L.A. Lewandowski's Blog: The Culture and Cuisine Club, page 9

Spaghetti with Halibut, Garlic, and Butter

It is as tasty as it looks!

I discovered a new food blog called Seasaltwithfood. We had a 1/2 pound piece of frozen halibit so I made this recipe for Chuck. It was easy and tasty and I think any firm flesh white fish would work. The next time I will reduce the red pepper to 1 teaspoon. Also, I did not break up the fish in the pasta. After it was cooked I cut the fillet in half. I tossed the spaghetti with the scrumptious drippings  and tomatoes that were left in the baking dish. I placed some of the pasta in a pasta bowl and placed the piece of fish on the top. Delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

Spaghetti With Halibut, Garlic, And Butter

Ingredients



About 1½ lbs Halibut Fillets, skin off

4 Tbsp Breadcrumbs

3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Flat-Leaves Parsley

Zest of 1 Large Lemon

4 Cloves Garlic, chopped

2 tsp Chili flakes

1 tsp Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

6 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Butter

12 Small Roma Tomatoes

350g to 400g Dried Spaghetti

Lemon Wedges

Flat-Leaf Parsley, finely chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 450˚F.

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, fresh, parsley, lemon zest, garlic, chili flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. 

Line a large baking tray with aluminum foil and grease with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Place the fish fillets on the baking tray and top with the breadcrumb mixtures and scatter tomatoes on the tray. Drizzle the remaining oil all over the fish and top with butter. Bake the fish for about 12 to 13 minutes, or until the fish fillets are fully cooked.

While the fish is in the oven, cook pasta as per manufacturer’s instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, and toss it in the cooked fish, mix well, and season with lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper, and top with some parsley.

Serves 3 to 4

New Year’s Day Lucky Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

This year I decided to embrace the tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s day. How to incorporate them was the problem. After perusing many recipes I found one that allowed me to add them in chili, our typical New Year’s dinner. The result was really delicious!

Here is the original recipe from Stephanie O’Dea’s blog.

… We’ve eaten black eyed peas every single New Year ever since, and I can’t here’s definitely an “earthy” flavor, and while soaking helps, there’s really no denying that these beans taste rather BEAN-Y.

So, I’ve tried my hardest to mask that earthy component by turning these lucky little guys into a chili. And it’s a pretty darn good chili, if I do say so myself.

While I type, I’ve got 2/3 of my kids eating bowlfuls and they are making yummy noises. Adam’s not home yet, but I’m pretty sure he’ll eat not only his bowl but the unattended serving.

Have an absolutely wonderful (and SAFE!) New Year.

The Ingredients.

serves 8

1 pound dry black eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained

1 pound lean ground meat, browned and drained

1 onion, peeled, chopped, and browned

4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped, and browned

28 ounces diced tomatoes (and juice!)

1 (15-ounce) can corn (and juice!)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (and maybe more at the table to taste)

2 cups beef broth

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet on the stovetop (I used the Ninja) brown the meat, onion, and garlic. Drain any accumulated fat, and put the meat mixture into your slow cooker. Add soaked and drained beans.  [note: if you don't have time to presoak the beans, bring them to a boil on the stovetop for 10 minutes, then turn of heat and cover. Let sit for one hour, then drain.]

Add the entire cans of tomato and corn. Stir in dried spices and the beef broth. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until beans are bite tender and flavors have melded. Serve with your favorite chili toppings. We used shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and some avocado slices.

The Verdict.

I really really liked this, and think you will, too. The chili flavor is mild, and there isn’t any heat. If you like heat, I’d suggest tweaking at the table with some Tabasco, because the tang from the Tabasco is awesome with black eyed peas. My kids did well, and liked that I included corn, because it reminded them of Taco Soup.

My freelancing: First I sauteed one cup chopped Vidalia onion, 1/2 of a chopped red bell pepper and 1/2 of a chopped green pepper in about two tablespoons of olive oil. When soft, I added two minced garlic cloves. I sauteed one package sirloin and one package ground pork in this mixture. I crushed 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano into this, then added 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Once the meat was cooked, I added one drained can dark and one drained can light kidney beans, one can of sweet corn with juice, one can of drained black-eyed peas, one cup beef broth and 1/2 cup plus ketchup. I added 1/2 cup of red wine, which I whisked into the ketchup before I added it to the meat. I used a generous amount of chili powder, about two tablespoons, one teaspoon of cumin, a piece of thick sliced bacon and three shakes of red pepper. Bring this mixture to a slow boil, and then reduce and simmer stirring occasionally for about two and one half hour. Serve with grated white cheddar cheese and Pillsbury dinner rolls. Leave the Tabasco and chili powder on the table for those who like their chili spicy.

A Memory That Glows

This is a time of year that is always full of introspection. The decorations will come down in the next few days and be wrapped and stored safely away until next Christmas. It is a lot of work. My decorations are a bit over the top. But as I say every year, it takes five days to put them up and five to take them down.

My mother loved Christmas. She budgeted for months so we could have all the treats that are a part of the feasting season. She particularly loved putting up the Christmas tree. We had inherited ornaments from my great aunt, and the quality and whimsy of these blown glass ornaments impressed me as a child. I buy one crystal ornament each year. I tell my children that when I’m old I will have an iron tree with only crystal ornaments, and they will split the rest of the collection to hang on their  Christmas trees.

I will share a special Christmas memory with you. One year as a teenager I walked into the living room of my parents home to turn off the tree lights. I was a bit startled to see my mother sitting in the dark, looking at the tree, with the radio on. I sat with her for a while, and then said good-night and went on with my evening. I found out that she would sit alone on Christmas until the last Christmas carol played. Some evenings she would recline on the sofa and relax in the glow of the tree.

The other night my son walked in the family room and was surprised to see me sitting alone. “Why are you sitting in the dark?” he asked. “Just looking at the tree,” I answered.

It is, after all, a family tradition.

Chocolate Cheesecake Flan

Crème carmel au chocolate

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pkg.  (4 oz. each) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (6 oz.), divided  
1-1/2 cups  sugar, divided 
1 can  (12 oz.) evaporated milk






1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed, softened






4 eggs






Method
HEAT oven to 350°F.

MELT 4 oz. chocolate as directed on package; cool. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup sugar in saucepan on medium heat until deep golden brown, stirring constantly. Pour into 9-inch round pan.

BLEND milk and cream cheese in blender until smooth. Add eggs, remaining sugar and melted chocolate; blend well. Pour over syrup in pan; place filled pan in larger pan. Add enough water to larger pan to come halfway up side of filled pan.

BAKE 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove flan from water-filled pan; cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

MEANWHILE, melt remaining chocolate. Use teaspoon to drizzle chocolate into 5 or 6 designs on sheet of waxed paper; let stand until firm.

LOOSEN flan from side of pan just before serving; unmold onto plate. Carefully remove chocolate designs from waxed paper; use to garnish flan.

kraft kitchens tips





SIZE-WISE
Dessert can be a part of a balanced diet, but remember to keep tabs on portions.
NOTE
To soften any remaining caramel in pan, dip bottom of pan in hot water; spoon caramel over flan.
HOW TO UNMOLD
Run metal knife around edge of flan. Invert onto plate; shake slightly to loosen. Gently twist to remove p

Peking Duck for Christmas?

Crispy skinned Peking Duck

If you are looking for an easy recipe for Peking Duck here it is. We made this on our Weber grill and it was delicious! We like the Weber Grill and the Weber Grill cookbook because specified time on the grill is always correct. If you follow the recipes you are sure to have a successful dish. We used the recipe below which came from the Cooking Channel, but followed cooking time suggestions from the Weber cookbook. This recipe did not require the duck to be hung without refrigeration, which is the tradional way Peking Duck is cured.

Peking Duck

 Recipe courtesy Ching-He Huang, 2011

INGREDIENTS

DUCK:

One 5 to 6-pound whole duck
Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
6 tablespoons honey


4 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar

 

SAUCE:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
6 tablespoons superfine sugar


2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce


1 package Chinese/Mandarin-style pancakes, to serve
3 scallions, sliced into long thin strips, for garnish


1 cucumber, cored and sliced into long thin strips, for garnish





DIRECTIONS
For the duck: Prick the duck all over with a small knife or fork. Carefully pour hot water over the duck to rinse. Discard the hot water. Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan and dry all over by patting it with paper towels. Sprinkle the duck with salt and pepper and leave it in the roasting pan until ready to cook. 



In a small bowl, mix together the honey, 6 tablespoons water, five-spice, soy sauce and brown sugar. Brush the duck all over, inside and out. Let dry for about 10 minutes and then brush again. Repeat this process until you have used all but 4 to 5 tablespoons of the glaze (reserve this glaze). Ideally, let the glaze marinate on the duck overnight, leaving it uncovered in the fridge. 



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 



Place the duck in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Flip the duck over, baste with the reserved glaze and cook until the skin is crisp and golden brown, another 45 minutes. Make sure you check halfway through that it is not getting too dark. If it is getting too dark before half the cook time is up, turn your heat down and lower the rack in the oven. When the duck is cooked, remove from the oven and let rest while you make your sauce. 



For the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and set aside. Next, heat a pan or wok over medium heat and add the hoisin, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce. When the sauce starts to bubble slightly, add the cornstarch mixture and stir well to thicken. Set aside and let cool. 



Carve and slice some duck. Place a teaspoon of the sauce in the center of each pancake, add a couple slices of duck, garnish with the scallions and cucumbers and serve immediately.

You can treat a friend who loves to grill to the excellent Weber Cookbook here

Authors Eat…

Fantasy author Yvonne Hertzberger

Do you read fantasy? If you do this installment of Authors Eat… is for you.

When I think of the fantasy genre one of the my favorite series of books comes to mind. Harry Potter inspired many authors to try their hand at creating their own unique world. This is a genre where the author can let their imagination run wild, and we the readers are swept away with the detailed descriptions of these flights of fantasy.

This week the Culture and Cuisine Club is thrilled to host fantasy author Yvonne Hertzberger.  Yvonne is the author of the addicting fantasy series, Earth’s Pendulum. Her first Old World Fantasy novel, Back From Chaos: Book One of Earth’s Pendulum, was published in 2009. Yvonne has recently released the third book in the series, The Dreamt Child. Don’t blame me if you need to stay up at night to finish these books.

Yvonne is a sweetheart as well as a talented author, and she has shared two cookie recipes with us –  just in time for the holiday season.

Dutch Shortbread

This recipe was taught to me by my mother who brought it from Holland. It’s Dutch name is Harde Zandtaart. (Literally ‘hard sandtart’) It’s so easy I use it whenever I don’t have time to fuss.

Ingredients:

½ c butter (real butter is the key ingredient)

2/3 c white sugar

1 ½ c flour (I use spelt flour but all purpose works well)

 

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar

Add flour and mix well, until it adheres in a ball

Spread into 9 by 13 baking pan. Press down with a fork (it makes it look pretty with ridges around the edges)

Bake @ 325 for 25 minutes or until edges turn light brown but centre is still gold.

Cut into bars as soon as you take it out of the oven. If you let it cool it will be hard.

 

Janet’s Almond Cookies 

Janet is my sister. I have tweaked her recipe a bit for those who don’t tolerate wheat.

2 cups ground almonds

1 cup icing sugar (or confectioners sugar)

1 Tablespoon pure almond extract (has to be the real thing)

1 egg white (large egg)

2 Tablespoons spelt flour (any flour will do. I suspect this will even work with arrowroot or any other binder)

 

Mix dry ingredients

Add egg white and almond extract

Mix very loosely with fork. Do not press together.

Place with fork onto parchment paper on cookie sheet and leave them looking rough so they barely hold together. If you press them together they will be hard to chew.

Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Depending on your oven you may need a few more minutes. Be careful to pull them as soon as they begin to turn colour. They should still be beige.

You can check out Yvonne’s books on her Amazon author page

 

Learn more about Yvonne on her blog: http://newfantasyauthor.com/

Sou-Berag (Armenian Parsley-Cheese Turnovers)

Yummy appetizers.

Our most recent Culture and Cuisine Club dinner featured the cuisine of Armenia. One of the standouts of the evening was this appetizer. The chef describes her adjustments to the recipe. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 6 − 8

1 box phyllo dough (Frozen Pastry). You will only need one of the rolls of pastry.  Thaw and handle the roll according to box directions. You will need 12 sheets plus 3 sheets of phyllo dough the size of the pan you are using (the recipe online does this in a pan to slice.)  I did the individual turnovers described below for a party.

  1/2 pound butter, melted

  FILLING:

  1½ lbs. mixed grated cheese of your choice: I used 8oz whole milk ricotta, 8oz Monterey

  Jack, 4 oz whole milk mozzarella, and 4 oz feta.

3/4 cup chopped Italian, flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

2 eggs, beaten well

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper and ¼ teaspoon white pepper

  Mix the above ingredients for the filling.

  DIRECTIONS: Easy-quick way:

  1. Butter your cake pan well and lay a sheet of phyllo.  Butter the top. Lay another sheet and butter.

2. Put on a layer of filling.

3. Add another 2 phyllo sheets, buttering each one and add more filling.

4. Do this until 12 sheets of phyllo are used and your filling is used up.

5. You can now add the last three sheets of phyllo making sure to butter each one.

6. Bake in a 450 ℉ oven for 20 minutes.

7. Lower the heat to 300 ℉ and bake another 20 minutes. The time is not as important as the color of your phyllo dough. Make sure it is a golden brown.

8. Take out the sou-berag and let cool for 5 minutes.

9. Cut in diagonals or squares and serve warm.

  For individual turnovers:

1.  You can also make sou-berag by taking long sheets of 4 inch wide phyllo dough, buttering it and adding the filling and folding the strips into triangles, using the whole strip to make the layers. Like folding a flag. This makes nice little individual packets of cheese turnovers. I like these for parties. Cook the same way as the pan, but watch closely. 

 

Thriving After A One-Star Review

Rutgers Graduate and Pulitzer-prize winning author, Junot Díaz. I loved "Oscar Wao."

It is late in the evening and you are about to make a mistake that will cause you to toss and turn all night. Sleep will elude you as you see the words dancing in front of your eyes, taunting you with their black and white judgment. There, defiling your Amazon author page is a one-star review. Blood pounds in your veins as you read. You are naked, revealed to the world as a pretender, a poser, certainly not a writer. Your head drops to your desk, and you slip slowly into madness.

If this hasn’t happened to you yet, then you either haven’t been writing long enough, or you lead a charmed existence. The one-star review is a rite of passage. No matter how great the writer, no matter how brilliant the masterpiece, someone will feel that the book was disappointing. Or they will hate it and advise others to skip it.

After much thought I decided to share with you my philosophical and practical approach to thriving after a poor review, or more accurately, one that eviscerates your book.

 Check the profile of the reviewer. Look at the genres they read, and scan some of their reviews. If they have reviewed hundreds of books in your genre, compare your review to others they have written. Are their reviews typically critical? Are they an expert in the genre? Are they an avid reader of the niche you wish to reach, or did they pick up your book thinking it was a different genre?
Separate how much you care about your book, from the critical comments. Put your emotion to the side as you sift through the critique. Is any of it true? It may be difficult to acknowledge that the review has merit in one or two aspects. By accepting that you are not perfect and can learn and improve you will become a better writer.
Be thankful. There are thousands of books that this person could choose to read. They chose your book. And, because they read it they are entitled to their opinion.
Do not argue with a reviewer. If the review was abusive, flag it and contact Amazon. Focus on getting more reviews through honest means that will dilute the sting of the one-star. Incidentally, I believe that a mix of ratings confirms to Amazon that you are not using sock puppet reviewers. Furthermore, readers who enjoyed your book may get protective of you when they feel you have been treated badly, and they will give you a glowing review to minimize the poor one.
There is a time to contact a reviewer, and that would be if they say the book had a problem during the download and the formatting is a mess. I was extremely appreciative of a reviewer pointing this out to me. I checked the file and it was mostly Amazon’s problem. I would never have known about the issue if this nice woman hadn’t informed me.
Move on to your next project. Congratulate yourself that you are able to provide entertainment for others. You are a special breed.

The above suggestions are just that — suggestions. No review, no matter how derogatory, is going to make me stop writing. This logical approach is the only way I have figured out to properly absorb the salient points of a critique and make them work for me. That doesn’t mean I am going to change the way I write. It does mean that I will pay attention to areas that readers have especially liked or been confused by.

One of the most famous bad reviews was written about John Keats’ masterpiece Endymion. The review was condescending and had a decidedly personal feel. The critical mistake on the part of the reviewer was to fail to:

1. Say what the book was about.

2. Discuss how the author went about saying what the book was about.

3. Finally, communicate what the reviewer felt about what the author was saying in the      book.

One might say that in attempting to combine vampires, tango, alternative lifestyles, fashion, fine food and interior design in a novella I was cruisin’ for a bruisin’. Perhaps I was naive in thinking that a fun, 124 page romp priced at $.99 would entertain and amuse. I did not expect what I received. What I have learned is this – when one attempts an artistic experiment some people will get it. The opinions will be on opposite ends of the spectrum, and I will have to take my lumps. C’est la vie.

This post appeared originally on Indies Unlimited. To read the extensive comments that followed this post, please visit the site at http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2013/11/14/thriving-after-a-poor-review/

 

Kate Spade Designs For… Me!

Lois is not a common name. Long before the Family Guy I thought my name was boring. I wanted to be named something exotic like Alexandra, or Bianca.

So, thank you Kate Spade for making me feel better about my dull name. I love this iPhone case and hope Santa will put it in my stocking.

Lois J iPhone case

If you want to buy this for a Lois you love go Name Your Link[image error]here 

The 9112 Lychee Martini

The 9112 lychee martini and a pork dumpling.

At our recent Culture and Cuisine dinner we celebrated the cuisine of China. As all of you know, we always start our evening with a delicious cocktail. After extensive research, our favorite mixologist invented the following cocktail. Enjoy!

3 oz vodka
a splash of vermouth
1 oz lychee syrup (from canned lychees)

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled Martini glass, garnish with a lychee and a twist of lemon.

The proper glass for a delicious martini can be found here.