the jam and the habanero in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. heat, stirring, until the jam is melted. keep warm over low heat while cooking the wings.
prepare a gas or charcoal grill for direct cooking. remove the wings from the marinade and discard the marinade.
grill the wings for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently or until done.
while still warm, place the wings in a large bowl and pour the warm glaze over them. toss to coat all the wings with the glaze.

p.s. my comments section has disappeared, i am so sorry my dear friends, i’m trying to fix it :scratch head: see you next year! that’s tomorrow! i’m very hopeful that 2009 has GOT to be better than 2008…happy new year to everyone!

this is currently at the top of my reading pile, a gorgeous and handy hardcover “Great Party Fondues” by Peggy Fallon (photographed by Alexandra Grablewski). it’s a nifty new item for my cookbook collection full of updated fondue recipes that take off on the traditional ones.
i’m particularly keen on the jalapeno jack fiesta fondue, with its Southwestern flavor flair, recommended for dipping chicken chunks and tortilla chips and sausage, with a zesty margarita at close sipping distance; plus many more like dulce de leche fondue and American hot pot fondue with spicy barbecue broth.
tantalized enough? check it out at wiley.com.
available now!

sometimes the right equipment makes all the difference. that’s why i’ve been searching so long for this…special mortar and pestle from Bali, as spotted at the rambling gypsy’s,
because of my love for this.
but barring an expedition to Java and beyond, there’s no chance in !!!! of finding a set.

i was using a mini food processor but not quite achieving that smooth paste consistency, and my little mortar couldn’t accommodate more than a half cup or so of ingredients at a time.
then i found this big white mouthed and highly-walled mortar and pestle by Kuchenhopf.

so it’s playtime!
there’s a lot of pounding and grinding going on lately at the baby rambutan nest. for tonight’s appetizer, i made Vietnamese pork skewers, marinated in a rich dark mixture of fish sauce, dark soy, sugar, shallots, garlic and lemongrass, grilled under the broiler and served with the best instant dip i’ve ever had the pleasure of discovering: bumbu sate mix from Indonesia. just slice the block thinly and pour boiling hot water and you get the whiff of peanuts, groundnuts, coconut milk and spices. the flavors together are just so right…
Vietnamese pork skewers with Indonesian bumbu sate

this time i ordered two dozen flowers from the organic farm in Long Island, Boston…they work to support the homeless by providing jobs, fresh organic food for the Long Island Shelter, and by their profits to benefit the population in Boston.

Serving Ourselves Farm, PO Box 220648, Boston, MA 02122 for donations or volunteer opportunities…sponsor a seedling, sponsor by the foot, adopt a beehive! “your gift makes a huge difference in the lives of many at the shelter and shows your care for a valuable program…”

i can’t imagine how hard their lives could be. i only know that winters in Boston are terribly harsh so i wish to publicize this farm’s work in this time of ever dire need.

i called them up to ask for the zucchini flowers and i showed up just a bit past opening time of my town’s Friday farm market and there they were. the farmer guy said many people walked by and wanted to take them but he waited for me! thanks farmer guy.

this time i stuffed them with this concoction, blended well:
(measurements are approximate, by all means add more, less, substitute or omit the ingredients as you wish!)

3/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 tbsps. ground almonds
1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

the flowers were very delicate this time…i wonder if it has something to do with the lateness of the growing season? so some flowers i just dipped in the batter without the cheese stuffing.

the batter (based on ms. glaze’s “fleur de courgette beignet“ :

1 &1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 packet active dry yeast
1 can lager beer
(more water, as needed)

whisk the flour and yeast together then slowly pour the beer in, in a steady stream.
keep whisking until you reach a thick pancake-like consistency, and add more water if necessary.
let stand while you process the flowers.

thoroughly yet carefully rinse the zucchini flowers. remove the stamens (i used the male flowers which have been universally voted as more flavorful than the mommies) by carefully pinching off–try not to tear the petals.

drain and dry over towels.

stuff with ricotta cheese filling above. dip into the batter and deep-fry in enough vegetable oil to allow the blossoms to float a bit, in a deep fat fryer or a deep sauce pan 375F for about 4 minutes total. fry just until light golden brown. let excess oil drain in paper towel lined platter. sprinkle with sea salt (Maldon, from my jetsetter friend chef shalimar ) and serve immediately. i recommend a garlic or basil flavored sauce!

click links above for more details…

i want you to buy this cookbook.
because 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this book will go to children’s charities.
so i will make you want to buy it! when i opened up the cookbook this was the first thing i wanted to make: delectable white pizza with bacon. hold the tomatoes! these slices are loaded with wilted spinach (sauteed with garlic), bacon (i used prosciutto and chicken sausage), mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, and ricotta cheeses. my kids loved it! (though i had to make a second pizza of pepperoni and leftover spaghetti sauce laden with mozzarella. one member of the family has to have pepperoni .)
i made the pizza dough in the bread machine which was a time saver….just used the manual setting, and shaped the pizza by hand.

with “dollops” of ricotta, and shreds of fresh basil.

although i’ve only ever been to a CPK once, i must boast that i went to one actually in California, many years ago, with my brother, when we only had two kids each.

they’re famous for revolutionizing esoteric pizzas (bbq chicken! thai!) , and they also sell them in the freezer section of the supermarket.

the cookbook starts you out with three kinds of pizza dough, then ideas for toppings like jamaican jerk chicken, japanese eggplant, and Thanksgiving sweet potato pizza. it also features more than just pizzas (appetizers, salads, dessert pizzas) and tips on how to have a children’s make your own pizza party.
that’s just right up my alley!